I Want to Join the "Fate" Organization

On the Demon Island lies Demon City, and within Demon City stands a rather ordinary teahouse called Yuanlai Teahouse.

The teahouse is simple, yet not so simple at the same time.

It sits alone at the very edge of the street, quietly thriving in its own way.

The islanders of Demon Island are still quite barbaric, favoring strength and meat over leisurely tea. They prefer feasting at restaurants rather than sipping tea, so the teahouse goes unnoticed. And since no one pays it any attention, no one visits. Strangely enough, the teahouse has stood in Demon City for so long that the islanders have forgotten when it even appeared—yet it has never closed down.

At noon on this day, a young man with a peculiar accessory over his eyes, dark skin, and tightly corded muscles stood before the teahouse, gazing up at its signboard for a long while before reading aloud, word by word: "Yuan... Lai... Tea... House."

After finishing, he chuckled inexplicably and murmured, "So it's a chain store!"

He stepped forward, pushed open the door, and entered. A quick glance around revealed that the teahouse had few customers—the scurrying attendants outnumbered the patrons.

He wasn’t here for tea. Approaching the counter, he saw a plump, silk-clad proprietor dozing behind it.

Leaning sideways against the counter, he rapped his knuckles against the wood. The proprietor didn’t stir. With a swift slap, he shattered half the counter, the deafening crash finally jolting the man awake.

The few remaining tea-drinkers jumped in fright, turning their gazes toward the commotion. Attendants rushed to calm them.

Bleary-eyed, the proprietor looked at the man who had smashed his counter and asked, "Sir, here for tea or lodging?"

Qin Ran smiled faintly. "I’m looking for your boss."

"The boss?" The plump proprietor blinked, then climbed down from his chair, straightened his silk robes, and smoothed his round face before stepping up to the counter. He bowed slightly. "Greetings. I am the boss."

"What I mean..." Qin Ran’s lips curled into a feigned smile, "...is the boss of the 'Yuan Organization.'"

The plump proprietor froze for a split second, his eyes flickering imperceptibly to the ruined counter before he straightened his expression. "I am the Demon Island branch head of the Yuan Organization. May I ask what business you have, sir?"

"Oh?"

Now genuinely intrigued, Qin Ran studied the chubby branch head. His rotund figure, draped in silk rarely seen on Demon Island, and his round, amiable face made him the perfect image of a teahouse owner—but a far cry from what one would expect of a leader in the human-trafficking Yuan Organization.

With a smile, Qin Ran returned the bow. "I am Li Feiyu. I’d like to discuss a business deal with you."

"Li Feiyu?!"

The name clearly rang a bell. The plump proprietor scrutinized Qin Ran’s appearance—his muscular build, dark skin, and bare arms fit the mold of a body cultivator, not a pill-refining alchemist.

"So it’s the renowned Li Feiyu. An honor." He bowed deeply, his demeanor humble, every bit the merchant. "I am Pang Xuan, Demon Island’s branch head, at your service."

Rising from his bow, he stepped out from behind the counter and gestured toward the stairs. "Sir, let us discuss this upstairs."

Qin Ran observed Pang Xuan’s mannerisms with amusement, silently praising the man’s composure.

Pang Xuan clearly knew of Li Feiyu’s identity—and knowing that meant he knew what Li Feiyu had done. Emerging from the Divine Essence Old Demon’s sealed realm, inheriting his legacy, and stealing pills from Dragon Whale Island... Yet Pang Xuan remained unshaken. Impressive.

Following Pang Xuan upstairs, they entered an elegant private room on the third floor and took their seats.

Soon, an attendant brought tea and pastries.

Pang Xuan’s plump face broke into an ingratiating smile as he asked, "What kind of business did you wish to discuss, sir?"

Qin Ran picked up a pastry, sniffed it, but didn’t eat. Instead, he grinned. "I humbly wish to join the Yuan Organization."

"For someone of your stature to join would be an honor for our organization." Pang Xuan showed no surprise, smiling warmly. "You’re welcome to join at any time."

Qin Ran toyed with the pastry and asked casually, "What would someone like me do in the Yuan Organization?"

"With your mastery of the Divine Essence Condensation and your exceptional alchemy, naturally, you would refine pills for us," Pang Xuan replied.

"Refine pills?" Qin Ran paused. If that was all, how was he any different from the alchemists the Yuan Organization abducted?

"Just refining pills?" he asked with a smirk.

"With your skills, of course, it wouldn’t stop there." Pang Xuan’s cherubic smile made Qin Ran relax slightly. Good—there was more.

Then Pang Xuan continued, "Promotion in our organization is merit-based. We don’t believe in suppression.

"New members start as first-rank alchemists, refining first-rank pills. After refining a thousand, they advance to second-rank, then another thousand for third-rank, and so on. With your talent, you’d rise to high-rank alchemist in no time."

Qin Ran laughed. "So even I start as a first-rank alchemist?"

"Apologies, sir, but everyone starts the same." Pang Xuan’s smile remained sweet.

"What if I want to be different?" Qin Ran challenged.

"How so?"

Pointing at Pang Xuan, Qin Ran grinned. "You step down. I take your place."

"Sir, branch heads and alchemists follow separate promotion paths." Unfazed, Pang Xuan kept smiling. "To become a proprietor, you’d start as a servant or attendant. Ten years as a servant to become an attendant, a century of errands to rise to steward, then five hundred years as steward..."

"If you died, how would the Demon Island branch head be replaced?" Qin Ran asked seriously.

"The higher-ups would investigate my death. Once confirmed, they’d handle revenge or other matters, then appoint a new proprietor." Pang Xuan replied. "No one from Demon Island would be promoted to the position."

"I see..." Qin Ran nodded. "And if I changed my mind about joining—would I be allowed to leave?"

"You possess the Divine Essence Condensation. The organization desires it and won’t let you go." Pang Xuan chuckled. "The teahouse has enforcers. They won’t allow you to leave."

"Then..." Qin Ran stared intently at Pang Xuan. "Are you an idiot? You want the Divine Essence Condensation, and I have it. I’m offering it to you willingly, yet you force me to start from the bottom and push me away. Do you lack brains?"

Pang Xuan’s ever-present smile finally faded. His narrowed eyes widened slightly as he studied Qin Ran with newfound seriousness.

"I'm inclined to join the Yuan Organization, but if you can't offer a price worthy of Divine Essence Condensation, I'll fight my way out and unleash destruction befitting its power." Qin Ran smiled. "Fool, what's your choice?"