Chapter 1178: Dispelling Doubts
"Since time is pressing, I won't beat around the bush with you two. I want to select one of you to serve as the new Soul-Sower of Tongyou City. Which of you is more interested?"
Yang Haoran glanced at Uan and Luo Yang, then withdrew his gaze. He took a drag from his cigarette, looked up at the ceiling beam, and asked with a faint smile.
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, the expressions of the two men subtly changed. Uan looked at Luo Yang opposite him, and Luo Yang, at that very moment, also looked back. Both saw a hint of confusion in the other's eyes.
After averting their gazes, they both looked back at Yang Haoran, who sat at the head of the table. Uan remained silent, while Luo Yang, with a bewildered expression, asked Yang Haoran with a smile,
"Guardian, isn't Tongyou City under Ding Tianhua's jurisdiction? Why the sudden change? Is it because Ding Tianhua made significant contributions during the recent Tongyou City battle, and the Guardian intends to transfer him from Tongyou City to develop within the Guardian's own Guardian District?"
As Luo Yang spoke, a smile played on his face, and he cautiously posed several questions in a row. His tone even carried a hint of envy; whether it was genuine or feigned, it was impossible to tell.
"Heh heh, Ding Tianhua is dead, so the Tongyou City Underworld Office must find someone new to take over."
Yang Haoran said with a faint smile, as if stating a trivial matter. Yet, to Uan and Luo Yang, these words struck like a bolt from the blue, filling their hearts with shock.
Within the Ninth District of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office, Ding Tianhua was undeniably a veteran Soul-Sower. He had opened his Heaven and Earth Souls much earlier than both Uan and Luo Yang. Although Ding Tianhua's personality wasn't particularly good, and his interpersonal skills were lacking, having offended many in their circle, his strength was universally acknowledged as formidable. Killing such a powerful individual as Ding Tianhua was no easy feat.
Ding Tianhua's death indeed astonished them, but what shocked them even more was Yang Haoran's attitude towards the matter. Looking at the faint smile on Yang Haoran's face, his nonchalant demeanor, it was as if the one who died wasn't a person, a rare powerhouse in their Ninth District, but an insignificant domestic fowl.
Though internally surprised by Yang Haoran's calm reaction, neither of them brought it up. Instead, they noted it mentally, and their wariness towards Yang Haoran consequently increased by several points.
Their own subordinate had just bitten the dust, yet Yang Haoran, as their Guardian, could still smile and act so indifferently. It was difficult for them not to feel wary of him.
However, neither of them showed the slightest hint of their wariness towards Yang Haoran on their faces. Within a few breaths, they recovered from their shock. Regarding Ding Tianhua's death, they seemed to have immediately thought of something, and so Luo Yang, with a look of surprise, couldn't help but ask Yang Haoran,
"Guardian, could it be that Ding Tianhua was too severely injured during the Tongyou City battle and ultimately succumbed to his wounds?"
Yang Haoran took a drag from his cigarette, then gently shook his head with a faint smile. His reaction immediately stirred stronger doubts in their hearts.
If Ding Tianhua had died from severe injuries sustained in the Tongyou City battle, it would be understandable, as such a situation was normal. But if not, then how had Ding Tianhua lost his life? It was well known that after the Tongyou City battle concluded, Ding Tianhua, the Soul-Sower of Tongyou City, was on the list of those who survived. Since he was alive after the battle and didn't die from severe injuries, how could Ding Tianhua suddenly lose his life for no apparent reason?
Yang Haoran withdrew his gaze from the ceiling beam and swept a glance over the two men. He naturally saw the confusion clearly written on their faces. He knew what they were wondering about, and not wanting to waste too much time, he decided not to beat around the bush. Before Luo Yang could question him again, he proactively spoke with a smile.
"Heh heh, no need to ask. I personally executed Ding Tianhua."
Yang Haoran said with a faint smile. These words once again sent shockwaves through Uan and Luo Yang. This time, their shock was far more intense than before. Due to the overwhelming intensity of their internal shock, it even manifested on their faces!
It was no wonder they had such a strong reaction. Ding Tianhua was the Soul-Sower of Tongyou City, and Yang Haoran was the Guardian of the Ninth District. To put it bluntly, Ding Tianhua was Yang Haoran's subordinate. Not only did Yang Haoran personally execute his subordinate, but he executed a meritorious one at that. After all, Ding Tianhua had contributed significantly to the Tongyou City battle. For Yang Haoran to kill Ding Tianhua and speak of it so nonchalantly, as if it were of no consequence, how could it not shock them?
Having already harbored wariness towards Yang Haoran, at this very moment, their inner attitude towards him was no longer just caution, but genuine repulsion and disgust. They even felt that Yang Haoran was utterly unqualified and unfit to serve as the Guardian of the Ninth District.
The shock on their faces, without a single detail missed, fell fully into Yang Haoran's eyes. Observing their incredulous expressions, his own did not change in the slightest. Instead, he comfortably picked up the teacup beside him and took a gentle sip, as if their reactions were of no concern to him at all.
