The Main Altar

"Just as expected."

Chen Mu had not been the least bit surprised. He had long sensed that the Black Crow Sect wanted to stir up something major, but this move of theirs was truly utterly frenzied and devoid of all conscience.

If they kidnapped the entire million-strong population of the Outer City and used them as leverage and bargaining chips, they might indeed force the major powers of the Inner City to make certain concessions. After all, though the Inner City lords did not care about a few lives in the Outer City, the entire Outer City was a completely different matter.

Moreover, this was not something that mere force could easily stop. Even existences at the Yi Jin Realm or Bone Tempering level could not possibly wipe out all the Gray-skinned Rats swarming throughout the Outer City.

Xu Hongyu also realized the severity of the situation. She no longer had time to concern herself with the conditions and mechanisms in the underground passage. Before things spiraled beyond all control, she had to nip the Black Crow Sect's delusions in the bud.

Whoosh!

Xu Hongyu charged into the underground passage first. Someone immediately followed behind holding a torch, followed by Min Baoyi, Chen Mu, and the rest of the Nine Stripes Ward Guard Office. The group surged into the passage in a mighty procession.

The passage was not particularly narrow, enough for roughly two people to walk side by side. Yet it was filled with a rotten, bloody stench. After rushing forward for a short distance, they soon came across several corpses.

They were Black Crow Sect members who had previously entered to explore the passage, their bodies pierced by sharp arrows.

Xu Hongyu merely cast them a hurried glance before ignoring them and pressing onward. After advancing some farther, two branching paths appeared ahead. Min Baoyi immediately said from behind, "Left. The right path is a trapped dead end."

That was something they had learned over the past half day by probing with human lives.

Using the information they had gathered on part of the underground layout, they avoided many traps in the tunnels. But Xu Hongyu moved quickly, and they soon reached completely unfamiliar territory.

Screech!

Some hidden mechanism was triggered. A sudden whistle tore through the air ahead, accompanied by a flash of cold light.

"Watch out!"

Someone cried a warning.

But Xu Hongyu, at the forefront, did not retreat. With a flick of her delicate hand, her flexible sword left its sheath, blossoming into a field of sword light within the cramped passage, like countless raindrops gathering into a semicircular shield.

A string of clear metallic clangs rang out as every flying dart was knocked down by Xu Hongyu.

With an Yi Jin Realm expert clearing the way, ordinary traps were almost as good as useless. Whether flying darts, hidden arrows, or mechanisms spraying poisonous water and mist, many were severed by Xu Hongyu's sword before they could even activate. Even poisonous water sprayed straight at them was blocked completely by her nearly watertight sword patterns as she pushed steadily forward.

They advanced for another stretch.

Finally.

A very spacious stone chamber appeared ahead. Chaotic footprints still remained inside, clearly showing that people had been here moments ago, though they had now all withdrawn.

Besides the passage through which they had entered, four other branching paths led from the stone chamber in different directions.

"This should already be near their main altar."

Min Baoyi spoke in a low voice. He had been calculating the distance they had traveled all along.

All four side paths bore obvious, jumbled footprints, clearly leading to different areas within.

"Do not delay. Split up and act. Anyone who resists, kill without mercy!"

Xu Hongyu spoke in a grave voice. Her figure flashed, and she had already charged alone into the leftmost passage.

Xiao He had just been about to say something, but Xu Hongyu had already vanished from sight. A trace of helplessness flashed through her eyes, but she quickly looked at the others and said solemnly, "Director Xu, take your men down the second path. Director Min, send some men down the third."

The man addressed as Director Xu was a Runner Office director from the General Office and one of Xu Hongyu's men. He answered at once, leading the people behind him into the second passage. Min Baoyi then looked behind him and swiftly said, "Wang Gong, Zhong Chang, bring men with me. Chen Mu, Qin Bei, you follow Deputy Officer He."

With that, he led his people into the third passage.

