The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 348: Chapter 342: Dark Guard

"Xiao’e, you shouldn’t stay out for too long."

A stooped, kind-looking old man urged earnestly.

"Okay, Grandpa Zhou."

A lovely young girl smiled with innocent charm.

Seeing the girl’s innocent and carefree expression, the wrinkles at the corners of the old man’s eyes seemed to soften.

Her name was Fang E, the young daughter of the Fang family from Sosuo Lane.

It wasn’t that the Fang family was a great clan or particularly famous—if they were, they wouldn’t be living in a place like Sosuo Lane. It was simply that they were the only family named Fang in the entire lane.

The four members of the Fang family were all honest, simple folk.

The head of the household was an honest man of nearly forty, who owned a small plot of land outside the city.

In this day and age, a farmer who owned land was someone to be envied.

Aside from Fang E, she also had an older brother. Rumor had it he was a clever child and had gone to study at an academy in the city, a fact that made many quite envious.

If not for a major illness that struck Fang E’s mother a few years back, draining most of their savings, the Fang family would be much better off today.

Fang E was quite pretty, though her constitution was a bit weak.

It was said that some families in Sosuo Lane had already come asking for her hand in marriage, but her father had politely refused them all.

Fang E skipped along, deftly sidestepping the dirty puddles on the ground.

"Father, Mother, I’m home."

She walked through the door, a wide grin on her face. But the smile froze when she saw two strange men standing in their small courtyard. To her shock, they were wearing the uniforms of Officials.

When Fang E’s father, Fang Ping, saw his daughter return at such an inopportune moment, he inwardly cursed his bad luck.

’These Officials from the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office are completely unreasonable. If they take an interest in Fang E, it will be a disaster.’

"My daughter is young and foolish. I apologize for her disturbing you, Lord Officials."

The two men in official uniforms waved him off. "Things have been unsettled lately. Just be more careful."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Fang Ping forced a smile.

’Finally, he’d seen off those two Soul-Seeking Yamas.’

’It was just that today’s Lord Officials seemed unusually polite.’

’Good that they’re gone...’

Fang E was small and thin, almost frail, with a somewhat sallow complexion. But her large eyes were exceptionally bright and lively. She watched the two men with a hint of fear.

’Her parents and neighbors had always told her to stay far, far away from anyone in official robes.’

’People from the Government Office were soul-stealing ghouls, Soul-Seeking Yamas. Common folk who encountered them would be skinned alive, if they were lucky enough to escape death. This was practically a consensus among all the children of Sosuo Lane.’

Just as the two Officials reached the gate, they happened to run into two other Officials.

These two were none other than Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai, disguised as constables from the Patrol Office.

"What department are you with?"

Bai Yuan’s brow furrowed, radiating an air of official authority.

"We... are White Servants from the Demon Slayer Guard."

Upon seeing Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai, the two men reacted like mice seeing a cat, all their previous bluster vanished.

"White Servants..."

Bai Yuan murmured under his breath.

’The so-called White Servants are basically temporary workers, to use a term from my past life.’

’A single Prefecture Magistrate’s Office is responsible for nearly ten thousand households. Relying on fewer than one hundred official employees is obviously not enough, which is why they hire a large number of White Servants.’

’Most of the time, the officials commoners deal with are actually White Servants.’

Bai Yuan waved a dismissive hand. "Go on."

"Yes."

The two men looked somewhat panicked as they hurried down the lane.

When Fang Ping saw two more Officials arrive, he groaned inwardly. What’s more, they clearly outranked the previous pair.

’It was like chasing away a wolf only to be met by a tiger.’

"Lord Officials."

Fang Ping plastered on a smile, terrified of provoking Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai.

Bai Yuan had been a General; he was more than capable of playing the part of a constable. His face hardened. "Has anyone visited your home recently? Have you heard any strange noises? Speak the truth!"

Overwhelmed by Bai Yuan’s authoritative presence, Fang Ping’s legs began to tremble.

He had to brace himself just to keep from falling to his knees. The authority of an Official was an overwhelming weight on a commoner’s spirit.

He thought back carefully before shaking his head. "I haven’t noticed anything unusual."

"Are you certain?"

"I’m absolutely certain."

"Alright. If you discover anything in the future, you are to report it to the Government Office immediately. Otherwise..."

Bai Yuan said no more.

Fang Ping, however, nodded his head repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at grain.

’It isn’t that I want to throw my weight around,’ Bai Yuan thought. ’This approach is simply the most efficient and consistent with the Patrol Office’s methods. Behaving any other way might arouse suspicion and cause unnecessary trouble.’

Under his close scrutiny, it didn’t seem like Fang Ping was lying.

’This means one of two things: either the killer hasn’t yet realized the Fang family’s daughter is the one with the Four Yin Life Chart, or they’ve already made their move in a way this simple man would never have noticed.’

’In any case, I need more time. I have to wait for the fish to take the bait.’

Further questioning would be pointless. After staying for less time than it takes an incense stick to burn, Bai Yuan led Yue Xiaobai out of the courtyard.

...

Elsewhere.

In the time it took an incense stick to burn, the two supposed White Servants from the Demon Slayer Guard had crossed from the west side of Danshan Prefecture to the east.

They were still moving at a rapid pace.

But as they rounded an alley corner, they found two people already standing there, waiting.

It was none other than Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai.

"Who on earth are you?"

Bai Yuan’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning grim as he stared at the two self-proclaimed White Servants.

’White Servants?’

’If I hadn’t made prior arrangements, I might have actually been fooled by them.’

’I only appeared at the Fang home because of Fang E’s Four Yin Life Chart. I even specifically ordered Zhou Lin and Xiao Ke not to send any patrols to Sosuo Lane.’

’So it’s impossible for any Officials to have shown up at the Fang residence.’

’Not to mention their skills are far beyond what a mere White Servant could possibly possess.’

Suddenly, the man with triangular eyes exploded into action. In the blink of an eye, the long blade at his waist was less than three feet from Bai Yuan and his companion.

Yue Xiaobai, beside Bai Yuan, struck first with his sword.

His Bamboo Sword moved with absurd speed, a fraction faster than even the man with the triangular eyes.

Though he moved second, his strike would land first. It shot toward the man’s eyes.

From the very first move, his intent was lethal.

The man’s skills were impressive; he actually managed to dodge Yue Xiaobai’s strike.

Bai Yuan sneered.

’These two were acting suspiciously, and they posed as Officials to visit the home of the girl with the Four Yin constitution. They could very well be the culprits behind the city’s recent disappearances.’

Just as Bai Yuan was about to make his move, the other man, the gaunt one, suddenly spoke. "The Xiyue Divine Sword... Yue Xiaobai?"

Yue Xiaobai acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. The Bamboo Sword in his hand showed no sign of stopping.

And Bai Yuan had no intention of stopping him.

’Yue Xiaobai is famous,’ Bai Yuan thought, ’but the Bamboo Sword in his hand is even more so. Anyone with a little experience in the Jianghu would recognize his name. It’s not surprising.’

Upon hearing Yue Xiaobai’s name, the triangular-eyed man’s blade faltered.

But in that moment of hesitation, Yue Xiaobai’s Bamboo Sword pierced straight through his palm.

The gaunt man shouted urgently, "Stop! We’re on your side!"

At these words, a flicker of interest crossed Bai Yuan’s face, but his grip on his own saber only tightened.

’Who knew if the man was telling the truth?’

The gaunt man slowly uttered four words: "I am Dark Guard."

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