"A traitor to humanity?"
Zhao Tielin's expression changed, and he strode forward.
He wore a black flying-fish uniform, a saber at his waist, and a scraggly beard. At those words, his gaze instantly sharpened.
"Boy, you can eat whatever you like, but you can't say whatever you please."
A traitor to humanity-that was a grave taboo.
The Zhao and Lu families had been friends for generations. Every member of the Lu family had been loyal and valorous, but now Lu Guan was its sole surviving scion. Over the years, Zhao Tielin had looked after him a great deal, caring for him even more than he would his own son.
That was precisely why he had to stop him.
Could he just throw those words around?
After all, even if there really was a traitor to humanity within the Demon Suppression Bureau, could just anyone pull that off?
It might well be one of their superiors...
Zhao Tielin instinctively glanced around. The night wind swept dead leaves past the ruined temple's entrance. In the distance, everything was pitch-black, and he could see nothing.
Lu Guan was hardly surprised by this family friend's cautious expression.
According to his memories, Uncle Zhao had always acted cautiously. Or rather, the entire Zhao family was exceedingly cautious.
Unlike the Lu family, whose members had all been loyal and valorous, the Zhao family, also constables for generations, had seen every generation live to a peaceful retirement.
They relied on their ancestral precept: think three times before acting.
Think of danger, think of retreat, think of change.
To put it bluntly, Uncle Zhao was a turtle hiding its head, always making sure everyone else stood protectively in front of him whenever trouble arose.
That was also why Lu Guan's father had died young, while he was still alive and well.
Pulling strings to become Lu Guan's examining constable this time already showed the depth of his affection for his nephew.
Precisely because Lu Guan knew that this family friend's martial arts and cultivation realm were both mediocre, he had chosen to burn his lifespan rather than call for help in the ruined temple.
After all, even if Zhao Tielin had come, facing a Late Qi and Blood Realm White Bone Demon would merely have been a buy-one-get-one-free deal, another life thrown away for nothing.
"The White Bone Demon inside wasn't at the Early Qi and Blood Realm. It was at the late stage."
Lu Guan stared straight at Zhao Tielin and spoke each word with utter seriousness.
"The Late Qi and Blood Realm?"
Zhao Tielin froze, then gave Lu Guan a hard punch on the shoulder and laughed. "So you were pulling your Uncle Zhao's leg."
"If it really were at the Late Qi and Blood Realm, how would you still be alive to stand here spouting tall tales?"
"Don't joke about things like that again. Can you just throw around divisive talk like 'collaborators with demons'?!"
After all, Lu Guan had grown up right under his nose. How could he not know what the boy was capable of?
Having only just entered the Qi and Blood Realm, how could he survive an encounter with a Late Qi and Blood Realm demon?
Still, having the leisure to joke after his first demon kill certainly marked him as a son of the Lu family.
"That demon really was at the Late Qi and Blood Realm."
"Fine, fine, fine, it really was at the late stage. You're far more amazing than your Uncle Zhao. At my age, I'm still only at the Middle Qi and Blood Realm, while you can already kill Late Qi and Blood Realm demons."
"If you become a Martial Dao grandmaster someday, you'd better look out for your Uncle Zhao."
Seeing that Zhao Tielin did not believe him, Lu Guan had no intention of forcing the issue. He silently put away the bones.
There was something unusual about this matter. Better not drag Uncle Zhao into it.
The most important thing right now was still his promotion from probationary constable to a full appointment.
"Uncle Zhao, do you know which company commanders in the bureau still have vacancies under them?"
Probationary constables had no official posts. Only after receiving a full appointment would they hold an official post and be assigned to serve under a company commander. Only then would they truly be eating from the government's rice bowl.
Lu Guan wondered whether he should pull a few strings to get assigned to a more ambitious company commander.
After all, only slaying demons and vanquishing fiends earned merit.
It was not that he coveted any position. Mainly, he was counting on killing demons to extend his life!
If he ended up under a company commander who acted like Uncle Zhao, shrinking back from everything, how many monkey years and horse months would pass before he even caught sight of a demon?
With only one year of life remaining, he could not afford to waste time.
At his words, Zhao Tielin's expression shifted slightly. He looked as though he wanted to speak but was holding back.
Only when Lu Guan cast him a puzzled look did he stammer, "Boy, I'm afraid your full appointment is still up for discussion."
"..."
Lu Guan knitted his brows tightly, his tone puzzled:
"Discussion? What is there to discuss?!"
After all, he had already completed the entire assessment process, and the Lu family had been constables for generations, with roots upright and shoots red. How could his full appointment be held up like anyone else's?
Besides, however he thought it over, the Lu family had never offended any important figures.
Faced with his repeated questions, Zhao Tielin finally relented and shared the news he had only recently learned.
"The commandant's nephew has also completed his probation and is due for a full appointment."
"And there's only one official post left in the county..."
Fuck!
With it spelled out this clearly, how could Lu Guan fail to understand?
He raised his head and looked at the bright moon obscured by great banks of dark clouds, his eyes narrowing.
It's fucking dark out!
So dark he could not see his own fingers held before his face-was that not exactly his situation right now?
This was no traitor to humanity plotting to harm the Demon Suppression Bureau's fresh blood. Someone was setting him up!
At that thought, gloom filled Lu Guan's eyes, and a trace of killing intent flashed through them.
If that really was the case...
Then how much of a hand had the commandant's nephew had in the faulty intelligence, in turning an Early Qi and Blood Realm assessment demon into a Late Qi and Blood Realm one?
"I understand. Let's head back."
Lu Guan's face was expressionless, his composure frightening as he started toward Qianqiu County's town.
Beneath the pitch-black night sky, his figure was soon swallowed by the darkness.
Zhao Tielin followed behind Lu Guan. He opened his mouth but said nothing, feeling only a stifling tightness in his chest.
They were both uncles, but how could an uncle like him compare with the commandant?
At that thought, a little more desolation settled over the man's already weathered face.
But soon, resolve flashed through his eyes, and he abruptly clenched his fists.
No matter what, although the Zhao family had never produced any high officials, they had put down deep roots in Qianqiu County over many years and had plenty of connections.
The Lu family, moreover, had been loyal and valorous to the last. As its sole surviving scion, how could the boy be left for others to bully like this?
In the darkness, Zhao Tielin quickened his pace to catch up with Lu Guan and walked beside him.
A moment later, as though he had reached some decision, the middle-aged man declared with iron resolve:
"Boy, your parents are gone, and I watched you grow up. Don't worry. Your uncle is here to handle everything."
Lu Guan fell silent for a moment, but in the end, he said nothing.
To be honest, he did not want Zhao Tielin dragged into this.
Although Uncle Zhao meant well, he had his own plans.
The Demon Suppression Bureau was not a place where those with connections could run rampant.
If it were, Great Li would have collapsed long ago. It could never have held out against the demons for so long.
Here, strength reigned supreme!
If Lu Guan were still at the Early Qi and Blood Realm, he would have obediently died at the hands of the White Bone Demon without another word.
With both his realm and his background inferior to the other party's, he could only accept being schemed against.
Unfortunately for them, he was a cheat user.
And now, he had reached the Perfected Qi and Blood Realm!
At that realm, never mind an ordinary constable in the Demon Suppression Bureau—even among the company commanders, quite a few were still at the Late Qi and Blood Realm and had yet to reach perfection.
The commandant's nephew probably could never have dreamed that a mere probationary constable would leap straight to becoming a Perfected Qi and Blood Realm expert.
One step further, and he would not even be inferior to that commandant uncle of his.
Was someone like that a person he could scheme against at will?!