Chapter 113: Desert Mutants and a Treacherous Conspiracy

"Very well, since you confess, guards—strip Han Chong of his rank of Captain for the time being and cast him into the Demon-Slaying Prison."

The fourth official, a burly man with a hairy face and the title of General Xuanwei, had lost all patience and was already barking orders at his subordinates to seize him. Han Chong was filled with shock and indignation; he had only spoken with humility, never expecting this man to disregard human life so callously!

"Hold, the three of you. Pray, allow this old ox to say a few words. Recently, His Majesty has been deeply troubled by the war in the Northwest and has repeatedly urged all armies to dispatch elite troops to reinforce the newly established Left Wei Guard, which is bound for Anxi and Beiting. Our bureau, too, has been tasked with selecting capable men to form a Demon-Slaying Battalion to accompany the expedition. Yet, every province and prefecture has reported that the sudden emergence of demonic disturbances within their jurisdictions has left us short-handed; thus far, we have only managed to assemble one General of the Wandering Cavalry, three General-rank Commanders, and forty Pacification Captains. Though this lad is arrogant and unruly, he has repeatedly slain ferocious demons and malevolent ghosts, and his prowess is not to be underestimated. Why not cast him into the Demon-Slaying Battalion? It is better than nothing, and by rounding up the number of commanders to four, we can provide a satisfactory account to His Majesty."

The three Xuanwei generals had thought the matter settled, but they were taken aback when the bull-horned general intervened with a reason they could not reject. Could it be that this bull-man had been bribed by the boy?

"Oh? Brother Niu, what do you mean by this? Are you suggesting that this lad’s insolent behavior should simply be overlooked, and that he should be restored to his post to lead troops into battle and seek glory?" the hairy-faced general sneered, his tone laced with anger.

"Indeed. If that were the case, wouldn't it be far too easy for this brat? I heard that the Qiongzhou case caused such a stir among several princes that even His Highness the Crown Prince was alarmed."

"Oh? And do you three have other candidates in mind? Perhaps we should all go together to pay a visit to the Chief Administrator and ask the elder to decide for himself," the bull-horned general retorted, his own temper flaring.

The three generals stiffened. They wondered what had gotten into this old ox today to make him defend the boy so fiercely—to the point of wanting to drag the matter before the Chief Administrator. He truly was a stubborn fool. Exchanging glances, the three finally relented. While others might not know, the four of them were well aware: this war in the Northwest would be far from the manageable skirmishes of the past. If things went poorly, it could mean a total collapse of the army. Being assigned to the Demon-Slaying Battalion would certainly offer no sweet rewards, but it was a compromise they could live with.

"Very well. I see no need to disturb the Chief Administrator. We shall do as Brother Niu suggests."

It truly is easier to get things done when you have connections in high places; otherwise, today would have ended in disaster. The generals parted on poor terms.

***

Han Chong was led to a side courtyard, where he met the officers of the newly formed Demon-Slaying Battalion. Two bronze-armored generals sat at a table drinking, while the other officers lounged in small groups, chatting idly. Their expressions were listless and lazy; there was nothing "elite" about them. It seemed these were all cast-offs, men who had fallen out of favor!

"Well, well, another General-rank Commander has arrived!" a coarse captain laughed drunkenly. The crowd in the courtyard turned to look at Han Chong, who held his bronze armor. Some shook their heads with bitter smiles, others clicked their tongues in wonder, and many remained entirely indifferent. This courtyard looked nothing like the camp of an elite unit of the Great Feng Dynasty’s Demon-Slaying Bureau; it was more like a prison yard during exercise hour.

"Greetings, gentlemen," Han Chong offered a symbolic fist-and-palm salute, then retreated to a stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, where he sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.

The others, finding his company uninteresting, returned to their previous lethargy. Only one general, who stood alone leaning against his sword, approached him. He had a cold, proud demeanor, handsome features, and hair hanging over his forehead. He looked at Han Chong with a hint of curiosity, and Han Chong opened his eyes to meet his gaze.

"Brother, would you care for a drink?"

