Chapter 28: Good and Evil

So, the Bell Society really is an immensely large, evil organization? That means what Liu Ling’er said before she died wasn’t just nonsense.  

Damn, I haven’t even left the newbie village, and I’ve already offended such a “gang.” This is some rotten luck.  

Suppressing a tinge of frustration, Ren Ye frowned and asked, “Would a country really allow an organization like this to exist? I just can’t believe it. Isn’t it your job to prevent this? Are you even worthy of taxpayers’ money?”  

Xu Peng chuckled, stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and asked, “From ancient times to now, laws have been continuously improved. Then why do criminals still exist?”  

“Criminals will always exist, sure, but large-scale criminal organizations? At least, not out in the open.” Ren Ye’s confidence grew as he spoke about his professional understanding.  

Xu Peng shook his head. “Let me ask you this: in your current state, if you were determined to kill someone without regard for the consequences, what kind of aftermath do you think it would cause?”  

Ren Ye froze, his mind quickly spinning. If he used Spring Breeze Delight to create a delusional obsession, paired with charm abilities and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, he realized that if he truly intended to commit murder, the police force of an entire county—no, maybe even an entire city—would struggle to stop his rampage or apprehend him in a short amount of time.  

The mere thought made Ren Ye frown.  

Xu Peng glanced at him. “Now you understand, don’t you? A rookie Star Gate player like you, armed with supernatural abilities, is already beyond the control of conventional law enforcement. Current laws can barely restrain someone like you. And the players in the Chaos Faction? Their personalities are often extreme and unhinged. They might commit atrocities for reasons incomprehensible to ordinary people. It’s like… being bound by iron rules for so long that, once given the ability to break free, they lash out in retaliation.”  

Ren Ye nodded in agreement. “So this obsession and madness—it’s a consequence of Star Gate’s influence on them?”  

Xu Peng’s eyes lit up. “Smart. Star Gate indeed has a significant impact on one’s personality. For example, I’ve heard of an Evil Path profession inheritance that only chooses people who committed suicide in the real world to become players. Think about it—what kind of people commit suicide? Most of them were utterly despairing—about the world, about life, about relationships. When they inherit such a profession, their personality flaws are further magnified… That’s why Chaos Faction players often behave in ways that defy understanding.”  

“Doesn’t Star Gate regulate these people?” Ren Ye asked, intrigued.  

“Star Gate is indifferent to good and evil—it is the epitome of objectivity and fairness. Or perhaps, it believes good and evil both truly exist, and neither can erase the other.” Xu Peng thought for a moment before responding. “The only regulation is that if a player in the Order Faction commits too many misdeeds—like frequent murders or robberies—they’ll completely fall into chaos. Even their profession’s trajectory will be affected. Simply put, they’ll go entirely dark.”  

“I get it now.”  

“In the real world, there are currently three major factions. The first is the Order Faction, which we belong to. Domestically, the representative force is, of course, our officially established Vigil Keeper. Then there’s the Neutral Faction, represented by groups like the Fraudulent Merchants Association and the Noob Players Exchange Association, etc. Lastly, there’s the Chaos Faction, which includes organizations like the Bell Society, the Predator Alliance, and the Stray Dogs, among others.” Xu Peng’s explanation was succinct. “These three factions have reached a delicate balance. Everyone exercises restraint in the real world. Personal grudges are settled within Star Gate, and whoever lives or dies bears no legal consequences. But if you cause trouble in the real world, official organizations will intervene. Of course, enforcement requires evidence.”  

Ren Ye remained silent for a long time before tentatively summarizing, “Because Chaos Faction players possess supernatural abilities that disrupt the social order and have destructive potential—and as long as Star Gate exists, they can’t be completely eradicated—a delicate balance has been established. As long as they don’t go too far, we give them room to exist to prevent them from going rogue and causing unfathomable disasters. Is that correct?”  

“Spot on.” Xu Peng grinned, baring his teeth. “Talking to you isn’t tiring.”

Ren Ye blinked. “So, within the Vigil Keeper, if someone falls from grace or commits a crime, what happens? Do they face harsh punishment under the family rules?”

Xu Peng raised his chin proudly. “Betrayal or corruption among the Vigil Keeper is extremely rare.”

“No way. That’s pure boasting! As long as they’re human, they can’t be that pure. It’s just human nature.” Ren Ye didn’t believe it at all.

“Heh.” Xu Peng didn’t argue. “Once you officially become a Vigil Keeper, visit the headquarters, and participate in the grand induction ceremony, you’ll understand why I say that.”

“I think you’re trying to brainwash me…” Ren Ye sneered.

It wasn’t that his mind was particularly cynical, but he’d seen too much evil. On the border, some colleagues who had once earned merit eventually fell to the corruption of criminals.

It came back to the same point: human nature is irreversible.

“Alright, that’s enough for today. This concludes our lesson.” Xu Peng looked at him and leisurely advised, “Take the internal books and materials I gave you and study them carefully.”

“Got it.” Ren Ye stood up. Just as he was about to grab the books on the table, he saw blood streaming out of Xu Peng’s nostrils.

“Drip, drip…!”

