Chapter 658 -532: He Seemed to Have Never Thought of Returning Alive

Before he knew it, nearly half a month had passed since Xiao Mo arrived in Quicksand City.

During this time, aside from his daily meditation and cultivation in the courtyard, Xiao Mo spent his days familiarizing himself with the situation in and around Quicksand City.

When he learned that the former commander-in-chief of the front lines had been none other than the Sovereign of the Celestial Demon Country, he had a premonition that his future days in Celestial Demon City would not be easy.

However, he didn’t dwell on it too much.

Meanwhile, Xiang Niang, who shared the courtyard, was her usual self, swaying her hips and teasing him from time to time.

But Xiao Mo, as always, maintained a perfectly measured distance from her.

In contrast, the woman named Xin Xiao’er had an icy-cold demeanor.

She came and went alone each day, never greeting anyone or initiating a single conversation.

Xiao Mo figured everyone had their own personality and didn’t bother her.

Xiang Niang, however, would always see her and mutter under her breath, “What’s with the act?” her expression dripping with disdain.

Fifteen days later, Xiao Mo received his first mission since arriving in Quicksand City—the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance ordered him to act as a scout and gather intelligence on the Celestial Demon Alliance’s military.

When the affairs officer handed the mission to Xiao Mo, Xiang Niang’s brow furrowed. With one hand on her hip, she pointed at the officer’s nose and began to curse him out.

“Are you people bullies? My man has only been in Quicksand City for half a month! He barely knows his way around, and you’re sending him to be a scout? Isn’t that just sending him to his death?”

“These are orders from above. It has nothing to do with us.” The officer expressionlessly handed the Jade Token signifying a scout’s status to Xiao Mo, then turned to leave. “Be at the city gates at dawn tomorrow.”

“Hey! Stop right there! Are you deaf? Hey!” Xiang Niang shouted fiercely, chasing after them, demanding an explanation.

But Xiao Mo grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“Xiang Niang, let it go,” Xiao Mo said, shaking his head.

“How can I just let it go?”

Xiang Niang was trembling with anger, her voice rising an octave.

“Of all the Cultivators who go on scouting missions, not even one in ten makes it back alive! How can they send a Cultivator who just arrived in Quicksand City? This is blatant bullying! Their mothers must have been itching for it and messed around with some Dog Demon to give birth to bastards like them!”

“But Xiang Niang, what good would it do to confront them? It would just be a waste of effort.”

Xiao Mo gave a faint smile and turned back toward the courtyard, seemingly unconcerned for his own safety.

“Alright, it’s noon. Come inside and eat.”

“Young Master… Xiao Mo… You… you’re going to die…” Xiang Niang stomped her foot in frustration, hitched up her skirt, and ran resentfully into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, Xiang Niang continued to plead with Xiao Mo, trying her best to change his mind.

Xiao Mo listened attentively, but Xiang Niang felt her words were going in one ear and out the other; he seemed completely indifferent to his own safety.

After lunch, Xiang Niang told Xiao Mo she had to go out for a bit.

When she returned in the afternoon, a new Jade Token was hanging from her waist, engraved with the word “Scout.”

“Xiang Niang, that was unnecessary,” Xiao Mo said, a hint of resignation in his voice.

‘He knew she had voluntarily joined tomorrow’s scout team, most likely because of him.’

“That’s my business, not yours,” Xiang Niang huffed, then turned and went into her room.

Xiao Mo gazed at her closed door, sighed softly, and shook his head.

The next day, the sky had not yet lightened, the darkness of night still lingering.

Xiao Mo and Xiang Niang arrived at the base of Quicksand City’s walls.

At this time, eight other Cultivators were already waiting there.

Among the eight were six from the Human Race and two from the Demon Race.

Moreover, Xiao Mo’s group of ten was not the only one assigned to today’s reconnaissance mission.

They were just one of several teams.

Some teams even had nine members from the Human Race and only one from the Demon Race.

This showed that in the eyes of the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance, the status of the Human Race was only slightly better than cannon fodder.

However, because of the chaotic times, the Demon Alliance had gradually realized that Human Race Cultivators had some value worth winning over, which was why their treatment had improved.

But deep down, the members of the Demon Race still looked down on Human Race Cultivators.

“I’ll be leading the team this time,”

a Demon Race Cultivator named Zhou Huayu announced to the group, his tone calm and stern.

“Today’s mission is to ascertain the Celestial Demon Alliance’s troop deployments. This will be extremely dangerous, so everyone’s top priority must be self-preservation.”

Xiao Mo and the others nodded and set out together.

The morning breeze was cool. Just as a sliver of dawn-light appeared on the horizon, the ten figures silently vanished into the gloom outside Quicksand City.

Along the way, the other Cultivators on the team kept glancing at Xiang Niang, most of them itching to strike up a conversation with her.

Xiang Niang, with casual ease, managed to draw out their personalities and general backgrounds from their words.

Most of them had participated in several scouting missions before; only she and Xiao Mo were newcomers.

About an hour later, Xiao Mo’s group quietly reached the reconnaissance point.

Everyone concealed their auras and observed the Celestial Demon Alliance’s military camp from a distance. They worked without pause, recording and sketching the camp’s layout, estimating the number of Cultivators, and mapping the surrounding terrain and roads.

Just as Xiao Mo thought everything was going smoothly, one of the Cultivators on their team carelessly exposed their position.

And based on past experience, once one person was exposed, it wouldn’t be long before the others were quickly implicated as well!

“Go!”

Zhou Huayu shouted urgently to Xiao Mo and the others through a jade talisman.

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