Volume One, Chapter 18: Give Me a Lever and I'll Move the World
Under the dim streetlight, Zhang Yu was on the phone with Murong Xue.
“Teacher Murong, you mean you don’t know who Jiang Huan’s father is in the Demon Suppression Army, but one of your tasks is to secretly look after the mother and son?”
“Exactly. Jiang Huan’s father holds a very high position in the Demon Suppression Army. I don’t have the clearance to find out more.”
“Do you know how his father died?”
“No. The public records only mention he went missing on duty, but it’s clear that the higher-ups are hiding something.”
Zhang Yu sighed. Murong Xue chuckled, “What’s wrong, feeling guilty?”
Zhang Yu didn’t deny it and proceeded to share everything he had discovered that night with Murong Xue.
After a moment, Murong Xue muttered, “So the spirit weapon has leveled up; it seems his power has improved. No wonder I felt something was off during my run this morning.”
“Teacher Murong, I want to help Jiang Huan, but his mother won’t let him join the army. Can you give me some advice?”
Murong Xue thought for a moment, then smiled, “I can give you advice, but how do you plan to thank me?”
“The Demon Suppression Army’s covert squad evaluation form for this year! I’ll give you full marks!”
Murong Xue smiled, clearly pleased with the answer.
She said, “Jiang Huan is very proud, so if you want to help him, you can’t be too obvious about it.”
“And then?”
“Well, you probably saw it tonight—Jiang Huan’s mother is suffering from a strange illness that’s costing a fortune, so their family is short on money. According to regulations, spirit masters can’t join mercenary squads until they graduate.”
“And in our school, you’re one of the few teachers qualified to take students out on mercenary missions…”
At that, Zhang Yu suddenly understood.
In the past, to earn more money to nurture spirit weapons, he had obtained a mercenary training qualification certificate.
He hadn’t expected it to be useful today.
He thanked Murong Xue repeatedly.
After hanging up, a heavy weight seemed to lift from Zhang Yu’s heart.
Early the next morning, Jiang Huan was woken by a call from Zhang Yu.
Despite his body protesting, under Zhang Yu’s insistence, he dragged himself to school to wait for him.
Zhang Yu hadn’t arrived yet, and feeling a bit bored, Jiang Huan decided to check his status panel.
[Host: Jiang Huan]
[Level: First Rank, Five Stars]
[Experience: 2%]
[Abilities: Mutual Advancement, Clear Mind]
[Martial Skills: Concealment, Backstab]
[Physique: 473]
When his eyes scanned the physique stat at the bottom, a smile unconsciously curved his lips.
“At first rank five stars and already 473? I remember the standard for third rank zero stars is around 500.”
“Jiang Huan, you’re early,” Zhang Yu said, patting his shoulder and handing him a bag of breakfast. “Eat up, teacher needs your help with something today.”
Zhang Yu, usually stern, forced a smile that he thought was kind.
Jiang Huan found the smile somewhat unsettling.
He nervously accepted the breakfast but didn’t dare eat it.
Since last night, he’d sensed something odd about Zhang Yu but didn’t know why.
“Teacher, what do you need help with?”
Zhang Yu rested his hands on Jiang Huan’s shoulders, eating his breakfast as he said, “Nothing much. I’ve been strapped for cash lately, took on some mercenary jobs, and need a hand. Can you help?”
As if worried Jiang Huan would refuse, he added, “Don’t worry, I don’t take dangerous jobs. I’ll protect you outside, and we split the pay fifty-fifty.”
Jiang Huan eyed Zhang Yu suspiciously, but saw sincerity in his gaze—it really seemed like he just needed help.
Thinking about his mother’s endless medical bills, after some hesitation, Jiang Huan nodded. “Okay. But Teacher Zhang, when do we leave?”
At that moment, Zhang Yu seemed redeemed; the stone weighing on his heart finally loosened.
“Now.”
Towering city walls loomed behind them as a rugged motorcycle sped along the cracked national highway.
The rough wind, thick tires, and roaring exhaust.
The wild wind brushed past Zhang Yu’s solid frame, leaving only a few strands of breeze to caress Jiang Huan’s cheek.
He looked at the motorcycle with envy.
Motorcycles in this era had been specially modified—not only absurdly fast but also highly durable, able to adapt to most terrains. The only downside was the exorbitant price.
Just Zhang Yu’s bike alone cost millions.
Far beyond what a poor kid like him could afford.
Still, Jiang Huan resolved that once his strength increased, he would get a bike better than Zhang Yu’s.
“Teacher Zhang, what kind of mission are we on?”
“An E-rank mission. Some merchant’s supplies were ambushed by monsters on the road. Our goal is to find the supplies, send the coordinates to the client, and wait for their pickup. Then the mission’s done. The pay’s about two hundred thousand.”
Soon, the two arrived at a ruin.
It looked like it had once been a small town.
Zhang Yu stored the motorcycle in his storage ring and smiled. “Jiang Huan, know where this is?”
Jiang Huan shook his head.
“Gong County. It used to be a fairly large county. Decades ago, a beast tide destroyed it. Be careful here; you’ll mostly encounter second-rank monsters.”
Zhang Yu led Jiang Huan along the main road through the county. Along the way, Jiang Huan learned what it truly meant to be a professional soldier.
“Jiang Huan, see that? This seemingly random path is actually the trail of second-rank demon beasts called Wind Wolves. They’re cunning—while moving forward, they use their tails to sweep away their tracks. That’s something we should learn—if you want to shake off pursuit, always destroy your traces.”
“Of course, figuring out their direction isn’t hard. Just remember the four words: observe, smell, ask, and feel. Observe means looking for tracks nearby; smell—any living creature leaves a scent…”
“Jiang Huan, here’s another spot. There are a few tufts of feathers. On closer look, there seem to be three groups. Usually, females have duller feathers, males more vibrant. Monsters behave like animals sometimes—they show off to attract mates. From this, we can tell two male bird-like demon beasts fought for a mate, and one fled heavily wounded.”
“Look here, there’s clearly been a fight. Judging from the marks on the walls, two sides clashed. From the footprints, one side had about five people, the other three. The cause is unknown, but probably greed or jealousy. So remember, Jiang Huan, if you become a mercenary, trust no one but yourself, especially in ruins outside the safe city.”
On their search for the supplies, Zhang Yu was less a teacher and more like a caring elder relative.
He kept teaching Jiang Huan survival skills in ruins, how to track monsters, and even shared social wisdom without reservation.
Though puzzled at times, Jiang Huan absorbed everything like a sponge.
Suddenly, Zhang Yu stopped in front of a pile of rubble.
In the silent ruins, a faint broken mooing sound approached.
“We seem to have found them.”
He gave Jiang Huan a glance, signaling him to stay silent.