Chapter 1224: Opportunity
Forget other ordinary people their age; even other regular adults, faced with this situation, would in all likelihood choose to flee as far as possible. Regardless of the opportunity, they would certainly try.
However, the reaction of this brother and sister was precisely the opposite. They clearly had a chance to escape, yet chose not to, instead viewing this bloody struggle as a textbook for learning.
For the siblings, both the Centipede Demon and the Night Watchers were beings they could only look up to. Thus, the struggle before them held immense educational value for the two of them, so both watched with extreme seriousness, terrified of missing anything, even the slightest detail.
These five Night Watchers were all subordinates of Yao Guozhi, and their main daily task was to patrol within the Underworld Office's territory, responsible for handling all sorts of unusual incidents.
Earlier, while on patrol, they sensed the emanations of Demon Qi from this place. Although they didn't know the exact situation, they immediately rushed over. Seeing a group of ordinary people fleeing for their lives, and then witnessing the Centipede Demon attacking the siblings, they naturally had a rough idea of what was happening.
However, Yao Guozhi's subordinates were all new recruits; they hadn't been Night Watchers for long, and thus their strength was quite limited.
Conversely, the Centipede Demon they faced, though merely a minor demon, was still a long way from reaching the Great Demon realm. Yet, compared to the five Night Watchers, the Centipede Demon's strength was still considerably greater.
Precisely because of this, even with their numerical advantage, the Night Watchers still couldn't gain the upper hand and were instead suppressed by the Centipede Demon.
As time slowly passed, not only did their Spirit Power dwindle, but their wounds also multiplied.
"Hahahahaha, some small fry escaped, but five big fish delivered themselves! My haul today looks quite promising."
The Centipede Demon laughed aloud, its colossal body violently swung, and the chains forged from the Night Watchers' Spirit Power shattered, sending the five flying, one after another.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Their bodies slammed hard onto the ground, and the five coughed up fresh blood, their auras grew weak.
However, the five did not flinch, nor did they choose to flee, despite being no match for the Centipede Demon. Instead, at the very first moment, they struggled back to their feet.
"Though the five of us are no match for you, we absolutely will not permit you to run rampant on our Underworld Office's territory. Even in death, we will make you pay a painful price!"
The leading Night Watcher spoke in a low, heavy voice, his body severely wounded, reducing his voice to a faint whisper.
Though his voice was weak, his words were unyielding. It was clear from his tone that he was prepared to confront the Centipede Demon head-on with the other four, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.
The other four remained silent, but their stance was unambiguous, all enduring the intense pain wracking their bodies, adopting a stance to continue the fight.
The Centipede Demon laughed aloud once more, but this time his laughter was laced with scathing mockery.
"Hahahahaha, make me pay a price, I think you still haven't grasped your situation, have you? Very well, I'll see how you make me pay!"
As he finished speaking, the Centipede Demon's tone abruptly turned murderous. With his final word, he opened his maw and spewed forth a torrent of green mist, like a man-eating beast, engulfing the five.
"Beware! This mist is venomous!"
The leading Night Watcher shouted a warning, and instantly erected a protective barrier to prevent the poisonous mist from touching their skin or being inhaled.
The other four reacted with equal swiftness; as the leading Night Watcher's warning rang out, they immediately conjured a protective barrier over their bodies. However, they failed to completely isolate themselves from the poisonous mist spewed by the Centipede Demon; a small amount of the venomous mist still touched their skin and was inhaled.
Immediately, all five were affected by the venomous mist; their already severely wounded bodies suffered even graver injuries under its influence.
Furthermore, the protective barriers the five had raised possessed limited power and were utterly incapable of fully countering this venomous mist. Had they been in their peak state, they might have been able to resist the mist, but now, severely wounded and with precious little Spirit Power remaining, under these circumstances, they simply couldn't resist its effects.
Thus, enveloped by the venomous mist, the barriers raised by the five only held for a brief moment before succumbing to the mist's corrosion, with holes even appearing in some spots.
"Forget this potent venom! Devote all your strength to dealing with this demon!"
The leading Night Watcher watched as the protective barrier over his body was swiftly corroded by the venomous mist. He knew he wouldn't last much longer under this venomous mist, and it wasn't just him; the other four were in the same predicament.
