Chapter 145: Chapter 119: Offending the Wrong People

In front of the glutinous cake stand.

He Buning stared blankly at the glutinous cake in front of him as Xiao Liu hurriedly ran over.

“Boss, I knew you’d be here.”

He Buning glanced at him and lifted his chopsticks to elegantly pinch off a piece of rice covered in date paste. This was ordinary rice, not as sticky as glutinous rice. He had eaten pure glutinous rice cake as a child, and that was the most delicious.

Intentionally changing the subject, Xiao Liu sat down and asked, “Boss, we lack people as Night Travelers. Why do you still test them? Wouldn’t it be better to accept everyone straight away?”

He Buning slowly took a bite, put down his chopsticks, “The work of Night Travelers is the most dangerous. If they lack the courage, it’s better they realize it early and withdraw, because taking them in straight away would only harm them.”

“If they truly want to join as Night Travelers, they must have enough ability not to drag down their companions. The Evil Suppression Bureau faces deaths daily, and you know how many die due to the incompetence of their comrades.”

Xiao Liu laughed thick-skinned, “Just like me and Fifth Brother, we can help rather than hinder, right?”

He Buning glanced at Xiao Liu, rarely curling his lips into a smile, “Right, you and Xiao Wu have been with me the longest. I value you not for your martial skills but because you two are sharp enough to work with me. Sometimes the chance to slay evil spirits or seal Evil Ghosts is fleeting; seizing it ensures others’ sacrifices aren’t in vain.”

He Buning thought of the man in the bandit lair. If it weren’t for his swift reaction in cutting off the jumping corpse’s head before his blood drained, he would have died, and that man might not have taken down the jumping corpse alone.

Seeing He Buning no longer move his chopsticks, Xiao Liu boldly took the bowl to eat, “That’s right, I and Fifth Brother always watch for your cues, following you unconditionally.”

Xiao Liu was very grateful to He Buning. His family was poor, he was born small and skinny, and often went hungry. The army wouldn’t take him, and later when his hometown was struck by a Plague Ghost, the strong died first. Only he survived stubbornly, rescued by He Buning, then merely an ordinary Night Traveler.

Since then, he has followed He Buning, experiencing many deadly deceitful events.

As an ordinary person, not from the Taoist or Buddhist Sect, nor a Yin Walker, his survival was mostly due to his quick thinking. But, most of the time, He Buning faced the most dangerous evil spirits and Evil Ghosts while only letting him and Fifth Brother assist from the sidelines.

“The ghostly village case at Pinghu Village needs handling,” He Buning said softly.

Xiao Liu, with date paste on his lips, widened his eyes, “Boss, you mean we are going too?”

He Buning nodded, “As an examiner, how could I not go? Prepare yourself.”

Xiao Liu quickly finished his bite, stood up, and wiped his mouth clean, “Alright, please settle the bill then, hehe~”

*

At the gate of the Evil Suppression Bureau.

Kou Yushan decided to join Day Travel, following Yu Da to handle paperwork, and a simple test to assess his capabilities before assigning him a position.

Sang Que brought Xia Chan and caught up with Qin Ze and the other three.

“Brother Qin, please wait.”

Qin Ze turned, frowned at Sang Que, “What’s the matter?”

Sang Que spoke directly, “Although Captain He said whoever resolves the ghost case first becomes an official Night Traveler, he didn’t say it must be just one person.”

“I am thinking, could we collaborate? If we can jointly resolve the ghost case without ranking first or last, I believe Captain He will agree to us all officially becoming Night Travelers. What do you say, Brother Qin?”

Qin Ze was a Yin Walker and a local. Collaborating would be beneficial for Sang Que; they could divide the work and consolidate the information for quicker resolution.

That’s what Sang Que thought, but Qin Ze seemed to disagree.

Qin Ze looked at his two young companions, Wan Biao and Zhao Qi. The three regarded Sang Que and Xia Chan with a hint of disdain.

Qin Ze frowned further and directly asked, “What ability do you have that makes it worth taking you along? Solving a ghost case is not child’s play!”

