Preparation

"These are the terms; make do with them."

Yue Shan leaned against the doorframe and said indifferently, "Rest here for the afternoon. Gather at the camp tent from earlier at five o'clock. Don't be late."

"Understood, Captain."

Yue Shan nodded, said nothing more, and turned to head downstairs, his footsteps quickly fading away.

Chen Mo entered the room, closed the door, and placed his pack and the items he was holding onto the table.

He first walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.

A humid, sweltering breeze immediately poured in, carrying the distinct, fishy stench of river water from the docks.

He looked toward the cluster of low, dense buildings in the west of the city, where gray-black rooftops stood like fish scales, and narrow, gut-like alleys appeared particularly gloomy in the fading daylight.

That was Rat Alley.

Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Mo began to examine the equipment Yue Shan had provided.

The Inspection Bureau uniform was made of thick, durable fabric, with simple cloud patterns embroidered in black thread at the collar, cuffs, and hem—likely some form of basic protective talisman.

On the left breast, the character "Ji" (Inspection) was embroidered in silver seal script, signifying his status as a member of the Inspection Bureau.

Chen Mo shook out the garment and found the lining was light gray, cool to the touch, and carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs.

The entire outfit was tailored for efficiency and ease of movement, clearly designed for field operations.

After changing out of his old clothes and putting on the dark blue Inspection Bureau uniform, Chen Mo checked his reflection in a blurry bronze mirror in the room.

The clothes fit surprisingly well, making his somewhat lean frame appear more upright and giving him a colder, sharper aura.

The "Ji" character on his left breast shimmered with a faint silver luster in the dim light.

He tied the black waist token to his right side, and after activating it with a drop of blood, a vague sense of connection lingered in his heart.

Finally, Chen Mo picked up the manual for the Wind-Breaking Three Styles.

[Detected blade technique: Wind-Breaking Three Styles]

In his sea of consciousness, the text on the Moonlight Treasure Mirror flickered, and then, more detailed prompts appeared like ripples on water:

[Analysis complete.]

[Wind-Breaking Three Styles—Basic military formation combat blade technique.]

[Grade: Mortal High-Rank (Fragmented).]

[Core Essence: Using simplicity to control complexity, using force to break finesse, pursuing ultimate lethality.]

[Technique Composition:]

[Wind-Cleaving Style: From top to bottom, swift as a lightning strike, emphasizing speed and piercing, excels at attacking the head, collarbone, and weapon-wielding wrists.]

[Wind-Slashing Style: Slanting sweep and horizontal drag, heavy and powerful, emphasizing momentum and cutting, excels at breaking the center, severing limbs, and sweeping through defenses.]

[Wind-Breaking Style: Advancing through danger, close-quarters thrusts and counter-strikes, emphasizing trickery and instantaneous strikes, excels at attacking the waist, abdomen, heart, and gaps in force transition.]

[Force Application Points (Fine-tuned to the holder's current physique):...]

[Footwork Coordination (Basic Seven-Star Steps variant):...]

[Common Combat Response Combinations (Seven variations derived from the three-style combo):...]

[Note: This method is designed specifically for battlefield clearing and dealing with low-intelligence Sha targets. Use caution when employing the Wind-Breaking Style's risky close-quarters maneuvers against martial artists/cultivators of equal or higher level. Basic application can be mastered quickly, but integrating it into instinct requires extensive combat tempering.]

[Load technique?]

Chen Mo's thoughts stirred, and he chose yes.

In an instant, a stream of cool consciousness flooded into his mind.

It was not a forced insertion of complex insights, but rather the previously analyzed force application points, footwork coordination, and the most practical combo variations, all branded into his memory with extreme clarity.

A moment later, the cooling sensation receded, and the light of the Moonlight Treasure Mirror returned to calm.

Chen Mo slowly opened his eyes, feeling a slight throbbing in his head, but nothing serious.

He looked down at the manual in his hands, then at his own hands, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up within him.

The key points of the techniques and the methods of channeling force were now clearly imprinted in his heart; even his arm muscles felt a faint urge to swing in specific trajectories.

He stood up and drew the Evil-Slaying Blade.

The blade left the scabbard with a low, frictional hum.

It was about two feet and seven inches long, with the hilt taking up nearly seven inches, wrapped in sweat-absorbent, anti-slip dark brown hemp rope, feeling steady and solid in his grip.