To put it plainly, he knew the five of them didn't have much time left to live. Whether they resisted the venomous mist or not, the final outcome would be the same: death; it was merely a matter of time.
In the leading Night Watcher's eyes, since the ultimate fate for all five of them was death anyway, they might as well use their last ounce of strength before death to take a hefty bite out of their opponent!
Thus, he ordered them to abandon their resistance against the venomous mist's invasion and chose the most audacious path: to face the Centipede Demon head-on one last time!
"Understood! ! !"
The other four immediately responded, their voices resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
"Hahahahaha, you truly don't know your own limits. In your current state, even if I don't dodge and let your attacks land on me, how much harm could you possibly inflict?"
The Centipede Demon laughed aloud, but the five Night Watchers paid him no heed. They all abandoned their resistance to the potent venom, allowing the venom to corrode their barriers. They even disregarded the venomous mist that seeped through the holes into their barriers. They frantically mobilized the Spirit Power within their bodies, aiming to deliver a final strike to the Centipede Demon.
Once this strike from the five landed, regardless of the final outcome, or whether it inflicted their desired damage on the Centipede Demon, they would all depart from this world. Whether it was the potent venom or the Centipede Demon's other assaults, they could easily claim their lives, because by then, they would be utterly depleted.
But precisely at this moment, a surge of powerful Demon Power appeared and descended upon the five.
The five's expressions changed dramatically. Their initial reaction was that the Centipede Demon had once again unleashed some technique upon them, with the aim of interrupting their mobilization of Spirit Power, preventing them from successfully unleashing their desperate final strike.
But then they discovered their guess was wrong, for this suddenly appearing Demon Power that had descended upon them caused no harm to their bodies; instead, it forcibly dispelled the venomous mist that enveloped their area.
Not only that, but their forcibly mobilized Spirit Power was, at this moment, also forcibly suppressed by this suddenly appearing Demon Power. Due to the immense strength of this Demon Power, their scant remaining Spirit Power was utterly incapable of resisting; it instantly quieted within their bodies like docile children, refusing to respond no matter how their masters urged it.
The five were inwardly terrified, for this surge of Demon Power was truly overwhelming, so potent that they were utterly powerless to resist. Never, since becoming Night Watchers, had they felt such immense Demon Power.
However, the five were not fools. The other party had dispelled the venomous mist enveloping them and suppressed their scant but volatile Spirit Power.
These two points alone were enough to indicate that the newcomer bore no ill will towards them, for the other party's actions were, first, to prevent their bodies from being harmed by the venomous mist, and second, to stop them from desperately fighting the Centipede Demon with their last pitiful remnants of Spirit Power. Had the other party harbored ill will, they would never have acted thus.
The Centipede Demon naturally also sensed this powerful surge of Demon Power. As a demon himself, he understood what this immense Demon Power signified even more clearly than these five new recruits. This was the potent Demon Power that only a Great Demon could command; it was an entire realm higher than his own. Thus, the shock in his heart at this moment was several times more intense than that of the five.
"The words 'you don't know your limits' that you just spoke were truly fitting, but personally, I believe that phrase is far more applicable to yourself."
The voice echoed throughout the area, ethereal and elusive, making it impossible for those present to discern its origin. The voice was remarkably calm, devoid of any anger, yet within its tranquil cadence, a potent killing intent lurked.
As the voice faded, a figure appeared before the five Night Watchers. It was a man, clad in yellow, with the appearance of being middle-aged.
The middle-aged man stood before the five, blocking their path like an unshakeable mountain.
To the Centipede Demon, this middle-aged man was likewise an unshakeable mountain.
However, this mountain brought a crushing sense of oppression to the Centipede Demon, as if it could plummet down upon him at any moment, crushing him. Although his own massive body dwarfed the middle-aged man like an adult dwarfs an infant, he felt incredibly minuscule when facing this middle-aged man, like an ant before an elephant.
Conversely, this mountain instilled a profound sense of security in the five Night Watchers, as if, with this person guarding them, every crisis could be averted. Whether it was fierce winds or torrential rain, this mountain could shield them from it all!
"A master has arrived! This person must be from the Gu Mo City Underworld Office!"
