Chapter 4: The Fire-Worshiping Cult, Secrets of the Past

After the intense and formidable sparring session concluded, Chu Wan led Zhou Yan and Luo Xuan directly to the Divine Machine Group of the Logistics Division, which was also located in the underground base.

The Divine Machine had been taken to the maintenance department for recharging and upkeep.

The three of them sat down in the nearby Logistics Division lounge.

"The sparring session wasn't very long today, and we only reached the second-gear mode, so the recharging won't take too long."

Chu Wan, who had already changed into a fresh set of clothes, spoke up. "I haven't used a Divine Machine in so long that I didn't have time to change into combat gear first. You ruined one of my work outfits, Xiao Xuan, so you'll have to compensate me."

After resting for a while, Luo Xuan's spirit had recovered significantly. Hearing Chu Wan's words, she replied flatly, "Make Zhou Yan pay for it. He saw plenty of Sister Chu Wan's appearance just now."

Sitting beside them, Zhou Yan instantly felt a bit awkward.

*My dear girl, if you noticed, why did you have to say it out loud!*

Chu Wan didn't seem to mind at all. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, "Xiao Xuan, are you jealous?"

Luo Xuan ignored her teasing and cut straight to the point: "Sister Chu Wan, can you tell me now what the anomaly in the East District actually is?"

"Xiao Xuan, an impatient attitude doesn't suit handling anomalies." Chu Wan smiled slightly, took out her phone, and tapped it a few times. "I've sent the file to your internal account. Come to think of it, this anomaly actually has some connection to you."

"Connected to me?" Luo Xuan took out her phone, logged into her internal account, and looked at the documents with a puzzled expression. "I just arrived in Yicheng, how could..."

Suddenly, her gaze trembled, and she looked up at Chu Wan: "The anomaly is related to my dad?!"

Chu Wan nodded: "Since you officially transferred over only today, you probably haven't had a chance to review the files from your father's mission back then yet."

Luo Xuan nodded as well: "My clearance hasn't been adjusted yet."

"I took a glance when I sent you the files just now. Your position has already been adjusted, so your clearance should be open."

As she spoke, Chu Wan turned her head with a smile to glance at Zhou Yan. "And as for you, you've officially become an employee under my command. Follow your big sister obediently from now on, and I won't shortchange you."

Listen to that, what kind of talk was that!

Zhou Yan merely nodded: "Please take good care of me, Director."

He then smoothly took out his phone, logged into the internal software of the Vermilion Bird Palace, and found his title displayed within.

[Zhou Yan, Yicheng Blazing Fire Pavilion Demon Extermination Division, Special Operations Squad 5 (Secondary Personnel)]

Zhou Yan tilted his head to glance at Luo Xuan's phone screen and saw that her interface displayed "Demon Extermination Expert," instantly making him feel a bit slighted.

Personnel is personnel, what on earth is meant by this "Secondary Personnel"?

It felt like more than just one rank difference.

Chu Wan, sitting nearby, seemed to guess what Zhou Yan was thinking and smiled to comfort him: "Little Brother Zhou, you transferred directly from a trainee to the Blazing Fire Pavilion with an extraordinary promotion, and you joined a core department like the Demon Extermination Division at that. Furthermore, you haven't even passed the evaluation rating for the Fierce-tier strength yet, so you can only be wronged and serve as secondary personnel for now.

"Once you follow Xiao Xuan to complete the handling of this anomalous event, I can officially submit an application upward for your regularization and grading."

Zhou Yan waved his hand indifferently: "I listen to leadership."

"Attaboy~" Chu Wan blinked at him, then shifted her gaze to Zhou Yan's left prosthetic arm. "The attached Divine Machine circuit on this prosthesis of yours is a bit too crude. Later on, I'll arrange for the Logistics Division to swap it out for a better one."

Zhou Yan was just about to agree when he suddenly thought of the creator of his left hand. He pressed his lips together, smiled, and shook his head: "I have an agreement with that child; my left hand will be her responsibility from now on."

"Oh?" Chu Wan glanced at Luo Xuan, her expression turning ambiguous. "Is it a girl?"

Luo Xuan seemed unable to bear Chu Wan's "meaningful" look and speechlessly tried to end the topic: "It was crafted by my younger sister, Luo Ke."

"Oh—"

Chu Wan showed a look of sudden realization, then arched an eyebrow at Zhou Yan: "So it's sisters—"

Come on!

Zhou Yan was also starting to struggle with the veteran teasing him with suggestive expressions.

He shook his phone and proactively redirected the conversation: "Director, let's talk about the situation with the anomaly instead. You didn't send the files to me, after all."

"Hehe..." Chu Wan stopped teasing him and turned back to look at the equally speechless Luo Xuan.

