Chapter 13: The Demon’s Walk

After Yuan Jing hung up the phone and re-entered the interrogation room, chaos had already broken out inside. The newcomer, Xia Zhuyi, stood by the side, engrossed in a manga book without a cover. Meanwhile, Xu Mingsong was embroiled in a heated debate with the deputy officer, passionately shouting, "I'd rather have a day of freedom than a hundred years of servitude!"—which clearly irritated the deputy.

As soon as Yuan Jing stepped in, Xu Mingsong toned down his rhetoric somewhat. That kid sure knew how to read the room...

Yuan Jing pulled up a chair and gestured for the sweating deputy to make way. This time, he was unusually straightforward, getting straight to the point: "Kid, interested in joining us?"

Startled by the abrupt invitation, Xu Mingsong blinked. "Just like that? Joining already?"

"Someone’s got their eye on you. You can cut through the red tape now."

Yuan Jing then wore a melancholic expression. "Your story’s a lot like mine back in the day—caught the attention of a certain lady. I’ll take you through the official assessment soon. By tomorrow, we’ll be brothers in arms."

Xu Mingsong was taken aback. "That fast? What about my say in this?"

Yuan Jing paused, then drew in a sharp breath. "Your say..."

He fell silent, stroking his chin as he scrutinized the young man before him.

To be honest, this boy was nothing like him.

Seventeen years ago, during a fierce blizzard that seemed to freeze the entire world, a young boy huddled beneath a bridge, overshadowed by a looming figure.

Looking back now, those eyes were probably vacant, or rather, frozen hollow.

Yet the man claimed there was a fire burning within them.

At eight, he had lost his family amid a once-in-a-century snowstorm. Joining the fourth squad led by Zhu Ming was inevitable.

But Xu Mingsong...

The moment Yuan Jing received the intel, he’d reviewed Xu’s file. The kid’s parents were alive, the family harmonious, and his future bright. Now Yuan Jing had to break it to Xu—your idyllic life is over, little white rabbit, and it’s time to dive into the trenches with your big brothers and sisters.

That was a hard sell.

Ugh, he hated these damn kids.

The more mature they pretended to be, the more he despised them.

Kids should act like kids. At this age, they should be focusing on school, not meddling in adult affairs...

Yuan Jing propped up his chin and sighed. "I’m sorry, but you really don’t have a choice."

"Let me reiterate: whether you’re a contaminant or a parasite, you’re no longer purely human. The demon blood grants you power, but it also makes you an unpredictable bomb. Do you think we’d allow a ticking time bomb to roam freely in Winter City? We have to take responsibility."

"I hope you understand that."

"But don’t be too afraid. We’re an official organization. We’re not so stupid as to strip our staff of their normal lives. When you join us, you can still go to school as usual and live with your parents. We’ll just arrange training and selectively assign missions..."

"We’ll handle things like leave requests for you. Some of our people insist on being corporate drones, so we generally support those personal lifestyle choices."

Xu Mingsong blinked in surprise. "You can help with that too?"

"Hah, we’ve got plenty of excuses. We’ll just say you’re participating in an official competition—schools and family won’t question that."

Yuan Jing tapped on the desk softly. "I told you to trust the officials... Stability in your personal environment helps reduce the risk of losing control."

Perhaps because he was determined to recruit Xu, Yuan Jing was especially patient explaining.

He traced the story from past to present, then from present to future.

This organization had existed continuously, its history tracing back thousands of years to feudal dynasties.

Back then, demon-blooded families forged the original covenant. Over the years, those cursed with demon blood, under its banner, devoted themselves like monks and wanderers, guarding humanity from the shadows until today.

Until disaster struck.

They stepped from the shadows into the very center stage of history.

During the most chaotic times, pure-blood families hidden in the dark, naturally gifted beyond ordinary people, rose to power as de facto rulers of major cities, bringing their influence into the open—what Yuan Jing referred to simply as "the organization."

Passed down through generations, the organization's operations and purpose were crystal clear.

"We’re not here to trick you into some concentration camp massacre," Yuan Jing chuckled. "And honestly, from your perspective, I think you should join us."

Xu Mingsong whispered, "How so?"

"Demon blood carries the risk of losing control. Imagine if the beast within takes over—you know who the first victims would be?"

Faces flashed through Xu’s mind like lightning. He clenched the armrest, veins twitching beneath his skin.

Yuan Jing said, "You thought of it—those closest to you."

"There have been many such tragedies in history. I’m sure you wouldn’t want such a nightmare to happen to you."

