265: Chapter 265 Blasphemous Deeds

The Blasphemers were holding another meeting.

This time, there was one more attendee, and their image was extremely unique.

While the others were pitch-black shadows, this person was like golden glazed glass throughout.

The Fishing Old-timer coughed lightly. "Let me introduce everyone. This one's code name is Cowherd, an Envoy stationed in Dongyu by headquarters. Strictly speaking, I am his deputy."

Cowherd waved his hand. "No need for formalities. The situation is dire; let's talk business."

The Fishing Old-timer nodded. "Everyone should know by now. An Apostle has died, and that old geezer, the Pope, is furious, carrying out cruel retaliation against us."

“In just half a day today, over a hundred people in Huaidu have been executed, and more than three hundred have been arrested. The organization has suffered a heavy blow.”

“As far as I know, the scale of the manhunt is still expanding. The Pope has already ordered the execution of all colleagues currently in custody.”

“The reason for calling this emergency meeting today, with the Envoy personally attending, is to collectively discuss how to respond to this situation.”

“Everyone, speak your minds.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a black shadow immediately spoke up.

“What is there left to discuss? All members of the organization must be withdrawn from Huaidu immediately. For every minute we delay, we will suffer another minute of losses. Let's avoid their sharp edge for now!”

Some disagreed, "It's easy to hide for a while, but it will be hard to rebuild the network later."

“Exactly. With just one simple sentence, a hundred years of the organization's operations in Huaidu would be destroyed. Not only can we not stand for it, but those above probably won't agree either.”

“The Holy See is powerful; not withdrawing is just throwing lives away! Those colleagues were also raised by parents; do they deserve to die? Even if we don't withdraw, the Holy See has many experts, and the Pope is the number one Huagai Realm in Dongyu. What do you propose we use to stand against them!”

“Brother, don't get so excited; aren't we discussing this right now?”

“In my view, the losses are temporary. Those currently arrested are just peripheral members who were caught. The vast majority of victims are those already in custody; the existing organizational structure isn't impossible to maintain.”

“If we maintain total silence for now, the losses should be limited to an acceptable range. We can wait until this storm passes.”

“Heh, the Song City branch is paralyzed, the Feng City branch is wiped out, and now the Huaidu branch is going silent. Only Sangyu is left of our Dongyu division. Don't you all find it embarrassing?”

“Speaking of which, we didn't even kill the Seventh Apostle. Why has that old geezer the Pope gone so insane?”

“You still bring that up? Our plan was to take out the Seventh Apostle and Tang Long together. The Seventh Apostle was also going after Tang Long that day. But now? The Seventh Apostle is dead, the Pope has raised his butcher's knife against us, and yet Tang Long is perfectly fine! Damn it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!”

“That's right, Tang Long is still alive. Are we just going to let it go? Will the grudge of the Feng City branch not be avenged?”

Cowherd looked at the Fishing Old-timer and the crowd. "I was the one who called a halt to the matter regarding Tang Long."

“Your Excellency Envoy! I am not questioning your authority, but I want to know why.”

“His eyes are already blind; he no longer poses a threat to the organization. Furthermore, I have another use for this person.”

“What kind of use could make you set aside the hatred of him causing the deaths of so many of our colleagues?”

“That is a secret. I will be responsible for his affairs from now on; there is to be no discussion or inquiry. Furthermore, the reason the Fishing Old-timer and I invited you all here today is not to study some temporary retreat.”

“We are going to counterattack, swiftly and fiercely! We will give the Pope a resounding slap in the face!”

“I ask each of you to select thirty death-sworn soldiers and have them assemble in Huaidu immediately!”

“What! You want to send more brothers to their deaths!”

“Your Excellency Envoy, I have an objection!”

“How are we supposed to explain this to our subordinates?”

“That is your business! We are Blasphemers! Our goal is to overthrow the gods! Now, when it comes to retaliating against a single Pope, are we still going to be so hesitant?”

“If anyone is not yet prepared to die for our cause, stand up now and let me see you!”

The black shadows instantly fell silent.

After scanning them once more, Cowherd said, "Fishing Old-timer, notify me once the manpower is assembled." Then, his figure vanished.

————

Grand Preceptor Qian Wenzhao walked out of the house into the small farmhouse courtyard. He looked up at the star-filled sky, a wave of irritation in his heart.

Previously, he had been harshly scolded by Tang Long to his face; his pride still stung even now.

But immediately following that, trouble broke out in Huaidu, and the organization suffered another heavy blow.

