Volume One, Chapter 52: Not a Struggle Session, but a Commendation Ceremony?

Lin Ranyan spoke coldly, “What a fine phrase, ‘for the good of the collective.’ So good that everyone’s forced to have every grain of corn inspected? If it weren’t for you, would we have had to hand over so much corn?”

Xia Zhiyuan replied, “I’m really doing this for the collective; this time, I truly have no selfish motives.”

When industry becomes advanced and industrial goods flood every corner, the prevailing attitudes will change once more. Mass-produced goods will become synonymous with the low end. Only things that are purely natural, entirely handmade, and preferably suffused with deep sentiment will be considered high-end, truly prestigious.

Just at that moment, a shadow darted out from behind the dune. Looking closer, a dense mass of figures followed behind. In the darkness, eyes gleamed with a cold light, and Mu Xuanling finally understood—what was more terrifying than beasts was humanity itself.

This place was a chaotic mix of people and motives; many had come for the Sword of Crimson Blood, others to witness the most beautiful person in the land, and still more assassins lurked in wait throughout Zidu City.

The Demon Hall had its own rules. Unless someone from the Seven Killers Sect performed exceptionally well, it was impossible for them to become a disciple of the Demon Hall. As a subordinate sect, the Seven Killers could not enter any of the other sacred grounds, so, through history, none from their ranks had ever set foot in a holy land.

When Bai Yutang, the Holy Son of the Demon Hall, and others saw this sword, their eyes all lit up, for they knew it well and understood the fearsome power it wielded.

Chao Ji paid no heed; after getting off, he dragged the lost girl by her hair all the way to the cage of the monstrous beast.

“You went chasing pleasures into the fog and nearly lost your life here. What’s the point of chasing anything now?” Zhang Yang spat on the ground.

After a while, the masked figure smiled in relief. “Enough. It is enough. Since that is the case, for the sake of the people of Jade City, I am willing to help.” The Grand Preceptor’s words sounded noble, but who could truly tell if he did it for the people, or for fear that his own power and influence might be shaken? Either way, it was clear he and Cang Shu were not allies.

From afar, Miaoyu was stunned to see Duan Gujin successfully slay a demon saint—none other than the lotus avatar of the Sky Mother herself.

Tang Lin nodded, said farewell to Lin Biluo, and walked away. Zhang Hui followed behind, still wearing an expression of shock.

The former was a technique he had acquired from Chen Wuxuan, but had been unable to cultivate due to his limited level; the latter, a method he had obtained from Huang Yuanping.

What irony—Su Yuli’s depression was so apparent that even Jiang Yubai, who was never truly sincere toward her, could sense it.

I sighed as I sat on the bed, then got up and walked to the mirror. The marks from the day before had yet to fade, and new ones appeared today. It seemed I would need to wear high-collared clothes for a few more days.

Yet Yao Shun was now the champion of the competition, possibly the most gifted disciple in Cangshui’s history. This time, Yao Shun broke through three realms. The outer sect even compared themselves to him, and the vast gulf made Li Jiangliu face reality.

Looking at this familiar valley, Zhao Lei took out a token he had found long ago from his storage ring—one that Xiao Yi had obtained.

Yan Kun saw the sweat breaking out on Shen Hui’s face and understood almost entirely; Shen Hui had already admitted the truth to himself.

Huang Yuanping faced the mask in the void. Seeing Zhang Qingyuan’s silence, his own heart grew heavier.

The night air by the sea was chilly. Before long, Duan Moshen’s vexation was blown away by the ocean wind. He wrapped himself tighter and returned to the third floor.

This was a key moment, but the palace was even more crucial. The longer they delayed, the harder it would be to seize the palace.

Most importantly, she felt that her constitution had hardly changed at all, which was her greatest weakness.

“All right, then you peel the potatoes. Once you’re done, I’ll make fries for you.” Su Yinhe made a heart gesture at him.

She had once been a wealthy woman worth over a hundred million, and at least among ordinary people, she had achieved financial freedom.

In the end, Hiroshi Fujita did not sit in the same cabin as Miyoko Kawashima, but instead sat with Isamu Aoyama and Keiji Maeda.

Qin Zhi Dao rubbed his forehead, finding himself at a loss for the moment. Though he spoke as he did, he knew in his heart that nothing was harder to silence than the tongues of the masses.

That body, towering like a mountain, could grasp creation with a single hand. What terrified it most were those eyes, red as blood suns, as if they could melt him into nothingness.

Meeting the shocked gazes of his master, Strongman Quli, and the tailor A Sheng, Ajie spoke softly, then calmly took the offered cigarette, letting the red-haired youth beside him light it with a cheerful grin.

Wei Qilang smiled, then turned and headed toward the Wei residence. Jiang Xueyao, anxious and determined not to let all her efforts go to waste, hurried after him, trying to take his hand. But Wei Qilang shook her off, turned back, and fixed her with a cold, contemptuous stare.

He was trembling a little; he had never dealt with such important figures, whether before or after the apocalypse. He had always been just one of Liu Daniu’s thugs.

So the most likely possibility was that group of zombies was hiding in the shadows, waiting for them to let their guard down before launching a surprise attack.

In truth, neither of the two women was tall, and their lack of fame meant they belonged to the lowest tier of actors; otherwise, their pay would be at least ten times higher.

But because he had produced so much in such a short time, some netizens expressed concern that Huang Bo’s sudden burst of creative output might come at the expense of quality.

Chen Feng scrutinized the man in black before him. Seeing how timid he looked, and that there was no trace of dark energy around him, it was clear he was not a member of the Shadow Arts Sect.

“Black-bone chicken blood, green snake venom, centipede legs, corpse oil—mix these together and infuse them into the straw doll, then smoke it with a secret technique. That produces the red smoke.”

In the Dragon Kingdom, he couldn’t provide much official support for Huang Bo. Whether or not Huang Bo had his investment would not affect his rise in the entertainment industry, nor did he lack investors. There was simply no reason for him to make easy money off the back of Huang Bo’s success.

Though she was utterly exhausted and unwilling to move, she still leaned against Huang Bo, pressing tightly to his chest. She even pulled his hands around to hold her from the front, her legs clamped tightly around the hardening presence stirring between them.

A hotpot made by stir-frying various cuts of pork offal and vegetables was truly delicious.

If Yan Jiangxue was this powerful, then didn’t that mean Ye Yaoyao could move in and out of the palace freely?

To expect the Steam and Mechanism Church to go to war with the Infinite Ring over his affairs was unrealistic.