In the darkness, dozens of eyes glimmered with a strange light, like snakes hiding in a cave, all staring at the leader, waiting for him to speak. The leader, who was lazily sitting, finally spoke up. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t spoken in decades, and every word felt heavy.
"Why isn’t the lamp lit?"
A servant of the evil sect replied respectfully, "Leader, you forgot. Last time in the meeting, you mentioned that you attended a higher-level meeting, and the atmosphere there was different. You said our branch here doesn’t have the vibe of the evil sect."
"I see. Our branch is the weakest among all the branches, and maybe that’s the reason."
"I thought, stories say we like to plot in dark places, so I deliberately didn’t let anyone light the lamps."
"To be honest, not lighting the lamps does create a bad atmosphere."
It was clear that this servant was aware of his actions, knowing that the evil sect wasn't about doing good things.
The leader fell silent for a while, wondering if this servant was hinting that he wanted to leave the sect? Or suggesting that the branch hadn't raised its fees in a long time? Or maybe hinting that they should buy insurance for the members?
It didn’t seem like he wanted to leave the sect.
This person had been diligently doing bad things, and couldn’t tell friend from foe. They did bad things outside and even harmed their own people within the sect, truly a bad egg.
It also wasn’t about raising fees.
The fees of the evil sect were already tied to local finances, three times that of local officials, which was quite high. The branch was in a remote area, so the fees couldn’t be the same as the headquarters.
And it definitely wasn’t about buying insurance. Most members of the evil sect had no heirs, so who would they claim the insurance for?
Moreover, the local money chamber wouldn’t let the sect buy insurance, selling personal accident insurance to the sect members would only lead to the chamber losing everything.
"Let’s light the lamps first."
"Yes."
The servant blew out a breath and lit the wick, instantly brightening the entire hall.
The leader spoke again, "You all have heard the rumors about Xiao Qin. Let’s not spread them anymore, so we don’t give outsiders a reason to laugh at us."
"Xiao Qin’s character is clear to everyone. He does all kinds of bad things, and if caught by the authorities, he would face execution, which only proves that his character fits our sect's teachings."
"As for the claims that Xiao Qin is from the righteous path, that’s nonsense. Anyone who can join the evil sect has passed the leader’s tests."
"The leader’s evaluation of him is ‘evil to the bone,’ and the leader’s judgment is never wrong."
Qin Yuanhao bowed and said, "The leader is wise."
Qin Yuanhao felt a bit better. He was determined that once he got back, he would definitely take care of the person spreading rumors!
The leader didn’t mention Qin Yuanhao again, as he had already said enough out of kindness.
"I’ve gathered everyone here today because the headquarters has given us a task."
The leader paused and said, "The headquarters wants us to recruit new members for the evil sect."
Qin Yuanhao and the others were taken aback; they didn’t expect this. The sect hadn’t recruited on a large scale for thirty years, and in recent times, new members had only joined through personal recommendations.
For instance, Qin Yuanhao wanted to recruit a tiger demon, but unfortunately, the tiger demon stubbornly guarded Pine Mountain and refused to join the sect.
"You all should know the current situation. In the past century, many talents have risen, and famous masters can be defeated by unknown youngsters. Countless previously undiscovered ruins and caves have reappeared. This is an era full of opportunities and challenges."
"The five great sects and various top-tier factions have many talented individuals. The once rare dual spirit roots are now everywhere. If these talents can truly grow, there won’t be a need to fight for dominance."
"If we want to compete, it has to be now!"
"Seize the opportunity, and you can transform like a dragon in the rain, soaring in the skies, and become an immortal!"
"But opportunities aren’t easy to grasp. The damned Great Xia Dynasty and the five great sects have intensified their efforts against us, causing many of our comrades to fall."
"If we want to secure a place in this era, we must expand our sect’s membership. This matter has been agreed upon by the four major evil sects."
"What you need to do is spread the word about recruiting members through your channels, aiming to gather all the practitioners of the demonic path from the surrounding counties and those interested in joining our evil sect."
Someone voiced their concern, "Such a large-scale recruitment, won’t it give the righteous path a chance to infiltrate our sect?"
Many others shared this worry.
The evil sect had always been careful; if a few righteous path spies emerged, their situation would be precarious.
The leader shook his head, "This recruitment is organized by the leader with supreme abilities. The tests he set are impossible for those from the righteous path to pass."
Doubts faded, replaced by endless enthusiasm.
For the members of the evil sect, the leader was an omnipotent being, their guiding light, and surely he could lead them to glory!
After the meeting, Qin Yuanhao immediately used his connections to find out who was trying to frame him.
Through various channels, he finally traced it back to a small tavern.
"The customer is about eight feet tall and wide, with a face full of pimples, a strong man who looks like he could eat three children in one sitting," the tavern owner gestured, having a very clear impression of Lu Yang.
Based on the description, Qin Yuanhao quickly drew a portrait that looked nothing like the real Lu Yang.
Lu Yang and his companions had disguised themselves before entering the tavern to spread rumors.
Qin Yuanhao’s expression turned cold. How could someone so noticeable dare to spread rumors? Did he think he was easy to bully?
It was already late at night, and the Great Xia Dynasty had no curfew. Qin Yuanhao, along with his gang, was enjoying barbecue by the street, with pork skewers, beef skewers, roasted lamb legs, chicken feet, chicken legs, roasted pig skin, grilled tripe, grilled beef tendons, river shrimp, tender grilled kidneys, grilled leeks, grilled potatoes, grilled eggplants, and grilled wet tofu...
The skewers were tender and flavorful, seasoned perfectly, and when brushed with a special dark sauce and grilled over charcoal, the aroma was irresistible.
The pork skewers were grilled over a large fire, with the fat not being greasy and the lean meat rich in flavor.
The lamb legs were baked in a clay oven, combining steaming and roasting for even cooking, with a crispy and tender texture.
The chicken feet were marinated before grilling, offering a rich texture with skin, tendons, and crispy bones.
The chicken feet were grilled to perfection, retaining moisture and fat, balancing flavor and texture.
The potatoes were steamed and grilled with a special soy sauce, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Everyone was eating heartily.
After they finished eating, Qin Yuanhao arrogantly commanded his underlings, "You guys, go search the city for these people. If you can’t find them, don’t come back!"
"Yes, big brother!" his underlings replied, scattering in different directions.
Qin Yuanhao finished his skewers, feeling satisfied, and temporarily put aside thoughts of the annoying rumor-spreader. Meanwhile, he didn’t notice Lu Yang lurking underground.
Few people paid attention to what was beneath their feet, and Qin Yuanhao was no exception.
(End of Chapter)