Human-Wolf Transaction

"Alright, the trouble you caused this time isn't small. Once this mission is over, I'm afraid you won't escape a good punishment."

Jiao Yu rubbed Fox Murong's head.

She neither blamed her nor pressed her for answers—just that simple pat on the head.

It nearly made Fox Murong cry.

"Boss, I'm sorry..." Fox Murong's voice was a little choked.

"Now you know how to say sorry? What were you thinking earlier..." Wei Xuanfeng snapped irritably, then looked at Jiao Yu. "Boss, there really is a mission?"

"Mm. Chen Family Village was attacked by the Xuanlan Wolf Demon. Boss Wu sent me to suppress it." Jiao Yu nodded. "As for you lot... prepare to redeem yourselves through merit."

"Chen Family Village?"

Hearing that name, Wei Xuanfeng could not help feeling puzzled.

The village was located on the inner side of Kang City.

The Xuanlan Wolf Demon King had just been severely wounded by Yang Xuyan. It should have been recuperating and rebuilding its strength at a time like this.

Why would it bypass Kang City to attack a village with barely a thousand households?

"Mm. The intelligence is vague, but accurate," Jiao Yu said. "Enough chatter. The troops have already assembled. You three are the only ones missing."

As she spoke, Jiao Yu led the three of them out through the east gate.

Outside the gate, several hundred saber-wielding soldiers of the Northern Pacification Bureau stood ready in strict formation.

From their neat ranks emanated a dense, killing chill.

"My lord, please mount up!"

Several saber soldiers led over horses and handed the reins to Wei Xuanfeng and the others.

"Brothers, the mission is simple." With a dashing motion, Jiao Yu swung herself onto her horse, then swept her gaze over the crowd. "We go to Chen Family Village, kill demons, and save the people. We'll aim to settle this within two days. When we return, I'll treat you all to drinks!"

"Thank you, Hundred-Household Commander!"

Wei Xuanfeng shouted first, and the many saber soldiers answered in unison.

The roar was deafening. The city guards stood atop the walls, gazing at the winding procession as it advanced, their eyes filled with envy.

This was how a true man ought to be!

The Demon Suppression Directorate differed from the army. Unburdened by logistical baggage, it marched swiftly.

Within the group, only Wei Xuanfeng's four-man party was qualified to ride horses. Everyone else traveled on foot.

Hooves struck the loose stones of the official road with a rapid clatter, mingling with the dull thuds of several hundred pairs of boots behind them.

"Boss, don't you think something feels strange?" Tightening his reins, Wei Xuanfeng moved closer to Jiao Yu.

"Tell me what you think." Jiao Yu glanced at him.

After three months together, she no longer considered this subordinate a lecherous scumbag.

His mind was steady and meticulous; sometimes, even she felt herself inferior to him.

And when it came to being ruthless, he surpassed her a hundredfold.

"Demonic beasts like the Xuanlan Wolf Demon are very intelligent and highly purposeful," Wei Xuanfeng analyzed. "When they besieged our Northern Pacification Bureau before, it was for the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus. Now they've gone to such lengths to attack Chen Family Village. Could it be..."

"You mean there's something in Chen Family Village that attracted the Xuanlan Wolf Demon?"

Most likely. And, Boss, there's something wrong with the people assigned to us for this mission..." Wei Xuanfeng pointed at the saber soldiers behind them.

"Boss Wu said our Northern Pacification Bureau truly couldn't spare any more men."

"Boss, it's not the numbers. It's..." Wei Xuanfeng paused briefly, gathering his words. "Let me put it this way, Boss. I've read a lot of case files, but I've never seen a demon-suppression operation that used a Ten-Thousand-Fires Emergency Order."

"You... stop beating around the bush. If you've guessed something, say it outright!"

"Boss, this Ten-Thousand-Fires Emergency Order wasn't issued for you, was it..." Wei Xuanfeng said softly.

"Not bad. You even figured that out." The admiration on Jiao Yu's face was impossible to hide. "Go on, then. What else did you figure out?"

Hearing that, Wei Xuanfeng's heart turned half-cold...

"Boss, if I'm right..." Wei Xuanfeng glanced at the saber soldiers behind them. "They're all cannon fodder... and perhaps... so are we..."

"Huh? How did you figure that out?" Jiao Yu frowned.

"Never mind that, Boss. If things become critical when the time comes, you must listen to me!" Wei Xuanfeng said solemnly.

