39: Dragon Kingdom Black Ice, Dark Disciple

Lin Yan remained silent.

At a glance, it was obvious this would be a troublesome matter. He, who only wanted to focus on strengthening himself, truly did not want to hear it.

Seeing his expression, Mo Fan's eyes flickered slightly.

As someone who had also been targeted back in the day, he quickly understood what Lin Yan was thinking.

"You should know."

"Some things aren't as beautiful as you imagine."

"If you want to pursue your own path of the Dao without distractions, trusting the country is your best choice right now."

The country?

Lin Yan's heart stirred.

"Then, speak."

Duan Tiancheng nodded slightly, pointed at Mo Fan, and got straight to the point.

"Dragon Kingdom's Black Ice, Modu Branch, Mo Fan."

Then he pointed to himself.

"Dragon Kingdom's Black Ice, Modu Branch retired member."

Black Ice.

Lin Yan's gaze swept over the two of them.

Duan Tiancheng's voice followed.

"Black Ice is a mysterious agency directly managed by our country's Chairman Xia Zhou."

A flash of surprise crossed Lin Yan's eyes, and he blurted out a question.

"Chairman Xia Zhou?"

Duan Tiancheng smiled and nodded.

"That's right."

"The strongest on Blue Star, the Alliance's First Chairman, Chairman Xia Zhou."

Kid.

Finally, something has managed to surprise you.

"Our primary responsibility..."

"...is to identify and clear out the members of the Dark Cultists within our country."

Dark Cultists?

Lin Yan's eyes shifted slightly.

Another new term.

A look of deep disgust appeared on Duan Tiancheng's face.

"They are the lackeys of Exotic Beasts, the scum of humanity, rats that exist all over Blue Star."

"Under normal circumstances, they are indistinguishable from normal human Martial Artists."

"They can only be identified by the obvious aura of Exotic Beasts on their bodies when they go all out."

"Because they are all Heretics who have achieved cultivation Breakthroughs with the help of Exotic Beasts."

Speaking of this.

Lin Yan, whose mind was racing, already roughly understood what Duan Tiancheng was saying.

He looked at the two of them.

"You mean to say, I've already been targeted by these Dark Cultists?"

Mo Fan nodded.

"One of their most important tasks while hiding in the shadows is to assassinate the Prodigies of various countries on Blue Star."

"As the one making the biggest splash recently, you have certainly been targeted."

"For example, what happened right after you came out of the Yellow-Tier Secret Realm."

"We can confirm that they were the ones who orchestrated it."

"Even if you hadn't made a move against that Huang Family, they would have found another way."

Lin Yan's gaze turned cold.

Dark Cultists.

He committed the name to memory.

"So."

"What do you need me to do?"

He understood Duan Tiancheng's reasoning for not letting him run around everywhere.

But staying cooped up forever... that wasn't what he wanted.

He also understood what Mo Fan meant by trusting the country.

But he understood even more clearly.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

He disliked owing favors, even if the party involved was the state.

Duan Tiancheng and Mo Fan glanced at each other and said in unison.

"While we protect you as you grow, we will use you to lure out members of the Dark Cultists for clearing."

"The requirement is that you join Black Ice."

Lin Yan frowned.

University was one thing.

But joining a state organization... Mo Fan seemed to understand his concerns.

Mo Fan's eyes flickered.

"Black Ice isn't as complicated as you think."

"When there are no missions, you do what you need to do; we won't interfere with your freedom."

"Furthermore."

"There are many internal reward policies."

"cultivation resources, Martial Skills, spirit weapons."

"All can be obtained through contributions."

"Besides these, you will also hold an exceptionally high status."

"Gu Chen is a pre-selected member of the Black Ice Imperial Capital Branch."

"His situation is the same as yours."

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow.

"Gu Chen joined Black Ice?"

The corner of Mo Fan's mouth curled up in an imperceptible arc.

"The requirements to join Black Ice aren't that simple."

"At this stage."

"He is only pre-selected by the Imperial Capital side."

"He needs to wait until his cultivation reaches the Sixth Rank requirement to become a formal member."

Before Lin Yan could speak.

Mo Fan continued.

"Originally, we were going to do the same for you."

"But."

"You are inherently a bit more special than Gu Chen."

"Coupled with the importance our Modu Branch places on you and today's situation."

"After reporting it up the chain."

"The organization has agreed to let you enter as an exception."

Duan Tiancheng sipped his tea in silence, not saying a word.

What a smooth-talking pitch.

Just like how I smooth-talked you back then.

There are missions, and there are resources.

It was equivalent to joining an organization that, while subordinate to the state, was relatively relaxed.

Most importantly.

He would have a backer while causing trouble everywhere.

It did sound quite good.

Lin Yan, who was in deep thought, had a change in expression.

He suddenly thought of a question.

"Black Ice's missions... they should include some house-raiding operations, right?"

Hmm?

Ah?

Duan Tiancheng and Mo Fan were both stunned at the same time.

Neither of them could keep up with Lin Yan's miraculous train of thought.

House-raiding?

What house are you raiding?

"Cough..."

Lin Yan gave a light cough.

"Didn't you say that what happened after I came out of the Secret Realm had the Dark Cultists' hand behind it?"

"Then the members of those Dark Cultists are very likely to be certain families or something."

"Don't we go to their doors to arrest them and raid their homes?"

Duan Tiancheng and Mo Fan looked at each other, both somewhat speechless.

They understood what Lin Yan meant.

What is this kid thinking about all day long?

Mo Fan spoke helplessly.

"Aside from some high-tier resources that must be turned over to the State Treasury..."

"We usually turn a blind eye to small things."

Ah?

Lin Yan was stunned.

There's such a pleasant surprise?

He just wanted to ask if there would be such operations.

Because he thought that such things should be able to trigger a domineering index evaluation.

"Then what are we waiting for."

"Take me to raid a house and try it out."

"Let's start with that Huang Family."

"They look like Dark Cultists members to me."

Lin Yan's eyes were full of anticipation.

No!

Duan Tiancheng and Mo Fan were breathless.

Buddy, are you kidding me?

"Old Duan just said it."

"If the Dark Cultists members don't expose themselves, it's very hard for us to find them."

"Acting blindly without evidence will only cause national instability."

Mo Fan was quite speechless.

"Also."

"The Dark Cultists members are most likely not the Huang Family."

"At least not them at the very beginning."

"But rather the Tian Family, whom you didn't see."

Tian Family?

What is this now?

Lin Yan frowned.

"A group of people who passed by while you were still in the Secret Realm."

"They were the ones who told the Huang Family about your information, which is why their head, Huang Qisheng, came over."

Lin Yan's eyes turned slightly cold.

"Killing with a borrowed knife?"

Mo Fan nodded.

"Two objectives."

"If killing with a borrowed knife works, that's best."

"If it doesn't, it can also test our attitude toward you."

"So the current situation is..."

"...Old Duan and even I have already been exposed to their vision."

"But you don't need to worry about this."

"We have plenty of experience dealing with these rats."

"The Huang Family and the Tian Family have already entered our surveillance."

Lin Yan nodded thoughtfully.

Speaking of which.

The topic had come full circle.

These Dark Cultists... at this stage, he indeed needed the state's support to grow quickly.

"Fine."

"I'll join Black Ice."

He looked at Duan Tiancheng and Mo Fan, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"And then."

"I have a plan."