Chapter 572: The Man in the Hat
The doubt on their faces was not lost on Yang Haoran. A smile played on his lips, his expression utterly unchanged, and he showed no displeasure at their skepticism.
<r>"Stand up. Which of you is the acting Emissary of Death for Cloud River City? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
<r>Upon hearing him, the group straightened. The one in the lead took a small step forward and bowed to Yang Haoran once more.
<r>"Responding to the Emissary, this old woman is the acting Emissary of Death for Cloud River City."
<r>The one who answered Yang Haoran was an aged woman. Her figure was hunched, her back bowed, and she appeared to be barely over a meter tall. She leaned on a gnarled wooden walking stick, making her quite noticeable standing before the others.
<r>Yang Haoran smiled and nodded at the old woman, then asked, "Are all the Night Watchers of Cloud River City here?"
<r>The old woman did not immediately answer Yang Haoran's question; instead, a hesitant expression crossed her face.
<r>Yang Haoran knew the old woman still harbored some doubt about his identity, which was why she showed hesitation and didn't answer him right away.
<r>
Feeling the Spirit Power emanating from Yang Haoran, though it wasn't as formidable as she might have imagined, it nonetheless somewhat lessened the old woman's doubt, and the hesitant expression on her face receded.
<r>This amount of Spirit Power wasn't enough to definitively prove Yang Haoran was an Emissary of Death, but in the old woman's eyes, it was enough to prove Yang Haoran was one of them.
<r>Although the old woman yearned for Yang Haoran to produce more compelling evidence to prove his identity as an Emissary of Death, she feared such a request might anger him, and so dared not voice it.
<r>As the second-in-command of the Cloud River City Underworld Office, she was keenly aware of their current dire circumstances. With Yang Haoran arriving to provide support, whether he was truly an Emissary of Death or not, it could only be beneficial to them.
<r>Moreover, having lived to her age, she had met countless people. Judging by Yang Haoran's words and actions, she felt he didn't seem to be lying. Thus, she chose to answer his question.
<r>"No, there are fifteen others who, under my arrangement, have returned to their respective areas of responsibility to tally casualties and attend to the funeral rites of the deceased believers. Another seven are in a comatose state due to severe injuries and are currently undergoing treatment. As for us few, we were discussing countermeasures before the Emissary's arrival in Cloud River City, and rushed here immediately upon learning of your presence. " the old woman replied.
<r>"Have them set aside what they're doing for now and gather here immediately. Speed is of the essence," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
<r>"What makes the Emissary so urgent? " the old woman couldn't help but ask.
<r>"Soon, two more Emissaries of Death will arrive here. Therefore, before that, it would be best if you could gather all the Night Watchers here as much as possible."
<r>Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, not only did the old woman's face light up with delight, but expressions of ecstatic joy also appeared on the faces of the other Night Watchers present.
<r>"This subordinate will see to it immediately!"
<r>The old woman, her face brimming with surprise and joy, quickly arranged for the present Night Watchers to help contact those who hadn't arrived. Several of them simultaneously made calls, and the task was swiftly put into motion.
<r>"Emissary, all Night Watchers have been notified and are now on their way. May I ask if the Emissary has any other instructions? " the old woman asked, her attitude towards Yang Haoran having undergone a subtle change compared to before.
<r>Yang Haoran observed the old woman's change but merely smiled, choosing not to point it out.
<r>"Let the workers outside leave. There are many things they cannot know," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
<r>Upon receiving the order, the old woman immediately instructed the temple keeper of this Death God Temple—the Night Watcher standing beside Yang Haoran—to handle the matter.
<r>The man did not hesitate. After bowing to Yang Haoran, he walked towards the temple's main entrance.
<r>A moment later, the Night Watcher returned. He had settled the workers' wages and sent them on their way.
<r>They had received the agreed-upon payment without even finishing the work, and the subsequent tasks didn't need to be carried out. Such good fortune was rare, so how could they not be ecstatic?
<r>As time ticked by, other Night Watchers arrived one after another at the Death God Temple. This modest temple became lively with their arrival.
<r>These newly arrived Night Watchers regarded Yang Haoran with a mix of awe and skepticism. They didn't recognize him, nor had they witnessed his strength, so it was inevitable that they would question his identity.
<r>Yang Haoran had no intention of offering further explanations. He wasn't in the mood to prove his identity to every single Night Watcher. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes closed in meditation, waiting for the other Night Watchers to arrive, and simultaneously awaiting the arrival of the other two Emissaries of Death.
<r>This wait lasted for two hours.
<r>During these two hours, the fifteen Night Watchers arrived at the Death God Temple one after another. However, the two Emissaries of Death remained unseen.
<r>Yang Haoran showed no reaction to this. He sat cross-legged on the ground as if asleep, seemingly indifferent to everything happening around him.
<r>The Night Watchers present grew somewhat anxious, but with Yang Haoran as their leader and him remaining silent, they could only endure their inner turmoil, no matter how agitated they felt.
<r>Although Yang Haoran had not displayed his strength before these Night Watchers, the composure and calm he exhibited deeply impressed them. Thus, they held him in considerable awe and did not utter a single murmur of discontent despite the prolonged wait.
<r>After roughly the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, Yang Haoran slowly opened his eyes and gazed towards an open space not far away.
<r>The Night Watchers present had kept their eyes fixed on Yang Haoran. Seeing him open his eyes, they all turned their heads to follow his gaze.
<r>The space rippled violently. In the area where everyone was looking, a rift suddenly tore open, revealing a figure who then stepped out from within it.
<r>The person wore a leather jacket and a baseball cap, the brim of which obscured half of his face, leaving only a mouth framed by a full growth of stubble visible.
<r>Though his appearance was unclear, the Spirit Power emanating from him was exceptionally potent. Sensing this aura, all present, save for Yang Haoran who remained expressionless, revealed looks of profound shock.
<r>After the shock, ecstasy surged forth!
<r>The newcomer was an Emissary of Death sent to aid their Cloud River City Underworld Office, and naturally, the stronger, the better. This Man in the Hat was already so powerful without even opening his Heaven Soul; he would undoubtedly be even more formidable after doing so. How could their hearts not be filled with wild joy?
<r>For the past few days, they had been entirely on the defensive, and the Cloud River City Underworld Office's reputation was on the verge of being utterly ruined. In such a predicament, welcoming the support of such a formidable Emissary of Death gave them every reason to be overjoyed.
<r>"Greetings, Emissary!"
<r>The old woman was the first to react, swiftly dropping to one knee to salute the newcomer.
<r>The old woman's reaction served as a prompt, or perhaps a signal, to the other Night Watchers. Seeing her actions, the rest of them also came to their senses, quickly kneeling on one knee and offering their greetings.
<r>"Greetings, Emissary! ! !"
<r>Their voices were uniform and resonant, imbued with an intense excitement that had been absent when they first faced Yang Haoran.
<r>It was understandable; the power fluctuations emanating from Yang Haoran were not intense. Apart from the Night Watcher who had first met him, none of the others present had seen even a glimpse of Yang Haoran's true strength, so it was natural for them to harbor some doubt about his identity and abilities.
<r>Now, with the appearance of this new Emissary of Death, the powerful energy fluctuations he exuded were undeniably palpable. It was precisely because they could truly feel his might that they were so exceptionally agitated.
<r>The Man in the Hat paid no mind to the Night Watchers present. The corners of his lips curled slightly as he lifted his head to look towards Yang Haoran's position, then fixed his gaze upon him.
<r>The spatial rift behind him vanished. The Man in the Hat disappeared from his spot with a flicker, reappearing directly in front of Yang Haoran.
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