Chapter 67: Second Mission

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Second Mission

The Liu family’s Essence Pills arrived shortly after. Lu Yuan swallowed one and waited quietly.

Based on his calculations, he would only need to undergo Bone Marrow Cleansing and Blood Exchange three times each. Before his second session, however, he needed to forge an even stronger physique to nourish more robust bone marrow cells.

"Everyone, assemble!" Chen Qiang clapped his hands as he strode into the training ground. "We have a mission tonight!"

Lu Yuan immediately raised an eyebrow. Another mission already! Could it be the Yanyue Sect? That was fast.

"Why is it at night again?" Jianng Hongfei complained.

He hated this routine. They reported to work during the day, only to spend the entire time practicing martial arts with nothing else to do. Now that it was time to clock out, another damn mission popped up. Weren’t they just messing with them? Besides, didn’t the Demon Suppression Bureau have a dedicated night shift?

"Cut the chatter and follow orders. Have you forgotten the rules of the Demon Suppression Bureau?" Chen Qiang shot Jianng Hongfei a sideways glance.

Jianng Hongfei didn’t talk back. He had no choice but to swallow his dissatisfaction. Superiors held absolute authority! The Demon Suppression Bureau was an independent system under the Daqian Dynasty, boasting immense power. The influence of a Fourth-Grade Noble Family paled in comparison. Even if the others had complaints, they wouldn’t dare voice them.

"We didn’t clean them all out last time. There are some stragglers, and we are going to finish them off tonight!" Chen Qiang gave a brief overview of the mission. In truth, they had simply extracted new clues from the captives caught during the previous operation. "The task is a bit heavy. You all need to be prepared for a tough battle."

Hearing this, everyone’s hearts skipped a beat. A tough battle? For Chen Qiang to say that, it definitely wouldn’t be easy. Was he intentionally ramping up the difficulty for them?

"I am requisitioning equipment!" Lu Yuan raised his hand. A good weapon would cause one’s combat power to skyrocket.

"You can go to the Armory and choose for yourselves in a moment," Chen Qiang said, looking at the five of them. "Aside from your standard weapons, each of you can also draw a set of Inner Armor, a Hand Crossbow, and twenty Armor-Breaking Arrows..."

The Demon Suppression Bureau was well-funded and heavily equipped. Their specially made Hand Crossbows could pierce through protective energy and armor, though their range was short—effective for only thirty paces.

"Hand Crossbows!"

"Breaking Gang Arrows!"

Jianng Hongfei, Liu Zhi, Yu Qiuyang, and the others all had a change in expression. These were items they normally had no access to; only powerful armed departments like the Dynasty’s military, the Demon Suppression Bureau, and the Demon-slaying Bureau were equipped with them.

"Alright, go quickly and come straight back!" Chen Qiang waved his hand.

SWISH!

SWISH!

Lu Yuan, Liu Zhi, and the others sprinted toward the Armory. Mu Lingche followed close behind.

The Armory was divided into four sections—Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding—corresponding to different weapon grades. Anyone below the Seventh Grade could only access the Ding section, which also happened to be the largest. It housed every conceivable weapon in various specifications, covering an area of several hundred square meters.

Lu Yuan headed straight for the archery zone, stopping in front of the rack holding the heavy Eight-Ton Bows. The Eight-Ton Bow was the most powerful bow below the level of a Profound Weapon. Its power rivaled that of a Bed Crossbow, but it boasted a longer range and far superior arrow penetration, capable of piercing armor and protective energy with ease.

Lu Yuan took down a silver recurve bow and tested the draw. It was a perfect fit. Next, he grabbed a quiver of thirty metal arrows. Such a heavy bow required metal arrows; bamboo ones would shatter instantly upon release. Finally, he picked out a set of Inner Armor and a standard long saber before heading to the front desk to register his items.

"Silver Wings! An Eight-Ton Bow! Can you even draw it?" the steward asked, casting a surprised look at Lu Yuan.

There were only six Eight-Ton Bows in the entire Armory, and fewer than ten people below the Seventh Grade could use them effectively. It had a maximum range of over a thousand paces and an optimal killing range between two to five hundred paces, which demanded extremely high Archery Skill. More importantly, Lu Yuan looked far too young, and his build wasn’t particularly muscular or imposing.

