Chapter 1275: Personnel Changes (Part Two)
"Whether it's our Jingling Continent Underworld Office or the Underworld Offices of other continents, they all have nine major districts. And I am the Guardian of the Ninth District of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office. However, I do not intend to establish my Guardian District headquarters in Gu Mo City, so I must leave Gu Mo City."
Speaking up to this point, Yang Haoran's voice paused slightly, then he continued.
"I will leave Gu Mo City, but I don't want to abandon it. Gu Mo City is one of the few large cities in my Ninth District. Although much of Gu Mo City's resources have been exploited, the remaining resources are still far beyond what smaller cities can compare to. Furthermore, with the current forces in Gu Mo City, only our Underworld Office and the Saint Mother Cult remain. The situation is excellent, so naturally, I will be even less inclined to abandon Gu Mo City."
Yang Haoran smiled faintly, then turned his gaze to Yao Guozhi.
"Yao Guozhi."
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Although you haven't been a member of the Underworld Office for long, I've seen great capability and potential in you. So, I want to give you a bigger stage. After I leave, I plan to entrust Gu Mo City to your management. Do you have the confidence to make Gu Mo City prosper?"
Yang Haoran asked Yao Guozhi, a faint smile on his face. Hearing this, Yao Guozhi responded immediately, without a trace of hesitation.
Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged at Yao Guozhi's assurance; he appeared utterly composed.
"Heh heh, Gu Mo City is not only one of the few large cities in my Ninth District, but it also concerns the face of my Ninth District. We cannot be careless in the slightest. So, I want to know, how long exactly is this 'shortest possible time' you speak of?"
Instead of immediately affirming Yao Guozhi's guarantee, Yang Haoran questioned him further. Yao Guozhi pondered for a moment, then gave Yang Haoran a more precise answer in front of everyone.
"Three years. Please grant your subordinate three years, Guardian, and I will ensure you see a completely transformed Gu Mo City!"
Yang Haoran nodded, the smile on his face deepening a little. From his expression, it seemed he was quite satisfied with the timeframe Yao Guozhi had set.
"Very well. Since you ask for three years, I will give you three years. I trust you won't disappoint me. From now on, you will be the Emissary of Death for the Gu Mo City Underworld Office in my Ninth District. As the top official here, you can act without reservation, spreading your wings and exercising your abilities to their fullest!"
"Thank you, Guardian!"
"Heh heh, don't rush to thank me. I've appointed you as the Emissary of Death for Gu Mo City and handed Gu Mo City over to you, but I will only leave your own people behind. Everyone else, I will take with me. If you feel you don't have enough manpower, you can personally select suitable candidates from the many believers, implant the Death God Seal in them, and cultivate new Night Watchers. Do you have any objections?"
Yang Haoran asked. In his mind, Yao Guozhi was definitely to be left in Gu Mo City, as no one among his current companions was more suitable for the task. This wasn't merely a matter of strength, but also involved management skills and various other capabilities. Among those by his side, only Yao Guozhi met these requirements; the others either didn't meet them at all, or, if they did, were still far inferior to Yao Guozhi. Therefore, Yao Guozhi was his primary choice to remain in Gu Mo City.
Initially, however, he hadn't planned to leave Yao Guozhi alone in Gu Mo City. One reason was his concern for Yao Guozhi's safety; with an extra person stationed there, Yao Guozhi's security would have an added layer of protection.
Another reason was that leaving an additional confidant in Gu Mo City would also serve as a check on Yao Guozhi. This way, Yao Guozhi wouldn't act recklessly without restraint in anything he did.
But after careful consideration, Yang Haoran abandoned this idea.
Firstly, he couldn't protect Yao Guozhi forever. Many problems and dangers would ultimately require Yao Guozhi to face them alone, only then could Yao Guozhi truly grow and become an independent powerhouse. If he always stood in front of Yao Guozhi for everything, Yao Guozhi would simply be unable to truly mature.
