The Moon Worship Cult, Hongmen Banquet

After being promoted to Captain, Lin Feng's days became much more leisurely.

Under the watchful eye of their "God of Slaughter," the veteran constables worked as if they'd been injected with stimulants, their efficiency increasing severalfold.

The mountain of trivial cases that used to pile up were cleared out within three days.

The public order in Qingyang County presented an unprecedented scene of harmony.

This left Lin Feng, who wanted to rack up Crit Points, feeling rather bored.

However, new information soon arrived from Huang Fugui's end.

"Master! Steward Zhang's side is making a move!"

That afternoon, as Lin Feng was in the duty room, Huang Fugui's voice urgently rang in his mind.

"He's hosting a grand banquet for guests at his manor tonight, inviting all the influential figures in the city. The invitation will be sent to you shortly!"

As he spoke, a bailiff opened the door and respectfully presented a gilded invitation.

Lin Feng opened it and indeed, it was an invitation from Steward Zhang to attend the banquet, worded with sincerity and utmost flattery.

"Oh? A Hongmen Banquet?"

He had just become Captain, and Steward Zhang was already eagerly jumping out; his intentions were suspicious.

"Master, you absolutely cannot go!"

Huang Fugui's tone was anxious, "I feel that Zhang Manor is extremely sinister, like a demon's lair! If you go, won't you be walking right into a trap?"

"A demon's lair?"

"Then I must go even more."

It was a joke. To others, it was a dragon's pool and a tiger's den.

But to Lin Feng, it was a treasure chest!

Why would he refuse such a gift?

"Huang Fugui, you don't get to rest tonight either."

Lin Feng said, "While they're entertaining guests in the front courtyard, you sneak into the back and carefully investigate where that sinister bloody smell is coming from. Remember, safety first, and run if anything happens."

"Master, don't worry! Little Demon may not have many skills, but escaping and running away is an ancestral art!"

As night fell, Zhang Manor was brightly lit, with carriages and horses arriving in a constant stream.

As the newly acclaimed "Number One Person" in Qingyang County, Lin Feng's arrival naturally drew the attention of the entire venue.

All the guests, regardless of official rank, gentry, or wealthy merchants, proactively approached him to chat and greet him, their attitudes respectful to the point of being obsequious.

Steward Zhang, Steward Da Tou, a middle-aged fatty who appeared quite refined, personally came to the entrance, took Lin Feng's hand, and smiled so broadly his face seemed to bloom.

"Oh my, it's truly an honor for Captain Lin to grace my humble abode!"

"You are too kind, Steward Zhang."

Lin Feng calmly withdrew his hand, his gaze seemingly sweeping casually across the entire banquet hall.

The banquet was extremely luxurious, with delicacies from land and sea, fine wines, and exquisite dishes, offering everything one could desire.

The guests clinked glasses, laughing and chatting, creating an atmosphere of peace and prosperity.

But Lin Feng keenly sensed that beneath this luxury and liveliness, a faint trace of strangeness was hidden.

For example, the maids and servants attending them, though smiling, had vacant and numb eyes, like soulless puppets.

Another example was the incense burning in the air. Although its scent was pleasant, it faintly masked another smell.

It was the sinister bloody smell that Huang Fugui had mentioned.

"Captain Lin, please take the seat of honor!"

Steward Da Tou enthusiastically led Lin Feng to the chief seat.

County Magistrate Zhao Dehai was also present. Upon seeing Lin Feng, he merely nodded with a hint of awkwardness.

As the banquet began, Steward Da Tou repeatedly toasted Lin Feng, and in his words, he constantly probed Lin Feng's origins, background, and his views on "demons and monsters."

Lin Feng answered every question without revealing anything, occasionally expressing his deep hatred for demons while feigning ignorance about certain "folk beliefs."

He perfectly portrayed the image of a young master with extraordinary talent but little experience in the world.

After three rounds of drinks, Steward Da Tou seemed to feel the time was ripe. He dismissed the attendants, lowered his voice, and said to Lin Feng with feigned mystery:

"Captain Lin, to tell you the truth, I have long heard of you and admire you immensely! To achieve such cultivation at such a young age, to slay demons and eradicate gangs, is truly a blessing for the people of Qingyang County!"

"Steward Zhang flatters me."

"Ah, Captain Lin need not be so humble."

Steward Da Tou's tone shifted, "However, there are so many demons in this world, countless to slay, never-ending to eradicate. Relying solely on fighting will ultimately only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

"Oh? Then according to Steward Zhang's opinion, what should be done?"

Lin Feng asked with keen interest.