"An Eight-Ton Bow!" Liu Zhi exclaimed, looking at Lu Yuan with evident envy. This was the absolute limit of a Mortal Body! Until he achieved Great Success in Organ Refinement, it would be incredibly difficult for him to even draw an Eight-Ton Bow, let alone use it effectively in combat.

"Of course. Why would I take it if I couldn’t draw it?" Lu Yuan replied with a smile.

"Alright then," the steward said as he registered the equipment. Based on the mission parameters, the items were checked out for one day and had to be returned immediately upon their arrival back at the bureau.

"Two sabers!" Jianng Hongfei glanced at Lu Yuan and paused for a moment before realization dawned on him. What if a blade broke during combat? It was smart to carry a spare.

Mu Lingche selected an extra spear.

Yu Qiuyang chose a set of Sleeve Arrows.

Liu Zhi picked out a long whip.

Before long, the five men returned to the training ground.

"Let’s go. Time to pick your horses!" Chen Qiang turned and led them to the stables.

Lu Yuan quickly caught on. If they needed horses, the destination had to be far away, likely outside the city. Otherwise, there would be no need to ride.

"You all know how to ride, right?" Chen Qiang swept his gaze over the group, letting his eyes linger on Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan came from the poorest background, so he was the least likely to have had much experience with horses.

"Yes. It’s just riding a horse, piece of cake," Lu Yuan nodded without hesitation. Horses were one of the primary modes of transportation in the Daqian Dynasty, and Old Lu had taught him how to ride from a young age.

"Good," Chen Qiang nodded.

"But I’m not very good at picking them. Squad Leader Chen, could you help me choose an easy one to ride?" Lu Yuan added.

"Yeah, sure," Chen Qiang agreed. He quickly selected a date-red mare for Lu Yuan. The horse had soft, bright eyes and seemed to have a good temperament. Lu Yuan walked over, petted it, and tested its demeanor. It was indeed docile.

"Alright, this is perfect. Let’s go!" Chen Qiang commanded, leading the five men as they departed swiftly.

The Demon Suppression Bureau’s East Office was located in the third ring, over twenty miles away from the Zhendong Gate. The city had dedicated riding lanes exclusively for horses. Whenever the Demon Suppression Bureau took to the streets, everyone else had to make way.

"Hyah!"

"Hyah!"

The six men urged their horses into a gallop, speeding out of the city. By nightfall, they had arrived near their destination. They dismounted, found a secure place to tie their horses, and gathered together.

"Our target tonight is a mountain villa," Chen Qiang explained the specifics of the mission. "Inside, there are fifteen Eighth Grade martial artists, two at the Seventh Grade, and fifty or sixty at the Ninth Grade, along with a number of slaves. This includes individuals with Demon Blood who possess formidable combat power..."

Those slaves and Demon Blood hostiles could very well pose a lethal threat at a critical moment.

The five men’s faces turned gravely serious. With an enemy force that strong, were the six of them really supposed to handle it alone?

"Heh heh." Chen Qiang was very satisfied with their reactions. "Today, I’m going to teach you your second lesson. Missions don’t always have to be resolved with brute force. We can also use strategy." Smiling, he tapped the side of his head, then pulled a packet of medicinal powder from his chest pocket.

The group fell silent, though they all let out a collective sigh of relief. If that was the plan, this operation would be much easier.

"Which one of you is best at Lightweight Skill and wants to handle this?" Chen Qiang asked, scanning the five of them.

"Uh..." The five men took a synchronized step back. None of them were cut out for the job.

"Tch! Not a single one of you five will achieve anything great in the future," Chen Qiang scoffed disdainfully, stuffing the packet back into his pocket. If they wouldn’t do it, he would have to do it himself. It was a good opportunity to show them how it was done anyway.

"Alright, follow me." Chen Qiang took the lead, weaving through the forest as the five trailed behind him.

The villa was, naturally, located behind a mountain in a rather remote and secluded area. The six men hurried along for five or six minutes before reaching a vantage point less than two hundred meters away from the target. They were now perched halfway up the mountain, looking down at the villa nestled in the valley below.

"Squad Leader Chen, I’ll provide archery support from here," Lu Yuan offered.

"From here?" Chen Qiang’s brow furrowed slightly. "Can you manage that?"