Secondly, if he were to arrange for another confidant to remain in Gu Mo City, while it might provide a certain check on Yao Guozhi, it would also simultaneously restrict Yao Guozhi's actions, affecting his ability to fully exert his strength. This, in turn, would have a negative impact on Yao Guozhi's growth and the development of Gu Mo City.
Therefore, after much deliberation, Yang Haoran ultimately decided to leave Yao Guozhi alone in Gu Mo City. Since he had already made his decision, it was unlikely that others could persuade him to change his mind, unless they could provide convincing reasons. His current inquiry about Yao Guozhi's opinion was merely to gauge Yao Guozhi's attitude towards this decision.
Yao Guozhi not only showed no trace of dissatisfaction with Yang Haoran's decision, but a hint of joy even appeared on his face.
Although Yang Haoran taking away his other trusted subordinates would significantly weaken the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, it also meant that in the future, he could work unreservedly, unleashing his abilities without constraint. If problems arose, he would bear the responsibility himself, and naturally, all the credit would belong solely to Yao Guozhi. It was precisely because of this thought that he felt not the slightest dissatisfaction with Yang Haoran's decision, but rather, was quite pleased.
"Your subordinate has no objections!"
Yao Guozhi responded immediately, with great resolve and not a hint of hesitation.
"Heh heh, good. Since you have no objections, then it's settled. I have high expectations of you, and I hope you won't disappoint me."
"Rest assured, Guardian, your subordinate will absolutely not disappoint you!"
Yao Guozhi once again gave Yang Haoran a firm assurance. Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then swept his gaze over the others present and continued speaking.
"Apart from Yao Guozhi, the rest of you will return to Lecheng with me. Shui Ling and Lu Wu, you two may bring your Night Watchers with you. However, this is not mandatory; if any of your Night Watchers do not wish to return to Lecheng with me, they may choose to stay in Gu Mo City."
Hearing this, several people nodded in agreement, their hearts filled with excitement. Unlike Yao Guozhi, their thinking was that as long as they could follow Yang Haoran, anywhere would do. The fact that Yang Haoran would take them with him when he left was a form of recognition for them. Putting aside the benefits they might gain from following Yang Haoran, just his acknowledgment alone was enough to thrill them.
In the time that followed, Yang Haoran gave a few more instructions to the group before the meeting finally concluded.
Returning from the Underworld this time, Yang Haoran had not brought back the Death God attire for the Emissaries of Death and Night Watchers. The sheer quantity of Death God attire for the entire Ninth District of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office was too vast. While his independent space was large enough, it couldn't hold so many sets. Furthermore, his independent space also contained many of his collected treasures. So, he left all this Death God attire in the Underworld, planning to arrange for its transport back in a few days. It was precisely because he didn't have the Emissary of Death and Night Watcher attire on him that he hadn't distributed the Death God attire belonging to Emissaries like Shui Ling during this meeting.
With the meeting concluded, Shui Ling, Lu Wu, and the others departed. The Gu Mo City Underworld Office immediately became bustling, as the massive personnel changes necessitated adjustments to positions and the handover of various tasks.
Yang Haoran did not concern himself with these matters, entrusting everything to Yao Guozhi, Shui Ling, and Lu Wu. Since these three commanded all the forces of the Gu Mo City Underworld Office, only they could handle the handover.
As the trio busily carried out the handover, Xia Xinger arrived at the Underworld Office and met with Yang Haoran.
"Guardian Yang, congratulations."
Xia Xinger looked at Yang Haoran, clad in his Death God attire. Showing no surprise or doubt, she spoke calmly.
Although Xia Xinger didn't explicitly state it, Yang Haoran knew what her congratulations referred to. Many factions were paying attention to the Jingling Continent Underworld Office's martial arts competition to select Guardians. The Saint Mother Cult was one of the few major powers in the New Beginning Realm, backed by divine protection. The Underworld Office was likewise a significant force, so the Saint Mother Cult had always paid close attention to it. Naturally, the Saint Mother Cult would also monitor such a major event as the Jingling Continent Underworld Office holding a competition to select two Guardians.
