Chapter 10: Deliberate Concealment? The Burning Heaven Guild!

Page 1/3

Today's First Update: Chapter 010!

...

Fencheng was far from peaceful; crimes that one might never witness in a lifetime before were commonplace here.

Thefts, robberies, hired assassinations, human trafficking, illegal goods sales—these were all too frequent.

Half a month ago, Yu Le returned home from fishing. The joy of a good catch vanished the moment he heard Feng Jiujiao’s grim face announce that Yu An’an was missing.

For the first time in three years, Yu Le saw tension and panic on Feng Jiujiao’s face.

Yet when he pressed her about how Yu An’an had gotten lost, Feng Jiujiao faltered, as if hiding some painful truth.

That was the first time Yu Le lost his temper with Feng Jiujiao. Under his insistence, she finally disclosed the time and place where Yu An’an went missing.

As usual, Yu Le went straight to the Security Bureau. But the casual, dismissive attitude of the officers there sank his heart to the bottom.

“Go home and wait for notification,” was all the receptionist said.

Yu Le wanted to argue, but was brusquely dismissed with the excuse that the bureau was too busy.

Honestly, even after three years since crossing over, Yu Le’s mindset hadn’t fully shifted. It wasn’t until he overheard two temporary officers chatting in the restroom that he was forced to reevaluate the darkness of this world.

“Damn, over two hundred kids have gone missing in just the past two months, right?”

“Tell me about it. I don’t dare let my own kid outside anymore. According to the boss, there’s a gang of child traffickers active in Fencheng lately!”

“Don’t the bosses care? Aren’t they worried about their own children...?”

“Are you serious? The bosses’ kids aren’t in the same class as ours. They live in the Upper City’s family compounds, with escorts to and from school. No trafficker dares touch them.”

“That’s true, but as a parent, seeing those families who lost their kids suffer breaks my heart.”

“Sigh, this world’s tough enough just surviving. Mind your own business and quit wasting sympathy.”

Fencheng’s permanent population was just over a million.

In two months, over two hundred children like Yu An’an had gone missing.

In the old world, this would have been earth-shattering news. But here in Fencheng, from what those temp officers said, the Security Bureau’s leadership intended to sweep it under the rug.

Was this a perversion of human nature, or was there some dark secret behind the scenes?

Yu Le understood now—there was no hope of the Security Bureau finding his daughter.

So what could a mere civilian do?

After much thought, during conversations with fellow fishermen, Yu Le found a direction.

Since this gang of traffickers had been around Fencheng for months, they were unlikely to leave anytime soon.

To rescue his daughter, besides gaining sufficient strength himself, Yu Le’s task was to gather intelligence on the traffickers—to confirm their whereabouts before launching a rescue.

Aside from the Security Bureau, the Demon Hunting Association had the most comprehensive intelligence.

Page 2/3

Or rather, the front-line demon hunting squads were the most skilled at gathering information.

Yu Le’s plan was to first complete a binding mission, then with the system’s aid, join an established demon hunting squad, and leverage their power to find his daughter.

Even if hope was slim, he would try.

In the past life, parents who lost their children searched for decades without ceasing. If there was even a sliver of a chance, he would not give up!

“Sir, sir?”

Yu Le was lost in thought until the receptionist’s repeated calls pulled him back.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you just now,” Yu Le apologized.

“No worries. We’ve scheduled your interview with the Fentian Squad for 8 PM tonight. All interviewees should go to the Fentian Squad’s office at this location. Here’s your registration form—don’t be late.”

“Thank you,” Yu Le nodded, taking the paper.

“By the way, do you have any recent intel on the traffickers operating inside Fencheng?”

Yu Le lowered his voice.

The receptionist glanced around nervously before whispering, “The higher-ups have suppressed this matter. But if you want to buy some rumors, I have some unofficial info—no guarantees though.”

Yu Le’s eyes lit up. “How much?”

“Package deal—two hundred thousand,” the receptionist said casually.

“Declined.”

Leaving the Demon Hunting Association, Yu Le frowned deeply.

Information was deliberately hidden by those above?

What were they scheming?

This world was vast and mysterious; without reaching certain positions, the truth remained hidden.

“It’s six o’clock now. Better get there early.”

Yu Le gave up trying to understand and pinned his hopes on the soon-to-be-joined Fentian Squad. Some secrets sold for high prices at the Association were no secret at all to those in the demon hunting industry.

Meanwhile…

The old woman who had appeared at Yu Le’s home earlier now lay sprawled on the ground like a dead dog, surrounded by wounded men and several corpses.

Feng Jiujiao’s anger turned tangible as she grabbed the old woman’s chin.

“Missing? Is this how you promised to take good care of An’an?”

The old woman trembled in fear. “My lady, a gang of thieves…”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Send people out to find her immediately. If you fail, then prepare to die.”

“Yes… yes…”

The old woman fled with her group. Feng Jiujiao’s face paled, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and she staggered forward a few steps.

Urgency filled her expression: “It must just be local forces. If my injuries weren’t still fresh….”

Page 3/3

“My location’s been compromised. Staying here in the Lower Realm to recuperate is impossible. But… if I bring An’an back, how can I protect her now...?”

...

At 8 PM, Yu Le had been waiting for over an hour inside a building called the Fentian Hall.

One by one, applicants arrived. By around 8 PM, there were thirty-two candidates holding interview forms like Yu Le.

“Is the competition really this fierce?” Yu Le was surprised.

A young man nearby sized Yu Le up and said, “Brother, the Fentian Squad is the most renowned demon hunting team in Fencheng. Their success rate is over 80%. They wouldn’t be recruiting now if one of their members hadn’t recently died in action.”

“I also heard the pay is great—over a million a year!”

A million a year? That was truly tempting. But demon hunting was surely no easy job.

Curious, Yu Le asked, “With so many people, how do they conduct the interviews?”

“Of course, they select the best!”

“That’s obvious. I meant the process…”

“Who knows…”

Before the young man could finish, a commotion came from the corridor.

Five people—three men and two women—entered wearing combat uniforms, each bearing a demon hunter’s medal on their chests.

As they passed Yu Le, he smelled the strong scent of blood and noticed fresh stains on their uniforms.

They had just returned from a hunt.

Four of them went straight into the depths of the hall.

A lean man lingered in the corridor, turning to the candidates.

“Everyone, follow me. All of you meet Fentian Squad’s basic requirements. First test: power output. Based on your level, if you can’t unleash at least fifty percent of your strength, you will be eliminated.”

“If you’re not confident in your explosive power, you may leave now.”

Though a smile played on his face, his calm tone was cold.

He seemed to look down on these varied applicants.

As he finished, the candidates began to murmur among themselves.

...