However, dramatically, fourteen years ago, an internal member of sBA defected, stole "Chuyun Bin" from headquarters, and rushed to Jiuxian Cave in Fucheng, hoping to rescue Mu Jige and enlist his help.
That member held a very high position within headquarters, with extensive connections, and quite a few people were willing to serve him, including some demons who were coerced into becoming his lackeys.
Headquarters assembled masters from the "Eight Great Brigades" to pursue this individual. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle at "Fanshen Village" below Mount Juhua.
It happened to be a day of torrential rain. Many mages within the headquarters' forces were skilled in water-elemental spells, which allowed them to unleash their full combat potential. The renegade forces were utterly annihilated there.
However, the Chuyun Bin vanished without a trace.
Based on the relevant information Song Lei later researched, he surmised that the Chuyun Bin must have been lost on the battlefield at that time. Due to the heavy rain, the intense fighting, and the resulting further destruction of buildings in the ruins, the Chuyun Bin was likely buried in some forgotten corner.
Song Lei had searched Fanshen Village three times but found no trace of the Chuyun Bin.
After reading this circuitous diary entry, I took a deep breath and looked at Yao Yao, who was listening with her eyes closed beside me: "It seems we have to go back to Jiuxian Cave."
Yao Yao opened her eyes: "There's no time to waste, let's go."
I tucked the diary into my chest, and Yao Yao and I retraced our steps back to the restaurant. It was just in time for lunch, and since our meals had already been ordered, we decided to eat there.
While waiting for our food, we discussed the matter of the Chuyun Bin. The demons all expressed their willingness to help in the search, believing that there's strength in numbers.
However, Zheng Bingbing raised a dissenting opinion. She knew that Shen Xingyue had read Song Lei's diary and would likely guess that we would return to Fanshen Village to find the Chuyun Bin. They might set up an ambush there. From Mount Juhua, both Shen Xingyue and I had looked down upon Fanshen Village. Although it was dilapidated, there were still many large village trees and crumbling walls that could serve as cover.
As for the masters of sBA, I wasn't particularly worried. My main concern was them ambushing us with firearms. No matter how powerful Yao Yao and the demons were, they were still mortal. Even with high defense and evasion, facing the barrage of automatic weapons like assault rifles, they would likely be unable to escape unscathed.
Yao Yao found my reasoning sound and asked for my plan.
After thinking for a moment, I said: "Why don't we adopt a feint? For instance, we could pretend to go to Shengjing. Once we arrive, we deliberately expose our tracks. While the sBA people are rushing to Shengjing to capture us, we can make a swift return, head back to Fucheng, and search for the Chuyun Bin in Fanshen Village. Once we find it, we'll withdraw quickly."
Yao Yao nodded: "This plan is feasible. I didn't expect you to know military strategy."
I waved my hand humbly: "Just a minor trick, after all, I did attend university."
The demons scoffed at me. We had become quite familiar with each other now, so the previous formality had dissipated.
They all had good personalities, generally outgoing, except for the elder snake demon, who maintained a stern face. Perhaps it was an idol complex, wanting to preserve the image of a cool and aloof leader.
With the strategy decided, we began our meal.
Though the demons couldn't absorb human food, its taste was quite compelling. They sampled each dish lightly, remarking that it was far tastier than the wild chicken and roe deer from the morning.
As we were eating, I inadvertently glimpsed a familiar figure walking past the window. Upon closer inspection, it was Song Miao, carrying a large backpack. She was likely heading home for lunch break.
Feeling guilty about breaking her window, I got up, crossed the street, and caught up with Song Miao at her doorstep.
"Hey? Brother Chengfeng, why are you here?" Song Miao asked with innocent eyes. She was probably unaware of the recent events, as Shen Xingyue wouldn't have bothered to tell her.
"Ah... I was just passing by. I'm leaving Fucheng soon, and I thought I'd come to see you again. Oh my, why is your window broken? Did a thief break in?" I asked, playing the role of a concerned bystander while being the culprit.
"It's nothing," Song Miao said, looking at the broken window nonchalantly. "There's nothing worth stealing at home anyway. The money is all in the bank and with Sister Chen Lu. Perhaps some naughty child broke it."
I took out a few hundred yuan from my pocket and pressed it into her hand, saying some words about not being too worried and urging her to find someone to fix the window. Song Miao, being young, wouldn't refuse kindness and accepted it.
Just as I was about to leave, someone knocked on the door from outside. Before Song Miao could respond, the person pushed the door open – it was Chen Lu!