Demon Suppression Office

Biodata

Background and Mandate

The Great Tang’s founding ancestor established the Demon Suppression Office in his later years after humanity’s prosperity drew the attention of demons, devils, and evil spirits. Its central office was founded east of the imperial city to protect the populace from supernatural threats. 20

The Office answers neither to the Three Departments and Six Ministries nor to the ordinary central administration. It serves directly under the Emperor and possesses exceptional judicial authority: it may execute first and report afterward by imperial grant. 20

Its remit extends beyond hunting demons. The Office may investigate civil or military officials, aristocratic families, and martial factions suspected of colluding with demons; historically, its blades have killed both region-devastating great demons and reigning prime ministers. 20

The Office’s rules require demon corpses and demon-associated spoils to be submitted to the Head Office for inspection and appraisal before distribution. This both limits the spread of corrupting demonic items and prevents disputes over merit and loot among participating officers. 253

The Office’s operational purpose is also to prevent demons from simply hiding until an imperial campaign ends. Its personnel recognize that cunning Great Demons may flee and conceal themselves when they hear that the court is mobilizing, then emerge again after the danger passes. 10

“Slay demons, eliminate evil.” 26

This principle is treated as the Office’s central rule even when cases involve sympathetic demons, local political pressure, or disputes outside ordinary criminal jurisdiction. 26

Authority and Reputation

The Office’s black-and-crimson uniform carries a fearsome reputation across Great Tang. Its name makes people pale; rumors liken mounted officers arriving at a home to the arrival of the King of Hell. 1

• Commoners and local officials generally avoid questioning its cases, which are treated as highly confidential. Even county magistrates are expected to show its officers deference. 9
• Its officers can act against demon collaborators regardless of social position or factional connections. 20
• In desperate circumstances, civilians seek its aid despite their fear, as Hexian County residents did when the bear demon began taking people. 41
• Its authority is contested in practice by entrenched regional powers such as Baosha Temple, whose monks openly claimed that the Office could not touch them. 42
• The Office’s authority in Longyou declined during the year-long vacancy of its commander’s post, emboldening aristocratic families and sects to disregard its orders. Wei He later supported Jiang Yuechu’s forceful actions against Baosha Temple and corrupt local gentry as a means of restoring its prestige. 102
• The Office retains the right to punish its own members for grave violations. At Jade Gate Pass, Jiang Yuechu treated unauthorized departure, deception, and suspected infiltration by supposed guards as matters for internal handling. 58 61 66
• Its prestige remains a major deterrent: following Jiang Yuechu’s rise and her slaying of powerful demons, Great Demons in Longyou became markedly less willing to act openly. 225
• The Office’s authority is ultimately constrained by strength. During periods of crisis, it has been forced to tolerate provocations from powerful outside cultivators when confronting them would endanger Great Tang. 447
• Its members are expected to defend the Office’s reputation as well as eliminate demons. Officials may hesitate to use force against obstructive civilians because accusations that the Office bullies the innocent can damage its standing. 131 132
• The Office’s prestige can recover rapidly when it demonstrates decisive force. After Jiang Yuechu’s campaign against Longyou’s powerful factions and demons, the region entered a prolonged period of unusual peace. 136 710
• The Office’s soldiers and senior officials retain a strong institutional pride. Even during national disasters, its leadership has rejected the idea of surrendering its authority to powerful demons or outside sects. 318

Organization

Great Tang has a main commandery in the imperial city and a commandery in each of its fifteen circuits. The Longyou Circuit Commandery oversees demon-related affairs throughout Longyou. 20

Head Office

The Head Office is located east of the Imperial City in Chang’an, within a heavily fortified compound with massive black-iron gates. It coordinates regional operations, receives and appraises demon spoils, appoints senior personnel, and dispatches inspectors across the realm. 142 158 253

• The Chief Commander, Deputy Commanders, and Left and Right Demon-Suppression Envoys form the Office’s highest known leadership. 142 267
• The Head Office’s senior experts are frequently deployed throughout Great Tang, leaving its capital headquarters vulnerable when several Deputy Commanders and the Chief Commander are absent. 142
• Inspectors operate with considerable independence and investigate both major demon calamities and dereliction or misconduct by regional Demon Suppression Offices. 158
• The inspector system was established to prevent regional offices from neglecting their duties or colluding with demons. Inspectors may report minor offenses to superiors and execute offenders before reporting in serious cases. 114
• Inspector robes are distinguished by black, white, silver, and gold ranks. Silver-robed inspectors are expected to possess sufficient power to suppress a regional crisis independently. 158
• The Head Office maintains specialized resources for senior inspectors, including Cloud Dapple steeds capable of traveling a thousand li in a day without leaving tracks in snow or becoming wet when crossing water. 160
• Personnel may also be sent to the Martial Temple to receive Spirit Imprints, with Head Office officials such as Deputy General Cui handling the relevant arrangements. 141 151
• The Head Office maintains training and cultivation initiatives beyond conventional martial arts. It selected promising personnel to cultivate the Golden Body Method through Incense-and-Fire Power, with successful reports arriving from offices across the Metropolitan Circuit. 478
• During the disappearance of Great Tang’s Golden Bodies, senior Office figures including Bai Yulou and Zhao Zhongliu participated in the imperial investigation and crisis response. 659 669
• When demons and unknown powerful cultivators threatened Chang’an, the Head Office mobilized more than ten exceptionally powerful personnel behind Bai Yulou despite the weakness and injuries of several senior commanders. 672

