"Since those things are sensitive to light, it means they aren't accustomed to daylight, especially not on bright, sunny days," Su Min analyzed. Her voice remained calm and logical as she mentally deconstructed the enemy's capabilities. "What is more important is that their mutations seem to only affect their bodies. Though their physical strength has increased, they still rely primarily on vision to gather information, just like humans. That's a critical weakness."
"How do you know all this?" the branch president asked. He leaned across the table, unable to hide his curiosity.
Since these transformed villagers had become mere tools for the sea demon, Su Min would not hold back in dealing with them. As for whether the clam demon itself would try to escape, she was not worried. Firstly, these half-fish creatures weren't fast on land. Secondly, a creature that powerful would likely have developed a special kind of pride. They were once humans, the ones who considered shellfish mere seafood. Now, the tables had turned, and they had become the blood food for these very creatures. That stark contrast in status would undoubtedly make the demon obsessed with its own power. It would puff up its self-confidence, making it less likely to flee from a direct challenge.
"Because just a moment ago, I was scouting the coast, planning to find some local fishermen to help me lure the clam demon out," she explained. Her fingers traced the grain of the wood on the chair's arm. "But I happened to witness a group of villagers transforming into those mermen right on the beach."
"Which village?" the branch president demanded. His face darkened instantly.
He slammed his hand down on the wooden table with such force that the porcelain tea cups rattled and a web of cracks appeared on its surface. The reaction confirmed he was also in the Body Refining stage, and his anger showed just how repulsive and alarming this situation was to him.
Indeed, these creatures were far less of a threat in the daytime. Not only were they afraid of dim light, but they were deathly terrified of direct sunlight. The sun's rays would cause the moisture on their slimy bodies to evaporate rapidly. With a little carelessness, they could literally dry out and die, turning into nothing more than salted fish jerky. If an attack were staged during the day, there would be no need for someone at the Body Refining stage to intervene. Ordinary soldiers, or even brave commoners, could easily kill them.
"Here."
Su Min took out her map and pointed to a specific, jagged cove along the coastline.
"I will have the governor come here immediately to discuss this," the president said. His expression remained grim as he studied the location. "His Majesty's grip on regional military authority has been loosening lately out of necessity. The governor can now mobilize large troops without waiting for the capital's approval."
The fact that he was willing to call the governor in overnight to meet with Su Min showed how seriously he was taking the threat.
"At this hour?" she asked, a little surprised.
"Yes. Just a couple of days ago, those creatures actually raided the county city's outskirts. It frightened everyone here half to death. As for the governor, he is no stranger to danger. If the situation weren't so bad, he might have already died in one of the ghost markets springing up along the roads. It's likely his entire staff is already on edge, ready to flee. But with you here, Miss Su, tonight will be far safer for his journey."
"Go ahead and summon him then. That thing has already consumed quite a few people. If it keeps feeding and growing stronger, I suspect it will soon become impossible for anyone to handle."
Su Min squinted her eyes as she considered the implications. After a monster advances, it gains significant enhancements, especially to its natural defenses. This clam demon, in particular, might have already developed an incredibly tough shell. Furthermore, with its home turf being the sea, her Nanming Lihuo would be largely ineffective underwater. She couldn't possibly evaporate the entire ocean. In that case, the only truly viable option she had left was to use the Demon Slaying Thunder from her gourd.
The conclusion was clear; the demon couldn't be allowed to continue growing. The Demon Slaying Thunder was powerful, but its effect was still bound by her own cultivation level. As for her personal safety from the lesser creatures, Su Min didn't even have the interest to look at them. She just wanted to deal with the core threat, the clam demon, as quickly as possible.
Before long, the clattering of horse hooves and the rumble of carriage wheels echoed from the street. A middle-aged man, flanked by several armored guards and accompanied by his entire family, rushed into the guild's compound. It seemed this man had taken the urgent summons very seriously, bringing his loved ones with him for their protection.