The young man looked at the yellow-clad man standing before the five Night Watchers, his expression grew excited, and his eyes became fervent.
In contrast, the girl's reaction wasn't as pronounced as the boy's, but inwardly, the girl was several times more shocked than her brother; she simply didn't display her inner turmoil on her face as he did.
"My brother wasn't wrong, this person is indeed from the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, he's a top general under Divine Envoy Yang!"
Upon hearing this, the young man turned to the girl beside him, his face a picture of surprise.
"You know this man?"
The girl nodded gently, then gave an affirmative reply.
"Yes, Uncle Qin has portraits of all high-ranking officials of the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, as well as the important figures around Divine Envoy Yang. We Night Watchers are required to recognize these individuals. Last time, I was fortunate enough to see them at Uncle Qin's place, and I memorized all their portraits, which is how I recognized this yellow-clad man."
The Uncle Qin the girl spoke of was the Night Watcher responsible for guarding this mine pit; it's just that this Uncle Qin had been swallowed by the Centipede Demon earlier.
As soon as the young man heard the girl's words, his eyes immediately lit up, his face a mixture of shock and excitement.
"Quickly, tell me, who is this yellow-clad man?"
The girl immediately responded, telling the young man everything she knew.
"This person's name is Huang Sha, he's a demon, not a human. It's said he's Divine Envoy Yang's most formidable subordinate; in the entire Gu Mo City Underworld Office, besides Divine Envoy Yang himself, he possesses the greatest strength!"
The young man's expression shifted, the shock on his face was even more pronounced than before, because he hadn't expected this yellow-clad man to have such a prominent background!
The girl hadn't been wrong; the yellow-clad man who had suddenly appeared was, without a doubt, the Great Demon Huang Sha!
If even the girl recognized Huang Sha, then the five Night Watchers certainly would as well. The moment their gazes fell upon Huang Sha's face, they instantly recognized him, and their hearts began to pound wildly!
"Greetings, Envoy! ! !"
Their inner shock and excitement made the five forget their severe injuries, forget the intense pain, and they all respectfully bowed to Huang Sha.
The reason they addressed Huang Sha as 'Envoy' was because Huang Sha was neither an Emissary of Death nor affiliated with other sects, but was, in fact, a demon. Thus, calling him 'Divine Envoy' felt somewhat inappropriate.
Of course, directly addressing Huang Sha as 'Huang Sha Demon' or 'Huang Sha Monster' would be even more unacceptable, as that would be profoundly disrespectful to him. After all, Huang Sha is an important figure by their Divine Envoy's side, and furthermore, their Divine Envoy's strongest subordinate. They had to show Huang Sha sufficient respect, even if it was just in his address.
Thus, how to address Huang Sha became an issue; it needed to be both pleasing to the ear and respectful; casual appellations were naturally out of the question. Ultimately, Yao Guozhi successfully resolved this predicament. Because Huang Sha was close to Yang Haoran, he suggested calling him 'Envoy', meaning an envoy serving under Divine Envoy Yang Haoran.
While this title wasn't perfect, it was infinitely better than 'Huang Sha Demon' or 'Huang Sha Monster'.
Since Yao Guozhi changed Huang Sha's appellation to 'Envoy', every Night Watcher in the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, save for a select few high-ranking officials, had to respectfully address him as 'Envoy' upon seeing him!
Ever since they became Night Watchers, the five had heard a great deal about Huang Sha, especially the battle at the Death God Temple, where Huang Sha had slaughtered his way through all sides, earning immense merit. They had heard tales of Huang Sha's exploits countless times, to the point where they could even recite them by heart.
It was precisely for this reason that they both respected and worshipped Huang Sha, and this respect and worship came from the depths of their hearts. Even though Huang Sha was not human, but a demon, it did not diminish the profound respect they held for him in their hearts.
However, because they were subordinate to Yao Guozhi, and their work areas were almost entirely outside the city and exceedingly remote, it was difficult for them to encounter high-ranking officials of the Gu Mo City Underworld Office. Hence, they had never seen Huang Sha before today.
Not only Huang Sha, but they had never met any other high-ranking officials from the entire Gu Mo City Underworld Office, aside from their own captain, Yao Guozhi.
