Yang Hao deftly unwrapped the rolled-up quilt, like an experienced nurse helping a patient take care of an urgent need.
The cold sensation made Ma Xiaotao shiver instinctively, and then she slowly woke up.
But before she could fully regain consciousness, Yang Hao deftly took out a wooden stick and knocked her out again.
Feng Ling couldn't help twitching at the sight.
"You've been doing this to her all along?"
Feng Ling looked baffled. It was the first time she'd ever seen anyone handle things this way.
"I had no choice. To make sure she didn't die of thirst, I had to give her water. What goes in has to come out."
Yang Hao put on an expression of helplessness, though he really was disgusted.
In both his lives, this was the first time he'd ever had to wait on someone like this. If the girl hadn't still been useful, he would've swallowed her whole with the Soul-Devouring Spider Leg Bone long ago.
Feng Ling glanced strangely at the boy, whose face was full of disgust and resignation, then at the girl bundled up in the quilt, puzzled.
"Why not let her do it herself?"
"That'd be too much trouble. She's got a fiery temper, and I have no interest in watching her pee."
Feng Ling understood and said no more. She took off again with them.
As a Super Douluo, Feng Ling was naturally fast. By the following evening, she had brought the two of them to the Holy Spirit Cult's main altar, a secret base underground.
"Stay here for tonight and wash the road dust off."
After settling Yang Hao into a room, Feng Ling carried Ma Xiaotao, still wrapped in the quilt, away in her arms.
She needed to question the girl properly, and also examine her body—especially her head. That little rascal had better not have knocked something loose.
"Nothing beats the taste of freedom."
Yang Hao took a deep breath, thoroughly satisfied. He had a bath, wolfed down some dry rations, then went to sleep contentedly, sleeping especially soundly and peacefully.
This would be his home from now on, the place where he'd spend the rest of his life working toward his ambitions.
It was time to show these naive fools in the Holy Spirit Cult the darkness and dangers of office politics—and teach them what it meant to be wage slaves.
Feng Ling came by in the middle of the night. Seeing the boy fast asleep, she looked even more perplexed.
She didn't disturb him and turned to leave.
Chapter 18: The Cool CEO
"Handsome, our Holy Spirit Cult—right, that's what it's called, isn't it?"
"Does our Holy Spirit Cult have a cafeteria? Where is it? I'm kind of hungry."
Zhongli Wu stared at the boy who had suddenly popped up, slung an arm around his shoulders, and started peppering him with questions. He couldn't help falling into thought.
Where had this guy come from?
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Do you know a pretty big sister in a blue dress?
She has nine Soul Rings: three purple, five black, and one red.
She brought me here last night and then just disappeared. I can't find her anywhere. I wanted to get her to sign my employment contract.
Does our Holy Spirit Cult offer health insurance and a pension..."
Yang Hao kept asking. He wanted to sign a contract as soon as possible, become an honored member of the Holy Spirit Cult, and begin his career climbing the ladder, getting a raise, becoming the Holy Son and Holy Master, marrying a beautiful rich woman, and reaching the pinnacle of life.
"Feng Ling?"
Zhongli Wu was surprised. Had Feng Ling brought this boy back?
"Is that pretty big sister called Feng Ling?"
Yang Hao showed a hint of surprise, then patted his belly.
"You can take me to see pretty big sister later. First, take me to the cafeteria so I can stuff my face. I haven't had a proper meal in ages. I wonder how good the food is here at the Holy Spirit Cult."
"By the way, what's the food budget here? Do they serve dishes from the Star Luo Empire? Or do we have any cooks from the Star Luo Empire?
My hometown's over there, and this is my first time in the Sun Moon Empire. I don't know if I'll get used to the food here..."
Yang Hao walked with an arm around the red-haired, coolly handsome man as they headed to the Holy Spirit Cult cafeteria to grab a meal.
Before this, he'd had to make do with whatever food he could get. Now that he'd arrived at his new home, he naturally had to treat himself to a feast.
Knowing that Feng Ling had brought the boy, Zhongli Wu led him to the cafeteria and told the staff to prepare the finest dishes they had. Soon, an entire table was piled high with food.
Yang Hao immediately began eating like there was no tomorrow. The dishes were all local specialties from the Sun Moon Empire, but they tasted great.
As he ate, a girl in a fiery red dress strode over and sat down with a huff. She glared at someone as if she had an irreconcilable grudge against him.
Yang Hao ignored her and kept eating.
Right now, not even Ma Xiaotao could interrupt his meal, let alone Feng Ling. No one could stop him from stuffing his face—unless Ye Xishui, the ultimate powerhouse, showed up in person.
