Chapter 1 Night

Night.

Outside the Yang manor, taking advantage of the darkness, Xu Jingming quietly walked through the surrounding alleys, familiarizing himself with each narrow passage.

"There are hardly any guards around the Yang family's perimeter, so reconnaissance is easy. But the inside of the manor is heavily guarded. I can’t get in, so I can only purchase recorded videos of the Yang manor’s interior from the virtual world network," Xu Jingming thought.

This will be another expense!

"Wailing, wailing…" Cries echoed from some of the residences around the alley.

Xu Jingming shook his head slightly.

In the past few days, he had heard many residents crying at night, mostly because the pillars of their families were being forced to leave the imperial capital.

"In the eyes of the powerful clans, these subordinates are just pawns to be sacrificed," Xu Jingming thought. He had seen too many such things in the imperial capital these past few months, and after a silent sigh, he left.

In a residence next to Xu Jingming’s.

"Don't cry," a man with a scar on his face comforted.

"Once you leave, it will be tens of thousands of *li* away." The woman was heartbroken. "The journey is fraught with dangers, and life and death are unpredictable."

"I will definitely come back," the scarred man promised in a low voice. "I swear, I will risk my life to come back and see you and the children."

The woman looked up at the man. "I know, once you leave, our family will probably never see each other again in this lifetime."

The scarred man was silent.

Although he had sworn, he knew how difficult it would be to escape back.

"If I can't escape back within three months," the scarred man said in a low voice, "then just assume I'm dead! I've already asked Brother Wang Chong for help! If you encounter any trouble, you can ask him for help. He will definitely not refuse."

"Okay," the woman nodded.

The scarred man fell silent again.

He was very upset. He knew how difficult it would be for a woman with two children to survive in the imperial capital without the family's breadwinner.

"Squeak." The door suddenly opened, and a thin boy looked at his parents in the room and said, "Dad."

The scarred man was stunned, and immediately got up and walked to his son's side, stroking his head with affection and reluctance.

"Dad, are you leaving tomorrow morning?" the boy asked, looking at his father.

"I have to enter the Yang manor tomorrow morning, and I won't be able to come out again," the scarred man nodded. "Once Dad leaves tomorrow morning, it may be a long time before I can come back. Da Wa, when Dad is not around, you are the only man in the family. You must take good care of your mother and your sister."

"Okay," the boy nodded repeatedly.

"Go to sleep early," the scarred man said. "Dad."

The boy looked at the scarred man, "I haven't learned the saber technique you taught me yet!"

The scarred man's body trembled, and his eyes turned slightly red.

"I want to protect Mom and protect my sister," the boy said. "I want to be as powerful as Dad."

"Okay, okay."

The scarred man walked directly outside.

The father and son were in the small courtyard outside.

"We only have this one night. You must memorize it by force." The scarred man held a shield in his left hand and a saber in his right hand. The boy also held a small shield and a short saber. "You must eradicate the burden in your heart regarding the Order Religion and the God of Order. Don't think that resisting this is a sin."

"I…"

"This is not asking you to change your faith, but I believe that gods should also like believers with their own personalities. Otherwise, what's the difference between them and puppets?"

"I understand."

"Okay, if it still itches, isn't there sand here? You can take off your pants and bury yourself in the sand when you sleep, which can relieve the itch."

"No, I can still bear it."

"It seems you still care about your image."

At this moment, Mars came over and reported, "Captain, the formation is ready."

"Okay."

Kallen nodded and walked back to Essie, who was eating paste. Essie looked up at Kallen.

"Essie, the formation over there is ready. Now, choose your most sincere friend and fly to the pool to deliver the message."

"Yes, Captain!"

A large python was traveling through the desert, most of its body under the sand, so only the movement of the sand above could be seen as it traveled.

Suddenly, a lion pounced out, raised its paw, and slammed it down on the sand dune below.

"Boom!"

Sand and soil splattered, and the python immediately raised its body, its three snake heads rising up and spewing out terrifying corrosive mucus at the lion.

The lion let out a low roar, and a black shield appeared in front of it, blocking all the mucus. Then, it flashed and reappeared behind the python to launch another sneak attack.

"Clang!"

The python twisted its body, and its figure disappeared from the spot, dodging the lion's attack.

Immediately afterward, a cloud of black mist appeared above, and it seemed as if the figure of a python was darting through it. Several black lightning bolts instantly fell, and the lion, locked onto by its aura, could not escape. It used its body to withstand three lightning strikes.

This injury would not have been anything to it, but the feeling of the lightning falling on its body triggered the most trembling memories in the depths of its soul. It immediately lost its previous arrogance, and trembled as it prostrated on the ground.

