Rat Calamity!

The yamen runners gradually gathered outside the county yamen.

More than twenty people stood beneath the bluestone steps, long sabers hanging at their waists, their expressions varied.

Some looked nervous, some cursed under their breath, while others concealed a hint of excitement in their eyes.

Demon Plagues were dangerous, but to the yamen runners, killing demons also meant earning Merit.

Merit could be exchanged for silver, martial arts manuals, and weapons.

If they performed well, they might even catch the eye of a Head Constable and receive a promotion.

Yang Xiao stood at the back of the crowd, one hand resting on the long saber at his waist. In the transparent Equipment Slot before his eyes, the image of a Spring Embroidery Saber hung quietly.

[Initial Realm · Spring Embroidery Saber]

[Solidification Conditions: Equip for twelve double-hours, or kill one Body Forging demon]

His gaze shifted slightly. Twelve double-hours was too long; killing a demon would be much faster.

The county yamen was about to set out for Liu Family Village, however. Clearly, this was an opportunity.

"Yang Xiao, you came too?"

A slightly surprised voice rang out.

Yang Xiao looked up and saw a young yamen runner standing not far away, sizing him up from head to toe.

The man was named Zhao Qiang. He was an old yamen runner under Zhang Hu, at the Seventh Layer of Body Forging. He and the original owner had gotten along reasonably well in the past.

Zhao Qiang lowered his voice. "You're really going to Liu Family Village?"

Yang Xiao nodded.

Zhao Qiang frowned. "This isn't a street patrol. Rat Demons aren't very strong individually, but they come in swarms. If you get bitten, their venom entering your body will cause fever and unconsciousness at best—and death at worst!"

"When you ran into missions like this before, didn't you always find an excuse to hide?"

"Before was before," Yang Xiao said calmly.

Zhao Qiang was taken aback and was about to try persuading him again when Zhang Hu strode out of the county yamen ahead of them.

He was tall and powerfully built, a long saber in hand, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Listen up!"

"The villagers of Liu Family Village have been surrounded by Rat Demons. The County Magistrate has ordered us to rescue them immediately."

"There are quite a few Rat Demons this time. No one is to act alone. If you encounter a Sapient Rat Demon, call for reinforcements at once."

"Anyone who retreats in the face of danger will be dealt with according to the county yamen's rules!"

Everyone answered in unison.

Zhang Hu's gaze paused briefly among the crowd before landing on Yang Xiao, but he said nothing more.

"Move out!"

The group soon left the county town and hurried toward Liu Family Village.

Liu Family Village was not far from Xiangyun County, and everyone raced along the official road.

The closer they came to the village, the heavier the demonic stench in the air grew.

The fields beside the road had been gnawed into a shambles. The originally golden wheat lay flattened everywhere, leaving only bare stalks behind.

Every now and then, gray shadows flashed through the furrows.

"Rat Demons." Zhao Qiang's expression darkened. "Looks like things are even worse than last night."

A quarter of an hour later, Liu Family Village appeared in the distance.

Noisy shouts drifted over from the direction of the village entrance.

Several villagers stood behind a makeshift wooden barricade at the entrance, clutching hoes and clubs as they desperately held back the charging gray shadows.

In the fields, densely packed Rat Demons were devouring the crops.

These Rat Demons were more than ten times the size of ordinary rats. Their gray fur gleamed with grease, their eyes glowed red, and their teeth protruded as foul-smelling saliva dripped from their mouths.

Farther away, several Rat Demons as large as calves circled the village entrance.

Zhang Hu's expression sank.

"Something's wrong."

"These Rat Demons are at least at the fifth or sixth layer of Body Forging!"

He immediately gave his orders.

"Zhao Qiang, take five men and clear out the smaller Rat Demons in the fields!"

"The rest of you, follow me to the village entrance and save the people!"

"Yang Xiao."

Zhang Hu looked toward him, his voice gentler. "Stay behind us. Don't try to show off."

"Understood." Yang Xiao nodded.

Just then, a cold laugh came from the side.

"Head Constable Zhang, what are you bringing him along for?"

Hu Kai stepped out from the crowd, his arm still aching faintly, his expression dark.

He had evidently been conscripted to come to Liu Family Village as well.

"Yang Xiao slacks off every day he's on duty. If he really runs into demons, I'm afraid his legs will go soft."

"Wouldn't bringing him along just make him a burden?"

Several yamen runners nearby glanced at Yang Xiao, their expressions hesitant as well.

After all, the original owner's reputation had indeed been poor.

Zhang Hu furrowed his brows. "Hu Kai, this isn't the time to trade barbs."

"I'm only telling the truth." Hu Kai let out another cold laugh.

He looked toward Yang Xiao, hatred in his eyes.

"Yang Xiao, if you're scared, you can still run back to the county town."

Yang Xiao glanced at him but did not answer.

"Help!"

A scream suddenly came from the direction of the village entrance.

A gigantic Rat Demon smashed through the wooden barricade and pounced on a woman holding a child.

The woman was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, the child in her arms wailing loudly.

Zhang Hu's face turned savage as he immediately shouted:

"Save them!"

Hu Kai's eyes lit up, and he charged out ahead of the others.

"Watch this!"

He moved with incredible speed. His long saber left its sheath and shot straight toward the Rat Demon.

In his eyes, this was precisely his chance to earn Merit.

But the Rat Demon was faster than he had imagined.

Hu Kai had only reached the halfway point when the Rat Demon abruptly turned its head, its scarlet eyes locking onto him.

In the next instant, it kicked off with its hind legs. Abandoning the woman, it lunged straight at Hu Kai's face.

Hu Kai's expression changed drastically.

"So fast!"

He hurriedly raised his saber to block.

The Rat Demon's claw slammed into the blade, its immense strength shaking him back several steps and leaving his arm numb.

The Rat Demon did not stop. It opened its maw, full of poisonous drool, and pounced again.

Hu Kai's pupils contracted.

I'm done for!

Just then, a figure swept past him from behind and to the side.

Yang Xiao took one step forward and slashed horizontally with his long saber.

The Rat Demon sensed danger and tried to dodge.

But Yang Xiao's saber was too fast—and too accurate.

The blade skimmed across the Rat Demon's foreclaw, forcibly halting its movement.

Immediately afterward, the second slash fell.

Slash!

The blade sank into the Rat Demon's neck.

Beneath its gray fur, its tough demonic hide split open like thin paper before the slash.

Blood gushed forth.

The Rat Demon let out a shrill, agonized screech. Blood poured from its neck as its massive body crashed heavily to the ground. After twitching a few times, it fell still.

[Killed a Body Forging Rat Demon. Initial Realm · Spring Embroidery Saber equipment effect has been permanently solidified.]

[Strength slightly increased.]

[Basic Blade Technique perfected.]

[Attribute (Blue): Hundred-Refined Edge retained.]

The surroundings fell silent in an instant.

Hu Kai collapsed onto the ground, his face deathly pale.

He looked at the Rat Demon lying before him, then at Yang Xiao standing with his saber in hand. His eyes were filled with disbelief.

"You... How is that possible?"

Yang Xiao did not look at him. He merely focused on the now-empty Equipment Slot.

The Spring Embroidery Saber's effect had been solidified.

In other words, he could equip a new item now.

And this Rat Calamity before him was precisely the first step toward obtaining Merit and resources.

Yang Xiao raised his head and looked toward the several larger Rat Demons at the village entrance. His eyes gradually brightened.

"Head Constable Zhang."

He tightened his grip on the long saber, his voice calm.

"If I kill these Rat Demons, will it count toward my Merit?"