Chapter 250 Requesting to Fight Again

As soon as Bai Junyi finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Shen Suning asked softly, "Then what happened?"

"Back then, Thousand-Household Liao was still a Deputy General Squad Leader. He personally led the cleanup, burned the nest, and slew the Bat King with his sword. The files state that this creature is extremely adept at concealment, active at night and dormant during the day, prefers cold and shade, fears strong light, and furthermore..."

Bai Junyi hesitated for a moment, then looked at Chen Mu.

"This creature is gregarious; there is no reason for it to act alone."

Chen Mu frowned slightly.

"We sniped six Blood Bats in Kaoshan Village, and another Bat King escaped. If we follow what is recorded in the files, these were likely just..."

He didn't finish his sentence before Bai Junyi immediately took over.

"Scouts clearing the way."

Having said that, Bai Junyi immediately turned around, grabbed his outer robe from the rack, and strode outside.

"This matter must be reported to Flag-bearer Cheng immediately. Follow me."

Demon Hunting Division main hall.

Banner Master Cheng had just finished his day's work and was about to rest when he heard of Bai Junyi's urgent report. He immediately put on his robe and took his seat. Under the lamplight, his face was as calm as water as he listened to Chen Mu recount the events at Kaoshan Village once more.

After Chen Mu finished reporting and stood with his hands hanging down, waiting for his superior's decision, Banner Master Cheng gently set down the cold tea cup in his hand.

"So, you left Wan Chongshan in Kaoshan Village?"

Chen Mu did not avoid his gaze, bowing and cupping his hands.

"Yes. Your subordinate believes that since the Bat King is injured, it will not dare to strike again in the short term. However, demon creatures hold grudges, and after it recovers, it will surely seek revenge. Kaoshan Village is unprepared. If we leave the villagers to fend for themselves, by the time we arrive next, I fear the fields will be littered with corpses."

"Furthermore, Squad Leader Wan's younger sister is still among the missing. His heart can be utilized, and his strength can be relied upon. Your subordinate temporarily handed over the command token to him, allowing him to lead the village guards in patrols and defense. Your subordinate is willing to accept punishment for acting without authorization."

Banner Master Cheng did not speak immediately. The candlelight in the hall cast shifting light and shadow across his face. Bai Junyi stood by with his hands down, and Shen Suning and the others held their breath in concentration.

After a long while, Banner Master Cheng spoke slowly.

"You just reported everything from entering the village to investigate and setting the ambush to lure the enemy, from the Blood Bat night raid to the Bat King's escape, in a clear and flawless manner. Yet when you mentioned the demon creature itself, your tone was flat, as if describing ordinary things."

He paused.

"However, when you spoke of the Bat King escaping and Li Tiezui going missing, you added an extra sentence about Wan Chongshan staying in the village to lead the village guards in patrols and defense."

"Are you asking for punishment, or are you requesting orders?"

Chen Mu was silent for a moment.

"Your subordinate is requesting orders."

Banner Master Cheng nodded slightly, as if he had finally been waiting for these words.

"Speak."

Chen Mu looked up.

"The case in Kaoshan Village is no longer just a simple case of a demon creature preying on humans. That demon creature can accurately screen for unmarried young women with Yin-Sha in their fate; there must be an insider. Li Tiezui handled the four birth charts and is the most suspicious, yet after the incident, his only daughter died tragically, and he himself went insane. Your subordinate suspects he is not the mastermind, but just another discarded pawn."

"The Bat King has already developed intelligence and knows how to assess the situation. Last night's ambush wiped out all six Blood Bats, and the Bat King fled with injuries. It has been alarmed, but it may not have gone far. Demon creatures hold grudges and cherish their nests even more."

"If it has been entrenched here for many years, its nest must be in the deep mountains surrounding Kaoshan Village. Those four missing young women are very likely still alive."

He paused.

"Being kept in captivity."

Banner Master Cheng kept his eyes lowered while listening, his fingers tapping gently on the desk from time to time.

Once, twice, three times.

He suddenly looked up and asked, "How many months have you been in the Division?"

"Less than two months."

