Birds of a Feather

"Did you hear? The Iron Palm Sect was taken over by someone, forced to change their name to the Peacekeeping Gang, and now they're making the Iron Palm Sect members reform and chase people around the city apologizing? They even changed their clothes."

"I saw it. They're posting notices all over the city, saying they want to Maintenance/Protect peace and eliminate the scum of the martial arts world. They say we can bring any grievances to them, their words are sweeter than songs, but I don't believe it."

"I don't believe it either. Wasn't Zhang Lao Er's eldest daughter kidnapped by the Iron Palm Sect a few days ago? She was just sent back, with a large sum of money, and they knelt at the door begging Zhang Lao Er for forgiveness, slapping their own faces until they were swollen. Zhang Lao Er was so scared he kowtowed with them, but absolutely refused to bring his daughter home..."

"If it were me, I wouldn't dare either. Who knows when the Peacekeeping Gang will turn back into the Iron Palm Sect? We'll be the ones suffering then."

"Sigh, these martial arts sects are all the same. They rely on their strength to bully whoever they want. When have they ever cared about us common folk? This dog-eat-dog world..."

"This time, it might really be different. I'll tell you a secret, don't spread it around. My third brother works as a handyman at the Iron Palm Sect. He said the one who took over the Iron Palm Sect this time wasn't human."

"Not human? Could it be a ghost?"

"More terrifying than a ghost. It's the Celestial Demon."

"The Celestial Demon?"

"Yes. I heard that last night, the Iron Palm Sect leader was stabbed over a dozen times by the Celestial Demon, who held him by the neck, yet he was completely unharmed. The Peacekeeping Gang was created by the Celestial Demon overnight..."

"If humans are that terrifying, won't we be even more unlucky with the Celestial Demon?"

"You're wrong again. The Celestial Demon is different from us humans. My third brother said that the Celestial Demon seems to have a constraint, they must grow according to their attributes, otherwise, they will become weak. The attribute of the Celestial Demon who took over the Iron Palm Sect is Maintenance/Protect. That Celestial Demon announced to everyone that they want to Maintenance/Protect justice, fairness, and righteousness..."

"Isn't that what the Peacekeeping Gang's notices say?"

"So, does that mean the Celestial Demon is even better than humans?"

"Not necessarily. It seems there are many types of Celestial Demon, some good and some bad. My third brother isn't clear about the specifics, but I think the Celestial Demon who took over the Iron Palm Sect is a good person."

"Brothers, still chatting here? Hurry to the Iron Palm Sect! The Celestial Demon is forcing the Iron Palm Sect leader with a sword to judge cases in public. It's quite lively..."

Walls have ears everywhere.

Moreover, Du Ge was so high-profile, wishing he could announce his whereabouts to the entire world. That day, he and the Iron Palm Sect, which had become the Peacekeeping Gang, became the biggest hot topic in Luyang City.

All sorts of rumors were flying. Within an hour, what he had done at the Iron Palm Sect was known to everyone.

The timid citizens were still hesitant, while those who had been oppressed by the Iron Palm Sect and had nowhere else to turn, seeing the notices, decided to go all out and ran to the Iron Palm Sect to cry injustice.

Du Ge hadn't expected that the matter of Maintenance/Protect the people's interests would be so effective so quickly. Posting notices and forcing the Iron Palm Sect members to apologize in Luyang City was merely a way for him to establish credibility, to gradually dismantle the Iron Palm Sect's foundation, and ultimately build the prestige of the Peacekeeping Gang.

But he never expected that the Iron Palm Sect had committed so many evils over the years. There were indeed people who, disregarding their lives and not even bothering to verify the truth, came to cry injustice that very day...

It made sense. Even a small family like the Feng Family treated their sparring partners like dirt, arbitrarily deciding their life and death. Let alone these commoners who were worse off than sparring partners.

What a damned world!

But this was good. The government didn't care, so he would. If people cried injustice, he was happy to play the role of an upright official and help them seek justice.

There was no better way to boost his reputation than public trials.

And so.

Outside Luyang City, a scene appeared.

The former gang leader, Qiu Yuanlang, with his body wrapped in bandages, sat expressionlessly under the scorching sun. Beside him, a young man held a long sword, resting it on Qiu Yuanlang's neck, sitting behind a table, smiling as he received everyone who came to cry injustice.

Beside them, the Iron Palm Sect's incense masters and hall masters, wearing Peacekeeping Gang uniforms and holding short cudgels that reached their eyebrows, stood on both sides with ashen faces, acting as yamen runners.

If it were just these, it would still be within the public's acceptance.

After all, Du Ge had just taken over the Iron Palm Sect and didn't have any hostages. How could he make the Iron Palm Sect submit completely? How could the oppressed commoners dare to step forward and cry injustice if the sword wasn't at the gang leader's neck?

