Chapter 1279: Building the Guardian District (Part 2)
Feng Xiao had no doubts about Yang Haoran's promise. She nodded shyly and said nothing more.
“Underworld Official Brother Yang, what do you plan to have me do? What I can accomplish now is far more than when you first left Lecheng. ”
Bai Xue, her lithe, seemingly boneless body nestled softly on the sofa, spoke to Yang Haoran with a charming smile, her tone even carrying a hint of playful teasing.
As these words left her lips, those familiar with her showed no change in expression, accustomed to her ways. However, the faces of those unfamiliar with her shifted, for her words were directed at Yang Haoran.
Among the individuals Yang Haoran brought back from Gu Mo City, only the siblings Jing Qi and Jing Miao had never met Bai Xue. Shui Ling, Lu Wu, and Huang Sha had all encountered Bai Xue before. As for Xiang Chuan, there was no need to mention him; he had met Bai Xue even before journeying to Gu Mo City and had interacted with her on more than one occasion.
At this moment, Xiang Chuan was still reeling from the blow Feng Xiao had dealt him and hadn't quite recovered, so he didn't even register Bai Xue's words. Usually one to relish any excitement, he now showed no intention of speaking, not even glancing at Bai Xue.
As for Shui Ling, Lu Wu, and Huang Sha, they had witnessed Bai Xue's formidable power in Gu Mo City, and they had also recognized the unusual nature of Bai Xue's relationship with Yang Haoran. Thus, when Bai Xue addressed Yang Haoran with such a teasing tone, they merely wore peculiar expressions, betraying no other strong emotions.
Meanwhile, Jing Qi and Jing Miao, the siblings, had never seen Bai Xue before and were unaware of her prowess. Therefore, as Bai Xue's words were spoken, both their brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of displeasure crossed their faces, for they felt Bai Xue was being quite disrespectful to Yang Haoran.
Although the siblings felt Bai Xue was being very disrespectful to Yang Haoran, neither of them spoke up. This was because Yang Haoran had previously stated that everyone present was considered one of their own. Thus, even with a measure of dissatisfaction towards Bai Xue, the siblings refrained from verbally expressing their inner displeasure.
Naturally, the siblings' dissatisfaction wasn't limited to Bai Xue; they also harbored a degree of displeasure towards Ye Zhiqiu, who lounged on the sofa, leisurely sipping his wine.
However, Bai Xue's attention was entirely focused on Yang Haoran at this moment. Ye Zhiqiu's attention, conversely, was solely on the wine flask in his hand. Neither of them noticed the siblings at the time, and thus, naturally failed to detect the slight expressions of displeasure on their faces. Even if they had noticed, neither would have cared.
“Heh heh, the gap between a Great Demon and a Demon King is like heaven and earth. Now that you’ve successfully broken through to the Demon King realm, what you can do is naturally incomparable to when you were merely a Great Demon. ”
Yang Haoran spoke with a faint smile. Bai Xue had been with him for several years, and he was intimately familiar with her personality, having long grown accustomed to and accepted it. Thus, her teasing didn't bother him in the slightest; he wouldn't even consider taking offense. Even though his status had changed significantly, his attitude toward his friends remained utterly unaltered.
It had been some time since Bai Xue broke through from the Great Demon to the Demon King realm, a fact Yang Haoran was well aware of. Though he rarely returned to Lecheng, they often communicated via Communication Talismans, so he was perfectly clear on all major happenings in Lecheng and Bai Xue's personal advancements. Even after he became a Guardian this time, Bai Xue, Old Master Wu, and others had all sent Communication Talismans to congratulate him at the first opportunity.
“Without Underworld Official Brother Yang, I don't know how much more time it would have taken me to break through to the Demon King realm. I will always remember this favor in my heart. I’m a very sentimental person, so whatever arrangements you have, Underworld Official Brother Yang, just say the word. Please don’t be polite with me; whether I can accomplish it is my problem, just confidently and boldly assign it. ”
Bai Xue spoke with a captivating smile. Ever since she began following Yang Haoran, he had never been stingy with her, especially concerning Demon Pills. Yang Haoran had given her an untold number of them over time. The Demon Pills he provided played a decisive role in her rapid ascent from an ordinary Great Demon to a Demon King in just a few short years; without them, she absolutely would not have entered the Demon King realm so quickly.
