And then, the air went dead silent!
At least, the air around this receptionist had completely frozen solid.
The next second—
“AHHHHH!!!!!!!”
A piercing shriek tore through the hall, shaking the entire mission lobby.
Countless pairs of eyes swiveled toward the source.
There stood the receptionist, pointing at a tall, handsome young man before her, her face a mask of utter disbelief.
Lu Chen grew impatient under all the stares. He frowned and urged, “Could you hurry it up? I’m in a rush. Thanks.”
“W-wait a moment, sir! I—I’ll go get our manager right away!” The receptionist stammered, then turned and dashed off without another word.
By now, curious onlookers had gathered around, sizing Lu Chen up from head to toe.
Until someone finally noticed the gleaming “Special-Grade” badge pinned to his chest.
A wave of sharp gasps rippled through the crowd.
“A Special-Grade student?”
“Holy crap! The academy restructuring just happened a few days ago—and someone’s already been promoted to Special-Grade that fast?”
“Not just hard—it’s practically impossible! I heard you have to complete at least an S-rank-scale mission just to qualify…”
“So he got promoted this quickly—does that mean he actually completed an S-rank mission?”
“What’s his background? From one of the great families?”
A nervous murmur spread through the crowd.
Amid all the chatter, a voice suddenly shouted, “I remember now! No wonder you looked so familiar—aren’t you Lu Chen?!”
Lu Chen blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected anyone to recognize him here in Qianjiang, a place where he knew no one.
He nodded instinctively. “How… do you know my name?”
“It’s been all over the internet and newspapers the past couple of days! I’ve seen your face like a dozen times! You’re the fastest-promoted student in the country after the restructuring, from Jiangdu’s Third High School, right?”
Lu Chen then recalled that his director had mentioned a full-media publicity push.
“Didn’t expect the news to spread this fast…” Lu Chen kept a low profile, merely smiling without saying much.
“Lu Chen? I think I’ve heard that name too!”
“I’ve seen it online as well! Had no idea he was this good-looking in person!”
“So this is the guy at the top of the national freshman rankings!”
The entire hall of spiritualists erupted in excitement!
“Mr. Lu, hello. I’m the head of the Qianjiang Mission Hall. My surname is Pan. How about we move to a private room to discuss things?” The manager rushed over, speaking with great respect.
“No need,” Lu Chen declined politely. “I’m in a hurry. Please process this as quickly as possible.”
“These forty-eight missions… you’re sure you want to take all of them?”
“Positive.”
“But each mission has a time limit…”
“That’s my concern. Please hurry.”
“Right away, sir!”
The paperwork was completed swiftly.
Lu Chen arrived like a gust of wind and left like a blaze of fire.
He left behind a crowd of spiritualists staring blankly at the empty mission board.
“He… he took every single mission?!”
“Then what are we supposed to do?”
“This is absolutely insane!”
A few quick-witted spiritualists whipped out their phones and snapped photos of Lu Chen’s retreating figure.
“I’ve got to post this online! Something this ridiculous—it’d be a crime not to let everyone see it!”
…
Heavenly Court, Nine Dragons Palace.
“Star Lord, you’ve returned.”
No sooner had the Plague Emperor taken his seat on the cloud terrace than a pale-faced scholar in a feathered fan and silk hat stepped out from behind a pillar.
He was the Plague Division’s protector deity—the Plague Execution Prince.
“Star Lord, how did your talk with that mortal boy go?”
“Acceptable.” The Plague Emperor recalled their earlier conversation, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The Plague Execution Prince’s expression shifted drastically, his feathered fan freezing mid-swing. “So you mean… you actually agreed to him?”
“Not entirely. I merely extracted Madam Zheng’s karmic calamity. Whether she lives or dies from here on out depends on that boy’s own fortune.”
“But…” The Plague Execution Prince’s face grew grave. He hesitated, then finally drew a deep breath and said solemnly, “Then what about that lady… how do you plan to explain this to her, Star Lord?”
Before his words had even faded, the Plague Emperor’s divine eyes snapped open on the cloud terrace.
“ROOOAR!!!” The venomous dragon plague beast coiled atop the beam responded to the divine might, unleashing a thunderous roar at the Plague Execution Prince.
The prince trembled like a leaf in a storm, prostrating himself and kowtowing repeatedly. “Forgive me, Star Lord!”
Only after nine kowtows did the Plague Emperor finally say calmly, “Rise.”
But the Plague Execution Prince still dared not stand.
The Plague Emperor paid him no further mind. His divine gaze, deep and unfathomable, turned toward a corner of the Western Palace, as though piercing through the jade towers and golden pavilions to the very heavens beyond.
He spoke slowly: “As for that lady… I know my own limits.”
“Yes, Star Lord!”
…
On a relatively quiet road in Qianjiang City.
[B-Rank Mission: Wailing Ghosts in the Abandoned Warehouse]
[Mission Background: This warehouse has been declared a restricted zone. Anyone who enters hears agonizing wails. So far, it has caused one death and one case of insanity.]
