Chapter 282 Observing the Edge

Chen Mu withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly.

"Flag-bearer Cheng, although Brother Jiang was in the wrong, it was an unintentional mistake. Since Zhuifeng is unharmed, let's leave this matter at that."

Kneeling on the ground, Jiang Yuheng felt the heavy stone in his heart finally drop after hearing these words.

He looked up at Chen Mu, a flash of complexity in his eyes, then stood up, stepped back two paces, and stood with his hands down in the main hall.

Qi Huan also laughed it off, waving his hand with a smile.

"Alright, alright, we are all colleagues. It was just a misunderstanding, and now that it's been cleared up, why make it look like we're enemies? Brother Cheng, wouldn't you agree?"

Cheng Xiaoqing glanced at Qi Huan, nodded slightly, and then waved his hand at Jiang Yuheng.

"You may withdraw."

As if granted amnesty, Jiang Yuheng cupped his hands in a salute and turned to leave. When he passed by Chen Mu, his footsteps faltered as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately remained silent and hurried out of the main hall with his head bowed.

Watching his back disappear outside the door, Cheng Xiaoqing withdrew his gaze and turned it back to Chen Mu, his expression now more serious than before.

"Tell me, what exactly happened tonight?"

When the group emerged from the main hall, the night was already deep.

Chen Mu walked in front, carrying Zhuifeng, with Ling Xiaoning following closely by his side. Ling Xiaoning reached out to stroke Zhuifeng's head from time to time, muttering something, while Zhuifeng lay in his arms, occasionally letting out a whine—it was unclear if it was responding or just annoyed by him.

Qi Huan brought up the rear, walking with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Chen Mu's back, lost in thought.

He had heard every word spoken in the hall just now.

He had experienced the affair in Yunmeng firsthand, so he naturally knew more than Cheng Xiaoqing. Those beasts had been stalking Chen Mu for months, setting up such an intricate illusion, using special displacement incense, and even sacrificing the lives of three cat demons and one Five-Tailed Demon Fox just to exact this revenge.

And the result? They were completely wiped out.

The corners of Qi Huan's mouth twitched slightly; this kid really was unkillable.

That said, after Cheng Xiaoqing finished listening to Chen Mu's account, although he didn't show it on his face, Qi Huan noticed that his gaze had lingered on Chen Mu for a long time.

Qi Huan could clearly see what was hidden in that gaze.

Scrutiny, contemplation, and a trace of subtle apprehension.

Cheng Xiaoqing had become suspicious.

But that was fair enough; anyone would be suspicious.

A newcomer who had joined the division for only two months had solved several major cases in succession, each one reeking of unreasonable ferocity and weirdness, yet he managed to escape unscathed every time, becoming stronger with every kill.

Today was even more outrageous: he entered such an intricate illusion, was besieged by three cat demons and one Five-Tailed Demon Fox, and ended up wiping them all out while remaining completely unharmed himself.

This level of ability could no longer be explained by mere luck.

Cheng Xiaoqing was no fool; he must already be investigating Chen Mu's background.

Thinking of this, Qi Huan couldn't help but glance at Chen Mu again.

The kid looked completely unconcerned, walking steadily while carrying the dog, with no expression on his face, as if the thrilling slaughter just now was nothing more than an ordinary, everyday occurrence.

But the more he acted like this, the more unfathomable he became.

Qi Huan shook his head and didn't think about it anymore.

How Cheng Xiaoqing chose to investigate was his own business; Qi Huan couldn't manage it and didn't want to. He only knew that Chen Mu was the person who had saved his life and someone he found agreeable, and that was enough.

As for the rest...

He looked up at the two figures ahead, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Let it be.

Inside the main hall, the candlelight was still flickering endlessly.

Cheng Xiaoqing sat behind his desk, his gaze fixed on the direction of the door, not moving for a long time.

The door had been closed for a long time, but the image of Chen Mu's back as he left lingered in his mind, refusing to fade.