In truth, Yang Haoran was very much concerned by their reactions, not as indifferent as he appeared. He simply chose not to reveal his true emotions in the slightest.
What the two men were thinking at this moment, Yang Haoran could roughly guess through their facial expressions and the subtle disgust in their eyes. He didn't find this troubling, nor did he reflect on whether he had said something he shouldn't have. On the contrary, he was delighted, because their current reactions were precisely the outcome he desired.
Recovering from their shock, Uan and Luo Yang both gradually shed the astonished expressions from their faces, and the subtle disgust in their eyes also faded. Their minds, now restored to reason, saw the matter in a new light.
Both were intelligent individuals. They felt that Yang Haoran had gone to the trouble of having them come all this way and then told them this matter, almost certainly implying a deeper meaning, not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Unless Yang Haoran truly was a bloodthirsty madman who didn't even spare his own people. However, based on their private understanding of Yang Haoran, he did not seem to be such a person.
Just now, the news Yang Haoran delivered had truly brought them too much shock, causing their minds to be entirely consumed by it and their brains to stop functioning normally. Now, having recovered from the shock and with their brains rapidly working again, they realized that this matter was probably not as simple as Yang Haoran claimed. There might even be an inside story.
Uan, as usual, had no intention of asking Yang Haoran anything. Luo Yang, however, was different from Uan. Uan's silence did not mean he too would remain quiet. Yet, this time, he still didn't have the chance to speak before Yang Haoran proactively did so with a smile.
"Heh heh, at this very moment, are you two perhaps cursing me, Yang Haoran, in your hearts, calling me a beast for being able to lay hands even on my own subordinates?"
Yang Haoran asked with a faint smile, an expression on his face that seemed to say, "I know what you're thinking."
Uan remained as serious as before, but upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, his brows couldn't help but furrow slightly. He still said nothing.
Luo Yang was momentarily stunned, then a rather natural smile appeared on his face as he took over Yang Haoran's words.
"Heh heh, how would we dare to criticize the Guardian in our hearts? It's true that Ding Tianhua was a Soul-Sower under the Guardian, but everyone knows Ding Tianhua was arrogant and difficult to get along with. Since the Guardian personally executed this man, there must be a good reason for it."
Yang Haoran's expression did not change much upon hearing this. He extinguished the cigarette butt that had burned down to its end, then fixed his gaze on Luo Yang and said with a smile,
"Heh heh, although I can't be sure how much truth there is in your words, I have a good idea. However, I don't blame you. If I were in your position, suddenly hearing such shocking news, my thoughts would probably be similar to yours."
After Yang Haoran's words fell, Luo Yang did not continue speaking. As for Uan, there was even less need to say anything; he was a man of few words, and in a situation like this, he certainly wouldn't interject.
Seeing that neither of them intended to speak, Yang Haoran continued on his own.
"During this Tongyou City battle, Ding Tianhua, as a Soul-Sower, indeed performed exceptionally well and made significant contributions. I witnessed it firsthand. To reward him, I left the vast majority of the spoils from the Tongyou City battle to him. On one hand, it was to motivate him, and on the other, it was to express my sincerity. After all, as you know, I've only recently become a Guardian. I need to gain the recognition of more Soul-Sowers, especially powerful individuals like Ding Tianhua and yourselves who have opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. I value that even more."
Yang Haoran said with a faint smile, his voice trailing off here. Uan and Luo Yang listened intently, but they showed no intention of interrupting.
Seeing that they still had no intention of speaking, maintaining an expression of waiting for the rest of the story, Yang Haoran let out a soft sigh, shook his head gently, and then continued. However, the smile on his face had diminished slightly, replaced by a hint of regret.
"Alas, it's a pity. Ding Tianhua disregarded my sincerity. Not only that, Ding Tianhua even colluded with outsiders, setting up a trap outside Tongyou City beforehand. Using the excuse of discovering a Spirit Master, he led me into the trap, intending to take advantage of my severe injuries from the Tongyou City battle, before I had recovered, to execute me within the formation and then usurp my position as the Guardian of our Ninth District. However, it seems he underestimated me a bit, so he not only failed to kill me but instead died by my hand."
As soon as Yang Haoran spoke these words, Uan and Luo Yang's expressions changed once again. They exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise on each other's faces, as well as the faint, lingering doubt in their eyes. It seemed that while they didn't completely dismiss Yang Haoran's account, they still harbored some skepticism.
"This incident only happened recently, and it's not exactly a glorious matter, so I didn't immediately issue an announcement through the Underworld Iron Tome. However, the Tongyou City Underworld Office cannot be without a Soul-Sower. Since Ding Tianhua is dead, I must find a new Soul-Sower to take his place. So, I deliberated for a long time and spent a considerable amount of time meticulously screening the Soul-Sowers in my Ninth District. In the end, I narrowed it down to you two, hoping to select one of you to serve as the Soul-Sower of the Tongyou City Underworld Office."
