The main hall of the Demon-Quelling Office.
Fugui kept glancing toward the entrance. "Why isn't Brother Ye here yet?"
"Yeah, it's strange." Shen Lang frowned as well. "That physical examination looked pretty simple to me. Just a drop of blood, then strip for an inspection, and finally have your pulse checked, right?"
"Could he have..."
Fugui hesitated, leaving the thought unfinished.
But Shen Lang shook his head. "Impossible. Brother Ye looks healthier than either of us, and he never got injured at any point. Even you passed with an injury, so how could he not?"
Clang! Clang!
Just then.
In the center of the hall, an attendant suddenly struck a bronze gong hanging nearby. "Quiet!"
"Eunuch He, please!"
Once everyone had quieted down, two rows of saber-bearing guards entered. As full of pomp as ever, Eunuch He walked slowly between them. "Congratulations on passing the Demon-Quelling Office's successive trials. From now on, you are all members here."
"I won't waste words. The Demon-Quelling Office has a heavy workload, so we'll assign your missions immediately. You'll be divided into groups of ten, with experienced Nuo Masters serving as your Station Chiefs and Patrol Constables. They'll lead you through the Passage Well to your respective mission sites."
"Does anyone have anything to say?"
"I do!"
Fugui hurriedly raised his hand. Shen Lang seemed to guess what he was about to say and quickly caught his arm. "Don't ask about Brother Ye now. I'll find a way to resolve it later! Asking openly now would be as good as cutting off Brother Ye's last way out."
Shen Lang had already guessed at one possibility. Of everything he had experienced earlier, he had some idea which parts had been illusions and which had not.
But many things could only be understood, not spoken aloud!