"In two months, you've dealt with the snake infestation in Shi Town, fought the Dragon in Youxu Valley, and now you've run into a Human-Faced Blood Bat."

Banner Master Cheng's tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Chen Mu, your luck is not very good."

Chen Mu did not respond, and Banner Master Cheng continued.

"You just said that the demon creature specifically targets unmarried young women with Yin-Sha in their fate."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Chen Mu was slightly stunned. "Your subordinate does not know."

Banner Master Cheng looked at him, his eyes as still as an ancient well.

"Do you know that although the Human-Faced Blood Bat is a demon creature, it is not born with a craving for human blood? In the Jiangling case fifty years ago, there were seventeen corpses in that nest of Blood Bats, all young men and women, regardless of whether they were married or unmarried, regardless of their birth charts. They were simply... hungry and needed to feed."

"But the one you encountered is different. It knows how to screen, how to disguise the scene, and knows to leave the women whose birth charts don't match alone, only abducting the four that meet the criteria."

Banner Master Cheng paused.

"Why would it do that?"

No one in the hall answered.

Banner Master Cheng did not expect them to answer either; he just lowered his eyelids, his voice faint.

"This case is treacherous and mysterious; I fear it is not as simple as it appears."

He did not continue. Chen Mu waited quietly. After a long while, Banner Master Cheng finally looked up.

"Currently, Thousand-Household Liao has taken the bulk of Team A and Team B to the Southern Wilderness. The Tian Di Xuan Three Teams have been wiped out and have not yet been replenished. Team E and Captain Ding are pursuing corpses and ghosts, having suffered more than half losses, and are currently resting. All the elites that the Demon Hunting Division can mobilize are right here."

He looked at Chen Mu.

"Your Team C has fought successive fierce battles; four people are seriously injured and have not returned. The others who went with you likely haven't fully recovered from their old wounds either. Going back to fight again, what are your chances of winning?"

Chen Mu was silent for a moment, then answered again.

"Your subordinate does not know."

"You don't know, yet you dare to request orders?"

"Your subordinate only knows that if no one goes, those four missing women will surely die. There are also the villagers of Kaoshan Village living in fear every day; they cannot afford to wait."

Banner Master Cheng looked at him, and only after a moment did he wave his hand.

"Bai Junyi."

"Your subordinate is here."

"Go to the Demon Archive Division and requisition two sets of tracking disks and truth-seeing talismans each. Get as many obstacle-breaking pills, detox powders, and golden sore medicine as you can. Also, I remember the warehouse still has three crimson flame demon-binding nets; take those as well. They will be useful in this battle."

Bai Junyi was stunned, then cupped his hands. "Yes!"

"There are still five lightly injured personnel in Captain Ding's team who have mostly recovered over the past two days. Take my warrant to mobilize them and incorporate them into Chen Mu's command. Tell them this trip to search the mountains is not a hard-fought battle of extermination, but it requires swift feet and keen eyes. If anyone is unwilling, do not force them."

"Yes!"

Banner Master Cheng finally looked at Chen Mu.

"You will lead your team to the village again early tomorrow morning. Your primary task is to search for the whereabouts of the missing women. If you can rescue them, do so. If not... identify the location of the nest, leave a mark, and report back immediately."

"Do not be greedy for merit, and do not act rashly. Although the Bat King is injured, a desperate counterattack is even more troublesome than when it is at its peak. Remember that."

Chen Mu bowed. "Your subordinate accepts the order."

Banner Master Cheng didn't say anything more and just waved his hand.

"Go."

...

When Chen Mu returned to the Team C barracks, Lu Dachuan was hopping around the courtyard on one leg. Seeing them return, his eyes widened instantly, and he hopped over to welcome them.

"Brother Chen, you've finally returned. How did it go? Did you catch that demon creature? What happened to Xiao Ning? Is he injured?"

A barrage of questions came flying over. Chen Mu raised his hand to signal him to calm down and helped Ling Xiaoning sit on a stone bench in the courtyard.

Shen Suning went to change Ling Xiaoning's dressing, while Feng Qing silently walked to the well to draw water and wash off the dust from the journey.