The blood flowed from his nose, like a heavy day during a menstrual cycle—there was a lot.

“What the—what’s wrong with you?!” Ren Ye pointed at Xu Peng’s face in shock. “You’re bleeding everywhere!”

Xu Peng touched his nostrils, checked himself in the mirror, and calmly replied, “It’s nothing… the medicine’s kicking in… Ugh… Ugh…!”

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Peng dry-heaved twice, then opened his mouth wide and vomited a large amount of herbal soup and bile.

A foul stench filled the air. Ren Ye stared at the sticky mess on the floor, his brows furrowing at first. But upon closer inspection, he noticed two tiny worms wriggling within the vomit.

With just one glance, Ren Ye felt his scalp tingle, and his stomach churned. “What the—what did you throw up? Why are there living things in it?!”

Ignoring Ren Ye, Xu Peng covered his nose, bent down, picked up the two worms from the vomit, and casually tossed them back into his mouth, chewing them up.

After finishing, he flashed a sunny smile. “I brewed that medicine just for these two worms. Can’t let them go to waste.”

“Ugh…!”

Ren Ye couldn’t hold it in and retched. “You’re the most disgusting person I’ve ever met… bar none…!”

“You having lunch?” Xu Peng wiped the blood from his nose with a tissue and asked politely.

“Ugh, ugh… ugh…!” Ren Ye vomited until his face turned pale.

“Alright then, take a break. I’ll go see the boss.” Xu Peng strolled off leisurely. “Oh, and clean up the floor. Newbies have to handle the chores.”

Five minutes later, Xu Peng arrived at Huang Wei’s office and looked at the sallow-faced leader. “Boss, you don’t look so good. Want some medicine to improve your health?”

“Do you have something to say?” Huang Wei looked up.

Xu Peng pulled out his phone. “I’ve gotten in touch with the player selling the information.”

“Did they name a price?” Huang Wei perked up immediately.

“They said they won’t do business with the Vigil Keeper, no matter how much we pay,” Xu Peng reported truthfully.

“Damn it, how arrogant! Look into their identity. See if they’ve committed any crimes,” Huang Wei said, slamming the desk.

…

Later that night, around 8:40 PM.

In Shanghai, Qingfu District, inside a small motel room.

Little Wolf Warrior sat on the sofa, impeccably dressed in a black suit, his hair neatly combed, and his legs crossed casually.

Across from him was Mr. He, who had come from Xiangjiang, accompanied by two aides. One had shifty eyes and a sleazy appearance; the other was overweight and was currently sipping a pungent, fishy-smelling liquid from a thermos. It was unclear what the substance was.

After Little Wolf Warrior posted the information in the group, Mr. He had offered a price that outbid all other buyers. Hence, this meeting was arranged.

“Let’s see the goods,” Mr. He said, admiring his peerless visage in a small bronze mirror.

“Swoosh!”

Without hesitation, Little Wolf Warrior pulled a folded A4 sheet from his pocket and placed it lightly on the table.

After about two or three minutes, Mr. He finished reading the information on the paper and softly asked, “Why are there no detailed records about the tomb of the Princess of Jingguo?”  

“Come on, big brother, this is an information sale. If I show you everything at once, would you still bother to pay?” Little Wolf Warrior rolled his eyes. “Let’s be professional, alright?”  

“Fair enough.”  

Mr. He nodded. “Are you also a player in Qingliang Prefecture?”  

“If I were a player in this Star Gate, do you think I’d sell this information to you? Wouldn’t it be better to keep it for myself?” Little Wolf Warrior responded casually. “I completed an ancient Star Gate quest and obtained this intel. Given how detailed the information about the princess’s tomb is, I figured it might be related to another Star Gate. So, I’m putting it up for sale.”  

“Oh, I see.” Mr. He stood up. “Wait here for a moment. I need to verify the accuracy of your intel.”  

“No problem,” Little Wolf Warrior nodded.  

Mr. He left the room, took a picture of the information, and sent it to Guo Cai’er and Xing Tao.  

About three or four minutes later, Guo Cai’er called back. “Where did you get this information?”  

“There’s a player in a chat group selling it. After reading your report, I thought it might relate to the tomb of the former dynasty’s princess, so I contacted the seller,” Mr. He explained calmly. “The player claims they got this information in another ancient Star Gate and that they’re not a Qingliang Prefecture player. Does this intel help you?”  

Guo Cai’er paused for a moment. “He could be lying. Such detailed information being obtained from another Star Gate? I find that hard to believe. It’s more likely he is a Qingliang Prefecture player.”  

“Just tell me if the information is useful or not, and if it’s authentic. I’ll find out later if he’s lying.” Mr. He replied coldly.  

“Based on what’s provided, it’s extremely important to us,” Guo Cai’er responded without hesitation. “Emperor Jing, Prince Huai, the Heavenly Pardoned One—all key missions revolve around the tomb of the former dynasty’s princess. I suspect the subsequent storyline will definitely involve this tomb. If we get this intel, it’s like having a god’s-eye view.”  

“Alright, got it.”  