The reason he strongly advocated for retaliation was indeed partly due to a fit of pique.

But for the most part, he wanted to prove that the Blasphemers were by no means rats in a gutter.

However, the doubts of the various branch heads were not without merit; this was indeed a retaliation disproportionate to the gains.

What frustrated him even more was that he had urgently reported the issue regarding Tang Long, but the upper levels were stalling on a response.

In his decades in Dongyu, though he hadn't achieved many great feats, he considered himself to have some skill in judging people.

After summarizing the intelligence on Tang Long from the past two months, he felt incredibly shocked.

Everything Tang Long did, every step was like a hidden thread—covert, precise, and efficient. Sometimes seemingly useless actions were actually preemptive moves made with foresight, and they were all interconnected.

Almost everyone who wanted him dead had suffered one major setback or another, yet this kid was still alive.

Given time, he would inevitably be someone who could change the landscape of Dongyu.

If this kid could be recruited into the organization, the Great Cause of Blasphemy might undergo a significant transformation!

What on earth is headquarters dawdling for?

While he was in a state of anxiety, his phone suddenly lit up.

When he saw the anonymous message clearly, Qian Wenzhao slapped his thigh in excitement.

[The resolution regarding application No. 5726 is as follows:]

[Contact permitted.]

[Given the target's identity, extreme caution is required. All of his reactions must be reported promptly.]

[Contact is limited to you alone; intelligence above level seven must be completely isolated.]

[Good luck, Cowherd.]

“Great, simply great!”

Qian Wenzhao shouted in joy several times, then immediately called Wei Mingzhu.

“Where is Tang Long now?”

“Who else is there?”

“Your husband hasn't had any plans to move against him lately, right?”

“What about Tang Long? Any movements today?”

“School? Did they all go?”

“Good! I understand!”

Hanging up the phone, a smile appeared on Qian Wenzhao's old face.

Tang Long didn't lack security at all. His sending Peng Lin and several other Sun Worshipers guards to the school today was a positive signal in itself.

So he immediately called Tang Long again.

“Hello! Little Tang, it's Qian Wenzhao.”

“Is your health any better?”

“No need to be polite. If you're feeling up to it, I was thinking of coming over to see you.”

“What? Where? Say that again?”

“Now?”

After hanging up, Qian Wenzhao was in a daze for a moment.

“Haixing Kingdom, Deer Island, midnight? What the hell is this kid up to?”

Although for a Spirit Map expert, this distance was nothing.

But crossing over a thousand kilometers in the middle of the night to secretly meet in a neighboring country was somewhat incomprehensible.

————

On the other side, Tang Long hung up the phone and turned to the bewildered Gu Yue in front of him.

“Mr. Gu, is there anything else you don't understand?”

Gu Yue scratched his head, “Boss, to be honest, I don't understand any of it. These locations you gave me—what exactly do you want me to investigate?”

Tang Long sighed, “To put it plainly, these locations are the sites of the Wei Family's secret vaults. I want you to confirm where the money is.”

Gu Yue jumped in surprise, “What! You... you plan to...”

“Boss! I finally got a new life and a new identity; are you really going to make me a thief again?”

“Can I refuse?”

Tang Long pulled a long face, “Look at your spinelessness! I heard you robbed the Wei Family several times back in the day; weren't you quite gutsy then?”

Gu Yue sighed repeatedly, “Back then was back then. I didn't know I had a daughter then. Now I can see her every day, and I'm content. If you have anyone else available, could you please not make me do this kind of thing?”

“Heh, I'd like to live a peaceful life too.”

Tang Long said with a cold laugh, “The Wei Family is helping Governor Xu prepare military funds; a war is coming.”

“During the last Sangyu Rebellion, all vocational school students and unattached Martial Artists were forcibly conscripted. What about this time? Do you think you and Xiao Fei can stay out of it?”

“Taking their money is to slow down the pace of war, so we can then find a way to avoid it.”

“For this operation, your cut starts at five million. For every additional hundred million, you get another five million, with no upper limit.”

Gu Yue immediately straightened his posture, “I was just speaking casually just now.”

“I'm an expert at this sort of thing, and my hands have indeed been itching a bit.”

“Those bastards of the Wei Family locked me up for over a decade; I've wanted to pull a job on them for a long time!”

“But Boss, even if I find the money, how do I get it out? You have to arrange backup for me!”

Tang Long smiled, “Go confirm the locations first. I'll go with you in the latter half of the night; we'll definitely be able to take it away then.”