The Sacrifice Begins
This unusual behavior led many of his friends to worry that he might have borrowed money from loan sharks and fled because he couldn't repay it. However, his girlfriend denied this possibility because Shi Kelang didn't smoke, drink, or gamble; he was a model citizen. She specifically reported him missing to the police and investigated it as an accidental disappearance.
But Shi Kelang seemed to have vanished into thin air. The police could neither find his whereabouts nor any signs of his murder. The task of finding him had been posted on the Mohist Knight Guard's commission board for five years without anyone completing it.
After his girlfriend got married, his family and friends all thought he had been murdered. Then, news suddenly broke that he, a promising social elite, had actually gone to a remote and impoverished area to engage in cult activities!
Moreover, he claimed to be the leader of a cult, an envoy sent by the Primordial Ancestor Great Immortal to save humanity, a claim that neither his friends nor his parents could comprehend.
Because the Su State were largely influenced by the simple values of the Mohist School, and because the Mohist Religion, nicknamed the "Divine Religion of Science," occupied the realm of spiritual sustenance—although the Taiwei God would not bless believers, the Goddess of Mercy would—people had no interest in worshipping any particular deity. Over the years, Shi Kelang had not attracted many believers at all, making him a typical example of a failed attempt to change his faith. It was only recently, with the outbreak of the demonic disaster, that things began to improve.
As a graduate of a martial arts university, Shi Kelang possessed Level Eight Internal Cultivation before resigning, making him far from a weakling. As for whether he has made a breakthrough since then, the intelligence did not mention it.
Murong Qing carefully observed the target of this operation, combining the information with her observations.
As a guard, it was only natural for her to pay attention to the leader of the other party, and she wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Shi Kelang was of medium build, slightly overweight, with a bit of a belly, clearly enjoying a period of good life due to recent career success.
With his dark skin and slightly high hairline, it seems he has suffered a lot in recent years and has also put in a lot of mental effort in his missionary work, which has led to the premature appearance of signs of "extraordinary intelligence".
His gaze was firm, his speech was refined, and his logic was clear. There was no sign of him being controlled by anyone or going crazy.
Based on the intelligence gathered from various observations, Murong Qing concluded that the opponent was not someone who could be easily deceived, and that capturing them alive was not an option; the only recourse was to employ a decapitation tactic.
Chapter 170 The Sacrifice Begins
Without much effort, Zu Jiangchun and Shi Kelang reached a deal. This was because both were intelligent people and had no intention of cheating each other, so the negotiations went very smoothly.
In exchange for an unknown High Antiquity relic, Shi Kelang readily handed over the cash, without haggling or hesitating.
Clearly, this money wasn't his, because he wouldn't feel any pain if he spent someone else's money.
Thousand Leaves Island doesn't have any standout products. Although it has developed tourism by taking advantage of its local environment, it's only at the level of Agricultural School. The income of the local people is generally low, and there are hardly any millionaires.
But as Zu Jiangchun said, a person's life is all about having a million-dollar fortune. Industrial society is ultimately different from agricultural society. There are very few families that are truly destitute. Even poor families have meager savings. Five million is only a little over four hundred dollars per person for more than ten thousand believers. They can have it all by simply scraping the ground.
Murong Qing did not make a move. Although she was very close to her target and the enemy's guards were very weak, she was 30% confident that she could kill him with a single blow using the Moon God's Tear. However, she had promised Zu Jiangchun that she would not make a move before the transaction was over, and she would definitely keep her promise.
Even without this promise, she didn't want to put Zu Jiangchun in a difficult position. After all, her current role was Zu Jiangchun's bodyguard. If she attacked Shi Kelang, it would inevitably implicate Zu Jiangchun. Even if she later claimed that it had nothing to do with Yaozu Jewelry Store, no one would believe her.
Once the reputation of "treating customers unfairly" spreads, Yaozu Jewelry Store will not only go bankrupt immediately, but will at least suffer serious damage and Primal Qi. As the team leader, Zu Jiangchun will undoubtedly bear full responsibility, and Murong Qing has no intention of doing something that would harm her friends.
After the transaction was completed, everyone returned to their hotel to rest.
Zu Jiangchun stretched out her arms and said, "My mission for this trip has been successfully completed. Now I can travel around and enjoy myself as I please. I wonder what fun things there are to do on this island?"
She looked around for Liu Qingqing, thinking that she should take advantage of this time to strengthen their friendship.
Si Ming, "For your safety's sake, you should go back as soon as possible. The island isn't very peaceful. That Master Shi is going to hold a sacrificial ceremony the day after tomorrow, and who knows what might happen then."
