So it turns out I'm the demon!

Yan Fenghu gritted his teeth and cursed:

"Old Jiang, these two beasts are traitors planted by the Red Umbrella Sect in our Demon Slaying Division in Huzhou City!"

Damn it, I was secretly investigating the mole all along, and after all that investigation, I ended up making you a prime suspect too.

To my surprise, it turned out to be those two bastards who usually called each other brothers!

Jiang Mu's expression turned strange.

So it turns out there really is another mole within the Demon Slayer Division.

This penetration rate is unmatched.

"thump!"

Seeing Jiang Mu's icy gaze sweep over him, Yang Weiguang's knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly:

"Master Jiang, Lord Jiang, I was forced into this situation."

The Red Umbrella Cult has taken control of my family—my mother, my wife, and my two children. They're all in their hands.

They're threatening my whole family's lives; I really have no choice. Master Jiang, for the sake of our past camaraderie and shared life-and-death experiences, please understand my predicament and spare me!

Jiang Mu nodded, her tone now showing more understanding:

"Yes, I can understand what you're saying. If it's true, then from your perspective, being coerced to protect your family's lives is indeed a desperate situation, and it's only natural."

Upon hearing this, Yang Weiguang's eyes suddenly lit up with wild joy, and he kowtowed repeatedly:

"Thank you so much, Master Jiang! Thank you so much for your great kindness! I will serve you like a slave from now on..."

"but!"

Jiang Mu abruptly changed the subject.

"From our perspective, from the perspective of those Demon Slayer brothers who were betrayed and died tragically... why should they have to sacrifice their lives to pay the price for your family's death?"

Yang Weiguang's face froze in a flash of ecstasy.

"Don't worry."

Jiang Mu looked at him and said slowly, "After you die, if your family is still alive, Master Ran will take good care of them out of consideration for our past relationship. So... go in peace."

"ginger"

Before Yang Weiguang could even utter a second word, the Wangchuan Flying Sword pierced through his brow.

The man slowly fell down while still kneeling and kowtowing.

His face was buried in the rubble, and he fell silent.

Jiang Mu sheathed her flying sword, glanced at Wang Chunda, whose face had turned deathly pale, and raised an eyebrow:

"What, aren't you going to bring up some excuse about having an eighty-year-old mother or some desperate situation to beg me to spare your life?"

Looking at his comrade lying in a pool of blood, Wang Chunda knew that begging for mercy was useless.

He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to calm down.

"I...I can provide you with intelligence! I can tell you exactly how many monsters have come to besiege the city, who the leading demon king is, and I also know a top-secret inside story about this siege."

"Tell me about it," Jiang Mu said noncommittally.

"Swear it."

Wang Chunda's lips trembled. "If you swear that you'll let me go after I tell you, I'll tell you all the information. Otherwise, even if you kill me, I won't utter a single word."

"You have no room for negotiation."

Jiang Mu's eyes flashed with disdain as he said calmly, "However, if the information you provide is valuable enough, it might actually buy your life. My patience is limited, so you'd better hurry."

Seeing the flying sword hovering between his brows, Wang Chunda's facial muscles twitched a few times, his last shred of hope torn apart by fear. He glanced at Yang Weiguang lying on the ground, and finally gritted his teeth and spoke:

"There are more than 3,700 monsters besieging the city this time, of which about 110 are of the fifth rank or above. The leading demon king is the 'North Sea Eagle King' from the North Sea, whose cultivation level is as high as the eleventh rank."

However, what you all don't know is that the Red Umbrella Sect never actually intended to take Huzhou City this time.

This was all just a feint!

Their true purpose is to use these monsters and a few traitors like us to create panic and chaos in Huzhou City, keeping you tied down here and preventing you from diverting troops to rescue Tanzhou City.

After all, near Fazhou City, the only force capable of quickly providing support is our Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou City.

After hearing these words, Yan Fenghuo and Xu Fu exchanged a glance, both with solemn expressions.

Jiang Mu recalled the news that Si Rumeng had told him.

It seems that the Red Umbrella Sect's main attack is indeed on Fazhou City, while Huzhou City is just a decoy.

Wang Chunda did not lie about this.

"How many demons and Red Umbrella Cult experts attacked Fazhou City?" Jiang Mu asked.

