Chapter Two (Continued)

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Zhen Mei scoffed. “A demon’s natural disposition is savage and ferocious. In order to prevent trouble in the future, naturally we’d rather kill in error than let them run free. Chongwu Camp’s actions are upon the orders of His Majesty and the General. They make the final decisions. When did your Demon Hunting Bureau receive orders to meddle in other people’s business?”

In a moment, the air was tense with a dozen blades and bows ready to be drawn.

“And Chongwu Camp privately established an underground black market, buying and selling the skins, fur, and bones of demon beasts to reap incredible profits. Even more, Chongwu Camp uses the hunting of demons as a pretense for forcing able-bodied men into service and forcibly occupying the private homes of civilians. Does His Majesty know all this, too?”

Everyone followed the voice to look at the speaker: Fan Ying, entering with a rolled document in his hands and the Demon Hunting Bureau’s soldiers at his back. The soldiers swiftly and efficiently spread out into a protective formation. Smiling, Fan Ying clasped his hands and politely saluted Zhen Mei in greeting. The two locked eyes. Both knew well the actions of the other for the past few days.

These days, Demon Hunting Bureau had already been investigating high and low to collect evidence of Chongwu Camp’s crimes. Presented with this irrefutable proof, the law demanded that Chongwu Camp face severe punishment. However, in this current situation, no one but Chongwu Camp had the strength necessary to control the evil demons who had escaped the Wilderness and into the mortal world. So, even an issue like this could be raised to the highest level and then gently dismissed.

Yet, the Demon Hunting Bureau could, right now, dispatch an advance squad and break Chongwu Camp’s dominance.

For years these two divisions had been at odds in secret, behind the scenes. This time, the dispute had escalated to open confrontation in public. Like water and fire, Demon Hunting Bureau and Chongwu Camp were incompatible.

Zhen Mei’s gaze hardened, then moments later, he let out a hearty laugh with a wave of his robe sleeves. Behind him, several soldiers drew their bows. All their arrowheads were wrapped with a black oilcloth. In unison, they took aim at the conference hall. Zhen Mei pulled an ingenious flame stick from his robes, stepped to the soldier beside him and ignited his waiting arrow.

If the Demon Hunting Bureau burned, where would they find the evidence and witnesses?

Wen Xiao had no doubt that Zhen Mei would truly set fire to the Bureau. He was a mad man, ruthless and vicious like a rabid dog let off the chain. “In broad daylight, with everyone watching, you really want to commit murder and arson?” she asked angrily.

Zhen Mei smirked and pointed to the walls around them. “The Demon Hunting Bureau has been worn down by the years without repair, the weather is hot and dry. These conditions cause mountain fires that can trap people to die tragically in a sea of flames. What does that have to do with me?”

The very moment he finished speaking, a white light streaked through the air, grazed his extravagant robes and severed the tip of the flaming arrow beside him. Zhuo Yichen slid his sword back into its scabbard. His speed was so swift, no one even saw him move, and to their shock, the rest of the arrow’s tips dropped to the ground one after the other.

Zhen Mei jolted when a blade sliced open his sleeve. He looked again at Zhuo Yichen to see a deep murderous intent in his eyes. And the message was clear: If Zhen Mei dared to set fire to the Demon Hunting Bureau, then, in a split second, Zhuo Yichen would come to claim his severed head, and who could possibly stop him?

Zhen Mei smiled happily. He was insane enough to find this fascinating. Clear-eyed, he met Zhuo Yichen’s gaze. He raised his hand and all the archers pulled back on their bows, notching arrows that were already ignited. Dozens of flaming arrows waited for the signal.

“You want to burn down the Demon Hunting Bureau. Shouldn’t you ask me first?” Zhao Yuanzhou, who had been watching from inside the conference hall all this time, strolled out.

“What sort of thing are you?” an impatient Zhen Mei snapped.

Zhao Yuanzhou pointed at himself. “Demon.”

Zhen Mei was annoyed. “Demon? That’s even more damned!”

Damned indeed. Zhou Yuanzhou raised a finger and whispered a spell. “Defy.”

The soldiers instantly turned, all of them redirecting their armed, flaming arrows straight at Zhen Mei. At that, Zhen Mei’s expression changed.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Zhao Yuanzhou added. “I’m the evil demon Zhu Yan. When I’m in a bad mood, I kill people to vent my feelings. Right now, I’m in a very bad mood.”

Zhu Yan! He was Zhu Yan! Long-absent fear finally found Zhen Mei. He had grown accustomed to being superior to the average person, accustomed to the might of Chongwu Camp placing him above any demon or beast. Those lives—he could take what he wanted to take, kill whomever he wanted to kill—it was as boring as stepping on an ant. He’d lived day after day like this for so long, he’d forgotten Chongwu Camp faced weak demons who only said they were strong. But Zhu Yan, this kind of great demon could take his life as easy as falling off a log. Instinctive fear mixed with a little bit of excitement clashed in his brain.

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Idioms that appear in this section:

多管闲事 (duōguǎnxiánshì) – meddling in other people’s business

剑拔弩张 (jiànbá-nǔzhāng) – with swords drawn and bows bent; at daggers drawn; fig. A state of mutual hostility

了如指掌 (liǎorúzhǐzhǎng) – know something like the palm of one’s hand; to know (a person, place, etc.) inside out

整齐划一 (zhěngqí huàyī) – uniform; identical

光天化日 (guāngtiān-huàrì) – broad daylight; light of daylight

众目睽睽 (zhòngmù-kuíkuí) – with everybody watching

年久失修 (niánjiǔ-shīxiū) – (esp. of a building) worn down by years without repair—decrepit; broken

易如反掌 (yìrúfǎnzhǎng) – as easy as turning one’s hand over; as easy as falling off a log