Chapter 27: Starlight Descends Upon the White Cloud Prefecture

"White Cloud Warrior Academy has already begun mobilization efforts. For the near future, all of its fifth-year students will be on break to assist the Hall of Protectionists in protecting the White Cloud Prefecture. What do you take me for, an idiot?" Old Man Shen harrumphed.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm the most slippery guy I know!" Fang Che grinned.

"Slippery my arse! You're a fool!" Old Man Shen snapped. "Have you fallen behind in your cultivation now that you're working?"

Fang Che leaned into Old Man Shen's ear, then whispered, "I'm at the pinnacle of the first-rank Lord tier. How's that?"

"Holy shit, that's amazing!" Old Man Shen blurted out, then hurriedly put on a stern expression as he reprimanded, "But you're still just Lord tier trash! You need to work harder!"

Fang Che burst into laughter at Old Man Shen's best efforts at maintaining a stern facade.

"Mo Ganyun and the others are out on a mission. They visited me before they left, and they told me to tell you that they'll be venturing deep into the Myriad Beast Mountain, and they won't be back anytime soon."

"That's good to hear."

In his eyes, Mo Ganyun and the others were still unfit to take part in a battle of this caliber, and they could easily end up dead.

"Go visit your instructors too. They really miss you," Old Man Shen said.

"I'm worried that they'll make me take more special lessons," Fang Che said with a wry smile. "They sat me down for four days and four nights last time, and I'm still traumatized from that experience."

Right at this moment, Li Changkong and the others entered the room.

Bing Shangxue was very pleased to see Fang Che completely unscathed, and an affectionate smile appeared on her face as she habitually dusted off some nonexistent lint from his shoulders.

"Why haven't you come to see us for so long?" she complained.

"It hasn't been that long at all, Instructor Bing!" Fang Che protested with a wry smile.

Everyone sat down, and Duan Zhongliu began pulling out a series of dishes from a bag that he was carrying.

"Get me the wine that Fang Che brought! This is the only place I can come to for some good wine, but Old Man Shen's always such a stingy miser! Now that Fang Che's here, I'll finally get to drink to my heart's content!"

"You're calling

me

stingy?! You come here everytime with nothing more than some peanuts and half a chewed cucumber, and you expect me to treat you to Iron Will Wine?!" Old Man Shen snapped.

Everyone erupted into laughter.

It was a lavish feast, but the wine was the star of the show.

Only when it was very late at night did Fang Che finally depart.

During the meal, Li Changkong and the others were constantly imparting their practical combat experience upon him, even standing up to make some physical demonstrations here and there.

None of them mentioned the crisis that was to come, but Fang Che knew what their intentions were, and he watched and learned carefully.

Bing Shangxue sat beside Fang Che like a protective mother, urging, "If you encounter any danger, run back to our academy."

"I will," Fang Che replied, feeling very touched, and the warmth in his heart lingered even as he made his way home on his own.

It was a cold and windy night, and on the way back home, Fang Che suddenly ducked into a dark alley, instantly vanishing out of sight.

***

That night, the entire White Cloud Prefecture was abnormally quiet and peaceful.

At Wu's Pawn Shop.

It had been very peaceful of late, but Shopkeeper Wu was unable to shake this persistent sense of unease, as was the case for his apprentices and employees.

Is it really gone? I suppose that would be a good thing.

It was a very cold night, and everyone was huddled around a lit brazier for warmth.

"Looks like nothing's happening tonight, either," Shopkeeper Wu said with a sigh of relief. "Let's pack up and..."

He was cut off mid-sentence by a knock on the door.

"Knock! Knock, knock, knock! Knock! Knock, knock, knock, knock!"

It was the secret one, three, one, four knocking pattern of the One Heart Church.

Everyone immediately turned to Shopkeeper Wu with anxious expressions, and Shopkeeper Wu himself reluctantly stood up to open the door.

A figure in black entered the shop, bringing with him a cold gust of wind.

"I am Starlight, the new helmsmaster of the One Heart Church's White Cloud Prefecture branch helm!" the figure declared in an authoritative voice.

"We pay our respects to the esteemed helmsmaster!"

The five people in the shop knelt down in unison.

Fang Che took a glance at them, then sat down onto the only taishi chair in the room.

"You must've been dreading this day, haven't you?"

"Not at all! We were eagerly awaiting your summons."

"Is that so? I feel like the destruction of our branch helm has been a massive relief for all of you."

"That's not the case at all, esteemed helmsmaster! We..."

"Don't lie to me!" Fang Che snapped. "You know how much debt you've accrued over this period, right?"

