Arriving in Time, Commendation
Nan Jue had a bad feeling. Ever since the Yangtze River flood season began, bad news had poured in like snowflakes from rivers, streams, ferries, and dams everywhere.
There hadn't been a single report of trouble from Songjiang. On the surface, that seemed to make things easier for the command center. But with Demon Beast invasions happening so often during the flood season, manpower was stretched thin everywhere and problems were piling up. Why should Songjiang be the only place without trouble?
No news was the worst news.
Either the Demon Beasts had already overrun the place and taken control of its communications, preventing word from getting out, or the mages responsible for that ferry were hiding the truth. Maybe things had already spiraled completely out of control, and they were still covering it up.
"Damn it, something's happened."
Zhu Meng cursed gruffly and called in the officer outside. "What's the situation at Songjiang Dam? Who's in charge?!"
The Military Mage stared blankly for a moment, then quickly replied, "Tang Yue of the Adjudication Court is leading the team, along with some city hunters."
At that, Zhu Meng frowned. "Tang Yue...?"
He knew her. She was an adjudicator with the Hangzhou Adjudication Court, the niece of Chief Judge Tang Zhong, and a member of that hidden clan.
Zhu Meng was also a councilor of the Adjudication Court. Their political views differed, so he was fairly familiar with Tang Yue and the others.
"Hmph. That little girl can't get anything done properly."
Cursing loudly, Zhu Meng rose and strode out of the command room. Reaching the docks, he shouted, "All reserve troops, assemble! Board the Sky Eagles and head to Songjiang Ferry to reinforce them!"
At his command, everyone realized how urgent the situation was.
Before the Sky Eagles could take off, Zhu Meng and Nan Jue activated their Wing Magic Tools and flew at full speed toward Songjiang Dam.
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
The airborne force swept across the sky in a vast formation. Before they even reached their destination, they caught the pungent stench of blood. Zhu Meng's brow furrowed, and the soldiers' hearts sank as they braced for the worst.
When they arrived, they saw that the reservoir lake by the ferry dam had turned blood-red. The water was so thick and viscous that they wondered if it contained even a single drop of water. Countless Crocodile Demon corpses floated on the surface, piled up into a mountain.
A mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!
That was the only phrase that came to mind at the sight.
Zhu Meng and the other Military Mages also spotted three people on the dam. Two beautiful, graceful female mages sat cross-legged in meditation.
Only one man stood, casting a spell. His features were clear and handsome, and his aura powerful. His sharp gaze swept over them, while an intense Killing Aura soared into the sky. He had the imposing air of a man who could hold a pass against ten thousand foes.
Everyone drew in a sharp breath. They didn't need to ask. One look at him made it clear that he had done all this. No ordinary mage could display such detached indifference after a slaughter.
The two female mages had fine bearing, but they were clearly nowhere near his level.
A Military Mage stared in shock and muttered, "Good heavens. One man held the dam alone and killed at least a thousand Demon Beasts?"
"So Songjiang Ferry wasn't silent because nothing happened. He stopped them all by himself. He didn't need any reinforcements."
Nan Jue's expression was complicated. She could tell that the man wasn't very old. His youthful features suggested he was about her age. She had once been quite proud of herself for going to the front lines of the Demon Beast battlefield at nineteen and watching the battle from the command room. She had plenty of experience.
But compared to him—one man holding Songjiang Ferry and slaughtering a thousand Demon Beasts—she fell far short.
In midair, Zhu Meng relaxed when he saw the scene. Thankfully, the dam was safe and no disaster had occurred. He looked at Lu Jun with interest. For three days and three nights, he hadn't let a single Demon Beast through. He was fiercer than many professional Demon Hunting Squads and military units.
Meanwhile, as Lu Jun controlled his stars, his mind suddenly sensed a powerful threat approaching from above. He warily looked up and was immediately puzzled.
More than a hundred members of the Sky Eagle Troop flew toward them, bristling with Killing Aura and filling the sky. Every one of them was at least an elite Intermediate Mage, and there were plenty of powerful Advanced Mages among them. Their leader was a broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and a dignified bearing. Wearing a councilor's uniform, he looked every bit the Super Rank bigwig.
