Shen Changqing, dressed in civilian clothes, was seated at the head of the table. Below him stood an ordinary-looking middle-aged man.
"You’ve asked to see me by name. What is your business?"
Observing his words, expressions, and aura provided few clues. From the middle-aged man’s demeanor and conduct, his vigor seemed somewhat flourishing, but whether he had stepped into the Pulse Condensation Realm, Shen Changqing could not be entirely sure. Especially since Pulse Condensation Warriors conceal their True Qi within their Dantian and meridians; when they don’t actively mobilize it, it’s very difficult to notice anything unusual.
The middle-aged man clasped his hands with a slight smile. "Rong Yuan of the Heavenly Inspection Guard, under the Demon-Subduing Division, at your service, Lord Shen!"
"Heavenly Inspection Guard?" Shen Changqing raised his eyebrows and took another careful look at the man before him. "You say you’re from the Heavenly Inspection Guard. Do you have evidence?"
"This is the Identity Token of the Heavenly Inspection Guard. Please have a look, my lord!" Rong Yuan took out a square token from his robes and stepped forward, offering it with both hands.
Shen Changqing reached out, took the token, examined it thoroughly, and then handed it back. "Since you are from the Heavenly Inspection Guard, there’s no need to stand. Please, take a seat."
"Thank you, my lord!" Rong Yuan retrieved his token and sat down in a lower seat. From beginning to end, his expression was respectful, without the slightest sign of impropriety.
Regarding his identity as a member of the Heavenly Inspection Guard, Shen Changqing had no particular doubts; after all, impersonating one would not benefit him. The main point was, if someone were to impersonate a Heavenly Inspection Guard, it wouldn’t be long before the real guards noticed. At that time, the impostor would be exposed.
Looking at Rong Yuan, Shen Changqing said, "What brings you here this time?"
Rong Yuan clasped his hands and asked, "The previous Heavenly Inspection Guard station in Lin’an City was suddenly obliterated by Demon Evil. Do you have any news, Lord Shen?"
"No news." Shen Changqing shook his head. "By the time I arrived, Situ Bei and the others were already dead. I buried their bodies under Yongfu Pawnshop. If you wish to see them, you can dig them up when you have time—I believe they’re still there."
Just as Rong Yuan was about to reply, Shen Changqing added, "Don’t ask too much about the Heavenly Inspection Guard’s affairs. I have no intention of intervening. Yongfu Pawnshop is still there. If the previous Heavenly Inspection Guard members left any messages, you might find them. As for Demon Evil, I don’t know much. But from the information I’ve gathered, it’s very likely these disturbances were caused by the Eternal Alliance competing for Demon’s Essence Blood. As for the details, I can’t be certain. After all, intelligence has never been the strong suit of Demon Hunters in the Demon-Subduing Division. The Heavenly Inspection Guard, as the eyes and ears of the Division, should have more information than I do."
Hearing this, Rong Yuan gave a wry smile. "Lord Shen is direct. I have no further doubts." Everything he intended to ask had already been addressed. It seemed there wasn’t much left to question.
"By the way, since the Heavenly Inspection Guard is well-informed, do you know when the new County Magistrate will arrive?" Shen Changqing thought of an important matter.
Many days had passed, and the new County Magistrate seemed to have vanished en route. Without his arrival, Shen Changqing worried he might become the official County Magistrate himself. While the position of a city’s County Magistrate might seem significant, compared to being a Demon Hunter, the position of a small city’s magistrate didn’t seem quite as significant. Furthermore, being unable to return to the Demon-Subduing Division and lacking guidance in Martial Arts, relying solely on Slaughter Value for progression would be extraordinarily consuming. Shen Changqing now only hoped that the new County Magistrate would arrive soon so he could return to deliver his report.
Hearing this, Rong Yuan clasped his hands in response. "According to Heavenly Inspection Guard intelligence, the new County Magistrate is estimated to arrive in Lin’an City in about one or two days. Recently, Demon Evil disturbances have grown markedly. Demon-Subduing Divisions across Great Qin have been fully engaged in suppression, but this still caused significant repercussions. As a result, many matters have been delayed."
"Demon Evil disturbances, what are the losses?" Shen Changqing astutely noticed that when mentioning the disturbances, Rong Yuan’s expression turned exceptionally grave.
"Of course, the losses are substantial." Rong Yuan took a deep breath. "Five cities have fallen, nearly a million residents have been left homeless, and many Demon Hunters were lost. Rumor even has it that several Defender Envoys have fallen. Speaking of which, Lin’an City, under your charge, Lord Shen, suffered the lightest losses among the cities plagued by Demon Evil." At this, admiration appeared on his face.
Recently, Demon Evil had become increasingly rampant throughout Great Qin, and each region faced attacks of varying degrees. Compared to other places, the losses in Lin’an City were indeed minimal. True, Lin’an City was just a small city, and the offending Demon Evil was not very strong. But at the same time, Shen Changqing, who defended Lin’an City, was publicly known as merely a Yellow Rank Demon Hunter. Of course, in terms of true strength, he was not inferior to a Profound Rank Demon Hunter. Even so, ensuring the peace of an entire city was by no means an easy task. According to Rong Yuan’s understanding, Lin’an City had faced more than just one Resentment Level Monster.
