Jiang Ming and Chong Heihu were immediately apprehended by the Demon Slayer Guards. Shortly after, the guards sent to investigate returned, bringing back some mangled remains.
Jiang Ming glanced at the remains and noticed something was missing.
"Flag Leader Niu, our brothers found a pile of limbs seven miles away. The bite marks suggest it was indeed the work of a demon," one of the guards reported.
Several other guards examined the remains before whispering into Niu's ear. Niu nodded and then walked over to the Hundred Household Commander, who was standing nearby with his eyes closed, seemingly concentrating. After hearing the report, the commander gave a slight nod.
With permission granted, Niu grinned wickedly and approached Jiang Ming and Chong Heihu.
"After our investigation, we found no evidence of any demonic activity. Instead, your sudden intrusion has disrupted an important mission of the Demon Slayer Division. Given your suspicious behavior, I suspect you are rebels who have infiltrated the Great Jin Dynasty. You are hereby detained for further investigation."
"What?" Chong Heihu was about to explode in rage, but Jiang Ming held him back. They were outnumbered, and after the recent battle, they were exhausted. Starting a conflict now would be unwise.
Seeing Jiang Ming remain silent, Flag Leader Niu sneered in contempt and then glanced at the white gourd on Jiang Ming's back.
"What's that on your back? Let me have a look."
He reached out to grab it, but Chong Heihu immediately caught his hand in a strong grip. Niu's expression turned vicious as black energy appeared on his hand, forcing Chong Heihu to let go in pain.
It turned out that Niu was an eighth-grade martial artist, capable of converting his internal energy into protective energy.
"Trying to get yourself killed, boy?"
Just then, the Hundred Household Commander suddenly called out, "Niu, stop messing around. Move to the next location."
"Yes, sir," Niu replied, glaring at the two of them one last time before ordering his men to escort them.
A group of over a hundred Demon Slayer Guards emerged from the old, abandoned house. Jiang Ming noticed that they seemed to be searching for something, paying little attention to the remains of Ah Hu and the headless child.
By now, night had fully descended. The area was once home to wealthy families, with grand mansions everywhere. However, it had long been abandoned for unknown reasons.
The guards didn't seem inclined to search any further, and instead found a relatively clean mansion to rest in for the night. Jiang Ming and Chong Heihu were locked in a room with guards posted outside, but no one bothered them otherwise.
"Young Master, these corrupt officials deserve to die! They take the emperor's salary, yet instead of serving the country and protecting the people, they arrest us and let that wretched creature escape! If my soldiers were here…" Chong Heihu fumed, his voice filled with anger.
Jiang Ming, on the other hand, remained calm, sitting quietly in the corner, conserving his energy.
The headless ghost child had vanished, and there were over a hundred Demon Slayer Guards here. Based on Niu's earlier display, he was likely an eighth-grade martial artist, which meant the Hundred Household Commander must be at least seventh grade. With so many experts, there was no way they would let the ghost child escape.
The marks on the bodies clearly indicated the involvement of a demon, but the commander seemed more concerned with finding something else, something more important than the demon.
What exactly was going on here?
In the neighboring room, Hundred Household Commander Zhang Gang and several Flag Leaders sat around a table, their faces grim.
"We've searched all day and found nothing. How are we supposed to report this to the Thousand Household Commander?" one of the Flag Leaders complained.
"Yeah, we don't even know what this thing looks like. Is this tool reliable?" another said.
"Exactly. That thing hasn't reacted at all, but we've already searched every corner of this place," another added.
On the table was a jade bowl filled with clear water. In the water, a drop of blood, tinged with gold, swirled slowly.
Zhang Gang frowned, wondering if the tool had indeed failed.
Suddenly, there was a frantic knock at the door.
"Enter," Zhang Gang ordered.
A guard rushed in, panic clear on his face. "Commander! Something has happened. Flag Leaders Fang and Yu, along with their teams, disappeared while on patrol."
"What?"
Boom!
The door was suddenly blown apart, and Zhang Gang immediately leapt onto the roof.
