Grinding monsters

"Wait here a moment. I'll take some photos to preserve the evidence, then get you out. After that, we'll have the Magic Association come handle this."

Su Miu reassured the five female students, then took photos to preserve the evidence and collected a sample of the Cursed Black Spring.

Afterward, one of the girls held a torch in one hand and gripped the hem of his clothes with the other. The remaining girls each held on to the clothes of the person ahead of them, following Su Miu out in an orderly line.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Soon, squeaking came from the darkness. At the same time, a bright light flashed and swept toward them.

"Water Shield • Dissipation."

Su Miu murmured calmly. A Water Element Barrier appeared in front of them, blocking the attack outright. At the same time, platinum light shone in his hand, then turned into flames that shot outward.

"Glass flame • Fire Burst!"

The Platinum Flame struck a figure deep in the darkness, drawing a shrill, agonized shriek. Judging by its silhouette, it seemed to be a Giant Rat.

The girls shrank behind him in fright. Soon, they watched the Giant Rat die and breathed sighs of relief.

"You're amazing, sir mage!"

The girls gazed at him with eyes full of admiration. He nodded slightly, then continued leading them toward the exit.

After they had walked roughly two hundred meters, firelight appeared in the distance. Whoever was over there seemed to notice their torchlight as well.

Su Miu had excellent vision for tracking movement and immediately called out:

"Captain Xu, it's me."

"Oh! Master Brother! Glad you're all right."

Seeing that he had returned, Xu Dahuang broke into a smile and dismissed the Fire Seed - Burst he had been holding ready in his hand.

"Listen, Master Brother, that was far too reckless. Charging in here alone was dangerous."

The two groups approached each other and met up. Xu Dahuang thought Su Miu had taken far too great a risk by charging in single-handedly.

But when he noticed the five missing students from Mingwen Girls' Middle School behind Su Miu, he immediately fell silent.

"Captain Xu, let's get out first. This is far more serious than we thought."

"Oh, all right."

They returned to the opening. Su Miu climbed out first, then pulled the students out one after another.

"Nice work, Su. You really got them out? Were there any demon beasts inside?"

Seeing him return safely, Mo Fan breathed a sigh of relief. He also admired Su Miu for managing to get out unscathed.

"Yes, a few beasts. Get the Magic Association over here next."

He answered casually, then took out his phone, opened the dialer, and called the Magic Association's emergency number.

"Hello, I'm Master, an Advanced Hunter with the Bocheng Hunter Association..."

About half an hour after the call, people from the Magic Association arrived, and Mingwen Girls' Middle School was sealed off.

"Thank you for your hard work, Hunter Master. The information you brought us has saved hundreds of thousands of lives in Bocheng. On behalf of the Magic Association, I offer you my thanks."

Yang Zuohe, president of the Magic Association, examined the information and photos Su Miu had provided and solemnly thanked him. Su Miu nodded slightly in response.

"Comrade Yang, protecting our homeland is the responsibility of every citizen of the Dragon Kingdom. I merely did what I should."

The two exchanged a few words. Naturally, the City Demon Hunting Squad was also brought in to assist with the investigation.

After all, this was a complicated matter involving the Black Vatican, and no one would take it lightly. After roughly half an hour of activity, Yang Zuohe came over with a familiar figure.

"Hunter Master, this is Tang Yue, a trainee adjudicator from the Judgment Tribunal. She would like to confirm a few leads with you."

He fell silent for a moment, then nodded. Tang Yue politely introduced herself.

"Hello, Hunter Master. Thank you for providing information about the Black Vatican. The Judgment Tribunal will take this matter very seriously."

"Hello, Adjudicator Tang Yue. Wiping out the Black Vatican was simply something I did along the way. It is a duty every capable citizen should fulfill. I merely did what I should."

Su Miu gave a very official-sounding reply, but Tang Yue kept looking at his concealed face.

He wore a black hood, sunglasses, and a mask. He looked suspicious, hardly like a decent person.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Please go ahead, Adjudicator Tang Yue."

When she suddenly spoke up, he nodded to indicate that she could ask whatever she liked. Seeing this, Tang Yue voiced her doubts.

"Hunter Master, is there a reason you conceal your appearance?"

"Adjudicator Tang Yue, hunters live on the edge of a knife. We're bound to make enemies. I hide my face for my own safety."

His reasoning was impeccable. At least, Tang Yue could find no grounds to challenge it, so she did not press further.

Afterward, they spent the night rooting out the Black Vatican Outposts. Su Miu had extracted their locations from that Gray Robe. Although five were eliminated, there was no telling how many more remained hidden.

As for Su Miu, his discovery of crucial evidence in this operation against the Black Vatican earned him rewards from the Hunter Association, the Magic Association, and the Judgment Tribunal.

It only amounted to around three million, but that was decent enough. For a while afterward, Su Miu routinely went out to grind demon beasts. He was like a god of slaughter, bringing back huge hauls of loot after every half-month excursion.

He usually killed at least a hundred demon wolves per trip. It was worth mentioning that all seven of Di Qiu'er's Light-Fire Element Star Seeds had been enhanced once.

However, because her cultivation was restricted by Su Miu's, she was stuck at Beginner Level Two. Reaching Beginner Level Three would not be so easy.

After enhancing Di Qiu'er's Light-Fire Element Star Seeds, Bai Xiuxiu's Ice Element was next.

After all, Di Qiu'er and Bai Xiuxiu were the main fighting force when they ground monsters. He could not possibly defeat so many monsters alone, and encountering a Three-Eyed Demon Wolf would mean certain death.

He relied entirely on those two powerhouses to carry him. Meanwhile, Bai Xiuxiu's Water Element and Ice Element had both reached Beginner Level Two. Little Shark was much more diligent than Little Auspicious Beast. She worked hard at cultivating all the time and now had sixty thousand years of cultivation.

After five hunting trips into the wilderness, he rested for a day, then headed to Magic City to sell Essence Remnants. His Summoning System was now at the peak of Beginner Level Two, and he figured he would break through to Beginner Level Three before long.

His Sharing Element had only just reached Beginner Level Two. Even that rapid progress was thanks to his willingness to pour resources into it.

By this point, Mo Fan had probably just chosen to break through to Beginner Level Two with his Lightning Element. That night, just as Su Miu finished meditating and was about to go to bed, he received a call.

"Hello?"

"Su, could you come over to the Abandoned Factory behind the school?"

Mo Fan's voice came through the phone. After a moment of silence, Su Miu got up and changed into casual clothes while answering.

"Demon beasts?"

"Probably... Zhou Min from our class said the factory makes rumbling noises late at night. I suspect it's a demon beast. Come give me a hand."

"...All right. Wait for me."

Su Miu remembered now. This seemed to be the part where the Advanced Stage Bone-Spiked Demon Wolf appeared and the Earth Sacred Spring leaked.

(Note: the One-Eyed Demon Wolf is Servant Level, the Bone-Spiked Demon Wolf is an Advanced Stage Servant Level beast, and only the Three-Eyed Demon Wolf, also known as the Bone Spike Fierce Wolf, is Warrior Level.)

P.S. First update for June 18, bringing the total to two thousand characters.