Chapter 251 The Secret Order Granted Exclusively

Chen Mu turned around and spoke briefly.

"The monsters have appeared. It's a nest of Blood Bats, and there is also a human-faced Bat King. We sniped six of them during the night raid, but the Bat King was injured and escaped. The four missing girls are still unaccounted for, so we need to investigate further."

Lu Dachuan's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he kept clicking his tongue.

"Blood Bats? And a human-faced Bat King? Damn it, did Kaoshan Village poke a bat nest?"

He paused, looked at Ling Xiaoning, and seeing the boy's pale face but defiant, proud expression, he couldn't help but laugh and scold him.

"You brat have a lot of luck to come back in one piece, not having been snatched away by that bat for a midnight snack?"

Ling Xiaoning straightened his back upon hearing this, no longer feeling the pain in his arm, his mouth stretching almost to his ears.

"Brother Lu, you don't know! With the situation last night, six Blood Bats! I led them all out! I was just lying in that room without moving, and the bat monsters squeezed in through the door crack one by one, circling around me, but they didn't dare to bite!"

He spoke with great animation, embellishing the situation, especially emphasizing how he remained calm in the face of danger, how he stabbed a Blood Bat with one strike, and how he gritted his teeth and held on until Chen Mu and the others provided support.

"You don't know, when that Blood Bat swooped down, it was just this far from my neck."

Ling Xiaoning used his hand to gesture a length of about an inch.

"I didn't dodge at all, just waited for it to come down, and pierced it right through with one strike!"

Lu Dachuan listened, stunned, and finally patted Ling Xiaoning's shoulder heavily, making him gasp in pain.

"Not bad, Xiao Ning, you've grown up! I couldn't tell you could act as bait to lure monsters. Did the monster not suspect anything?"

Chen Mu spoke at the right moment.

"Xiao Ning's disguise was lifelike. Miss Shen has good craftsmanship."

Ling Xiaoning, who was still waiting to hear more praise, froze for a moment at the word "disguise." Subconsciously touching his face and recalling the girl's outfit he wore last night, his mouth twitched, and he quickly changed the subject.

"Um... Chen Mu, when are we leaving tomorrow? How many people?"

Lu Dachuan wasn't swayed, his eyes darting between Chen Mu and Ling Xiaoning twice before he suddenly chuckled.

"Disguise? What disguise? Xiao Ning, what did you dress up as?"

Ling Xiaoning's face flushed red, and he stammered, unable to speak. Shen Suning coughed lightly to change the subject.

"Brother Lu, how are your injuries?"

Lu Dachuan waved his hand, his attention successfully diverted. He looked at his tightly wrapped chest, then at Chen Mu, and suddenly said seriously.

"Brother Chen, when you enter the mountains tomorrow, take me with you."

Chen Mu frowned slightly, looking at his bandaged leg. Feng Qing washed his face and said calmly.

"Old Lu, your leg hasn't healed yet."

"Not healed? Who said it hasn't healed?"

Lu Dachuan stiffened his neck and stamped his foot hard. Pain caused his face to twitch, but he held it in and didn't cry out.

"Look, I can walk and run, what's not healed?"

Chen Mu didn't speak, just looked at him. Lu Dachuan felt a bit uneasy under his gaze and sheepishly pulled back his leg, but still wouldn't give in.

"Brother Chen, listen to me. I know I'm a burden, but I can't just lie here and watch you all risk your lives. I can't do it."

"Li Hu is gone, and the brothers of the Tian Di Xuan Three Teams are gone too. That day in Youxu Valley, if it weren't for you, this old brother's life would have been lost. I'm living on borrowed time now; living an extra day is a gain."

"This time we are searching for the nest in the mountains, and you don't have enough manpower. One more person is one more bit of strength. Although my legs aren't nimble, my eyes are still good, and my ears are sharp. Keeping watch and standing guard for you is fine, right?"

