Chapter 644: Association Call
After Bai Xue accepted the Death God Pendant, Yang Haoran bid farewell to Luo Dui and the others. Since the Spirit Police still had a meeting to discuss countermeasures, Bai Xue did not leave with Yang Haoran.
After bidding farewell to Luo Dui and the others, Yang Haoran immediately rushed back to the villa and then called Old Master Ma.
He first inquired about Old Master Ma's situation, asking if the Ma Family had been affected in any way. After a period of polite pleasantries, he then revisited the matter of the Mountain River Grand Array to seek further advice.
He learned from Old Master Ma that the Mountain River Grand Array's inability to sense external power fluctuations could be altered. Yang Haoran meticulously sought guidance, and after understanding how to handle the matter, he reminded Old Master Ma to be extra careful and to let him know if he ever needed help, before finally hanging up the phone.
Yang Haoran asked Xiujuan for the array disk controlling the Mountain River Grand Array and, following Old Master Ma's instructions, began modifying the formation.
The method was simple and easy to implement, not taking much time. After the modification was successful, external forces still couldn't sense the power fluctuations or aura within the grand array. However, from inside the array, one could now perceive external power fluctuations and auras. As for the range of perception, that would depend on the strength of one's own sensory abilities.
After dealing with this matter, Yang Haoran called Xu Meijing again to ask about the situation in Ancheng, his main goal being to find out if Xu Meijing had encountered any trouble.
He learned from Xu Meijing that the situation in Ancheng was even more chaotic than in Lecheng. Since Ancheng was larger and far more populous than Lecheng, the ensuing chaos was certainly more uncontrollable than what Lecheng had experienced.
Learning that Xu Meijing hadn't encountered any trouble, Yang Haoran felt much more at ease. After repeatedly reminding Xu Meijing to be careful and ensure her safety, he finally hung up the phone.
Next, Yang Haoran planned to stay home and heal. After all, his injuries hadn't fully recovered, and given the current situation, it was only natural to keep himself in peak condition as much as possible, thus always being prepared.
However, just as he was preparing to recuperate, Ye Zhiqiu approached him, dressed in a set of pajamas.
Inside the study, Yang Haoran brewed a cup of tea for Ye Zhiqiu. However, Ye Zhiqiu didn't touch the tea; instead, he picked up a liquor flask and poured a gulp of alcohol directly into his mouth.
"You know I don't drink tea, so why bother wasting your leaves? " Ye Zhiqiu said indifferently to Yang Haoran, swallowing the strong liquor in his mouth.
Yang Haoran smiled, took a sip of tea, and then spoke to Ye Zhiqiu, "You usually don't come looking for me. Is there something you need at this hour?"
"The Demon Hunter Association called me."
Ye Zhiqiu didn't beat around the bush; he spoke directly and to the point.
Back then, to save the flower demon, Ye Zhiqiu's actions already amounted to betraying the Demon Hunter Association. However, this matter had not been exposed, so the Demon Hunter Association remained unaware, still considering him a member.
With the world now in chaos, Ye Zhiqiu, as a member of the Demon Hunter Association, was bound to receive notifications from them.
"Oh? What did they say? " Yang Haoran asked, his expression showing little change.
"They instructed me to constantly monitor the situation in Lecheng, and to notify the Association immediately if I discovered any traces of demons," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
"How did you Demon Hunters usually handle encounters with demons in the past? " Yang Haoran asked.
"In the past, when we encountered demons, we would handle them ourselves. If we felt we couldn't manage it, we could privately seek help from other Demon Hunters, or we could request assistance from the Association. For the former, the compensation would be negotiated between both parties. For the latter, the Demon Hunter Association would determine the cost."
At this point, Ye Zhiqiu took another large gulp of strong liquor, and only after swallowing did he continue.
"Under normal circumstances, the Association's fees are never low. This is because the Association not only has to pay a reward to the Demon Hunters who carry out the mission, but also takes a percentage for itself. This results in the cost always being very expensive whenever one requests the Association's assistance. However, while the cost of enlisting the Association's help is high, the success rate is also very high. Asking other Demon Hunters for help is less predictable; there are many uncertain factors involved."
