Chapter 154 Rewards and Hidden Strength

At 5:45 PM, Zuixian Tower was brightly lit.

Xu Changze had booked the entire third floor for the night. The officers of the Demon Suppression Division, dressed in their black official uniforms, arrived one after another, filing in under the guidance of the waiter.

Chen Mu and Qi Huan arrived almost exactly on time.

The two did not walk together, but entered one after another with a short interval.

Chen Mu had changed into a brand-new Squad Leader uniform for the Demon Suppression Division, with a long sword hanging at his waist, his expression as calm as water. Qi Huan still looked slightly sickly, but his gait was steady and his eyes were as sharp as ever.

Almost everyone from the Demon Suppression Division in Yunmeng was present, numbering about sixty people, seated at eight tables. The main table was empty, clearly reserved for Xu Changze and several important figures.

"Squad Leader Chen is here!"

"Banner Officer Qi!"

Seeing the two enter, many familiar officers stood up to greet them, though their eyes held a complex look.

In recent days, rumors about Chen Mu had already spread throughout Yunmeng. Some admired his bravery, while others gossiped privately about the incident at Peony Pavilion. But now, seeing him in person, the atmosphere inevitably became subtle.

Chen Mu's expression remained as usual as he responded one by one, though his gaze had already swept across the room and settled on a familiar figure at the main table.

Liu Ziming.

He had actually been transferred back too.

Today, Liu Ziming was wearing a Squad Leader uniform and sat at the lower seat of the main table. His expression was slightly restrained. Seeing Chen Mu look over, he nodded with a slightly complex look in his eyes, then immediately looked away.

Qi Huan clearly saw this too, his brows slightly furrowed as he lowered his voice.

"What is that old dog trying to do by calling Liu Ziming back too?"

"Wait and see."

Chen Mu replied indifferently. Just as the two were about to find an empty seat to sit down, they heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

"Lord Xu is here!"

Everyone stood up in unison.

Xu Changze wore a crimson official robe, a black gauze hat on his head, and a smile on his face.

Behind him followed two people: one was the new temple keeper of the City God Temple, and the other was unexpectedly Old Wang the Lame.

Although Old Wang the Lame still looked restrained in that cyan robe, after being washed and groomed, the years of grime and panic on his face had faded significantly, replaced by a stiff solemnity.

He was supported by the temple keeper, his gait limping, but he tried hard to straighten his back.

Xu Changze sat down in the main seat. He arranged for Old Wang the Lame to be at his left hand before looking up at Chen Mu and Qi Huan, his face full of smiles as he gently beckoned.

"Squad Leader Chen, Banner Officer Qi, you're here! Come, come, sit here. I have specially reserved seats for you two."

There were two empty seats at the main table, right opposite Liu Ziming. This arrangement seemed like a promotion, but in reality, it placed the two of them under the spotlight of the entire room.

Chen Mu's expression did not change, and he cupped his hands together with Qi Huan.

"Thank you, my Lord."

After they were seated, the waiter began to serve the dishes—eight cold and eight hot, chicken, duck, fish, meat, and mountain delicacies, all laid out fully.

Xu Changze personally raised his glass and surveyed the room.

"Colleagues!"

The room fell silent instantly.

"I am hosting this banquet today, firstly to reward everyone in the Demon Suppression Division for your hard work over the past few days, and secondly, to welcome our new acting City God of Yunmeng, Lord Wang."

He turned to Old Wang the Lame, his tone respectful.

"Although Lord Wang is only temporarily acting in the divine office, he cares deeply for the people. It is our blessing that he is willing to condescend to share a table with you all today."

Old Wang the Lame's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just nodded stiffly.

Sparse echoes of agreement sounded in the banquet hall. Many people stole glances at this new City God, their eyes strange.

After all, a lame village guardian becoming a god who could sit on equal footing with the magistrate overnight—anyone would find it absurd.

Xu Changze acted as if he didn't see everyone's expressions and raised his glass on his own.

"Come, this first cup is to toast Lord Wang. May Lord Wang soon become familiar with divine duties, and protect the Yin and Yang order of our Yunmeng, and the health and peace of the people!"

Everyone had no choice but to raise their glasses.

After finishing the drink, Xu Changze raised his glass again and said loudly.

