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Chapter 375: Don't You Have a Conscience? [10,000 words, seeking monthly votes.] (Part 1)
Chapter 375: Don't You Have a Conscience? [10,000 words, seeking monthly votes.] (Part 1)
The night was quiet, and all was peaceful on White Cloud Island.
As Fang Che walked along the road, he asked, "Have all the deceased from Tang Zheng's residence and the surrounding area been accounted for and taken care of?"
"Yes, there were over nine hundred people in total. The City Guard Office has taken responsibility for their burial."
"Burn them."
"Yes, sir."
Fang Che thought for a moment and said, "These past few days should be relatively calm, so everyone can relax a bit. However, we must intensify our regular patrols."
"For those families who lost their loved ones unexpectedly, we must assist in the accounting, check if there are any surviving relatives, and ensure the proper handover of their belongings and property. We can't afford any mistakes."
When it came to this matter, Yun Jian Qiu added, "I remember something. Due to the high number of deaths these days, some families have been completely wiped out, and their homes have been ransacked by looters. There have been cases of commoners stealing their belongings. What should we do about this?"
Fang Che gave a cold smile and said, "Everyone, remember this order: First, investigate how much they looted, and demand double the amount in return! If they refuse to return it, throw them into prison. If they not only refuse to return it but also resist, show no mercy and execute them!"
"Second, if you encounter them in person, order them to stop. If anyone dares to move after the order is given, show no mercy and execute them!"
"Third, for the ringleaders and those who initiate the looting, they are corrupting the public morals, and this trend must not be allowed to grow. Show no mercy and execute them to set an example!"
"Fourth, if any officials are found to be corrupt, show no mercy and execute them!"
With four orders of execution, the entire night seemed to grow colder.
Everyone felt a chill down their spines. "Director Fang, isn't this a bit excessive?"
"In times of chaos, we must use harsh measures!"
Fang Che coldly replied, "In the future, such incidents will continue to occur. If ordinary people can loot the property of deceased families, and this trend spreads across the continent, it will be the end of us."
"To us, these incidents may seem trivial, but we must not forget that the people are the foundation of the continent! The death of others is not an excuse for you to seize their property!"
"If a family dies, and their property can be divided among strangers... If such news spreads, you can imagine what the continent will become. Therefore, we must use the most severe measures and the cruelest killings to nip these incidents in the bud!"
The next morning, after Fang Che issued his ruthless order, Dong Fang Sansan's strict decree was also announced to the world.
"Regarding the looters..."
The priests in the Guardian Palace all twitched their mouths.
Because the Ninth Master's decree was even more resolute than Fang Che's four rules.
And there were not just four rules.
There were a total of nine execution orders!
The killing intent was palpable, demonstrating Dong Fang Sansan's seriousness about this matter.
The City Guard, the Guardian Palace, and the Guard Corps all took collective action.
...
It was almost midnight when Fang Che returned to the Scholar's Residence and discovered the message from the Yin Shengong.
"Master, I've been so busy with the work at the Guardian Palace that I didn't even have time to catch my breath all day."
Yin Shengong had waited for half the afternoon and evening, and was not only anxious but also a bit annoyed.
Impatiently, she asked, "What's keeping you so busy? Why has it been so long without any news?"
Fang Che began to explain, "Master, you don't know how bizarre this situation is. It's so bizarre that I'm at a loss for words. I never imagined that something like this could happen right before my eyes, it's unbelievable."
Yin Shengong's curiosity was piqued. "What happened?"
"The issue lies with that Nightmare Demon, Master. He is indeed cunning, as he infiltrated White Cloud Island using an avatar, protected by two Nightmare Guards. He claimed to be an old man who had taken two concubines."
Fang Che shook his head in disbelief. "The problem is, the disguise was a bit over-the-top, don't you think? The avatar was an old man who was paralyzed, and these two concubines were so ugly that they looked like split melons. Their faces were covered in age spots, and they had only a few teeth left in their mouths. Their hair was mostly white and almost bald..."
