Seizing Destiny From Heavens Hands-Chapter 393: Am I Not Just a Conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard? Yet I Can’t Even Protect My Subordinates

Chapter 393: Am I Not Just a Conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard? Yet I Can’t Even Protect My Subordinates

The furnishings inside the tent were very simple.

On both sides were two rows of weapon racks.

Swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks—every type of the eighteen weapons was present.

Directly ahead was a large desk, behind which sat a middle-aged man poring over documents.

Behind the middle-aged man’s seat hung a massive map.

The map depicted the Demon-Suppressing Sea.

Hearing footsteps, the middle-aged man spoke without looking up, “The new conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard—what’s your name?”

“Shen Mo.”

“Where are you from?”

“Jing Kingdom, Yu Province, Jade Cauldron Sect.”

“Oh, Jade Cauldron Sect? Never heard of it. Must be a sect that popped up later. What’s your cultivation realm?”

“Venerable Realm.”

Only then did the middle-aged man stop flipping through documents, raising his gaze to carefully study Shen Mo for a moment.

“You cultivate a blood qi technique?”

“Yes.”

“Not bad. Finally, someone who isn’t a useless fool cultivating spiritual power techniques.”

The middle-aged man said calmly, “My name is Zhong Baisheng, the forward army commander of this Xuanwu Fortress.”

“It’s been hundreds of years since the Will of the Heavenly Dao last conscripted anyone. You’re the first.”

“Are the cultivators of Jing Kingdom so pathetic these days? It’s been ages, and no one’s broken through to the Divine Palace Realm, only reaching the Venerable Realm?”

Shen Mo didn’t respond.

If Ji Ping had lived a bit longer, he might have had a chance to step into the Divine Palace Realm, but alas.

Looking further back, there were plenty of cultivators who’d had the potential.

But nearly all of them had died in the internal strife of the sects or been assassinated by the demon race.

Zhong Baisheng tossed over a document. “Fill it out. Saves me the trouble of asking you one by one.”

Shen Mo took the document and glanced at it. It listed a series of questions.

At first, it was just basic things like name and age.

Later, it asked about his physique, the techniques, and martial skills he practiced.

Shen Mo frowned as he read.

These were all critical secrets that shouldn’t be revealed.

“If you don’t want to disclose them, just give a rough outline. Everyone’s got their secrets,” Zhong Baisheng said casually.

“Thank you, Commander Zhong.” Shen Mo nodded.

A moment later, he finished filling out the document and handed it back to Zhong Baisheng.

Zhong Baisheng skimmed it briefly, finding nothing particularly noteworthy.

“We’re short on people everywhere right now. I can’t decide your assignment on my own.”

“In a bit, I’ll gather the centurions to discuss and decide who you’ll end up serving under.”

Zhong Baisheng said indifferently.

Shen Mo nodded, showing he understood.

Zhong Baisheng tossed over a wooden token.

“Take this to the logistics department to claim your bracelet, armor, and weapon. You only get one set—if it breaks, you’ll need to exchange military merits for a new one.”

With that, he waved his hand, clearly signaling Shen Mo to leave on his own.

Shen Mo nodded, gave a slight bow, and turned to depart.

Zhong Baisheng watched his retreating figure, glancing over the details he’d filled out, and shook his head slightly.

“No conscripts for centuries—I thought they were saving up for someone impressive, but this guy doesn’t seem all that strong.”

“Hm… I’ll wait and see how he performs. Maybe he’s hiding some tricks.”

After a long pause, Zhong Baisheng let out a soft sigh.

“Alas… the Demon-Suppressing Guards are dwindling, while the demon race grows stronger. Can we really keep them suppressed?”

Such negative thoughts lingered only for a moment before he brushed them aside.

With so many duties piling up, there was no time for self-pity.

Shen Mo stepped out of the tent.

Shi Dingyue was still waiting outside.

“Hey, you’re out?”

He chuckled. “Commander Zhong didn’t immediately assign you to anyone, did he?”

Shen Mo nodded.

