Braving Danger

He strode forward and soon arrived outside the massive courtyard of the Garrison Bureau.

Inside the courtyard, quite a few people were already standing.

"Hah!"

"Hmph!"

The heavy, rhythmic grunts of men tempering their strength mingled with the clanging, metallic ring of long sabers being sheathed, echoing one after another.

The air was thick with a cold, rigid sense of murderous intent.

Gu Yanzhi had already changed into his grey-based, black-trimmed uniform and had been waiting in the courtyard for some time. Seeing Lu Zhen enter, he hurried over to greet him.

"Brother Lu."

The two stood side by side, waiting for the roll call to begin in the courtyard.

Gu Yanzhi folded his fan, lowered his voice, and leaned in closer to explain the ins and outs of the bureau.

"According to the rules of the Garrison Bureau, the monthly salary for a patrol leader is two hundred silver dollars on paper."

He paused for a moment.

"But that's just the small change. The most crucial part is the monthly ration of one hundred catties of 'First-Grade Monster Meat.' This is the hard currency that martial artists use to replenish the energy and blood they consume."

Gu Yanzhi glanced at the commander's chair on the high platform ahead, a flicker of longing in his eyes.

"If one can manage to climb to the position of 'Commander,' the benefits are world-changing. The rations are no longer First-Grade goods, but the extremely rare 'Second-Grade Monster Meat'."

Lu Zhen's expression shifted slightly as he began to calculate in his heart.

"Brother Gu, that Red Scale Treasure Fish the Gu Family gave me earlier—what grade would that be?" he asked casually.

"That treasure fish is incredibly rare, but it can only be considered the pinnacle of the First Grade," Gu Yanzhi admitted.

He looked at the heat faintly radiating from Lu Zhen's body and explained in a low voice.

"Once you reach the Bright Force realm, your physical body becomes like a great furnace. When you consume First-Grade flesh, most of it is refined away by the internal fire, greatly diminishing its efficacy. Only true Second-Grade Monster Meat can penetrate deep into the organs and nourish the foundation of the Bright Force."

Gu Yanzhi tapped his palm lightly with his folding fan.

"Our Tongjiang Chamber of Commerce does have secret channels. If Brother Lu is in urgent need, you could spend a fortune to acquire some Second-Grade Monster Meat on the black market. It's just that the black market prices are exorbitant."

"How expensive?"

"One hundred silver dollars for only one tael."

Lu Zhen fell silent.

Between what he had pilfered from Duan Hu and his own original savings, he had just over two thousand silver dollars in total.

He had thought this was a windfall sufficient to secure his future.

Now that he did the math.

Two thousand silver dollars was just enough to buy a pound or two of Second-Grade Monster Meat on the black market—barely enough to get a taste.

Breaking through in the martial path really is a bottomless pit, Lu Zhen shook his head inwardly.

"Dong—!"

A bronze gong sounded in the courtyard, marking the end of the roll call.

The two followed the crowd through the front courtyard and stepped into the "Military Affairs Pavilion" to the side.

The interior of the pavilion was dim, with no electric lamps lit; only a few flickering, yellowish oil lamps hung about.

The walls were densely packed with rows of black-lacquered wooden plaques. On each plaque, the names of mutated beasts outside the city were written in glaring cinnabar, along with their corresponding bounties.

Lu Zhen's gaze swept slowly over the plaques, and he found the rewards for these missions quite interesting.

"Slay the mutated Black Boar wandering the city outskirts... Reward: half a Great Merit."

"Clear out the bandit stronghold at Sunset Ridge... Reward: one Great Merit."

Lu Zhen raised an eyebrow and turned to Gu Yanzhi beside him: "Brother Gu, what is the significance of the 'Great Merit' written on these plaques?"

Just as Gu Yanzhi was about to speak, a burst of laughter came from behind the high counter.

The man in charge of military affairs was a gaunt, skinny old man.

He had been idly clicking his abacus, but upon hearing the voice, he looked up. His gaze swept over Lu Zhen's black-and-red uniform and the gold-and-silver interwoven "Garrison" character on his chest.

The old man's drooping eyelids instantly lifted, and his wrinkled face was immediately wreathed in a very kind and courteous smile.

"Oh, you're a new face. You must be the new patrol leader, right?"

The gaunt old man hurriedly stood up, even softening his raspy voice, and greeted him enthusiastically: "Since you are new here, you might not know. Let this old man explain it to you."

The old man pointed to the black-lacquered wooden plaques on the wall and explained with a smile: "Our Garrison Bureau is not like those civil official offices that care about seniority and rank."

"If a patrol leader wants to climb the ranks and sit in the 'Commander's' chair, relying on seniority won't cut it."

"You have to risk your life and trade for it with ten solid 'Great Merits'!"

The old man paused, his withered fingers tapping another stack of grey-covered ledgers nearby, his tone carrying a hint of temptation: "As for the ordinary members in grey under your command, the bureau has also provided them with a path forward."

As long as their lives are tough enough to survive the errands outside the city, they can save up "ten minor merits" and head to the logistics warehouse to exchange them for a top-grade martial arts treasure medicine.

