At dusk, the setting sun was the color of blood.

Su Yu stood before the largest tiled-roof house in Wang Family Village, gathering his three subordinates to assign their tasks.

"Tonight, I will set the bait here. This is our one shot to make or break it!"

Song Mirror looked at the gloomy, tiled-roof house, cupped his fist, and said, "As you command!"

But he had his doubts. ’Will the bait the Captain mentioned really work on these monsters?’

They had come up empty for two nights straight. If they didn’t find a single clue about the monsters tonight, this mission would be a complete failure.

Getting off to such a bad start on his first mission would only make things harder down the line.

Zhu Rui snorted through his nose, his face full of disdain.

’Putting on a show.’

’This "bait" is just an excuse to save face.’

’If something like this actually existed, someone else in the Law Enforcement Team would have already claimed the credit.’

Su Yu saw the expression on Zhu Rui’s face and naturally knew what he was thinking, but his own expression remained calm.

’If I’m going to deal with him, I can’t be too obvious about it. Otherwise, the Zhu Family will definitely retaliate later, stirring up a whole lot of trouble.’

’Since Song Mirror volunteered, I’ll see how he handles things.’

Su Yu pointed to three positions around the house. "Song Mirror, the three of you will stand watch on three sides. If there’s any movement, provide support immediately."

"Understood, Captain!"

After giving out the assignments, Su Yu walked toward the tiled-roof house. He needed to set up the black stone in advance.

An idea flickered in Song Mirror’s eyes. He smiled and said, "Brother Zhu, the southern position has the best accommodations! Besides, if a monster really does show up, it’s a chance for glory served on a silver platter. With your strength, Brother Zhu, you’re sure to be the one to claim it!"

Zhu Rui frowned. That was true, but if something really did happen, this would also be the most dangerous spot.

But then he sneered.

’Am I really supposed to believe that Su Yu’s so-called bait will actually lure in a monster?’

’Impossible!’

’We’ve found nothing for two days straight. Nothing is going to happen tonight, either.’

’Even the Muscle Forging Realm Commanders were sent out several times before, and they all came back empty-handed.’

’Who does Su Yu think he is? Does he really think he’s got what it takes?’

...

The night deepened, and dark clouds gathered.

In the pitch-black darkness, where you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, only the wind moaned like wailing ghosts and howling wolves.

Zhu Rui sat on a rickety old chair. At first, he forced himself to stay alert, but as time passed and the surroundings remained dead silent, his eyelids began to grow heavy.

"What a shitty job... I’m freezing to death..."

He cursed Su Yu in his heart as his consciousness gradually blurred, and he finally fell into a deep sleep.

...

In his dream, he was in a warm, fragrant chamber.

"Young Master~"

A seductive voice whispered by his ear. His personal handmaiden, Lv E, approached with a beaming smile, carrying a platter of exquisite osmanthus cakes.

"I’ve brought your favorite osmanthus cakes, Young Master. Will you eat the cakes first, or will you eat me?"

A fire ignited in Zhu Rui’s heart. Staring at the delicate, pale hand reaching toward him, he opened his mouth. "Heh heh, I’ll have both..."

A thought flashed through his mind.

’This is the life I’m supposed to live, not following some mud-caked peasant on a dead-end mission.’

’But... what’s that strange smell? It stinks.’

"Zhu Rui! Watch out!"

A sudden roar faintly pierced his mind. Zhu Rui’s head felt groggy, and the scene before his eyes seemed to tremble.

Subconsciously, the powerful Qi and Blood of a Martial Artist began to circulate within him.

’Wait, aren’t I on a mission in Wang Family Village?’

A jolt shot through him, and he snapped his eyes open.

Before him, there was no beautiful handmaiden.

There was only a terrifying claw covered in black fur and dripping with slime, hovering half a foot from his face and slowly approaching his throat!

In an instant, a wave of nausea and terror washed over him.

"Get back!"

He was so scared his liver and guts felt like they were splitting, and his voice cracked.

"Hhho... hhho..."

Seeing him awake, the black claw in the darkness lunged for his throat, carrying a sickening, foul wind.

At the moment of life and death, his Martial Artist instincts saved him. The Qi and Blood in his body surged wildly as he kicked off the ground with both feet.

