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

The heretical cultivators stood there dumbfounded, their eyes wide open, looking like dozens of toads stunned by lightning.

The warehouse was deathly silent, with only the occasional buzzing of the dim light bulbs.

After a long pause, one of the heretical cultivators finally managed to make his Adam's apple bob with difficulty, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth, carrying a strong, lingering sense of absurdity:

"Boss... Boss, that joke went a bit too far!"

"Yeah, boss, where did you get this outfit? It fits you perfectly, but the stitching isn't tight enough. I'll introduce you to a tailor sometime; his skills are absolutely superb..."

Another heretical practitioner forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace, his voice trembling.

Do not believe.

Or rather, they don't want to believe it.

This is definitely fake!

Could a ruthless man like the boss, whose evil aura emanates from his very bones, really be one of those hypocritical lackeys of 749?!

This is even more outrageous than telling them that the Zhou family's watchdogs eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow every day!

It must be a case of double-crossing!

The boss has found a group of evil cultivators to impersonate 749, wanting to monopolize the Zhou family's treasures and take us all down with him!

Yes! That must be it!

The heretical practitioners exchanged glances, trying to find evidence in each other's eyes to support this reasonable conjecture.

"Heh...heh heh...ha, ha ha ha..."

Just then, a hoarse, intermittent laugh, filled with endless misery and mockery, came from the corner.

It was the next playthrough, lying sprawled on the ground like a tattered sack.

He struggled to raise his head, his cloudy old eyes sweeping over the group of grieving, evil cultivators.

His gaze then fell upon Ji Zuodao, who was surrounded by a group of people in black trench coats and had a calm expression, before finally settling on the dozens of silent 749 investigators standing solemnly in the center of the warehouse.

"I understand... I... I understand everything..."

"What a brilliant 749..."

"Using others to do the dirty work... using one enemy to devour another... using these brainless, stupid, evil cultivators as weapons to slaughter my entire Zhou family... and then smearing all the dirty water on the evil cultivators' heads..."

"Finally... they come out to clean up the mess, reap the rewards, and gain both fame and fortune... Brilliant! Truly brilliant!"

"Our Zhou family died a just death!"

"Hahaha! And you guys too! A bunch of idiots! Utterly stupid idiots!!"

"Don't you understand yet? The new boss you've been worshipping like a god is nothing but bait, a hook, laid out by 749 from beginning to end!"

"You bunch of rats in the gutter, do you really think a powerful and resilient backer has fallen from the sky and can take you on a life of luxury?"

"Pah! Dream on! They used you as tools and firewood, and now that they're done with you, they're going to discard you like a used tool!"

These words were like a knife chilled to ice, piercing the last vestiges of self-deception among the heretical cultivators.

"No...it's not true...Boss, say something! This old man is trying to sow discord, isn't he?"

A young evil cultivator who had previously called Ji Zuodao "boss" the most enthusiastically and genuinely believed that following Ji Zuodao would lead to a bright future was now pale-faced, his voice trembling with tears, as he stared longingly at the impeccably dressed figure in black.

"Yes, boss! You can't do this!"

Another heretical cultivator collapsed. He had truly taken the words "grow bigger and stronger, create new glories" to heart. Now, his faith crumbled, and the pain was worse than being stabbed in the back. He roared hoarsely:

"What happened to the promise of sharing both good times and bad?!"

"What happened to our promise to lead the brothers, make our business bigger and stronger, and create new glories?!"

"You've already donned the yellow robe! You've already said what you wanted to say! How can this... this fucking not stand for?!"

"What about the code of honor among thieves?! What about the code of conduct among bandits?!"

His words instantly resonated with the other evil cultivators who genuinely wanted to follow Ji Zuodaoqian.

Their eyes were red, they were panting heavily, looking like a group of pitiful wretches who had been stabbed in the back by their loved ones, questioning with grief and despair:

"That's right! Boss, you can't do this! We're truly loyal to you!"

"If you point east, we'll never go west! If you say kill the dog, we'll never chase the chicken!"

"They turned around and betrayed their brothers... Is this something a human being would do?!"

"At worst, we'll just steal what we get later. You take the lion's share, and we'll just have the leftovers!"

