CHAPTER 105 (2): NIGHT DEMON STRIKES AGAIN

"Master, I've reached the ninth-rank Lord tier, and the branch helm has been fully established," Fang Che reported. "It's now able to operate on its own even without my supervision. The only problem is that we have a few too many escorts, over five hundred at this point."

"That's fine. Keep up the good work, the main church is going to send someone to assess your branch helm soon."

"I won't let you down, Master!"

Fang Che was eager to display his loyalty to Yin Shengong. Recently, he felt like the latter's attitude toward him had become a little cold and distant, and he couldn't figure out why.

He had reviewed his recent actions on many occasions, but was unable to think of any potential reasons for Yin Shengong's shifting attitude.

However, this unsettling feeling remained constantly present, and in order to prevent further exacerbating the situation, he had taken a far more steady and conservative approach of late.

"What are your plans now that the branch helm has been successfully established?"

"I'll do whatever you say, Master."

"What if I want to put someone else in your place as head escort?"

Fang Che didn't know what to make of this question.

It was a very abnormal thing for Yin Shengong to say, and it was clearly a test.

Why is he testing me? What kind of response does he want to see from me?

Fang Che's mind immediately began racing.

He didn't know why, but it was clear that Yin Shengong had become suspicious of him for some reason. In that case, if he were to display an excessive amount of compliance, then that would only raise further suspicions from Yin Shengong.

His logic would be: "Why are you going along with everything I say? You must have some ulterior motive!"

Thus, after carefully weighing up his options, Fang Che decided to take a risk.

"Can I ask why, Master?"

"No reason. I just wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to go to another branch helm."

"I don't want to, Master! It's taken me so much effort to build up this branch helm from nothing, and now that my efforts have finally bore fruit, you're asking me to leave it all behind? I don't understand! Why should I give something that I've worked so hard to build to someone else? I don't understand why, and I don't want to accept such an arrangement!"

This was a very emotional and defiant response from Fang Che, but Yin Shengong was very pleased to see it. "Are you openly defying my orders? What kind of attitude is this that you're displaying right now? You make it sound like the branch helm belongs to you, like it's a personal possession of yours! Regardless of who takes control of the branch helm, it remains under the ownership of our One Heart Church!"

"I understand that the branch helm belongs to our One Heart Church, but I don't understand why I'm being removed as its leader!"

Yin Shengong was grinning from ear to ear, but he continued to keep up the stern facade.

"Is the position of helmsmaster so important to you that you're even willing to openly defy your superiors and commit treason against our church to hold onto it?! Do you have any respect for me at all? I am your master and the pope of the One Heart Church!"

"If it's my master asking me to hand over the branch helm, then I refuse, but if it's the pope's orders, then I'll comply!"

Yin Shengong heaved a content sigh at this response.

Sure enough, Night Demon was still Night Demon, and he was still as feisty as ever!

As expected of my disciple!

"What if I offer you the position of hall master then? Are you still going to refuse to hand over the branch helm?"

A massive wave of relief instantly washed over Fang Che. He had gambled correctly!

"I'm sorry, Master! I was wrong! I'll hand over the branch helm right away! When do I start as hall master?"

"I was just making up a hypothetical scenario! Clearly, you still can't be entrusted with a branch hall if you're going to openly defy the pope like this! If you love your little branch helm so much, you can keep it!"

"I have no attachments to my branch helm at all, Master! I'm ready to hand it over right now! Which branch hall am I being assigned to?"

"Piss off! Your cultivation base isn't anywhere near high enough for you to become a hall master! Focus on your cultivation and make sure you don't disappoint the assessment team from the main church!"

"When is the assessment team coming, Master?"

"I don't know! Piss off!"

"Master, I would like a reward for reaching the ninth-rank Lord tier!"

"Go away! I'm not giving you shit!"

"Master, I miss you!"

"Shut up! Not another word out of you!"

Yin Shengong set down his communication jade, and he couldn't help but heave a faint sigh. He was also beginning to miss his Night Demon.

However, his resolve to test Night Demon remained set in stone.

As a demonic church member, his hands had to be stained with the blood of the Protectionists.

Otherwise, over time, he would become assimilated and form emotional attachments to the enemy, and that would be a fatal weakness.

Don't resent me for this, Night Demon. An undercover agent must cast away all emotions! Only after you've killed them will it truly become clear to you that you are different from them! They are your enemy, and the line between enemy and ally must not be allowed to blur!

If you stay on their side for too long, killing demonic church members will feel natural to you, and that's even more unacceptable! Your loyalty and sentimentality are double-edged swords, and as your master, it is my duty to set you on the right path!

After his exchange of messages with Fang Che, Yin Shengong was in a very good mood, and he decided to summon the three elders to come drink with him.