"Does your Association only intervene in cases involving demons, or can it resolve other kinds of issues as well? " Yang Haoran inquired.
"It's not just limited to demons. The Association also handles other types of problems, though it depends on the specific situation. For issues that are too troublesome, the Association won't take them on, and for other types of problems, the Association's asking price will be even higher," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
Yang Haoran took a sip of tea, processing the information. After a moment's thought, he spoke with a smile.
"In the past, you used to handle demons yourselves, but now your Demon Hunter Association requires you to report their whereabouts at all times. It looks like they want to cash in big during these chaotic times, eh? " Yang Haoran said with a chuckle.
Ye Zhiqiu said nothing, seemingly acquiescing to Yang Haoran's assessment. He retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his Independent Space, lit one for himself, and then tossed the entire pack to Yang Haoran.
Although he didn't say much, Yang Haoran understood Ye Zhiqiu's meaning: help yourself if you want a smoke.
Yang Haoran didn't stand on ceremony. He took a cigarette from the pack, lit it, took a drag, and then continued, still smiling.
"If you Demon Hunters discover the whereabouts of demons and report them as required by the Association, how will the final spoils be distributed?"
Ye Zhiqiu slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, then replied, "Providing clues comes with a fixed reward. If you contribute to dealing with a demon, you'll receive a corresponding return based on the extent of your effort."
Yang Haoran nodded, chuckling, "That approach certainly sounds reasonable. I just wonder if there will be any hidden caveats when it's put into practice."
Ye Zhiqiu shook his head. "That's hard to say. I imagine many Demon Hunters are currently worried about that very issue."
"What are the consequences if one doesn't follow the Association's requirements? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"It depends on the circumstances," Ye Zhiqiu replied. "Mild cases result in fines; severe ones in expulsion from the Association. And if it's even more serious, they're directly imprisoned in the Association's dungeon, then executed on an auspicious day."
Yang Haoran took a drag from his cigarette, then chuckled. "Heh heh, your Association is directly threatening lives, then."
"That's roughly the gist of it," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
"Did you know that two Big Demons appeared in Lecheng today? " Yang Haoran asked, smiling.
Ye Zhiqiu nodded. "I know. Earlier, I stepped outside my barrier and sensed two powerful surges of Demon Qi. From the strength of the Demon Qi I perceived at the time, both of those demons were Big Demon-level entities."
"Have you reported this matter? " Yang Haoran continued to ask.
Ye Zhiqiu shook his head. "Not yet. I came to find you precisely because of this. Whether to report it or not is your call."
Yang Haoran thought for a moment, then chuckled. "Report it, of course you should report it. If you don't, won't that just cause you trouble?"
Yang Haoran's answer was definitive, and Ye Zhiqiu was just as straightforward. He nodded, said nothing more, and stood up, preparing to leave the study.
"Wait, there's one more question I'd like to ask you," Yang Haoran said, stopping Ye Zhiqiu from leaving.
"What is it? " Ye Zhiqiu asked.
"How many Demon Hunters are there in Lecheng in total? " Yang Haoran asked.
"I don't know how many Demon Hunters there are in Lecheng in total. However, among those who have joined the Demon Hunter Association, I am the only one. As for whether the Association will transfer other Demon Hunters to Lecheng in the future, I also don't know," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
Yang Haoran nodded, indicating his understanding. Seeing that Yang Haoran seemed to have no further questions, Ye Zhiqiu left the study, leaving Yang Haoran alone inside.
As for why the appearance of two Big Demons in Lecheng today needed to be reported to the Demon Hunter Association, it was because the matter simply couldn't be concealed. Too many people knew about it, and some had even uploaded videos online. Therefore, even if Ye Zhiqiu didn't report it, it wouldn't be difficult for the Demon Hunter Association to learn that two Big Demons had appeared in Lecheng.
Since that was the case, it was better to report the matter directly. Doing so would at least prevent Ye Zhiqiu from getting into trouble.
As for why Yang Haoran didn't simply have Ye Zhiqiu withdraw from the Demon Hunter Association directly, Yang Haoran had other considerations in mind.
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