Longyou Circuit Commandery

The Liangzhou Prefecture headquarters is a walled Directorate compound with black-tiled roofs and brass wind chimes. Its rear hall contains a large sand table depicting the terrain of the entire Longyou Circuit. 17

• Jiang Yuechu is the officially appointed Commander of the Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Regional Office, with authority over all demon-suppression affairs in Longyou. 225
• Wei He formerly served as Military Commissioner of the Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Office and now manages its military, administrative, personnel, and supply matters under Jiang Yuechu’s delegation. 18 225
• Xu Changfeng commands Xuan Camp and oversees appointments within it. 34
• The Commandery was severely short-handed: demon calamities, great-demon sightings, and the need to patrol key settlements outstripped available personnel. 22
• Longyou’s commander position stood vacant for approximately one year before Jiang Yuechu’s appointment, contributing to the Commandery’s diminished standing against major local powers. 102 225
• The vacancy followed the removal of former Commander Pei Fengyun after the new Emperor’s accession. Because Pei had chosen the wrong side during the palace coup, he was quietly eliminated, leaving the position unfilled. 65
• Jiang Yuechu’s appointment initially placed Wei He in charge of routine operations, while she reserved personal intervention for major crises and demon disturbances. 225
• Before receiving full confirmation, Jiang Yuechu served as acting Commander in a largely ceremonial appointment. The Chief Office required her to reach the Lotus-Seeding Realm and pass additional trials before granting her complete authority. 107
• Her appointment was also intended to provide institutional protection: because she was registered with the Head Office, the Chief Commander would personally avenge her if Baosha Temple killed her. 107
• Jiang Yuechu eventually delegated nearly all routine military, administrative, personnel, and supply matters to Wei He, stating that she preferred fighting demons and cultivating to handling paperwork. 225

Regional and Local Offices

The Office’s regional structure varies according to local conditions and importance.

• Longyou has a single principal commandery office in Liangzhou Prefecture. 163
• Jiangnan East Circuit has a Regional Office in Suzhou as well as branch offices in each of its eighteen prefectures. 163
• Regional offices can become overwhelmed during large-scale demon calamities and may formally request reinforcements from the Head Office. 160 167
• Jiangnan East Circuit normally maintains a demon-suppression general in each prefecture, although simultaneous outbreaks can leave every local office fighting for survival. 161
• The Office may work alongside regular armies when a demon disaster exceeds the capability of demon-suppression personnel alone, though conventional battle formations are poorly suited to fighting elusive demons. 267
• Regional offices are expected to respect circuit jurisdiction, but jurisdictional rivalry can obstruct urgent demon investigations. The Jiannan Regional Office attempted to prevent Jiang Yuechu, a Longyou official, from interfering with the Qiang River Dragon King case at Bluestone Ferry. 109 112

Personnel and Advancement

Promotion is explicitly merit-based, although commanders may account for internal fairness and the acceptance of existing personnel. The Office also provides a one-time promotion bonus equal to the newly promoted officer’s monthly salary. 18 34

Exceptional talent and major achievements can override customary seniority. Jiang Yuechu advanced from a Ninth-Rank Guard to Squad Commander, Commandant, acting Longyou Commander, Silver-Robed Inspector, and eventually official Longyou Commanding Commissioner in rapid succession due to her extraordinary cultivation and demon-slaying record. 34 50 107 159 207

The Chief Office may also bypass the ordinary inspector hierarchy when an individual’s age, cultivation, and achievements are judged extraordinary. Jiang Yuechu’s direct appointment as a Silver-Robed Inspector caused considerable resentment until her age and Ink-Point Realm cultivation were revealed. 158 159

Recruitment and Welfare

The Office formally values ability over background or past history. Wei He offered Jiang Yuechu official protection and the erasure of her prior charges in exchange for serving as a Demon-Suppression Guard. 18

• Recruitment has been loosened because of manpower shortages; discharged soldiers and martial-world wanderers may join if they possess sufficient ability. 35
• Personnel receive injury compensation, posthumous promotion, and educational fee exemptions for their family members at Office schools. 18
• Eighth-rank officers and above receive a residence in Liangzhou’s Demon-Calming Ward free of charge; ninth-rank guards may purchase housing there at a reduced price. 37
• The Office provides demon-bred Scarlet-eyed Steeds for rapid long-distance deployments. 23
• Service is exceptionally dangerous, and the Office suffers regular casualties even in routine anti-demon operations. Its comparatively high salaries and death benefits are intended to compensate for work that many martial artists consider near-suicidal. 18
• The Office recruits and employs women on merit; its personnel cite the famed Right Demon-Suppression Envoy as a precedent for female officers of overwhelming strength. 20
• The Office accepts recruits with troubled pasts when their abilities are valuable. Jiang Yuechu’s alleged crimes and uncertain origins were temporarily overlooked because her achievements and combat potential outweighed the risks of rejecting her. 18
• Personnel may cultivate specialized methods connected to the Office’s wider resources, including martial arts, divine weapons, Spirit Imprints, and the Golden Body Method. 18 151 478