Tang Yue and Lu Mei woke up and stood. Tang Yue recognized the newcomer and was startled. Her expression turned a little uneasy. "Councilor Zhu Meng? Why did he come in person?"
Lu Jun vaguely remembered the name. He quickly searched his memories and realized who the man was.
Zhu Meng was a member of the Imperial City Magic Association, a councilor of the Adjudication Court, and a Super Rank Mage with considerable power and influence. He would be active in all kinds of disasters in the future. Most notable was his "Hidden Danger Strategy."
His idea was to eliminate every Demon Beast that posed a threat within human territory. Before repelling foreign threats, one had to secure the home front.
A year and a half later, Zhu Meng would try to kill Hangzhou's "hidden danger"—the Black Snake worshipped by Tang Yue's clan, a subordinate of Black Tortoise, one of the Four Great Sacred Beasts.
In the original novel, Dongfang Ming, whom Lu Jun had defeated earlier, had once been sent under Zhu Meng's orders as an Adjudication Court trainee to capture Mo Fan and Tang Yue. The two had secretly taken the Black Snake away.
Thinking of this, Lu Jun gave it some thought and glanced at Tang Yue. She hadn't told him about her background yet. Zhu Meng's plan probably hadn't begun.
How to put it? Zhu Meng was a good man in every sense of the word. He was always working hard to deal with disasters all over the country. Their opposition came down to a difference in principles and positions. In the end, he came to his senses and reconciled with Tang Yue's clan.
As Lu Jun pondered, the Sky Eagles slowly descended.
Zhu Meng approached, accompanied by a spirited female officer and a quiet, plain-looking chief guard.
Lu Mei frowned and stepped forward. "What do you want?"
"Nothing." Zhu Meng's voice was rough. He stared at Lu Jun and asked sternly, "Why didn't you call for reinforcements at Songjiang Ferry?!"
Lu Jun was briefly taken aback, then calmly replied, "We didn't need them."
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!"
Zhu Meng burst into hearty laughter. He patted Lu Jun on the shoulder, his voice full of approval. "You're impressive. Of all the people I've directed, you're the least trouble. The others always have one problem or another and need reinforcements. They send reports all day long. They drive me crazy."
"Of course, if you need help, say so. I hate people who lack the ability but still try to save face."
He paused and looked at Lu Jun. "You're from Mingzhu University, right? Once this is over, I'll put you in for a commendation. I'll recommend you for the National Prefecture War in a little over two years."
The chief guard, Wu Pingjing, looked surprised. It was the first time he'd seen Councilor Zhu Meng take such a liking to someone. He couldn't help envying Lu Jun. With a councilor's approval, the road ahead would be much easier once he entered society.
Lu Jun and the two women exchanged confused looks, unsure what was going on. He voiced their question.
Zhu Meng shook his head. "Damn it, we hadn't heard a single word from your side. You gave the command center a scare. We thought Songjiang had fallen, which would affect the livelihoods of more than a hundred thousand people, so we rushed over. I never expected you to surprise me."
Then Zhu Meng glanced at the dam, now a blood-red lake, and clicked his tongue in admiration. "The three of you must be out of magic energy by now. I'll send people to relieve you. Take a break."
No one expected Lu Jun to remain calm as he said, "There's no need."
White River Dolphins
At Songjiang Dam, not only Zhu Meng but also the nearby officers and guards were taken aback.
"All right." Zhu Meng came back to his senses and nodded. He decided to trust him for now. He liked confident men like this, so he said briskly, "I'll send a few more people to help. They'll follow your orders the entire time. Hold this place for ten days and ten nights."
Lu Jun hesitated. He wanted to say that there was no need and that he could fight at his best alone, but refusing a councilor twice in a row seemed rude. He decided to humor him.
Besides, his Metal Element Star Nebula was nearly depleted from the earlier battle. He could rotate between his Water Element, mind, and curse magic instead.
Zhu Meng quickly picked someone at random and left her behind. "Nan Jue, you're up. Don't just sit in an office. That only leads to more problems. Get to the front lines and deal with the real difficulties."
