365: Chapter 365 Lighthouse, Sun, Eyes!

Fang Cheng was never a lone ranger who could act with reckless abandon, come and go like the wind, and have no cares in the world.

He had family members he wanted to protect with all his might, and a happy life he worked hard to maintain.

This seemingly ordinary emotion was the softest and most inviolable scale in his heart.

It was even the last rein binding him, preventing him from completely losing his humanity and devolving into a true murdering demon.

Precisely because of this, Fang Cheng knew his limitations better than anyone else.

No matter how powerful his physical strength was, he only had one pair of hands and one pair of eyes.

The time he could utilize in a day was no different from ordinary people, likewise being 24 hours.

He could easily wipe out a team of elite soldiers holding weapons and charging head-on.

Yet it was very difficult to guard against an ordinary assassin hiding in the dark, plotting meticulously, and quietly approaching his family.

After all, without the ability to use a Clone, it was absolutely impossible for him to appear in two places at the same time.

This sense of powerlessness and worry about the future could not be made up for by any personal martial might.

From this level, what Fang Cheng needed was long no longer the pure enhancement of combat power.

But a security System that was rigorous and efficient enough.

This System could provide twenty-four-hour uninterrupted target monitoring and intelligence early warning.

It could also arrange the most secure emergency evacuation routes and safe houses for his family when danger descended.

Ultimately, it would spread like an invisible giant net, enveloping the entire Dongdu city, and even the entire Xia Country.

Possessing such an organization was tantamount to mastering an even more powerful ability.

If matched with the divine skill of "Mind Resonance"...

Deep within Fang Cheng's eyes, a cluster of flames ignited.

Every organization member would become his extended eyes and ears, hands and feet that could be freely mobilized.

Just like having a God's perspective, insightfully perceiving the many dangers and secrets hidden in the darkness.

When all members spread across various places, transforming into active nodes on this network, continuously transmitting information and power.

The things he could accomplish would far from be limited to protecting his family!

This was the primitive driving force behind Fang Cheng's attempt to establish an organization, and also where his deeply hidden ambition lay.

Aside from that.

With the growth of his strength, encountering more and more enemies on the road to becoming stronger, and the risks faced were also getting larger and larger.

Fang Cheng similarly needed trustworthy assistants to share the pressure for him and handle those thorny and energy-consuming affairs.

Just like facing group-based forces like Noah Organization, someone was needed to infiltrate the complex organizational network and collect key intelligence.

Someone was needed to track covert capital flows, while simultaneously carrying out capital operations such as money laundering and segregation for the property he harvested.

Even professional logistics personnel were needed to provide medical support, modify special equipment, and so on.

Through the panel, Fang Cheng had the confidence to train himself into the top tactical Great Master and fighting Grandmaster.

Theoretically, he could also become a top hacker, doctor, intelligence expert, financial expert...

But the cultivation of each professional skill required a massive amount of time and energy.

The input and output were completely disproportionate.

Moreover, how could the efficiency of fighting alone compare with clear-division team collaboration?

The experience of participating in the treasure-seizing operation on Miwu Mountain that night had allowed Fang Cheng to personally experience the advantages of team collaboration.

Having a group of teammates who could entrust their backs to each other and trust one another, that feeling was indeed not bad.

If he had such subordinates to share trivial matters, he could place his main energy on the enhancement of his own combat power.

As the stabilizing force of the organization, hiding behind the scenes, playing the role of a big BOSS who ensured the upper limit of martial might value.

The opera played by the phonograph had changed to another one at some unknown time.

Fang Cheng pulled back his thoughts, picked up the teacup, gently blew on the floating tea leaves, and took a sip.

Then his gaze fell back onto Xiao Sa, and he continued assigning tasks:

"As the lair where the organization's headquarters is located, this place must possess extremely high concealment and functionality."

"It is best chosen in old urban areas with high personnel mobility or semi-abandoned industrial zones. Those places are mixed with good and bad, and the surveillance cameras also have blind spots in coverage, making it convenient for us to hide our whereabouts."

"In form, it can be a street-facing office, but it must come with a warehouse or basement large enough to facilitate our remodeling into a truly operating secret space."

Xiao Sa held his breath, perked up his ears, and firmly remembered every single word in his heart.

Fang Cheng's line of sight moved to the two boxes of banknotes and added:

"Of course, purchasing land, two million is definitely not enough. This money is only used as funds for the preliminary preparatory work."

