167: Chapter 168 Su's Father Comes to the Door

Shen Muyao stood frozen in the villa's living room, watching the several stunningly beautiful girls surrounding Lin Muyang, waves of shock crashing through her heart.

Elves, angels, succubi, and the Phoenix and Night Elf she had seen on the field before... these beings with vastly different styles and extraordinary temperaments were all gathered in this villa, and the way they addressed Lin Muyang...

Master?

Brother Lin Muyang?

This attitude, intimate yet carrying absolute respect, was definitely not as simple as being friends or teammates! Adding Elabess and Gui Wanwan... she counted on her fingers; not including Ao Qingyan, there were already six here! If she counted the ones Lin Muyang had summoned on the field before, wouldn't the total be...

"Seven? Or even more?" Shen Muyao felt her breathing become somewhat difficult. What did this mean? It meant Lin Muyang's level had likely already exceeded Level 70! It might even be higher! Otherwise, how could he summon so many incredibly powerful-looking girls from different worlds in such a short period?

Although she had heard that some extremely rare mythic grade items or special skills could break a Summoner's level limit and add extra summon slots. But such things were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns worldwide, something that could be sought but not easily found. Wasn't one of Lin Muyang's goals in participating in the national Summoner Competition exactly that mythic grade item that could add two extra summon slots?

In other words, Lin Muyang likely didn't rely on those legendary items and reached this number of summons entirely through his own level! This growth speed was simply inconceivable!

She previously thought she had estimated the extent of Lin Muyang's genius, but now it seemed she had still far underestimated him. The mist shrouding this schoolmate, a boy who once seemed somewhat reclusive, was thicker and deeper than she had imagined.

"Follow me to the study; I have some details to go over with you." Lin Muyang's voice interrupted Shen Muyao's wild thoughts. She snapped back to her senses, quickly composed herself, and followed Lin Muyang into the study on the villa's first floor.

The study was spacious and bright, with one wall being a large floor-to-ceiling window offering a view of the meticulously maintained garden outside. The other wall was a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf filled with various books ranging from class advancement theories, monster bestiaries, history, and geography to literature and philosophy. A large solid wood desk sat in the center, looking very tidy.

Lin Muyang sat in the chair behind the desk and gestured for Shen Muyao to sit opposite him.

"Don't feel too much pressure." Lin Muyang looked at Shen Muyao's still-tense face and smiled. "I'm handing this organization over to you mainly to let you practice. Its value doesn't lie in how strong the people inside are, but in its existing network and secrecy. What you need to do is maintain its operation and use it to collect resources for me; it's that simple."

"Mhm, I understand." Shen Muyao nodded vigorously, her hands unconsciously gripping the black phone. "I will definitely work hard to do it well! Lin Muyang, thank you for trusting me so much."

"Trust is mutual." Lin Muyang leaned back in his chair, his tone calm. "You just need to remember a few principles. First, maintain the Gods Chosen One's sense of mystery and distance. Unless necessary, do not communicate directly with organization members using your true face or voice; try to issue commands through encrypted messages. The materials Jamie left behind contain their magic communication frequencies and encryption methods; familiarize yourself with them first."

"Second, use both kindness and authority. The reward mechanism I provide is 'kindness,' the foundation for maintaining their motivation. But at the same time, there must be 'authority.' If you find someone feigning compliance or showing signs of betraying the organization, do not hesitate—clean them out directly. Chiba Ruri will cooperate with you; she is strong enough and possesses spatial abilities, making it convenient to handle."

"Third, screening and observation. During the execution of tasks, pay attention to who is capable, has high execution power, and has a relatively simple and usable mindset; who is slippery, perfunctory, or has other ideas. You can appropriately tilt more resources toward the useful ones and marginalize the unreliable ones. This organization might need to be streamlined and reshaped in the future."