Han Chong raised an eyebrow, nodded, and accepted the wineskin. He took two gulps and tossed it back. "Good wine. I am Han Chong. What is your name, brother?"

"Leng Feichen." The man sat down. For a long time, neither spoke, passing the wine back and forth. Both grew increasingly curious about the other. Finally, Leng Feichen could not help but ask, "Brother Han, which general did you offend to be relegated to the Demon-Slaying Battalion?"

"None other than a few of the princes."

"The princes!" Leng Feichen was stunned into silence for a long moment, re-evaluating Han Chong several times. "Brother Han, you are a hero. Though our Demon-Slaying Bureau mostly recruits and trains children orphaned by demonic disasters, the structure within is no different from the rest of the bureaucracy. Even if you fight bravely against demons and ghosts, if you do not know how to flatter and scheme, you will never be promoted. That much is expected. The most tragic thing is that under the guise of serving the country, they engage in backstabbing and murder. It is enough to chill one's heart." Leng Feichen’s voice was filled with a weary, tragic chill.

"Oh? Brother Leng does not seem very optimistic about this expedition to the Northwest?"

"Optimistic? It is a death sentence. Brother Han, you may not know this, but I have heard that the most terrifying things in the Northwest desert are not the enemy troops, but several species of desert monsters!"

"Desert monsters?" Han Chong muttered in surprise.

"Indeed. I only heard this because my cousin, who recently returned from the frontier, let it slip while he was drunk. The Northwest desert is home to many strange insects, ants, and giant snakes. They have no interest in the flesh and blood of ordinary soldiers, but they are extremely sensitive to the true qi of martial artists and the vital essence of cultivators. Especially the essence of cultivators—once it is used, it draws them in, and they come in swarms that cover the sky. It is truly terrifying! Therefore, when we go to the Northwest, we must rely solely on our physical strength, no different from ordinary soldiers, and we could perish at any moment! Sending the Demon-Slaying Battalion is merely using us as fodder. If our army is defeated, we will be forced to use our essence-based techniques, which will immediately summon a tide of insects to ensure we go down with the enemy!"

"Hiss! Such a thing exists!" Han Chong was shaken to his core. He had intended to rely on his high cultivation to turn the tide and win glory, which was why he had not resisted the deployment. Now, hearing this, he realized his thoughts had been mere wishful thinking. Unable to use his true qi or magical arts, trapped in the vast desert by enemy forces—the scenario was unthinkable! No wonder the other three Xuanwei generals had agreed so readily when the bull-horned general nominated him.

What chilled him even more was that although this was a secret, Ouyang Jingguan—a top student of the Imperial Astrological Bureau—and Prince Ying should have known about it. He and Ouyang had not known each other long, but there was no conflict of interest between them; he could not imagine why she would plot to trap him. But it was too late to speak of it now. With tigers in front and wolves behind, even if he tried to escape, he could never be sure of succeeding. And even if he did, he would be a wanted man across the entire realm, never able to return to the capital to investigate and seek justice. Han Chong could only pray that Ouyang had been unaware of this secret. After all, the two nations of the Northwest had only grown strong and aggressive in recent years; perhaps in the past, the Great Feng had won more battles than it lost, and such horrific events had rarely occurred.

"Thank you, Brother Leng, for sharing this secret. I am in your debt."

"Hehe, I only tell you this because I have taken a liking to you, Brother Han, and I admire that you do not fear the princes and the powerful. Do not speak of this secret to anyone else, or we shall be guilty of shaking the morale of the army—a crime we cannot afford!"

"Rest assured, I understand the gravity of the situation. By the way, Brother Leng, do you know which general is leading the Demon-Slaying Battalion?"

"It is Xun Kang, the General of the Wandering Cavalry from Qiongzhou, who lost the final match of the Seven Nations Competition. I have long heard that General Xun is the best among the Demon-Slaying Bureau's cavalry generals; it is said our dynasty chose him as our trump card for the competition. I never expected that for some reason, he would fall to a powerhouse from the Shule Kingdom and be severely wounded. Now, though his wounds have not yet healed, he is being sent to the Northwest. It is truly lamentable."