After leaving the Hunter Union, Mu Feng hailed a taxi and headed toward the Eastern District Meat Warehouse.
The drive took barely ten minutes.
Soon, a massive industrial complex came into view—rows of reinforced storage buildings, heavy steel doors, and the constant hum of refrigeration units filling the air.
Mu Feng paid the fare and stepped out.
He walked inside and approached the reception desk.
"Hello," he said calmly.
"I'm here to investigate the case of the missing food supplies. I'd like to meet the warehouse manager."
The receptionist glanced up.
"Of course, sir. May I please see your Hunter badge?"
Mu Feng took out his newly issued Hunter ID and placed it on the counter.
The receptionist examined it briefly, then nodded.
"Please follow me."
She led him through a series of corridors until they reached an office at the end of the hall. Stopping in front of the door, she knocked lightly.
A voice came from inside.
"Come in."
The receptionist opened the door and gestured for Mu Feng to enter.
They stepped inside the office.
Behind a wide desk sat a middle-aged man with a slightly weary expression. He looked up the moment they entered.
"Why are you here?" he asked instinctively, then frowned.
"And who is this young man?"
The receptionist answered promptly.
"Sir, this is Mr. Mu Feng. He has accepted the mission we posted and requested to meet you personally."
The man studied Mu Feng for a brief moment, then nodded.
"I see. That will be all. You may leave."
"Yes, sir."
The receptionist bowed lightly and exited the office, closing the door behind her.
Once they were alone, the man stood up slightly and gestured toward the chair opposite his desk.
"Mr. Feng, please sit," he said politely.
"My name is Shi Ming. I am the manager of this warehouse."
Mu Feng took the seat calmly.
"Mr. Ming," Mu Feng said, getting straight to the point,
"I'd like to understand the situation better. When did the food start disappearing?"
Shi Ming's expression turned serious.
"It began around six months ago," he replied.
"At first, the loss was very small—so small that no one paid much attention to it. We thought it was just accounting errors or minor spoilage."
He sighed and leaned back slightly.
"But as time passed, the amount of missing food steadily increased. By the time we realized something was truly wrong… it was already too late."
He looked at Mu Feng with a troubled expression.
"That's when we decided to report it to the Hunter Union."
The room fell silent, the weight of the problem settling in.
"Has anyone else investigated this before?" Mu Feng asked.
"Yes," Shi Ming replied. "The City Demon Hunting Team looked into it about a month ago."
Mu Feng raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"They found nothing," Shi Ming said, his tone heavy.
"They investigated for an entire week but didn't discover a single clue. There was no evidence that a demon was responsible."
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Nothing at all?"
"Yes, sir," Shi Ming confirmed.
"After that, no one was willing to take the mission. The warehouse staff grew even more uneasy, but we had no choice except to keep operating."
Mu Feng nodded slowly.
"How many warehouses do you have here?"
"Seven in total," Shi Ming answered.
"And which one is losing food?"
"The fifth warehouse," Shi Ming said without hesitation.
Mu Feng stood up.
"Take me there."
"Yes, sir," Shi Ming replied quickly.
"Please come with me."
Mu Feng followed the manager, and soon they arrived at the fifth warehouse, which stood close to the boundary wall of the district.
As Mu Feng stepped inside, a wave of cold air washed over him. The temperature inside was kept extremely low to preserve the meat. Rows of frozen carcasses and sealed containers filled the spacious warehouse, their surfaces coated in thin layers of frost.
Mu Feng glanced around before asking,
"Where does all this meat come from?"
"Sir," the manager replied respectfully, "some of it is obtained from demon beasts hunted by licensed hunters, and the rest comes from regular livestock."
"And where does it go after leaving here?" Mu Feng asked.
"It's distributed in several ways," the manager explained.
"Some goes to local shops for retail sale, some to factories for packaged meat, and occasionally, large batches are supplied to the military when they place orders."
Mu Feng nodded and began his inspection.
For the next half an hour, he carefully examined the warehouse—checking storage containers, floors, walls, and even the ceiling. He paid close attention to any traces of demonic aura, claw marks, bloodstains, or disturbed frost patterns.
