Ghost Face Slope

The next morning, Lu Chen changed into the black-and-gold Imperial Guard uniform, strapped the Hundred Refinements Saber to his waist, and arrived at the Imperial Guard Camp headquarters right on time.

Unlike the grim, oppressive atmosphere of the Corpse Handling Room, this place brimmed with masculine vigor and a killing edge.

On the wide training grounds, over a hundred Imperial Guards were locked in sparring matches, the clash of blades ringing without pause, shouts piercing the sky.

Lu Chen's arrival immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Look, that's the new Little Banner Lu."

"The one who crawled up from the Corpse Handling Room? The 'Fortunate General'?"

"Hmph, just some lucky bastard. I heard he awakened some bloodline—who knows if it's true or not."

"A waste who can't even hold a saber steady, and he thinks he's on our level? Look at that pretty-boy face of his—bet he won't even be able to read the mission boards."

All kinds of gossip, laced with envy, disdain, and curiosity, reached Lu Chen's ears without restraint.

Lu Chen's expression remained calm, as if he hadn't heard a thing. He walked straight to the massive wooden board where missions were posted.

Dozens of wooden tags hung densely from the board, each color-coded by mission rank.

White for routine patrols, green for monster-trace investigations, yellow for low-tier demon exterminations, and red—that marked a death zone where Ranked Demons roamed.

A clerk handling mission assignments didn't even look up. "Which squad?"

"Newly appointed Imperial Guard Little Banner, Lu Chen. Here to collect today's patrol mission." Lu Chen handed over his token.

The clerk finally raised his head at that, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly twisted into a knowing sneer.

He pulled a white mission tag from a pile of pre-prepared ones and tossed it onto the table.

"Here. East City, Ghost Face Slope. Routine patrol."

The moment those words left his mouth, several veteran Imperial Guards nearby shot Lu Chen a pitying look, like they were staring at a dead man.

Ghost Face Slope!

Yet another infamous cursed ground around Nanling Prefecture!

The rocks there, eroded by yin winds year after year, had naturally formed faces that looked just like ghosts—hence the name.

Even stranger, any living thing that entered Ghost Face Slope would lose its way without realizing it, eventually dying trapped inside, with not even bones left to find.

It was an open secret that patrol teams lost someone there every so often.

This wasn't a routine patrol. It was another death warrant.

Lu Chen picked up the cold mission tag, his mind crystal clear.

Foreman Wang's retaliation had come faster and harsher than he'd expected.

"Much obliged." He nodded to the clerk and turned to leave.

His utterly unruffled demeanor left the clerk and the surrounding Guards momentarily stunned.

Was this guy... really that stupid, or did he actually have something backing him up?

Lu Chen didn't gather his squad right away. Instead, he went alone to the supply depot.

Same corner, same drowsy Clerk Chen.

"Clerk Chen, I'd like to exchange for some supplies." Lu Chen placed a small pouch of silver on the counter.

Clerk Chen didn't even bother lifting his eyelids, just grunted vaguely.

"I need ten Bronze Mirrors, polished to the highest shine, and three catties of the finest Realgar Powder."

"Mirrors? Realgar?" The old clerk finally cracked open his murky eyes, giving Lu Chen a puzzled look. "You're an Imperial Guard. What do you need those exorcism-and-house-protection trinkets for? Why not trade for some pills or weapons?"

"I'm heading to Ghost Face Slope for patrol today," Lu Chen said flatly.

"Ghost Face Slope?" Clerk Chen's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. A complex glint flickered deep in his clouded pupils, then he slipped back into his lazy demeanor.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly rose, rummaged through the back of the depot for a while, and brought out the items Lu Chen had requested.

But as he handed them over, he leaned in and muttered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"The ghosts of Ghost Face Slope have no eyes, but they love looking into mirrors. If the mirror shows you, you die. If it doesn't show you..."

He didn't finish. He just sat back down, picked up his wine flask, as if he'd said nothing at all.

But a bolt of lightning seemed to strike Lu Chen's heart!

He understood in an instant, and bowed deeply to Clerk Chen's back.

"Thank you for the guidance, Clerk Chen."

At the foot of Ghost Face Slope, the yin wind howled.

Lu Chen stood at the mountain pass with five grim-faced subordinates.

The twisted, grotesque rocks moaned in the wind, as if countless invisible mouths were wailing.

"L-Little Banner, this is Ghost Face Slope," Zhao Da Niu swallowed hard, speaking nervously. "They say no one who goes in ever comes out."

The three newly assigned Warriors were pale as sheets, their legs trembling faintly.

Lu Chen said nothing. He simply took out ten brand-new bronze mirrors from his bosom and distributed them to the group.

"Two for each person. One hangs on your chest, the other on your back. Remember, no matter what happens, do not look at your own reflection in the mirror."

Though puzzled, the others complied out of trust in and fear of Lu Chen.

"Let's go."

Lu Chen took the lead, stepping into this land of death.

The moment they entered Ghost Face Slope, the surroundings abruptly changed.

Though it was a bright and clear day, the sunlight seemed veiled by an intangible gray haze, turning gloomy and oppressive.

Every rock and stone around them looked as if it had been meticulously carved by malicious ghosts, taking on all sorts of twisted, hideous faces, silently watching them.

The eeriest thing was that the wind had vanished.

The entire valley was dead silent, with only the faint footsteps and breathing of the six of them.

"Something's wrong..." Sun Monkey warily scanned their surroundings. "Too quiet. Not even the chirping of insects."

Just then, one of the new Warriors at the rear let out a short, startled cry.

"My shadow... why isn't my shadow moving?!"

The others turned in alarm to see that the Warrior's shadow seemed nailed to the ground. No matter how he moved, it remained stubbornly fixed in place, frozen in an unnatural posture!

And the shadow's head was slowly, stiffly, rising at a visible rate!

That rigid shadow lifted its head, its hollow, featureless face turning toward its owner—the young Warrior, already scared out of his wits!

"Ah... save... save me..."

The Warrior felt a bone-chilling cold surging up from the soles of his feet. The strength and warmth in his limbs were being drained away at a visible pace.

His face rapidly turned ashen, his lips purple, as if his life force was being mercilessly devoured by that eerie shadow.