"If you choose to join us, we’ll guide you, help you master your power."

By then, Xu understood.

His mindset had shifted.

When he first met Xia Zhuyi, he muttered nonsense about civil servants and dragon squads to distract himself from anxiety. But Yuan Jing’s story laid bare the brutal world they lived in, making him hesitate about this perilous path.

Yet deep down, he’d probably known all along.

Xu’s thoughts echoed warnings from Ming and Yuan Jing, both stressing the struggle against the beast within. He wondered if his parents could handle their son suddenly losing control, but after a few seconds, he decided their mental health was paramount. He was a little scared of himself losing control too...

Especially with the "prophecy" looming...

He nodded.

The next steps unfolded quickly—formalities processed, and Xu was moved from the interrogation room to the office.

Yuan Jing asked if he wanted coffee or tea; he chose the soy milk from the fridge. Xia Zhuyi followed behind Ji Lin as they entered. Seeing her, Xu recalled her claim of being an "autonomous awakener," and wondered if it was made up or if that status held some special significance...

Feigning casualness, he asked, "Besides autonomous awakeners, are there also acquired awakeners?"

"Of course, I’m one myself," Yuan Jing replied casually, diverting his gaze from the empty boss chair and waving a hand. "But remember, the technology to artificially create awakeners is only in official hands... I mean relatively safe and legitimate."

"Other brutal methods are controlled by some dirty factions. Those are hit or miss—maybe one survivor out of ten."

"Just remember, we strictly prohibit such technology from spreading among civilians. Ordinary people simply can’t master it. If you ever find someone like that, consider it a major achievement. The higher-ups take it very seriously, and catching a live one is even more significant."

...Xu didn’t dare ask any further.

Damn, if he kept going, he’d be back in the interrogation room!

He could clearly imagine being tied to the enhanced interrogation chair again, Yuan Jing wielding a cudgel in one hand and a carrot in the other, grinning wickedly as he cracked the cudgel against his face, demanding, "How did your demon blood form? Which criminals are behind you? Tell me the truth! There’s a carrot if you’re honest, but if you lie, you get the cudgel!"

Then he’d be stuffing a carrot in his mouth, whimpering about how a cat pinned him down and forcibly injected demon genes.

That’d be even more embarrassing!

What if, to eliminate risks, they burned him and his cat together on the pyre, making Winter City’s signature roast?

Soon after, a contract was slid in front of Xu Mingsong.

As a student, it was his first time seeing a real contract. He scrutinized it line by line, and after half an hour, he hadn’t finished even half. The novelty wore off, and he feigned diligence for a bit longer before casually signing it.

"Youngsters need to be more cautious. Signing without reading? That kind of carelessness will get you beaten by society sooner or later."

Xu rolled his eyes. "Isn’t this an official organization? It’s like a civil servant job. If they use a contract to ambush a seventeen-year-old high schooler, then I deserve it!"

He tapped the table confidently and straightened up. "Now, I pledge my loyalty to you."

"Haha!" Yuan Jing slapped his shoulder heartily, pleased. "From now on, we’re in this together."

"You sound like a bandit thug," Xu said, confused by the fiery enthusiasm.

"Brotherhood like that can’t compare to the unbreakable bond we’ll share as men. You’ll understand when we team up on missions—life and death comrades. You call me ‘brother,’ and I’ll call you ‘little bro.’"

So bandit thugs were a form of brotherhood to him?

Xu covered his face. "Can’t you call me ‘brother’ instead?"

"Oh? Little Brother?" Yuan Jing laughed wildly, flashing a dazzling smile that nearly blinded Xu.

He kept laughing, patted Xu’s shoulder again, then released him.

Straightening his collar, he looked at Xu seriously.

"I know this came out of nowhere, but none of us really have the right to refuse. As your senior, let me share a simple piece of personal experience."

Xu leaned in slightly.

"I can’t promise you much, but I can guarantee one thing."

He spoke softly:

"When we lose the dignity of being human, we will be granted a dignified death."

Xu suspected Yuan Jing was putting on airs, maybe even posturing. Yet looking into those steely blue-gray eyes, radiating calm and solemnity, he felt chills.

He instinctively looked away, and the mood brightened again. Yuan Jing waved his hand with force and declared:

"Enough gloomy talk. Now—welcome to the team."

Yuan Jing slid another document toward him. It was a personal file, mostly blank spaces for him to fill out. Xu glanced at the label on the side and saw two characters:

“Demon Walker.”