Qin Bei clearly knew Xiao He's identity. She was no deputy officer, but Xu Hongyu's personal maid. Her standing with Xu Hongyu was higher than Min Baoyi's, and her strength would not be weak either. He had no objections, and Chen Mu had even less.

Xiao He's expression was solemn as well. With a wave of her hand, she led Qin Bei, Chen Mu, and the others into the fourth passage. After walking several dozen steps, the way suddenly opened up before them, revealing a dim prison.

They could vaguely make out emaciated, half-dead prisoners groaning in their cells.

The people who disappeared over the past few months are probably all here.

The thought flashed through Chen Mu's mind.

Though he still did not know exactly why the Black Crow Sect had captured these people, judging from the scene before him, it was nothing more than using them to breed those Gray-skinned Rats—either drawing their blood or subjecting them to some other cruel means.

But just as Chen Mu swept his gaze from cage to cage, trying to find someone familiar among them, a series of squeaks suddenly sounded. They quickly joined into one continuous wave, gathering like the rustle of wind through sand, sending chills down their spines.

Everyone's expressions changed instantly.

Their gazes all turned toward the depths of the prison cells ahead.

But just as everyone's attention focused on the cells, a boom suddenly came from the passage behind them, as though some heavy object had crashed down. Accompanied by a dull thud, they turned to see a massive stone blocking their retreat.

Some of the Yamen Runners immediately fell into panicked confusion.

"Don't panic!"

Qin Bei and Chen Mu spoke at the same time.

Both their voices were steady and forceful, without a hint of alarm.

Qin Bei was an old head runner of many years, and among all the head runners of the City Guard, he was the only one besides Chen Mu who had grasped Saber Force. However, he was already past thirty-five, and his Body Tempering Method had stalled at Flesh Tempering Initial Accomplishment. He no longer had any chance of advancing further and lacked the qualifications to rise to Runner Office director. Yet in terms of strength, he was still the strongest in the Nine Stripes Ward Guard Office apart from Min Baoyi.

Possessing both the Flesh Tempering realm and Saber Force, and having fought through countless battles, he naturally would not panic in the face of a sudden shift in circumstances.

There was even less need to mention Chen Mu. His strength was his greatest source of confidence. Just like the passage before—if he had been clearing the way, he might not have been able to bulldoze through every trap as Xu Hongyu had, but the vast majority would have posed no threat to him.

With Copper Steel Skin and Lian Rou Great Accomplishment, those mechanisms and hidden arrows could scarcely harm him. Poisonous water and the like would also be hard-pressed to injure him. Poison mist was more troublesome, but with his saber skill, he could still destroy its source before it spread.

Even tunnels riddled with traps posed little threat to him, much less an open area like this.

The two Head Runners spoke at once, immediately calming the Yamen Runners behind them who had fallen into panic. Xiao He said nothing. Watching Chen Mu and Qin Bei's reactions, a trace of approval flickered in her eyes.

Qin Bei was one thing. He was an old head runner in Nine Stripes Ward, with decent strength, and she knew his background well. But for Chen Mu to remain unruffled at his age showed that his temperament was steady, essentially matching Min Baoyi's assessment.

Given time,

he would surely become a capable subordinate.

If there was even the slightest chance that he could break through the shackles of Tendon Transformation and step into the third Body Tempering realm, the Yi Jin Realm, then he might become Xu Hongyu's right-hand man, a figure of great weight.

"That should be the so-called Guardian God of the Black Crow Sect."

Xiao He looked ahead and spoke slowly.

As her words fell, countless Gray-skinned Rats poured from the depths of the prison cells ahead. They came in all sizes, and the largest were nearly twice the size of those Chen Mu had seen before, no longer resembling ordinary rats.

The Gray-skinned Rats surged forward like a tidal flood, instantly submerging cell after cell. The half-dead prisoners could scarcely even scream before they were swallowed up. Amid wave after wave of crunching, gnawing sounds, the sight made everyone's hair stand on end.