Wang Chunda said:

"I don't know about that, but there must be a mole in Fazhou City. Who that mole is is beyond my level of knowledge."

Jiang Mu asked again, "Besides that, what other information is there?"

"That's all."

Wang Chunda shook his head.

Jiang Mu laughed and said, "This little bit of information isn't enough."

Seeing the killing intent emanating from Jiang Mu, Wang Chunda knew that the other party would never let him go. A sense of resentment and anger suddenly surged in his pupils, which had been contracted by fear.

He pointed at Jiang Mu and roared hysterically:

"Jiang Mu, what right do you have to stand here so high and mighty and try to kill me?! Do you think I don't know? You're also an inside agent planted by the Red Umbrella Cult! You're just like me!"

Upon hearing this, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Jiang Mu simply smiled, turned to look at Xu Fu and the others, pointed to her face, and asked:

"Honestly, do you really think someone as handsome and upright as me could be a mole?"

"You traitorous mole!"

Yan Fenghuo was the first to react, and he burst into a tirade of curses.

"Old Jiang, I'd rather suspect myself of being the mole than suspect you. Who in Daqing doesn't know you have a blood feud with demons? Who doesn't know you're the most hated living Yama of the Red Umbrella Sect?"

If this is an inside job, the Red Umbrella Cult leader's mother would probably be so angry she'd crawl out of her grave and kowtow to you!

Xu Fu also jumped up and down in agreement:

"That's right, if you're the mole, Lao Jiang, then I, Xu Fu, will say it right here and now: I'll give you my sixty-year-old mother as your concubine, without a single complaint!"

Jiang Mu: ..…….…”

There's no need to make such a vicious oath.

Jiang Mu turned his head and shrugged at Wang Chunda:

"See? That's what you call character. Even if I admitted right now that I was a mole in the Red Umbrella Cult, they would think I was joking." Wang Chunda pointed at Jiang Mu, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Oh shit!

I've never seen an insider go to this level.

Not only was it whitewashed, but it also became the brightest signboard in the entire Demon Slayer Division.

Where can I go to seek justice?

"I want to see Chief Supervisor Ran! I'm going to the capital headquarters to report you! I want one!"

"puff!"

Before Wang Chunda could finish speaking, the blade's energy swept across his neck.

Then his head was moved.

Jiang Mu snorted coldly: "Are all traitors this arrogant nowadays? Even when they're about to die, they still think about turning around and biting the hand that feeds them."

He pulled a bottle of pills from his pocket, tossed it to Xu Fu, and instructed:

"Treat Old Yan's wounds first, don't let him really die. I'll go check on the situation in the city."

Seeing him turn to leave, Duanmu Li instinctively lifted her foot and followed.

Jiang Mu waved his hand and said, "You stay here too. Suppress the demonic energy for me. Don't let me come back to find a little devil."

Duanmu Li puffed out her cheeks and pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something.

In the end, she sullenly hugged her tomb knife and plopped down on a large rock next to her.

Ten miles outside Huzhou City.

The Demon Camp.

The demon king in charge of this attack on Huzhou City was sitting casually on a large chair in the center of the command tent, one hand supporting his chin and the other tapping on the armrest.

Its face bears a striking resemblance to that of an eagle.

He had a high, sharp, hooked nose, and long, narrow eyes that gleamed with a dark light, exuding a fierce and domineering aura.

This is the Eagle King of the North Sea.

An eleventh-tier Great Demon King, he can be considered a hegemon among the demons of the northern sea.

At this moment, it listened to its demon generals report the casualty figures, its face grim.

"Your Majesty, we've lost over three hundred brothers in the past few days of siege. Ran Qingshan is personally overseeing the defenses on the city walls, and our soldiers fall one after another as they charge in. If this continues..."

The demon general cautiously observed the Eagle King's expression, not daring to finish the second half of his sentence.

The Eagle King remained silent.

In their youth, this Eagle King and the "Peacock Demon King" who once led an army to attack Yan City were sworn brothers.

Together we fought and struggled among the demons, drank blood wine and swore brotherhood.

But who would have thought that the Peacock Demon King was not so kind?

Not only did it carry it on its back and secretly sleep with its most beloved lark fairy, but it also broke it.

Because of this grudge over the theft of his wife, the two demons completely broke off their relationship.