Since they were paying attention, it was no difficult feat for the Saint Mother Cult to learn that Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had become the newly appointed Guardians of Jingling Continent.
As for how Xia Xinger knew about this, it was most likely information conveyed by the Saint Mother Cult's high command. Given that Xia Xinger was a Saint of the Gu Mo City Saint Mother Cult, and Yang Haoran was previously the Emissary of Death for the Gu Mo City Underworld Office—both being in Gu Mo City—the Saint Mother Cult's high command, upon learning of Yang Haoran's promotion to Guardian, would certainly have informed Xia Xinger immediately.
"Heh heh, just good luck."
Yang Haoran replied with a smile. Since Xia Xinger hadn't elaborated, he naturally saw no need to dwell on the matter himself, lest it seem like he was showing off.
"Guardian Yang, you are too humble. Today, I came to see Guardian Yang to congratulate you, and also to bid you farewell."
Xia Xinger spoke with a calm expression, her eyes as still as an ancient well, betraying no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.
Hearing Xia Xinger's words, Yang Haoran couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. He wasn't surprised that Xia Xinger knew he had become a Guardian, as he felt it was perfectly normal for her to be aware of such news.
However, the fact that Xia Xinger knew he was about to leave Gu Mo City left him somewhat perplexed. His meeting had just concluded not long ago, yet Xia Xinger already knew he was leaving Gu Mo City. Wasn't that a bit too fast? Could it be that Xia Xinger had already planted informants within his Gu Mo City Underworld Office?
Although Yang Haoran was inwardly puzzled, he did not let his emotions show on his face.
"Heh heh, Saint Xia's information is truly well-informed."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, while Xia Xinger responded with a calm expression.
"Guardian Yang was once the Emissary of Death for Gu Mo City, and I am a Saint of the Gu Mo City Saint Mother Cult. When you became a Guardian, my superiors would naturally inform me immediately, so this has nothing to do with whether information is well-informed."
Xia Xinger's reply only deepened Yang Haoran's confusion. He, of course, understood the point Xia Xinger was making, but his comment about "well-informed information" wasn't referring to his becoming a Guardian; it was about his imminent departure from Gu Mo City. Yet, Xia Xinger's answer had no relation whatsoever to his impending departure from Gu Mo City.
However, Xia Xinger's next words resolved the doubts in his mind.
"Our Saint Mother Cult will be withdrawing from Gu Mo City in the coming days. From now on, Gu Mo City will only have your Underworld Office as a single power. Consider this a congratulatory gift from our Saint Mother Cult for Guardian Yang becoming a Guardian."
So, Xia Xinger's farewell wasn't about Yang Haoran leaving Gu Mo City, but rather Xia Xinger herself departing. However, the Saint Mother Cult's decision still surprised Yang Haoran, as their withdrawal from Gu Mo City would mean abandoning it entirely.
The Saint Mother Cult's territory in Gu Mo City was not as extensive as the Underworld Office's, but it commanded far more believers. Territory had its advantages, and so did believers. A Saint Mother Cult with a large number of followers, even with less territory than the Underworld Office, still had the potential to develop in Gu Mo City. Moreover, the Saint Mother Cult was deeply rooted in Gu Mo City; although its territory was smaller than the Underworld Office's, it controlled a considerable amount of resources. To abandon it like this was indeed somewhat regrettable.
However, Yang Haoran only thought for a moment before understanding why the Saint Mother Cult had made such a decision.
This world was becoming increasingly chaotic, and all major factions, without exception, were getting entangled, with only the scale of impact varying. Thus, many factions now chose to temporarily consolidate their power to safely navigate this great upheaval, or even to seize more benefits during the chaos. Doing so not only ensured that their important territories wouldn't fall into the hands of other factions, but also allowed them to preserve their strength as much as possible. Yang Haoran believed the Saint Mother Cult's decision to have Xia Xinger withdraw from Gu Mo City likely had this consideration.