"I'm the local governor. Greetings, Danxian." He bowed respectfully, his voice low and urgent.
"Ah, Danxian?"
Su Min was a little surprised but still looked him over carefully. Clearly, they didn't know her true name or history. But that was normal. Only the branch president and Prince Yong himself were privy to that information. The others simply knew her as a supremely skilled alchemist.
"You have brought your whole family? It's likely you are taking this situation very seriously," she noted. She watched the governor's frantic movements.
Looking at the governor's stressed demeanor, Su Min couldn't help but let out a soft, humorless laugh.
"Hmph, the imperial court is useless!" the governor spat out. His frustration boiled over, and he paced the small study. "They have caused chaos throughout the world and left these demons unchecked to prey upon the people!"
Clearly, the man was full of resentment and didn't bother hiding it in front of these allies. Especially after learning that Su Min had single-handedly taken down several of the Demon Slayer Division's top experts, he grew even bolder in his words.
"No more useless talk," Su Min interjected. She steered the conversation back on track. "Do you see this village on the map? When I arrived there today, I happened to witness them performing a special sacrificial ritual to the sea. After the ritual, those strange pearls washed ashore. The villagers ate them, and their bodies quickly began transforming into those half-fish demons."
"I see. It's worse than I feared. What kind of help do you need from us, Danxian?"
"Where did this 'Danxian' title even come from?" Su Min asked, finally addressing the epithet she found somewhat ridiculous.
"You don't know? Your reputation for crafting miraculous pills has spread far. The people have given you the name," the governor explained.
"Forget it, I can't be bothered to argue about a title," she said with a dismissive wave. "Here's the plan. You can deploy your troops at first light tomorrow, and I will secretly follow along. But it's not ideal for me to intervene openly, you understand. I have had a few… minor conflicts with the court."
"Minor conflicts?" The governor's mouth twitched involuntarily.
She was so fierce she had killed three top Demon Slayer Division experts, and the court hadn't even issued a warrant for her arrest. It was clear the central authorities had decided to let it slide, knowing they couldn't touch her. When the Demon Slayer Division lost their men, they had sent him a terse message telling him to "deal with the maritime situation as he saw fit." They wouldn't go up against her and had left the region without even looking back.
The Division was useful for bullying commoners and maintaining a facade of order, but when it came to actually catching powerful rebels or slaying real monsters, they were all show and no substance. The entire country had grown disgusted with them. And with the Master Zhao incident revealing that the Demon Queen couldn't stray far from the emperor, the possibility of assassinating her was off the table, which ironically opened up new possibilities for resistance.
That meant directly confronting the Demon Slayer Division was now a real option. Over the years, they had greatly reduced their forces, concentrating them only in key cities. In remote, troubled places like this, where no one in the capital cared, there was not a single Division member to be found.
"Enough chatter," Su Min said, ending the tangent. "I can help you eliminate those demons. Perhaps you could handle the mermen on your own with enough men, but to completely eradicate the source, to kill the clam demon itself, we will need the fishermen's help and their boats."
This was the core reason she had sought them out. The local government surely had some larger ships. They just needed to use them to hold the creatures off and distract the demon long enough for her to position herself and strike with the Demon Slaying Thunder. If she could break through its spiritual defenses, she would have many more ways to finish it off.
"No problem. We have a few patrol junks. And I will entrust the command of tonight's defense to you. To avoid alerting the enemy, please don't take any action openly unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood."
Su Min didn't refuse the responsibility and went to a prepared guest room to rest and meditate temporarily. That night, they were fortunate. Perhaps because a new batch of mermen had just been created, the sea demons didn't launch another attack. The night passed without incident.
The next morning, as soon as the sky began to brighten, everyone in the compound was awakened by the sound of the entire city garrison gathering. This time, it wasn't just the regular soldiers; even the young and strong men from the militia had been called up. The governor himself, wearing a suit of heavy iron armor, stood at the front, ready to lead the charge.