After ending the call, Mr. He returned to the room. He took a small black velvet pouch from the hands of the plump man beside him and placed it directly on the table. “I’ll buy it.”  

Little Wolf Warrior leaned forward, opened the velvet pouch, and looked inside. Ten shiny white crystals of uniform size were nestled within.  

“Swish!”  

He pulled out another intact envelope from his pocket and gently placed it on the table. “It’s all here.”  

Five minutes later, after Guo Cai’er confirmed the “goods” were genuine, Mr. He returned to the room and extended his hand. “I hope we can cooperate again.”  

“You’re a straightforward boss,” Little Wolf Warrior replied dismissively, shaking his hand briefly before leaving with the bag of white crystals.  

Once he was gone, the plump man, who had been sipping the foul-smelling liquid, turned and revealed a sinister smile. “So much Stellar Essence, and you just gave it to him?”  

Mr. He’s pupils contracted slightly. “Let’s follow him.”  

…  

In a dimly lit alleyway, Little Wolf Warrior’s footsteps echoed rhythmically as they splashed against the damp ground.  

“Whoo…”  

A gust of cold wind swept through, ruffling Little Wolf Warrior’s hair. He abruptly stopped and glanced behind him.  

“Splash~!”  

Suddenly, an enormous amount of black liquid poured down from above, drenching Little Wolf Warrior completely.  

“You bastards! So much for trust!” Little Wolf Warrior bellowed, turning and sprinting toward the alley’s exit.  

“Sizzle!”  

As the liquid seeped through his clothes and made contact with his skin, faint white smoke rose, and his flesh suffered severe corrosion.  

At the end of the alley, a plump man appeared, standing there with a sinister smile. He softly uttered, “Condense!”  

“Crack… crackle!”  

Little Wolf Warrior, who was running, suddenly felt his flesh stiffening. The sticky black liquid coating his body solidified instantly, petrifying him in place.  

Within two breaths, he was transformed into a black humanoid statue, frozen in a running posture.  

“Clang!”  

Three black chains shot out from a nearby building, precisely wrapping around Little Wolf Warrior’s petrified body and binding him tightly to the spot.  

“Creak… smash!”  

Just as the chains secured him, Little Wolf Warrior broke free from the petrification, but his skin oozed black blood, and the flesh on his face was barely discernible.  

“Whoosh!”  

A figure flashed by, their right arm suddenly extending wildly, growing to a length of seven or eight meters. The arm’s skin was covered in pustules and scarred remnants of decay.  

“Slash!”  

A scarlet hand, sharp as a blade, pierced through Little Wolf Warrior’s chest, pulling out his heart in one swift motion before retracting.  

Under the dim light, the figure’s arm reverted to normal. It was the sleazy young man who had stood beside Mr. He during the transaction.  

“Crunch… crunch!”  

The young man squeezed Little Wolf Warrior’s heart and took a bite, then froze with a strange expression. “Blegh… it’s not fresh. Turns out he was already a corpse!”  

The plump man hurried over, standing before Little Wolf Warrior’s body. He closed his eyes and emitted a wave of sensory energy.  

After a brief moment, he turned and shouted, “Mr. He, there’s no equipment on him, nor was there any stellar energy fluctuation from the Star Gate recalling items. He wasn’t lying—he seems to have been just a regular player.”  

“Tap, tap…”  

Mr. He approached, glanced down at Little Wolf Warrior’s corpse, and said calmly, “Clean this up. Let’s go.”  

“Got it.”  

The fierce-looking plump man waved his hand lightly, and the surrounding sewers began to gush out filthy water and sludge, which quickly flowed toward Little Wolf Warrior’s body.  

“Wait.”  

At that moment, one of the Bell Society Copper Bell members stationed at the alley’s entrance walked toward a closed metal door.  

Under the dim light, the remaining eight members turned their heads collectively.  

“Bang!”  

The Copper Bell member yanked the door open, revealing a young couple frozen in fear, holding each other tightly. Their faces were pale, and their eyes were wide with terror as they stared at the intruder.  

Inside the building, the door to a room on the left side of the first floor was ajar. A small cart with food ingredients sat at the entrance. It seemed the couple was about to set up a street stall when they accidentally witnessed the events that had just unfolded.  

“Who… who are you…?!” the young man stammered, instinctively shielding his wife as his legs shook uncontrollably.  

The Copper Bell member looked up at Mr. He, while the plump man’s sinister gaze shifted toward the woman inside.  

Mr. He remained silent for a moment before speaking in a flat tone, “Mere ordinary people aren’t worthy of witnessing the uncanny…”  

With that, the other seven members moved toward the building.  

…  

On a bright street, Little Wolf Warrior’s ghost was drifting slowly.  

“As expected… Bell Society are a bunch of scumbags. They’re utterly untrustworthy,” Little Wolf Warrior grumbled bitterly before floating off toward the nearest crematorium or morgue.  

An hour and a half later, Old Huang, who was still at his desk reviewing documents, received a sudden phone call.  

“Hello?”  

“Boss, there’s been a stellar energy fluctuation on Fuyuan Street! The night patrol has already responded. A player killed some ordinary civilians…” an anxious Vigil Keeper reported.