"I presume Your Highness has already set the grand plan of slaughtering the city in motion!"
"We, your humble servants, shall follow your command to the letter."
The leader bowed his head low, his posture as unassuming as a speck of dust that gained value merely by the Master’s glance.
Since the Federation enacted laws severely cracking down on Evil God Sects, all major sects had been lurking in the shadows of human civilization, awaiting an opportunity for resurgence.
The Gray Mist Sect, while not the strongest, was also not the weakest among the many sects, belonging to the bottom of the middle tier.
Moreover, the Gray Mist Sect advocated frugality and opposed waste. They maintained a humble stance, as insignificant as a speck of dust, believing that only by revering nature could they earn the Master’s gaze.
Their doctrine was to return worldly order to formless chaos.
The great Master of Grey Mist would descend with the gloom, returning the world, and indeed the entire universe, to its primordial state—a world of equality for all living beings.
Hence, the followers of this sect were often the impoverished from the lower classes, those who had been oppressed by nobles and wealthy landowners.
Just as he was thinking of fleecing the Gray Mist Sect, it occurred to him that the Federation might have detection methods. For safety, he abandoned the idea.
However, some conventional resources were surely available. Chu Yi could use these resources to create better items, or add some life-saving trump cards.
"Good luck, Great Master!"
"Do not trouble yourself with these dust-like trivialities. Let your humble servants attend to them."
The Gray Mist Sect was highly efficient. They even had undercover agents within the Federation—talented spies planted by the church, all sharing the common goal: to shatter the privileged class and return the world to the great Master of Grey Mist, the King of Dust.
The outcome of the Wolf Fang Mercenary Corps’ attempt to seize the Pet Beast was that they were targeted by the Life Sect and completely wiped out.
Chu Yi also learned that among the sects, the Life Sect often served as the scapegoat.
After all, these cultists delighted in collecting all sorts of flesh and blood materials. They attach the powerful limbs of Pet Beasts to themselves under the blessing of the God of Flesh and Blood, achieving biological evolution and indirectly possessing the Pet Beasts’ skills, special abilities, and talents.
If the Life Sect weren’t a bunch of mentally twisted lunatics, he would be more suited to this sect, Chu Yi suddenly felt. It would fit him perfectly, feeling as warm and welcoming as family. The kind where you could bare your heart and soul, a truly visceral connection.
Ultimately, the Gray Mist Sect also erased the driver’s memory and repaired the car, allowing Chu Yi and little Bika to proceed to the hotel as if nothing had happened.
The battle itself hadn’t lasted long; half an hour at most would be a generous estimate. From alighting from the car to slay the Fiery Firebird, to sending Zhang Heng on his way with a single sweep of his scythe—it was all cold, calculated killing blows, devoid of emotion.
「On the mountain road.」
Strange, this stretch of road seems... somehow familiar? the driver mused, gripping the steering wheel, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
But then again, I often travel at night, so familiarity is normal. Encountering that landslide, and then sleeping for so long from exhaustion... If this customer leaves a bad review, the whole trip will have been for nothing.
Fortunately, this young man was understanding. The driver was so touched he even shared some of his family troubles. He was worked to death during the day, exploited by the platform, and on top of that, he still had to perform his husbandly duties at home. His back ached, and yet his wife still called him a ’skinny dog.’
A middle-aged man’s life is truly hard. Let Destruction come; I’m tired.
An hour later, they successfully arrived in a small town.
"CAW CAW! Esteemed passenger, we’ve arrived at the Gray Eagle Hotel. Please take your belongings to prevent loss. We welcome you to ride with us again, CAW~"
Chu Yi disembarked. After a moment’s hesitation, he approached the car window and offered a kind reminder, "Uncle, don’t lower your head; your hat might fall."
With that, he turned and strode away.
What hat? The driver was momentarily stunned. He touched his wig. Maybe that’s what the kid meant.
Just then, his phone rang.