Seeing this, the python directly swooped down, opened its snake mouth, and prepared to bite off the lion's neck in one fell swoop.

But at this moment, a halo appeared in front of the lion, and a hand reached out and gripped the air.

"Squeak!"

The python's huge snake body seemed to be directly seized, and its body was imprisoned in mid-air.

The figure of an old woman appeared, looking up at the python with a smile on her face.

Seeing that the python was still struggling, the old woman waved her arm down, and the python was smashed down, splashing up a cloud of sand.

The python opened its two snake heads, revealing two faces.

"Lord Sumer? Ah, it's actually Lord Sumer! Praise the great God of Reincarnation!"

"Praise the God of Reincarnation!"

Sumer looked at them and said, "You guys, are really hard to find."

"Really? Lord Sumer is actually looking for us? You should have said so earlier."

"Yes, if we had known that Lord Sumer was summoning us, we would have come to answer your call long ago."

"Okay, go and have breakfast. I will not mistreat my own people," Yang Liao said.

"Yes."

Everyone retreated.

Only a few close guards remained to follow Yang Liao, who soon returned to his residence.

"Hmph."

Inside the house, Yang Liao sneered, "My third uncle even advised me to let my subordinates choose for themselves! Those who are willing to follow should be taken along, and those who are unwilling can be lured with heavy rewards. Those who are really unwilling don't need to be forced."

"Hahaha… how foolish! Heavy rewards? Does he think he’s the one paying for it?"

"Wouldn't killing one to make an example of a hundred make them all obediently follow? According to my third uncle's method, I estimate that I would be able to gather at most one hundred and fifty people. Now, there are more than two hundred people, and I only need to pay them basic wages." Thinking of money, Yang Liao immediately walked to the bed and took out a belt from under the mattress.

Inside the belt were pieces of gold.

"50 gold pieces! Each piece weighs 10 *liang*, inserted into the belt." Yang Liao looked at the gold, his eyes shining. "I, the dignified Second Master Yang, have only accumulated this much wealth. A total of only fifty thousand *liang* of silver. I'm really poor."

Yang Liao was lost in thought.

He thought of the scene he had seen with his father at the treasury.

"How much would that pile of gold be worth? Probably tens of thousands of *liang* of gold! That's millions of *liang* of silver!" Yang Liao's heart itched. "I wonder how much my team will get?"

This time, the Yang family was preparing to send out teams to act separately, quietly leaving the imperial capital. Each team would carry some gold and silver.

"And my beauty. The journey will be lonely and unbearable, so I have to bring her with me." Thinking this, Yang Liao tied the gold belt around his waist and put on a coat over it.

Ever since his money was exchanged for gold, Yang Liao had been very careful.

Inside the manor, he would not stay away from his courtyard for too long.

Once he went out, he would definitely carry it with him.

He was worried that someone would sneak into his residence and steal his money.

"This is reassuring." Yang Liao patted the gold belt, feeling content. "No one can steal my gold."

After eating breakfast, Yang Liao left the Yang manor with his men and headed to the residence of a beauty he kept outside the manor.

"Beauty."

Yang Liao arrived at the beauty's residence. After meeting her, he first enjoyed some pleasure before getting down to business.

"In a few days, I will be taking people away from the imperial capital," Yang Liao said. "You will follow me too."

"Me?" The beautiful woman in his arms was stunned. "Will the manor agree?"

"Don't worry. I'm the one in charge of my team," Yang Liao said confidently.

"But all the way to Xue City in the Eastern Region…" the beauty hesitated. "It's too far."

Yang Liao touched the beauty and smiled, "That's just the public story! In reality, the world is in chaos. How could our Yang family all go to Xue City in the Eastern Region? Xue City in the Eastern Region is tens of thousands of *li* away from the imperial capital. How many people would die on the way there?"

The beauty suddenly understood.

"Besides, even if we go to Xue City, do you think the Yang family there will obediently listen to us?" Yang Liao sneered.

"Whether it's for the survival of the Yang family or to avoid infighting, the goal of each team leaving the imperial capital is not Xue City."

"Then where is it?" the beauty asked.

Yang Liao smiled slightly, "Even I don't know the exact location yet. But I can tell you for sure that it is in the Eastern Region! Because in today's world situation, only the Eastern Region's order is still relatively stable. It can still give each branch of our Yang family a chance to take root!"

"I'm taking more than two hundred first-rate experts, including second-rate and third-rate experts. So many experts… are enough to completely establish a foundation in a city," Yang Liao said. "At that time, I, Yang Liao, will be the family head of this branch! I will be in charge of everything! And you… I can promise you, you can be my third wife."