However, in his view, this was only one reason, not the primary one. Besides this, he felt it was largely connected to his becoming a Guardian, and this, in his opinion, was the main reason.
After he arrived at the Gu Mo City Underworld Office as the Emissary of Death, he swiftly brought down the other factions in Gu Mo City. With the exception of the Saint Mother Cult, all other forces were completely cleared out, instantly elevating the previously stagnant Underworld Office to the number one power in Gu Mo City, towering over the Saint Mother Cult.
Perhaps the Saint Mother Cult believed that while Yang Haoran hadn't acted against them yet, it didn't mean he would always leave them alone. This was already a concern before he became a Guardian, and after his promotion, the issue naturally became even more severe.
Before he became a Guardian, if he were to move against the Saint Mother Cult, he might have had some reservations. But after becoming a Guardian, those concerns were, of course, gone. Not only had his status undergone a dramatic change, but considering the strength he had revealed, the Saint Mother Cult would absolutely not want to provoke him unless it was absolutely necessary.
Although Gu Mo City was rich in resources, much of them had already been extracted. There was simply no need to offend Yang Haoran, the newly appointed Guardian, just for the sake of Gu Mo City.
Moreover, the Underworld Office had already become the top power in Gu Mo City. Even if Yang Haoran hadn't become a Guardian, it wouldn't be an easy task for the Gu Mo City Saint Mother Cult to surpass and replace the Underworld Office.
Yang Haoran felt that it was perhaps due to the existence of these factors that the Saint Mother Cult decided to withdraw from Gu Mo City. This way, they would not only avoid conflict with him, the newly appointed Guardian, but could also gain some goodwill.
Of course, this was merely his unilateral speculation. He couldn't be certain if the truth was as he suspected, but for him, regardless of whether it was or not, it wouldn't make much difference.
Although he harbored some conjectures about the matter and wasn't particularly concerned about it, after hearing Xia Xinger's words, he still deliberately put on a surprised expression.
"Heh heh, Saint Xia is leaving Gu Mo City. While I don't quite understand it, I can grasp it. However, your Saint Mother Cult withdrawing from Gu Mo City entirely is what truly puzzles me."
Xia Xinger's expression remained unchanged, as calm as ever, showing not the slightest shift in response to Yang Haoran's words.
"With Guardian Yang's intelligence, how could you possibly not understand this? To meet is fate, so before I depart, I decided to come and bid you farewell. Now that this matter is settled, it's time for me to leave. May we meet again if fate allows."
Xia Xinger offered no further explanation, nor did she seem inclined to chat more with Yang Haoran. After speaking, she directly tore open space, appearing ready to depart at once.
"Heh heh, since you've come all this way, Saint Xia, why the rush to leave? I haven't even had a chance to properly entertain you. It makes me, as the host, quite awkward."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, but Xia Xinger did not halt her steps, resolutely stepping into the spatial rift.
"Guardian Yang, I appreciate your kindness. However, I still have many matters to attend to, so I cannot linger here. If Guardian Yang truly means well, please do not impede our Saint Mother Cult's withdrawal. I would be immensely grateful."
As Xia Xinger's words fell, the spatial rift completely healed. Under Yang Haoran's watchful gaze, Xia Xinger departed from the Death God Temple.
Yang Haoran naturally understood the meaning of Xia Xinger's words before she left. This so-called request not to impede the Saint Mother Cult's withdrawal was essentially a worry that Yang Haoran might secretly cause trouble, not only affecting their retreat but also incurring losses for the Saint Mother Cult. If Yang Haoran refrained from using any tricks during the Saint Mother Cult's withdrawal, their departure would proceed much more smoothly, at least without needing to worry about threats from him.
"Heh heh, it seems her coming to congratulate me was secondary; the main purpose was to hope I wouldn't obstruct their Saint Mother Cult's withdrawal."
Yang Haoran chuckled to himself. As he spoke, there was no change in his facial expression, making it impossible to discern his inner thoughts at that moment.
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