"You can read the specific details in the database later. To put it simply..." Chu Wan's expression slowly turned serious. "The mission your father, Luo Huaiyi, participated in back then was precisely a clearance operation against a special 'Rift.' The entire operation was approved by the Scorching Fire Sword Sovereign, led by Pavilion Master Cong, and involved ten True Realm powerhouses dispatched by the Vermilion Bird Palace headquarters, alongside the then-Director of the Demon Extermination Division and nearly fifty Demon Extermination Experts of Miraculous tier and above participating together."

"So many..." Luo Xuan couldn't help but murmur.

Zhou Yan imagined it and also found it rather exaggerated. This was equivalent to sixty powerhouses whose combat strength was at least not inferior to Luo Xuan using her Divine Machine state, acting together, right?

To put it bluntly, if these sixty powerhouses were dropped onto Earth, their martial might could probably sweep across numerous small countries.

Yet now, it was just to wipe out a single Rift?

Chu Wan's expression was inexplicable: "Clearly, that Rift wasn't simple..."

She gently tapped her chin: "To put it accurately, the Rift itself was only a medium-scale one. Although the anomalous creatures within were dangerous, they were still within the handleable range of the team. The biggest problem—and the cause of the operation—was that that Rift was the stronghold of a cult."

Before Zhou Yan and Luo Xuan could ask, she continued: "That organization was called the Fire-Worshipping Society."

"The Fire-Worshipping Society!?" Luo Xuan, whose emotional control was usually exceptionally good, straightened her back abruptly.

Chu Wan glanced at her and nodded gently: "That's right, the Fire-Worshipping Society, the organization that wreaked havoc in the Vermilion Bird District ten years ago and committed numerous horrifying incidents."

Creak—

Zhou Yan heard the sound of flesh and bones rubbing together. He looked at Luo Xuan; the young woman was clenching her fists so hard that her complexion was chillingly pale.

He heard her mutter in a muffled voice: "Now I finally understand... why Father insisted on participating in that mission."

Zhou Yan felt the scorching hatred radiating from Luo Xuan's expression.

Chu Wan looked at Luo Xuan and sighed softly: "That's right. I heard your father originally had a gentle and loyal temperament, and he took the initiative to transfer down to tanzun City to open a sword dojo, thinking of retreating while at the peak of his career. But it was precisely because of *that* incident... that he volunteered to join that mission."

*That incident?*

Zhou Yan felt that he was about to learn more stories about the Luo sisters, and he looked at Chu Wan intently.

Unexpectedly, Chu Wan glanced at Zhou Yan, paused her words, and changed the subject: "Getting back to the point, Luo Xuan, I've also checked the files. That clearance operation was originally a guaranteed victory. Although the Fire-Worshipping Society was vicious, their leader was only at the True Realm level. Pavilion Master Cong's strength is already in the top tier of the True Realm, and with the assistance of a top-tier Divine Machine, resolving the opponent would have been as easy as turning a hand..."

She paused and sighed: "According to the records, just as our team cleared the outer perimeter and was about to storm the Fire-Worshipping Society's base inside the Rift, the enemy used some unknown forbidden technique or item. The environment inside the Rift suddenly mutated, correspondingly giving birth to many powerful monsters far exceeding their original tiers. Pavilion Master Cong and the ten True Realm powerhouses supported by headquarters could naturally hold their ground, but the other personnel—including my predecessor's predecessor as director and your father—suffered nearly seventy percent casualties in the line of duty."

"I understand..."

Luo Xuan took a deep breath and calmed her emotions. "Sister Chu Wan, you mentioned at the beginning that this anomalous event is related to that Rift?"

"Right," Chu Wan nodded. "The Rift mutated back then and became a difficult-to-handle entity. After Pavilion Master Cong led the survivors in a difficult retreat, she immediately reported it to headquarters.

"Using headquarters' methods, that desperate zone was barely sealed. However, because it was far too special, although it didn't transform into a 'Dead Zone,' the sealing effect has always been unstable. Demon beasts consistently descend intermittently around the periphery of that Rift, requiring our Yicheng Demon Extermination Experts to promptly annihilate them."

She looked at Luo Xuan and Zhou Yan: "Some time ago, demon beasts bearing the characteristics of that Rift sneaked into Yicheng to cause trouble. Their methods are versatile and their temperament is cunning. They have already committed five cases so far, and the final crime scene is right in the East District."

Luo Xuan stood up immediately: "Sister Chu Wan, what is the location? I'll go right now."

Upon learning that this anomaly was related to the mission where her father sacrificed himself back then, this young woman displayed extraordinary proactiveness.

"Wait a moment, I'll have Old Wu from Squad 1 send the address over. They're the ones investigating the scene right now."

Chu Wan glanced at the words-hanging-on-her-lips Luo Xuan and shook her head: "Xiao Xuan, you surely don't think I would let you independently handle your first event, do you? This time, you and Zhou Yan will first cooperate with experienced seniors. Once you understand the workflow, you will officially take over independently."

Luo Xuan thought for a moment and did not refute.

Chu Wan seemed to remember something else and looked at the two of them: "Xiao Xuan, Zhou Yan, as personnel of the Demon Extermination Division, you both have standard-issue equipment. Before setting off, I'll take you to the armory to collect them. A sharp tool makes good work."