"You've learned just about everything you can by staying with me. There's not much else I can teach you. Figure out the rest yourself."
Lu Jun looked over and recognized the spirited female officer he'd noticed from the start. She had a prominent nose, regular features, and shoulder-length hair. Her loose military uniform couldn't hide her graceful figure. Her long legs were shapely and straight as pins, straighter than if she'd been wearing high heels.
"Wait a little. I'll send two or three more people to help," Zhu Meng told Lu Jun with a wave. "I'm busy with my duties, so I'll head back first. Leave me your contact details. Get in touch if you have any problems."
With that, he briskly led his group away on the Sky Eagles.
Watching them leave, Lu Jun rubbed his chin. Getting to know an influential councilor was a considerable gain. He hadn't expected that guarding the dam would draw the attention of a Super Rank Mage. The potential benefits were substantial.
He then looked at the female officer beside him. Nan Jue noticed his gaze and openly held out her hand. "Nan Jue. I'm from the Southern Military Region and a student at the Imperial City Military Mage Academy. I'm the same age as you."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Lu Jun, a student at Pearl Academy."
Lu Jun gave her hand a light shake and let go, looking thoughtful. Nan Jue was someone he knew, too.
According to the Original Timeline, she would be a key member of the national team in the National Prefecture War two years later. She would win a spot through the brutal competition in the Southern Military Region and be one of only three contestants with a Military Background.
Her cultivation was probably around the first level of the Intermediate Level in two elements.
The National Prefecture War wasn't just a contest between young people, academies, and countries. Behind the scenes, it was also a negotiation between powerful factions over their interests. The candidates were chosen by vote, and every vote was held by someone from the likes of the senior councilors, the Magic Association, or the Adjudication Court.
Every contestant who made it onto the stage was an outstanding talent backed by an interest group.
The recommendation Zhu Meng had mentioned was a vote. As far as Lu Jun knew, Zhu Meng had two votes, each backed by a different source of political influence.
The national team needed three votes to directly select a reserve team member, and four to secure a place on the main team. That alone showed how much weight Zhu Meng carried. If Lu Jun could win over two votes, he'd be only half a step away from securing a place.
Of course, Zhu Meng's words only showed that he thought highly of him. At most, he'd give Lu Jun one vote. Lu Jun would still need to prove himself. Nan Jue might also have come for an internship with a vote in mind.
Lu Jun had thought it through carefully and had decided he would definitely participate in the National Prefecture War. The rewards were simply too tempting. He could probably earn several Star River Veins along the way, though that was for later.
He nodded to Nan Jue, and the two chatted for a while. Before long, he saw the reinforcements Zhu Meng had sent.
Lu Jun stared in disbelief. What kind of oddball reinforcements were these?
Meanwhile, Zhu Meng returned to the command center. The other hunter officers gathered around him and asked, "Councilor, did something go wrong? Was that why you went out in person?"
"Nothing." He waved them off, then considered for a moment. "Gather some information on Lu Jun for me. And have Gao Sheng come over."
His subordinate nodded and left without bothering him further. Soon, he returned with a stack of documents, followed by the fisherman mage named Gao Sheng.
Zhu Meng leafed through the documents, leaving Gao Sheng standing to one side.
The fisherman-dressed mage didn't seem to mind. Gao Sheng sat down in a chair, carefree, and crossed his legs.
Zhu Meng gave him a look of distaste, then focused on the documents. He was surprised to see that their clearance level was that of a councilor. He'd only just managed to get access to them.
When he finished reading and closed the file, he took a deep breath and murmured, "So he was behind the Black Vatican purges in Bo City and Magic City."
Zhu Meng was usually busy responding to disasters across the country, so he hadn't paid much attention to matters involving Intermediate and lower-level Mages. Now he realized that Lu Jun was no ordinary young man. He was an impressive talent.
"He defeated every new student at Mingzhu University and fought for a whole day and night. Amazing. His Innate Talent is 'Magic Energy Multiplication'? No wonder he managed to hold Songjiang Ferry for so long."
Zhu Meng nodded, then turned to Gao Sheng and said flatly, "I have a job for you. Take those White River Dolphins to Songjiang Dam and help guard it."
