Hu Lai's beard bristled with anger: "Young man, mind your manners. At my age, shouldn’t you show some respect for your elders—"
But as the figure drew closer, Hu Lai fell silent.
"Damn snake, what brings you here?" Fang Zhiyi shot him a glare. "Stinky fox, since when is there a law against me visiting?"
Hu Lai studied Fang Zhiyi, a pang of melancholy rising in his chest. How long had it been?
"You... must be here for something?"
Fang Zhiyi grinned and slung an arm over his shoulder. "Big things. I’ve got a major business deal I need your help with."
Hu Lai eyed him skeptically.
The little hedgehog trailed behind, watching the two yokai’s backs as the snake yokai rattled on about "human resources" and "rights protection." He didn’t understand a word, but it probably had nothing to do with him.
Still, judging by the shifting expression on Old Hu’s face, the snake’s words seemed convincing.
Meanwhile, Mo Ran was locked alone in a cramped cell, his face dark as a storm cloud.
Though his superiors claimed they still trusted him, they insisted on a thorough investigation, advising him to "rest easy" for a few days. To him, this was nothing short of humiliation!
Even his team members were now isolated for questioning.
In his mind, he cursed that snake yokai a hundred times over, vowing to tear him limb from limb once he got out.
And the other yokai too—he thought of his childhood sweetheart. Every last one of them deserved to die!
A sense of powerlessness gnawed at Mo Ran as his mindset quietly shifted.
Then, a sudden deposit into his account made things even harder to explain.
"Framed? Since when do yokai frame people by transferring money?" Deputy Alliance Leader Zhang, thrilled to finally have dirt on Mo Ran, was eager to bury him. Who asked the brat to always look down on him?
Faced with such accusations, even Mo Ran’s supporters had little to say, leaving the investigation to drag on—with no leads. The culprit had been meticulous, leaving no traces behind.
Meanwhile, a peculiar rumor spread through the yokai circles of Huancheng: a powerful yokai had founded a "Yokai Resources Company," specializing in providing jobs for yokai.
The dangerous yokai that once lurked at transportation hubs and docks had vanished.
In their place stood yokai who looked even more intimidating.
The moment a newly arrived yokai stepped into the city, they’d swarm over, professionally pitching their services.
It wasn’t just the newcomers—even local yokai already working in the city soon found flyers in their hands.
The company’s target clients were yokai without legal identities. After processing, they could be dispatched to human-run businesses or factories.
Fang Zhiyi hadn’t expected Hu Lai’s operations to open the market so quickly.
The little yokai, simple-minded and hardworking, earned rave reviews from employers. Demand soon outstripped supply.
Positive feedback bred even better results.
More hesitant yokai began signing up. After registering with the company, they were swiftly placed into jobs.
After a quick meal with Hu Lai, Fang Zhiyi left, taking Xiao Hu back to the protagonist’s city.
Mo Ran received good news from the meal deliverer: several higher-ups were vouching for him, and Deputy Alliance Leader Zhang had failed to uncover solid evidence. He’d likely be released in a day or two.
Excitement burned in Mo Ran’s eyes. Finally, he could get out.
He’d fantasized countless times about breaking free—this door couldn’t hold him. But a familiar leader had warned him: "Step out now, and even the truth won’t save you."
That sobered him up. He even began quietly honing his skills.
With freedom in sight, he plotted his next moves: first, head to Huancheng, eliminate that fox yokai, seize its core, then move south... That snake wouldn’t hide forever.
That night, Mo Ran drifted off with a smile.
But deep into the night, a deafening crash jolted him awake.
Shouts and chaos erupted outside. He sprang up, pressing his ear to the door.
The noise grew louder, clearer.
"Charge, boys! Rescue Mo Ran!"
Shock, then fury, surged through him.
He wasn’t stupid—this was another of the snake’s schemes! Yokai staging a jailbreak? That would cement his reputation as a traitor!
Already, clashes erupted outside. The unprepared exorcists were swiftly overpowered and tossed aside.
"Brother Mo Ran! We got your message! We’re here to save you!"
Rage exploded in Mo Ran’s chest. He slammed the door open—his "cell" was just a private room, not an actual prison. A few steps brought him to the railing overlooking the lower floor.
