Who Can Prove You're a Shepherd?

"Eastern Shepherd of the Cleaning Association's Eastern Pastoral District has come to offer birthday congratulations!"

At those words, everyone present—whether members of the Sun Family or invited guests—shot to their feet, their faces filled with shock as they stared toward the entrance.

Even Old Master Sun Changhe, the birthday celebrant, was helped to his feet. His brows knitted tightly as he looked toward the door.

The Cleaning Association!

And it was the Eastern Shepherd, one of the Cleaning Association's several great shepherds, who had come to celebrate the Sun Family's birthday banquet!

Everyone knew that the Cleaning Association was currently at the height of its power.

The Cleaning Association had already been the world's strongest awakened criminal organization—or rather, awakened religious group. Its strength far surpassed that of other awakened organizations.

After the previous upheaval involving the Collector, once the Collector had completely become the Cleaning Association's High Shepherd, the entire organization's strength rose to another level.

Leaving aside the Lord of the Abyss they worshipped, who was said to have descended into reality and personally appointed the Collector as Its emissary, the Cleaning Association's absurdly generous benefits system alone was enough to leave people speechless.

Ever since Lord Collector became the Cleaning Association's High Shepherd, the terrifyingly generous welfare system he introduced had caused a spiritual earthquake across the entire New Continent, plunging it into turmoil.

Not only had people from all manner of awakened criminal organizations defected after observing the situation and applied to join the Cleaning Association, but many officials from local small and medium-sized nations—even some from the New Continent United States—had secretly contacted the Cleaning Association in private, requesting to join.

Of course, the Cleaning Association had become rather reserved at that point. It was said that Lord Netherworld, who was currently handling the organization's