Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 760: Chapter 760. Simple Tasks

Lei Mao used to be a small-time crook in Cruel Consecrate City. He committed all kinds of crimes available: Stealing, robbing, kidnapping, murdering, and extortion. Anything that could score him some aer stones to get by and support his brother in this God-forsaken realm.

His brother was among the rare individuals who were not compatible with infernal cultivation, so his brother had to practice divine cultivation instead. Since the resources for divine cultivation were limited in this realm, his brother was weak. Without his support, his brother would have perished long ago.

Most other crooks in the lower realm would have thrown away such a bothersome sibling, but not him. He loved his brother and would never abandon him.

When he was admitted into the Devotion Faction, he thought his fate had finally changed. It’s true that what he did was still mostly bad deeds, but they were sanctioned bad deeds. What payment he received was meagre, but at least there was hope on the horizon. By being a faction member, he had the means to climb the ranks and obtain a better future, or so he thought.

He tried his best. Yet, his rank remained a Raider even after almost a century of service. He thought maybe it was because of his cultivation level. But after he broke through into the Beginning Malicious Stage two decades ago, he remained a Raider.

He was dejected, thinking that this was the best he could achieve in the faction. He was so dejected that he thought about quitting the faction and returning to banditry. It was the same hard life without achievement, but at least that way, he had more freedom and could spend more time with his brother.

He was ready to quit when he was called by his superior and introduced to someone with the rank of Slayer. The slayer, who went by the name Li Zhong, told him that if he served him, he would submit a recommendation to promote him to the rank of an enforcer.

Lei Mao was elated. The best way to climb the ranks in the faction was to be promoted by someone with a higher rank. He thought his chance had finally come, so he agreed without hesitation.

However, he was feeling down again. He had now served Li Zhong for more than eight years. Yet, Li Zhong hadn’t fulfilled the promise. To make things worse, all he did was nothing more than being a delivery boy. Yes, sometimes he was required to capture people and deliver them to Li Zhong, but the targets were mostly weak cultivators. It was hardly a difficult task.

His routine tasks were mostly procuring daily necessities and bringing them to where Li Zhong lived. On rare occasions, the deliveries would require him to go to different cities and fetch a sealed space ring. The last few times this happened, he had half the mind to just run off with the sealed space ring. The contents could probably be sold to give him a life of luxury. However, common sense stopped him. Quitting the faction was one thing. Betraying it would mean he would always have to watch his back. He wasn’t willing to live that way. So, he continued to be Li Zhong’s errand boy.

Li Zhong himself rarely left his house in Cruel Consecrate City. Lei Mao never saw it, but he thought Li Zhong lived in that big house with someone else. He was not allowed to enter the house. Every time he met Li Zhong, it was done in the house’s courtyard.

”Your next task is to pick up a package from this address. That will be all, you are dismissed,” Li Zhong said after Lei Mao handed the last delivery.

When Lei Mao didn’t move, Li Zhong asked with a frown, ”What is it?”

Lei Mao hesitated for a bit before saying, ”Sir... Not to be rude, you promised to recommend me for the Enforcer promotion. It has been almost nine years since I served you. Would you mind giving the recommendation...?”

Li Zhong maintained his cold stare on Lei Mao, which unsettled the man. Lei Mao was about to back down and apologize when Li Zhong spoke, ”I expect my task at this place should last no longer than three or four more years. Once it is completed, you will get your recommendation.”

Hearing the affirmation, Lei Mao bowed and said, ”Thank you, sir! I pray that your task can be completed soon without trouble.”

”Mm, that said. You must know. I can easily get someone else to do your job. Do not forget that.”

Li Zhong turned back and walked toward the house, leaving Lei Mao with a cold sweat. He was reminded that he needed Li Zhong more than Li Zhong needed him. He needed to show an effort if he wished for a chance at a better life. People with no talent like him had very little chance of a successful life, and he had been given the opportunity to succeed by performing easy tasks. Instead of treasuring it, he questioned the rare opportunity that had fallen into his lap.

