You want me to take out a loan to practice cultivation? I'll just pay off the debt physically.

This heated debate about the second round of the deification plan, amidst the clash of words and the fiery exchange of ideas, has laid bare with unparalleled clarity the enormous structural vulnerability hidden beneath the glorious halo of the Red Heart Society.

[At the same time, it was also exposed to the view of all attendees.]

This is not merely a technical issue concerning the selection mechanism, but a profound examination of the soul and future of the Chixin Society.

Is it a journey towards an open, fair world, where merit and will are the sole criteria for success?

Or will it slide into a closed, rigid, and ultimately theocratic family bound by bloodlines and networks of relationships?

The answer is already crystal clear in your heart.

Your gaze swept over everyone, and they all knew your answer from your eyes.

【Yuanmeng! 】

[That vast pantheon, whose power was monopolized by a theocracy, became corrupt and decadent, and ultimately disintegrated under the combined attack of the spirit realm and the abyss.]

The lesson of its divine blood staining the ground is right before our eyes.

The Red Heart Society will never allow history to repeat itself!

[Anyone who dares to practice hereditary succession of divine positions or family monopoly within the Red Heart Society, attempting to turn the path to godhood into their own backyard, will have their head taken!]

[No matter who he is, no matter what power he possesses, even if he is a true god of rules, he will only perish.]

This is an ironclad rule!

[It's an inviolable taboo!]

This is the bottom line for the continued existence of the Red Heart Society!

[Without a doubt!]

This is also a silent declaration: the Red Heart Society has no tolerance for any form of hierarchical power.

Moreover, Ye Lingtian and Agrus, the two True Gods currently recognized as the strongest fighters within the Red Heart Society, are precisely the most steadfast supporters and defenders of the ironclad rule of prioritizing merit and fair promotion.

With these two formidable figures keeping watch, anyone who crosses this line must be prepared to suffer annihilation, both body and soul.

[July of the 509th year of the Extraordinary Calendar, in the core of the Red Heart Society headquarters, in the strategic simulation room with the highest level of dimensional encryption.]

The intense conflict at the last high-level meeting, sparked by the "priority of the second generation of gods" argument, made you acutely aware of the huge loopholes in the Red Heart Society's existing oversight system.

[Shadow Guard, this force you forged with your own hands is like a sharp sword and a sturdy shield in the shadows of civilization.]

[Its oversight has long been primarily focused on the vast realms below the true gods. For the group of rule-based true gods who have already ascended to the throne and possess the power to move stars and change constellations, its oversight is virtually nonexistent.]

This is undoubtedly an extremely dangerous sign!

Unchecked power inevitably breeds arrogance and alienation.

Even the purest idealist, under the erosion of eternal time and absolute power, may slide into the abyss.

Even the true gods of rules need to be included in the omnipresent surveillance network of the Shadow Guards.

But how easy is it to truly enforce the rules?

If the observer is incompetent, let alone obtaining useful intelligence, they might even be exposed the moment they approach the target, and may even lose the purpose of supervision.

Therefore, the Shadow Guard members who carry out this supreme surveillance mission must possess considerable strength.

[At the very least, they must be true masters of the rules!]

Only the true God can understand the workings of His power, hold his own in the game of rules, and be qualified to carry out this dangerous mission of God overseeing God.

Ideally, you'd even prefer that Agrus, a rule-fighting god whose strength consistently ranks at the pinnacle of the second tier and whose intimidating power is unparalleled, personally lead the Shadow Guard as its commander-in-chief.

With its absolute power and unyielding integrity, it forms a tremendous deterrent against all true gods of rules.

But your own reason quickly makes you abandon this tempting idea.

What exactly is Agris?

He was born a lava demon, with the purest fighting blood flowing in his veins, and now he wields the most violent combat rules.

The direct consequence of this combination was that his head, forged from lava and fighting spirit, was almost entirely filled with solid muscle bulges.