In the face of flattery, Shen Changqing’s expression remained unchanged, a faint smile on his lips. "You flatter me. During my tenure, the Yamen will provide whatever convenience it can for the reconstruction of the Heavenly Inspection Guard’s station. However, I am unable to offer much help with other matters."
"The reconstruction of the station naturally falls to the Heavenly Inspection Guard; I dare not trouble Lord Shen!" As he spoke, Rong Yuan stood up. "With so much to be rebuilt, I cannot stay long. I shall take my leave now and hope that there will be an opportunity to have a lengthy conversation with Lord Shen in the future."
"Certainly." Shen Changqing nodded slightly, then called out loudly, "Someone, see the guest out!"
A Yamen runner walked in from outside. "If you please, sir!"
"Lord Shen, I take my leave!" Rong Yuan bowed respectfully and then turned to leave.
Watching him go, Shen Changqing’s gaze grew profound. He only retracted it once Rong Yuan’s figure had completely vanished from sight.
"Heavenly Inspection Guard—" He muttered the name to himself and shook his head with a wry smile.
He had no intention of becoming too involved with the Heavenly Inspection Guard. Even though both the Heavenly Inspection Guard and Demon Hunters were under the Demon-Subduing Division, in truth, the two were entirely separate departments. Moreover, being only the acting County Magistrate of Lin’an City, he would have to pack up and leave before long. Even if he were to establish a good relationship with the local Heavenly Inspection Guard here, it wouldn’t be of much help to him in the future. Rather than wasting time, it was better to live his days leisurely. Once the new County Magistrate arrived, he could return to the Demon-Subduing Division.
Rong Yuan left the Yamen and blended into the crowd before turning a corner onto another street. Not long after, Rong Yuan reappeared from around the corner, his clothes and appearance significantly different from before. Turning left and right, he eventually stopped before a small courtyard. He knocked on the door rhythmically. Soon, the closed door opened, and Rong Yuan stepped inside.
The courtyard was unremarkable, seemingly no different from a typical residence. Upon Rong Yuan’s entry, several people dressed as commoners immediately gathered around him.
"How did it go, Head Rong? Did you see Lord Shen?" several people took turns asking.
Rong Yuan nodded. "I have met Lord Shen. He seemed somewhat distant, probably because he doesn’t fully trust my Heavenly Inspection Guard identity."
"I heard he has killed many Demon Evil; his strength is not to be underestimated," one person interjected.
"Indeed, not to be underestimated," Rong Yuan said gravely, his eyes filled with wariness. "Although I haven’t seen him in action, intelligence suggests that this Lord Shen is not an easy man to deal with. He hasn’t been in Lin’an City long, yet the blood on his hands is not insignificant. Demon Hunters of the Demon-Subduing Division who can be so ruthless are usually seasoned veterans. For him to be so ruthless despite his recent entry into the Demon-Subduing Division, he’s a natural fit for the Division! An expert with strength isn’t necessarily to be feared. But an expert who is both strong and ruthless—that is truly frightening. If you carelessly provoke such a person, you might not even know how you died."
Hearing this, looks of apprehension appeared on their faces.
Seeing this, Rong Yuan chuckled. "However, we don’t have much to do with him. This time, our Heavenly Inspection Guard station here was destroyed by the Eternal Alliance. The original location can no longer be used. We must find a new place for our station. Besides, we need to check Yongfu Pawnshop to see if we can find any old information."
"The Heavenly Inspection Guard in Lin’an City was too lax!" one person exclaimed, his face flushed with anger. "The Heavenly Inspection Guard is spread throughout Great Qin; for an entire station to be eradicated is extremely rare. If word of this spreads, it will bring shame to our Heavenly Inspection Guard! For an intelligence station to be wiped out by Demon Evil without any preparation is laughable. Historically, Heavenly Inspection Guard stations that were destroyed usually fell to massive Demon Evil attacks, which might eventually lead to their complete uprooting. But in this case, the Eternal Alliance merely dispatched a Demon Evil, and it was enough to eliminate the station. To call this a great humiliation would be an understatement."
"Let’s not speak of this again," Rong Yuan cut the person off directly.
Seeing this, the others fell silent. Afterward, they discussed quietly among themselves for a while, then activity ceased.
As night fell, Rong Yuan, accompanied by two others, stealthily entered Yongfu Pawnshop to seek any potential information. Only after dawn did the trio leave the pawnshop and meld into the crowd, changing their appearances several times before reconvening at the original meeting place.
Unnoticed by anyone, the owner of a tavern in Lin’an City had been replaced. Everything appeared unchanged. Lin’an City was like a tranquil lake, without a single ripple disturbing its surface. But beneath the surface, the Heavenly Inspection Guard had spread out completely, collecting all intelligence on Lin’an City. They collated each piece of information and dispatched it to Heavenly Inspection Guard stations everywhere, eventually delivering it all into the hands of the Demon-Subduing Division.