Now that Huang Sha had suddenly appeared before them, and at a moment when they were mired in desperation, the intensity of their inner excitement was beyond imagination!
Huang Sha's gaze swept over the five; seeing each of them severely wounded, a faint smile appeared on his face, and then he spoke.
"I actually arrived a little while ago, so I witnessed all your actions. You are very brave; Yao Guozhi has trained you well."
As his words faded, Huang Sha turned to face the Centipede Demon behind him.
The Centipede Demon trembled from head to tail, its gaze fixed on Huang Sha, revealing intense fear.
While the five Night Watchers were saluting Huang Sha, the Centipede Demon snapped out of its shock. At that moment, it had but one thought: to immediately flee this place, for it knew perfectly well that it was absolutely no match for Huang Sha.
Although it didn't know Huang Sha, nor had it seen Huang Sha in action, the potent Demon Power emanating from Huang Sha, characteristic only of a Great Demon, already attested to Huang Sha's strength. To confront Huang Sha head-on would only result in its own demise, not Huang Sha's.
Therefore, it sought to seize the moment while Huang Sha was speaking to escape this place, to get as far away from this Great Demon as possible.
However, just as it prepared to flee, it suddenly discovered that its body was utterly paralyzed. No matter how it mobilized the Demon Power within its body, it couldn't break free from the restraints and regain its freedom.
Seeing Huang Sha turn now, it knew the other party was preparing to strike. Thus, profound terror flashed in its eyes.
"I don't care if you touch people from other factions, but if you lay a hand on anyone from the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, then I'm afraid you've crossed a line."
Huang Sha spoke with an indifferent expression, then extended a hand towards the enormous Centipede Demon before him. His arm transformed into a swirling torrent of yellow sand, surging forth to engulf the Centipede Demon's massive body.
"No! Senior, don't! Please, I beg you, spare. . ."
Although the Centipede Demon's body was immobilized, its speech remained unaffected. Seeing Huang Sha attack it now, it was scared out of its wits; thus, it sought to gain a sliver of hope by begging for mercy.
In truth, it knew this method's chances of success were slim, but an overwhelming will to survive still compelled it to act thus.
Alas, Huang Sha had no intention of hearing its pleas, nor did he grant it any opportunity. Before it could even finish its desperate plea, its body was enveloped by a torrent of yellow sand, and its cries for mercy abruptly ceased.
In but a blink of an eye, the Centipede Demon's colossal body was tightly swathed in an immense quantity of yellow sand, transforming into a gigantic yellow sand centipede.
Boom! ! !
A few seconds later, this massive yellow sand centipede erupted with an explosive sound. An immense volume of yellow sand scattered through the air, but the Centipede Demon had vanished without a trace. Where it had stood, only a Demon Pill floated suspended, emitting a faint green light.
A large amount of sand and dust converged where Huang Sha's arm had vanished. In just a single breath's time, the vanished arm reformed. Initially, this arm didn't resemble a human limb; it looked more like an appendage sculpted from sand. But as a flash of green light swept over it, the arm immediately became indistinguishable from a normal human arm.
Huang Sha gently waved his hand, and the suspended Demon Pill descended into his palm. While it was only a minor demon's Demon Pill, for a Great Demon of his caliber, such a Demon Pill offered very limited aid. Yet he didn't scorn it, and still placed the Demon Pill into his independent space.
After disposing of the Centipede Demon, Huang Sha turned back to face the five Night Watchers behind him.
At this moment, the five's faces were etched with shock. After regaining their senses, their reverence for Huang Sha instantly intensified. They knew firsthand how formidable the Centipede Demon was, for they had nearly perished at its hands. But such a powerful Centipede Demon had been utterly powerless to resist in Huang Sha's grasp; how could their hearts not be shaken?
"Your injuries are very severe, and you've also been poisoned. If this continues, your bodies likely won't hold out much longer."
Huang Sha looked at the five and spoke. After a slight hesitation, he suddenly waved his hand, and a visible surge of green Demon Power enveloped the five.
The five didn't know what Huang Sha intended, yet none of them resisted. Instead, they allowed this Demon Power to envelop their bodies. Then they discovered that the potent venom within their bodies was actually being forcibly expelled by this very Demon Power!
