Everyone was stunned. Wan Qianhong and her team never imagined in their wildest dreams that “Bai Feifei” would say something like that.
Wan Qianhong’s mouth hung half-open, her mind momentarily blanking out.
You have an organization too? Since when!
You just took the Scavenger test!
Aries—Hong Jiu—narrowed his eyes. Without doubting her further, he asked “Bai Feifei,” “Your organization? What organization is that?”
“Wait... regardless, a firefly compared to the full moon? That’s quite the boast. What is your ultimate ideal then?”
“You say our vision is small. Tell me, what is yours?”
Xu Mo could tell at a glance that Hong Jiu had taken the bait.
Immediately, with an expression that was seventy percent arrogance and thirty percent disdain, he continued his nonsense.
“I wouldn’t tell an ordinary person even if they asked.”
“However, the Rangers have a bit of backbone. Since you’re so eager to learn, I can tell you.”
“Our organization’s name is—the Masked Hermit Society!”
Xu Mo swore that he had made those five words up on the spot in less than a minute.
He didn’t even know what they meant; he just thought they sounded cool and had a Lovecraftian vibe to them.
But Hong Jiu didn’t seem to think so. He muttered the name a few times, as if chewing over the meaning.
“The Masked Hermit Society... I’ve never heard of it.”
“Then what is your philosophy?”
“The fact that you haven't heard of it means you're not in the same league, not that there's a problem with us,” Xu Mo retorted, maintaining his high-class persona with intense conviction.
“Have you ever heard of the Evil Gods of the Old Days?”
Hong Jiu frowned and replied, “Of course. They are the legendary rank above world-ending aberrations, possessing unimaginable power.”
“Is your organization just another one of those churches that worships a so-called Evil God? Hmph! Foolish!”
Xu Mo’s voice became even more disdainful.
“That’s why I said your vision is small. Your thinking can only go that far.”
“The Masked Hermit Society has only one goal—to collect and contain the corpses of the Evil Gods!”
Hong Jiu was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed drastically as he barked, “Impossible!”
“Why is it impossible?” Xu Mo cut him off directly. “Do you think the Evil Gods are just legends?”
As a Ranger, Hong Jiu didn’t believe the Evil Gods were mere legends; they had to be some indescribable entities that once existed.
It was just that the girl’s claim...
“The Evil Gods are real!” Xu Mo said decisively.
“And as long as they existed, they left traces. Whether they are sleeping or dead, the Masked Hermit Society will find them!”
“We contain their corpses, severed limbs, and souls. One day, when we have imprisoned all the Evil Gods, the world will return to the way it should be.”
“Isn't that so?”
Hong Jiu clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. He lacked the ability to hide his emotions; everything he felt was written on his face.
He gritted his teeth, his heart churning like a stormy sea as he listened to “Bai Feifei’s” words.
How could this be...
Containing Evil Gods?!
That wasn't just a boast; it was pure insanity!
But if it were true... then this organization really did have the right to say the Rangers’ vision was too small.
For a moment, Hong Jiu didn't know what to say. It wasn't that he hadn't suspected “Bai Feifei” was talking nonsense, but... who would dare to spout such nonsense about this!
The power of the Evil Gods was beyond human comprehension. To say such things—was she not afraid of a backlash?
At that moment, the earth began to shake again, and everyone turned their gaze toward the mining area.
The earthquakes had started again.
Since the first underground riot a while ago, there had been a tremor like this at regular intervals.
No one knew exactly what that anomaly deep underground was or what its patterns were.
Seeing the earthquake return, Hong Jiu looked into the distance with a grim expression, then spoke to “Bai Feifei.”
“You... you’re an interesting brother.”
“The Masked Hermit Society—I’ll remember it!”
“I have urgent business, so I won't stay. We'll speak again if we meet later.”
With that, he nodded to “Bai Feifei,” completely ignored Li Gui, and turned to lead his men away.
The Rangers moved to the other side of the mountain to set up a temporary camp.
As the uninvited guests departed, the pressure brought by Aries gradually dissipated. Everyone present, whether intentionally or not, focused their gaze on “Bai Feifei.”
Whether it was the East District team or the Special Action Team, many looked at her with complex expressions.
They had been prepared for a direct confrontation with the Rangers, but they hadn't expected this foul-mouthed girl to scold Aries and, instead of provoking him, actually stun him.
She had spun such a massive lie that everyone was left dazed.
Everyone tacitly avoided the topic, because just thinking about it felt like their Sanity would drop to zero and they’d go mad.
“Let’s leave it at that,” Li Gui’s raspy voice broke the silence.
He turned to Wu Jinyi and said, “Gather the team and set up camp.”
After everything that had happened, he was no longer in the mood to deal with Wan Qianhong and Bai Feifei.
The Special Action Team retreated as a group, finding another spot to set up their temporary camp.
Once both groups had disappeared from sight, Wan Qianhong suddenly realized something was wrong!
“Bai Feifei” had drawn all the fire and dominated the conversation, which meant the order to lead her team back to the Inner City had just... fizzled out?
It had been glossed over so casually that no one mentioned it again!
“Ah~” Xu Mo let out a yawn and waved a hand. “Alright, it’s settled. It’s late, so I’m going to sleep if there’s nothing else.”
“Wait...” Wan Qianhong instinctively called out to her. “Are you... really a member of that Masked Hermit Society?”
Xu Mo’s lip twitched as he looked at Wan Qianhong as if she were an idiot.
“That sheep has no brains, are you stupid too?”
“In this world, your identity is what you give yourself.”
With that, she strode toward her room under the gaze of the East District team and went inside, closing the door.
Only this time, there was less scrutiny of her as a sinner in their eyes, and a bit more... inexplicable respect!
...
The night passed without incident.
“Mm~”
Sunlight streamed through the window and onto Bai Feifei’s face. Her beautiful eyelashes fluttered, and she woke up with a soft moan.
Sitting up in bed, Bai Feifei felt a bit dazed, as if she had just had a very, very long dream.
At that moment, the familiar voice of the Old-Timer in her mind snapped her back to her senses.
“You’re awake.”
“Hehe, I picked up a big job for you last night.”
Rate on N.U.
