Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 122 Military-Hunting Cooperation, Another Totem Beast?

"Hopefully the military will handle this matter properly," Mu Nujiao sighed.

Lu Nian's experiments were actually supported by high-ranking military officials; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to continue.

Humanity is at a complete disadvantage against the demon empire that is eyeing the An Realm with predatory intent. Their initial intention was actually to strengthen humanity's power to fight against the demons.

However, their methods were excessively cruel and inhumane.

A series of unforeseen events led to Mo Fan's creation of the Demonic Realm, which resulted in Lu Nian's death.

Qin Xiaonan smiled mysteriously, "Don't think too much about it. Come out with me in a bit."

Upon hearing this, Mu Nujiao raised her head, her slender eyebrows slightly raised: "Oh? Where are you going?" Her voice carried a hint of curiosity.

"You'll see when you get there."

"Playing mysterious?" Mu Nujiao chuckled. "Okay, wait a moment, I'll go change my clothes."

After spending this time together, the two have become quite familiar with each other, making this conversation particularly relaxed and pleasant.

A moment later, Mu Nujiao came out of the bedroom, having changed into a beige casual suit.

The fitted cut accentuated her slender waistline, and the slightly rolled-up cuffs revealed her delicate ankles, making her look refreshing and capable.

She casually tied her long hair into a simple bun, with a few unruly strands hanging down beside her ears, adding to her effortless beauty.

"Let's go."

Qin Xiaonan led Mu Nujiao through the bustling streets of Shanghai, gradually heading towards the city's outskirts.

"Are you taking me to the outside of Anjie?" Mu Nujiao paused slightly, turned her head to look at Qin Xiaonan, and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.

"Yes."

"You've received another suitable hunter mission?" Mu Nujiao asked with a hint of understanding.

"You'll find out soon enough."

After registering as a hunter, she collaborated with Qin Xiaonan on numerous missions, and through repeated combat, her combat skills and on-the-spot reactions improved significantly.

Seeing Qin Xiaonan leading her out of the city, she naturally assumed that the other party had received some kind of commission suitable for the two of them to work on.

Seeing this, Mu Nujiao stopped asking questions and followed.

After leaving Anjie, the two continued along the desolate dirt road.

As the last rays of the setting sun were gradually swallowed by the twilight, the distant mountain silhouettes appeared even more menacing in the darkening sky.

The evening breeze stirred up dry dust, which swirled around their feet.

"You're just coming with me like this?" Qin Xiaonan asked. "Aren't you afraid of encountering any danger?"

Mu Nujiao met his gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips. She reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair, ruffled by the wind, behind her ear.

“Don’t be afraid.” Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness. “I believe in you.”

Such frankness left Qin Xiaonan somewhat at a loss for words.

Then, in the distance, two teams of fully armed military mages appeared, and the officer in charge raised his hand to signal them to stop.

"Who are you? Where are you going? There are demonic auras not far ahead. I suggest you don't go any further. It's too dangerous."

Qin Xiaonan said, "It's alright, we are hunters who came here specifically to carry out a commission." She then took out her Hunter Master certificate.

The military strategist looked at him and said, "Xiao Qin, a two-star hunter master?" He was somewhat surprised to see that the other party was so young, but he still reminded him, "The demons ahead are not simple, you should be careful."

The military mages stationed in Shanghai have never relaxed their surveillance of the surrounding area.

It was during a routine magic fluctuation detection that they were the first to detect the strange aura coming from this direction.

Although the incident occurred outside of Anjie, it was very close to Modu.

This distance is just a short walk for some high-level demons who are skilled at running.

The military leadership quickly reached a consensus at the meeting—the situation must be investigated immediately, but a large-scale troop deployment should not be rashly made to avoid alerting the enemy.

"Same as always, issue a hunter commission." In the command post, a middle-aged man with a general's star on his shoulder tapped the battle map.

Although military mages are stronger in actual combat than some master hunters, they are not as good at exploration and search in the wild as those high-end hunters who often roam the wild.

This led to the emergence of this military-hunting cooperation model.

This saved the military from losses and gave hunters a chance to make money, so it was a win-win situation.

After passing the military checkpoint, their view suddenly opened up.

A vast forest stretched out in front of them, and it was unusually quiet. Even the most common sounds of insects and birds were rare, with only the rustling of the wind through the leaves.

Qin Xiaonan stopped and gazed intently into the depths of the forest.

He suddenly spoke, saying to Mu Nujiao, "You know my identity is that of a totem guardian, right?" Before she could answer, she continued, "Actually, I have more than one totem beast."

Mu Nujiao was taken aback upon hearing this. She recalled the mysterious woman in the cheongsam she had encountered at the Azure Sky Hunting Grounds—she later learned that she was actually the incarnation of a monarch-level demon, Qin Xiaonan's totem beast.

“In this forest ahead,” Qin Xiaonan pointed to the desolate, dense woods, “my other totem beast dwells.”

Mu Nujiao pursed her lips, unsure how to respond.

Although she came from a distinguished family, she knew very little about the ancient and mysterious tradition of totem guardians.

Then, Qin Xiaonan quietly stirred up some of the aura of the solar disk.

Suddenly, a dazzling light burst forth from the depths of the forest ahead.

Seven dazzling beams of light shot into the sky, like rainbows shattered and scattered across the earth, illuminating the entire dark forest in a dreamlike way.

The light grew brighter and brighter, eventually coalescing into an elegant figure.

A graceful peacock slowly walked in, bathed in a seven-colored halo. Each feather shimmered with a different elemental radiance—fiery red like fire, azure blue like ice, lush green like wood, dazzling golden yellow like lightning, pure silver like light, mysterious dark purple like darkness, and calm, earthy brown like rock.

The magic of the seven attributes blends harmoniously around it, forming dazzling rings of elemental light.

It was the Seven-Colored Peacock King that Azir had captured in the Congo rainforest that decisively appeared after sensing the aura of the Sun Disc emanating from Qin Xiaonan.

Mu Nujiao stared blankly at the dreamlike scene before her, her pupils reflecting the colorful glow of the sunset.

"Don't space out." Qin Xiaonan suddenly grabbed her wrist, and the warmth from her fingertips brought Mu Nujiao back to her senses.

He leaped into the air, landing gracefully with Mu Nujiao on the dazzling crystal crown of the Seven-Colored Peacock King. The peacock's feathers were softer than the finest silk.

"Hurry up." Qin Xiaonan said before she could finish.

Suddenly, the Seven-Colored Peacock King spread its wings, and the magic of the seven attributes gathered under its wings into a magnificent elemental vortex. With a clear and melodious cry, a huge lift force lifted them into the sky.

(End of this chapter)