Thus, Bai Xue was deeply grateful to Yang Haoran. The words she spoke now were quite similar to what Xiang Chuan had said earlier, but there was a fundamental difference between the two: Xiang Chuan was merely being polite, while her words came from the heart.
“Heh heh, since you’ve put it that way, I won’t stand on ceremony. From now on, Huang Sha will follow you. Your recent task is to help Huang Sha thoroughly familiarize himself with everything here, and to protect the safety of our Lecheng. If there are other matters that require your assistance, I will inform you then. ”
Yang Haoran spoke with a faint smile. Hearing this, Bai Xue turned her gaze towards Huang Sha with a charming smile, and Huang Sha likewise looked at Bai Xue.
Their eyes met, and Huang Sha offered Bai Xue a kind smile. Even before Bai Xue broke through to the Demon King realm, Huang Sha had already witnessed her prowess. As a Great Demon himself at the time, he greatly admired Bai Xue, feeling that his own strength lagged considerably behind hers. Now that Bai Xue had advanced to the Demon King realm, with a significant boost in power, the gap between them had naturally widened even further, and his admiration for her had grown accordingly. Thus, Yang Haoran’s decision to have him follow Bai Xue in the future met with no objection from him. Moreover, he needed a deeper understanding of Lecheng, Yang Haoran's subordinates, and the group as a whole, so indeed, he needed someone to guide him.
After a glance at Huang Sha, Bai Xue redirected her gaze back to Yang Haoran.
“Although this task is a bit too simple for me, since it’s an assignment from Underworld Official Brother Yang, I certainly won't refuse it. With Huang Sha following me, I will ensure he familiarizes himself with Lecheng in the shortest possible time. As for Lecheng’s safety, as long as there’s still breath in my body, I absolutely will not permit anyone to cause trouble in Lecheng. ”
Although Bai Xue was not entirely satisfied with the task Yang Haoran assigned her, she did not refuse his arrangements; she even gave Yang Haoran her assurance.
“Heh heh, very well, I’ll leave this task to you then. ”
Yang Haoran spoke to Bai Xue with a smile. After his words fell, he turned his gaze to Ye Zhiqiu, who was leisurely drinking on the sofa.
“Ye Zhiqiu, there’s a matter I need you to go out and handle. I’ll give you the detailed information shortly; you can prepare in advance after the meeting concludes. ”
For the rest of the time, Yang Haoran made arrangements for everyone, even Xiujuan and Xiao Kang.
After the meeting concluded, Yang Haoran kept Zhu Rong behind for a private discussion, meticulously informing her of his requirements for the Guardian District. Once Zhu Rong understood Yang Haoran's demands for the Guardian District, she immediately set about handling the matter without any delay, nor did she dare to procrastinate.
While Zhu Rong was frantically busy with the construction of the Guardian District, Yang Haoran sought out Ye Zhiqiu again and secretly assigned him a mission.
Afterwards, Yang Haoran left the villa and headed to the Ghost Cave, where he met Tang Shi.
His purpose for seeking out Tang Shi at this time was simple: naturally, it was to inform Tang Shi about the relocation of the Ghost Cave.
Regarding this matter, Tang Shi had no objections whatsoever. Of course, he wouldn't dare to have any, and besides, merely relocating the Ghost Cave was a minor issue that would not affect his daily work in any way.
Under the combined efforts of Zhu Rong and everyone else, buildings sprung up like mushrooms after a spring rain. Centered around Yang Haoran's villa, an entire complex of structures rose from the ground. Zhu Rong completed the construction of Yang Haoran's ideal Guardian District in a mere ten days. The speed was so astonishing that even Yang Haoran himself was shocked.
The Guardian District occupied an extremely vast area. Besides the residential zone, it also featured office areas for various departments, training grounds, a medical zone, operational areas for alchemy and artifact refining, a cafeteria, and even a sizable medicinal garden specifically for cultivating various spiritual herbs.