Cheng Xiaoqing pondered in silence, tapping the bamboo scroll in his hand against the desk rhythmically.

Yunmeng.

He recalled the few brief lines of record he had seen while reviewing Chen Mu's resume earlier.

Squad Leader of the Demon Suppression Division in Yunmeng County; shortly after joining, he wiped out the demon infestation in Sangye Village, participated in the battle at the City God Temple, killed several demons in the Heart-Awakening Realm, and was later transferred to the Prefecture due to his achievements.

A few sparse words, yet they were filled with an indescribable strangeness.

Cheng Xiaoqing knew about the City God Temple case: the City God of Yunmeng County was killed, Magistrate Xu Changze died in the line of duty, and Beimang fox demons were causing trouble, all of which were eventually resolved by a Squad Leader named Chen Mu.

But the version he had heard at the time did not attribute all these events to Chen Mu. Although Yunmeng was not a large place, there were veterans in the Demon Suppression Division; how could they have let a newcomer who had just joined the division take the lead?

Thinking about it now, I fear that the waters in Yunmeng were far deeper than what outsiders like them could see.

And then there was Qi Huan.

Cheng Xiaoqing frowned slightly.

The relationship between Qi Huan and Chen Mu was clearly not just that of ordinary colleagues. Just now in the hall, although Qi Huan had remained uninvolved, Cheng Xiaoqing could clearly see that the look in his eyes when he watched Chen Mu carried an indescribable closeness—that wasn't just politeness, but a genuine, solid friendship.

There were probably not many people in the entire Prefecture who could be held in such high regard by Qi Huan.

Cheng Xiaoqing remembered Chen Mu's performance in the hall earlier; from beginning to end, there was no expression on his face.

He showed no agitation when accused of harboring demons, no anger when Jiang Yuheng made false accusations, and no nervousness when being scrutinized by his own gaze.

He just stood there quietly, laying out the facts one by one, neither humble nor pushy, neither anxious nor impatient.

Such composure in a newcomer was truly rare.

Cheng Xiaoqing remained silent, while Huo Chao stood by the side of the desk, not urging him, just waiting quietly.

After a long time, Cheng Xiaoqing finally spoke, his voice sounding somewhat deep.

"What is your take on this person, Chen Mu?"

Upon hearing this, Huo Chao's brows twitched slightly. He had been with Cheng Xiaoqing for many years and knew the Banner Master's temperament; he never easily asked for others' opinions. Whenever he did ask, it meant he already had his own calculations and just wanted to hear what others had to say to verify them.

He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.

"His methods are sharp, his mind is meticulous, and he doesn't panic when encountering trouble. Although he is young, his Heart-Nature is very steady. He knows when to advance and when to retreat, when to kill and when to spare. This sense of propriety is something many people probably won't learn in a lifetime."

"But the more he is like this, the more unfathomable he becomes."

Cheng Xiaoqing tilted his head slightly, signaling Huo Chao to continue, and Huo Chao spoke after careful consideration.

"As a young man of seventeen or eighteen, with a humble background and no support, he has managed to master such skills and escape unscathed from dangerous situations time and time again; it is truly puzzling when you think about it."

"Your subordinate believes that there are indeed geniuses in this world, but even a Genius must have a reason for being one."

Cheng Xiaoqing nodded, appearing to agree.

Huo Chao was silent for a moment.

"Banner Master, should we investigate him?"

Cheng Xiaoqing shook his head.

"We must investigate, but not openly, and we cannot push him too hard. After all, he is now a member of the Demon Hunting Division. As long as he doesn't break the rules, violate the law, or harm the Demon Suppression Division, whatever secrets he has are his own business; there is no need for us to get to the bottom of it."

He paused and added.

"Moreover, his combat records and achievements are solid. The villagers of Kaoshan Village kowtowed to thank him, and the brothers in Team C are all convinced by him. If we harbor groundless suspicions against such a person, it will only chill the hearts of our subordinates."