The reason Huang Sha had hesitated was because he initially considered taking out detoxifying medicinal powder for them to consume. But after a brief consideration, he deemed such an act too wasteful.
It wasn't because he looked down upon these five Night Watchers, but because he felt there was no need to use medicinal powder for the poison they had contracted. He only needed to expend a bit of Demon Power to completely force the potent venom out of their bodies, so why waste any medicinal powder?
After all, these medicinal powders were products refined by Xiang Chuan, the Pharmacist at the Spirit Medicine realm. They possessed miraculous detoxifying effects and were incredibly precious. To use them to expel the small amount of toxins in the five's bodies would indeed be too wasteful.
One after another, the five spat out mouthfuls of black blood. It appeared the potent venom within their bodies had indeed been successfully expelled by Huang Sha's Demon Power.
"Thank you, Envoy!"
The five paid no mind to wiping the blood from the corners of their mouths, and all offered their thanks to Huang Sha. Though their voices were weak, their tone was utterly sincere.
"Heh heh, there's no need to be so formal. After all, we're all family. Besides, I truly admire your bravery. However, next time if you find yourselves in such a situation again, knowing you're no match for the opponent, then don't confront them head-on. An egg can't possibly shatter a rock. So I suggest you try to buy time, and find a way to contact your captain. He'll certainly dispatch reinforcements immediately. This way you won't lose your lives, and you can also take down the opponent. What's not to like?"
Huang Sha spoke with a smile, offering the five a small suggestion.
After listening, none of the five refuted him; they all respectfully affirmed.
As for whether the five would change their approach if they encountered the same situation in the future, influenced by his suggestion, Huang Sha would not concern himself with that, nor could he control it, for he understood his identity and position. All he could do was offer advice; after all, these individuals were not under his direct command.
"Although I've purged the potent venom from your bodies, your injuries remain very severe. If you rush back like this and encounter any other mishaps on the way, your lives might be in peril. So, allow me to escort you, directly to Yao Guozhi. That way, you'll be safe."
Huang Sha considered it, and still felt it safer to send these five back. After all, these five only gained their special abilities after Yang Haoran implanted the Death God Seal within them. Each implantation of the Death God Seal was a drain on Yang Haoran. If the five were to die just like this, it would be too regrettable.
He didn't want the five to perish like this. Beyond that, there was another reason: he genuinely regarded these five as his own.
As Huang Sha's words faded, he gently waved his hand, tearing open space, and a spatial rift formed.
"Thank you, Envoy!"
The five saw that Huang Sha had even opened a spatial rift, so none of them spoke to refuse, nor did they stand on ceremony with Huang Sha. They simply did one thing: they wholeheartedly expressed their profound gratitude to Huang Sha.
"Go, and work hard. The boss is a generous man, and he values talent greatly. As long as you make contributions, he will be sure to reward you handsomely. If you possess talent, he will similarly entrust you with great responsibilities. I hope that when I see you next, your strength will truly astonish me."
"Envoy, rest assured! For the Divine Envoy, for our Underworld Office, we shall not hesitate to even sacrifice our lives!"
The five bowed respectfully to Huang Sha once more, the leading Night Watcher even offering Huang Sha a guarantee. Only then, at Huang Sha's wave, did he lead the other four into the spatial rift.
The spatial rift healed, and the five were sent away from the area by Huang Sha. When the spatial rift opened again, the five had already returned to their squad's base camp.
After seeing the five off, Huang Sha had no intention of dealing with the mess left behind, as it was outside his jurisdiction. He believed that once the five reported the situation here to Yao Guozhi, Yao Guozhi would immediately arrange for people to handle the issues, so there was no need for him to worry about it.
However, although Huang Sha wasn't going to concern himself with what happened next in this place, he didn't immediately leave. Instead, his gaze turned in one particular direction.
That direction was precisely where the brother and sister were located.
"The fight's over, and we've seen it all. It's time to leave this place."
Seeing Huang Sha open the spatial rift and send the five Night Watchers away, the young man stood up and said to the girl beside him.
Although he said that, the young man's expression showed a clear sense of lingering desire. It wasn't hard to tell from his face that he hadn't had his fill of watching this grand battle.
There was nothing he could do about not getting his fill; after all, the battle had ended. The young man understood this clearly, which was why he spoke those words to the girl.
