Unauthorized Departure from the Pass? Yumen Pass, Commandant's Residence.
Commandant Zhou stared at a yellowed map, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Report—"
Outside the door, a personal guard strode in swiftly and dropped to one knee.
"Speak."
"My lord, the brothers at the city gate report that just now... a party from the Demon Suppression Bureau... left the pass."
Commandant Zhou's movements halted. He slowly raised his head, frowning.
People from the Demon Suppression Bureau?
Why were they leaving the pass at a time like this?
"Was Captain Jiang leading them?"
"N-No..."
"Then who was it?"
"It was... Team Leader Li Gui."
Li Gui.
A flicker of understanding passed through Commandant Zhou's eyes.
He and Li Gui's father had both served in the Longyou army, so they naturally had some friendship between them.
But Jiang Yuechu was not leading them, and they had left the city at such a time...
Could it be...
Commandant Zhou paced back and forth across the room, his heart restless with agitation.
Logically speaking, this was an internal matter of the Demon Suppression Bureau. As an outsider, he should not interfere.
But a great battle was imminent.
If that group had left the pass without authorization and alerted that Core Formation Great Demon—startling the grass and spooking the snake, ruining the Demon Suppression Bureau's entire plan—who would bear the responsibility?
He, Zhou, could not bear it.
"Let's go!"
Commandant Zhou abruptly stopped, resolve flashing through his eyes. "To the Demon Suppression Bureau camp!"
Demon Suppression Bureau Camp.
Chen Tong held a rag so grimy its original color was impossible to make out, wiping down a table while grumbling curses, his face full of impatience.
"Damn it, I came here to kill demons, not to wait on people!"
Monk Bujie set down his broom and said