Demon Suppression Office

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Demon Suppression Office (镇魔司)
Alias(es)	Demon Suppression Directorate; Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Office
Affiliation	Great Tang; directly subordinate to the Emperor 20
Occupation/Role	Imperial demon-suppression, investigation, enforcement, and martial-world oversight agency
Status	Active
First Appearance	1

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

“Slay demons, eliminate evil.” 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

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

Division	Responsibility	Notes
Heaven Division	Prestigious upper division	Advancement is tied to demonstrated merit. 20
Earth Division	Garrisons and patrols prefectures and counties; clears lesser demons and protects cities	Functions as the Office’s standing local defense force. 20
Xuan Division	Handles threats discovered by Yellow Division that Earth Division cannot manage	Its operating rule is to slay demons and eliminate evil. 20 26
Yellow Division	Intelligence and investigation	Serves as the Office’s “eyes and ears”; a Yellow Division squad disappeared while investigating the Black River incident. 20 22

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

• Wei He serves as Military Commissioner of the Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Office. 18
• Xu Changfeng commands Xuan Camp and oversees appointments within it. 34
• The Commandery is severely short-handed: demon calamities, great-demon sightings, and the need to patrol key settlements outstrip available personnel. 22

Personnel and Advancement

Rank / Position	Requirements or Authority	Documented Details
Ninth-Rank Demon-Suppression Guard	Entry-level official post	Monthly salary of five taels of silver, three shi of rice, and ten jin of meat; issued a black-iron horizontal saber, two uniforms, and a waist badge. 18
Eighth-Rank Squad Commander	Requires 100 merit points	Commands a squad of Demon-Suppression Guards; killing a String-Hearing demon alone earns 10 merits, while a Bone-Chiming Great Demon earns 100. 19
Captain	Above Squad Commander	Leads operational units such as Liu Chen’s Xuan Camp squad. 20 39
Middle Commander	Above Captain	Authorized to wear the Longyou Golden Lion emblem on their uniform. 39
Seventh-Rank Commandant	Camp command	Jiang Yuechu was appointed Commandant of Vanguard Camp for the Jade Gate Pass deployment. 48

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

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

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

Major Operations

Incident	Office Involvement	Outcome
Jincheng County demon calamity	Xu Nian’s squad confronted the Bone-Chiming pig demon Zhu Yan.	The squad suffered severe losses; Xu Nian was crippled, while Jiang Yuechu killed the demon and was later recruited into the Longyou Office. 13 18
Black River / Blackwater Village investigation	After a Yellow Division squad vanished, Liu Chen’s Xuan Camp squad was dispatched to Zhangye Commandery.	The team uncovered the Dragon King’s revenge against Blackwater Village and fought the Bone-Chiming Great Demon. 22 31
Hexian County bear demon case	Xuan Camp was ordered to eliminate known demon infestations in preparation for the Jade Gate Pass threat.	Jiang Yuechu’s squad investigated Black Bear, clashed with Baosha Temple, and killed the demon. 39 47
Jade Gate Pass deployment	A Core-Formation Great Demon was reported at Jade Gate Pass.	The Office began clearing Longyou’s known demon threats and appointed Jiang Yuechu Commandant of Vanguard Camp for the journey. 39 48

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. 20
• Baosha Temple — Hostile regional power. Its monks obstructed the Hexian investigation and were executed by Jiang Yuechu; Wei He subsequently suppressed the resulting dispute. 42 43 48
• Local governments — County magistrates may provide information and logistical cooperation, but are expected to defer to the Office in demon-related matters. 9 41