Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 74 Promotion to Demon-Slaying Warrior (410 words added upon release)

"Thank you, sir!"

Liu Sheng quickly cupped his hands in greeting, trying hard to suppress the corners of his mouth.

How come this beautiful captain has suddenly become even more beautiful?

Weird!

"These next two days, we will be assisting the Suspended Mirror Division..."

Du Bingyan spoke first, then introduced Lu Dongya beside her, and said in a deep voice:
"Find Xu Qidong's whereabouts!"

Xu Qidong?
Liu Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Having discerned the true relationship between the four Xu brothers, he only needed a moment's thought to guess the general idea.

It seems the Wu family has stepped in.

No matter how low-class Xu Qidong may be, he is still a descendant of the Wu family. He has disappeared without a trace, and an explanation is due.

At this moment, Lu Dongya spoke up, explaining in a serious tone:

"Xu Qidong is Master Wu's adopted son, and they have a close relationship. I'm very worried about him because I heard he's gone missing..."

That's what you call an adopted son; he's clearly your biological son.

However, the Wu family has always been low-key, and they have already made public appearances twice recently regarding an illegitimate child...

Something is wrong!
Liu Sheng's pupils contracted, and he secretly became wary.

Could there be some unknown secret about Xu Qidong?

He's just a spoiled brat, why is he making such a fuss? Is he going to storm the Wu family and wreak havoc?
It's over!

Peace is the most important thing; fighting and killing are not good.

He took a deep breath and looked up at Du Bingyan:

"Sir, where should we begin our investigation?"

"No rush. Go to the storeroom first to change your identity. After you're settled, come find me in the third courtyard."

Du Bingyan gave her instructions and then left.

The mission room was quiet for a while, then quickly heated up and became lively.

The surrounding hunters instantly swarmed around Liu Sheng, bowing and scraping, their faces beaming with obsequious smiles—

"Liu Lishi, I've long felt that you have extraordinary talent and are no ordinary person. I've wanted to get to know you for a long time..."

"Liu Lishi, I, Wang Wenju, am a few years older than you. I have participated in hunting monsters and spirits, and I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

“Liu Lishi, I also have the surname Liu. We were one family five hundred years ago. It’s better to use someone you know than someone you don’t, but no matter how familiar you are, nothing is more reliable than family. Look at me…”

……

In an instant, Liu Sheng was surrounded by beast hunters, all talking at once, making a huge fuss, but their words were pleasant to hear and provided plenty of emotional value.

As expected…

After becoming successful, everyone around you is a good person!

Demon hunters are officials, formally serving in the imperial court.

Compared to the regular servants in the county government, they held a higher status.

Under the Demon Extermination Bureau, a demon exterminator will have 3 to 5 beast hunters under his command.

Although they are still not officially employed, having a fixed team means that their achievements and connections far surpass those of "freelancers."

This is also why the surrounding beast hunters' attitudes changed drastically, and they began to fawn over them.

However, Liu Sheng wasn't familiar with them, so he just laughed it off.

He has too many secrets and doesn't plan to have any subordinates. If he had to, he would like to bring Old He along.

Old Deng is experienced and well-informed. Besides, he doesn't need to fight. He can manage logistics and gather information, which is more than enough for him.

A moment later, he arrived at the cabinet storehouse, changed his identity according to the procedure, and received a new waist tag, armor, uniform, and official document.

He officially became a demon-hunting warrior!
His official rank was the ninth grade.

Compared to the Beast Hunters, who had to raise their own funds for soldiers, armor, pills, and food, the Demon-Catching Warriors had all their supplies provided by the imperial court.

Although they are all standard styles, custom orders are also accepted.

However, the cost of custom-made items is extremely high and must be paid for out of pocket.

Even standard-issue equipment is far superior to what can be produced by private blacksmiths. "This half-body leather armor is made of exotic-grade tanned cowhide, covering vital areas such as the chest, back, waist, and abdomen. Its defense is superior to that of ordinary iron armor, and it is also very lightweight."