"Honey, the pipes at home are clogged again."
On the other end of the line, his wife, apparently out for a night run, panted as she complained, "When will you be back?"
"Soon, just two more fares," the driver replied wearily. "Sweetheart, just get Old Wang to come fix it."
"Okay, love you, Hubby... Ah..."
"AH!" Chu Yi spun his head around, nearly startled out of his wits.
A Female Knight in a knightly dress was casting a righteous, piercing glare at him.
Panicked, having just committed a misdeed, Chu Yi was caught off guard, with no time to compose himself.
However, this figure presiding over judgment possessed an alluring face that screamed ’heartbreaker.’
Chu Yi, an expert at ’judging by the curves,’ immediately recognized her.
It’s you! The Knight Big Sister, an E-cup sensation!
Her lustrous, thick hair, like a cascade of ink-black clouds, flowed down, soft and shimmering. A white shirt stretched taut over her proud curves. Her skirt outlined a graceful, enchanting back, a slender waist like a swaying willow, and a firm, round rear, as tempting as a ripe honeydew melon, all perfectly displayed. Beneath the hem of her skirt, a pair of straight, slender calves were revealed. If coated in oil, they would undoubtedly gleam, a captivating sight.
In Chu Yi’s mind, only one line of poetry could describe her: "Slender branches laden with ripe fruit, trembling enchantingly with every step."
"Little brother, we meet again." Jiang Qiuyun fixed her gaze on Chu Yi.
It was only then that the young man noticed this Scumbag Female Knight was holding a bag of barbecue.
"Shall we go over there and talk?" she gestured.
"No, Sister, how could I dare disturb you?" Chu Yi instinctively refused.
Are you kidding me? I just made contact with the Evil God Church, and now you show up? You must be here to target me!
Chu Yi could already vividly imagine being captured by her, thrown into a dark room, and subjected to harsh interrogation.
"MEW?" Bika, sensing the tense atmosphere, immediately positioned itself by Chu Yi’s leg, alert and on guard.
"Oh." Jiang Qiuyun didn’t press the issue. Instead, she offered Chu Yi a small cat-shaped keychain. "They gave this away with the barbecue," she said gently. "It’s for you, as an apology for last night."
Chu Yi repeatedly waved his hands in refusal.
The next instant, Jiang Qiuyun lifted a long, slender leg—her ’jade leg’ as some might call it—and with a gust of wind, it whistled past Chu Yi’s ear.
Chu Yi’s shoulder slammed against the wall behind him; he was pinned. A mere inch from his ear, a Knight’s boot—encasing what could only be her Jade Foot—was pressed against the wall. Cracks radiated outward from the point of impact.
Chu Yi and Bika were both frozen in terror.
Onlookers, drawn by the commotion, gasped in unison, their faces a mixture of astonishment, surprise, and shock.
"HISS..." Chu Yi swallowed hard, his gaze darting to the composed Jiang Qiuyun. Panic began to set in.
Still, this Scumbag Female Knight’s leg... it seemed longer than his own lifespan!
"I’ll give you one more chance to choose your words carefully." Her delicate, cherry-pink lips parted slightly as the Scumbag Female Knight withdrew her leg, her voice cool.
Chu Yi, yielding to the unspoken threat, took the keychain. His fingers brushed against hers for a fleeting moment—a touch as light and soft as a dragonfly skimming the surface of water.
Just then, the cat keychain glowed faintly. A symbol for "Red Copper First Tier" materialized above it.
Chu Yi stared, wide-eyed.
You’re setting me up too, aren’t you?!
"Red Copper First Tier? If I recall correctly, last night you were still Black Iron Seventh Tier, weren’t you?"
Jiang Qiuyun smiled, producing a pair of handcuffs and dangling them in front of Chu Yi. "I have every reason to suspect you’ve colluded with the Life Sect. Are you going to put these on yourself, or should your big sister here help you?"