Later, relying on their families' resources and some extraordinary opportunities, the two demons both rose to become powerful demon kings.

What the Eagle King couldn't swallow was that the Peacock Demon King's cultivation was just a tiny bit higher than its own.

This has led to countless attempts over the centuries to seek revenge, only to be thwarted each time.

Some time ago, it overheard that the Peacock Demon King had been severely injured by Mo Huaisu, the sect leader of the Dao Sect, outside Yan City.

The Eagle King jumped up with joy.

I was thinking of taking advantage of his illness to kill him, quickly kicking him while he was down, and plucking the peacock naked and roasting it to eat.

As it turned out, that fellow was quite shrewd and hid in a forbidden area to cultivate in seclusion.

Just as Eagle King was feeling down, members of the Red Umbrella Cult came knocking on his door.

The other party promised that as long as it helped to lead an army to feign an attack on Huzhou City and tie down the main force of the Demon Slayer Division.

After the deed is done, the Red Umbrella Cult will give it a treasure.

With that treasure, its chances of breaking through to the twelfth rank will greatly increase.

Even if the dead peacock recovers from its injuries, it can still use its superior strength to openly pluck out each of the other's peacock feathers, avenging the loss of its wife years ago.

Thinking of this, the Eagle King said to the demon general, "Continue the attack, don't stop."

The demon general accepted the order and went to carry it out.

Jiang Mu stood on a secluded spot in the canopy of trees on the hilltop, gazing into the distance.

At the edge of the horizon, the dark, monstrous army of demons, like a murky ocean, completely surrounded the plains outside Huzhou City.

The surging demonic energy intertwined, and even the wind carried a fishy, ​​foul smell.

"The eleventh-tier North Sea Eagle King..."

Jiang Mu frowned.

He certainly wouldn't rashly rush over to slay the demon.

A seventh-realm cultivator rushing into a demon horde guarded by an eleventh-level demon king is not considered demon slaying; it's like delivering takeout to the demon king.

The best course of action right now is to enter the city first.

According to Wang Chunda's confession before his death, the Red Umbrella Sect's offensive outside Huzhou City was a feint.

Their goal was not to conquer the city, but to create a sense of urgency, like a large army pressing in, to pin down Ran Qingshan and Huzhou's troops here, so that they would not dare to send troops to rescue Fazhou.

Only after Fazhou City has completely fallen will the demons and Red Umbrella Sect masters who are besieging Huzhou City be able to free up their forces.

With two forces combined, we can turn back and tackle this tough nut.

At that time, Huzhou City will not face a feint attack, but a real catastrophe.

Since the other party is unwilling to fight to the death, the best way to deal with it is to force them to fight back.

As long as Ran Qingshan takes the initiative to go out of the city to meet the enemy and drags the demons into a tough battle that they don't want to fight in the first place, these feigned attack troops will naturally back down.

After all, no demon king would risk his entire fortune for a mere pretext.

Having figured this out, Jiang Mu no longer hesitated.

With a swift movement, he used the [Shadow Teleportation] ability to silently penetrate the demon race's encirclement and the city's formations like a ghost, and directly entered Huzhou City.

Inside the office of the Demon Slayer Division in Huzhou City.

Ran Qingshan, who had just come down from inspecting the city wall, was leaning wearily against a chair.

He picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, took a small sip, and the bitter tea went down his throat, but it couldn't quell the anxiety and unease in his heart.

The sudden siege of Huzhou City by a large-scale demon army was completely unexpected.

Logically speaking, it's only been a little over a year since the last Mist Demon siege, and it's impossible for another demon tide of this magnitude to break out in such a short time. After all, when powerful demons besiege a city, their aim is nothing more than to steal the city's "city fortune" to help them break through their bottlenecks.

However, the city fortune attributes of each city are completely different.

The higher the cultivation level of a powerful demon, the more demanding they are in terms of their appetite for and compatibility with city fortune.

To put it simply, the city's fortune is suitable for the Fog Demon.

Even if other powerful demons were to conquer the city and absorb its fortune, it might not necessarily yield good results.

But it's strange that this North Sea Eagle King is now gnawing on this bone.

Perhaps the other party, like the Mist Demon, is also suited to this city's destiny?

What worries Ran Qingshan even more is that, to this day, there is still no news from Yan Fenghuo and Jiang Mu.

