Chapter 239 Lure the snake out of its hole

Wan Chongshan frowned and asked, "Brother Chen, what do you mean?"

"Lure the snake out of its hole. We find a girl who meets the criteria, use a fake birth date for a marriage match as bait to lure the monster here, and then we ambush the surroundings, waiting for the right moment to capture it."

As soon as Chen Mu finished speaking, the few people in the room were stunned.

Wan Chongshan opened his mouth, a complex expression on his face. He naturally understood that this method was the most direct and effective. Since the monster specifically targeted girls who met certain criteria, they would simply create a bait that met those criteria to lure it into the trap.

But the problem is...

"Brother Chen, this method is good, but the girls in the village are shy and timid. Asking them to pretend to be bait to lure that man-eating monster? Not to mention that they wouldn't agree themselves, their parents would definitely refuse. This is a life-threatening business!"

He paused and added.

"Besides, time is tight. We only have a three-day deadline; it would likely be too late to look for someone elsewhere."

Everyone understood this logic, and the room fell into silence for a moment.

Shen Suning bit her lower lip, her gaze sweeping across the room before finally landing on Chen Mu's face. She took a deep breath, made up her mind, and took a half-step forward.

"I will do it."

These two words, crisp and firm, made everyone pause in surprise.

"Although I am past the age of sixteen, with a little disguise, I should have no trouble passing for a girl of sixteen or seventeen. As for the birth date, I can provide a fake one, as long as it meets the conditions required by the monster."

"Furthermore, I have practiced martial arts for many years and have experience in combat. If the monster truly comes, I can at least stall it for a while, creating an opportunity for you all."

She spoke clearly and logically, evidently having given it serious thought.

Chen Mu, however, remained expressionless, not even sparing Shen Suning a glance, and simply shook his head decisively.

"No."

Ling Xiaoning's eyes instantly brightened upon hearing this. His gaze darted back and forth between Chen Mu and Shen Suning, and a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He lowered his voice and muttered to Feng Qing beside him.

"Brother Feng, look at these two. One is risking everything to take credit for others, and the other is terrified that the other party might take a risk... tsk tsk."

Feng Qing remained expressionless, only giving him a faint glance.

Wan Chongshan, ignoring all this, asked first.

"Brother Chen, what is inappropriate about this?"

Chen Mu then looked at Shen Suning, his gaze calm.

"The villagers already recognize your face."

"We entered the village today to investigate, and we've been walking around for half the day. You are a woman, which already draws attention; by now, I fear even the children playing at the village entrance recognize your face."

"If you were to suddenly disguise yourself as a maiden waiting to be married and walk around the village, any sharp-eyed villager who took a second look would recognize you. At that point, let alone luring the snake out of its hole, I fear it would immediately startle the monster lurking in the shadows, making it realize that we have grasped the way it selects its prey, causing it to hide completely or even flee far away."

Shen Suning opened her mouth to argue, but realized that every word Chen Mu said was reasonable. She had indeed shown her face in the village today; although she hadn't spoken to every household, it was inevitable that she had been seen by the villagers while walking about.

In this isolated mountain village, the face of a strange woman, especially one with her unique temperament, was very easy to remember.

"Then what should we do?"

Ling Xiaoning's gossiping heart was nipped in the bud, and feeling helpless, he scratched his head and chimed in.

"We can't just have us men draw lots, put on rouge and powder, and wear a flowery dress to be the bride, right? Wouldn't that scare the monster to death?!"

He was just complaining off the cuff, and after saying it, he felt it was ridiculous himself, letting out a dry chuckle.

Unexpectedly, Feng Qing paused, looked up, his face, which usually lacked expression, remaining calm, and added coldly and clearly.

"Good idea."

Ling Xiaoning: "..."

Chen Mu also looked at Ling Xiaoning, sizing him up from head to toe. The gaze was so calm that it made Ling Xiaoning's back prickle.

"This plan is feasible," Chen Mu said slowly.

"Xiao Ning, your figure has not fully matured; you are slightly more slender than the average man, making it less likely to reveal flaws. With a little modification, under dim lighting, it will be enough to pass for the real thing."

Ling Xiaoning almost jumped up, his face flushing red.

"Chen Mu! You... open your eyes and look! Where do I look like a girl?! These eyebrows of mine, this physique of mine..."

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, pointing at his face and then pounding his thin chest, so anxious that the veins on his neck popped out.

Chen Mu didn't speak, just turned and walked to the bedside, picking up the bridal gown that Xiao Yuan had not yet finished.

The fabric was fiery red, the stitches fine and dense, glowing with a soft halo under the oil lamp. Chen Mu looked at Wan Chongshan, his eyes questioning.

Wan Chongshan understood what he meant. He was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. This bridal gown had been embroidered stitch by stitch by his sister. Now that his sister's whereabouts were unknown, if this item could be used to catch the monster, it would be a fitting use for it.

Having received the nod, Chen Mu did not hesitate, turned, and walked a few steps to stand in front of Ling Xiaoning.

Ling Xiaoning was still babbling on about how heroic and sturdy he was when, caught off guard, a flash of red appeared before his eyes, and that bright red bridal gown was already draped over his shoulders.

The fabric was soft, carrying a faint scent of soap and a hint of the sweet fragrance belonging to a young girl.

Ling Xiaoning's voice stopped abruptly, and his whole body stiffened.

Chen Mu took a half-step back and sized him up.

Ling Xiaoning was already on the slimmer side among men, with a slender frame and shoulders that couldn't be considered broad. At this moment, draped in the bright red bridal gown under the dim yellow light, his face—flushed red from excitement and still bearing a touch of youthful spirit—was set off by the red, actually possessing a certain delicate beauty that blurred his gender.

Feng Qing looked at him silently and, in a rare instance, commented, "Not bad."

Shen Suning also nodded slightly.

"The figure is similar. If we bind his hair and paint his eyebrows, under the dim night, it should be able to pass."

Wan Chongshan looked at the bridal gown, his heart filled with mixed emotions, but his eagerness to save his sister overcame all other feelings, and he said in a hoarse voice.

"Brother Xiao Ning, I have wronged you. If this method works and we save my sister and the other girls, I, Wan Chongshan... will even kowtow to you!"

Ling Xiaoning's mouth twitched. He tugged at the bridal gown on his body, feeling that everything was wrong, and made a mournful face.

"No... Chen Mu, Brother Feng, Sister Suning, Brother Wan... this, this is just too..."

"You are the most suitable."

Chen Mu's tone was calm, but his analysis was very sharp.

"Although your movement technique, 'Wind Chasing Steps,' has not reached Major Achievement, its agility and speed are already beginning to show results. The weapon you use is a short sword and dagger; close-quarters combat and sudden strikes are exactly your strengths."

"This matter concerns the lives of several people, and whether we can ferret out the evil monster behind the scenes. We cannot afford any mistakes."

Ling Xiaoning was left speechless by his series of reasons. He opened his mouth but, still unwilling, muttered in a low voice.

"But... but this is just too embarrassing... If word gets out, how will I be able to show my face in the Division... I still want to take a wife..."

Feng Qing, who had been silent all along, glanced at Ling Xiaoning and finally spoke. His voice had no inflection, but it accurately struck Ling Xiaoning's weak spot.

"On the second floor of the Demon Archive Division, that fish gut dagger you have had your eye on for a long time costs two hundred and sixty merit points."

Ling Xiaoning's eyes instantly widened.

Feng Qing continued.

"If this mission succeeds, the contribution of the bait will be significant. According to the rules of the Division, there is a merit point bonus for special contributions. Your current merit points are insufficient, but if you can earn more this time, you will be able to redeem it."