But he found nothing.
Just as Mu Feng was about to leave, something caught his eye.
Near the edge of the wall, close to the ground, there was a small hole.
It wasn't large—barely big enough for a mouse to squeeze through—but its position was strange. It was located right at the base of the wall, partially hidden behind stacked crates.
Mu Feng stopped walking.
His gaze lingered on the hole, his instincts stirring.
"…Interesting."
He crouched down slightly, studying it more closely.
This warehouse had been thoroughly inspected by the City Demon Hunting Team—and yet this tiny detail had gone unnoticed.
A faint smile appeared on Mu Feng's lips.
It seemed the real investigation was only just beginning.
After finishing his inspection, Mu Feng left the warehouse and returned to the manor.
Inside his room, he sat down and replayed everything in his mind—the missing meat, the spotless warehouse, and that small hole in the wall.
"That hole…" Mu Feng murmured softly.
He frowned as he organized his thoughts.
"If it were the work of a demon, there would have been traces," he reasoned.
"Dragged bags, claw marks, disturbed frost, or at least some evidence."
But there was nothing.
"The place was too clean."
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed.
"If a demon had been responsible, the City Demon Hunting Team would definitely have found something during their week-long investigation."
That meant only two possibilities remained.
"Either it was a Shadow Element Mage," Mu Feng thought.
"Someone capable of slipping through a hole that small without leaving any physical traces…"
His expression darkened slightly.
"…or it was an insider."
An insider would explain everything—the lack of struggle, the precision, and why the mission was accepted only once by the City Demon Hunting Team before being quietly abandoned.
Mu Feng leaned back, exhaling slowly.
"If that's the case," he muttered,
"then this isn't just a missing food case."
"It's a test."
And whoever was behind it had been careful not to draw too much attention—yet not careful enough to erase every clue.
Mu Feng's lips curled faintly.
Tomorrow, he would dig deeper.
The next morning, after breakfast, Mu Feng left for Tianlan Magic High School together with Mu He and Mu Zhuoyun.
The school grounds were already packed.
Hundreds of students stood neatly arranged in rows, separated according to their classes. Nervous whispers filled the air, mixed with excitement and tension—this was the Year-End Assessment, a moment that could decide a student's future.
Soon, the principal stepped onto the stage, followed by Mu He. The two delivered brief but formal speeches, emphasizing discipline, honor, and the importance of strength.
With that, the assessment officially began.
One by one, students were called forward.
They placed their hands on the crystal as their cultivation levels were tested. Occasionally, a student asked to release magic on the spot—but such cases were rare. Out of fifty students, barely one or two were capable of doing so.
Most left the stage with disappointment etched on their faces.
Mu Feng watched quietly from a distance, his gaze calm and observant.
Then, a new name was called.
"Xu Zhaoting."
Mu Feng's eyes sharpened slightly.
The boy who stepped forward was tall and well-built, with sharp features and a confident bearing. There was no hesitation in his steps—only quiet assurance.
Xu Zhaoting placed his hand on the crystal.
The judges exchanged brief glances as the results appeared.
"Grade A."
"Grade A."
"Grade A+."
A soft murmur rippled through the crowd.
Xu Zhaoting did not look surprised. Instead, he lifted his head and spoke calmly:
"I would also like to take the magic release test."
Xu Zhaoting took a deep breath and raised his hand.
Moments later, faint arcs of electricity crackled around his palm as he released Novice Level 1 Lightning Magic.
The spell formation was clumsy, the lightning unstable, and the posture… awkward.
From the stands, Mu Feng watched silently.
'What is this guy even doing?
Showing off like this is just embarrassing… so cringe.'
Still, the crowd reacted with excitement. After all, being able to release magic at this stage was rare.
The principal turned toward Mu Feng with a smile.
"Mr. Feng, what do you think of Xu Zhaoting's performance?"
Mu Feng answered calmly, his expression neutral.
"It was decent," he said. "If he keeps this up, he should be able to get into a good university."
Hearing this, the principal's smile widened with pride.
Soon after, it was Mu Bai's turn.
Mu Feng's attention sharpened.
