Foreman Wang's Probe

"Kid, are you hiding something up your sleeve?"

Foreman Wang paced closer, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, trying to glean something from Lu Chen's expression.

Lu Chen's face was calm, but inside, murderous intent churned darkly.

He knew full well that in the Demon Suppression Division, where human life was as cheap as weeds, if he showed any sign of abnormality, Foreman Wang would not hesitate to crush him in the cradle and claim his secrets for himself.

He didn't have that many Life Points to spare!

Lu Chen merely lowered his head slightly and replied with deference, "In answer to Foreman Wang, it's all thanks to your excellent guidance. After returning last night, I pondered your words repeatedly and finally gained some insight. I dared to test the blade, and to my surprise, it actually worked."

His words were watertight, flattering the other while attributing everything to the intangible notion of sudden enlightenment.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Foreman Wang's smile didn't reach his eyes; clearly, he didn't buy this story.

He walked over to the materials and inspected them closely—from the luster of the Yao Pill to the completeness of the Fox Fur, not even a shred of excess meat left on the stripped bones.

This technique was more seasoned than that of the old masters who'd worked in the division for decades.

"You really are a natural talent, kid."

Foreman Wang withdrew his gaze, a flicker of greed flashing in his eyes.

He clapped Lu Chen on the shoulder, the force heavy, as if testing something.

"Keep up the good work. I've got my eye on you."

Lu Chen stumbled, nearly losing his footing.

That hand on his shoulder seemed casual, but it carried a sinister, hidden force that slithered down from his shoulder blade like a venomous snake, probing the strength of his bones and sinews.

If this had been his former self from yesterday, that one blow would have snapped his bones and sent him to his knees.

The Grandmaster-level Demon Suppressing Saber Technique granted not only lethal skill but absolute control over every muscle and tendon in his body.

The instant that hidden force invaded, the muscles in Lu Chen's shoulder trembled at an imperceptible frequency, then sank and deflected along the force's path.

The whole process flowed like water—like a stone tossed into a deep pool, stirring only a faint ripple before vanishing without a trace.

At the same time, he flawlessly played the part of a weak, fragile newcomer with no foundation.

His body jolted violently, as if struck by a massive force, staggering back two steps with hollow, shuffling footfalls.

His face went pale, and he let out a muffled groan on cue, his breath turning ragged, as if that casual pat had already dealt him serious internal injury.

"Foreman Wang... you... your strength is astonishing. I... I can barely stand." Lu Chen kept his head down, his voice laced with just the right amount of weakness and awe.

Foreman Wang slowly withdrew his hand, his fingertips rubbing together slightly, feeling the feedback of that stone-sinking-into-the-sea sensation.

The doubt in his eyes lessened, replaced by a greed that burned even hotter.

In his view, this kid had simply stumbled onto a stroke of luck, somehow grasping a scrap of saber technique by chance, but his physical foundation was still trash—weak and useless.

Perfect.

A talented, obedient waste was the best kind of tool.

"Hmph, worthless piece of trash. That was nothing." Foreman Wang wore a contemptuous smirk, but his tone softened a notch. "Still, you did a decent job this time. Get these materials into storage right away—don't hold up the Captain's business."

He pointed at the perfectly sectioned Vengeful Fox materials on the ground, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Keep it up. There'll be plenty more good jobs like this waiting for you."

Foreman Wang emphasized the words "good jobs" with a mocking lilt, the threat and bribery in them unmistakable.

"Yes, yes! Thank you for your guidance, Foreman Wang!" Lu Chen replied eagerly, putting on an air of flattered humility as he bent down to gather the materials.

Foreman Wang gave a satisfied grunt, then clasped his hands behind his back and strode out of the corpse room with measured steps, content to leave that place that made him so uncomfortable.

Only when the heavy stone door closed again, cutting off the light and sound from outside, did Lu Chen slowly straighten his back.

The weakness and reverence on his face vanished instantly, leaving only an icy, fathomless chill.

Lu Chen looked down at his shoulder. There, a faint, lingering Yin-cold energy still coiled—the hidden force left by Foreman Wang.

Though he had dispelled most of it, the remnants still tried to erode his vitality.

If it had been an ordinary person, within three days, they'd be struck down by a severe illness, their blood and Qi drained.

A ruthless move.

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed. His inner Qi circulated briefly through the crude breathing technique that came with the Demon Suppressing Saber Technique, and the Yin-cold energy was easily expelled from his body, dissipating into nothing.

He carefully wrapped the Vengeful Fox's Demon Core, fur, bones, and other materials in special oilcloth, cradled them in his arms, pushed open the stone door, and stepped out.

The moment he left the corpse room, a suffocating pressure hit him.

Inside the Demon Suppression Division, the bluestone floor was perpetually slick, with dark green moss growing in the corners. Demon Suppression Officers came and went, their faces grim and murderous, their steps hurried, carrying an indelible stench of blood and Killing Intent.

When they saw Lu Chen emerging from the corpse room, every single one of them frowned, instinctively keeping a few steps away, their eyes a mix of disgust, fear, and alienation.

In their eyes, Corpse Handlers were a band of "unclean ones" who kept company with death and ill fortune.

Lu Chen paid them no mind.

At this moment, his senses had been elevated to an entirely new level.

Lu Chen could clearly feel that his body, honed by twenty-two years of blade practice, was operating with an efficiency far beyond that of an ordinary person.

The dozens of jin of Demon Materials in his arms felt as light as ordinary cotton wadding.

His hearing had also grown exceptionally sharp; he could even make out the sound of blades cutting through wind from the distant training grounds, along with the faint rustle of armor plates from a patrol squad.

This sense of control over himself and his surroundings brought him some measure of calm.

Passing through several dim corridors, Lu Chen arrived at the storehouse.

At the entrance sat a gaunt old clerk, his hair streaked with white and his face lined with wrinkles, dozing with half-closed eyes. On the small table before him rested a jug of cheap, murky wine.

"Clerk Chen, the Vengeful Fox materials have been delivered." Lu Chen set the bundle gently on the ground and spoke respectfully.

The old man called Clerk Chen twitched his eyelids, reluctantly cracking them open a slit. His clouded eyes swept over Lu Chen, then glanced at the bundle on the floor. He waved his hand impatiently. "Just leave it there and log it in."

"Yes."