"Which demon dares provoke the Demon Slayer Division?" he shouted, his voice reverberating through the night like ripples on water, carrying with it waves of energy that spread across the ancient compound.
"The commander's Ripple Sound Technique has improved!" the other Flag Leaders whispered.
Zhang Gang had originally broken through the ranks by consuming the blood of a ghost bat demon, which made him particularly sensitive to sound waves. His Ripple Sound Technique not only had the power to kill but also allowed him to detect hidden enemies.
However, Zhang Gang's expression darkened. He could sense nothing out of the ordinary.
That night, none of the Demon Slayer Guards slept.
Meanwhile, inside their room, Jiang Ming slept peacefully.
In his sleep, he heard a voice whispering in his ear.
*Brother, help me! Brother, save me...*
Jiang Ming suddenly woke up and turned to Chong Heihu. "Did you hear someone calling for help?"
Chong Heihu shook his head, so Jiang Ming recounted the voice he had heard in his dream.
"Young Master, perhaps there truly is a wronged soul here in need of your aid. This could be an omen," Chong Heihu suggested.
Jiang Ming nodded in agreement but felt helpless, given his current situation. He tore a piece of cloth and began writing on it. Then, he asked to go relieve himself and, under the watchful eyes of two guards, squatted near a wall.
"Ugh, that stinks. Hurry up," one of the guards complained.
"Almost done, brother," Jiang Ming replied. "By the way, who was it that demonstrated such power earlier?"
The guards puffed out their chests with pride. "That was our Hundred Household Commander, Zhang Gang. He's a seventh-grade expert."
After finishing up, Jiang Ming returned to the room and went back to sleep.
Fortunately, nothing strange happened for the rest of the night, and when dawn broke, the Demon Slayer Division counted their numbers.
"Commander, we're missing two patrol teams—thirteen men in total, including the Flag Leaders. There are no bodies," Flag Leader Niu reported.
Zhang Gang cast a long, hard look at the eerie compound before them, realizing there was no record of this place in the division's archives.
Without hesitation, he ordered, "Withdraw."
The group, including Jiang Ming, quickly retreated to the division's headquarters in the city.
After they left, a strange laugh echoed from the village entrance.
A woman dressed in red sat there, her long hair covering her face. In her arms, she cradled a headless infant. The child's limbs were intact, but his pale skin was covered in tiny holes, and his body occasionally twitched.
"Mother, it hurts!" the child wailed.
"I told you not to play around so much. Look what happened! Luckily, we have some fresh blood to heal you. Now, eat," the woman said, blood flowing from her mouth into the child's headless neck, slowly restoring his body.
"They injured my child and nearly ruined my plans. I'll remember their scent..."
Just then, the sound of children's laughter echoed from the ancient compound.
The woman giggled. "Entering my domain and thinking you can leave? The ninth is nearly complete!" With that, she vanished into the depths of the compound.
Jiang Ming, walking along the road, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively glanced back at the ancient compound.
The headless ghost child, the voice in his dream... something sinister was lurking here!
Back at the Demon Slayer Division, Jiang Ming and Chong Heihu were thrown into a dungeon.
"Heh, you unlucky fools. Better luck in your next life," Flag Leader Niu sneered.
Jiang Ming quickly grabbed his arm, offering him a fifty-tael banknote with a flattering smile. "Sir, I'm Jiang Ming, the assistant manager of the Taihe Teahouse. Could you help me send a message?"
Niu flung his hand away, scowling. "Do you think this is a place where a few pieces of silver will get you what you want?"
With a *smack*, Niu crumpled the banknote and tossed it in Jiang Ming's face before walking away.
It wasn't that Niu didn't want the silver—fifty taels was a considerable amount. But this situation was too dangerous. Not only had they failed to complete their mission, but they'd also lost over a dozen men. Zhang Gang was vying for the Vice Commander position, and as his close subordinate, Niu had to help shoulder the burden. They needed scapegoats, and Jiang Ming and Chong Heihu fit the bill perfectly.
Money? Once you're dead, it'll still be mine.