The Guardian District constructed by Zhu Rong was not only grand and imposing but also incredibly comprehensive, containing every conceivable area. Before the Guardian District was built, the Lecheng Administrative Courtyard had been the most magnificent and atmospheric building in Lecheng. However, once Yang Haoran's Guardian District was completed, the Administrative Courtyard was immediately overshadowed, and the disparity between the two was far from ordinary.
Yang Haoran was extremely satisfied with the Guardian District that Zhu Rong had built. It was exactly as he had envisioned; his ideal Guardian District had looked precisely like this, with no discrepancies whatsoever, and he was therefore very pleased.
A few days before the Guardian District was completed, Tang Shi had likewise covertly finished relocating the Ghost Cave. He had hollowed out the back mountain of Yangjiawan, and with Yang Haoran's approval, renamed the Ghost Cave to Myriad Ghost Grotto. This new name not only sounded more imposing but also perfectly befitted the secret organization Tang Shi led.
The number of ghosts under Tang Shi's command was steadily increasing. Most of these ghosts were once his prey, captured and then successfully subdued before becoming his allies. This led to an extremely rapid growth in the number of ghosts under Tang Shi; though not yet tens of thousands, their count had already surpassed a thousand, and every single one was an Evil Spirit-level ghost without exception.
Tang Shi had complete confidence that the number of ghosts under his command would exceed ten thousand; judging by their current rate of increase, that day was not far off. Moreover, his ambition wasn't merely to reach ten thousand ghosts; he harbored even greater goals, and renaming the Ghost Cave to Myriad Ghost Grotto also served to motivate himself.
Among all the individuals and organizations under Yang Haoran, if one were to name who had generated the greatest value for him, it would undoubtedly be the Myriad Ghost Grotto led by Tang Shi, formerly known as the Ghost Cave.
Initially, Tang Shi had only a few ghosts under his command, not only failing to create value for Yang Haoran but even consuming his resources.
As the Ghost Cave slowly developed, the number of ghosts under Tang Shi's command steadily grew, and the Ghost Cave gradually began to generate some value for Yang Haoran. However, the value created was very limited, to the point where it couldn't even proportionally match the resources consumed.
Furthermore, at that time, the ghosts under Tang Shi's command possessed limited power. Some difficult adversaries were simply beyond the ghosts' ability to contend with, let alone capture alive. To secure benefits, Yang Haoran had no choice but to dispatch Ye Zhiqiu to handle them.
Overall, Yang Haoran had invested many resources into the Ghost Cave in its early days, but reaped very little in return.
However, as the Ghost Cave continued to flourish, the number of ghosts under Tang Shi's command swelled, and their individual strengths grew increasingly formidable. The value generated by the Ghost Cave for Yang Haoran became astonishingly high, transforming from an initial deficit to abundant harvests.
By now, the prey discovered by Tang Shi's subordinates could almost all be handled by themselves. If they couldn't manage, they would report to Tang Shi, and Tang Shi would find a way to resolve it. This was with the exception of a very few groups with special identities or those Yang Haoran had specifically instructed them about, as these groups required a direct report to Yang Haoran, and only after he made a decision would they act according to his command.
For instance, Yang Haoran had always paid close attention to Pharmacists, a unique group. In the eyes of the Myriad Ghost Grotto, Pharmacists were indeed a special collective, for their master had specifically instructed them that if any traces of a Pharmacist were discovered, they must report it to him and await his decision, never acting on their own initiative against a Pharmacist.
This time, Yang Haoran's secret mission for Ye Zhiqiu was indeed related to a Pharmacist, and the credit for acquiring this information belonged entirely to the Myriad Ghost Grotto.
Currently, the total value that the Myriad Ghost Grotto had generated for Yang Haoran even surpassed the combined value created by the two Pharmacists, Feng Xiao and Xiang Chuan. This value comprised not only various intelligence reports and captured ghosts but also an assortment of strange and wondrous treasures. All these items combined truly exceeded the worth of the medicines refined by Feng Xiao and Xiang Chuan, so if one were to ask which individual or organization under Yang Haoran had created the most value for him, it would undeniably be the Myriad Ghost Grotto.