The beauty hesitated.

"The Yang family has strict rules. You have never been able to enter the manor before. But after arriving in the Eastern Region, I will be in charge. You will naturally get your wish." Yang Liao lifted the beauty's chin. "Don't be silly. Quickly pack up and sneak into the manor with me, first stay in the manor as a maid, and then leave the imperial capital with me."

"Second Master," the beauty said with tears in her eyes, "I was born and raised in the imperial capital. My brothers are all in the imperial capital, and… I'm also afraid of going to the Eastern Region!"

The imperial capital was already within the Northern Region.

Therefore, to go to the Eastern Region, one must first pass through a large area of the Northern Region, which is extremely dangerous.

"You don't want to go?" Yang Liao looked at her.

"I hope the Second Master will consider the many years that I have followed you," the beauty said tearfully.

"I can force those subordinates to follow me, but I can't force my bed partner," Yang Liao sighed.

His fingers flashed like lightning, passing over the beauty's throat. The beauty covered her throat in disbelief, her face full of pain, and blood gurgled from between her fingers.

She never thought that the Second Master Yang, who had always doted on her, would be so ruthless, killing her with just a few words.

Yang Liao got up and looked at the beauty dying in pain on the bed.

"If I can't have it," Yang Liao said softly, "then I will destroy it."

Yang Liao put on his clothes and walked out.

Outside the quiet courtyard.

"Young Master," there were servants and guards outside.

"Return to the manor."

Yang Liao frowned slightly, feeling somewhat disappointed. He got into the carriage.

The coachman drove the carriage, and the guards protected it as it moved forward.

In the distance, Xu Jingming was sitting on a branch of a large tree. Under the dense leaves, it was difficult for outsiders to notice someone hidden high in the tree.

"Here it comes."

Xu Jingming remotely noticed a guard team protecting a carriage, heading in this direction.

The carriage team turned left and right, gradually entering a quiet alley.

"It's troublesome to act during the day. I have to avoid people a little." Xu Jingming gently leaped down, his figure as light as a cat, and walked to the side of three eighth-order experts drinking tea at a teahouse. "You can start."

The three eighth-order experts nodded and stood up.

The smaller the commotion, the better when acting during the day!

Xu Jingming only brought three eighth-order experts with him.

"Second Master Yang is the second son of the Yang family head, who is much favored and is also the leader of one of the many teams in this operation. With this identity… he must know many secrets of the Yang family, and may even know where the gold and silver are hidden."

Xu Jingming thought.

The Yang manor's investigation is too strong, and there are hidden traps inside the manor. For his team to break in would be suicide.

Second Master Yang was the breakthrough Xu Jingming was looking for.

Xu Jingming led the three eighth-order experts and walked into the quiet alley.

In the quiet alley.

A group of guards protected the carriage as it moved forward!

Suddenly, four people appeared in front. Xu Jingming and the three eighth-order experts walked forward together. The four people spread out, enough to block the alley.

"Get out of the way!"

Yang family guards shouted from afar.

Xu Jingming and the others did not give way, but continued to walk forward step by step.

"Hmm?" The guards felt that something was wrong.

"Young Master," someone reminded in a low voice.

Inside the carriage, Yang Liao was still lamenting the death of the beauty. He lowered his head and looked at his fingers. "I can't help it either. A bed partner who holds grudges would make me uneasy when I sleep. Don't blame me."

Hearing the noise outside, Yang Liao lifted the car curtain and saw the four people walking in the distance.

Boom! As Xu Jingming and the others walked over, the surrounding world seemed to be distorted. A terrifying mental consciousness impacted the brains of every guard and also impacted Yang Liao's brain, causing Yang Liao's face to twist in pain.

The nine guards beside Yang Liao, including one first-rate expert and eight second-rate experts, were already very elite.

But under the terrifying mental impact…

Only the first-rate expert could still control his body, but he did not dare to move at all. "How terrifying!"

"This?" Under the impact, Yang Liao felt that the world was distorted even more, and the four people in front of him seemed like four demon gods.

The four people walked to the front of the carriage.

Xu Jingming reached out and grabbed Yang Liao's neck. With a slight force, Yang Liao's spine shook, and the whole person fell into paralysis.

"Go."

Xu Jingming grabbed Yang Liao like a chick, and the three eighth-order experts behind him followed.

"You stay in place for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn," Xu Jingming's voice echoed around every guard and servant.

"Anyone who dares to move without permission will die!"

After saying that,

Xu Jingming and the others took Yang Liao away.

The guards and servants all stood in place, not daring to move a step. They felt that the terrifying mental power was still covering them, not far away.