"Let's not even talk about the absurdity of a paralyzed man taking concubines. Who would want such ugly concubines? As the saying goes, when choosing a wife, look for virtue, and when choosing a concubine, look for beauty. How could these two, who were so ugly that they could barely see out of their eyes, be considered concubines?"
Yin Shengong couldn't help but agree and hit her forehead.
Night Demon's reasoning made sense. Disguising themselves like that for infiltration was like dressing up as a clown.
"Were they exposed?" she asked.
"Not yet," Fang Che replied. "Master, listen to me. I have a follower in the Guardian Palace who follows me around, and his name is Tang Zheng. Tang Zheng has a close friend named Xiao Mei, and they are always together. The avatar of our Night Demon chose to stay next door to Xiao Mei. This was a good thing because Xiao Mei could provide some cover."
"Then, what did this Night Demon do? At noon, he released Nightmare Soul to absorb the Dream Spirit of Xiao Mei, as well as over a thousand others within the vicinity, leaving only the three weakest old men unharmed."
At this point, Yin Shengong understood and couldn't help but sigh.
What was he thinking...
"The most absurd thing happened next. Tang Zheng went to Xiao Mei's place to sleep, but when he entered, he saw that she was dead. He started investigating and found that the neighbors were also dead, except for the three weakest old men.
"So, he began to check on them, using it as an excuse to move around. He walked for a long distance, and only then did the two concubines react and start chasing after him."
"The chase ended with a single palm strike from a distance. He probably thought that with his high cultivation level, striking a First Rank General with such a palm strike would surely kill him. But he didn't even check and just left."
"However, Tang Zheng miraculously survived with a faint breath of life left in him.
In the midst of it all, his brother-in-law, Yuan Jingjiang, who also happens to be my direct superior, was nearby. We were both caught off guard by the situation. Tang Zheng, with his last breath, finished conveying the intelligence before passing away."
Fang Che, in a state of exasperation, exclaimed, "Master, how could such a blunder happen, and not just once, but a whole string of them! I don't know what to say, is this how the elders conduct themselves? Isn't this just setting us up for failure?"
"And it's not like I witnessed this alone, there was a crowd around. It's just..."
Yin Shen Gong paused, at a loss for words.
"To be honest, I could never pull off such a stunt," he admitted.
"Within the Guardian Continent, we've always operated with caution, fearing exposure and elimination. How could we possibly afford to make so many mistakes?"
"So, we began our investigation, and I took the lead. I thought that with such a grand inquiry, they would leave, but they didn't. Instead, they remained in hiding! In hiding!"
Fang Che, speechless, explained, "And this is when Ning Xuejian arrived... Just as we were investigating at Meng Mo's residence, Ning Xuejian showed up. But neither we nor the two Nightmare Guards knew... Then, the Nightmare Guards attacked us. Consequently, Ning Xuejian descended from above and sliced through the two Nightmare Guards!"
"Meng Mo's avatar was also slashed."
"The most baffling part is that Ning Xuejian flew here from the Guardian Headquarters without even landing. After slaying the Nightmare Guards, this was the first time he landed! Master, what do you call this? I'm completely dumbfounded!"
Even Yin Shen Gong was left wide-eyed.
Just reading this, not only was Ye Mo's mind blown, but even Yin Shen Gong himself was stunned.
How could someone be so careless, making countless mistakes, acting so impulsively, and being so hasty? The most critical part was the sheer coincidence of it all!
Ning Xuejian hadn't even landed, and yet he flew over and struck down two Nightmare Guards and an avatar! It all felt like a surreal fantasy.
"Then, with Ning Xuejian present, we began cleaning up the scene, collecting over a thousand corpses, and carrying our fallen comrades' bodies back to the Guardian Palace. From there, we proceeded to the cemetery for the funeral..."
"I'm physically and mentally exhausted!"
Fang Che said, "I felt the communication jade had a message early on, but being in the midst of the crowd, and with Tang Zheng's death and funeral arrangements, as his direct superior and confidant, I couldn't even push through the crowd."
"That's why I'm only informing you now, Master, please forgive me."