Liu Sheng changed into a gray leather armor and, relying on his "Warrior's Waist Token," smoothly entered the third courtyard.

The layout of the three courtyards is even more grand.

There are thirteen building complexes nestled among pine trees, bamboo, and rocks, each with its own unique and picturesque scenery.

"Even the flowers and plants decorating the roadside are made with many precious plants; any one of them, if placed outside, would cost several taels, or even more than ten taels of silver..."

Looking back on his journey, Liu Sheng couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, often including nostalgia or reflection), realizing that social classes are indeed ubiquitous.

When we arrived at Du Bingyan's "Shuiyuelou", we saw her fiddling with a jade-colored insect, which resembled both a bee and an ant. It had six wings on its back, a large head and a small body, and a long, thin nose, like a silver needle.

What kind of bug is this?
Could it be related to the investigation of Xu Qidong?

Liu Sheng's heart stirred slightly. After stepping forward to greet him, he stood aside with his hands clasped.

"This is the Five Immortals Sect's 'Scent-Seeking Gu,' far superior to the Imperial Court's Earth Hunting Dogs in its ability to detect scents and traces..."

Du Bingyan nodded and began to explain the origin of the Gu worm.

The Five Immortals Sect is a major sect in Yunnan with a long history. They are most skilled in using poisons and cultivating Gu, and are especially famous for the five immortals: snake, scorpion, centipede, spider, and toad.

During the previous dynasty, the sect was originally called the "Five Poisons Sect". When the Taizu Emperor raised an army to rebel, the entire sect followed him and made contributions to the emperor's rise to power. Thus, they are now known as the "Five Immortals".

"By the way, how did you escape after encountering the tree spirit that day?"

Du Bingyan poured a few drops of clear dew into her palm, letting the Qi-seeking Gu fall and absorb it, and casually remarked:

"Did you see any suspicious-looking people along the way?"

"On that day..."

Liu Sheng was reciting the prepared remarks, but his mind was racing.

A suspicious person?

His actions...suspicious!
Wait, the Soul-Seeking Gu, the suspicious person… she couldn’t be—

Are you looking for me?

After all, in feudal society, a woman's chastity was as valuable as her life.

After discovering that she had lost her virginity, she had ample motivation to find that "person".

hiss!
So, this Breath-Seeking Gu is prepared for me?

Liu Sheng's scalp tingled instantly, and he even missed a beat of breathing.

If she knew the truth, how would she treat me?
Forced marriage to make you take responsibility?

Or perhaps, with a swift stroke, they cut me down...

The person who ruined her reputation?

Gan!
She was the one who took the initiative!
I was just helping her detoxify.

Moreover, he sent her back to the city afterwards and even spent over a hundred taels of silver to buy her new clothes.

Liu Sheng licked his lips, pondered for a moment, and slowly shook his head:

"At the time, I was only focused on escaping for my life and didn't pay attention to anything in my panic."

"Does Your Excellency have any more detailed clues?"

Du Bingyan remained silent for a moment before saying, "It's alright," and then, gazing at the Soul-Seeking Gu in her palm, she said softly:

"With the Spirit-Seeking Gu, we can definitely find that person!"

After saying that, she gritted her teeth, her cheeks flushed, and a hint of resentment appeared in her eyes.

This is quite different from the image of a heroic female general in the past.

Liu Sheng licked his lips, rationally shut his mouth, and thought to himself, "Trouble is coming."

For now, we can only take it one step at a time.

We'll talk about the future when it comes.

"You have a keen eye. When we get to the Xu family mansion, be sure to search carefully. If you can find any clues, we can explain ourselves."

At this moment, Du Bingyan finished feeding the Breath-Seeking Gu and began to explain:
"In addition, we need to replenish our manpower as soon as possible. The department will be taking action soon to go into the mountains and surround and kill the criminal Wu Song!"

Ok?
Liu Sheng suddenly looked up at Du Bingyan.

(End of this chapter)