[Occasionally, a flash of tactical intuition might occur, but it's impossible to properly arrange the Shadow Guards.] [You wouldn't entrust this core intelligence and surveillance agency, which requires meticulous planning, deep infiltration, precise reconnaissance, and the ability to detect attacks silently, to a reckless brute who believes in brute force.]

[To gamble the core of the Red Heart Society on his unreliable flash of inspiration?]

Just as you were racking your brains over this, a name, along with its past achievements and distinctive characteristics, suddenly illuminated your thoughts like a flash of lightning in the darkness.

【Deng Qi!】

This true veteran of the Red Heart Society rose alongside you from humble beginnings, enduring trials of blood and fire.

[Of the fifty portions of the Primal Feast paid for by the Will of the Abyss last time, he successfully fused with a portion of the Abyss's Primal Essence, stepping into the realm of a True God of Rules.]

The path he chose was that of assassination, a path shrouded in shadows.

Deng Qi's divine qualities naturally make him adept at concealment, tracking, and identifying weaknesses, allowing him to deliver a fatal blow when his target is most vulnerable.

This trait is a perfect match for the core functions of Shadow Guards: infiltration, surveillance, and deadly deterrence.

He was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate to lead the Shadow Guard, especially to be responsible for overseeing the tough task of monitoring the True God.

However, a real bottleneck lies ahead: although Deng Qi is strong, his power over the rules currently places him in the third tier of true rule gods.

Using the strength of a third-tier team to monitor those senior or even top-tier Rule Gods is extremely risky; in the event of a fierce conflict, they could easily find themselves on the defensive.

After careful consideration, a two-track system as a stopgap measure has taken shape in your mind.

With a wave of your hand, you instantly generated a transfer order, the contents of which shook the highest levels of government.

[Aglius is the commander-in-chief of the Shadow Guard!]

[Deng Qi has been appointed as the Executive Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard, responsible for overall coordination and operation.]

[A wise person instantly saw through the deeper meaning behind this appointment: Agrus, the God of War who exuded an aura of "Don't mess with me, or I'll send your ashes to scatter."]

His name, which stands like a mountain atop the Shadow Guard, is itself a powerful deterrent.

He was like a giant, gleaming, living sign that read, "Those who cross the red line will die."

[A shield, or rather a mascot, used to intimidate people, so that all true gods would think twice before exercising their oversight.]

The real figure behind the scenes, overseeing the Shadow Guards' daily operations, weaving the vast surveillance network covering all the true gods, and responsible for specific intelligence gathering, analysis, and judgment, is none other than Deng Qi, who walks in the shadows.

[After the appointment was issued, Deng Qi was immediately summoned to your quiet room, which was shrouded in the rules of the extreme path.]

[A secret conversation, unrecorded and without any eavesdroppers, lasted for a long time.]

[You clearly explained to him the deep crisis of the last high-level meeting, elaborated on the potentially devastating consequences of the rule-based true gods being unchecked, and explicitly expressed your firm determination to forge the Shadow Guard into a sword of rule hanging over the heads of all true gods.]

Deng Qi listened quietly, his face, pale from years of hiding in the shadows, gradually shifting from initial solemnity to a near-martyr's reverence and fervor.

As soon as you finished speaking, Deng Qi immediately expressed his determination.

I offer myself in this life!

This is the way!

[This deity swears an oath!]

We will exhaust all means to infiltrate every area under our surveillance with the Shadow Guard's eyes and blades!

No matter what challenges we face, we will never back down or show favoritism!

If I fail in this mission, may the divine fire consume me, and may my loyal heart be forever forsaken!

[After taking over all command and related intelligence of the Shadow Guards in front of you, Deng Qi glanced at you with slight hesitation.]

The next moment, he took a deep breath and spoke.

Teacher, please forgive my bluntness.

[You've witnessed the true god of rules operating unchecked; let the shadow guards supervise the true god of rules.]

In a sense, shadow guards are also unregulated.

[The Shadow Guards oversee the gods, but who oversees the Shadow Guards?] (End of Chapter)