There was no helping it. That woman was insane, mercurial, and killed without batting an eye. He had to humor her.
Seeing herself ignored, Ma Xiaotao grew even angrier. She grabbed a roast chicken and started gnawing on it. She was starving too.
She hadn't eaten anything for days, only getting a little water from that guy. She'd lost several pounds, and even her underwear had become loose.
She had to make up for it!
The girl bit into the chicken so fiercely, you'd think she was biting into that bastard himself.
Before Ma Xiaotao could finish the chicken, Yang Hao had swept all the dishes off the table. His belly was bulging.
"Looks like you're both settling in nicely."
Feng Ling approached with elegant steps, looking very pleased with how they were doing.
When it came to promising recruits, they preferred to persuade them with words first. Only when that failed did they resort to brainwashing.
That method damaged their potential, so she didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary.
"Pretty big sister!"
Yang Hao hurriedly stood up to greet her. She was going to be his boss from now on.
"Hmph!"
"I'd rather die than join your Holy Spirit Cult."
Ma Xiaotao snorted, first shooting someone a contemptuous look, then making it clear she would never join this evil Soul Master sect.
"Girl, you've got to know which way the wind blows!"
Yang Hao tried to persuade her, then turned to ask Feng Ling for permission.
"Pretty big sister, should we put her out of her misery? Can I swallow her Fire Phoenix Martial Soul?"
As he spoke, greed practically spilled from his eyes. He looked at Ma Xiaotao as if she were the finest delicacy in the world.
"Don't even think about it!"
Clutching her roast chicken, Ma Xiaotao warily stepped back, then took another bite.
If she had to die, she'd at least die with a full belly. She absolutely refused to starve to death.
"What are their backgrounds?"
Zhongli Wu, who had been sitting nearby, asked. Even now, he still had no idea where the two little ones had come from.
Feng Ling sat down and introduced them to Zhongli Wu.
"That girl's from Shrek Academy. Her Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix, and she has excellent potential. With some cultivation, she'll be good enough to become our Holy Maiden.
"That little fellow is a Soul Engineer. He has some strange Soul Tools with decent power, and he seems to have a grudge against Shrek Academy. That girl was kidnapped and imprisoned by him, then I found her and brought her back."
"Pretty big sister, I've got great potential too. I even invented a new kind of Soul Tool with tremendous power. With some cultivation, I should be able to become our Holy Son and serve the Holy Spirit Cult."
Yang Hao took the opportunity to recommend himself, saying he was ready to take the position of Holy Son and put his talents to work for the Holy Spirit Cult.
"What an interesting little fellow."
Zhongli Wu actually smiled for once. After sizing Yang Hao up, he said, "Let me see your Soul Tools."
He had met plenty of people with excellent talent—he was one of the best himself. By comparison, this little fellow's Soul Tools intrigued him more. If Feng Ling had called them decent, they were definitely no joke.
Yang Hao put on a puzzled, hesitant expression, as if he wasn't sure who the handsome redhead was, and turned to look at pretty big sister.
She was the one who'd brought him here. Now he was hers, and he only trusted her.
"This isn't the place to show them off. Let's go to the training ground."
Feng Ling spoke up. She was eager to see what the little fellow's Soul Tools could do.
Although she'd only seen one kind, she was certain the others were no worse—especially that enormous contraption with a full thirty-six objects resembling fixed-mount Soul Guidance Cannons. It had to pack a serious punch.
Zhongli Wu said nothing and got up, heading for the nearest training ground, his interest growing.
Yang Hao followed closely behind Feng Ling. Ma Xiaotao hesitated, then followed with her roast chicken.
She was only curious about that guy's Soul Tools. If they had caught the attention of a Titled Douluo who had defeated her teacher, that alone said a lot.
The four soon arrived at a cultivation room.
"Showing these off in an enclosed space will do a number on your body."
Yang Hao looked around the cavernous chamber, over a hundred meters long and wide, and said an open area would be better for demonstrating them.
Zhongli Wu said nothing. He simply watched in silence, waiting for the boy's demonstration.
"Fine. Cover your ears."
Yang Hao could only give in. He took out a tissue, tore it in half, rolled the pieces into balls, and stuffed them in his ears as earplugs.
"This is called the Desert Eagle Pistol. I developed a set of Gun-Fu based on the Tang Sect's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. It's suited to close-quarters and short-range combat."
Yang Hao brought out a wooden practice dummy, then two large-caliber Desert Eagle Pistols.
Of course, they were knockoffs he'd assembled by hand.
Just as he was about to pull the trigger and fire at the wooden dummy, Zhongli Wu spoke.
Before you continue