He repeated the old woman's warning from yesterday, and then added, "Only if you leave will our actions not be associated with Yaozu Jewelry Store. You don't want to tarnish the company's reputation over something like this, do you?"
Zu Jiangchun asked suspiciously, "I have a feeling you're deliberately stopping me from talking to Qingqing. You're not her boyfriend, are you? Petty men aren't popular with women."
Believe it or not.
Si Ming didn't want to waste any more words; he had no interest in the drama of good intentions being taken for granted.
"Alright, then I'll reluctantly listen to your advice. You all need to be careful, and if you encounter danger, you need to know when to retreat. The mission is secondary; your own safety is the most important thing, especially Qingqing's safety. As a man, you should know how to protect a girl from harm. Anyway, you're tough and not afraid of being cut." Zu Jiangchun didn't mind showing her favoritism.
"Don't worry, I think Qingqing is the safest person in our group. Even if the enemy wanted to kill her, they probably wouldn't be able to find her."
"That's true. She's the chosen one of the Liu School, how could she possibly fall here?" Zu Jiangchun nodded, accepting this reason. "Then I'll be leaving by boat this afternoon. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Murong Qing said, "If possible, please prepare a small boat for us."
"Preparing an escape route? Very well, that's typical of the Liu School. Looks like you're really planning something big. Alright, I'll have someone wait in a small boat near the dock where we land. When do you plan to make your move?"
"The day after tomorrow morning, they seem to be going to hold a sacrificial ceremony just as the sun rises. That will be the best time to strike."
"Understood. I will have someone bring the boat ashore late tomorrow night, giving you ample time."
Thank you.
"Our Liu School doesn't care about personal relationships. If you really want to express your gratitude, please put in a good word for me with Qingqing. I remember you live in Tange City, right? We'll meet again sometime in the future."
Si Ming, "Are you planning to come knocking on my door to persuade me? Even salespeople aren't this persistent. You're really tenacious."
"Of course, patience has always been a strength of the Liu School; the phrase 'guarding against thieves for a thousand days' is used to describe us."
Zu Jiangchun made a self-deprecating remark, then searched around for a while before finally finding Liu Qingqing. She held her hand and talked for a long time before reluctantly leaving, her demeanor like that of a couple parting during their honeymoon.
After she left, Murong Qing discussed the action plan with Liu Qingqing and He Qichang.
"I think we can abandon the idea of capturing him alive and directly target him for elimination. We must avoid being greedy during the operation. I observed during the meeting that he will have at least five guards with him, each possessing at least level seven internal Internal Cultivation. Their true abilities are unclear; they may not be as strong as yours or mine, but they should be able to delay our actions. Furthermore, he himself has considerable cultivation, and his years of preaching abroad have given him a wealth of practical experience. He's not just a theorist with empty internal strength; this can be seen from the calluses on his hands. Therefore, it's absolutely impossible to launch a sudden attack to assassinate him and then escape in the chaos."
He Qichang said impatiently, "I'm not good at strategy. You're the smartest of the three of us. Just tell me what to do, and I'll just execute it. If we fail, we'll share the responsibility. I won't let you shoulder it all alone."
After spending the past few days together, everyone has come to know that He Qichang is not a talkative person, is stubborn, and not very sociable. However, he is straightforward and honest, and there is no need to beat around the bush or think about any hidden meanings behind his words; you can just understand them literally.
In addition, he was somewhat impetuous and lacked patience. However, it is understandable for people of his age to act rashly and carelessly. It would be abnormal for someone as composed as Murong Qing or as calm as Liu Qingqing to act like that.
Upon hearing this, Murong Qing stopped refusing. "Originally, I was worried about escaping. After all, there are only two ferries to and from Thousand Leaves Island every day, so escaping is not easy. We have to time it perfectly and also consider where to hide. But now, with Miss Zu's help, this biggest problem has been solved."
Normally, Shi Kelang is always accompanied by guards, so there's no chance to get close. However, during the ceremony, he must ascend the altar alone and dismiss everyone else. This is information I gathered from the believers, so the best time for us to act is the moment he ascends the altar.
He Qichang said, "You and I will disguise ourselves as believers and launch a surprise attack from among the crowd, while Liu will snipe from a distance? However, the two operations must have a primary and secondary focus. Which one is the feint attack, and which one is the main attack?"
Murong Qing her head. "I'm sorry, you're the only one responsible for the close-quarters assault. Qingqing and I will snipe from two different angles. You and Qingqing will be the feint attackers, responsible for drawing the enemy's attention. Of course, if there's an opportunity, we can strike directly to kill them. This plan has the highest success rate, but your mission is the most dangerous. If you object, we'll find another one."