Chapter 51: Two Options

Fang Che kicked Deng Fangping into the wall with so much force that the entire building shuddered violently.

"I'm a demonic church member, yet you're trying to reason with me? Would I have been able to become the helmsmaster of this branch helm if I listened to reason and allowed people to trample over me?!"

Deng Fangping was curled up into a ball of agony on the ground as he pleaded, "Please state a price, Helmsmaster Starlight! Tell me what you want and I'll have it delivered to you!"

"Insolent little shit!" Fang Che snapped as he gave him another vicious slap. "You want me to think of a price for you?! Fine, I think you should pay with your life!"

"No! Please! Whatever Helmsmaster Liu gave, I'll give double that amount!"

"Only double?"

"Triple!"

"Alright, you said it. I didn't force you, did I?"

"No, no, it's all voluntary..."

"Good. Make sure to have your compensation delivered to me by the time Wang Zilin's compensation arrives. Otherwise..."

Fang Che's voice trailed off into a silent threat here, following which he ordered, "Where are all of your branch helms? Give me the addresses, and I'll visit all of you one by one!"

All of the church and faction helmsmasters hurriedly did as they were told, revealing the locations of their branch helms to Fang Che.

"That's where your branch helm is? Sounds like bullshit to me! Are you trying to lie to me?!"

"Repeat that address again! You look like a no-good, lying little rat!"

"Speak up! Why do you sound like a whining dog? Is your mother a dog?"

"You should all learn from Helmsmaster Liu Hanshan! He's a ninth-rank King, yet he's willing to beg and cry and do anything to survive! What's the point of maintaining your dignity if you end up dead?"

Liu Hanshan's expression had already turned as dark as the bottom of a well-used kettle.

After repeated verification, Fang Che was finally convinced that all of the helmsmasters had given him the true addresses of their branch helms, and he immediately put on a warm smile again, helping Deng Fangping up from the ground as he apologized in a disingenuous manner, "I'm really sorry for my terrible temper. You're not going to hold a grudge against me, are you?"

"Of course not, Helmsmaster Starlight! You taught me a valuable lesson today and broadened my horizons, so how could I possibly hold a grudge against you?"

"Good! Good! Have a seat! Don't forget to send me what you owe me!"

"I wouldn't dare to forget, Helmsmaster Starlight."

"Helmsmaster Wang, you don't resent me for beating you today, do you?"

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

"Good. Take a seat and have some tea."

"Thank you, Helmsmaster Starlight."

"Take a seat, everyone. I hope that minor scuffle hasn't dampened the mood."

Deng Fangping lowered his as he swallowed down a mouthful of blood-infused saliva.

Minor scuffle? You almost killed me!

Starlight then turned his gaze back to the young men and women from the main church.

"These people are from the main church, right? That means they're not from your branch helms, so they have to provide separate compensation. That's reasonable, is it not?"

"Yes! I fully agree!"

Fang Che was very pleased. Finally, he had these Lords from the main church right where he wanted them.

"Even though we're all demonic church members, we have to be reasonable from time to time. If we're unreasonable all the time, then we'll be seen as thugs and bullies, isn't that right?"

"Indeed, Helmsmaster Starlight."

Fang Che began pacing back and forth in front of the people from the main church, scowling at them with a demonic look on his hideous face.

"Helmsmaster Starlight, these people are all from the main church, so you have to be careful in your handling of them," Liu Hanshan cautioned.

"Thank you for the warning, Helmsmaster Liu."

All of the Lords from the main church turned to Liu Hanshan with incredulous expressions.

Is there something wrong with you?! He's just completely humiliated you, yet you're now looking out for his best interests like a loyal lapdog! Are you a masochist that takes joy from humiliation?!

Liu Hanshan could only heave a forlorn internal sigh.

I'm still on Yin Shengong's blacklist right now, so I have to redeem myself! All of you can just go back to the main church at any time, but I can't go anywhere!

"What'll it be then? Can you give the same compensation as the helmsmasters? And don't tell me you'll go back to the main church and scrounge together some compensation before sending it to me! Once you get back to the main church, the only thing you'll be sending my way are people to kill me!"

"What do you suggest then, Helmsmaster Starlight?" a young man asked.

"You must think I can't do anything to you, is that it?" Fang Che asked as his eyes narrowed slightly.

Indeed, that was exactly what the young man was thinking.

