A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

The evil cultivators watched Ji Zuodao walk into the storeroom until the corner of his bright yellow robe disappeared into the shadows of the doorway, then they all breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged glances.

A low-pitched muttering immediately began to hum.

"Damn, the way the boss looked when he took the storage bag...did he realize we cut his share?"

A skinny, monkey-like evil cultivator, still shaken, touched his bulging chest.

"Look at you, you coward!"

The burly, green-faced ghost next to him sneered and nudged him with his elbow.

"The boss is ruthless, but he's still young, inexperienced, and lacks experience in the underworld! He wouldn't know a thing or two about the rules of dividing spoils!"

"The gifts we give to our ancestors are just for show; do you really think we'd spit out all the fat?"

"Exactly! With such a capable and resilient leader, possessing the power to reverse the flow of magic, taking the blame for murder and arson and leading the charge in the toughest battles, we can just follow behind, reaping the benefits and making a fortune in silence. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Isn't that a bit unfair?"

"Kindness? You're a wicked cultivator who robs and plunders, extracting souls and refining spirits, and you dare to use the word 'kindness'? Where's your shame?!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Many heretical practitioners chuckled softly, deeply agreeing.

Just as these "good brothers" were dreaming of a bright future where they would put the new boss on the hot seat while they slack off behind him—

Holy crap!!

From deep within the warehouse, a startled cry from Ji Zuodao suddenly rang out, its tone distorted, and it was exceptionally clear in the secluded courtyard.

Then came his barely suppressed, trembling cries of ecstasy, which drifted out intermittently:

"So that's where it was! It was hidden really well! We've struck it rich! We've really struck it rich! Hahaha..."

"???"

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

The wicked smiles, scheming, and smugness on the faces of these heretics all froze.

Dozens of eyes suddenly shot towards the dark entrance to the warehouse.

What's going on?

Boss... have you really found a big fish that slipped through the net?

"Boss?" one of the evil cultivators couldn't help but shout towards the storeroom, "Did you find some good treasure?"

There was a few seconds of silence from the warehouse before Ji Zuodaoming's voice, seemingly suppressing excitement, came through:

"No! You misheard! We didn't find anything! Hmm... you searched very thoroughly before, there really wasn't a single thing left!"

That tone, that attempt to cover it up...

The heretical practitioners looked at each other, their eyes conveying only one word: disbelief!

Something's not right, it's definitely not right!

"Damn it, this guy's trying to hog it all!"

The blue-faced ghost was the first to react, cursing and rushing towards the warehouse, shouting, "Boss! It's too much trouble for one person to search! Brother, let me help you look around!"

His move alarmed the other heretical cultivators.

"Damn it! This bastard's trying to eat it all by himself!"

"Everyone who sees it gets a share! Charge!"

"Boss, wait for me! I'll help too!"

With a whoosh, dozens of evil cultivators, afraid of falling behind, all crowded towards the dark doorway of the warehouse.

The warehouse was deep inside, without windows, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, with only faint rustling sounds coming from the depths.

"What are you all doing crowding in here?!"

Ji Zuodao's annoyed voice came from the depths of darkness, accompanied by a muffled thud as if he had accidentally kicked something.

"Who's watching that old bastard Zhou Mu? Where's the security? If they all rush in now, and 749 sneaks in, we're all stuffed! Don't forget that bastard Zhou Zheng went to report it!"

"Don't worry, boss!"

A wicked cultivator specializing in beast taming hurriedly boasted of his achievements, his voice echoing in the darkness:

"We dragged that old bastard Zhou Mu in along the way. And we don't need to worry about 749 at all; my dozen or so Black Crows have been keeping an eye on things around the precinct."

"Several of them are also circling above the Zhou family's residence. I'll know immediately if there's any large-scale troop movement!"

"Holy crap! Who stepped on my foot?!"

"Don't push! Damn it, what kind of place is this? It's as black as the bottom of a pot!"

"Does anyone have any light? Let's make a fire! Let's light a lamp!"

"Clatter".

With a soft click, someone touched the switch.

The dim light instantly dispelled the darkness and illuminated the vast warehouse.

"Boss, you must have found the Zhou family's hidden stash of money, right? Is it in a secret compartment? Where's the mechanism...?"