Chen Mu was silent for a moment and was about to speak when footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard gate. A Demon Suppressing Soldier walked in quickly, his gaze sweeping over the people in the courtyard and landing on Chen Mu.

"Is Chen Mu of Team C here?"

Chen Mu stood up and walked a few steps towards the person. "I am."

The Demon Suppressing Soldier saw Chen Mu approach, nodded, lowered his voice, and spoke at a volume only the two of them could hear.

"Brother Chen, Banner Master Cheng requests your presence. Please come with me."

Chen Mu frowned slightly. Cheng Xiaoqing had already deployed the mission in the main hall earlier and finished giving all necessary instructions. Why would he summon him alone now?

But he didn't ask further, just nodded, followed the Demon Suppressing Soldier through the barracks courtyard, and walked towards the depths of the Demon Hunting Division.

The Demon Suppressing Soldier walked very fast but deliberately chose some secluded paths, winding around, and finally stopped outside a small, inconspicuous courtyard.

"Banner Master Cheng is waiting inside. Please."

After saying this, he didn't go in, just bowed and made a gesture of invitation before turning and leaving.

Chen Mu looked at the half-closed wooden door, his gaze tightening. He had never stepped into this courtyard. It was in a remote location with no guards around, not like a place for formal meetings.

After thinking for a moment, he pushed the door and entered.

There were only three main rooms in the courtyard. The middle one had lights on, and a seated figure was projected on the paper window.

Chen Mu walked to the door, and before he could knock, Cheng Xiaoqing's low voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Chen Mu pushed the door open and entered, closing the door behind him.

The room was furnished very simply: a table, a couch, a few candle stands, a landscape painting on the wall, and a few scrolls of documents piled on the desk. Cheng Xiaoqing sat behind the desk, holding a yellowed file. Seeing him enter, he casually closed the file and set it aside.

"Sit."

Chen Mu sat down on a small stool in front of the desk, not asking any questions, just waiting quietly.

Cheng Xiaoqing looked at him, his gaze deeper than it had been in the main hall, as if observing something. After a moment, he took a small jade bottle from his sleeve, placed it on the desk, and pushed it towards Chen Mu.

The jade bottle was only the size of a thumb, translucent and moist, with a red wax seal on the mouth.

"Take this."

Chen Mu reached out and took it; it felt slightly cool and quite heavy in his hand.

Seeing him take the jade bottle, Cheng Xiaoqing spoke slowly.

"Tomorrow you will lead the team back into Kaoshan Village. The primary task of this trip is to search for the whereabouts of the missing women and find the monster's nest. But besides that, I have another private order."

Chen Mu raised his eyes, waiting for the rest. Cheng Xiaoqing paused, his voice lowering a few notches.

"If there is an opportunity to approach the Bat King, or if you find any traces left in its nest, you must find a way to retrieve the monster's blood and hair, put them into this jade bottle, seal it, and bring it back."

Blood? Hair?

Chen Mu frowned slightly, but didn't ask immediately, just nodded.

"This subordinate understands."

Cheng Xiaoqing looked at him with a complicated expression. After a moment of silence, he added.

"This matter must be kept strictly confidential. Apart from you, no one else must know, including the brothers going with you, Wan Chongshan, and Bai Junyi."

"The retrieved items must be handed over to me alone; they must not pass through anyone else's hands."

Chen Mu pondered for a moment and asked tentatively.

"Banner Master, this subordinate dares to ask, why must this be retrieved?"

Cheng Xiaoqing didn't answer, just kept his gaze on Chen Mu. There was no anger, no impatience, just looking at him calmly, as if waiting for him to retract this question that shouldn't have been asked.

Chen Mu understood, stopped asking, put the jade bottle into his clothes, stood up, and cupped his hands.

"This subordinate takes his leave."

Cheng Xiaoqing nodded slightly, still not speaking.

Chen Mu turned and walked out of the main room. Behind him came Cheng Xiaoqing's very low voice.

"Be careful."

Chen Mu paused for a moment, then strode away, merging into the night.