Early the next morning, Foreman Wang summoned everyone in the Corpse Handling Room.
His expression was grave, and a trace of grief filled his eyes as he announced the terrible news.
"Brothers, something's happened. A scout unit from the patrol team has gone missing in Black Wind Gully, outside the city. Their last message mentioned encountering a large number of corpse transformations and a strange black vine."
"The Captain's residence has already ordered us to immediately form an elite team and head to Black Wind Gully to investigate, searching for survivors to the best of our ability. By the rules, a corpse handler has to accompany you, responsible for... responsible for handling the remains of any... comrades we might find at the scene, and helping identify traces of demons."
The moment he finished speaking, the entire Corpse Handling Room fell into deathly silence.
Black Wind Gully!
To all the low-ranking people of Nanling Prefecture, that name was a death knell.
It was a notorious place of ill omen near Nanling Prefecture, said to be the remains of an ancient battlefield. Killing intent hung thick in the air, and fierce winds howled there year-round. Strange things that defied all understanding often appeared.
Forget investigating it; even passing by could bring misfortune.
At once, all the corpse handlers lowered their heads and held their tongues, trembling with fear lest this heaven-sent opportunity land on them.
Foreman Wang's gaze, like that of a prowling wolf, swept slowly over one frightened face after another. At last, his eager, approving eyes settled on Lu Chen at the back of the group.
"Lu Chen!"
He called out loudly, his tone brimming with indisputable "regard."
"Since joining the bureau, you've repeatedly distinguished yourself, and no one can match your luck. Your skills... seem to have improved quite a bit, too. This mission may be dangerous, but it's also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If you earn merit, I'll personally ask the Captain to reward you and promote you to my deputy!"
"You're the only one fit for this important task!"
At those words, Zhang Mazi and the others instantly wore complex expressions of relief and schadenfreude.
The few members of the Warrior Team assigned to accompany him also cast unfriendly looks at Lu Chen, evidently convinced that bringing along an unlucky corpse handler was nothing but a burden.
Lu Chen's heart sank to the bottom.
It seemed there was no way to keep hiding his abilities, no matter how much he held back.
Using another's blade to kill; the plot had been laid bare.
Foreman Wang's murderous intent was no longer hidden.
But in an instant, Lu Chen forced his face into a complex expression of utter terror, supreme honor, and resolute fearlessness.
His voice trembled, yet held a trace of determination he was struggling to suppress.
"Y-Your subordinate obeys! I-I won't fail Foreman Wang's trust!"
He lowered his head deeply and bent at the waist, using the most humble posture to hide the cold glint that flashed through his eyes.
Upon returning to the Corpse Handling Room, Lu Chen immediately began preparing for this mission of certain death.
He dug out all his possessions.
His specially made Boning Knife, sharpened until it gleamed like a mirror; two carefully drawn Calming Talismans and one Breath Concealing Talisman; his very last Qi and Blood Pill; and all the Blood Activating Powder he had saved up.
Lu Chen carefully wrapped everything in oilcloth and hid it close to his body.
Then he silently took stock of all his trump cards.
[Demon Suppressing Saber Technique (Great Achievement)] [Turtle Breath Meditation Method (Beginner, on the verge of a breakthrough)] [Body Evasion Steps (Minor Achievement)] [Shadow Step (Minor Achievement)] [Demon Devil Lifespan: 4 years]
These were all he could rely on as he dared to step into this death trap.
Lu Chen slowly exhaled a mouthful of stale air, his gaze turning razor-sharp.
Crisis and opportunity often went hand in hand.
Black Wind Gully was a place of ill omen, but that also meant it might hold the remains of countless ownerless demons, or perhaps... even beings of a higher rank.
For him, that meant an immense supply of Demon Devil Lifespan—a supreme resource for breaking through to a new realm!
"Foreman Wang..."
Lu Chen tightened his grip on the Boning Knife, a cold curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
"You want me dead, but I'm afraid... you're about to deliver a heaven-sent fortune right into my hands!"
At dusk, a hastily assembled team silently passed through Nanling Prefecture's massive city gates in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The team was led by an experienced Imperial Guard.
His surname was Liu, and people called him Old Liu. His face was etched with the marks of wind and frost, and his gaze was sharp.
Four conscripted warriors followed him. All were burly, their expressions tense, and their hands never strayed far from the hilts at their waists.
Lu Chen was like an unnecessary piece of luggage that had been forced into the group, tossed at the very back.
The warriors looked at him with undisguised disgust.
"Damn it, what rotten luck!" A scar-faced warrior spat on the ground. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him. "We're going to a hellhole like Black Wind Gully, and they're making us bring along a corpse-picker. Are they afraid we won't die fast enough, or that no one will be left to collect our bodies?"
Another warrior snorted and chimed in, "Scarface, keep it down. Maybe that's exactly what Foreman Wang wants—to let this corpse handler get some practice beforehand, so he can piece us brothers back together when the time comes."
"Piece us back together? We'd be lucky if we had a few bones left after entering Black Wind Gully!"
Laughter rang out, dripping with malice.
Foreman Liu frowned and turned around to bark, "All of you, shut up! Watch your footing!" But when he looked at Lu Chen, his eyes were just as distant, with a trace of barely concealed contempt. He clearly didn't truly consider Lu Chen a teammate worth protecting.
Lu Chen kept his head lowered and said nothing, like a stone soaked by the rain, shutting out every taunt.
His minor mastery of Shadow Step made his footfalls light. He followed behind the group perfectly, like a real shadow.
The official road soon ended, and the mountain trail ahead grew ever more rugged and desolate.
Twisted dead trees, dark red earth, rusted fragments of weapons... The deeper they went, the more unnerving the surroundings became. The killing intent in the air grew denser and colder, like countless tiny ice needles trying to bore into their bones.
"Make camp!" Foreman Liu picked out a spot sheltered by a mountainside and gave the order without hesitation.
He took a bronze formation plate from his robes and, after forming a spell seal, raised a faint barrier of light that kept most of the cold winds and killing intent at bay.
The warriors began lighting a fire and setting up a perimeter.
"You!" The scar-faced warrior pointed at Lu Chen without the slightest courtesy. "Hand out the rations and water, then keep an eye on the fire! If it goes out in the night, or attracts anything unclean, I'll feed you to the demons first!"
Lu Chen silently did as he was told, without a word of complaint. He sat beside the bonfire and quietly added firewood.
The night grew still. Everyone except the warriors on watch lay down in their clothes, but no one could truly sleep.
The wind howled like a ghost, and from far away came what seemed to be a faint, bone-chilling scraping sound.
Lu Chen sat cross-legged beside the fire, seeming to doze. In truth, he was fully circulating the Turtle Breath Meditation Method, both to resist the cold and to sharpen his senses to their limit, alert for any disturbance in the darkness.
In the second half of the night, it was the scar-faced warrior's turn to keep watch.
Clearly unwilling to do the work himself, he kicked Lu Chen in the shin and snapped, "Hey, corpse handler, get up and take my watch! I'm going to catch some shut-eye!"
Lu Chen opened his eyes and looked at him without a word, then silently took his place.
The scar-faced warrior gave a smug grunt, wrapped his clothes tightly around himself, and lay down nearby. Soon, he was snoring loudly.