Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

"Going by that record—slaying several Tier Five Great Demons, including two at the Great Perfection level—doesn’t that sound like a grand master of the Sixth Realm?"

Seeing the doubtful looks from everyone, Xu Fu was seething.

He was even more furious with his own Director, Ran Qingshan.

’Old Jiang is a total badass, so why don’t they promote him more? They just had to keep him a secret, and now nobody believes me when I tell them the truth.’

Tian Wenjing took a sip from his teacup, his expression calm as he said:

"Jiang Mu joined our Hu State Demon-slaying Bureau less than a year ago. Not long ago... he just broke through to the Fourth Realm."

PFFT—

Someone spat out a mouthful of tea.

The hall fell deathly silent.

Immediately after, bursts of derisive laughter erupted.

A Fourth Realm Hall Master, killing four Tier Five Demons? One of them even at Great Perfection?

That was laying it on a bit thick, wasn’t it?

"Master Xu, you must be joking, right?"

A middle-aged Hall Master sitting on the right couldn’t help but speak up, his tone laced with ridicule. "A Fourth Realm killing a Tier Five, and a Great Perfection at that? Sounds like something out of a storybook to me."

Another person beside him chimed in with a laugh:

"Younger Brother Xu, if you’re going to praise your own man, at least make it believable."

"Master Xu, is that Hall Master of yours from Hu State equipped with three heads and six arms?"

The hall erupted in laughter. Clearly, no one was taking Xu Fu’s words seriously.

Even Shui Miaozheng, who had been sitting quietly, couldn’t help but knit her elegant brows, which were like distant, dark-hued mountains.

Xu Fu’s face flushed red with anger.

Just then, a guard hurried inside and reported to Yan Wu:

"Director, Master Du is awake!"

"Du Yuanfei?"

The gazes of Shui Miaozheng and Tian Wenjing shot over like lightning.

Xu Fu shot to his feet and turned to glare angrily at Yan Wu:

"Director Yan! You promised before that as soon as this bastard woke up, you would immediately put him on public trial. He’s awake now, so don’t even think about delaying any further!"

Yan Wu’s expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, a clamor of shouts and staggering footsteps came from outside the hall.

"Get out of my way! Everyone, get out of my way! I need to see the Director!!"

A disheveled figure, covered head to toe in blood-soaked bandages, stumbled into the hall.

It was none other than Du Yuanfei.

His steps were unsteady. He staggered forward a few paces before his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees with a THUD.

"Director, hurry! Send people to save them!!"

"Master Tang from Yunzhou City, and the others from Hu State... They... they’re surrounded by Demons!"

"It’ll be too late if we delay!"

Du Yuanfei wailed loudly, tears mixing with blood as they streamed down his face.

He seemed to be in a state of delirium.

Seeing his act, Xu Fu was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. He pointed at Du Yuanfei’s nose and cursed:

"Du, you son of a bitch! What the hell are you pretending for?!"

Hearing Xu Fu’s voice, Du Yuanfei shuddered, as if only just noticing Xu Fu was there.

A trace of confusion flashed in his eyes, which quickly turned to delighted surprise.

"Master Xu, you... you’re alright?! That’s wonderful! I thought... I thought you too..."

"What about Master Tang? Did she escape too?"

But Xu Fu just stared at him coldly, his gaze murderous.

"Du, stop putting on an act. If I hadn’t been lucky enough to be saved by Old Jiang, I’d have been killed by your treachery already, you bastard!"

The smile on Du Yuanfei’s face froze, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"Master Xu, what... what are you saying? ’Treachery’? I don’t understand."

Tian Wenjing raised a hand, gesturing for Xu Fu to calm down.

He walked over to Du Yuanfei and looked down at him, his gaze as sharp as a falcon’s.

"Master Du, I ask you. Why were my subordinates from Hu State, along with Master Tang from Yunzhou City, attacked by Demons? When did you start colluding with Demons?"

"Me, Du Yuanfei, colluding with Demon Fiends?!"

As if he had heard the most absurd accusation, Du Yuanfei struggled to stand, only to fall back down powerlessly.

He roared hoarsely:

"Elder Tian, Master Xu... All of my men are dead, and now you’re accusing me of colluding with Demon Fiends!?

I, Du Yuanfei, swear to the heavens: if I have the slightest intention of colluding with Demons or harming my comrades, may my Divine Soul be annihilated, may I fall into Eternal Hell, and may my descendants for all generations be slaves and whores!"

Xu Fu crossed his arms and said disdainfully:

"Oaths like that are worthless bullshit! If swearing oaths actually worked, what would we need the Demon-slaying Bureau for?"

Du Yuanfei’s face turned red.

Yan Wu said in a grave voice:

"Du Yuanfei, calm yourself. Tell us everything that happened, from beginning to end. Be thorough, and do not hide a single detail."

Du Yuanfei took a few gasping breaths, trying to compose himself, and said:

"That day, after Master Xu rescued me from White Deer Peak, I woke up in Li Family Village.

At the time, a Horse Demon was causing trouble in the village. I was the first one to warn everyone to be careful... Master Xu, I’m not lying about that, am I?"

He looked at Xu Fu.

Xu Fu’s face was grim. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he grunted in sullen agreement.

Du Yuanfei continued:

"Later, that brave Master Jiang took care of the Horse Demon. He then took some men to town to find a carriage to transport the wounded.

Not long after Master Jiang left, I received a distress call from the Fifth Hall Master, Cao Leixuan!

He said they had discovered traces of Demons in the Red Forest Valley area and ended up trapped.

The situation was urgent, and I was desperate to save them. Without a second thought, I pleaded with Master Tang to take her men from Yunzhou City and go with me to the rescue.

Who would have known that as soon as we arrived, we would fall into a heavy encirclement..."

"Wait!"

Shui Miaozheng, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up.

"Since you claim you received a distress call from Cao Leixuan, Director Yan, could you please summon Master Cao here for a face-to-face confrontation?"

However, Yan Wu’s expression turned grim.