Chapter Seventy-Three: The Apprentice Hunter

Yunhu Villa, Song Family.

Song Mingyue sat quietly before the tea tray, dressed in a simple, elegant white shirt, brewing tea with graceful, gentle movements, her rhythm unhurried yet melodic.

The delicate glass kettle was gently simmering, and the freshly steeped tea was a vivid, pure green, with wisps of steam swirling up and carrying a refreshing fragrance.

Sunlight poured in through the window, casting a halo around Song Mingyue and bathing her in radiance, making her appear both bright and serene.

Gao Wu had arrived in a hurry, anxious, but now found himself calmed naturally by the tranquil scene.

There was no need for them to force conversation, nor to force silence. Gao Wu could not quite describe the flavor of the tea, only that it brought a deep sense of comfort and ease.

For the first time in his life, Gao Wu understood the subtlety of tea appreciation, the meaning of leisure and peace, the lingering depth of simplicity, and the true joy found in the ordinary.

He suddenly realized that such harmony between himself and Song Mingyue was born from months of close companionship, their genuine friendship, and the merging of their interests and passions. This had forged a steady bond, allowing them to share these quietly beautiful moments.

Though his thoughts churned, Gao Wu felt no trace of anxiety, only the pleasure of this rare tranquility.

Life should truly be this beautiful, for only then can one love life and this world.

Song Mingyue greatly cherished such an atmosphere. Since she had begun living independently, Gao Wu had become her first and dearest friend.

To drink tea with a friend was a happiness indeed. She believed Gao Wu felt the same. When two hearts resonate, happiness is doubled.

After savoring this brief peace, Gao Wu could not resist breaking the silence, asking, “So, what exactly happened?”

“My grandfather announced the list of Demon God followers directly at the reception. The group was led by Lü Hongsheng, with the Yang brothers, Yang Hongji and Yang Hongye, as his seconds, along with several key figures from the Supervision Bureau, Law Enforcement Bureau, and Public Security Bureau.

“The only surprise was that Lü Hongsheng turned out to be a Level Five High Priest. At this level, he could establish a stable connection with the Demon God and wield power comparable to a martial arts grandmaster. Extremely formidable.”

Remembering the battle from the previous night, Song Mingyue’s expression grew solemn.

Lü Hongsheng himself had reached the level of a martial artist, but with the Demon God’s blessing, he possessed the might of a grandmaster.

That massive explosion of flame was unleashed by Lü Hongsheng. Fortunately, he was only borrowing external power and could not truly match a real grandmaster, so her grandfather slew him with a single stroke.

This unexpected event resulted in all the Demon God followers at the scene being wiped out. Song Mingyue suspected her grandfather had acted deliberately, for these people were the elite of Dongjiang, their networks deeply entwined.

To capture so many at once would implicate countless families and organizations.

The otherworldly Demon God had already taken deep root in this world; unless the Demon God was eradicated, his followers would never be fully eliminated.

Thus, one could only deal with them as they were discovered.

This time, the Demon God followers across all of Dongjiang’s counties and cities were swept up, uprooting their presence entirely.

The situation was complex, and Song Mingyue patiently explained the sequence of events to Gao Wu, outlining the tangled interests of the various families and organizations in Dongjiang.

Even her brief summary lasted over an hour.

Gao Wu’s head spun from the convoluted relationships, not to mention the involvement of the Demon God’s followers.

“You can think of it this way: to ordinary people, worshipping the Demon God is heresy. To some families, it’s a shortcut. Some people care only for profit and loss, never good or evil, nor order and law.”

Song Mingyue continued, “Their patron, the White Crow King, is said to preside over death and plague. Its advanced followers can usually master abilities related to concealment, ice, and death.

“They found a stable rift in Dongjiang and established an altar there. Those who disappeared were all sacrificed to the White Crow King. The aberrant spirit in White Scale Lake is their offering. The resources they invested in you may have been to make you the vessel for the Angel of Death.

“The Angel of Death is a spirit attuned to the White Crow King’s power, essentially no different from the aberrant spirit in White Scale Lake, just much stronger. For Lü Hongsheng and his lot, controlling the Angel of Death would allow them to match a martial arts grandmaster—a formidable force indeed.”

She looked softly at Gao Wu. “Huang Hai escaped. He knows you best, and that’s the greatest problem.”

“What should we do then?” Gao Wu did not ask how Huang Hai escaped; it was pointless. What mattered was how to deal with him.

Huang Hai was a seasoned intermediate warrior. Even a top fighter would be no match for him.

“In the short term, Huang Hai won’t dare return to Dongjiang,” Song Mingyue said, her voice dropping as she lowered her gaze, feeling a bit embarrassed to discuss the matter with Gao Wu.

For Song Chunqiu, a martial arts grandmaster, Huang Hai’s escape was as insignificant as a mouse fleeing—hardly worth notice.

Yet Huang Hai knew Gao Wu best and posed him the greatest threat.

When Song Mingyue realized the seriousness of this, she spoke to Song Chunqiu and secured some compensation for Gao Wu.

She retrieved a small suitcase from under the tea table and handed it to him. “Inside are thirty vials of Vajra Serum and two bottles of Spinosaurus Energy Solution.”

These had been seized from Lü Hongsheng’s underground laboratory. Such drugs were usually full of impurities and highly dangerous, meant to be destroyed.

But Song Mingyue knew Gao Wu’s body was special and could withstand the side effects, so these could be of use to him.

Gao Wu opened the case, finding two large bottles of Spinosaurus Energy Solution—about three thousand milliliters in total—and thirty vials of standard Vajra Serum.