The blade was not perfectly straight but had a very subtle curve, with blood grooves on both sides; the lines were simple, without any complex patterns.

The color was not bright, but a dull, dark gray-black, like hundred-refined steel, yet it faintly exuded an introverted chill.

Looking closely, extremely fine dark red patterns flowed within the gray-black, appearing almost ethereal.

Those were the traces of red copper powder mixed in during the special forging process, granting the blade a faint efficacy in breaking evil and Sha.

The edge was ground extremely thin, a line of cold light flowing along it in the dimness.

The entire blade gave Chen Mo a sense of simplicity, practicality, and ferocity; it had no superfluous decorations, and every inch was designed for slaughter and the eradication of evil.

Chen Mo held the blade in one hand, feeling its heavy weight and the cool touch of the hilt against his palm.

He tried swinging it gently, rotating his wrist according to the exertion methods in his mind.

The blade sliced through the air, emitting a faint yet crisp "hiss."

"A fine blade!"

Chen Mo praised it inwardly and began practicing the basic movements of the Wind-Breaking Three Styles within the cramped space.

The movements were initially a bit stiff, but with the foundation of the Gale Blade Technique he had learned previously, he soon became fluid.

His exertion methods naturally gravitated toward the way optimized by the Moonlight Treasure Mirror—the most suitable for his current state—and his footwork began to show a hint of structure.

Once, twice, three times...

Sweat began to seep out again; the muggy heat of August made the room feel like a steamer.

Chen Mo remained expressionless, immersed in the initial familiarization of the blade technique.

The Moonlight Treasure Mirror had only allowed his mind to learn the technique; to coordinate his limbs and form muscle memory, constant practice was still required.

It was just like the internal energy and cultivation gained through "enlightenment" in television dramas.

Without settling and polishing, one could never unleash their true maximum strength.

Time slipped away unnoticed, and when the faint sound of clappers drifted from the distant wharf, Chen Mo stopped his movements.

Breathing slightly heavily, he sheathed the long blade and clenched his fist, feeling that his control over his own strength had become more adept.

He wiped away his sweat, changed into a clean spare undershirt, and performed a final check of his equipment: waist token, Evil-Slaying Blade, and Paper Doll.

Chen Mo pushed open the door and walked down the stairs.

The evening breeze carried the dampness of the river; it could not dispel the muggy heat, but it did refresh his spirit.

Inside the tent, the other four were already gathered.

Seeing Chen Mo enter, Yue Shan's gaze lingered on him for half a second before shifting away.

"We'll head to the canteen to eat first, then return to assign tasks."

Yue Shan said this, then took the lead in lifting the tent flap and walking out.

Chen Mo followed behind the squad, crossing the camp area.

The sky had not yet fully darkened, but electric lights—a rare sight in Linhe County—were already flickering on throughout the camp.

The air was filled with a scent mixed with grain and cooked meat, and the clamor of voices could be heard in the distance.

The canteen was set up in a larger brick building guarded by soldiers at the entrance, who only granted passage after verifying waist tokens.

The space inside was quite large, filled with over a dozen long wooden tables, and it was already occupied by many people.

Most were soldiers and low-level officials in various uniforms, with a small number of people like Chen Mo, dressed in the Inspection Bureau uniforms or the dark green Anomaly Suppression Bureau attire, gathered in their own groups.

The environment was noisy, and there was a long queue at the food serving window.

"Find your own seats. The rule is to take only what you can eat; no wasting."

Zhou Ling was the first to respond, laughing as she pulled the somewhat silent Zhao Tie toward the serving window.

Wu Tong glanced at Chen Mo, said nothing, and slowly followed them over.

The food was more substantial than expected.

There were large pots of rice, two massive basins of a mushy meat stew that was hard to identify, rich in oil and floating with vegetable leaves, alongside a basket of black flour buns and a large bucket of bland, clear soup with a few vegetable leaves floating in it.

The cook serving the food was quick and efficient; regardless of who it was, he would dump a large ladle of rice into a coarse ceramic bowl, followed by a large ladle of stew.

Chen Mo ate in silence.

The food tasted very average, heavily salted, and the meat was cooked until it was overly soft, but it provided enough calories—and for someone who needed to exert physical strength, that was more important than anything else.