"Fourth, safety first. Your identity must be kept absolutely secret. Within the organization, you are the spokesperson for the Gods Chosen One; you can think of a new code name. In the real world, do not have any unnecessary contact with anyone from the organization. If there's any situation you find abnormal or can't handle, contact me immediately, or..." Lin Muyang paused, "contacting Ao Qingyan is also fine; she spends most of her time at Ziyun Mountain Villa."

Listening to Lin Muyang's organized instructions, the apprehension in Shen Muyao's heart was gradually replaced by a steady determination. She seriously took out a small notebook she carried and quickly recorded the key points.

"I've remembered it, Lin Muyang. Maintain mystery, use both kindness and authority, screen and observe, and prioritize safety." She repeated them once, her eyes clear and firm. "I will familiarize myself with the materials as quickly as possible and then issue a task to collect secret realm scrolls. For the reward standards... just as you said, 10 pieces of Sovereign equipment for a 20-person Sovereign-rank scroll, 5 pieces of Epic equipment for a 10-person epic-grade scroll. For legendary-grade and mythic grade ones, I'll draft a floating standard based on market price and scarcity and let you review it then?"

"That's fine, use your judgment. Don't be too stingy, but also prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes." Lin Muyang nodded approvingly. Shen Muyao's comprehension and execution power seemed even better than he had anticipated.

"Mhm!" Shen Muyao agreed, her mind already starting to plan how to draft the first Oracle. It had to maintain the Gods Chosen One's usual cold and mysterious style while clearly conveying the task content and rewards, and also have a certain level of incitement... This was a significant challenge for her, but it also gave her an unprecedented sense of excitement and responsibility.

"Additionally," Lin Muyang remembered something and added, "during this period, it's best if you and your parents stay at Ziyun Mountain Villa and don't go out easily. It's relatively safe here."

Shen Muyao was stunned for a moment: "Is it because of the risks that organization might bring?"

"Not entirely." Lin Muyang shook his head. "The matter of the Oracle shouldn't leak for the time being. It's mainly that there are many people watching me now; since you are close to me, it's inevitable that some interested parties will notice you. Staying at Ziyun Mountain Villa, with Ao Qingyan around, safety is guaranteed."

Mentioning Ao Qingyan, Shen Muyao remembered the girls she had just seen in the living room and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Lin Muyang, were all those girls I just saw your summoned companions?"

"Yes, they all are." Lin Muyang didn't hide it; there was nothing to hide, and Shen Muyao would find out sooner or later. "They come from different worlds and signed contracts with me for various reasons. Besides the ones you've seen, there are a few more living in the villa now. You also know Ao Qingyan; she usually prefers cultivating and stays in her room. With her here, Ziyun Mountain Villa is basically an Impenetrable Fortress."

Shen Muyao thought of that cold-tempered, peerlessly beautiful White-haired Dragon Girl and nodded. She had witnessed Ao Qingyan's strength firsthand; that terrifying claw on the Provincial Tournament stage was still fresh in her memory. Having her here was indeed reassuring.

"Ao Qingyan... how strong is she now?" Shen Muyao couldn't help but ask.

Lin Muyang thought for a moment and gave a somewhat vague but sufficiently shocking concept: "Let's put it this way, if she goes all out, there are probably very few people on Blue Star at this stage who could steadily win against her. Even if a Nation-Guarding Level Expert comes looking for trouble, she could hold them off for a long time."

Shen Muyao sucked in a breath of cold air. Nation-Guarding Level—that was a country's ultimate strategic force, usually veteran experts at Level 200 or higher with peak talent and rich experience. Lin Muyang actually said Ao Qingyan could contend with such a presence? Then what must Ao Qingyan's current strength be? And what level must Lin Muyang be at to be able to summon and command such a powerful existence?

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Her perception of what it meant to be "powerful" had been refreshed once again.

She used to think her father, Shen Yanshan, a level 100+ S-rank Swordsman, was a notable figure in Zhongnan City and a goal she strove to catch up to.