Hearing this, the girl also stood up, but she didn't move from her spot; she remained standing where she was.
Noticing that the girl hadn't taken a step, the young man, who had just taken one himself, paused, then turned to look at his sister, an expression of doubt appearing on his face.
Seeing the girl motionless, her face serious as she stared straight ahead, the young man's confusion grew even stronger.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
The young man couldn't help but ask, then followed the girl's gaze.
With that look, the young man finally understood why his sister hadn't immediately followed him to leave, but instead stood motionless. It was because a figure was currently walking towards where they stood.
This person was none other than Huang Sha.
The young man wasn't at all surprised that Huang Sha would discover their location. After all, a powerful individual like Huang Sha could easily sense their presence. Although he was just an ordinary person, he knew quite a bit about those who were not.
However, one thing did puzzle him: why was Huang Sha walking towards them? While they knew who Huang Sha was, he was certain that Huang Sha had no idea who they were. So, what was Huang Sha's purpose in approaching them?
In the young man's impression, most non-ordinary people didn't think much of ordinary people like them. Usually, after non-ordinary people finished their business, they would almost always ignore ordinary people, only making arrangements for them if there was something they needed them to do.
And for them, as ordinary people, it was already good enough if non-ordinary people didn't take out their frustrations on them. Assigning them tasks was considered quite polite, and generally, they wouldn't refuse, nor would they dare to.
So, as the young man watched Huang Sha approach them, he was first puzzled, then he began to wonder if Huang Sha was coming towards them because there was some dirty, strenuous, or even life-threatening work that he needed them to do.
Although he couldn't be certain, the young man felt this possibility was high. However, he didn't flee the area; instead, he remained rooted to the spot, just like the girl, watching Huang Sha draw closer to them.
With Huang Sha's strength, he could appear before the brother and sister in just a flash. If he chose to fly, it would also only take an instant, costing him no time at all.
But Huang Sha did not do so. He didn't use any power, choosing instead to walk on foot like an ordinary person, moving neither hurriedly nor slowly. His expression was serious, devoid of any smile.
As Huang Sha approached step by step, the brother and sister felt immense psychological pressure. With each step Huang Sha took, their psychological pressure intensified.
However, even as the psychological pressure intensified with Huang Sha's approach, the expressions on the faces of the brother and sister remained utterly unchanged. Even when Huang Sha stood before them, their faces were as natural and composed as when they first saw him walking towards them, neither servile nor arrogant.
As for fear, not a trace of it could be seen on the faces of the brother and sister.
Huang Sha stopped, and the brother and sister immediately bowed to him.
"Greetings, Emissary!"
Their address of Huang Sha as "Emissary" was not a random guess; the brother and sister were, in fact, ordinary people under the jurisdiction of the Gu Mo City Underworld Office. It was entirely reasonable for them to refer to Huang Sha as "Emissary," just as the Night Watchers did.
"Raise your heads."
Huang Sha's expression remained stern as he spoke to the two, his tone cold.
Hearing this, the brother and sister immediately raised their heads as Huang Sha instructed, their gaze fixed directly on him, without the slightest hint of evasion.
Huang Sha said nothing further. Instead, he carefully scrutinized the young man, then the young girl, his thoughts unknown.
During this process, neither the brother nor the sister spoke to disturb Huang Sha. There was no sound, not even a subtle bodily movement; the two stood rooted to the spot like statues.
Naturally, their expressions also remained unchanged throughout.
After a long silence, Huang Sha finally spoke, breaking the quiet.
"Earlier, when I sensed Demon Qi, I immediately rushed here and happened to witness your battle with the centipede demon. Although the fight only lasted for a short while, in that brief time, I saw your rich combat experience and immense courage."
The brother and sister had never imagined that Huang Sha would speak such words of praise to them. This left them both surprised and somewhat pleased.
They were surprised because they hadn't expected it, and pleased because they had actually earned the recognition of such a great personage.
"Thank you for your praise, Emissary!"
"Thank you for your praise, Emissary!"
Neither of the siblings showed any arrogance in front of Huang Sha. Instead, they bowed to him again and responded with a composed, neither servile nor overbearing demeanor.
"Do you know why I walked step by step just now, instead of instantly appearing before you by other means?"
