93: Hidden chess pieces, smiling but hiding a knife to test

The news of Mu Feng's "battlefield Breakthrough" during the Black Wind Gulch battle spread like wildfire through the Demon Suppression Headquarters.

Li Dong estimated that his disguise of "good luck" and being a "foolhardy country bumpkin" was probably as thin as a cicada's wing in the eyes of an old fox like He Tianzheng.

Sure enough, before he could figure out He Tianzheng's gaze, which increasingly resembled that of someone looking at a rare treasure, a new transfer order arrived.

The one who delivered the order this time was not an executive of Zhou Tong's level, but a middle-aged Cultivator with a stern face and a calm aura, dressed in the attire of a high-ranking personal guard within the Division.

"Mu Feng," the man's voice was flat, "Lord He has ordered that, in view of the special potential you have displayed, you are to be immediately transferred to the Hidden Dragon Guard."

"Hidden Dragon Guard?" Li Dong blinked, looking bewildered. "Sir, what kind of place is that? Is it also a patrol team? I just got familiar with the Black Wind Gulch area..."

The middle-aged Cultivator's mouth seemed to twitch slightly before quickly smoothing out. "The Hidden Dragon Guard is directly under Lord He's command and is responsible for handling confidential matters. Lord He will arrange your duties."

"Oh, oh, alright." Li Dong nodded honestly. "I'll listen to Lord He."

However, he muttered to himself, "Hidden Dragon Guard? That doesn't sound like a place for good people. Is He Tianzheng no longer planning to watch from behind Zhou Tong and the others, but intends to pull me directly under his nose? That's fine too, it saves me the trouble of trying to find opportunities."

The so-called Hidden Dragon Guard was stationed in a rather secluded courtyard within the Demon Suppression Headquarters. There weren't many people; including Li Dong, there were only seven or eight. Each of them had a sharp aura and keen eyes, always carrying an undisguised scrutiny when looking at others.

The leader was a middle-aged man named Wei Yan, a Cultivator at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. He always wore a friendly smile, but the warmth never reached his eyes.

"Mu Feng, right? Welcome to the Hidden Dragon Guard." Wei Yan patted Li Dong's shoulder with considerable force. "Lord He has high hopes for you."

Next to him, a Cultivator with a goatee and a scholarly air, named Liu Zhen, also chuckled and chimed in, "Yes, Little Brother Mu Feng. Breaking through during the Black Wind Gulch battle and even triggering lightning techniques, it truly makes us envious. May I ask which esteemed master you learned from, Little Brother? Such an extraordinary encounter is rare."

Li Dong scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Captain Wei, Brother Liu, please don't make fun of me. What esteemed master? I'm just a country bumpkin; how would I know anything about lightning techniques? I was so scared by that great demon at the time that I just flailed around. I don't even know what happened myself; when I woke up, I was like this. Luck, it was purely luck."

"Luck is also part of strength," Wei Yan said meaningfully. "What Lord He values most is your 'Spirituality'."

In the following days, Li Dong experienced what it meant to receive "special attention."

His "colleagues" in the Hidden Dragon Guard were overly polite to him. During training, someone would always "casually" come over to give him a few pointers, but their words always tried to pry information out of him, subtly asking about the origin of his Cultivation Technique, the details of that golden light seal, and his incredible "Spiritual perception."

Li Dong, however, maintained his honest and simple demeanor, saying he didn't know anything when asked, or deflecting with nonsense like "I'm puzzled too," "Maybe our village has good feng shui," or "Our ancestral grave is emitting green smoke."

He could feel invisible eyes constantly watching him. Eating, sleeping, Cultivating, even going to the latrine, it was as if a shadow followed him.

"Is this old fox keeping me as a canary?" Li Dong lay in bed at night, gazing at the deep night sky outside the window. "But this cage is closer to his nest."

Late one night, Li Dong was sitting cross-legged in meditation when an inconspicuous jade talisman in his embrace suddenly vibrated slightly.

He immediately set up several simple warning Restrictions before cautiously activating the jade talisman.

Inspector Zhou's slightly tired and anxious voice came from within: "Mu Feng, it's me. The situation has changed; you must be careful."

Li Dong's heart sank. "Brother Zhou, what happened?"

"He Tianzheng... his hand has reached Qingzhou Prefecture." Inspector Zhou's voice was very low. "That mad dog Luo Yi, and those unwilling remnants of the Lin family, have been causing a lot of trouble in Qingzhou Prefecture recently. On my end, someone within the Surveillance Division is using this as an excuse to say I'm incompetent, and I'm afraid... I might be transferred. Brother Zhang Wu has also been unfairly blamed for several things, and his actions are restricted everywhere."