The warehouse was filled with a mix of aggrieved accusations, desperate pleas, and lamentations of a shattered worldview.

It was as bustling as a vegetable market.

Ji Zuodao listened quietly, the slight smile on his lips never changing.

Once the wailing and questioning subsided slightly, he slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly drowning out all the noise:

"To grow bigger and stronger, and create new glories?"

"Even thieves have their code of honor? The code of chivalry?"

Ji Zuodao seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and pointed to the cold 749 insignia on his shoulder:

"Look carefully, I now represent the law, justice, and the 749th Bureau of the Great Han Dynasty."

"What's the point of talking about chivalry with a bunch of lawless, socially dangerous criminals like you?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the few "former underlings" who were crying the most, his tone even carrying a hint of sincerity:

"Besides, I'm doing this for your own good."

"Following me means fighting and killing, living a precarious life. What future is there?"

"If you go in now, whether you work on a sewing machine or go to a labor camp, the government will provide you with food and lodging, regular hours, and you can learn a skill and start a new life."

"Isn't this better than the life-or-death treatment you get?"

The heretical cultivators were stunned by this thoughtful plan, and their minds became even more confused.

It seems... to make some sense?

No way! That makes no sense at all!

The crimes they committed warrant hundreds of boxes of bullets.

"Fuck your grandpa!!"

Finally, the burly, blue-faced evil cultivator was the first to break free from the immense absurdity and sense of betrayal, his anger completely overwhelming his fear.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he suddenly drew a poisoned dagger from his waist, lunging at Ji Zuodao without regard for anything else, roaring:

"Damn 749! I'll fight you to the death! Brothers, we're going to die anyway, let's fight our way out!!"

That roar was like igniting a powder keg.

Other evil cultivators were also aroused and drew their weapons, activated their evil magic, and burst forth with various spiritual lights, creating a bloody wind as they fought like cornered beasts!

Ji Zuodao was about to stretch his muscles when he noticed that none of the investigators around him had moved, standing there like the two stone lions at the entrance.

He raised an eyebrow and casually stepped back to Director Lin's side, his movements as natural as if he had rehearsed them eight hundred times.

From the moment he stepped into the warehouse, Ji Zuodao felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck.

The only person who could give him this feeling in this place was Director Lin, who was always unfathomable.

really.

The group of evil cultivators, their eyes bloodshot and howling as they desperately charged forward, had barely taken two steps—

"Splash!" "Splash!" "Ouch..."

Like dumplings being dropped into a pot, one after another, they all collapsed limply to the ground.

The knife, hook, and summoning banner in his hand clattered to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of people began to have shivering.

His face turned a deep, purplish-red color at a visible speed, veins bulged on his forehead and neck, and beads of cold sweat the size of soybeans instantly soaked through his clothes.

"vomit--!"

Some people started gagging, with white foam mixed with gastric juices gushing from the corners of their mouths, and they couldn't stop it.

His body convulsed like an electrocuted grasshopper, his limbs twitched uncontrollably, his eyes were unfocused, and he made strange "hoarse" sounds from his throat.

In an instant, the warehouse was filled with the sounds of people falling to the ground with a "thud," groans of pain, and retching and convulsions, creating a lively and chaotic scene.

Ji Zuodao stroked his chin, observing the sudden, bizarre sight of everyone lying on the floor with great interest, then glanced sideways at Director Lin, who remained unmoved beside him.

Did Old Lin do this?

Poisoning? Doesn't seem likely.

This looks more like a mass food poisoning, or a sudden, serious illness, or something highly contagious.

But all the evil cultivators are strong and healthy, and immune to all diseases. How could they suddenly fall ill, and even fall ill in such a uniform and consistent manner?

That leaves only one possibility—

Magic or supernatural powers.

Moreover, it's not the usual flashy, lightning-filled tricks; it's a more insidious, cunning, and unpredictable approach.

Goodness, this method feels even more sinister and powerful than that old man's supernatural abilities in the original story.

Ji Zuodao's gaze towards Director Lin held a different meaning.

That old fox... cough cough, old leader, he's really good at hiding things.

Without making a sound or revealing a trace, and without even seeing him make any hand seals or chant any incantations, dozens of vicious and evil cultivators were all lying down, as if their bones had been removed.