Huang Sha asked. The brother and sister remained silent, simply shaking their heads.
"Because every step I took was to exert pressure on you, to bring immense psychological pressure, and I wanted to see if you could withstand it. The result greatly surprised me; your inner strength is greater than I imagined, as your expressions didn't change in the slightest from beginning to end. Regardless of what emotions you felt internally, at your age, to remain composed under such powerful pressure is truly admirable."
At this point, Huang Sha paused slightly, then asked the two.
"Can you tell me how you two cultivated such courage and skill?"
The girl remained silent, but the young man responded to Huang Sha.
"Our parents passed away early, and to survive in these chaotic times, we had to fight not only against people but also against beasts. Over time, my sister and I developed some skills, and our courage grew."
Huang Sha nodded gently, and the stern expression on his face softened somewhat.
"So that's how it is. It seems the hardships you two have endured must be far greater than I imagined."
The brother and sister had indeed suffered greatly over the years. To be precise, the lives they had led could no longer be simply described as "eating bitterness"; they had crawled back from the brink of death time and time again.
However, the young man hadn't elaborated to Huang Sha just now, nor did he wish to. Besides, even if he wanted to, it wasn't something that could be explained in a short time.
And now, when Huang Sha mentioned that the hardships the brother and sister had endured over the years were likely far greater than he imagined, neither of them spoke, both remaining silent.
Seeing the two remain silent, Huang Sha could somewhat guess the reason. After all, no one liked to have their inner wounds ruthlessly exposed, unless they were a pervert. So he didn't pursue the topic and continued to speak.
"Given your combined skill and tacit cooperation, if you two possessed the same power as those five Night Watchers just now, I believe that centipede demon wouldn't just be unable to gain the upper hand against you; it would tragically die by your hands."
As Huang Sha's words fell, the girl actually spoke up on her own.
"I believe it too!"
The girl's words were utterly direct and filled with powerful confidence. However, she only spoke those four words, adding nothing more.
Hearing this, Huang Sha couldn't help but glance at the girl again. A faint smile, which hadn't been there before, now appeared on his face.
"The Emissary also said that's just a 'what if. ' But the truth is, my sister and I are just ordinary people; we have no power within us at all."
At this point, the young man suddenly thought of something, his expression shifting before he bowed to Huang Sha again.
"Emissary, I heard that Soul Transporter Yang recently selected another batch of Night Watchers. I wonder if my sister and I could join the Night Watchers?"
As the young man spoke, his tone was no longer as calm as before, revealing a trace of excitement that he couldn't hide.
The girl beside him, upon hearing her brother's words, also had her eyes light up. But then she seemed to recall something, and her eyes dimmed again. As far as she knew, Night Watcher selections were always for adults, not people their age, and she hadn't heard of any ongoing Night Watcher selections either.
"Heh heh, what is it? Do you want me to introduce you two?"
Huang Sha asked with a smile, the expression on his face significantly warmer than before.
The young man didn't speak, but nodded heavily.
"That's no problem at all. I have high hopes for you two. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time on you and would have left already."
Huang Sha's words instantly filled the young man with overwhelming joy, and his face became excited. He had originally only been trying his luck, never expecting Huang Sha to actually agree, and so readily at that.
As for the girl, her eyes had originally dimmed, but after hearing Huang Sha's words, they flared with light once more, and a hint of excitement appeared on her face.
"Really? Is the Emissary truly willing to recommend us?"
The happiness came too quickly, making the young man somewhat disbelieving, so he couldn't help but ask Huang Sha for confirmation.
"Of course, there's no need for me to lie to you two children. However, I won't be recommending you to some Night Watcher captain. Instead, I'll take you directly to meet my boss, who is the Soul Transporter Yang you spoke of!"
The brother and sister, who were already overjoyed, instantly felt their happiness more than double upon hearing Huang Sha's words. Even the girl, who rarely showed her emotions, was now visibly excited.
Because Huang Sha's words were simply too incredible for the siblings; they even wondered if they were dreaming!
"Heh heh, don't get too excited just yet. Although I've taken a liking to you two, I can't guarantee whether my boss will. So, when you meet him later, you'll have to perform well yourselves. Your success will depend entirely on you."
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