After saying this, Yang Haoran originally didn't intend to continue, wanting to observe their attitudes and hear their thoughts before guiding them further. But after a slight hesitation, he added,
"Heh heh, you absolutely don't need to doubt the truth of my words. I, Yang Haoran, am not a lunatic; I wouldn't kill one or two of my subordinates for kicks. I haven't descended to that level of perversion. Moreover, the strength of our Ninth District is currently weak. Underworld Officials who have opened their Heaven and Earth Souls are extremely important to our Ninth District; they are a powerful force for us in combating Spirit Masters. If it hadn't reached a point where I absolutely had to kill Ding Tianhua, how could I possibly do something as foolish as cutting off my own arm? This would not only bring me no benefit whatsoever, but if handled improperly, I, Yang Haoran, would also be burdened with a lifetime of infamy. If it were you, would you commit such a senseless act?"
Yang Haoran's final addition not only caused Uan's brows to furrow even tighter but also made Luo Yang frown. Both men were deep in thought, seemingly analyzing in their minds how much truth there was in Yang Haoran's words.
After their analysis, both men concluded that Yang Haoran's words were indeed correct. Unless there was an absolute reason to kill Ding Tianhua, Yang Haoran would likely not have done something so self-destructive. After all, killing Ding Tianhua not only brought him no benefit but also meant losing a powerful general among his subordinates. No one with a sound mind would do such a thing; even someone with a slight mental issue probably wouldn't commit such a foolish act, unless they had a major mental problem, in which case it wouldn't be surprising.
However, from their perspective, Yang Haoran did not seem like someone with a major mental problem. If Yang Haoran truly had such a significant issue, he wouldn't have been able to attain the position of Guardian. Could it be that Luo Yao, the Great Emperor of their Jingling Continent Underworld Office, also had a problem with his mind?
After this internal analysis, Uan and Luo Yang believed Yang Haoran's words about eighty to ninety percent. The remaining small bit of doubt was due to the brevity of their analysis; perhaps there were still overlooked questionable points, hence that lingering trace of skepticism.
Although a slight doubt still remained, the repulsion and disgust they had felt towards Yang Haoran in their hearts had already vanished.
Of course, they did not feel embarrassed about their previous repulsion and disgust towards Yang Haoran, for that small sliver of doubt still persisted in their minds.
"The Guardian's actions were not wrong. If I were the Guardian, I would have killed Ding Tianhua as well. Colluding with outsiders to scheme against and frame a Guardian of our Underworld Office, that is a death crime punishable by the most severe torture, even their souls would be thrown into hell to suffer endlessly."
Luo Yang said with a smile. From his words, he seemed to be on Yang Haoran's side. However, when he mentioned "soul" at the very end of his statement, it struck Yang Haoran as having a deeper meaning.
In Yang Haoran's view, Luo Yang mentioning "soul" might have been a hint, reminding him that if he wanted to prove his innocence and confirm that Ding Tianhua's death was self-inflicted, all he needed to do was produce Ding Tianhua's soul, and then everything would be clear. It wouldn't matter whether Ding Tianhua was willing to confess voluntarily or not, as Underworld Officials all possessed the Ghost Eye ability, so Ding Tianhua couldn't conceal secrets through deception even if he didn't want to speak.
If Ding Tianhua's soul were still intact, Yang Haoran wouldn't mind producing it in front of the two men to gain their absolute trust and facilitate better control over them in the future. But the problem was that he didn't have Ding Tianhua's soul at all; Ding Tianhua's soul had dissipated. He had no ability to reform Ding Tianhua's soul, so how could he produce it?
Therefore, regarding Luo Yang's final mention of "soul," Yang Haoran simply pretended not to understand. If he were to acknowledge it and offer further explanations, the matter would only become more complicated, which was not the outcome he desired.
Moreover, his purpose in summoning the two men to Tongyou City today was not to explain the cause of Ding Tianhua's death to them, after all, they were his subordinates, not his superior, Luo Yao.
The main reason he disclosed the cause of Ding Tianhua's death was to dispel as many of their doubts as possible, so that they would focus on working for him. If he had told them nothing, or resorted to deceptive tactics, they might not have willingly helped him. Even if he used his authority to compel them, they would likely have paid lip service while acting contrary. Such an approach would only be counterproductive.
From the current situation, Yang Haoran's approach had achieved complete success. Although Uan and Luo Yang still harbored a tiny sliver of doubt, that doubt was far less significant than what they felt when they first arrived in Tongyou City. This indicated that Yang Haoran's goal of largely dispelling their doubts had been achieved.
"Heh heh, I've told you the purpose of your visit to Tongyou City, and to dispel your doubts, I've also informed you of the cause of Ding Tianhua's death. Now, isn't it time for you to answer me? Which of you is willing to remain in the Tongyou City Underworld Office as the Soul-Sower?"
Yang Haoran avoided the topic of Ding Tianhua's soul and instead smiled, demanding a definitive answer from Uan and Luo Yang.
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