[Mission Requirement: Eliminate the ghosts]
[Mission Reward: 300,000 yuan cash, 100 military merit points]
Lu Chen sped toward his first mission site.
In the car, Fan Rusong sat in the passenger seat, while Xie Qingyi, Ox-Head, and Horse-Face were crammed in the back.
“Ugh, it’s so cramped! You two, scoot over a bit!” Xie Qingyi complained.
“Miss Xie, my half a hand’s already stuck in the door crack—I really can’t move anymore!” Ox-Head said pitifully.
“General, why don’t we just send them back? With us sisters around, these missions would be a piece of cake!” Xie Qingyi said, thumping her chest in reassurance.
“Little sister, don’t be overconfident,” Fan Rusong cautioned. “The materials mention two A-rank demon lairs. Even we need to be careful with those.”
“Sister, what level would an A-rank demon lair be equivalent to?”
“Based on the intel, roughly a demon general tier. Such creatures have far stronger life force than human spiritualists of the same rank—they’re naturally our Nether Bureau’s nemesis. And one of them is even a Mountain Lord who’s cultivated into a demon!”
Lu Chen listened quietly as he drove.
These casual bits of information were gradually filling in the gaps in his knowledge.
Indeed, demon clans inherently had stronger life force than humans, giving them a natural edge over ghosts.
Otherwise, the saying “a tiger’s prey becomes its minion” wouldn’t even exist.
“No worries. If we run into demons, I have my ways. You all focus on clearing out the ghost haunts,” Lu Chen said calmly.
Fan Rusong smiled. “Rest assured, General. As long as it’s a ghost lair, we’ll cut through it like bamboo!”
“That’s right! General, one swing of my axe and they’ll be scattered to the winds!”
“Exactly! Besides, we have a hundred Nether soldiers under our command—what’s there to fear?”
“Good.” Lu Chen nodded. “Xiao Ru, plan our route based on mission proximity. From here on, we’re sweeping through them all!”
“Yes, General! Count on me!”
…
Ten minutes later, the abandoned warehouse.
Without a word, Lu Chen kicked the warehouse door wide open.
Dust billowed as darkness surged out like a tide, so thick you couldn’t see your own hand in front of your face.
“Where’s the ghost? Where are you?” Lu Chen shouted into the void.
“Hehehe… a flesh-and-blood meal walking right in!”
Two green flames flickered in the darkness, followed by a raspy voice.
A twisted ghostly face emerged from the shadows, eyeing the newcomers with eager delight.
But the very next second, a pale hand came smashing down from above.
THWACK!
The evil ghost didn’t even have time to scream before it dissipated into a wisp of smoke.
Xie Qingyi brushed off her hands and snorted. “Pathetic. How dare you disrespect our lord?”
Lu Chen pulled out the Plague Humming Pearl and watched as a wisp of blood-red energy faded from within it. The karmic calamity had indeed diminished by a fraction.
“It really works!” His confidence soared. He waved his hand. “Let’s move! On to the next one—quickly!”
Tires screeched against the pavement as Lu Chen sped off to the next mission site.
In a flash, they arrived at their second destination—an abandoned old mansion.
B-Rank Mission: Qianjiang Number Eighty-One.
A notorious haunted house.
The old residence was surrounded by overgrown weeds, thick with sinister energy that gave off an unsettling, eerie vibe.
The moment everyone stepped out, a bone-chilling cold washed over them.
“The yin energy here is quite dense,” Fan Rusong remarked, though her tone remained composed.
“Who cares! General, let me take point—I’ll chop up every ghost in this place!” Ox-Head brandished his massive axe, his voice booming like a bell.
Lu Chen raised a hand to signal. “There’s probably more than just one or two ghosts here. Let’s end this quickly—hit them all at once!”
“Orders received!”
The four Nether enforcers exchanged knowing glances. With a flicker of movement, a hundred Nether soldiers materialized in formation.
“GENERAL!!!” The soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the open ground.
Lu Chen gave a slight nod, produced the Plague Humming Pearl, and chanted an incantation. A cloud of green miasma drifted out, enveloping the hundred Nether soldiers and the four enforcers.
“What’s this…” The four enforcers all started in surprise.
“This is a plague ability—it greatly suppresses ghosts, making it harder for them to recover and slowing their movements.”
“I see! To apply plague techniques in this way—truly brilliant, General!” The four enforcers praised in unison.
“Alright, let’s finish this quickly. To avoid exposing the Nether Bureau’s strength, you’ll all operate as spiritual bodies from here on. After all, this time, the star of the show is the Plague Division!”
Since Lu Chen had already brought it up—using plague as a killing tool—he might as well make full use of this opportunity.
He didn’t believe that tearing through Qianjiang wouldn’t be enough to restore the Plague Division’s divine prestige.
With that, the four enforcers and the hundred Nether soldiers all transformed into spiritual bodies, visible only to Lu Chen.
He raised his hand and gave the command: “Go!”
“KILL!!!” The Nether soldier commander raised his battle axe high and charged into the old mansion first.