Below, seven or eight masked figures loitered, some standing, some crouching, beside a blaring speaker.
He pointed. "You—"
The yokai below looked up. "Mo Ran’s escaped! Push harder, brothers!" The speaker crackled, but none of the yokai moved.
Yet the words echoed unmistakably. Injured exorcists turned, gaping at Mo Ran in disbelief.
"So it’s true—you’re a traitor!"
Panic flickered, but pride kept Mo Ran from explaining. His face darkened with stifled fury.
"Fall back! Reinforcements are coming! Brother Mo Ran, run!" As cars screeched into view, the yokai bolted, the lead one clutching the speaker. "Big bro, get out now!"
Speechless with rage, Mo Ran could only glare as the figures vanished into the night.
Moments later, his own people surrounded him.
Deputy Alliance Leader Zhang, smug. The old man, heartbroken. His colleagues, suspicious. And Mo Ran—seething with resentment.
Predictably, he was locked up again, this time in a specially reinforced room.
Mo Ran drove his fist into the wall.
Why? Why had everything gone wrong? It had always been so easy before.
"Boss, where to now?" Xiao Hu ripped off his mask, buzzing with excitement. This was what it meant to be a great yokai—playing for keeps, daring to strike the Exorcist Alliance itself!
"South," Fang Zhiyi replied coolly.
"Let’s go!"
If this were a game of Ludo, Mo Ran would still be waiting to roll a six, while Fang Zhiyi’s third plane was already soaring.
Resolve] Gu Yang was once a true disciple of the Falling Cloud Sect, but after failing to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, his cultivation regressed, his foundation was damaged, his lifespan was nearing its end, and he was about to be demoted to a menial servant. At his moment of despair, he awakened the [Daily Intelligence System]. By refreshing it daily, he could learn about countless hidden opportunities and secrets within the cultivation world! [Today's intelligence has been refreshed] [White Intelligence: One month ago, the Foundation Establishment spiritual item "Profound Ice Spirit Marrow" used by the host to attempt his breakthrough contained a trace of the poison "Bone-Corrobing Spirit-Dissolving Powder".] [Purple Intelligence: Tonight during the Yin hour (3-5 AM), a wisp of "Golden Crow Primordial Flame" will overflow... If this flame is devoured, it can recast the shattered cultivation foundation, fully restore cultivation, and awaken the one-in-ten-thousand—Primordial Supreme Yang Body. [Click to view coordinates]] [Golden Intelligence: Shen Qingyue, a Golden Core elder of the Falling Cloud Sect who possesses the Nine Yin Body, suffers from backlash of cold energy every full moon night, causing her strength to plummet and excruciating pain. Grand Elder Zhao Wuji has secretly bribed Shen Qingyue's personal maid, Hongxiu, and learned the rear gate array node of the protective formation "Clouds and Mist Veiling the Sun Array". Tomorrow late at night, he intends to take advantage of Shen Qingyue's flare-up of the cold poison, when she is weak and unable to resist, to use a secret technique to refine her into a cauldron and force her into a Daoist partnership. [Click to view coordinates]] The cultivation world is a jungle where the strong prey on the weak, and human hearts are as treacherous as ghosts? Sorry, but I can read the script! From then on, relying on his informational advantage, Gu Yang proceeded step by step with careful planning. Seizing opportunities, plundering fortunes. Selling intelligence. Playing rivals against each other. Step by step, he ultimately became the Immortal Emperor!
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
host is extracting the Celestial Bone of the Destiny's Female Lead! The Destiny's Great Villain System has successfully bound!] Mo Tianxiao: "Destiny's Great Villain? Me?" Looking at the radiant Celestial Bone in his hand and the beautiful woman lying on the bed, Mo Tianxiao felt somewhat confused. How could he, a law-abiding citizen, become a villain? Mo Tianxiao: "Fine, villain it is then. With the system here, even a Chosen One isn't unbeatable." [Ding! Detected 18,653 Chosen Ones in this world. Please seize the destiny of all protagonists to become the true Destiny's Great Villain!] Mo Tianxiao: "Seize how many?! What kind of lousy great villain is this? I'm a perfectly good citizen!"
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