[System Notification: Ally in Crisis! Zhou Yuanhong, Deputy Envoy of the Qingzhou Prefecture Surveillance Division, is being framed by unknown forces. Loyalty is stable. Situation rating: Moderately Dangerous. Zhang Wu, Chief Constable of Qingzhou Prefecture, is being ostracized by colleagues, and his actions are restricted. Loyalty is stable. Situation rating: Slightly Dangerous.]

After a moment of silence from the jade talisman, Inspector Zhou continued, "He Tianzheng wants to clip your wings and leave you isolated in the Capital City. Mu Feng, your current situation is even more perilous than I imagined. He transferred you to the Hidden Dragon Guard, ostensibly for important work, but in reality, it's imprisonment. You must... you must take care of yourself."

Li Dong held the warm jade talisman, his knuckles a little white.

"Brother Zhou, you and Brother Zhang also take care. I've noted this debt from He Tianzheng." His voice was calm, but those familiar with him would know what lay beneath that calm.

Cutting off the communication, Li Dong slowly exhaled.

He Tianzheng, truly ruthless. This was a move to pull the rug out from under him, to make him utterly helpless, like a fish on a chopping board.

The pressure was indeed unprecedented. But at the same time, he also caught a whiff of something unusual. The more trouble He Tianzheng went to, the more it indicated the importance of his schemes concerning him.

"The more this is the case, the more it shows I'm getting closer to the core," Li Dong murmured to himself. "Old fox, the more you want to hold me in your hand, the more I will dig things out from between your fingers."

A few days later, the Hidden Dragon Guard received a new mission.

Wei Yan gathered everyone, his gaze lingering on Li Dong for a moment. "Everyone, an ancient evil cult altar ruin has been discovered in the Western Hills of Jingjiao. Recently, there have been unusual Demonic Qi fluctuations, suspected to be evil Cultivators using residual Formations to refine evil artifacts. Lord He has ordered us to go and eliminate them, and we must destroy the evil artifacts before they fully form."

He paused, looked at Li Dong, and smiled genially. "Mu Feng, your Spiritual perception is extraordinary, and you have experience dealing with high-level demons. This mission to investigate the core area and find the source of the evil artifacts is entrusted to you. We will provide support from the periphery to ensure your safety."

Upon hearing this, the other Hidden Dragon Guard members looked at Li Dong with a hint of an inexplicable meaning in their eyes.

Liu Zhen even "kindly" added, "Yes, Little Brother Mu Feng, the core area is treacherous and unpredictable, but with your 'luck' and strength, it should be no problem. We'll wait for your triumphant return outside."

Li Dong sneered inwardly, "Are these guys trying to kill me with a borrowed knife, or are they trying to force me to use all my hidden abilities?"

On his face, however, he showed a look of flattered apprehension. "Captain Wei, Brother Liu, this... how can I do that? I only have mediocre skills, relying entirely on luck. How about Captain Wei, you lead the team, and I'll assist you?"

Wei Yan waved his hand, leaving no room for argument. "It's settled. This is an order, and it's also Lord He's trust in you. Do well, Mu Feng."

"...Yes, Captain." Li Dong lowered his head, concealing the cold glint in his eyes. "I, I will do my best."

Deep in the Western Hills, a chilling wind blew.

The so-called altar ruin was hidden in a secluded valley, with a nauseating stench of blood and decay permeating the crumbling walls.

Li Dong, following Wei Yan's "instructions," ventured alone into the depths of the valley. He could feel that Wei Yan and the others were following not far behind, ostensibly for support, but in reality, for surveillance.

"Want to watch a show? Fine, I'll put on a big one for you."

He deliberately made some noise, his steps "stumbling," and several times "almost" triggered the remaining Restrictions at the valley entrance, causing a tense moment for Wei Yan and the others behind him.

The further he went, the denser the Demonic Qi became.

[System Notification: High concentration of defiled Spiritual Qi detected, consistent with residual fluctuations of 'Blood Sacrificial Secret Art'. Three hundred meters ahead, signs of modified demon activity detected. Energy level: Late Foundation Establishment Stage Peak.]

"Modified demons? It's this stuff again." Li Dong understood.

He weaved and turned, seemingly in a panic, but in reality, guided by the System, he cleverly avoided some genuine killing Formations while "accidentally" leading some hidden demonized traps towards his "concerned" colleagues behind him.

"Oh no! Something tripped me!" Li Dong exclaimed, and a stone under his foot "just happened" to fly out and hit a bush not far away.

"Ow!" A suppressed cry of pain came from behind the bush, followed by the sound of weapons being drawn.