Luo Xuan and Zhou Yan naturally agreed.

The two of them then followed the director back up to the surface.

About ten minutes later, Chu Wan returned to ground level with the two of them.

She smiled brightly, crossed her arms, and sized up the young man and woman before her, her generous bust made even more prominent as it was propped up by her arms.

"The two of you really look well-matched. I mean, well-suited to be partners, haha!"

On the other side, Luo Xuan looked at Zhou Yan with a somewhat unnatural expression, just as Zhou Yan happened to look back at her.

She immediately put on a cold face and said, "What are you looking at?"

"Looking at my superior," Zhou Yan chuckled. "Not gonna lie, even though it's the height of summer, it's actually quite cool inside these trench coats we're wearing."

He sized Luo Xuan up a couple of times, then lowered his gaze to check himself.

Compared to their appearance when reporting for duty this morning, the two of them had undergone a major transformation.

Over their regular white Vermilion Bird Palace uniforms, they now wore quite crisp black trench coats, with black-hilted short swords hanging at their waists.

Chu Wan took over the conversation from the side: "These trench coats are the uniform of the Demon Extermination Division. The material itself is tough, fireproof, waterproof, and slash-and-stab-resistant, and it even has a simple 'temperature-regulation circuit' attached. The division's personnel are quite fond of them."

She stepped forward two paces, flipped open Zhou Yan's trench coat to reveal the sword at his waist, and pointed at it: "Although Xiao Xuan possesses a powerful Divine Machine, Divine Machines cannot be casually deployed during daily operations, so swords forged from this special material, known as 'Demon-Slaying Swords,' are generally used as weapons."

"Demon-Slaying Swords?" Zhou Yan looked thoughtfully at the unadorned short sword at his waist.

"That's right," Chu Wan smiled slightly. "The anomalous demon beasts in the Rifts are special entities that can only be harmed by human force. If you don't want to fight bare-handed and wish to use a blade, ordinary material weapons simply won't do; you must use demon-slaying weapons forged from this special metal."

"Most people in our Vermilion Bird Palace excel in swordsmanship, so the standard-issue anti-anomaly weapon equipped for demon exterminators is this Demon-Slaying Sword."

Finally, Chu Wan stated indifferently: "The Demon-Slaying Sword can slay demons, and it can also slay men. The Demon Extermination Division is a special department; when handling anomalous events, if you encounter anyone obstructing the case—be they monster or human—you have the authority to execute first and report later."

Zhou Yan's eyebrows twitched upon hearing this; this department's clearance was quite extensive.

Then he saw Chu Wan look at him again: "Of course, slaying demons is beyond reproach, but if you encounter a situation during your duty where you *must* kill a human, you'll need to write a detailed report upon returning regarding the killing, to be submitted to the colleagues in the Inspection Group for investigation and confirmation."

"Therefore..." Chu Wan smiled until her eyes narrowed. "Don't use your identity to kill people arbitrarily, or the consequences will be very miserable."

*Was she warning me?*

Zhou Yan nodded with an innocent expression: "Understood, Director."

Luo Xuan also chimed in from the side: "Don't worry, Sister Chu Wan, we couldn't possibly attack humans arbitrarily."

"That's good. Go on, the driver is already here."

Chu Wan waved her hand with a smile, watching the two of them depart.

Her gaze lingered mostly on Zhou Yan's retreating back, her eyes carrying a playful glint.

*"Little brother, you said with your mouth that you couldn't see clearly, but I think your vision is just fine..."*

*"How very interesting..."*

* * *

In the car, a brief silence fell.

Zhou Yan felt that Chu Wan's attitude toward him was somewhat strange and wondered if he had been suspected somewhere.

After turning it over in his mind and ruling out all other possibilities, he figured it must have been when he watched the two of them fight in the training ground a bit too intently later on and exposed himself.

Although he didn't know if this world was like those fantasy realms where powerhouses possessed astonishing sensory and investigative abilities,

judging others by himself, the current him also had a subconscious awareness when someone else stared at or focused on him.

If Chu Wan's mental attribute was decent, she might have been able to perceive his gaze, right?

Just as he was pondering,

Luo Xuan beside him softly said, "Zhou Yan, were you... wanting to ask about my father?"

*Huh?*

Zhou Yan turned his head and saw the girl looking at him earnestly.

At a time like this, it was impossible for him to claim he wasn't thinking about it, especially since he was indeed quite curious.

So he also looked at Luo Xuan seriously: "If you're willing to share..."

The girl nodded, her voice sounding calm as she said:

"Ten years ago, I was nine, and Luo Ke was seven. We followed our mom and dad to settle down in Tanzun City. The following year, the Fire-Worshipping Society orchestrated several tragic incidents in Tanzun City..."

She raised her eyes to look at Zhou Yan: "My mother, and my twelve-year-old older brother, died in one of those incidents..."

Zhou Yan straightened up immediately.