Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

"...And within the sect, there is perfect harmony. We are all as close as family, helping one another and pursuing the Great Dao together!"

Lin Qingfeng’s speech continued:

"Whenever one of us is in trouble, help comes from all sides, with no one holding anything back!"

’Close as family?’

She almost scoffed out loud.

The "families" she’d seen were either obstacles casually crushed to death on the road, or materials used as pill catalysts and sword embryos, wailing in agony as they were reduced to nothing in raging flames.

’In a demonic sect, "family" is just something to be sacrificed without hesitation when the need arises!’

[Su Ling’er: Don’t believe his nonsense! When he first brought me into the sect, he killed several of our martial brethren on the way! Then he killed another one just to put on an act! I even saw them throw a sect brother into a furnace to refine him into a medicinal pill and a magic treasure!]

As she transmitted the bloody truth to Wang Xiedi, she watched his reaction intently from the corner of her eye.

Good. She saw the color drain from Wang Xiedi’s still-youthful face.

He believed her. He understood the terror of this place. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

[Wang Xiedi: Thank you for the warning, Senior Sister! Otherwise, I’m afraid I might have already offended the Eldest Martial Brother somehow. If I have the chance in the future, I will surely repay you for saving my life.]

[Su Ling’er: Ah, there’s really no need for that!]

Su Ling’er felt a wave of helplessness.

’How did we get back to this topic again?’

’Why are all righteous-path disciples so... earnest?’

’In this den of demons, survival is all that matters!’

And so, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded at the mountain gate.

On the surface, Eldest Martial Brother Lin Qingfeng was speaking eloquently, painting a picture of a false, idyllic immortal paradise.

In the shadows, she, Su Ling’er, was risking her life to expose his lies one by one, revealing the hellish truth.

This starkly contradictory dual commentary made her feel like she was about to have a psychotic break.

"...Mr. Wa, do you understand now?"

Lin Qingfeng said in conclusion.

"Eldest Martial Brother, you misheard. My name is actually Wang Xiedi, not Mr. Wa."

Su Ling’er nodded absently and chimed in, "Yes, his name is Wang Xiedi, not Mr. Wa."

Wang Xiedi: "Right!"

Lin Qingfeng: "I heard you. Still sounds like Mr. Wa to me."

Wang Xiedi: "It’s Wang Xiedi!"

Lin Qingfeng: "Got it, Mr. Wa."

Wang Xiedi: "It’s not Mr. Wa!"

Lin Qingfeng cut him off. "I know, Mr. Wa. I understand, Mr. Wa. Alright, Mr. Wa!"

Wang Xiedi: "..."

Wang Xiedi gave up.

He felt that if he said even one more word to these two, his Dao heart would shatter years ahead of schedule.

But to Su Ling’er’s ears, it was filled with an ominous meaning.

Every time Wang Xiedi corrected him, Lin Qingfeng’s reply of "Mr. Wa" was even more dismissive.

’This wasn’t a mishearing. This was deliberate!’

Su Ling’er understood instantly.

’The demon lord is using the most direct method to strip a person of their name in order to destroy their will!’

’To make him forget who he is, so that he can more readily accept "re-education"!’

She saw Wang Xiedi finally give up arguing and shoot her a pleading look.

[Wang Xiedi: Senior Sister, is Eldest Martial Brother... always like this?]

[Su Ling’er: His behavior is bizarre. You’d better just go along with him. Otherwise... you’re on your own.]

Lin Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction. Besides, ’Mr. Wa’ sounded better than ’Shoe Sole’ anyway.

Then, he turned his gaze to Su Ling’er beside him.

"Junior Sister, do you now know how to welcome a new disciple?"

’Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. She has to practice herself to quickly become a qualified "Sect Guide."’

’Then I, the Eldest Martial Brother, can finally kick back and be a hands-off manager!’

"Next, you will be responsible for welcoming Mr. Wa. You must show him the best side of our Guixi Sect."

"You must present the perfect image of our immortal sect, and make this new junior brother feel a strong sense of belonging to the sect, understand?"

"This is both a test for you from the sect, and your duty as a Senior Sister.

I will be watching you the entire time. If there is even the slightest lapse, I will promptly ’guide’ and ’correct’ you."

"...Understood."

But Su Ling’er was roasting him internally.

’Shouldn’t you be telling me this via telepathy?’

’Is it really a good idea to say this all out loud for the junior brother to hear?’

[Su Ling’er: Junior Brother, whatever you do, don’t be fooled by what I’m about to say! You must distinguish between the truth and the lies, or if something happens, even I won’t be able to protect you!]

Su Ling’er once again replied respectfully, "Yes, Eldest Martial Brother."

She began verbally fulfilling her Eldest Martial Brother’s expectations, boasting about how wonderful the Guixi Sect was.

All the while, her Eldest Martial Brother’s eyes watched her every move.

At the same time, her telepathic messages never stopped.

[Su Ling’er: Remember, in here, never trust a word anyone says, especially the Eldest Martial Brother! Every word he speaks could be a trap to lure you into the abyss!]

[Su Ling’er: You must pretend to be just like them, fanatically devoted to the sect. If anything happens, you must also raise your hands, jump up and down, and shout "Loyalty!" at the Eldest Martial Brother!]

[Su Ling’er: Our communication must also be kept absolutely secret. Don’t let a single word slip out!]

[Su Ling’er: Be extra careful! From top to bottom, there isn’t a single normal person in this sect. They’re all lunatics!]

...

At the mountain gate, the three stood with their own thoughts, the atmosphere strange and tense.

And not far away, under an ancient tree, Yan Buliu, who had been lying there slacking off, watched the scene with great interest.

"But... this new NPC... heheh. Well, he’s a newbie anyway, might as well try my luck."

He didn’t dare try to steal from Mr. Qian again. The last time, he was locked up on Siguoya for so long he almost went mad from boredom.

At this thought, a glint flashed in Yan Buliu’s eyes. He stealthily used a skill on Wang Xiedi—[Five Finger Discount].

Wang Xiedi, who was only at the second level of Qi Refining, was completely oblivious.

The next moment, a jade box appeared out of thin air in Yan Buliu’s hand.

Inside was a Spirit Fruit, crimson red all over and covered in strange patterns.

"Huh?"

He immediately used the system to appraise it.

"Whoa! This Shoe-Sole... bah, I mean, this Mr. Wa really has some good stuff on him!"

[Item Name: Spirit Fruit of Unknown Origin]

[Item Description: Seems to hide some kind of unique effect. Can be cultivated a second time.

If consumed by a spirit beast after cultivation, it can enhance its psychic and mental abilities, and increase the range and intensity of its pheromone transmission.

Seems to also hide some deeper, special effect.]

’Psychic-type bonus?’

’Increases pheromones?’

’This thing... Wang Xian’s Grievance Beast could use this!’

’By then, if the Grievance Beast unleashes both its ’Idleness Domain’ and ’Grievance Domain’, then eats this fruit to get a psychic enhancement and range boost...’

’Wouldn’t that be like adding wings to a tiger?’

’Any enemy who enters the domain’s range would probably lose all motivation and just want to lie flat like a salted fish waiting to die!’

’Wouldn’t that be totally OP?!’

"This has to sell for a good price!"

"Stealing from NPCs really is the way to get rich!"

"Well, this Spirit Fruit... just consider it a welcoming gift for joining our sect, Mr. Wa, heheh!"