"Listen to you? If you tell me to flee from battle, am I supposed to flee too?"

"Yes. We have to run!"

"No. Once you put on this flying-fish uniform, you have to be worthy of it!" Jiao Yu frowned. "If I run, what will happen to the common people?"

"Boss, if you die, what will happen to Xiaoxiao?" Wei Xuanfeng replied.

Jiao Xiaoxiao was a girl Jiao Yu had taken in.

Jiao Yu treated her as though she were her own daughter, though in the past three months, Wei Xuanfeng and the others had only seen the child once.

It was simply because Jiao Yu did not want Jiao Xiaoxiao to know too much about the Demon Suppression Directorate.

She only wanted her daughter to grow up happily, to be a carefree young miss for the rest of her life.

At the mention of that name, Jiao Yu frowned!

"These are all your deductions. Perhaps Chen Family Village only has a few lone wolves." Jiao Yu said irritably. "I won't die, and I won't run. I can save everyone, then go home and stay with my Xiaoxiao!"

With that, she lightly flicked the horse's rump, picking up the pace slightly.

She said no more to Wei Xuanfeng.

Wei Xuanfeng watched her retreating back, his thoughts in turmoil.

"What are you thinking about?"

As soon as Jiao Yu left, Fox Murong and Wen Shihan moved closer. Fox Murong smiled as she spoke.

"I'm thinking about whether I should run away now." Wei Xuanfeng told the truth.

"Huh?"

Just as the two women were at a loss, a figure suddenly darted out from ahead.

"Sir Hundred Household Commander!" The figure was the scout from this expedition.

"Speak."

With a gesture from Jiao Yu, the entire party came to a halt.

"Ten li ahead, there is a large pack of wolf demons. Their numbers are unknown, but a conservative estimate puts them at over a hundred."

At those words, Jiao Yu's expression shifted slightly.

What were these beasts trying to do? There were so many of them. Even if they slaughtered everyone in Chen Family Village, it would not be enough to feed them all.

And besides...

Ten li ahead was not Chen Family Village. Why would so many wolf demons gather there?

"You've worked hard. Go scout again and report back."

"Yes."

The moment the scout left, Jiao Yu immediately summoned Wei Xuanfeng.

"Xuanfeng, pass down the order. Make camp and cook here. Once the brothers have eaten and drunk their fill, throw away everything useless, then head for Chen Family Village at top speed!"

"Yes, Boss!"

Meanwhile, at White Lotus Mountain.

"Jin man, if we pay such a great price this time and still fail to find the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus, I will make you wish you were dead."

A massive Xuanlan Wolf Demon lay beside the spring in the cave, speaking in human tongue.

"Rest assured, Wolf King. Focus on recovering from your injuries. I will head to Chen Family Village at once and help you seize back the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus..."

Wei Zhaoting had changed into a fitting black robe. He stood respectfully beside the wolf demon, casting a glance at its severed tail. Though disdain filled his heart, his tone remained respectful.

He had laid plans in the shadows, even going so far as to let Yang Xuyan blast apart his physical body.

All for the sake of...

The Earth Immortal Spring Lotus!

"Jin men are too cunning. Even without his strength, he still leaves this king uneasy!"

Accompanied by a burst of wolf howls, when Wei Zhaoting emerged from White Lotus Mountain, two Xuanlan Wolf Demons followed behind him.

Judging by their size, both were Demon General level.

The current Wei Zhaoting was merely at the Martial Warrior realm. Those two wolf demons did not regard him as a threat at all.

But...

The instant he left White Lotus Mountain, Wei Zhaoting's gaze turned cold.

"Little ones, before the main course, let's have an appetizer!"

Before his words had even faded, a black mass of mosquitoes flew out from the forest.

Their buzzing poured down from the canopy like a living dark cloud.

By the time the two wolf demons sensed something was wrong, it was already too late to flee.

The mosquitoes enveloped the wolf demons. In less than three breaths, the demons had been sucked dry, reduced to wolf corpses...

Wei Zhaoting glanced over and raised his brows.

Worthy of being descendants of one of the eight great ancient vicious insects—these Blackwater Mosquitoes were truly tyrannical.

If he could feed the Earth Immortal Spring Lotus to these little ones as well...

Perhaps...

At the thought, Wei Zhaoting could not stop trembling. With a trace of madness, he headed toward Chen Family Village...