I subdue demons and monsters, and cultivate immortality in hell to become a saint.

Zhong Yingmei nodded and began to recount the story of how the soul messenger sent Zen Master Naran to her meeting with Zhong Jiu. She even described in detail the demeanor of Elder Lei Bo and the murderous aura of the Xuanjia Army.

Master Changdeng added from the side, occasionally interjecting, "The malevolent aura of that guard is even stronger than that of a hundred-year-old vengeful ghost."

After they finished speaking, the conference room was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.

After a full half minute, someone exclaimed "Wow!" and the whole place erupted in cheers.

"My God! Old Raeber has actually become a god!"

"May you live as long as heaven and earth, receiving offerings from countless families! This is true 'good deeds beget good rewards'!"

"We used to think it was a waste that Mr. Reber lived such a poor life, but now it seems we were the ones who were short-sighted!"

"Godhood bestowed! So it turns out that as long as you genuinely serve the people, you really can be deified after death!"

Some people squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands, some paced back and forth excitedly, and an old leader wiped away tears.

They all grew up listening to stories of Reber, and now that they know their idol has become a god, they are even more excited than if they themselves had been promoted.

The bespectacled young man who had previously questioned Zhong Yingmei now had a flushed face: "I was wrong... I really didn't expect that a myth would actually happen right next to me."

You know, they admired Old Tian's ability to be deified, but they weren't envious. It was because seven generations of his family had guarded the City God Temple, and no one could compare to that dedication.

But Mr. Lei was different. He was just like them, an ordinary person who served the people. Many people even wrote essays about "learning from Mr. Lei" when they were in school.

"Do we... also have a chance to become gods?"

Finally, a young staff member asked, tremblingly, the question that had been on everyone's mind.

Master Changdeng cleared his throat and slowly said, "Theoretically, yes. The underworld's system is vast, containing not only emperors and generals, but also good officials who speak up for the people. As long as we can achieve merit, we might be able to be noticed by the underworld."

He then changed the subject: "But everyone, don't get too excited. Becoming a god is incredibly difficult, and Elder Lei's achievements are unparalleled. Let's focus on doing our duty, accumulating good deeds, and even if we don't become gods, we can still accumulate merit and have a clear conscience."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, but they also calmed everyone down.

Yes, Mr. Reber's level is not something that can be reached easily.

The atmosphere, which had been so exciting just moments before, gradually subsided, but a different kind of light appeared in everyone's eyes.

That was a spark of hope.

Looking at the room full of people whose emotions were "up and down", Zhang Yunxiao tapped his knuckles on the table, the "tap-tap" sound was particularly loud in the dead silence of the conference room.

"What's going on? They're all hanging their heads, like gamblers who've lost everything. Where's their backbone?"

He stood up abruptly, his voice booming so loud it made everyone's eardrums tingle.

"Think it through! What are we, the Special Operations Department, gathered here for?"

His gaze swept across the entire room, sharp as a knife. "Could it be that they're here to be deified after death and bring glory to their ancestors?"

Before anyone could reply, he slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump: "Wrong! We carry this flag to protect our homeland and the people who sleep soundly! This is our duty, etched into our very bones!"

These words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone trembling.

Yes!

When they risked their lives to join the Special Operations Department, it wasn't for that vague and unattainable divine position.

They clearly can't stand seeing the people being ravaged by evil spirits!

Now that they've received good news about making contact with the underworld, they've thrown themselves into disarray; they're really getting more and more out of touch with reality.

Zhong Yingmei gazed at Zhang Yunxiao's retreating figure, her eyes filled with admiration.

The teacher was truly decisive, managing to bring the people back from their misguided path with just a few words.

She stepped forward, her tone cheerful: "In my opinion, there's absolutely no need to worry about the matter of bestowing titles upon gods. If the initial intention of serving the people becomes a stepping stone to curry favor with the underworld, then one's heart is smaller than the eye of a needle, no wonder the gods of the underworld would look down on them!"

She changed the subject, raising her voice slightly: "Look at Old Lei, he dedicated his whole life to public service, never even willing to eat a hot piece of meat, yet he still became a high-ranking official! We should focus on doing our current tasks well, and not get our priorities mixed up!"

These words hit the nail on the head, and everyone nodded in agreement. Several of the guys who had been looking dejected picked up their teacups and gulped down their tea, trying to hide the embarrassment on their faces: "Hey, we were a bit confused just now, blinded by that divine position."

Seeing that everyone's spirits had returned, Zhong Yingmei breathed a sigh of relief and pressed her advantage: "Teacher, what are our plans next? Now that we've made contact with the underworld, our plans need to be adjusted accordingly."

Zhang Yunxiao tapped his fingertips twice on the table, making a decisive decision: "Notify all cities and prefectures in Nanling Province to contribute as much as they can and immediately begin constructing the City God Temple! The one in the provincial capital, break ground first thing tomorrow morning! All cities, prepare the proper rituals for welcoming the gods; don't let this embarrass the human world!"

This extravagant gesture startled someone so much that they nearly dropped their teacup, and hurriedly asked, "Old He, are you going to completely invite the underworld into our territory?"

"It's not a request, it's a call to join forces! To fight side by side!"

Zhang Yunxiao raised an eyebrow, his tone resolute, "We've investigated thoroughly; the Underworld isn't here to wreak havoc on humanity. If it weren't for them keeping those shady things in check, this world would have been a paradise for evil spirits long ago! We must cooperate fully and do our part!"

He paused, then added a hint of anticipation to his voice: "Just you wait and see, one day, divine light will descend upon the provincial capital!"

The moment those words were spoken, everyone's hearts warmed instantly.

My mind involuntarily conjured up images of gods descending, and how those ferocious demons would be easily captured.

The burden on my shoulders can finally be lightened a bit!

Zhong Yingmei suddenly remembered this and quickly asked, "By the way, teacher, what happened to that Zen Master Naran?"

The moment the word "Naran" was mentioned, everyone's faces immediately filled with disdain.

Zhang Yunxiao scoffed, a cold smile playing on his lips: "When we asked him for a hand, he acted like a high and mighty monk and ignored us completely. Does he really think he's some kind of living bodhisattva? I never expected him to be so audacious as to provoke the underworld. This is like lighting a lamp in a latrine—he's asking for death!"

"They brought this upon themselves!"

He abruptly changed the subject, a calculating glint in his eyes, "However, we follow the rules. We'll send two physicians to treat his injuries, and then post about his provocation of the Underworld and being punished online, so that Lingxiao Temple can come and take him away themselves!"

As soon as he said that, the whole room was filled with hearty laughter.

Not only will the old monk be disgraced, but Lingxiao Temple will also lose face. It's truly gratifying!

Several days have passed in the blink of an eye.

In this chaotic world overrun by evil spirits, Guiling City, located in a remote area with limited resources and an unremarkable economy, has instead created a unique scene of peace and tranquility.

After several days of tentative and anxious testing, the citizens finally dared to confidently confirm: Guiling City is truly safe! No one will ever be dragged away by evil spirits while walking down the street again, and there will never be screams piercing the night sky again.

Even if you go out late at night, the breeze blowing on your face is refreshing, no longer the chilling wind that seeps into your bones.

The people of Guiling City have longed for this peace for far too long.

Only those who have survived under the clutches of evil spirits know how heavy the phrase "national prosperity and peace" truly is, pressing down to the very core of one's being.