Wei Yan's voice was tinged with anger. "Mu Feng! Be careful! Don't be so clumsy!"

Li Dong turned back, looking innocent. "Huh? Captain Wei, are you alright? I think I stepped on something."

He secretly observed as the System had already scanned most of the energy nodes, residual Formations, and demon distribution in the area.

"Sure enough, this is also an abandoned experimental site, or rather... a dumping ground for failed products."

Behind a secluded rock wall, Li Dong "coincidentally" discovered a cave covered by vines. A strong Demonic Qi emanated from the entrance, which was the core area marked by the System.

He turned back, looking "nervous," and lowered his voice, speaking to Wei Yan through the communication jade talisman: "Captain Wei, I, I think I found the place! The Demonic Qi here is so strong, I, I don't dare to go in..."

From the other end of the jade talisman, Wei Yan's voice carried a hint of impatience. "Go in and look! Send a signal immediately if there's danger! What are you dawdling for!"

Li Dong "oh-ed" and, plucking up his courage, shuffled into the cave, looking back three times with each step.

As soon as he entered, he felt several cold gazes lock onto him.

Inside the cave, several twisted modified demons, exuding the aura of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage Peak, were glaring menacingly.

And behind these demons, Li Dong vaguely saw a dilapidated altar flickering with an eerie red light.

[System Notification: Energy reaction highly correlated with 'Soul-Devouring Demon Flower' detected at the altar core, suspected to be a cultivation bed or energy transfer node.]

"Found it!" Li Dong's heart stirred.

He didn't act immediately but continued his "performance," pretending to be so scared his legs turned to jelly, and sat down on the ground. At the same time, he secretly activated his Aura Concealing Jade Pendant, lowering his aura to the minimum.

Those modified demons seemed to hesitate and did not pounce immediately.

Just then, Wei Yan's voice came from outside the cave: "Mu Feng! What's the situation inside?!"

Li Dong had a flash of inspiration and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Captain Wei! So many demons! So powerful! Help!"

As he shouted, he "panicked" and retreated deeper into the cave, simultaneously secretly activating an inconspicuous residual Formation glow, drawing the attention of several demons towards the cave entrance.

Outside, Wei Yan and Liu Zhen exchanged glances.

"This kid is indeed useless," Liu Zhen whispered.

Wei Yan snorted. "Go in and see; don't let him mess things up."

The few of them cautiously entered the cave and immediately ran head-on into the modified demons that Li Dong had drawn over.

A melee erupted instantly.

Li Dong, meanwhile, took the opportunity to hide in the shadows, observing the battle while having the System fully analyze the altar.

He found that although these Hidden Dragon Guard members were all quite strong and cooperated well, they struggled considerably when facing these fearless modified demons. Clearly, He Tianzheng had not revealed all his trump cards to these subordinates.

"When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman benefits." Li Dong stroked his chin. "Once you've fought enough, I'll come out to 'turn the tide'."

In He Tianzheng's secret chamber at the Demon Suppression Headquarters.

The crystal screen displayed the scene inside the Western Hills valley.

Wei Yan reported to him, looking somewhat disheveled: "Sir, Mu Feng... this child's actions are truly unfathomable. Although he obeyed orders and entered the core area, he encountered dangers all along the way, yet always managed to turn peril into safety. We, while providing support from the periphery, were also inadvertently led into trouble by him several times. The demons at the altar have been cleared by us, but Mu Feng... seemed to contribute little, instead appearing utterly terrified. In the end, we had to resolve it."

He Tianzheng listened quietly, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

"Unfathomable, huh..." he repeated softly, a strange light flashing in his eyes. "Continue to observe. Such unpolished jade needs careful refining."

He was not angered by Mu Feng's "incompetence"; instead, he seemed to develop a stronger interest, as if in an amusing toy.

Li Dong naturally didn't know He Tianzheng's assessment. He was currently crouching by the altar, secretly collecting some altar fragments and residual energy crystals.

"These guys are quick to finish up after a fight," he muttered, putting the items into his Storage Pouch.

This mission, though dangerous, confirmed that there were indeed experimental sites related to the Soul-Devouring Demon Flower in the Capital City Suburbs. Moreover, He Tianzheng's "test" for him was probably far from over.

"Old fox, you treat me as a chess piece, wanting to place me on your chessboard and manipulate me at will." Li Dong stood up, clapped the dust from his hands, and a barely perceptible arc formed at the corner of his mouth. "But have you ever considered that this chess piece might also want to jump off the board, or even... overturn your chessboard?"

In the eye of the storm, the bigger the waves, the more fish there are.

Far from being afraid, he felt a strong urge.

Counter-infiltration, using their own methods against them.

This game was just starting to get interesting.