The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 349: Chapter 343: Peerless Fox Demon

Dark Guard!

Hearing those two words, the expressions of both Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai turned solemn.

One was the General of Ling Province, the other a genius of the Xiyue Sect. Of course they had heard of this mysterious organization that served the Emperor and the Emperor alone.

Bai Yuan asked, "And your proof?"

The thin man pulled a crimson gold token from his robes.

The Profound Sun Order!

Upon seeing the token, Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai no longer doubted the pair’s identities.

Only the Dark Guard possessed the Profound Sun Order, and it was forged from Red Profound Steel, the most unique metal in the world, making it impossible to counterfeit.

"It seems we’ve had a misunderstanding."

Bai Yuan suddenly burst into laughter.

"How should I address you two?"

"Once you enter the Dark Guard, you no longer have a name. Just keep calling me Wu Ma. This is Ugly Ox."

"Greetings, Lord Wu... Lord Chou."

The man called Ugly Ox took some medicinal powder from his robes, sprinkled it on his wound, and glared at Yue Xiaobai.

He had clearly held back just now, yet Yue Xiaobai still drew his sword and wounded him.

But little did he know, Yue Xiaobai had held back as well. Otherwise, the injury wouldn’t have been a simple wound to the hand.

One look at Ugly Ox was enough to tell he followed a path of physical reinforcement; a small injury like this had almost no effect on him.

Wu Ma looked at Bai Yuan. "Might this be the newly risen Hidden Dragon, Lord Bai?"

"That would be me."

Both Bai Yuan and Yue Xiaobai were in disguise. Wu Ma had recognized Yue Xiaobai by his Bamboo Sword, but as for Bai Yuan, his identity was a complete guess.

After all, there weren’t many people in Ling Province who could travel alongside Yue Xiaobai.

Bai Yuan asked, "Are you two here to investigate the matter of the Demon Seed?"

Wu Ma nodded. "His Majesty ordered the two of us to Ling Province precisely for the Demon Seed."

’Just as I thought!’

Bai Yuan had long anticipated the Court would make another move. The previous agents, Liu Zhengwen and Fang Yong, had merely been the vanguard.

The Dark Guard were the real follow-up.

These two were incredibly strong.

The fact that the brawny man named Ugly Ox could exchange blows with Yue Xiaobai without being defeated was enough to warrant serious attention.

’Since Wu Ma and Ugly Ox have appeared in Danshan City, does that mean there really is a Demon Seed here?’

"Gentlemen, is there truly a Demon Seed in this city?"

Wu Ma gave a noncommittal expression and did not answer.

Bai Yuan understood. ’So, they don’t know for sure either.’

But on second thought, that was reasonable. After all, if even great figures like Elder Pei and Yan Shao’an couldn’t find a trace of the Demon Seed, the Dark Guard likely couldn’t either.

Their meeting here was both a coincidence and to be expected.

"I have some healing medicine here. Brother Niu can apply it externally."

He handed Ugly Ox the healing medicine he had made from the Water Spirit.

’Calling him Brother Chou would have felt strange. It’s like having a director whose last name was "Deputy," making him sound like "Deputy Director."’

Ugly Ox didn’t want to take it at first, but under Wu Ma’s intimidating gaze, he accepted it reluctantly. He was still salty about having lost out to Yue Xiaobai.

"Brother Wu, is there anything you need our cooperation for?"

A Capital Official was considered half a rank higher, to say nothing of the Dark Guard, who were closest to the Emperor. One had to give face where it was due.

He wasn’t Yue Xiaobai; after all, he was still an official serving the Court.

Wu Ma said, "My and Ugly Ox’s identities are sensitive. Lord Bai should simply act as if you’ve never seen us."

"In that case, Brother Yue and I will take our leave."

Bai Yuan cupped his fists, then turned and left with Yue Xiaobai.

’The Dark Guard are here to investigate the Demon Seed, but since they didn’t notify the Ling Province authorities, it’s best to just pretend we know nothing.’

Yue Xiaobai asked, "So, should we continue investigating the Demon Seed?"

Bai Yuan replied, "Of course."

...

「Late at night.」

Danshan Prefecture was a nearly bottom-tier prefecture in Ling Province.

It had almost no entertainment or cultural industry to speak of. Aside from a single brothel with warm yellow lanterns hanging outside, all the buildings had extinguished their lights.

Pedestrians on the streets were pitifully few.

Originally, public order in Danshan Prefecture had been decent, with only a single squad of guards on patrol in days past.

But in recent days, due to the case of the missing young women, the number of guards on the street had increased significantly.

「A corner of Sosuo Lane.」

PUFF!

Fang Ping blew out the candle.

The room was instantly plunged into darkness.

"Jie’er isn’t back yet?"

Fang Ping’s wife, Li Xiu, asked in a small voice, her breathing a little unsteady.

Fang Ping sighed inwardly. ’My wife’s illness is getting worse and worse. For a poor family, sickness is the thing we fear most. No amount of savings can withstand it.’

Fortunately, Li Xiu could still manage to cook and clean around the house. Thanks to a folk remedy from their neighbor, Uncle Zhang, she was holding on.

’But who could say what the future held?’

Fang E had reached marriageable age, but he had turned away the matchmakers who came to the door precisely because he couldn’t afford a dowry.

Although there were plenty of families in Sosuo Lane who married off their daughters without dowries, those daughters were bound to be mistreated by their in-laws for it.

Fang Ping didn’t want Fang E to suffer such grievances.

As for his eldest son, Fang Jie, who was studying at the academy... that also cost a lot of money.

Fang Ping was tired. "He was probably just held up at the academy again. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to him."

Li Xiu was still worried, but after hearing her husband’s words, she nodded.

The only reason they had left a light on this late was to wait for Fang Jie’s return. Normally, they would have been fast asleep under the covers by now.

Fang Ping checked one more time that Fang E was covered by her quilt, then he crawled into his own bed with peace of mind.

The Start of Autumn was just around the corner.

’The cotton in the quilts will need to be re-stuffed soon.’

A short while later, the Fang residence fell silent. The husband and wife, along with Fang E, were all sound asleep.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Just as he was sleeping soundly, Fang Ping was suddenly shaken awake.

He groggily opened his eyes. By the moonlight, he could just barely make out Li Xiu’s face.

"Wha’s goin’ on?"

"Husband, is that Jie’er coming back?"

Hearing Li Xiu’s words, Fang Ping sobered up a little.

He glanced at the moon. It had to be at least the Hour of the Ox.

Fang Jie had been a well-behaved child since he was little and had never done anything out of line, which was why the couple was usually so at ease about him.

Situations like this had happened a few times before.

Academy students were at an age where their minds were most active and their personalities most lively; it was inevitable that they would go out and socialize.

The couple had no complaints about Fang Jie coming home this late.

"Did Jie’er forget his key?"

Li Xiu asked again.

Ever since she fell ill, her sleep had become increasingly light; the slightest noise would startle her awake.

Fang Ping thought for a moment, then threw back the covers, slipped on an outer robe, and prepared to open the door to check on the situation.

’If Fang Jie forgot his key and caught a cold waiting outside, that would be terrible.’

"Be careful, husband."

"Mm."

Fang Ping grunted in response.

He had just pushed open the door when he saw a figure standing in the moonlight at the courtyard gate.

It was his eldest son, Fang Jie.

But Fang Ping felt that something was not quite right.

He asked tentatively, "Jie’er, when did you get back?"

Fang Jie didn’t answer.

Fang Ping found this even stranger. He was about to ask again.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon Fang Jie’s shadow on the ground.

It was the shadow of a fox!

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