Chapter 1366: Countermeasures
If Old Master Wu wasn't lying, and the information he obtained was completely accurate, then, according to our agreement, the Demon Hunter Guild's actions in Bajiao City were clearly excessive. Not just a little excessive, but extremely so.
Naturally, the Emissary of Death of Bajiao City wouldn't allow such a thing to happen in his jurisdiction. Confronting the Demon Hunter Guild for an explanation was a certainty. Not directly attacking the Demon Hunter Guild already showed considerable restraint; to let them run so rampant would have been a dereliction of his duty.
The Emissary of Death of Bajiao City had been personally appointed by Yang Haoran. He had a certain understanding of this individual, both their strength and their character. If the Demon Hunter Guild hadn't gone too far this time, he was certain the Emissary of Death of Bajiao City would never have made a move against them.
Yang Haoran lit a cigarette, leaned back against the chair, slightly fatigued. After a puff, he asked with a faint smile,
"Heh heh, judging by your expression, this conflict must have resulted in significant casualties."
Old Master Wu nodded solemnly, then spoke.
"The Emissary of Death of Bajiao City is gravely wounded. Seventeen Night Watchers died, and the remaining Night Watchers are either severely or lightly injured; none were spared."
Yang Haoran's cigarette-smoking motion paused slightly, his brow twitching almost imperceptibly. Even though he had mentally prepared himself, he was still somewhat surprised to hear that number. However, he didn't let his inner astonishment show fully on his face; his reaction remained composed.
"Our losses are considerable. What about the Demon Hunter Guild's losses?"
Seeing Yang Haoran inquire about this, Old Master Wu dared not delay and quickly replied,
"All the Demon Hunters from the Demon Hunter Guild were killed; not a single one was left alive. Even the Star God Temple that the Demon Hunter Guild built in Bajiao City was razed to the ground by our people."
Yang Haoran's expression shifted slightly, his brows furrowing. The faint smile on his face instantly stiffened, and it took him several seconds to react.
"This matter is far more troublesome than the one Zhong Siyu stirred up last time."
Yang Haoran took a drag from his cigarette and spoke with a faint smile. His tone seemed casual, and the subtle smile had returned to his face, but his initial reaction to hearing the news revealed that he not only took it seriously but also found it quite thorny.
"It hasn't been long since the Lecheng Demon Hunter Guild had trouble, and now the Bajiao City Demon Hunter Guild has had an incident right after. This matter is indeed quite troublesome, and that's precisely why I was so eager to report it to you, boss."
Old Master Wu spoke, and Yang Haoran nodded gently upon hearing him, understanding the meaning behind Old Master Wu's words.
"Since things have come to this, there's no use getting a headache; solving the problem is paramount. First, let our people clean up the mess, then forcibly pin the blame on the Spirit Masters. Regardless of whether this approach will fool them, we'll do this for now and deal with the Demon Hunter Guild when they come knocking."
Yang Haoran pondered for a moment, then gave his instructions. As for how to proceed, he believed Old Master Wu knew what to do. There was no need for him to elaborate; Old Master Wu would certainly handle the matter well. After all, this wasn't Old Master Wu's first time dealing with such things, and his experience was quite extensive.
"Yes, this subordinate will definitely handle this matter appropriately, making every effort to ensure the Spirit Masters take the full blame so the Demon Hunter Guild doesn't come looking for us, however. . ."
Old Master Wu hesitated, then stopped. Seeing this, Yang Haoran said with a smile,
"Heh heh, feel free to speak your mind between us. There's no need to be hesitant."
With Yang Haoran's encouragement, Old Master Wu continued to speak. "This subordinate believes that doing this won't solve the problem from its root. Even if we manage to fool them regarding the Bajiao City incident this time, will we be able to fool them next time? Last time it was Lecheng, this time it's Bajiao City. Perhaps it won't be long before new cities erupt with the same problem. Therefore, this subordinate feels that allowing the Demon Hunter Guild to build Star God Temples within our territory poses too great a hidden danger. It will inevitably lead to continuous conflicts, big and small, putting us in a very passive position. The best way to solve this problem is to make the Demon Hunter Guild leave our territory."