If these three people were to perish outside, it would be a devastating blow to the Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou.

"Why……"

Ran Qingshan sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples.

Just then, a thought suddenly struck him, and his sharp gaze shot toward the window like that of a hawk.

A slight ripple could be seen in the air in one corner of the signing room.

A familiar figure appeared out of nowhere.

"Jiang Mu?"

Ran Qingshan abruptly stood up, his face, which had been shrouded in exhaustion and anxiety for several days, finally breaking into wild joy. "You're finally back, kid! Where have you been all this time? You didn't even send a single word!"

"Chief Ran, time is of the essence, so I'll get straight to the point."

Jiang Mu got straight to the point, "Yan Fenghuo and Xu Fu are both still alive, but they are seriously injured. I have asked Duanmu Li to guard them in a safe place outside the city."

Furthermore, the mole within the Demon Slayer Division has been identified. It's Wang Chunda from the Fifth Hall and Yang Weiguang from the First Hall.

Upon hearing this news, Ran Qingshan did not show much shock.

He sighed with a wry smile:

"Two days ago, the scouts on the city wall vaguely saw Wang Chunda's figure appear near the monster's camp."

I had a bad feeling about it then, and I thought I was seeing things... Alas, I never expected it to really be them." Ran Qingshan was convinced that there was a mole in Huzhou City.

However, finding out about any one of them made him feel very uncomfortable.

"I've already killed these two. Xu Fu and the others can testify to that." Jiang Mu said calmly.

Ran Qingshan nodded: "They deserve to die."

Jiang Mu continued:

"Master, the Red Umbrella Sect has made such a big show of things this time, but their real target is not us, but Fazhou City."

The monsters outside the city won't really fight to the death; it's just a feint to keep us tied down and prevent us from going to their aid. "A feint?!"

Ran Qingshan's expression changed.

"Yes, it's a feint."

Jiang Mu offered his suggestion: "Therefore, our best response is not to defend the city, but to take the initiative."

Ideally, we should get the garrison commander to personally confront the demon king outside. If we adopt a fight to the death, that eagle king will definitely be scared away!

Ran Qingshan remained silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice:

"Jiang Mu, are you sure it's just a feint? This is no small matter. If the intelligence is wrong, and we rashly leave the city, it could lead to a terrible mistake. Moreover..."

He walked to the window, gazing towards the underground palace outside the city, his tone filled with deep concern:

"The garrison commander cannot leave the city easily. You are a smart man and should know the implications."

The reason why the garrison commander was able to exert his strength beyond his own in a state was entirely due to the support of the people in the city through their incense offerings.

Once she steps outside the city walls and leaves this protective barrier, if the Red Umbrella Sect has laid an ambush outside the city to entangle her, her situation will be extremely dangerous. Even if there is no ambush, there is an eleventh-level demon king outside, along with thousands of other demons.

If these demons fight to the death, it will be a huge drain on the garrison commander.

In response to Ran Qingshan's concerns, Jiang Mu said firmly:

"My Lord, the Red Umbrella Sect has already set up its trap. If we continue to use the old method of holding out and refusing to engage in combating this demon tide, we will be playing right into their hands."

At that time, not only will Fazhou City be lost, but the Water Guardian Division will also be in grave danger. Once Fazhou falls, the Red Umbrella Sect's army will surround and encircle it, and the next city to be devoured will be our Huzhou City.

If we attack now, the monsters won't fight us to the death.

Because they never intended to fight to the death. If we dare to adopt a fighting stance, they will actually retreat first.

Ran Qingshan clenched his fists, his mind in turmoil.

As the city's governor, every decision he makes affects the fate of the entire city. The slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

After a long silence, Ran Qingshan's tense shoulders relaxed, and he gritted his teeth and said:

"Okay, I believe you, kid!"

I can give the order to go out of the city to meet the enemy, but as for the garrison commander… I'm afraid I can't persuade her. After all, she might not agree to such a risky move that concerns her safety.”

"I'll go and persuade her."

Jiang Mu immediately said.

The garrison commander, Shangguan Luoxue, is Ling Ye's personal disciple.

As for herself, she had already secretly pledged her life to Ling Ye.

This is nominally a hierarchy of generations...

Now, at least he can be considered the garrison commander's senior uncle.

How dare you disrespect your martial uncle?