Equipment and Insignia

• Black-and-crimson uniform — The standard fitted uniform is black with crimson patterns; it is immediately recognizable and intimidating to civilians and martial artists. 3 41
• Black-iron horizontal saber — Standard-issued weapon, forged in military workshops and durable enough for ordinary anti-demon combat. 18 48
• Waist badge — Bears “Demon Suppression” on one side and the officer’s name on the other; exempts its bearer from inspections and permits unobstructed entry to and exit from cities. 18
• Longyou Golden Lion insignia — Worn by Middle Commanders and above; identifies their circuit commandery. 39
• Demon remains — Officers are expected to return demon corpses intact when possible. If not, they must retain identifying parts such as the head, tendons, or bones for merit and reward assessment. 40
• Inspector robes and tokens — Head Office inspectors wear black, white, silver, or gold robes according to rank and carry corresponding official tokens. Jiang Yuechu received a golden inspector’s token upon becoming a Silver-Robed Inspector. 158 159
• Cloud Dapple — A superior demon steed issued to Silver-Robed Inspectors and above; it can travel a thousand li per day and traverse water and snow without leaving ordinary traces. 160
• Demon-Seeking Compass — A newly developed Head Office device capable of detecting demonic aura within several dozen li and tracking a demon for up to a thousand li using a trace of its aura. 143
• Hell-Suppressing Blade — A secret Longyou Circuit blade technique created specifically for slaying demons and subduing devils. Its blade intent burns demonic targets and delays the regeneration of corrupted flesh. 14
• Demon Suppression Grand Array — A fortified defensive formation used at Jade Gate Pass. It substantially restricts the strength of infiltrating demons, forcing them to rely on deception and secrecy until they can damage its core. 61
• Senior command regalia — The Longyou Commander’s formal attire includes a deep-black official robe, a golden Suanni clasp, and a blood-red cloak, visibly marking the Office’s highest regional authority. 225

Major Operations

Relations

• Great Tang Emperor — Direct superior; the Office derives its exceptional enforcement authority from imperial mandate. 20
• Imperial Court — Subject to Office scrutiny where officials are suspected of bringing disorder to the court or colluding with demons. The Office also coordinates directly with the imperial court during national emergencies. 20 659
• Empress Dowager and imperial factions — The Office’s recruitment of Jiang Yuechu after the disappearance of Pei Changqing’s squad attracted suspicion from imperial figures who regarded the unexplained incident and the Office’s response as unusual. 23
• Baosha Temple — Hostile regional power. Its monks obstructed the Hexian investigation and were executed by Jiang Yuechu; Wei He subsequently suppressed the resulting dispute. The temple later retaliated by sending Wangchi to demand public recompense from the Liangzhou Office. After Wangchi’s death, Baosha Temple attempted to preserve its reputation by presenting the confrontation as a Buddhist victory. 42 43 48 214 227
• Local governments — County magistrates may provide information and logistical cooperation, but are expected to defer to the Office in demon-related matters. 9 41
• Great Tang military — The Office generally handles supernatural threats independently, but it cooperates with regular armies when demon calamities become too widespread for specialist forces alone. 58 267
• Major sects and aristocratic families — The Office is empowered to investigate them for demon collusion, though entrenched local interests can resist its authority in practice. 20 102
• Jiannan Regional Office — A neighboring regional authority with recurring jurisdictional friction with Longyou. Its officials attempted to block Jiang Yuechu’s investigation of the Qiang River Dragon King and demonstrated the dangers of regional offices protecting their own authority. 109 112 114
• Martial Temple — A separate institution connected to the Office through the distribution of Spirit Imprints. Senior Demon Suppression personnel may be sent there to strengthen their cultivation. 141 151
• True Lord Temple and the Incense-and-Fire tradition — The Office has cooperated with the temple’s cultivation program, placing selected elites outside the temple to absorb Incense-and-Fire Power and cultivate the Golden Body Method. 478 494
• Demon Court and demon clans — Natural enemies of the Office. The deaths of major demons at Jade Gate Pass prompted the Demon Court to order retaliation against Longyou’s Core-Formation cultivators. 129
• Powerful outside cultivators — The Office may be forced to tolerate provocations from outsiders when Great Tang lacks the strength to confront them. You Wujiang and other officers have sometimes prioritized protecting civilians and the Emperor over punishing powerful offenders. 447
• The common people — The Office exists to protect Great Tang’s populace from demons and evil cultivators, though its limited manpower and the unpredictability of demon attacks often prevent it from saving every victim. 20 47