“Wow, that’s quite a lot,” Gao Wu remarked, suddenly finding the Vajra Serum almost cheap.

“My grandfather also wrote you a letter of recommendation. You can register as a hunter at the Hunter’s Association,” Song Mingyue said gently.

She had actually persuaded Song Chunqiu to write it. Generally, to become a hunter, one needed a military or police background, or relevant experience.

Given Gao Wu’s age and background, he could not have passed the Association’s interview.

“Register as a hunter?” Gao Wu asked, pleasantly surprised.

“A hunter can legally carry firearms. They’re permitted to hunt aberrant beasts and Demon God followers. Hunters can also access the official intranet and obtain all kinds of classified information.”

She believed that if Gao Wu could legally carry a gun, he could better protect himself.

“Thank you.” Gao Wu understood Song Mingyue’s good intentions; all this effort was for his sake.

He thought a moment and added, “Thank our grandpa, too.”

He gazed into Song Mingyue’s clear, bright eyes. “Please pass on my gratitude. Make sure our grandpa feels how sincere I am!”

Song Mingyue nodded lightly, then added, “I’ll keep the Vajra Serum here for now. Tomorrow, you’ll collect the Prajna Serum and your prize money from the organizing committee.”

“The Prajna Serum is specifically for enhancing mental faculties, targeting the central nervous system. It’s a very complex drug.”

Song Mingyue’s expression was grave. “It can damage the central nervous system, cause strong hallucinations, and is highly addictive. Be careful when you inject it. Never mix it with other serums.”

“Understood!” Gao Wu nodded firmly. He had always been cautious with such things.

The Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra was powerful, but not invincible—caution was always wise.

Gao Wu asked, “Has the aberrant spirit been dealt with?”

Song Mingyue shook her head. “The altar in the rift has been dismantled, but the spirit vanished.”

She apologized, “Sorry, the military has taken over the rift. It’s out of our hands now.”

“Haha…” Gao Wu laughed heartily. “If you handed the rift to me, I’d owe you even more. This is better!”

Before Song Mingyue could reply, he grew serious again. “I’ll definitely help you eliminate the aberrant spirit. I promise!”

Sensing his sincerity, Song Mingyue replied with equal gravity, “Thank you.”

Gao Wu patted Song Mingyue on the shoulder in the manner of a seasoned brother-in-arms. “We’re brothers in life and fortune—no need for polite words!”

He was only joking around, but to his surprise, Song Mingyue thought for a moment and quietly replied, “Mm,” as if she took it to heart.

Gao Wu felt a bit embarrassed at his own jest, so he shifted the topic. “Good friend, ask our grandpa—now that the Demon God followers are dealt with, can you get my teacher, Tie Dalong, released?”

Tie Dalong had been unlucky, implicated by Zhang Hao and detained by the Supervision Office for two months.

He had always treated Gao Wu well, and Gao Wu wanted to help him if he could.

Song Mingyue considered it. “I’ll mention it to my grandfather. I hope I can help.”

The Song family had connections within the Supervision Office, but she could not guarantee anything; it was not her call.

They had lunch together, then in the afternoon Song Mingyue took Gao Wu to the Hunter’s Association.

The Hunter’s Association shared the Tianhe Building with the Martial Society, but while the Martial Society was above ground, the Hunter’s Association was on basement level two.

The Lantern Festival had just passed, so for the people of Northern Province, the New Year celebrations were not truly over.

The Hunter’s Association’s glass doors were locked, and the reception area deserted. Only after Song Mingyue made a call did a middle-aged woman hurry out from the interior office to let them in.

“Gao Wu! I watched your matches—you’re amazing and so handsome!” The middle-aged woman was enthusiastic, exclaiming, “You look even better in person than on TV!”

As the newly crowned champion of the Xuetao Cup, Gao Wu was the hottest celebrity in Dongjiang. Many did not know the provincial governor, but everyone knew Gao Wu.

He was the talk of the town, the very definition of “red-hot.”

The woman’s face beamed with a maternal smile of genuine admiration. This boy had everything: height, looks, ability—a model child if there ever was one!

If only she had a son like him, she would die laughing.

Once in the office, the woman made them tea.

After reading the letter of recommendation, she said, “The photographer isn’t in today, but I can take your photo. I’m also the interviewer, and with your credentials there’s no need for review—I’ll issue your provisional certificate directly.”

“Thank you, big sister,” Gao Wu replied quickly. The simplicity of the process surprised him.

He understood, though, that the swift approval was mostly due to Song Chunqiu’s personal recommendation. Even if this woman didn’t know Song Chunqiu himself, she would certainly recognize the seal of the Third Army of the Aurora Legion.

Part of the favor was surely also due to his status as Xuetao Cup champion. It was clear she genuinely liked him.

“The electronic certificate requires approval from the Public Security Bureau—it’ll take about a week. The total cost for the photo, membership, and all other fees comes to thirty-seven thousand two hundred yuan.”

The expense for a hunter’s certificate was more than Gao Wu expected, but he paid promptly via Feixin.

“Once your certificate arrives, you can purchase firearms here and use the shooting range. Members get internal pricing…”

The woman explained the benefits of membership and handed Gao Wu a booklet titled “Hunter’s Code.”

“As a hunter, you have a special status and must observe many rules. Make sure to read the code carefully—never break the rules.

“As a probationary hunter, you’ll need to pass the rift assessment to become a full member. There’s usually an assessment every month, typically a joint exam held in Yunling City’s rift. Keep an eye on the official website for announcements; you’ll also receive a text message notice…”