His bowing posture lowered even further. He spoke loudly, ”Forgive me, Sir! I promise I will do everything you command. I am grateful for this opportunity!”

Lei Mao heard the door being opened and then closed again. Li Zhong didn’t say anything in response.

Lei Mao looked up at the closed door. He prayed he hadn’t blown his chance. He looked at the address on the envelope Li Zhong had given him. The address was in Liberty Slave City, a neighboring settlement. He hurriedly went away. Though it was a mundane task, he must finish it quickly to show Li Zhong that he was still invested in this job.

*

As usual, Lei Mao’s task was simple. He arrived at the address and handed the envelope. The person receiving it read the letter inside and then handed him a small package, which he stored inside his space ring. He was now on his way back to Cruel Consecrate City.

He stopped at a resting facility between Liberty Slave City and Cruel Consecrate City. The resting facility provided places for people to sleep and eat. It served as both an inn and a restaurant.

Unlike in Aetheria, the resting facilities here were not run by the ruling party. It was a private establishment. The Domain Lords of this realm didn’t bother protecting the travellers. They let them fend for themselves. They didn’t oppose people running these facilities that helped travellers, so long as they received a cut of the profits.

From what Lei Mao heard, the owner was a Peak Fiendish Stage cultivator who used to run a bandit group. In fact, the current owner was not even the original owner. The facility had changed ownership four times. Three out of those four ownership transfers happened violently, and some guests were wounded or killed during the process.

Despite all that, resting in this facility was still safer than camping out there in the wilderness.

Lei Mao sat at a corner table all by himself. Not many guests were there today. The maid who served his meal asked if he wanted to stay the night. He declined the offer. He was trying to regain Li Zhong’s goodwill. He wanted to complete this task as quickly as possible. If that meant sacrificing a few days of sleep, then that was worth it.

He finished his meal quickly. When he was about to call the maid to pay the bill, a hooded stranger with a mask sat in the chair opposite him.

He frowned at this masked stranger’s rudeness. There were plenty of empty tables. Why did he sit at his table?

He sensed that the stranger had the cultivation level of the Intermediate Malicious Stage. The stranger was slightly stronger than him. This dissuaded him from scolding the stranger. He decided to let this go. He stood up to leave. He would pay at the counter.

”I’ve already paid for your meal,” the stranger said.

”Huh?”

”Lei Mao, right? Sit down. We have things to talk about.”

Lei Mao didn’t sit. He remained standing. ”Who are you?”

”I am someone interested in the people you are working for.”

”The hell are you talking about? I work for the Devotion Faction.” Lei Mao pointed at the black vest he was wearing. ”You will do well not to provoke us.”

The stranger chuckled. ”I am not referring to your whole faction. I am referring to the Slayer, who sends you on these errands, and his accomplice. I believe the Slayer’s name is Li Zhong.”

Lei Mao didn’t like this conversation. ”Listen, dude. You’d better watch it if you don’t wish to draw the ire of our faction. If you know what’s good for you, you will leave and not bother me again.”

The stranger placed something on the table. Lei Mao glanced at the thing. He at first dismissed it and was about to ignore the stranger and leave, but then recollection dawned on him. He looked at the thing on the table again. It was a metal bracelet. A common one that could be bought at any market, except this one was special. There was an inscription on its inner surface.

”This...! How did you get a hold of this?” Lei Mao asked. His voice sounded nervous.

The stranger grinned devilishly. ”Sit down.” His tone was more a command than a request.

Lei Mao sat. He picked up the bracelet and inspected it again. There was no mistake. The inscription was exactly how he remembered it. This was his brother’s bracelet. He was the one who gave the bracelet and inscribed his brother’s name on its surface. His brother had always worn it ever since he acquired it.

A worrying thought came to him. He asked, ”What... What did you do to my brother...?”

”Nothing, yet,” the stranger answered. ”But what happens next will depend on what you do. I suggest you do what I ask. Otherwise, you can forget ever seeing your brother again.”