Old Master Wu said with deep concern, while a hint of helplessness appeared on Yang Haoran's face.
"Heh heh, how could I not know the truth of what you're saying? It's just that this order comes from the five Emperors of the Underworld Office, and it's not something a mere Guardian like myself can decide. If I could decide this, how could the Demon Hunter Guild possibly build Star God Temples in my territory, or even poach our believers?"
Old Master Wu's brow furrowed slightly. He also understood this point that Yang Haoran made; he knew it wasn't something Yang Haoran could decide. The reason he brought it up at this moment was to prompt Yang Haoran to think of a solution, to see if the current situation could be changed.
"Boss, you could have a thorough discussion with the Emperor about this. Perhaps things might improve."
Old Master Wu offered his suggestion, and Yang Haoran nodded gently upon hearing it.
"Indeed, I should have a good talk with the Emperor about this. If things continue like this, our Underworld Office and the Demon Hunter Guild will only face even greater conflicts. However, I don't think there's much hope of persuading the Emperor, because the Underworld Office and the Demon Hunter Guild have an alliance. Once that alliance is broken, it won't just greatly damage the reputation of our Underworld Office; it will also turn the Demon Hunter Guild into an enemy, giving our Underworld Office one more foe. So, the Emperor likely won't agree to drive the Demon Hunter Guild out of the Underworld Office's territory. Furthermore, this matter isn't something one Emperor alone can decide; it requires a joint discussion among all five Emperors to reach a conclusion."
Yang Haoran spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.
"Even if we can't drive the Demon Hunter Guild out of our territory, it would be better if they reined themselves in a bit."
Old Master Wu said, speaking from his own perspective. His words indicated that he was already making a concession, though this was likely his absolute bottom line.
"That much should be achievable. I believe the five Emperors wouldn't want to see the Demon Hunter Guild act too presumptuously within our Underworld Office's territory either. After all, it also affects their own interests, so they will certainly step in to resolve this."
At this point, Yang Haoran's voice paused slightly, then he continued,
"As it happens, I have a few things I want to report to the Emperor. I'll go find him shortly and report this matter as well. We'll see what attitude the Emperor takes. If the Emperor ignores it, or has some unspoken difficulty, then I'll have no choice but to solve the problem my own way. I certainly don't want the believers I've painstakingly accumulated to have their share taken by the Demon Hunter Guild."
As he spoke the last words, a cold glint flashed in Yang Haoran's eyes. From this, it was clear that the method he spoke of would certainly not be a gentle one.
"Boss, you're right. The believers and ordinary people we currently have were acquired through immense effort. To protect them, we sacrificed many during the chaos of the Underworld. If we let the Demon Hunter Guild fish in troubled waters and snatch the fruits of our labor, not only would the Emissaries of Death in various cities find it unacceptable, but this subordinate would also find it intolerable."
From Old Master Wu's words, it wasn't hard to discern that he held a strong negative opinion of the Demon Hunter Guild, and all his objections stemmed from the Demon Hunter Guild's actions within Yang Haoran's territory.
"Heh heh, I, Yang Haoran, never do anything for others to take the credit. So, there's no need for you to worry excessively about this, nor to be angry. I have my own plan. If the five Emperors of the Underworld Office don't intervene, or if their handling of the situation isn't decisive enough, then I'll simply have to accelerate my own plans."
Yang Haoran smiled faintly. This time, his tone lacked the previous helplessness, replaced instead by a deeply hidden killing intent. As for what Yang Haoran's plan entailed, Old Master Wu didn't ask. Because Yang Haoran hadn't said, it meant it wasn't time for him to know. Insisting on asking would not only yield no results but would also displease Yang Haoran. When it was time for him to know, even if he didn't ask, he believed Yang Haoran would tell him nonetheless.
What needed to be reported had been reported, and Yang Haoran had also laid out his countermeasures. Under normal circumstances, Old Master Wu would have taken his leave, but today, he did not.
Yang Haoran noticed that Old Master Wu was somewhat different from usual, and asked with a smile,
"Heh heh, Old Wu, do you perhaps have something else to report?"
Night God Under the Moon
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