As for whether this top spot would be surpassed by other individuals or organizations, that remained unknown, for no one could tell what tomorrow would bring.
The Guardian District was completed flawlessly. According to Yang Haoran's plan, he intended to celebrate this matter thoroughly and, while doing so, delineate specific work roles for his subordinates. So, logically, he should have been swamped with work in the Guardian District at this moment. However, he was actually inside the Myriad Ghost Grotto, not in the Guardian District.
When Ye Zhiqiu departed that day, he handed a batch of refined Skins to Yang Haoran. Yang Haoran had commissioned these Skins, so Ye Zhiqiu gave them to him before leaving.
The reason Yang Haoran was currently in the Myriad Ghost Grotto instead of staying in the Guardian District was to deliver this batch of Skins into Tang Shi's hands, as these Skins had been custom-made for a portion of the Myriad Ghost Grotto's new members.
However, besides this reason, there was an even more crucial reason for his presence in the Myriad Ghost Grotto at this time.
That reason was Tang Shi's impending breakthrough into the Ghost King realm. Yang Haoran wanted to witness this awe-inspiring moment and, at the same time, provide a safeguard for Tang Shi's breakthrough.
If Tang Shi could successfully break through using his own power, that would naturally be for the best. Should any mishap occur during Tang Shi's breakthrough, having Yang Haoran there meant he could intervene and help. After all, the powers of both were related to Yin Qi and remarkably similar; in a real pinch, Yang Haoran could certainly lend a hand.
In truth, the Skins could have been delivered at any time, but Tang Shi's breakthrough to Ghost King was not something that could happen just anytime, and such a breakthrough inevitably carried certain unknown dangers. To Yang Haoran, celebrating the successful completion of the Guardian District was definitely not as important as Tang Shi's breakthrough, which was why he set aside his current affairs, left the Guardian District, and came to the Myriad Ghost Grotto.
Compared to the former Ghost Cave, the current Myriad Ghost Grotto boasted a much larger space, with numerous specialized stone chambers and areas added, even providing each member with their own private stone room. If the old Ghost Cave was merely a basketball court, then the Myriad Ghost Grotto now was a football field.
On the training ground, many ghosts wearing Skins were undergoing various drills. There were also a few ghosts without Skins; this type was not numerous, and the reason they lacked their own Skins was that they had only recently joined the organization, and Yang Haoran hadn't yet had time to custom-make Skins for them.
Normally, whenever ghosts were training on the field, Tang Shi would come to observe, to see how his subordinate ghosts were progressing and if they had met his ideal standards. If any issues arose in their training, he could offer some pointers.
However, at this moment, he was not on the training ground but sat cross-legged in a stone chamber protected by a soundproofing barrier. Seated opposite him was none other than Yang Haoran.
Tang Shi's eyes were tightly shut, his expression one of agony. Visibly, black Yin Qi emanated from the Spirit Body within his Skin, enveloping his entire form. His body trembled slightly, and the power fluctuations he emitted varied, sometimes strong, sometimes weak.
From these reactions, it was clear that Tang Shi was not only enduring pain incomprehensible to outsiders, but his internal power had also become unstable, painting a rather unoptimistic picture.
Compared to Tang Shi, Yang Haoran at this moment appeared quite relaxed. Dressed in his Death God attire, he sat leisurely on a stone chair opposite Tang Shi, sipping tea. On the stone table lay a teapot and some pastries. Judging by his demeanor, he seemed unconcerned about Tang Shi's condition.
Although Yang Haoran was wearing his Death God attire, he had subtly altered it with his own power. The nine characters on his back had vanished, and the two characters for 'Death God' on his front were concealed. All distinguishing features of the Death God attire were hidden by his power; to put it plainly, he had cast an illusion spell on his own Death God attire.
The reason for doing so was naturally as a precaution, given how conspicuously eye-catching his Death God attire truly was.
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