But now, looking at Lin Muyang and the young women around him, her father's strength really didn't amount to much.

"After all, Lin Muyang is that solo clearing genius." The last shred of doubt in Shen Muyao's heart vanished.

Able to cast area-of-effect invisibility, possessing a super-high invisibility level, capable of area-of-effect silence, and with summons so powerful they defied the heavens... who else could it be but Lin Muyang?

It was laughable that the outside world was still speculating about what mysterious forces or big shots were behind Lin Muyang. Who could have imagined that the "solo clearing genius" stirring up the world and this "Summoner genius" who had suddenly emerged were actually the same person!

Moreover, the big shot behind him was himself!

If this truth were to get out, it would probably make countless factions and experts around the globe drop their jaws.

But Shen Muyao also understood that Lin Muyang was right to keep this identity hidden for now.

When a tree stands taller than the forest, it will be destroyed by the wind.

Before possessing absolute strength, maintaining a certain level of mystery and information asymmetry was an excellent form of self-protection.

"I understand, Lin Muyang. I will tell my parents that I'll be staying at Ziyun Mountain Villa for the time being and won't go anywhere else," Shen Muyao said solemnly.

She knew this was Lin Muyang's kindness and the safest choice for now.

"Mm, you can disclose a little bit to your parents, just say there are official experts protecting this place, so they can rest assured. There is no need to say anything else," Lin Muyang advised.

After all, Shen Yanshan and his wife were ordinary people; knowing too much would not be a good thing.

"Okay."

After the discussion concluded, Shen Muyao remained in the study and began burying herself in the vast sea of data on that black magic phone.

Detailed files on the twenty-two core members, the organization's past mission records, resource flow accounts, communication codes, advanced usage methods for magic encryption... the volume of information was massive.

She needed to digest it as quickly as possible and conceive how to make her first official contact with these talented individuals, who possessed distinct personalities and exceptional gifts, in the capacity of a spokesperson for the "Gods Chosen One".

This was not easy.

Under Jamie Matthew's years of brainwashing and resource control, those members held a near-fanatical faith in "God" and the "Gods Chosen One".

But at the same time, they were also proud, arrogant, and highly capable individuals themselves.

Shen Muyao had to communicate with them in a way that could maintain mysterious dignity while effectively conveying orders and mobilizing their enthusiasm.

She carefully read the personality analysis of each person, trying to sketch out their images in her mind, simulating conversation scenarios, and repeatedly deliberating over the wording of the first group message.

She knew that this first message was crucial; it would establish her preliminary authority and image as the spokesperson within the organization.

She could not be too eager, too casual, or too aloof and unapproachable.

She had to skillfully integrate Lin Muyang's will within the framework established by Jamie Matthew, while simultaneously making those below feel that it was a natural continuation and development of the "Oracle".

Just as Shen Muyao was immersed in the management planning for the "Oracle" organization, Lin Muyang returned to the living room.

Chiba Ruri was standing quietly to the side, her posture upright, like a beautiful cherry blossom tree.

Seeing Lin Muyang come out, she immediately bowed, her blue eyes flashing with undisguised awe and a hint of burning intensity.

"Master, this subordinate has selected a room." Her voice remained cold and clear, but if one listened carefully, one could detect a hint of imperceptible nervousness.

"Mm, just get used to it," Lin Muyang nodded and pointed to the sofa. "Sit, no need to keep standing."

Chiba Ruri sat down as instructed, but only on the edge of the seat, her back straight, hands placed properly on her knees, looking like she was ready to take orders at any moment.

She hesitated for a moment, then raised her head, looking directly at Lin Muyang, and asked in a slightly faster pace than usual: "Master, this subordinate dares to ask... I wonder if, in the future, I might have the opportunity to serve by your side like the other sisters? For example... serving you in bed?"

After speaking, two blushes uncontrollably flew onto her fair cheeks, but her eyes were exceptionally firm, even carrying a near-devout longing.

