Taoyuan Underground City

"Brothers! This is our first mission from the Master! Follow Mr. Xie and do well. Any problems?" Zhao Lie shouted.

"No problems!!" everyone roared in response.

Xie Xian smiled awkwardly: "No need to shout so loudly."

"Dragon Squad brothers, rest assured, this mission is very dangerous. If anyone is unwilling to go, you can tell me directly. No one will be forced!"

Zhao Lie leaned close to Xie Xian and whispered: "Mr. Xie, we haven't been called the Dragon Squad since the Master went to the capital. That's treasonous!"

Xie Xian was startled and turned his head to ask: "Then what are you called?"

"The Ghost-Slaying Team!" Zhao Lie said with complete seriousness.

"Huh? What does Ghost-Slaying Team mean?" Xie Xian was completely confused.

Zhao Lie looked at Xie Xian with disdain. It seemed this teacher who had once taught him to read and write hadn't studied properly himself. His level had seriously deteriorated!

"Don't you understand? It's self-explanatory. Those who offend the Master, we kill them until they become ghosts! If ghosts offend the Master, we kill them too!"

"........ Fine."

Xie Xian was momentarily speechless... It wasn't the first or second time the Master had come up with such bizarre names.

Call it whatever you want!

"Good! Since everyone is willing to go, then quickly wash up! Follow me to the armory for equipment!"

Half an hour later, more than twenty people headed to the armory in a grand procession.

Xie Xian was unfamiliar with the armory, but with Zhao Lie leading the way, it became much easier.

Outside the armory compound, ten soldiers stood guard.

Seeing familiar faces coming, they weren't particularly cautious. After a routine inspection, they let them through.

Upon entering the armory, Xie Xian saw some swords and knives arranged haphazardly, along with dusty constable uniforms.

Xie Xian couldn't help feeling disappointed: "This isn't right. Is this all the equipment we have? These won't be much use. I remember our equipment was better than this!"

Zhao Lie chuckled: "These are just for show. With outsiders constantly coming to the county now, if someone comes to spy, let them see this. The Master told us to keep a low profile."

"The armory we're entering isn't this one, but this one!"

With that, Zhao Lie pressed his arms against the wall beside him and pushed hard!

A hidden stone door began to slowly turn with a creak creak creak, revealing a deep passage.

Xie Xian looked at the stone door and pondered: "So we have an underground armory?"

Taking the opportunity, Zhao Lie expertly lit a torch and replied: "No, the original armory was just moved underground. It's more troublesome, but much safer."

Zhao Lie carried the torch into the stone door and descended the stairs, with Xie Xian following closely.

The visibility was poor, the space quite cramped, and everyone moved slowly, creating a strangely tense atmosphere.

Xie Xian took the initiative: "I haven't been to the underground city for a long time. I wonder if there have been any changes below?"

Zhao Lie smiled: "What changes could there be? It's pitch black. Who would want to be down here except the people from the Firearms Research Institute?"

"But this cement the Master created is truly impressive. After so many years, it's still so solid. Everyone thought it would collapse at first."

As he spoke, they had descended to the second underground level, and a corridor appeared before Xie Xian.

This corridor was both deep and long, but rather low.

Everyone had to stoop slightly to pass through, until they reached the actual armory entrance, where the space suddenly opened up.

After Zhao Lie knocked on the armory door, it was slowly pulled open.

A head poked out from inside, with white hair and beard, looking at Zhao Lie helplessly: "I thought the shift change had come. Why is it you? What's going on?"

"It's not winter yet, is it?! Why do you want to hunt now?"

Xie Xian silently handed over Fang Zheng's letter. The old man took it and read it carefully twice.

He spoke: "Come in then. Those with torches should stay outside first. Get your equipment and leave quickly."

People began passing their torches, and about ten men entered the armory to collect equipment.

Xie Xian stood inside and began to look around.

The room wasn't particularly large, about the same size as the armory above ground.

Dozens of oil lamps were lit on the walls, using mirror pieces to reflect light.

With the walls hung with an array of armor, blades, and various weapons reflecting light, the underground area wasn't too dark visually.

Zhao Lie and the others searched for equipment with practiced ease.

Soon they had packed several large boxes. Xie Xian went over to take a peek.

Daggers, hand crossbows, soft armor, various protective gear... and some bottles and jars of different colors.

After gathering everything, Zhao Lie dusted off his hands: "Alright, these should be enough. Sufficient for self-protection."

"But we still need to get some things from the Firearms Research Institute."

Xie Xian asked curiously: "I remember the Master stopped allowing gunpowder production a long time ago, right? And those things there are heavy and clumsy. What use are they?"

Zhao Lie smiled: "Gunpowder production did stop, but the research institute didn't. They have a lot of good stuff!"

"If the Master asked you to find us as guards, it means this mission is actually very dangerous."

"These equipments are enough for us, but not for you. Let's get you some weapons for self-defense!"

"What kind of things?" Xie Xian asked.

Zhao Lie shook his head: "Hard to explain. I've only seen them once, and they were prototypes. I don't know if they've been completed. Let's try our luck."