"You first look for places that meet the conditions. After finding one you like, contact me, and I will allocate funds for you to purchase it then."

"Yes, President!"

Xiao Sa immediately straightened his waist and back, nodding heavily.

"Secondly, is recruiting personnel."

Fang Cheng put down the teacup and raised two fingers:

"In the Early Stage, find two people first, one proficient accountant and one administrative personnel responsible for daily management."

"The requirements for them are that their family background and social circle must be simple, their character must be ironclad, and it is best that they are currently facing some major trouble involving their lives and property. Only such people are easily completely controlled by us."

"Don't rush this matter. Pay attention usually, scout for targets, and adhere to the principle of preferring quality over quantity. Remember one point, anyone before joining the organization must undergo my personal assessment."

"Please rest assured, President, I will definitely keep my eyes peeled and absolutely not let those sneaky people sneak into our organization."

Xiao Sa nodded heavily once more.

Afterwards, he plucked up the courage and asked the question that had been hovering in his heart for a long time and was also what he most wanted to know at this moment:

"President, then what is our organization's name?"

What name...

Hearing this, Fang Cheng fell into deep thought.

He indeed had several candidate names in his mind, but had never been able to finalize them.

Thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth and asked:

"Do you have paper and pen?"

Hearing this, Xiao Sa was startled, and immediately took out a brand-new fountain pen and a compact notebook from his portable briefcase, respectfully handing them over with both hands.

Fang Cheng took the pen and opened the notebook.

On the title page were a few crooked, large characters with missing and wrong strokes, looking like an elementary school student's homework.

It could be vaguely seen that it was notes Xiao Sa took while studying corporate management.

Don't look at this guy complaining verbally, his learning attitude could still be considered upright.

The corners of Fang Cheng's mouth curved up imperceptibly, and he turned to a blank page.

He did not immediately put pen to paper, but instead held the fountain pen, hovering above the paper surface for a moment.

Xiao Sa stood aside, staring without blinking, even lightening his breathing a bit.

Finally, the pen tip fell.

Fang Cheng first drew a perfect arc, forming a circle on the white paper.

Xiao Sa's gaze followed the movement of the pen tip.

Then he saw in the center of the circle, a building shaped like a lighthouse rose from the ground, its lines rigid and powerful.

Then, Fang Cheng densely blackened all the blank areas around the lighthouse with ink, creating a profound background.

In an instant, that lighthouse seemed to stand tall amidst the boundless darkness, lonely yet resolute.

Drawing up to here, Fang Cheng did not stop.

He moved the pen point upward, quickly drawing a burning torch at the top of the lighthouse.

That flame soared upward, its outline resembling a surging sun, shooting out countless fierce lines representing light.

And what made Xiao Sa's mind tremble the most was that at the core of that sun, Fang Cheng gently outlined an eye.

That eye hovered at the source of light, calm and majestic, as if perceiving everything.

It both scrutinized every corner illuminated by the light, and gazed at the boundless darkness that the light had not yet touched.

When the last stroke fell, the entire pattern leaped onto the paper.

Taking deep darkness as the background, yet taking scorching light as the core.

Forming a strong visual impact of opposition and unity, as if containing some indescribable profound meaning.

"President, this is..."

Xiao Sa was mesmerized, muttering to himself.

"This is the symbolic emblem of our organization."

Fang Cheng put down the pen, gazed at his own work, and announced in a calm and powerful tone:

"Our organization's name shall be called 'Illuminati'."

"Illuminati..."

Xiao Sa repeatedly muttered this name in his mouth, his gaze falling once more upon that painting.

In his mind, countless realizations seemed to be surging, as if he had grasped a certain key point, yet he did not know what vocabulary to use to describe it.

Fang Cheng saw through his thoughts and decided to expound the core agenda for the organization's first official member.

"The lighthouse symbolizes guardianship; the sun symbolizes power."

"We scatter light onto all things, dispelling the darkness, and that eye represents the will that perceives everything, monitoring all things in the world."

"This emblem represents the tenet of our organization: establishing order in the chaotic darkness, and using absolute power to guard everything worth guarding."

Fang Cheng's voice was low and magnetic.

After becoming interested, he simply instilled everything he temporarily thought of into this loyal subordinate, conducting a "thought enlightenment".

Even bringing over the classic quote of a certain game from his past life's memory.

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted, we come from the darkness, yet we shall transcend the darkness."