"BANG!"

He flew backward, chair and all.

"SHRRIIIP—!"

The claw missed its target but didn’t retract, instead swiping downward. Its sharp talons instantly tore open Zhu Rui’s chin, drawing a spray of blood. Half an inch deeper, and it would have slit his throat!

"Aaaah!"

Zhu Rui screamed and tumbled to the ground. The chair behind him slammed into the wall and shattered into pieces.

"Die!"

Just then, Song Mirror appeared before the dark shadow. The steel blade in his hand became a blur as he chopped down at the claw that hadn’t had time to retract. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"CRACK!"

The powerful strike, infused with the surging might of a Martial Artist’s Qi and Blood, instantly connected with the black claw.

But the clean sever he expected didn’t happen. The blade only managed to cut into the hard bone and sever a few black hairs before it could go no further.

"So tough!"

Song Mirror was stunned. A single strike like that had once killed a black bear, yet he couldn’t even sever this monster’s claw.

"HRAAGH!"

The monster cried out in pain and swept its other claw toward him with a whistling sound.

Song Mirror quickly raised his blade to block.

"CLANG!"

The claw struck the long blade, and immense force traveled up the steel. Song Mirror felt the webbing of his thumb go numb as he was forced back step by step.

’This damn thing is incredibly strong!’

"Eat my hammer!"

Zhao Tie’s burly figure arrived as backup. The Gua Head Hammer in his hand whistled through the air as he brought it down viciously on the dark shadow.

"BOOM!"

A dull, explosive sound rang out.

The hammer struck the monster squarely on its flank.

Though the monster’s hide was tough, it couldn’t withstand such a blunt-force impact. It let out a strange cry as its body was smashed out of shape, sent flying through the shattered window frame and out onto the street like a broken sandbag.

"After it! Don’t let it get away!" Song Mirror roared. Zhao Tie immediately obeyed, diving through the window in pursuit of the monster.

Song Mirror quickly helped Zhu Rui up. "Brother Zhu, are you all right?"

Zhu Rui clutched his chin, his eyes filled with a mixture of venom and fear. When had he, the Eldest Young Master Zhu, ever suffered such a loss?

’If I hadn’t reacted so quickly just now, I’d be dead on the spot.’

"Kill it! Kill it for me!"

He swallowed a Hemostatic Pill, his expression turning vicious as he grabbed his sword and charged out after it.

At this moment, he too was thinking about taking down this monster to see just what it was.

’Besides, this is a chance for major credit!’

Out on the street, Zhao Tie was locked in battle with the dark figure, swinging his Gua Head Hammer.

By the faint starlight, the group finally got a clear look at the monster’s true form.

It was a creature with a bird’s head and a human body, a sharp beak, and rows of fine fangs. Its entire body was covered in slick, black fur and reeked of corpses.

"What the fuck is this demonic creature?!"

Song Mirror couldn’t help but curse out loud.

"Let’s attack together!"

The three of them combined their strength and stabilized their formation.

In the shadows not far away.

Su Yu watched the scene quietly, not making a move.

’This monster... it looks a lot like the one I encountered in Qingxi Village.’

’But it’s much stronger than that one. An ordinary person couldn’t handle it at all! Even a Martial Artist fighting alone would probably be no match for it.’

’However, with Song Mirror and the other two attacking together, they still have the upper hand.’

Su Yu’s gaze left the battlefield and turned back to the tiled-roof house behind him, where the black stone had been placed.

"Hhho... hhho..."

Another suppressed, gasping sound came from the back window of the house.

Su Yu’s expression grew solemn. ’Just as I thought, there’s more than one monster!’

’The allure of this black stone is even greater than I imagined! I wonder where the Water Snake Gang got it from!’

The next moment, seeing the dark shadow enter the house, his body flickered, and he silently scrambled onto the roof like a Spiritual Ape.

He gently lifted a green roof tile and peered inside.

Not far from the water vat that held the black stone, a huge dark figure was crouched.

It was a monster the size of a millstone. It had more than ten long, hairy legs, a swollen abdomen, and a ghastly, pale human face growing on its back.

Compared to the Bird Monster, this one looked more like a giant spider!