Shi Dingyue smiled lightly. “Every unit’s short-staffed right now. Just wait—by tomorrow at the latest, you’ll have a posting for sure.”

“Come on, let’s head to my place to rest first. I’ve got a bunch of questions for you.”

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

The two walked for a while and arrived at the southeast side of the barracks.

There, four soldiers were idly playing cards, chatting sporadically.

The moment they saw Shi Dingyue appear, they shot to their feet, hurriedly stuffing the cards away, their faces breaking into sheepish grins.

“Captain! You’re back!”

“Yeah, boss, weren’t you on leave?”

“We’ve all been thinking about you, didn’t expect you to show up, haha…”

Shi Dingyue gave a half-smile, half-smirk. “Don’t try to butter me up. Hand it over.”

“I told you before I left—no slacking off today. Keep training!”

The four of them instantly wilted like frostbitten eggplants, reluctantly surrendering their crude homemade cards.

“Let me introduce you. This kid’s a new Demon-Suppressing Guard conscripted by the Will of the Heavenly Dao. Name’s Shen Mo.”

Shi Dingyue said casually.

The four soldiers perked up the moment they heard Shen Mo was a conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard, staring at him with wide-eyed curiosity.

“Badass! First time I’ve ever seen a conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard!”

“Pfft, isn’t our boss one too? Look at that brain of yours!”

“Oh crap, I forgot…”

“Young man, you look so young! How old are you?”

“Hey there, I’m Li Heitan. ‘Hei’ as in black, ‘tan’ as in charcoal.”

“I’m Li He! These two are Sun Kong and Zhao Xin!”

Shen Mo couldn’t help but chuckle.

Facing their curious gazes, he struck up a casual conversation.

After some back-and-forth, Shen Mo learned that Demon-Suppressing Guards conscripted by the Will of the Heavenly Dao were actually a rarity in the Demon-Suppressing Sea.

Most Demon-Suppressing Guards were instead selected from the cities outside the Demon-Suppressing Fortress.

As for the people in those cities, some had been chosen by the Will of the Heavenly Dao from various places long ago.

Others were descendants of Demon-Suppressing Guards.

Shen Mo suddenly understood.

No wonder people kept disappearing from all over the continent.

It seemed a good chunk of them hadn’t really vanished.

They’d been snatched away by the Will of the Heavenly Dao!

And since the Will of the Heavenly Dao erased memories each time, hardly anyone remembered that those missing people had actually been taken by it!

Just then, a voice rang out from the neighboring tent.

“Shi Dingyue, I heard you dragged a conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard off the street. What’s he look like? Let us take a peek!”

Shen Mo turned his gaze and immediately spotted a bald, burly man leaning against a nearby railing, smirking faintly.

The man had only one right arm, his left sleeve hanging empty.

Even more striking was his face.

The skin on the entire left side was wrinkled and scarred, as if it had slowly regrown after a severe burn.

It was unsettling.

The moment he spoke, the four soldiers on Shi Dingyue’s side fell silent, glaring at him with hostility.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Isn’t Shi Dingyue himself a conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard? And he couldn’t even protect his own men.”

“Now it looks like you’ve got another conscripted Demon-Suppressing Guard. Seems like more of you might die protecting him in the future.”

The bald man let out a creepy, guttural laugh.

The laugh tugged at his grotesque left cheek, making it even more unnerving.

Shi Dingyue said coolly, “Sha Rilang, our squad’s business doesn’t need your input.”

Sha Rilang roared with laughter. “Fine. In a few days, it’s the routine lesser demon siege. Your Demon-Suppressing Guards are all greenhorns—let’s see how many of them survive.”

With that, he spun around and strode back into his tent.

Shen Mo’s expression turned puzzled. “You and that Sha Rilang…”

Shi Dingyue let out a long sigh. “I… I need a moment to myself.”

With that, he walked into his tent.

Shen Mo grew even more confused. “Can you four tell me what’s going on?”

====================================================================================

Get access to 20 chapters in advance and enjoy 2 daily updates by supporting the series. Available on Patreon: /Alex_Cruise or Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/anish_44