“My martial skills are decent.”

Qin Ze chuckled softly, crossing his arms and sizing up Sang Que, “Carrying a bow and knife, yet calling yourself skilled in martial arts. And the one behind you, timid as a mouse, eating the whole way. Surely you don’t plan to bring her too, right? Considering your courage to enter the Evil Suppression Bureau, I’ll give you a piece of advice.”

“As women, marrying and bearing children for your husband is the proper thing. Places like the Evil Suppression Bureau are not for girls to play around. It’s fine to play, but harming others could be a grave sin!”

The cross-eyed Wan Biao laughed, “If you’re willing, I can marry you both. My family is wealthy enough to sustain you.”

Hearing this, Qin Ze turned and glared at Wan Biao, his military squad leader’s presence remained, prompting Wan Biao to touch his nose awkwardly without speaking.

Sang Que’s gaze turned cold, taking a long look at the three before leaving with Xia Chan.

“Sister, was timid as a mouse eating the whole way referring to Little Chan?”

“Yes.”

“Little Chan wants to kill them! Twist their heads off! Rip their mouths apart!”

Xia Chan pouted angrily but was embraced and held back by Sang Que.

“Let’s not stoop to their level, but you’ve grown braver and bolder recently, that’s good.”

Seeing Xia Chan puff her cheeks in anger, Sang Que’s gloom cleared, she laughed.

Qin Ze and the two stood by the Evil Suppression Bureau’s gate discussing their next steps. Shortly after, Xiao Liu returned from outside, catching Qin Ze’s attention.

“Sixth Brother, we’ve decided on the ghost fog case at Pinghu Village. Can you guide us?”

Potentially future colleagues, considering solving the ghost case was vital, Xiao Liu proceeded to advise, “The toughest and most troublesome part of a ghost case is the initial investigation. You should collaborate, split the investigation, and consolidate the intel. As long as you pinpoint the source and rules of the harmful ghost fog, resolving it won’t be difficult.”

Regarding collaboration, Qin Ze looked troubled, “But what can two weak girls do? One’s clearly an idiot.”

Since the Prime Minister requested His Majesty’s grace, various Evil Suppression Bureaus had brought in some women, but very few actually passed the assessments to remain inside as Day Travelers or Night Travelers.

Among the few, many were like Granny Zhuang, handling documents and clerical jobs instead of directly engaging in Day Travel and Night Travel, with virtually none doing so.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Liu laughed. An idiot?

If Xia Chan is really the sister of their Captain, just try saying that again. Their Captain would rip his mouth apart.

And Sang Mulan, weak girl?

She could kick him and Fifth Brother over with one foot, calling her a weak girl?

Xiao Liu motioned, Qin Ze immediately leaned closer, bending slightly to listen to Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu whispered, “Qin Ze, I know you three are from the military, you were once a squad leader, your martial arts are fine. You two, if not for your extraordinary skills, my Fifth Brother wouldn’t have picked you.”

Qin Ze and the other two nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Liu continued, “Do you think you can beat my Fifth Brother?”

The two behind shook their heads, Qin Ze smiled bitterly, “Fifth Brother was from the Shengjing Forbidden Army, how can we compare?”

Xiao Liu slapped Qin Ze, “So I say! When you meet Sang Mulan, she’s no fool, no waste! Don’t think being a Yin Walker is something amazing; our Captain suspects she might be… cough… never mind.”

“Anyway, I’m telling you, if you three team up, maybe you can go a few rounds with Sang Mulan. Show some courtesy next time, or you’ll regret it!”

Finishing up, Xiao Liu released Qin Ze and went back to the Evil Suppression Bureau to find Xiao Wu and prepare the necessary items for the journey.

Qin Ze and the other two were puzzled; it felt like they understood Xiao Liu’s words, yet somehow didn’t.

The cross-eyed Wan Biao asked in a hoarse voice, “Did Sixth Brother mean Fifth Brother couldn’t beat that woman earlier?”

Impossible?

Did they offend someone they shouldn’t have?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep