Shen Yi walked slowly to the outside of the squad room.
He saw Zhang the Butcher squatting on the stone steps, yawning to the sky, looking listless and dispirited.
Noticing soone approaching, he looked up and teased, "Why did it take you so long, could it be that you deliberately waited until the end, wanting to amaze those colonels?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yi was slightly taken aback.
Seeing his reaction, Zhang the Butcher casually stood up and comforted him, "Hey, I had the sa thought when I first joined Vajra Gate, but these Demon-Suppression Bureau officers have been everywhere, seen it all; they are hardly awed by soone with skills. There's nothing to be disappointed about."
If one truly had such overwhelming talent, they wouldn't have let him co here alone.
"What are you talking about?" Shen Yi stopped in his tracks.
"..." Zhang the Butcher fell silent, then finally got serious, "Last night, just after a couple of strikes of the watchman's clapper, all the soldiers and servants were called to the west of the city, and now they've all been picked and are being briefed inside the bureau... could they have missed you out?"
"Those wretched calves, looking down on people too much, I was hoping to follow you back to Qingzhou and visit the old loves!"
Zhang the Butcher cursed under his breath and, grabbing Shen Yi's arm, hurried towards the bureau.
The Demon-Suppression Bureau is always ticulous in its work; how could they easily overlook soone, it must be deliberate.
Shen Yi's martial prowess, if he had grown up in Qingzhou, might not be worth ntioning, but in Baiyun County, it's extrely rare and valuable. If not for having crossed paths with your Imperial Court, which clan wouldn't welco him with open arms, what right do they have to treat people like this!
Although Shen Yi appeared calm, he was indeed sowhat puzzled at heart.
He had considered many possibilities, but had never expected this.
At that mont, the bureau was deserted, with only soldiers on guard.
Zhang the Butcher, paying no heed to others, barged in with his body-hardening kung fu; the ordinary guards could not stop him.
Until he stood in front of the main hall.
Two young n in black robes and jade belts stood with their arms folded, the fierce wolves outlined in golden thread on their shoulders adding a touch of nace as they said indifferently, "Stop right there."
Zhang the Butcher obediently ca to a halt, squeezing out a smile on his face, "Colonel, sir, there's... there's one more here."
The Demon-Suppression Bureau, however ferocious, would not attack its own without reason.
But upon seeing their black attire, Zhang the Butcher felt intimidated despite having done nothing wrong.
Gathering his courage, he lightly bumped Shen Yi with his shoulder, "What are you dazing about for, go inside and discuss it first, eh."
"Tch, no idea what's so interesting about briefing people."
As their gaze shifted from Zhang the Butcher, the indifference on one of the Demon Suppression Marshals' faces gradually faded, and he rolled his eyes at Shen Yi, resignedly saying, "If you've got ti, why not catch up on sleep at ho instead of crowding around here? We're dead tired and still have to stand guard at the door; how idle."
Old Liu wasn't carrying his sugar figurine pole today and had also changed out of his patch-covered old clothes.
He stepped aside to make way and grumbled, "Go ahead and look, but don't get too close."
The words of the Demon Suppression Marshals clearly left Zhang the Butcher montarily dazed.
He glanced subconsciously to the side.
Shen Yi stood seemingly as honest as he was, yet there was no sign of anything unusual in his eyes.
Do these two know each other?
Inside the main hall, Li Xinhan sat in the chief seat, his eyes lightly closed, his deanor cold and haughty.
Six young n were lined up in a row, standing with their hands behind their backs, bodies tense, all dressed as bureau soldiers and servants.
The beggar, now dressed in uniform, looked like a different person compared to yesterday, ordinary in features, but with a hint of life and spirit in his eyes and brows.
He walked slowly in front of the n, his gaze falling on Chen Ji, whose mind was wandering, and he suddenly kicked him.
The scolding words had just reached his lips.
Looking up and seeing the familiar figure outside the door, he opened his mouth but sohow lost the heart to continue.
Lacking enthusiasm, he said, "Stand properly, don't daydream."
Seeing this, Old Liu could only give a helpless smile.
It was customary for every new recruit selection to first establish an image of the mysterious and formidable Demon-Suppression Bureau in their minds to quash their pride.
But the beggar had just been kicked yesterday, and now upon seeing the person responsible, there was no semblance of that audacity left. Discover stories with empire
"Eight hundred soldiers, more than a hundred servants, and in the end, only six were chosen, half of whom I estimate will be sent back," said Zhang the Butcher with so emotion.
Though there were nearly a thousand n, the fact that these thousand were on the Imperial Court's payroll ant they had already been screened once. Not to ntion anything else, at least their physical constitution was fairly decent.
It was essentially picking six out of the whole of Baiyun County.
And once they went to the Demon-suppression Bureau, they could only serve as enforcers trained with dicinal baths, with few chances to distinguish themselves.
Those with cloud patterns on their sleeves, like the group before him, were seeds chosen since childhood, each cultivated according to their special talents, far superior within the sa realm to ordinary martial artists.
No other sects in the jianghu had this kind of foundation.
Li Xinhan finally opened his eyes, showing no ripple of emotion as he said, "Everyone go back and pack, we leave for Qingzhou tomorrow. Each family is allowed to bring only one mber, register your nas, and soone will arrange it. Personal belongings must not exceed eighty jin."
At these words, the tense bodies of the six n slightly relaxed.
Among them, there were two familiar faces.
Niu Da quietly scratched the side of his thigh, deeply conflicted: "I can only bring one person, so should I bring my brother to see the world… or my wife… my old mother has no one to take care of her either."
Chen Ji, after three years of arduous training, finally made a na for himself today. Not only had he achieved minor accomplishnts in blade technique and boxing, but he also mastered the Serpentine Eight Steps, and there were faint signs of breaking through the first barrier of the Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll.
Even a few Demon Suppression Marshals gave him an extra look.
He didn't have the sa worries as Niu Da; after all, besides his sister, he had no other relatives.
But Chen Ji's brow was still tightly furrowed.
From the mont he was called out of his ho by the military until now, he had not seen Officer Shen's figure. Surely it couldn't be that Officer Shen had overslept as usual, could it?
Just then, Li Xinhan slowly rose to his feet.
He walked to the door with asured steps.
Each movent exuded a profound presence.
Zhang the Butcher unconsciously stepped back half a pace, his previously forced smile at Old Liu now containing a trace of sincerity.
Those with three cloud patterns on their sleeves were almost all experts of the Jade Liquid Boundary.
Each cloud pattern signified countless demon corpses.
Furthermore, given the opponent's youth, it was certain that with ti, he would beco a garrison General.
Just being swept by the other's gaze, Zhang the Butcher's back was already slightly sweaty.
Li Xinhan's hand reached towards his waist.
He quietly watched Shen Yi in front of him, his indifferent expression gradually becoming distorted with bitterness, tangled with a hint of envy and a touch of bewildernt.
It was hard to imagine a person's features could reveal so many emotions at once.
After a mont, Li Xinhan withdrew his gaze, slapping a silver note and an official seal letter into Shen Yi's hand: "With this seal, you can exchange for silver at any money shop in Qingzhou."
Having said that, he left the room without looking back.
Leaving behind the folks from Baiyun County and Zhang the Butcher standing there, dumbfounded.
The governnt giving silver to the Demon-suppression Bureau might seem suicidal, but was barely understandable.
But the Demon-suppression Bureau offering silver to a governnt servant was indeed unheard of.
Only a few Colonels who knew the situation ca over with gleeful smiles, seemingly enjoying the sight of Li Xinhan being put in his place.
Old Liu patted Shen Yi on the shoulder: "Don't mind him, it's just his temper, no harm intended. Go back and pack up your things, we will escort you back to Qingzhou."
"Escort?" Shen Yi eyed the silver note worth a thousand taels, feeling sothing was amiss.
The beggar smacked his lips but didn't ntion yesterday's beating.
He instead said with a touch of lancholy, "You're about to enter under the General's command, surely they can't expect you to make your own way back."
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