The Half-Merman

"Since those things are sensitive to light, it means they aren't accustomed to daylight, especially not on bright, sunny days. What's more important is that their mutations only affect their bodies. Though their strength has increased, they still rely on vision to gather information."

"How do you know all this?"

Upon hearing Su Min's words, the branch president couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. Since these creatures had become mere tools for that thing, she wouldn't hold back in dealing with them. As for whether the clam demon would try to escape, Su Min wasn't worried. 

Firstly, these creatures weren't fast. Secondly, they would have a special kind of pride. They were once humans, considered seafood, and now they had become the blood food of these creatures. The stark contrast in status would undoubtedly make them obsessed and puff up their self-confidence.

"Because just a moment ago, I was planning to find some fishermen to help, to lure the clam demon out and kill it. But I happened to see them transforming into mermen there."

"Which village!!!"

the branch president's face darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table. The force was so great that cracks appeared along the surface of the wooden table. Clearly, the person before him was also in the Body Refining stage. Seeing him so concerned, it was clear how repulsive this situation was.

Indeed, these creatures were less of a threat in the daytime. Not only were they afraid of light, but they also feared sunlight. The sun would cause the moisture on their bodies to evaporate rapidly, and with a little carelessness, they could turn into nothing more than salted fish. 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 ordinary people—could kill them.

"Here."

Su Min took out her map and pointed to a certain location.

"Good, I'll have the governor come here to discuss this. His Majesty has been loosening his grip on military authority lately. He can now mobilize large troops."

Looking at the map, the branch president's face turned grim. To have the governor called in overnight to discuss with Su Min—this was serious.

"At this hour?"

"Yes, just a couple of days ago, those creatures raided the county city, frightening everyone here. As for the governor, he's no stranger to danger. If the situation weren't so bad, he might've died in the ghost market. It's likely that everyone's already fled. But with Mr. Su here, tonight is safer."

"Go ahead, that thing has consumed quite a few people already. If it keeps feeding, I suspect it'll become impossible to handle."

Su Min squinted her eyes. After a monster advances, it gains certain enhancements in its body. Especially this clam demon, which might have developed a tough shell. Furthermore, being in the sea, her Southern Bright Fire wouldn't be effective. She couldn't possibly evaporate the entire ocean. In that case, the only option left was to use the Demon-Slaying Thunder.

It was clear: the demon couldn't be allowed to continue growing. The Demon-Slaying Thunder was strong, but it was still bound by her cultivation level. As for safety, those creatures… Su Min didn't even have the interest to look at them. She just wanted to deal with the clam demon as quickly as possible. Before long, a clattering of wheels could be heard, and a middle-aged man, along with his entire family, rushed in. It seemed that this man had taken the advice seriously, bringing his whole family along.

"I am the local governor. Greetings, Danxian." (Fairy Dan or Dan Fairy—"Danxian" (丹仙) literally means "Pill Immortal" or "Alchemical Fairy." It's a title used to honor someone highly skilled in alchemy, especially the crafting of pills, medicines, and elixirs.).

"Ah, Danxian?"

Su Min was a little surprised but still looked at him. Clearly, they didn't know her true identity. But that was normal. Only the sub-leader and King Yong knew her background. The others simply knew she was a alchemist.

"You've brought your whole family? It seems like you're taking this seriously."

Looking at the governor's reaction, Su Min couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmph, the imperial court is useless. They've caused chaos in the world and left the demons unchecked."

Clearly, the governor was full of resentment and didn't bother hiding it in front of these people. Especially after learning that Su Min had taken down several of the Demon-Slaying Division's top experts, he grew bolder in his words.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

"No more useless talk. Do you see this village? When I arrived today, I happened to witness them performing a special sacrificial ritual. After the ritual, strange pearls appeared in the sea. Those people ate them, and their bodies quickly began transforming into demons."

"I see. What kind of help do you need, Danxian?"

"Where did this title come from?"

Su Min was at a loss for words. This ridiculous title—where had it come from?

"You don't know?"

"Forget it, I can't be bothered to argue about it. You can deploy troops tomorrow, and I'll secretly follow along. But it's not ideal for me to intervene openly, you know, I've had a few… minor conflicts with the court."

"Minor conflicts?"

The governor's mouth twitched.

She was so fierce—taking down three top Demon-Slaying Division experts without being hunted down. Clearly, the court had decided to let it slide. When the Demon-Slaying Division lost a few members, they sent him a message telling him to deal with it as he saw fit. It was clear that they couldn't go up against her, and they left without even looking back.

The Division was useful for maintaining order, but when it came to catching people, they were all show and no substance. So the entire country had grown disgusted with them, and with the Master Zhao incident, everyone knew that the Demon Queen couldn't stray too far from the emperor. With assassination off the table, it opened up new possibilities.

That meant confronting the Demon-Slaying Division. Over the years, they had greatly reduced their forces, concentrating only in key cities. In places like this—where no one cared about them—there wasn't a single presence.

"Enough chatter. I can help you eliminate those demons. Maybe you could handle it on your own, but to completely eradicate them, we'll need the help of the fishermen."

This was why Su Min had sought them out. The government surely had some big ships. They just needed to hold the creatures off long enough for her to strike with the Demon-Slaying Thunder and break through the demon's defenses. Once that happened, she would have many ways to deal with it.

"No problem. Oh, and I'll entrust tonight's operation to you. To avoid alerting the enemy, please don't take any action openly."

"Understood."

Su Min didn't refuse and went to a guest room to rest temporarily. That night, they were fortunate. Perhaps because a new batch of half-mermen had just been birthed, they didn't attack. The night passed without incident.

The next morning, as soon as the sky brightened, everyone heard the sound of the entire army gathering. This time, it wasn't just the regular soldiers; even the young and strong had been called up, with the governor himself leading the charge at the front.