An impatient heretic cultivator, whose eyes had barely adjusted to the light, couldn't wait to speak, his gaze sweeping towards the approximate location of Ji Zuodao deep within the warehouse.

He only said half of what he wanted to say.

It stuck in my throat.

The greed and eagerness on his face seemed to freeze instantly, then shattered inch by inch, turning into unbelievable terror.

Not just him.

All the heretical cultivators crowded at the warehouse entrance seemed to be frozen in place, their eyes wide and mouths agape, like dozens of comical statues that had suddenly turned to stone.

Under the dim yellow light, the center of the warehouse, which should have been piled high with boxes and cages, was now quite empty...

Three layers inside, three layers outside.

It was packed with people.

They were all dressed in crisp black trench coats, the 749 emblem on their chests gleaming with a cold, hard sheen under the lights.

Each face was expressionless; they simply stood there quietly, like silent reefs.

Their eyes, glowing red, all fell on the group of uninvited guests at the door.

Cold, deathly still, with a scrutinizing gaze, like a cat eyeing a mouse.

There was also a big black dog in the middle that was gagging.

"Holy crap!!! 749 people?!"

"When did they sneak in?!"

"Hey you on guard! Is your crow blind?!"

The group of heretical cultivators instantly erupted in chaos, their horrified roars nearly lifting the roof off.

The evil cultivator who tamed the beast turned pale and stammered:

"That's not right! My flock of crows didn't see anyone sneak in! The 749th Precinct is also very quiet; there hasn't been a large-scale operation!"

"Damn it! This is like keeping a ghost in the house!"

The blue-faced demon was both shocked and furious. He abruptly turned to look at Ji Zuodao, who was surrounded by the black-clad investigators and seemed quite composed, and said urgently:

"Boss! This is a tough one! Let's fight our way out together!!"

All the evil cultivators' eyes instantly focused hopefully on Ji Zuodao.

Now, we're all relying on the boss!

Upon hearing this, Ji Zuodao, who was being given high hopes, shook his head and slowly began to unbutton his bright yellow robe, which was neither new nor old and still smelled musty.

"No rush, let me change my clothes first. This yellow robe... tsk, it doesn't quite suit my image as a model socialist youth."

"ah???"

The heretical practitioners were dumbfounded, almost thinking they had misheard.

What time is it? A knife is at his throat!

Are you still thinking about changing your clothes?

A model socialist youth?!

Several quick-thinking evil cultivators looked at Ji Zuodao's excessively calm expression, and then at the 749 investigators who stood silently around him, showing no reaction to Ji Zuodao's actions.

An absurd idea, yet one that nearly froze their blood, uncontrollably surfaced.

Their eyes were filled with horror as they looked at Ji Zuodao.

"Sizzle—"

Ji Zuodao casually ripped off the bright yellow robe and threw it on the dusty ground like a rag.

Then, he slowly took a neatly folded, crisp black trench coat from an investigator next to him.

Arms outstretched, trench coat billowing.

He turned around, his clothes tracing a clean, sharp arc.

The black trench coat, representing the authority and power of Bureau 749, was draped smoothly and perfectly over his shoulders.

He even raised his hand to straighten the collar of his trench coat, smoothing out a non-existent wrinkle.

Under the dim light, the silver 749 emblem on his shoulder reflected a cold and clear light.

A nearby, seemingly slow-witted, heretical cultivator stared blankly at Ji Zuodao:

"Boss... Boss?"

"Why are you wearing clothes from 749?"

Ji Zuodao fastened the last button of his trench coat. Upon hearing this, he raised his eyes and looked at the evil cultivator who had asked the question, as well as at the dozens of pale, grief-stricken faces behind him.

The corners of her mouth slowly curved upwards into a smile.

That smile, set against the backdrop of the 749 standard trench coat and surrounded by a somber atmosphere of black clothing, appeared exceptionally clear and glaring.

He didn't answer that stupid question.

He simply smiled and spoke gently to the group of former "followers" before him:

"I'm sorry, everyone."

"Combating organized crime and eliminating evil forces."

"Please put your hands behind your head, squat down, and offer your neck for execution."