Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

The puppet’s facial features were adjustable, so he pinched and prodded them a bit, making it bear a strong resemblance to himself.

Only, its eyes were empty and lifeless.

So his junior sister wouldn’t notice anything amiss, he even went out of his way to dress the puppet in a set of black robes identical to his own, covering its face with a mask and placing a bamboo hat on its head.

[Name]: Celestial Governor’s Profound Companion

[Type]: Exotic Treasure/Puppet

[Puppet Talent·Celestial Governor]

With bones of mystic iron this form is cast, a timeless guardian on a lonely peak.

A single thought gives it life to follow like a shadow, overseeing the Dao to the ends of the earth.

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was an extremely strict Daoist. Although his disciples were all supremely talented, they were also flighty and often slacked off on their cultivation.

The Daoist, endlessly annoyed, took some mystic iron, combined it with a wisp of his own divine sense, and refined this "Celestial Governor’s Profound Companion."

Although this puppet possessed no significant combat power, it had one ability: "to watch."

It would follow its target like a shadow. No matter where they went, its cold eyes would forever be watching you.

Its silence spoke louder than a thousand words.

It was a reminder:

When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you!

The path of the Dao is long. Do not forget your original intention. You... should be cultivating.

Lin Qingfeng then set the final commands.

[Puppet Mode: Auto-Follow from a Distance (Target: Su Ling’er)]

[Visual Mode: Deterrent Gaze]

[Pressure Aura Reference: Lin Qingfeng]

[Behavioral Protocol: Silence, Follow, Watch.] 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Once the settings were complete, the Celestial Governor’s Profound Companion took a step, left the immortal’s cave on its own, and headed toward Su Ling’er’s bamboo house.

’All set!’

Only then did Lin Qingfeng leisurely send out a Sound Transmission Talisman.

[Lin Qingfeng: Junior Sister, twelve new disciples have arrived outside the sect gate. It’s a big group, so go and receive them.]

[Lin Qingfeng: I will come by to check on things later. You must perform well! Remember! I will be watching you at all times!!!]

After doing all this, he felt his diligence was worthy of being named the number one workhorse in the immortal realm.

Then, with a clear conscience, he flopped back onto his cold jade bed, spread-eagled, and gleefully opened the built-in minigame to start his next adventure.

...

Out in the wilderness, in front of Wang Xiedi’s thatched hut, he sat hugging his knees, staring blankly at Su Ling’er’s elegant bamboo house in the distance.

The tragic death of the Jade-faced Mantis, the loss of the Heart-Connected Fruit, his senior sister’s possible "passing" (though she came back to life), and his own utter failure...

All of it left him dejected, filled with a sense of frustration at his own incompetence.

Meanwhile, in the bamboo house not far away, Su Ling’er was sprawled on her bed, savoring the tranquility that came after surviving a disaster... and after being completely overworked.

"I’m never faking being sick again..." she muttered weakly to herself.

The price for this "illness" was too high.

While she hadn’t suffered any actual physical harm, the damage was all psychological!

’This is even worse than death...’

Just then, a paper crane flew through the window lattice and landed softly by her bed.

Su Ling’er’s eyelid twitched violently. A sense of foreboding washed over her.

’No way... Is he sending me to receive people again?’

Her hands trembling, she unfolded the Sound Transmission Talisman.

Lin Qingfeng’s familiar voice echoed before her:

[Lin Qingfeng:] Junior Sister, twelve new disciples have arrived outside the sect gate. It’s a big group, so go and receive them. I will come by to check on things later. You must perform well! Remember! I will be watching you at all times!!!

Su Ling’er’s vision went black; she nearly fainted on the spot.

’Again?! He’s doing it again?! And twelve at once this time?!’

’I just finished triple the workload!’

’Every time there’s an errand like this, he comes to me! Besides, didn’t he say before that people were finally joining the sect?!’

’He was just lying to me back then, wasn’t he?’

’And I’m the "Holy Daughter" now! Why am I still doing a guide’s work?’

’Ugh, I don’t get it. Shouldn’t receiving new disciples be a job for a respected elder?’

A tiny spark of joy from the thought, ’Maybe I’m a respected elder now,’ flickered within her, but it vanished in an instant.

The mere thought of having to boast about this demonic sect again made her skin crawl, as if ants were crawling all over her.

’Of course, that Asking Dao Ladder really is impressive. I still haven’t seen anything sinister about it.’

She cursed him inwardly, but could only drag her exhausted body out of bed.

There was nothing to be done. As a competent undercover agent who wouldn’t be easily corrupted, she could only bow her head in the face of such adversity.

She changed into a clean set of red clothes, pushed open the door, and once again set foot on this endless road of labor.

Morning light spilled through the open door, and she immediately saw a person standing under an old tree not far outside.

The person was dressed in black robes, wore a mask, and had a bamboo hat. But their attire, and the oppressive aura they exuded, were identical to Lin Qingfeng’s.

He stood with his hands behind his back, watching her with an inscrutable gaze, but didn’t say a word.

Su Ling’er’s heart tightened. She called out tentatively, "Eldest Brother?"

The other party gave no reaction.

’Hey, say something, will you!’

’Besides, you’re going to supervise me again?’

’Didn’t you already supervise me last time?’

’If you’re going to watch me receive new disciples every single time, you might as well just do it yourself!’

’You just want to watch me work, don’t you?’

’Staring at me without a sound, pretending you’re not even there?’

’Fine!’

Su Ling’er ignored him and headed straight for the sect gate. Under her Eldest Brother’s "watchful eye," she began yet another trip to receive new arrivals.

She took a step, and the "Lin Qingfeng" also took a step, always maintaining a certain distance—not too far, not too close.

She went left, he went left.

She went right, he went right.

No matter what she did, that gaze followed her like a shadow, making her feel completely uncomfortable.

On the verge of tears, Su Ling’er walked the path to the sect gate, followed by a silent, terrifying ’guardian.’

’At this rate, are you going to follow me to the latrine too?!’

...

Far away, in the Eldest Brother’s immortal cave, Lin Qingfeng suddenly sneezed.

"ACHOO—!"

’Does this game have an anti-addiction system or something?’

’Sneezing to remind me while I’m playing a game within a game?’

’Or is someone talking bad about me?’

He muttered to himself for a moment, then once again immersed himself in the world of the game within the game.

...

When Su Ling’er arrived at the sect gate, her heart full of frustration and fear, she saw the twelve figures waiting to be received.

As her gaze swept over two of them, she froze.

Those two were none other than her senior brothers from the outer sect of Qingxu Temple, Dong Changsheng and Li Chunfeng!

’How did they end up here too?!’

In that instant, Su Ling’er felt all the exhaustion, fear, and despair that had accumulated over the past few days get washed away!

’Reinforcements!’

’These must be the reinforcements the Sect Leader sent!’

She felt like her life as an undercover agent... was finally about to see a glimmer of hope!

’With them here, there’s no way I can fail this time!’