Gao Sheng shot to his feet, eyes wide. "Councilor Zhu Meng, are you joking? First of all, I'm already crippled. Several of my Nebulae are half-crippled, and I'd be lucky to manage a few Intermediate Magic spells."
"Then there's the problem with the White River Dolphins. We barely managed to save them. Are you willing to send them out to their deaths? What if they get hurt? What's the point of all our efforts to protect them?"
"The Yangtze River White Sturgeon Demon tribe has been keeping an eye on them!"
Zhu Meng replied coldly, "The nation doesn't feed useless Demon Beasts. Whatever their circumstances, ordinary people are creating value and protecting their homes. Why should these creatures get to live in peace? If they die, they die."
"I'll say it again. That's an order."
"You... You..." Gao Sheng was flustered. "Zhu Meng, you're being unreasonable!"
Zhu Meng was a man who never took no for an answer. He issued his final ultimatum. "Either take your precious White River Dolphins with you, or I'll throw you out right now and send you to the Huangpu River front line."
"You bastard! You'll regret this!"
Fisherman Gao Sheng was furious, but he still backed down. Compared to the Huangpu River, where he'd have to battle Advancement Period Commanders capable of raising fifty-meter waves, going to Songjiang Ferry and keeping a low profile gave him at least a chance to survive.
Watching Gao Sheng descend to the reservoir and quietly ride away on a white dolphin, Zhu Meng clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them, lost in thought.
The Huangpu River disturbance involved only a few Advancement Period Commanders, but Zhu Meng felt there was more to it. So he'd secretly moved the White River Dolphins to a place that looked dangerous but was actually extremely safe.
The Crocodile Demon and White Sturgeon Demon tribes would be in for a surprise when they concentrated their attack on the naval dockyard and discovered it completely empty.
He believed Lu Jun was strong enough to protect the White River Dolphins. Besides, the Crocodile Demons probably wouldn't send more Demon Beasts to Songjiang Dam. After killing more than a thousand and turning the place into a blood-red lake, they'd suffered heavy losses. That made the spot a perfect blind spot.
"Everything's in place."
Then Lu Jun saw the "reinforcements" approaching from far away: a middle-aged, sleazy-looking man, shabby and weathered, riding a white dolphin more than ten meters long through the river. The contrast was so absurd that it looked downright bizarre.
Even Tang Yue and Lu Mei hesitated. "Who are you?"
The fisherman uncle's eyes lit up when he saw three beautiful women with different temperaments and styles. He laughed heartily. "I'm the reinforcements."
Gao Sheng's Experience, the Receding Tide
At Songjiang Ferry.
"My name's Gao Sheng." The middle-aged fisherman grinned at Lu Jun. "Councilor Zhu Meng sent me."
As he spoke, he patted the White River Dolphin beneath him and proudly said, "Don't worry. Your big brother here is only so-so, but these White River Dolphins are General-level. They're plenty strong. Each one can take on several ordinary Intermediate Mages at once."
Before coming, Gao Sheng had made a point of asking around. He'd learned that Lu Jun was a remarkable figure. He'd watched the video of the battle at Pearl Academy and been amazed, so he'd promptly decided to latch onto a powerful ally.
"General-level?" Lu Jun lowered his head and carefully examined the creature. It was more than ten meters long, its body a smooth jade white. Instead of fish scales, it had a layer of fine, rubbery skin that looked springy and resilient. Its head was round, and its small black eyes shone like polished beans. It looked adorable and docile.
He found it rather strange. His Water Element Star Nebula stirred, and through his mind sensing, he felt the White River Dolphins' lively, curious thoughts. They were curious about humans, not filled with the violent bloodlust of Demon Beasts.
Lu Jun asked in surprise, "Can you control water? Is it your Contract Beast? Some kind of tamed beast?"
"Uh..." Gao Sheng scratched his head. "It's not a tamed beast, either."
"A Demon Beast?!" Lu Mei exclaimed in alarm. She pulled her younger brother Lu Jun back a few steps. "Are you sure this is a reinforcement?"
Before you continue