Fang Che's intention wasn't to seek forgiveness from Yin Shen Gong.
Instead, he wanted to inform Yin Shen Gong of the situation, indicating: Although you mentioned the connection to the Divine Deity Sect, this time, it's not my doing.
Clearing his name completely.
Even if Yin Shen Gong had no suspicions, he needed to dispel them!
Moreover, the destruction of Meng Mo's avatar was a significant event. If the Sect Leader were to investigate, Yin Shen Gong's account, as described by Fang Che, would largely align with the facts.
Aside from their differing perspectives, there was only a slight exaggeration, but every detail was genuine.
Conducting an investigation based on this account would lead to the same conclusion, even if Yuan Jingjiang and the others were questioned. It would mirror Fang Che's words!
This was the allure of Fang Che's language.
Indeed, Yin Shen Gong was left speechless, and he fully understood his disciple's delay in responding: "I see, then I can't blame you. After all, you were in a difficult position."
He paused, then spoke: "There's something you should know."
"Please, Master, tell me."
"It's about Meng Mo again."
Yin Shen Gong explained, "Meng Mo is currently in the White Cloud Continent, along with the Divine Deity Sect's Leader and their high-ranking members. There are also several Nightmare Guards. Since Ning Xuejian has already arrived in the White Cloud Continent, and Meng Mo's avatar has been destroyed, making movement difficult. They are effectively trapped in the city."
Fang Che, perplexed, asked, "Master, do you want me to find a way to get them out?"
Thinking to himself that if this was the case, wouldn't it be easy to eliminate them? He began to ponder a plan.
"Not exactly."
Yin Shen Gong clarified, "The Deputy Sect Leader's intention is that if they truly can't escape the city, you should offer them refuge in your Heavenly Escort Bureau."
"Please, no! Master, I beg you!"
Fang Che couldn't believe that they preferred to walk into a trap rather than having him send them out.
But he firmly refused, saying, "I'm afraid, with their method of hiding, our hard-earned branch will be destroyed by them. It's too reckless, they're all too reckless! I'm shocked, Master, truly shocked. I never imagined an elder would operate in such a manner..."
Yin Shen Gong's face contorted.
Because if this branch were lost, he would face the wrath of the Deputy Sect Leader.
Pondering this, Yin Shen Gong felt a mix of melancholy and anger: How did this situation end up on my shoulders?
The Divine Deity Sect was flattering Meng Mo.
Meng Mo emerged to recover from his injuries.
Arriving at the White Cloud Continent.
The result was that the One Heart Sect Yin Shen Gong took the blame.
How did this even relate to him? It was like trying to connect distant relatives!
"But you must do this; after all, it's the Deputy Sect Leader's arrangement, and Meng Mo's role is crucial. So, if we don't comply, it won't reflect well on us."
Yin Shen Gong advised, "However, you should also be cautious. Try to avoid being seen, or if you must appear, do so briefly and then disappear for a while. That way, whether they leave or stay, your safety won't be compromised."
Yin Shen Gong instructed his disciple, "Even if our branch is destroyed because of them, it won't be our fault, as long as you're safe, we'll be fine.
"Understood, Master."
Fang Che replied, "But this branch has sacrificed too much, and they've managed to stay hidden. I really don't want to get involved in their mess."
"But you are still a branch of the Only Me Sect, a branch of the sect, not your personal branch. Do you understand?"
The Divine Spirit Palace spoke, "So, everything must be handled flexibly. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master!"
"So now, just bide your time and wait for them to come to you. If they never come looking for you, then you have even less to worry about."
"Yes, Master. That would be the best outcome! Ideally, they don't show up at all, and after it's over, they scram. My small branch can't afford to deal with such powerful figures."
Fang Che's response was filled with resentment.
The communication ended, and the Divine Spirit Palace began to draft a reply to Yan Nan.
He indicated that he had already assigned the task.
Then, he copied the conversation with the Night Demon and sent it to Deputy Sect Master Yan, ensuring she was aware of the situation.