A fanatical gleam flashed in Steward Da Tou's eyes.

"To truly find peace, you must... believe in a true god! Receive the blessings of a god!"

He leaned close to Lin Feng's ear, his voice as light as a sleep-talker's.

"We mortals are plagued by demons simply because we are too weak. But if we can serve a truly great being, offering it our loyalty and sacrifices, we can gain supreme power and eternal protection!"

"Constable Lin, you are a genius among men, a rare martial arts prodigy. You can receive the Moon Goddess's grace, and your strength will surely reach new heights. Then, let alone this small Qingyang County, who in the entire Great Xia Dynasty could be your opponent?"

Here it comes.

The fox's tail is finally showing.

The Moon Worship Cult!

Lin Feng sneered inwardly, but his face showed a look of shock and curiosity. "Moon Goddess? Steward Zhang, are you talking about the moon in the sky?"

"Yes... and no."

Steward Zhang's expression became incredibly pious. "The Moon Goddess is the supreme ruler who governs the dark night and death, the protector of all dark beings! Her power is beyond your imagination!"

"As long as... you are willing to join us and become the Moon Goddess's most loyal follower, I guarantee you will receive everything you desire! Money, power, women, and... even greater strength!"

An overt recruitment.

Lin Feng "hesitated" for a moment, showing an expression of "I'm very tempted, but I still have some concerns."

"This matter... is of great importance. May I... consider it for a moment?"

"Of course! Of course!"

Steward Zhang was overjoyed, thinking Lin Feng had taken the bait. "Constable Lin, take your time to consider! You will stay in the manor tonight. I have arranged the quietest room for you, I guarantee no one will disturb you!"

He intends to detain Lin Feng and slowly brainwash him.

"In that case, thank you, Steward Zhang."

After the banquet, Lin Feng was led to a secluded yet luxurious courtyard by a vacant-eyed maid.

As soon as the door closed, the expression on Lin Feng's face turned cold.

He didn't rest, but sat cross-legged, quietly waiting.

Waiting for news from Huang Fugui.

And waiting for the fish... to deliver themselves.

Meanwhile, in the backyard of Zhang Manor, beside a long-dried-up well.

Huang Fugui, transformed into a yellow shadow, silently emerged from a crack in the well's opening, its small eyes filled with horror.

"Oh my goodness... this... this place below is a slaughterhouse!"

Just now, it had infiltrated the backyard and followed the source of the bloody smell to this dry well.

Being small, it squeezed through the cracks in the well wall.

The sight at the bottom of the well nearly scared it to death.

Beneath the dry well was a massive underground stone chamber!

The chamber was piled high with the carcasses of various animals, and blood flowed like a river.

In the center of the chamber was a bizarre magic circle carved with fresh blood. In the center of the circle, a demon was chained...

The demon resembled a monkey but had three eyes, its body covered in black scales, exuding a violent aura. It was at least a second-tier demon!

Currently, it was suppressed by the power of the magic circle, unable to move, only able to let out futile roars.

Around the stone chamber were more than a dozen iron cages. Inside the cages were young boys and girls! They were all emaciated, their eyes filled with despair and numbness.

"Sacrifice... raising demons... living sacrifices..."

Although Huang Fugui was a little demon, it knew what this meant.

These were the most vicious and evil methods of a cult!

"No! I have to tell Master quickly!"

Huang Fugui dared not delay and was about to return the way it came.

Suddenly, the door to the stone chamber was opened.

Steward Zhang entered with several mysterious figures dressed in black robes.

"Priest, everything is ready."

Steward Zhang said respectfully to the black-robed figure at the front. "That constable named Lin has been stabilized. As soon as he drinks the tea with Spirit-Confusing Powder, he will be at our mercy."

"Very good."

The Priest let out a hoarse, unpleasant voice. "This brat's blood essence is abundant, making him a top-tier sacrifice! As long as he is sacrificed to the Three-Eyed Demon Ape, it will break free from its restraints and completely become our cult's guardian divine beast! At that time, the entire Qingyang County will be the Moon Worship Cult's pasture!"

"Congratulations, Priest! Congratulations, Priest!"

Steward Zhang and the others knelt down, their expressions fanatical.

Huang Fugui, hiding in the well opening, heard everything clearly and was so scared it forgot to breathe.

Poisoning Master?

You want to use Master as a sacrifice too?

These damned cultists!

It suppressed its fear and cautiously retreated back into the well, preparing to report to Lin Feng.

But just then, the black-robed priest seemed to sense something. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes hidden beneath his hood precisely targeting the well's opening!

"Who's there?!"