Chapter One (continued)

Two streets away, in a sparsely populated area, there was a large, four-sided former residence. A red-painted sign with a black and gold inscription hung crookedly over the entrance. It read “Demon Hunting Bureau” in three large characters. This was the Bureau’s front gate. A thick layer of dust coated it, and rings upon rings of spiderwebs, so that the characters were very dim.

A man carrying an umbrella gazed at this inscribed board. He was tall, his bearing imposing in long, black robes. Rainwater dripped down from the edges of his umbrella as he lightly tipped it upward to reveal pale skin and blood-red lips. Slowly, the corners of his mouth crooked upward, showing white teeth in a demonic smile.

He turned the umbrella handle in his grasp; the small bells hanging on the fringe let out clear, tinkling chimes. The guard leaning fast asleep against the lantern post awoke with a startle. He looked down the steps at the man holding the open umbrella and shouted, “The Demon Hunting Bureau is closed to the public. Unauthorized people cannot enter.”

The umbrella’s edge tilted upward again to show a handsome face with thick, straight eyebrows. He looked little more than 20 years old, though white hair streaked his temples. The smile he gave was polite, if one could overlook the aura of menace surrounding his body.

“I’ve come to pay a visit to Commander Zhuo Yichen. I must trouble you to announce me.” His voice was gentle and kind.

The guard’s tone gentled a little in response. “Do you have an invitation?”

“I do not.” His smiled remained as he answered plainly.

The guard’s brows knit in confusion. “Why have you come to pay a visit?”

“I have some free time, so I came to share a cup of wine with Commander Zhuo Yichen.”

At that, the guard raised his hands to shoo the man away. “Commander Zhuo is busy. Where does he have free time to drink wine with you? You’re just an admirer our refined and elegant commander and want to visit here because of his reputation. I see lots like you! Get out of here! Go!”

“But I’m not a person,” the man explained with a smile.

The guard stared blankly. Hearing those words, he slowly lowered his hand.

“I’m a demon. You, go deliver a message. Tell Commander Zhuo Yichen that the demon he has always wanted to kill, Zhu Yan, has come to find him.”

As the man’s smile grew warmer, the guard’s whole body felt colder, his scalp tingling. He backed up in fear and let out a shout as he fled inside the building. “Zhu… Zhu-Zhu-Zhu Yan! A demon is at the door! Commander Zhuo—!”

The man frowned, regarding with disdain the guard running off and stuttering out his name. He lifted his head, returning his gaze to the dust-covered “Demon Hunting Bureau” sign. He raised an eyebrow, then lifted his pinched fingers to whisper an incantation through red lips. The inscribed board abruptly moved, shaking off the cobwebs and dust until it was clean.

The man lowered his head with a thin, satisfied smile.