"We walk in the darkness, yet we serve the light."

"In this world, our traces cannot be found, yet our will is omnipresent..."

This declaration full of a sense of mission, like heavy hammers one after another, struck Xiao Sa's heart.

He was so excited that his whole body was trembling, and his cheeks were flushed red.

Although some words sounded obscure, he could clearly feel the great ideals and grand framework contained within this organization!

It could be said to be full of aura!

Just hearing it, it was not something that substandard goods like the Red Tiger Gang or Noah Organization could compare to.

At the height of his excitement, he suddenly thought of how the President had previously imparted to him a Cultivation Technique named "Great Sun Burning Body Art".

Could it be... related to this organization emblem?

Xiao Sa carefully recalled, the scene that emerged in his mind when he was Cultivating through Meditation, wasn't it a cluster of red-gold light popping out amidst a patch of darkness?

That light was like a lighthouse guiding the way, and also like a sun slowly rising, illuminating the dark night.

So it turned out that all of this was connected long ago!

"Therefore, you must be clear on one point."

Fang Cheng looked at his sudden realization-like appearance and continued speaking:

"The members recruited by our organization are 'scavengers', not mere assassins. During usual actions, we must absolutely not kill the innocent, targeting only those deserving death and criminals."

Xiao Sa did not understand the specific difference between a "scavenger" and an assassin, but this did not hinder him from resolutely obeying orders.

"Yes, President! I will definitely firmly remember the organization's tenet in my heart!"

Fang Cheng spoke until he was a bit thirsty, picked up the teapot to pour himself another cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.

Watching Xiao Sa's appearance of being so excited that his micro-Universe was about to burn, he nodded with satisfaction:

"The Cultivation Technique I taught you last time, do you practice it usually?"

"Yes, President, I practice it every day, and I have never dared to slack off."

Hearing this, Xiao Sa hurriedly answered cautiously:

"It's just that... sometimes I feel dizzy in my head, as if something is spinning."

"That is a normal phenomenon of excessive Mental Energy consumption, no need to worry."

Fang Cheng dispelled his doubts: "Practice more when you have time, do it at least once each morning and evening, it will be beneficial to your body."

Afterwards, targeting some specific problems Xiao Sa encountered during Meditation, he patiently gave guidance.

Finally, he specially exhorted:

"Remember, when Meditating, you must be single-minded and free of distractions. In your mind, you can only think of my image, the clearer the better."

"When you see the illusion of the sun or the lighthouse, you are already considered to have crossed the threshold. In the future, the clearer and brighter this illusion is, the more profound your Cultivation Technique represents..."

Holding a trace of expectation, Fang Cheng wanted to see Xiao Sa continue Cultivating taking himself as the "target anchor point".

Besides being able to enhance the connection of "Mind Resonance" and provide himself with purer spiritual energy, would there be other changes?

Especially certain unknown mutations that might occur to Xiao Sa himself, whether beneficial or negative.

Just as the two of them were teaching and learning, discussing issues on spiritual cultivation...

Outside the private box, a burst of noisy cursing and quarrelling suddenly sounded.

Fang Cheng heard it very clearly; it came from downstairs.

"Stickup! Nobody fucking move, hand over all your valuables!"

"Damn it, all of you who don't want to die get down on your haunches for me. The gun in Laozi's hand doesn't have eyes!"

"Ah—"

Immediately following was a woman's scream.

"Black Ox, what are you fucking doing to that waitress?"

"Hehe, boss, wait a moment, I want to assault her along the way!"

"Fuck your mother! Don't dawdle, hurry up and go upstairs to find fat sheep, when the cops come later, it'll be over!"

Vulgar curses drifted over from downstairs, clearly transmitting into the private box.

Fang Cheng's brow furrowed slightly.

To think someone would dare to run to a place like a teahouse to commit a robbery in broad daylight?

A trace of tension instantly flashed across Xiao Sa's face.

But seeing that Fang Cheng was still sitting calmly and collectedly in his seat, his hanging heart also quickly settled down.

With a master like the President around, what was there to be afraid of from mere robbers?

Bang!

The door of the private box was rudely kicked open by someone.

A stout man with his head covered in nylon stockings burst in.

His gaze swept across the private box, and when his line of sight fell upon Xiao Sa and the two huge suitcases in front of him, greedy light instantly burst forth in his eyes.

"Boss, come quickly! A fat sheep is right here!"

The stout man immediately roared excitedly toward outside the door.