Instantly, screams erupted from within.
Along the way, the occasional taunt could be heard: “This is what you call a fierce ghost? Come on, let’s hear you wail.”
“Spirit officer, have mercy!”
“Mercy my ass!”
“Fine, bring my sister over!”
“Mercy for your mother!”
“Then dig my mother up too!”
“Screw your mother!”
In no time at all, the malevolent energy within the mansion had dissipated, the air clearing once more.
“General, it’s done!” The four enforcers led the soldiers out in single file.
Lu Chen waved his hand. “Let’s go! Next one!”
…
Soon enough, afternoon arrived.
The sun was beginning to slant westward.
On a desolate mountain path outside Qianjiang City.
BOOM!
A thunderous clash of magical power echoed through the barren hills.
A few startled crows took flight.
On the ancient path.
Three female spiritualists, around second-rank in strength, were locked in combat with three muscle-bound dog demons.
But the power gap was too wide. After just a few exchanges, the three women were struck by fierce killing blows and sent flying like broken kites, crashing heavily to the ground.
“Pfft—”
Blood burst from their mouths, their faces turning deathly pale. They were clearly badly wounded.
The dog demons didn’t rush to deliver the final blow. Instead, they were drawn to the warm blood on the ground, lowering their heads to lap it up greedily, making eerie, hair-raising slurping sounds.
“Brothers, we’ve got three tender little morsels here—perfect tribute for the Great King! There’ll be a heavy reward tonight!”
The lead dog demon grinned, its jaws dripping with saliva mixed with blood.
“A reward! A reward!” the other two yapped in excitement.
Only after licking the blood clean did they raise their heads, baring their fangs as they closed in, their eyes gleaming with bloodthirst.
“Big sister, looks like we’re not getting out of this today!”
“Dammit! We took a detour and didn’t expect such a powerful demon to be hiding on this desolate mountain!”
“We’re done for! Completely done for!”
The three women kept retreating in terror.
“Hehehe, don’t be scared! I’ll bite your heads off in one go—you’ll die quick! Once we get back, we’ll make a fine soup out of you. The Great King just loves young tender morsels like you! Go!”
The dog demon leader cackled, then launched himself from his hind legs, charging through the air with a putrid gust!
The three women shut their eyes in despair.
BOOM!
A far heavier, more resounding blast than before suddenly erupted!
But the pain they expected never came. Confused, they opened their eyes.
What they saw made their breath catch in their throats!
Of the three charging dog demons, two had already been reduced to clouds of blood and gore, the stench washing over them!
As for the fiercest one—the leader—he was now suspended in midair, his throat clamped in the hand of a mysterious young man who had appeared out of nowhere.
The demon’s limbs flailed uselessly as it let out rasping, gurgling sounds. All its earlier arrogance had vanished.
“Sp-spare me, Your Excellency!!”
This dog demon had clearly gained some intelligence.
Seeing this mysterious figure kill two of his brothers with a single strike, he knew full well that any resistance would end the same way.
“Spare you? You demon scum—how many of my kind have you slaughtered, and you ask me to spare you?”
“Your Excellency! This lowly demon was blind! Had I known of Your Excellency’s divine presence, I wouldn’t have dared act so rashly even if you’d lent me ten thousand lives!”
“Hah, an A-rank mission indeed. These demons are smarter than the average ones. Fine. I’ll spare you, if you convince me!”
Lu Chen’s voice boomed with authority.
“I’ll give you one chance—persuade me.”
The dog demon’s blood churned from the sonic blast, and he shrieked, “Your Excellency! This lowly demon swears—if you spare my wretched life, from this day forward, I will never harm another human! If I break this oath, may heaven and earth strike me down!”
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely! I would never dare deceive Your Excellency!”
“Good. Since you show remorse, I’ll let you live. Get lost!”
Lu Chen flung the dog demon aside. It tumbled across the ground several times, glancing back in disbelief—then, without a moment’s hesitation, it scrambled on all fours, leaped into the brush, and vanished.
Behind him, the three women were utterly dumbfounded.
“Whoa, handsome, you just let him run off like that?!”
“Yeah, why didn’t you kill him? He’s a man-eating demon!”
“You’re just letting the tiger back to the mountains!”
Lu Chen turned to the three women, a faint smile curling at his lips. “What do you know? I’ve got my own plans!”
He gazed in the direction the dog demon had fled, narrowing his eyes slightly.
—[A-Rank Dungeon: Mountain Lord.]
…
—[Reward: 1,000,000 yuan cash, 600 military merit points.]
And beside him, the spiritual forms of Black and White Impermanence, along with Ox-Head and Horse-Face, exchanged knowing smiles.
The three women hadn’t noticed.
But they had seen it all clearly.
In that brief moment just now, an invisible, formless plague ability had been quietly planted by Lu Chen’s palm deep into the dog demon’s soul.
That fleeing wretch had now become a living “plague talisman.”
All it had to do was run back to its lair and meet its so-called “Great King”…
And the real show—was about to begin…
