"So, what’s the Huang Family’s stance on this?"

Han Yuan thought for a moment before asking another question.

"Our Huang Family is actually quite supportive of exterminating the Wuyun Bandits on Sheep Head Mountain."

"After all, having that road on Sheep Head Mountain blocked has had a major impact on our medicinal herb business."

Huang Xian’Er said softly.

"It’s a shame not everyone is on the same page."

"Zhang Bei really picked a good spot this time."

"I wonder how the Government Office will try to persuade the Cui Family."

Han Yuan said with a smile.

"That, I’m not so sure about."

"In any case, this whole affair has been the talk of the town for the past two months."

Huang Xian’Er said quietly.

Han Yuan nodded lightly.

He didn’t stay long, soon taking his leave.

The matter of the Wuyun Bandits had nothing to do with him, and he couldn’t be bothered with it.

Besides, this was a game between the Observatory and the Cui Family.

A minor character like him couldn’t get involved in such matters at his current level.

After learning about the events of the past two months in Cangshui County, he headed toward the Dust Hall.

He was in desperate need of Contribution Points, so he naturally picked missions that could be completed quickly and offered a high reward.

As for the danger, with Han Yuan’s current strength, he could crush any opponent below the True Qi Realm.

Whether they were human or Evil Spirits.

Soon, Han Yuan had selected an Evil Spirit mission and another to hunt down a fugitive from the Black List.

The locations for the two missions weren’t far apart. Han Yuan figured that after finishing the Evil Spirit mission, he could swing by the place where the Black List fugitive was last seen and see if he could catch them.

The Observatory didn’t limit the number of missions a Demon Exterminator could accept.

And Han Yuan was hardly the first Demon Exterminator to do this.

As far as the Observatory was concerned, as long as the missions were completed, they didn’t care how many a Demon Exterminator took on.

Han Yuan first went to the stables to borrow a swift horse, then rode out of the city, heading for the location of his first mission.

The first mission was at Nine Peaks Mountain, a little over twenty li from Cangshui County.

The mountain range was steep and complex, with rolling peaks that made it very easy to get lost.

Recently, a Martial World Wanderer had discovered an ancient tomb within Nine Peaks Mountain, but the news somehow leaked, attracting many greedy Rangers to the site.

However, after these Martial World Wanderers entered the ancient tomb, they mysteriously vanished. None of them ever came back out.

The Feiying Tribe suspected that Evil Spirits were hiding in the tomb, which was why they posted the mission in the Dust Hall.

Because the level of the Evil Spirit was unknown, the mission’s base reward was five hundred Contribution Points, with additional points awarded based on the Evil Spirits killed.

......

「Nine Peaks Mountain.」

Inside a dark tomb passage.

Two Martial World Wanderers silently descended.

"They say this ancient tomb belonged to some prince or noble."

"If we can find just one or two valuable burial artifacts, we two brothers will be set for life."

Chen Guang, walking in the lead, said softly.

His younger brother, Chen Hai, said excitedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry to the burial chamber, or those other guys will get there first."

Chen Guang shot a glare back at Chen Hai. "What’s the rush? This tomb is huge. You think finding treasure is that easy? Be careful and don’t step on any traps."

"Otherwise, even I won’t be able to save you!"

Chen Hai finally calmed down a bit after hearing Chen Guang’s words.

Only then did Chen Guang light a candle.

And with that, the dim tomb passage finally had a flicker of light.

The two brothers proceeded cautiously down the passageway.

The tomb passage was dark and gloomy, the air tinged with a faint, rotten stench. It felt like a path to Hell, making one’s nerves tense up.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Hai suddenly saw a bizarre figure in a dark corner.

It was a gaunt figure, curled into a ball. Its face was deathly pale, and it was crying tears of blood as it offered Chen Hai a smile.

"AH!"

Chen Hai cried out in alarm and whipped out his long knife.

"What are you doing?!"

Chen Guang glared back at Chen Hai.

"Brother... I just saw a figure curled up in that corner."

Chen Hai said in a terrified voice, pointing down the passage ahead.

"What figure?"

Chen Guang raised the candle higher, casting more light into the darkness.

The corner was empty. There was nothing there.

"But I really saw it just now."

Chen Hai was full of doubt and fear.

"Don’t be so nervous. This is your first time in a tomb. Stop thinking about all that weird stuff."

Chen Guang said coolly.

’Was it really my imagination?’

Chen Hai himself wasn’t sure anymore.

The two continued forward.

But after that incident, Chen Hai was clearly affected, his expression growing even more tense.

He felt as if something in the tomb was constantly watching him.

The feeling was so intense Chen Hai felt like he couldn’t breathe.

"Brother!"

"I can’t take it anymore."

"There’s definitely something unclean in this tomb."

"Let’s get out of here!"

Chen Hai suddenly stopped in his tracks, his face filled with terror.

"Why are you so timid?"

Chen Guang said, displeased.

"Brother."

"Something’s really wrong!"

Chen Hai grew more and more frantic.

Suddenly, he saw it again—that deathly pale, gaunt face, crying tears of blood.

And that face was right behind Chen Guang!

"Brother!!!"

"Run!"

"That thing is behind you!"

Chen Hai let out a terrified cry, and without waiting for Chen Guang’s reaction, he turned and fled.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!!

He ran for a while in the dark tomb passage.

Since Chen Hai hadn’t brought a candle, the passageway was naturally pitch-black, devoid of light.

But as Chen Hai ran, he suddenly saw a flicker of light appear in the gloomy passage ahead.

This glimmer of light was a complete surprise, and his gaze immediately turned vigilant.

Then, a figure holding a candle appeared before him.

"Brother?!"

Chen Hai stared ahead, utterly shocked.

He had never imagined it.

Chen Guang was somehow in front of him.

’Shouldn’t he be behind me?’

"Didn’t I tell you to wait for me right where you landed after coming down into the passage?"

"Why couldn’t I find you after I came down?"

Chen Guang said reproachfully.

His words made Chen Hai freeze in place as if struck by lightning.

Because a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

It seemed he *had* come down first, and Chen Guang had told him to wait right there.

But the memory was so fuzzy...

Besides, if the one in front of him was his real brother, Chen Guang...

...then who was the person who had been walking with him this whole time?

’A mess!’

’It’s a total mess.’

Chen Hai’s mind was a complete jumble.

Just then, another set of footsteps echoed from the passage behind him.

The first Chen Guang, holding the candle, had caught up.

"What are you running for?!"

"I told you to stay calm when things happen!"

Chen Guang scolded coldly when he saw Chen Hai.

But when he saw the other Chen Guang, he froze.

"Who are you?!"

"And who are you?!"

The two spoke in near-perfect unison.

Caught between the two Chen Guangs, Chen Hai frowned deeply.

He suddenly recalled the memory from just now.

’Right... my brother came down after me.’

’He didn’t come down at the same time as me.’

A vicious glint flashed in Chen Hai’s eyes. He whipped out his knife and stabbed the first Chen Guang.

SQUELCH!

This Chen Guang’s attention had been entirely on his other self; he never expected his own brother to attack him.

The single strike pierced his organs.

"You idiot, run... he’s the fake!!!"

Chen Guang roared, coughing up mouthfuls of blood.

For a moment, Chen Hai’s eyes went wide.