Mu Bai stepped forward confidently. His cultivation test results were announced one after another—
S.
S.
S.
Then came the magic release test.
Clean.
Stable.
Controlled.
Another S.
A ripple of surprise passed through the crowd.
Mu Feng nodded inwardly.
'Good. My investment wasn't wasted.'
Mu Bai had clearly worked hard—and it showed.
After several more students completed their assessments, another familiar name was called.
"Zhang Xiaohuo."
Zhang Xiaohuo's results weren't as dazzling as Mu Bai's, but they were solid and consistent. When the final evaluation was announced, he ranked comfortably within the top twenty.
Mu Feng's gaze lingered briefly on him.
'Not bad. Very not bad.'
The seeds he had chosen were beginning to sprout.
After the assessment ended, Mu Feng walked over to Mu Bai.
"Bai," Mu Feng said with a faint smile, "your performance today was excellent. I'm impressed—you didn't waste your effort."
Mu Bai scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.
"Thanks, Feng."
Mu Feng continued, "Can you introduce me to the people I mentioned earlier?"
Mu Bai nodded. "Of course. Come with me."
The two of them walked toward Xu Zhaoting, who was still surrounded by a few students.
Seeing Mu Bai approach, Xu Zhaoting raised an eyebrow.
"Mu Bai?" he said. "What's up?"
Mu Bai gestured beside him. "This is my friend, Mu Feng. He's from the main clan."
Xu Zhaoting's eyes flickered with interest for a brief moment.
Mu Bai continued, "He was impressed by your performance today and wanted to talk to you—about possibly joining him."
Xu Zhaoting paused.
Then he shook his head lightly, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"No need," he said calmly. "I prefer my freedom."
Though his tone sounded polite, the arrogance in his eyes was impossible to miss.
"Please don't take offense," Xu Zhaoting added, as if granting a favor.
Mu Feng didn't react negatively.
Instead, he smiled faintly, his demeanor relaxed.
"No offense taken," Mu Feng said. "I just like getting to know talented people."
He extended his hand slightly in greeting.
"Even if we don't become partners, it's still nice to meet you."
Xu Zhaoting hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Likewise."
Mu Feng withdrew his hand and turned away without another word—already done with the interaction.
Talent without humility…
Let's see how far that takes you.
Mu Bai glanced at Mu Feng, then nodded subtly.
"Next?" he asked.
Mu Feng smiled.
"Next."
As they walked away from Xu Zhaoting, Mu Bai spoke quietly.
"I don't understand why he refused you," Mu Bai said. "He's usually very sharp about opportunities like this."
Mu Feng shook his head lightly.
"Don't worry about it," he replied calmly.
"He's being praised everywhere today. The compliments have gone to his head."
Mu Feng's gaze remained steady.
"He thinks he can achieve everything on his own. That's his choice—his path. There's no need to force it."
They soon arrived in front of Zhang Xiaohuo.
Seeing them, Zhang Xiaohuo smiled.
"Mu Bai, how are you?" he asked. Then he glanced at Mu Feng.
"And who's this?"
Mu Bai introduced him, "This is Mu Feng. He's from the main Mu Clan."
Zhang Xiaohuo's expression turned cautious.
"What does he want with me?" he asked directly.
Mu Feng stepped forward.
"I'm here to give you an offer."
Zhang Xiaohuo raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of offer?"
"Join me," Mu Feng said plainly.
"…Huh?"
Mu Feng didn't elaborate immediately. His gaze was calm, confident.
"I was impressed by your performance today," he continued.
"If you join me, I'll provide you with the resources needed to reach higher tiers."
Zhang Xiaohuo fell silent.
After a moment, he spoke carefully.
"Can you give me a few days to think about it?"
Mu Feng nodded.
"Of course."
Then he added,
"I'll be leaving in three days. Give me your answer before that."
He glanced at Mu Bai.
"If you decide, tell Mu Bai. He'll bring you to me."
Zhang Xiaohuo looked at Mu Feng again, this time with a different expression—no longer just confusion, but thoughtfulness.
"I understand," he said.
Mu Feng nodded once, satisfied.
The seed had been planted.