In her view, being able to serve this unfathomable Master, who possessed mysterious power and perhaps even the might of a god, was a tremendous honor and the best way to close the distance and prove her own value.

As for shame? In the face of pursuing power and drawing close to a "god", that was not worth mentioning.

Lin Muyang was stunned for a moment by this sudden straight pitch, then couldn't help but chuckle.

This girl from Japan had a truly direct way of thinking and expressing herself.

He looked Chiba Ruri over; she indeed possessed proud assets—exquisite features, a hot body, and especially the persistence and fanaticism hidden beneath that cold temperament, forming a unique attraction.

"Well..." Lin Muyang rubbed his chin, neither agreeing immediately nor refusing flatly, instead giving a vague expectation, "It depends on your performance. If you can handle the tasks assigned well and demonstrate sufficient value and loyalty, there will always be opportunities."

"Yes! This subordinate will surely do my utmost and not fail Master's expectations!" Chiba Ruri's eyes lit up as if she had received some important promise. She immediately stood up, bowed deeply again, her tone full of drive.

To her, this was already the best answer! Having a chance meant there was hope! She must do better than everyone else!

After sending away Chiba Ruri, who was full of motivation because of the promise, Lin Muyang leaned back on the sofa, his gaze sweeping across the spacious yet already somewhat crowded living room.

Elf Princess Lilia was sitting on a rocking chair by the window, quietly reading a thick ancient book in the sunlight; Phoenix Heavenly Maiden Phoenix Plume was practicing fine control over flames in the courtyard, golden-red flames dancing like sprites at her fingertips; Night Elf Seraphina was nowhere to be seen, likely hiding in some shadowy corner to cultivate or keep watch.

Nine-Tailed Fox Su Daji was humming a tune while busy in the kitchen, seemingly researching new snacks; Angel Maid Elena was quietly wiping the stair railing; Succubus Elabess did not know where she had gone, possibly back to her room or to the Dark Abyss again; Gui Wanwan was hugging a strange doll, sitting on the carpet in the corner, dazed, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Ao Qingyan was most likely in her room, closed-door cultivating.

"Eight of them now..." Lin Muyang counted silently in his heart.

Not counting Chiba Ruri, who had just joined and still needed observation, there were already as many as eight girls from other worlds residing in the villa.

Although this villa was not small, the rooms were ultimately limited.

He had thought it was more than enough at first, but now it was already somewhat stretched.

"It seems I need to consider moving to a larger, more hidden residence." Lin Muyang rubbed his temples.

The security at the Ziyun Mountain Villa was good, and the environment was nice, but it was in the city center after all, with many neighbors around and many eyes and ears.

Moreover, as more and more people gathered around him, the activity space was indeed not enough.

He needed a base-style residence that was more private, more spacious, and preferably equipped with its own training ground, laboratory, and even an entrance to a small secret realm.

Among the champion rewards of the national Summoner Competition, it was said that there were some top-tier real estate resources; perhaps he could pay attention to that.

Or... buy a piece of land himself and build according to his needs?

With his current financial resources and the resources he was about to obtain from the "Oracle" organization, this was not impossible.

Just as Lin Muyang was browsing information about top-tier real estate in the Xia Kingdom's official resource library while planning his future residence, the villa's doorbell suddenly rang.

"Who could it be at this time?" Lin Muyang was a bit surprised.

Not many people knew he lived here; Shen Muyao was in the study, Chiba Ruri had just returned to her room, and the other girls were all around.

Could it be property management? Or...

Elena had already walked lightly to the door, took a look through the video intercom, and turned back to tell Lin Muyang: "Master, it is Miss Su Qingyue's father, Mr. Su Zongming."

Su Zongming? That Vice Minister of the Xia Kingdom's External Action Department, who always appeared so dashing and uninhibited?

Why did he suddenly come? And it looked like he came alone, without any attendants?