What're you gonna do to us if we don't pay? Kill us? You wouldn't dare!

Starlight drew his nine ring broadsword from its scabbard, then shook his head as he sighed, "I really don't want to kill anyone from the main church, but the helmsmasters have already given me compensation, so if I let all of you leave without paying me anything, then I'll be known as a coward who picks on the weak and bows to the strong. For the sake of my reputation, I'm afraid you'll all have to remain permanently here in the White Cloud Prefecture."

As soon as his voice trailed off, he swung his broadsword down like a bolt of silver lightning without any hesitation.

Liu Hanshan was astonished by this turn of events, and he hurriedly drew his sword to parry the attack while simultaneously knocking the young man to the ground with a palm strike.

In the next instant, Liu Hanshan's sword was forced down onto the young man's body by Fang Che broadsword, and even though only a shallow gash was inflicted, the young man was so terrified that he had wet himself!

If Liu Hanshan hadn't swooped in to protect him, he would've already been cleaved into two!

He had thought that Starlight had been bluffing this entire time, but that was clearly not the cae!

Fang Che continued to force his broadsword down upon Liu Hanshan's sword as he turned to the latter with a frosty expression.

"Are you going to stand in my way, Helmsmaster Liu?"

Sweat was pouring down from Liu Hanshan's forehead like rain.

Never had he met someone this reckless! If the young man were killed, then all of the other people from the main church would also have to be killed to ensure secrecy!

Hence, from the moment that Starlight decided to kill the young man, his intention was to execute everyone else as well!

"Let's be civilized, Helmsmaster Starlight," Liu Hanshan implored.

"These people are a disgrace to the main church! They're nothing more than a bunch of beggars, so why not put an end to their pathetic lives?" Fang Che scoffed.

"I'll pay for them! Is that alright, Helmsmaster Starlight?" Liu Hanshan pleaded.

"No matter how much you pay me, that still only counts as your compensation! If you feel like you haven't compensated me enough, you could easily pay more, but all of them have to pay the same amount as you!"

Wang Zilin and Deng Fangping instantly began shaking their heads frantically at Liu Hanshan.

Please, no more! If you pay him any more, the two of us will truly be screwed!

Liu Hanshan didn't dare to say anything, either.

He didn't want to pay any more, either. He had already accomplished his objective of having everyone share in his humiliation, so why should he offer up additional compensation?

"We'll do as you say, Helmsmaster Starlight. As long as you don't kill them, anything is fine," Liu Hanshan pleaded desperately.

"How come they're not saying anything? Maybe they

want

to die!" Fang Che said as he turned to the Lords from the main church.

"No, we want to live, Helmsmaster Starlight! We'll do anything you ask! Please!"

All of them had already decided there and then that they would never come out again if they could survive this ordeal and return to the main church.

Sure, they had no futures as branch lineal descendants of their clans, but that was still better than losing their lives!

"Do you know what these people have come here to do, Helmsmaster Liu?" Fang Che asked.

"What?" Liu Hanshan asked.

"They're here to pave their future paths! Just like the Parasite Ascension Project, as long as they manage to make it back alive, they'll be granted resources and a path for progression up the ranks. Then look at me. I'm nothing more than a stand-in helmsmaster! Why? Because I never got to take part in the Parasite Ascension Project! I don't even have a single subordinate to my name! I'm just a lone helmsmaster!

“I could easily kill all of these people here on my own, yet they get to rise higher than me on the pecking order! They have a path for progression even without taking part in the Parasite Ascension Project, yet I have nothing! They're complete and utter trash, yet they're above me just because they chose the right parents! How is that fair? I can't help but feel enraged at how unfair this world is everytime I see people like them! Why can't I kill them?! Why?!"

Unbridled killing intent erupted out of Fang Che's body as he spoke, and his twisted expression of fury and malice truly resembled a demonic facade.

A young woman let loose a broken wail as she crouched down and buried her face against her legs in humiliation, while urine came dripping down from her crotch.

She could only sob in horror and embarrassment.

Back home, she was constantly fed stories of how exciting and exhilarating the outside world was, yet in this moment, she felt as if she had stumbled straight into the depths of hell!

"Shut up!" Fang Che roared, and her broken sobs were instantly silenced.

After a tense silence, Fang Che finally relented, "Fine, you can choose not to compensate me. I'll provide you with two alternatives instead."