The three elders quickly arrived, and they were rather surprised by this invitation.

After their previous argument, it had been close to a month since they last drank together, so this was a very unexpected invitation.

"Let's have a drink together," Yin Shengong said. "The lockdown order should be lifted soon. I spoke to Master Mei about it a few days ago, and he told me that we're only really waiting on the official order from the main church. I thought that was great news worthy of celebration."

The three elders were rather suspicious of this alibi.

He told you this a few days ago, yet you only invited us for a drink to celebrate today? Isn't it a little late?

Looking at Yin Shengong's glowing complexion, Mu Linyuan immediately managed to deduce what had to have happened.

"Looks like your precious disciple must've talked you out of your paranoia."

Yin Shengong's face instantly became flushed with chagrin as he slammed the table and yelled, "What's that supposed to mean, Mu Linyuan? Are you looking down on me?"

"I'm sorry," Mu Linyuan hurriedly apologized. "I'll have some wine as punishment."

Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang were also very relieved to see that Yin Shengong seemed to have ironed things out with Night Demon, and the two of them also volunteered to each have a cup of wine as punishment.

"Punishment?" Yin Shengong scoffed. "I think the three of you are just trying to drink without me! Have some shame, will you?"

The four of them erupted into laughter, and the atmosphere instantly became very relaxed and jovial.

***

Meanwhile, Fang Che was on patrol when he suddenly received a message on his communication jade.

"Brother Night Demon, the person that I sent to drop things off for you has already arrived in the White Cloud Prefecture."

It was Obsidian!

Over a month had already passed since Obsidian offered to send him cultivation resources, and at this point, Fang Che had almost forgotten about it altogether!

"I can only return to the White Cloud Prefecture tomorrow. Can the person you sent wait for me until then?"

"No problem. Where do you want him to meet you?"

"I want him to meet me in the White Cloud Prefectural City, somewhere not far away from the Hall of Protectionists. That way, if he displays any nefarious intentions, I can turn to the Hall of Protectionists for help right away."

Chen Yin's expression instantly darkened upon reading this message.

Do you have to be so honest and upfront with your intentions?!

"Alright, then I'll wait for a message from you tomorrow?"

"Sure."

Fang Che immediately fell into deep thought after putting away his communication jade.

Is he really giving me stuff, or does he have some ulterior motive in mind? What would be the safest meeting place for me?

Fang Che continued patrolling the streets while contemplating various questions.

It had been quite some time since Night Demon last resurfaced, was it time to resurface once more? Recently, there were around a dozen new recruits in the Unmatched Escort Agency that he found to be quite the eyesore.

They were clearly using nefarious cultivation arts, and Fang Che was considering removing them from the picture.

***

That night, it was already past the hour that Fang Che normally visited the branch helm, and Zhao Wushang and the others were beginning to grow a little complacent.

"Looks like the head escort isn't coming tonight."

Over time, everyone had grown accustomed to referring to him as head escort, even in person, and hardly anyone ever mentioned the word "helmsmaster."

"If you ask me, all of you are too worked up over nothing!"

The one who had just spoken was a blonde young man, and he swaggered into the hall with eight or nine other people as he continued, "Starlight acts all tough, but he's clearly still scared of us people from the main church. He has all these rules in place, but I've never seen him kill anyone."

These were the newest recruits to the agency, and they appeared obedient on the surface, but actually had no respect for authority.

They were completely oblivious to Starlight's past feats, so they were of the opinion that the stories told by Zheng Yunqi and the others were simply embellished and exaggerated.

A furious look appeared on Zheng Yunqi's face as he snapped, "Cheng Yunfeng! If you want to die, then go right ahead, but don't drag us down with you!"

"I'm going out for a drink," Cheng Yunfeng sneered, completely unfazed by Zheng Yunqi's warning.

"You're going to regret it if you don't take me seriously, Cheng Yunfeng!" Zheng Yunqi warned. "No one's going to be able to save you if you incur Helmsmaster Starlight's wrath!"

"I've already told the seniors of my clan that if I die, then Starlight is responsible," Cheng Yunfeng said in a nonchalant manner. "Who do you think he is? Night Demon?"

Right at this moment, a cold voice rang out from nearby.

"Looks like Starlight doesn't command much respect in this branch helm of his."

Zheng Yunqi and the others turned to discover that a man with a thick beard had appeared at the entrance of the main hall without any warning.

In the instant that he appeared, the entire escort agency was filled with suffocating baleful qi and killing intent, making everyone feel as if their blood had frozen solid in their veins.

The pressure in the air was so immense that no one was even able to speak, and they all began trembling uncontrollably.

The man standing before them had a rather short and stocky build, but his stature seemed to have been significantly elevated by the tremendous killing intent and baleful qi radiating from his body.

It became instantly clear to everyone who was standing before them.