This way, he wouldn't be held accountable if something happened in the future.
Upon receiving the message, Yan Nan became extremely frustrated.
Reading the Night Demon's message, filled with complaints, detailing the Nightmare Guard's outrageous actions, almost caused Yan Nan's head to explode.
As a renowned demon for over ten thousand years, he couldn't believe the Night Demon's sloppy operations. How could they have come up with such a plan?
Even the Nightmare Guard was acting foolishly. Do they think this is still three thousand years ago?
"The next morning, immediately contact the Southeast Headquarters."
"During the Nightmare Demon's coma, have the eight Nightmare Guards been on any missions?"
"No. They have refused to accept any tasks."
"Hmm?"
"Basically, one guard remains to watch over him, while the other seven are searching for spirit medicines across the continent. Normally, we don't know their exact locations."
"So, you're just going to watch them?"
"After all, they are the Nightmare Demon's personal guards..."
The Southeast Headquarters felt aggrieved.
I wanted to give orders, but I couldn't command them.
"..."
Yan Nan was speechless.
He realized that he had been too lenient with these demons' personal guards.
"After returning, we must reorganize. All personal guards must follow the sect's orders. After so many years of inactivity, have they forgotten how to navigate the martial world?"
Yan Nan unleashed his wrath.
"Deputy Sect Master, the personal guards of the demons have never been under the sect's unified command. They are their private forces... Many of the demons' guards are either their concubines or brothers... It's truly difficult to mobilize them."
The Southeast Headquarters whispered, "If we were to bring them under the sect's control, there might be trouble."
Yan Nan angrily said, "Who said anything about bringing them under the sect's control? When did the sect start taking over others' personal guards? The key is to have these guys constantly gain experience. Instead of staying hidden for three thousand years, they rush into the martial world without any preparation. Three thousand years is a long time, and they might not even recognize the martial world anymore. If that's the case, they might as well retire peacefully!"
"Ahem..."
The Southeast Headquarters wiped the sweat off his brow.
He couldn't respond to that.
"It seems the Nightmare Demon hasn't replied, and there might be complications with the destruction of his clone."
Yan Nan became even angrier, "Contact the Southeast Headquarters, and have them reach out to Kou Yifang of the Divine Deity Sect. Convey my message to him. Ask him if the remaining Nightmare Guards, after three thousand years of seclusion, still remember the martial world? If they've forgotten, they might as well spend their days in peaceful retirement!"
"Yes, Deputy Sect Master."
The Southeast Headquarters was shocked.
Two Nightmare Guards lost?
How dangerous was this?
He quickly bowed and left to convey the message.
At the Southeast Headquarters, Wu Xiang was immediately alarmed.
He knew the Divine Deity Sect wanted to make a move, and recently, Kou Yifang had mysteriously reported taking on a significant task, a big mission from the higher-ups.
He hoped to report after completing the mission.
Wu Xiang agreed.
But upon receiving the message from the Sect Leader, he realized that Kou Yifang's mission involved the entire upper echelon of the Divine Deity Sect, including the Nightmare Demon, being trapped in the White Cloud Continent.
This was a massive mission!
He quickly sent a message to Kou Yifang: "What's the situation? What's going on? The Sect Leader awaits your report. What happened, and convey my message. This is a huge mission!"
...
On the Only Me Sect's side, operations were set in motion.
But on the Guardian's side, a sweeping operation began across the Southeast.
The targets were clear: the One Heart Sect, the Three Saints Sect, the Light Sect, and the Divine Deity Sect.
A simultaneous strike against the four sects!
The Guardians' experts sprang into action, focusing on capturing the Nightmare Demon and eliminating all Nightmare Guards.
Under the strict orders, results were demanded, and the net was about to be cast.
Moreover, with the participation of the Guardian experts, Zhao Shanhe felt something was afoot.
He sensed that the time for battle had arrived, so he mobilized his forces.
Overnight, eleven halls of the Three Saints Sect were destroyed, leaving no survivors. Everyone turned to ashes.
These were halls, not branch halls!
(End of Chapter)
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