"This second cup of wine, I want to toast all the brothers of the Demon Suppression Division. The peace that Yunmeng enjoys today is inseparable from your day and night vigilance and your willingness to risk your lives."

Everyone hurriedly stood up and raised their glasses, saying in unison.

"Thank you, my Lord!"

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere began to warm up.

Xu Changze raised his third cup of wine, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone, and finally settled on Chen Mu, his tone suddenly turning heavy.

"This third cup of wine, I want to toast those brothers who sacrificed themselves to slay demons and eliminate evil."

"The work of the Demon Suppression Division involves hanging your heads on your waistbands. Demons are cruel, and evil spirits are treacherous. Every mission could be a one-way trip."

He paused, his voice already tinged with some sorrow.

"Clerk Hu and his party from Qinglin Town, the brothers who guarded Yiqing Courtyard, and those nameless heroes who have fallen under the claws and teeth of demons over the years—some of them never even had their remains found, and some left behind elderly mothers and young children at home."

There was silence in the hall, and many officers lowered their heads, their eyes reddening.

The casualty rate of the Demon Suppression Division was extremely high, and almost everyone present had experienced the death of a colleague.

Xu Changze took a deep breath, and his tone turned impassioned.

"But they did not die in vain. Their sacrifice bought the peace and contentment of the people of Yunmeng, allowed children to play on the streets, and allowed the elderly to enjoy their twilight years in peace!"

He suddenly raised his glass high and said loudly.

"To the heroes!"

"To the heroes!"

Everyone from the Demon Suppression Division also echoed in unison, downing the wine in their cups. When they put down their glasses, many voices were already choked with emotion.

Xu Changze chatted and laughed at the banquet, occasionally asking about recent cases of the Demon Suppression Division, and occasionally caring about the situation of the officers' families, appearing like a benevolent superior who empathized with his subordinates.

Chen Mu remained silent, only occasionally picking up food, his eyes occasionally sweeping over Xu Changze and Old Wang the Lame.

He could feel the aura of authority connected to the City God Temple on Old Wang the Lame slowly strengthening, and the aura on Xu Changze was also calmer and thicker than a few days ago, obviously his injuries had recovered significantly.

"Alas, the dead are gone, and the living must strive even harder. As for the meritorious officials of the Demon Suppression Division, I have never mistreated them."

Xu Changze suddenly exclaimed during the banquet, his gaze turning to Chen Mu.

"Speaking of recent merits, our Demon Suppression Division has contributed a lot, especially Squad Leader Chen."

The focus of the entire room instantly concentrated on Chen Mu.

"Squad Leader Chen is young and promising, having made miraculous contributions repeatedly. First, he quelled the cat demon plague in Sangye Village, saving the villagers from fire and water, and later killed the Ghostly Creature at the Zhao residence in the city, avoiding the disaster of a Ghost King being born. He even took the initiative to go to Qinglin Town to assist in quelling the demon plague."

With every sentence he said, low discussions sounded in the banquet. Many people had heard of these deeds, but when said so solemnly by the magistrate, the weight was naturally different.

Qi Huan sat beside Chen Mu, his hand holding the wine glass tightening slightly.

Xu Changze's praise was definitely not well-intentioned.

Xu Changze paused, his tone even more earnest.

"If such merits are not heavily rewarded, wouldn't it chill the hearts of the meritorious officials? And wouldn't it violate the imperial court's principle of clear rewards and punishments?"

"I have drafted a memorial to report the merits of Squad Leader Chen to the Prefecture in detail, and attached my own letter of recommendation. In addition to the regular reward silver, I will also apply for a Demon Slaying Order. With this order, one can enter the Prefecture's armory and choose any high-level martial arts or Sharp Weapon!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was in an uproar.

The Demon Slaying Order was one of the highest rewards for meritorious officials by the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, and it could not be easily obtained without great merit.

With this order, one could not only get generous reward silver, but also enter the Prefecture's armory. The martial arts Secret Manuals and Sharp Weapons collected there were far beyond what a border city like Yunmeng could compare to.

Many officers already had expressions of envy in their eyes.

Qi Huan and Liu Ziming looked at each other, both frowning deeply.

Xu Changze rewarding Chen Mu so high-profile was definitely not simple.