But if, in addition, there was a perverted youth hugging a broken hand and giggling foolishly, the picture would become somewhat strange.

However.

For those commoners who had been so oppressed by the Iron Palm Sect that they had no way to live, they could no longer care about such things. If they didn't seize this opportunity while the Iron Palm Sect was under control to get revenge for their hatred and grievances, when would they?

At this moment, Du Ge was their savior.

Even if the Celestial Demon was suppressed afterward and the Iron Palm Sect made a comeback, they would have at least vented their anger.

"Esteemed Celestial Demon, this humble one accuses Liu Hei Gou of the Iron Palm Sect. A year ago, he took a fancy to my daughter, Xiu Lian. He brought Iron Palm Sect members and demanded to marry Xiu Lian for three copper coins. I refused, so Liu Hei Gou broke one of my legs and forcibly abducted Xiu Lian. I went to the authorities to report it, but they beat me again. My poor Xiu Lian, that beast tortured her for three days until she couldn't bear it anymore and threw herself into the well. My poor daughter, she was only sixteen! I beg the esteemed Celestial Demon to deliver justice for me..."

An old man with a weathered face, kneeling on the ground, tremblingly recounted his grievance to Du Ge.

All along, whether it was Maintenance/Protect the Feng Family, betraying the Feng Family, or Maintenance/Protect justice, Du Ge had been acting with the mindset of playing a game...

After all, he needed to use Maintenance/Protect to improve his own strength.

But when the emaciated old man with a broken leg, who looked like he was skin and bones, cried and wailed before him, recounting his grievances with a demeanor of facing death, his heart was suddenly touched.

Even though he knew the simulation was fake, the anger in his heart couldn't be suppressed.

This was too much!

What Feng Family?

What Iron Palm Sect?

Not a single good one. This damned world should be Maintenance/Protected by good people like him...

At this moment, he suddenly felt that what he was doing had meaning, no longer purely about fighting for first place in the simulation.

Du Ge glanced at Qiu Yuanlang, sneering, "Sect Leader Qiu, what a fine Iron Palm Sect!"

Forced into a public execution, Qiu Yuanlang was filled with resentment. His expression was now somewhat sheepish: "Seventh Master, these things were done by my subordinates. I didn't know. If I had known, I wouldn't have kept him around to tarnish the Iron Palm Sect's reputation..."

"Reputation?" Du Ge snorted. "Liu Cheng, bring Liu Hei Gou here."

Liu Cheng, with a helpless sigh, stepped forward and asked, "Whose subordinate is Liu Hei Gou?"

One of the Xiangzhu acting as a yamen runner stepped forward, awkwardly saying, "He's my subordinate."

Liu Cheng asked, "Do you know what he did?"

The Xiangzhu shook his head awkwardly, just about to speak.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted among the Peacekeeping Gang members behind them. Someone pushed through the crowd and bolted, running madly towards the outskirts.

Liu Cheng glanced in that direction. With a few leaps, he was behind the man, grabbed him by the neck, and dragged him back, throwing him heavily to the ground.

Liu Hei Gou's face was ashen. He kowtowed to Du Ge like pounding garlic, "Lord Celestial Demon, spare me! Lord Celestial Demon, spare me! I'll never dare again. Please, Lord Celestial Demon, give me another chance. I am willing to sincerely join the Peacekeeping Gang and fight for you, Lord Celestial Demon..."

"If the Peacekeeping Gang accepts people like you, how can it uphold justice?" Du Ge snorted. "Hall Master Liu, kill him. Keeping such scum in this world pollutes the air. Don't let him die too easily..."

Liu Hei Gou's performance needed no further evidence. Moreover, Du Ge had sharp ears and keen eyes. The whispers of the surrounding crowd had already made the truth clear in his mind.

"Seventh Brother, leave him to me!" Wang San, who hadn't spoken much, suddenly stepped forward. "I should add more to my collection..."

From the end of the battle last night until now, his attributes had improved minimally.

After all, Feng Qi had been showing off most of the time, and he hadn't found any opportunities to perform.

But when he stood there holding the severed hand with Du Ge in broad daylight, with people pointing and whispering around him, his attributes had shot up. In a short while, his personal ranking had improved by five spots.

How could Wang San let such a good opportunity to improve his attributes slip away? If he didn't seize the moment while Feng Qi was making a name for himself, when would he?

Furthermore, he had also figured it out. Feng Qi's keyword was "Maintenance/Protect." The huge stir he was causing was like walking a tightrope; one wrong step and he would be irredeemably ruined. But it was different for him. Yandere was yandere. Even if the Peacekeeping Gang collapsed in the future, it wouldn't change the impression the world had of him. His strength would only grow, never decline.

What did it matter if Feng Qi was powerful now?

Perhaps he would be the one to turn the tables in the future.

After all.

"Fear of the Delicate" could still be used on Feng Qi...