"Of course. I already have everything prepared."

"Alright, I want double the amount!"

"What?" Shopkeeper Wu exclaimed in alarm.

"Did I stutter? I said, I want double the amount!" Fang Che repeated in a cold voice as he released his baleful qi, and Shopkeeper Wu shuddered in fear.

"I understand, I'll bring you the money right away!"

He could sense that any attempt at refusal on his part would immediately result in his head separating from his body.

What was originally meant to be fifty thousand taels' worth of silver vouchers had turned into a hundred thousand, and he wanted to shed tears over this massive loss.

Fang Che grabbed the silver vouchers from Shopkeeper Wu, then tucked them into his pocket before asking, "You know the address of the original branch helm?"

"I do."

"There's a large courtyard not far away that was supposed to have been previously owned by some official. It's been abandoned for a very long time, and I've heard it's haunted or something, is that right?"

"Ah yes, I know the one you're referring to."

"Go and purchase the property tomorrow morning. That will be the new branch helm."

"Yes, Helmsmaster."

"I'll provide you with the funds necessary for the purchase, understood?"

"Yes, Helmsmaster!" Shopkeeper Wu hurriedly replied with a fearful bow.

By the time he looked up again, Fang Che was already gone.

"Is he gone?" he asked after a momentary daze.

"He's gone, Master."

Only then did he collapse onto the chair with a dazed expression.

"What's wrong, Master?"

His apprentices were perplexed.

Wasn't it a good thing to be reconnecting with their higher-ups?

"This Master Starlight seems like really bad news. Compared with the previous helmsmaster, he seems much more unforgiving. All of us will have to be extra careful from now on," he sighed with a bleak expression.

***

Before long, Fang Che had already visited his fifth shop.

"All warriors at or above the Lesser Grandmaster Tier are to meet me at the haunted manor on Sunflower Street. Anyone that fails to show up will be executed on the grounds of insubordination!"

***

A head was smashed to bits like an overripe watermelon.

"That was for speaking out of turn," Fang Che said in a cold voice.

"We're sorry, Master Starlight! Please forgive us!"

"Too late!"

Several more heads were smashed to bits in rapid succession.

In a single night, Fang Che visited forty shops under the previous branch helm, killing everyone in one of the shops before splitting thirty-six of them into four quadrants, north, south, east, and west.

As for the remaining three, he had other plans for them.

In total, he secured over four million taels of silver, while simultaneously establishing a cruel, merciless, and belligerent persona.

Whether it be out of fear or respect, he had won the loyalty of all thirty-nine shops in a single night.

At times, Fang Che really enjoyed being a demonic church member. He could simply kill whoever he didn't like the looks of, rather than constantly having to worry about moral dilemmas.

It was the quickest way to get things done and to establish authority.

No wonder there are so many evil people in the world, they have full freedom to do anything they want!

What Fang Che failed to consider was that he had even fewer qualms than the average evildoer.

A normal evildoer would at least have to temper their belligerence for fear of having no subordinates left if they were too eager to kill.

However, that wasn't a concern for Fang Che, and he could kill whoever he wanted without any qualms!

***

On this day, Helmsmaster Starlight began making a roll call at the haunted manor.

Sure enough, all warriors at or above the Lesser General tier from the thirty-six shops were present, with not even a single one daring to be absent.

Starlight was holding onto a long length of rope, the other end which was concealed behind a veil, so no one had any idea what it was connected to.

"I've gathered all of you here today to establish some rules. We're operating in the Guardians' territory, so we have to follow the laws and avoid doing things that are morally and legally reprehensible as much as possible. That way, we'll be able to maximize our chances of remaining hidden to the Guardians."

All of the shopkeepers were stunned to hear this. Never had they imagined that they would be receiving a lecture on following the law from a helmsmaster of the One Heart Church!

"When it comes to establishments like casinos, brothels, and pawn shops, I understand that the industries themselves are rather shady, so you can just continue as normal. However, brothels must no longer force women into prostitution against their will. Anyone caught breaking this rule will be executed. As for casinos, casino patrons are normally pretty shady individuals themselves, so do with them as you please.

“The same applies to the pawn shops. Things like restaurants and inns can just continue operating as normal. If you encounter any problems beyond your capabilities to resolve, come to me, and I'll sort them out for you. Don't think that you have to constantly live in the shadows just because you're under the One Heart Church.

“As long as you're not exposed and stick to the straight and narrow, no one can touch you! If anyone picks on you, I'll stand up for you! However, monthly payments are non-negotiable. If you're short even by just a single copper coin, then you'd better pray that there's an afterlife!"