The old man lowered his voice slightly, spitting out a few words.

"A three-hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Blood Vine."

Snap.

The folding fan in Gu Yanzhi's hand stopped abruptly, his pupils shrinking instantly.

Earth Dragon Blood Vine?!

Lu Zhen was also extremely shocked.

He was all too familiar with this item.

Just recently, Yan Tieqiao of the Iron Arm Martial Arts Hall had brought out this very same peerless treasure medicine—which he had risked his life to obtain years ago—and handed it to Zhang Lei.

This treasure medicine had a high probability of allowing someone at the late stage of Lianli to forcibly break through the chasm of Bright Force.

This was the key reason Zhang Lei had the confidence to go so far as to betray his master and ancestors just to cling to the White Family!

This was an item capable of defying fate, something that would make the various martial arts halls and Jianghu sects outside fight until they broke their heads or even beat each other's brains out.

Yet here, in the Garrison Bureau...

It was actually just bottom-shelf stock that an ordinary member could exchange for with military merits?!

As expected of an official institution; its foundation and resources were truly vastly different from a private martial arts hall.

Lu Zhen ignored the skinny old man's incessant chatter.

He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping directly over the dense rows of black-lacquered wooden plaques below.

Cleaning up wandering beasts, exterminating bandit strongholds—none of it caught his eye.

The rewards for these trivial tasks were too meager; they couldn't possibly fill the void required for his breakthrough.

His gaze traveled all the way up, finally settling on the very top.

There, hanging all alone, was a blood-red wooden plaque.

Written on it: Yanglin Official Road.

Exterminate one Tier 2 mutant beast leader, accompanied by over fifty Tier 1 late-stage beasts.

Bounty: Two major merits.

Accompanying team members: Two minor merits.

All beast meat spoils obtained along the way belong to the team.

The skinny old man followed Lu Zhen's gaze, his expression changing slightly as he hurriedly spoke up to warn him.

"Officer, this plaque..."

The old man lowered his voice: "This job has been hanging in the bureau for a full half-month, and several teams haven't dared to touch it. Tier 2 beasts are already thick-skinned and sturdy, not to mention it's leading over fifty Tier 1 late-stage animals. Once surrounded, it's extremely dangerous."

If it were ordinary times, he might choose to play it safe.

But with the Prohibition of Martial Arts looming in three years, time waited for no one.

Lu Zhen reached out directly and plucked the blood-red wooden plaque down.

"This is the one."

Passing through the corridor, he pushed open the wooden door of Room A-6.

Inside, several veteran soldiers were lounging about, smoking dry tobacco to pass the time. Seeing Lu Zhen enter, they hurriedly straightened up.

Bang!

Lu Zhen, expressionless, slammed the blood-red wooden plaque heavily onto the square table in the center.

The plaque struck the tabletop with a crisp sound.

The room fell silent instantly.

"Tomorrow morning, we leave the city. We're going to Yanglin Official Road," Lu Zhen announced calmly.

The men subconsciously crowded around to take a look.

Just one glance.

The faces of Big Belly, Uncle Old Pockmark, and the others turned deathly pale in an instant.

A Tier 2 leader? A pack of over fifty Tier 1 late-stage beasts?!

Big Belly's lips trembled, and the fat around his waist shivered faintly.

He couldn't help but curse inwardly.

It's over! Just as I thought! This hot-headed officer is determined to use our brothers' lives to pave his way to glory just so he can claim the top merit and climb the ranks!

For low-level gray-clothed guards like them to provoke a pack of fifty Tier 1 late-stage beasts? How was this any different from throwing their lives away?

Uncle Old Pockmark gripped his pipe tightly, head bowed, saying not a word.

However, in the corner of the communal bunk.

The young man called Monkey suddenly raised his head.

Far from being afraid, his eyes were terrifyingly bright. He clutched the mountain-cleaving blade he had just sharpened to a mirror finish, his chest heaving violently.

This was his chance!

The only chance in his entire life to follow a master of Bright Force and gamble his life for a shot at greatness!

"Officer!"

Monkey stood up abruptly, his voice cracking with excitement, "I am willing to follow you tomorrow and give it a go!"

Lu Zhen glanced at Monkey and gave a slight nod.

Immediately, his gaze turned cold, sweeping over the deathly pale faces of Uncle Old Pockmark, Big Belly, and the others.

His tone remained calm, yet it carried an unquestionable chill.

"When I lead a team on duty, I don't keep idlers, but I don't force anyone either."

"Those willing to follow me, I guarantee you'll earn merit and share the spoils. As long as you follow the rules, I will absolutely bring you back alive."

Lu Zhen reached out and pointed toward the door.

"If you're afraid of death, take off this grey uniform today, go to the logistics department to resign, and get out of my squad. I won't make things difficult for you."

The room was deathly silent.

Several old veterans exchanged glances, none daring to make a sound.

Lu Zhen picked up the Black Gold Long Blade from the table and turned to walk out the door.

"Dismissed early today."

"I'll give you one night to think it over. We'll see who's who at the City Gate Office tomorrow morning."