As Hei Long casually made his way back up the path toward his residence, thinking about how easy the world was when you weren’t saddled with a protagonist’s fate, he suddenly felt the familiar tingle of danger.
Not killing intent.
Sothing worse.
Obsession.
"There you are!"
A blur of red appeared before him, nearly giving him whiplash.
Sheng Moxian latched onto his arm like a hungry spirit latching onto incense. Her eyes glead with an unsettling glint, equal parts love and unhinged zeal.
Hei Long tilted his head. "Moxian... what did you do now?"
She grinned, her face far too close. "I made you a cult!"
"...I’m sorry?"
"A cult!" she chirped, tugging on his arm. "A sacred, divine, all-female, Hei-Long-worshipping cult!"
Hei Long blinked.
"...Why?"
"You said," she quoted, raising her finger, "’I need more loyal people who won’t hesitate to do what I ask.’ So I started recruiting! All won, of course! They’re obsessed with you already, I just gave them a purpose!"
She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a folded scroll with a crazily detailed Cult of Hei Long emblem hand-drawn in the middle — it featured his face glowing like the sun, abs sohow more defined than in reality, and a group of cloaked girls kneeling below him.
He rubbed his temple.
"This looks like propaganda made by a lovesick teenage general."
She puffed her cheeks.
"It’s recruitnt material! We already have thirty-seven mbers, not including as High Priestess, of course."
"...Naturally."
Sheng Moxian leaned in, eyes sparkling madly.
"They’re already willing to die for you, you know? I gave them a little test already~ One girl nearly poisoned a male for insulting your na in a tavern."
Hei Long paused mid-step.
"...That’s concerning. And kind of impressive."
She continued, looping her arms behind her back and skipping forward.
"But~ I figured you’d want to test them yourself. Weed out the weak ones. Maybe send them on a... trial mission?"
She flashed him a fang-like grin.
"Sothing dark. Sothing that makes sure they’ll never question you."
Hei Long slowly grinned, a more sinister one than hers.
"So you’re telling ... I now have a private sect of obsessive loyalists, bound only to , emotionally deranged, and willing to commit immoral acts on command?"
"Exactly!" she chirped.
He looked to the sky.
"Truly, the heavens are generous."
He nodded to himself, already calculating.
’A disposable force, emotionally controlled, bound by obsession and faith. No paper trail. No emotional backlash if used for the dirty work. If one of them falls...? Just another ’crazy girl’ incident. No reflection on .’
Hei Long smirked:
’I’ll use them for information gathering first. If that goes well... maybe a targeted assassination or two. A noble, a sect elder....’
Sheng Moxian bounced beside him like an excited puppy.
"Do you wanna et them now~?"
Hei Long chuckled, tucking his hands behind his back as they walked.
"Let’s see if your girls are truly loyal..."
.
.
.
The forest behind the sect, cloaked in twilight shadow, was quiet save for the rustle of leaves and the occasional chirping insect.
In a secluded grove marked by strange, glowing talismans and crude banners bearing Hei Long’s likeness, the cult had gathered.
All thirty-seven girls stood in neat formation, cloaked in dark red robes, each embroidered with gold stitching in the shape of his initials: H.L.
Their expressions were a mix of reverence, obsession, and sothing terrifyingly unhinged.
At the head stood Sheng Moxian, her eyes brighter than any torch.
"Behold!" she called out dramatically as Hei Long stepped into the circle.
"The man who has graced us with his divine presence!"
"HEI LONG!" they all chanted in eerie, perfect unison, dropping to one knee like loyal soldiers.
Hei Long raised a brow. "Well. That’s not creepy at all."
Sheng Moxian grinned and whispered to him, "I trained them myself."
"I can tell."
He stepped forward, hands tucked behind his back. His gaze swept over the kneeling girls.
"Tell ," he said, voice cool and regal, "what would you do if I told you to kill soone in the sect?"
Without hesitation, thirty-seven voices answered:
"We’d kill them."
Hei Long raised an eyebrow.
"...Even if it was your best friend?"
"Yes."
"...Your family?"
"Yes."
"...A cute puppy?"
The hesitation was real this ti.
A few flinched.
"...If it barked at you?" he added.
"Yes!!" they all shouted again, more convinced.
Sheng Moxian clapped like a proud mother hen. "Aren’t they perfect?!"
Hei Long was... genuinely impressed. Deranged? Completely. But loyal? Without a doubt.
Still, he needed a proper test.
"I have one trial for you all," he announced.
"A nearby minor sect recently insulted this sect’s na. I want a ssage delivered to their disciples... Let’s say, sothing bold. A warning painted in red."
The girls perked up with creepy enthusiasm.
"Go tonight. Leave no trace. I want them to fear my na by sunrise."
They bowed their heads.
"Yes, Master Hei Long. We shall honor you with our actions."
"Dismissed," he said smoothly.
As they vanished into the trees, Hei Long muttered, "Let’s see how useful they really are..."
.
.
.
Back at Hei Long’s Courtyard – Later That Night
Hei Long returned to his residence under the stars, finding Sheng Moxian waiting with her hands behind her back, swaying gently.
"You’re happy," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"I’m building my own power base under everyone’s noses," he replied with a smirk.
"Why wouldn’t I be?"
"Will I be your empress when you rule the world?" she asked sweetly.
"Sure," he said absently, petting her head like she was a loyal wolf.
She giggled. "Don’t forget. You promised~"
.
.
.
The Next Morning – Ocean City Tournant Countdown Begins
In the distance, a commotion stirred near the entrance of the outer sect.
A ssenger disciple ran up the mountain shouting, "The Silent River Sect... They... they’re in chaos!"
Mu Qianxue blinked, brushing her hair as she yawned. "What now?"
"They were attacked! Their outer courtyard covered in blood-painted banners... spelling... ’The Na Is Nothing.’"
Lin Fan, who was running laps nearby, tripped mid-step and rolled down a hill.
Mu Qianxue dropped her brush.
Hei Long, who was enjoying morning tea, didn’t even blink. He only smiled faintly.
"Good girls," he muttered.
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