Chapter 259: Chapter 148: Copper Skin and Iron Bone
"Alright, take your Identity Jade Token to the Government Office next door and collect your Demon Suppression Department uniform, armor, and a weapon."
The old man gave a few brief instructions and waved his hand dismissively.
Chen Cheng collected his Purple-clothed Guard uniform from the adjacent Government Office. He was told that the uniform was mandatory within the Demon Suppression Department, so he changed into it right away.
The armor was just ordinary Refined Iron, so Chen Cheng couldn’t be bothered to wear it. The weapons selection included various sabers, swords, and spears, but they were also made of common Refined Iron and naturally couldn’t compare to his Profound Gold Long Saber. Chen Cheng casually picked up a suit of Inner Armor and a Long Saber to carry.
When Chen Cheng emerged in his brand-new purple uniform, Shen Qingyao, who was waiting in the courtyard, couldn’t help but size him up again.
Chen Cheng had a tall, slender physique—lean and powerful without being bulky. He had the classic build of a martial artist: a narrow waist and long, strong arms. His features were refined, his eyes clear and full of spirit. With a composed demeanor, he gave off an understated air, possessing a masculine charisma that was both reserved and dashing.
Shen Qingyao stared for a moment, momentarily dazed. Realizing she had lost her composure, she quickly adopted a casual expression and said with a smile, "Chen Cheng, who would have thought? You look quite impressive in that uniform."
"It’s decent," Chen Cheng replied with a smile of his own.
"Still," she said, "you need to work hard on cultivating the Martial Dao. If you break through to the Bone Forging Realm one day, you’ll get to wear a Golden Patterned Purple Robe like mine."
Shen Qingyao held out her arm, showing him the golden thread pattern on her cuff.
Chen Cheng gave a slight nod. "Alright."
"Come on, I’ll show you around the rest of the Demon Suppression Department, and we can pick up a mission while we’re at it."
Although Shen Qingyao claimed to be leading the way, she was hardly more familiar with the place than Chen Cheng. They had to go from one Government Office to the next, figuring out what each one was for.
The Merit Pavilion, the Library Pavilion, the Weapon Pavilion, the Medicine Pavilion, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion—at nearly every Government Office, she had to stop and ask the on-duty officials for details.
After wandering around for over an hour, they finally arrived at the Task Pavilion, the Government Office located to the right of the main Government Office Hall, where missions for the Demon Suppression Department were assigned.
Compared to the other Government Offices, the main hall of the Task Pavilion was significantly larger, with a full five officials on duty. Two were responsible for D Level missions, two handled C Level missions, and the highest-ranking official was in charge of both A and B Level missions.
When they arrived, a dozen or so Purple-clothed Guards were gathered in the hall. To their surprise, two of them were even Chief Level Purple-clothed Guards, identifiable by the beast patterns embroidered on their uniforms.
They were gathered in small groups, apparently discussing which missions were most suitable to accept.
"Sigh... It looks like we came at the wrong time. I’m not a fan of crowds like this."
Shen Qingyao murmured as she entered the hall, her brow furrowed.
Chen Cheng also scanned the Purple-clothed Guards in the hall, recognizing many of them.
Wang Xiongzhang and Shen Qingxuan were gathered in one spot with their group of eight.
Two other groups also stood out.
One group was clustered around a Chief Level Purple-clothed Guard in a purple, beast-patterned uniform. He was none other than Jiang Lang, the foremost martial artist of Linji City’s younger generation.
The other group wasn’t centered on a Chief, but rather on a Golden Pattern Purple-clothed Guard who looked to be about thirty. This was Wang Xiongying; the man had apparently been transferred to the Demon Suppression Department from the Dongcheng District’s City Guard Headquarters.
The Chief Level Purple-clothed Guard beside him, who bore a slight resemblance to Wang Xiongying, was twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He was tall and powerfully built, standing well over six feet tall. Clad in Heavy Armor, he looked like an iron tower, a massive, black Large Machete hanging at his waist.
There were also a few Purple-clothed Guards standing alone, but most of them were Golden Pattern Purple-clothed Guards, their strength clearly considerable.
Shen Qingyao was, after all, one of Linji City’s two peerless beauties, possessing the kind of legendary beauty that could topple nations. The moment she stepped into the hall, she immediately drew everyone’s gaze.
And because he was with Shen Qingyao, Chen Cheng naturally drew a great deal of attention as well.
For a moment, all discussion ceased as everyone turned to look their way. The hall fell silent.
’A beautiful woman is a calamity,’ Chen Cheng thought. ’The old saying is no lie.’
He finally understood why Shen Qingyao disliked crowded places; he had no desire to be the center of attention either.
"Is Miss Qingyao here to accept a mission as well?" Jiang Lang asked, ambling forward with a warm smile.
Shen Qingyao clearly had no desire to speak with this Young Master Jiang. She replied frostily, "I am."
Jiang Lang said, "Linji Prefecture is suffering a great drought this year. Not a drop of rain has fallen in months. The Demon Beasts hiding in the forests and mountains can no longer stand the dryness and are coming out to prey on the common folk.
A time like this is precisely when we Purple-clothed Guards of the Demon Suppression Department should leave the city to slay demons and protect the people.
A powerful Tier Three Tiger Demon has appeared in Moshan County and claimed many lives. Why don’t we..."
Shen Qingyao held up a hand, cutting him off. "Young Master Jiang, I’ve only just joined the Demon Suppression Department and am still unfamiliar with its workings. I have no intention of leaving the city to slay demons."
"Er..." Jiang Lang clearly hadn’t expected such a blunt refusal, and his smile froze.
Shen Qingyao paid him no further mind, instead beckoning for Chen Cheng to join her in finding the official in charge of D Level missions.
Jiang Lang was left completely snubbed and in an awkward position. Anyone else would likely have flown into a humiliated rage.
However, he was, after all, the foremost martial artist of Linji City’s younger generation and had a reputation among his peers for being amiable and fond of making friends. He simply smiled gracefully.
"Miss Qingyao, perhaps we’ll have a chance to slay demons together in the future."
Shen Qingyao didn’t even turn her head.
"No matter," Jiang Lang said, still appearing magnanimous. He returned to his spot and resumed his conversation with the others.
Inwardly, however, the crowd in the hall was already in an uproar.
Jiang Lang, the foremost martial artist of Linji City’s younger generation, had made a friendly overture only to be completely ignored by Shen Qingyao. This was bound to cause a stir.
