40: Chapter 40 Reverse Cultural Export

Inside the main hall of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Night Radiance gently stroked the jade slip that reported the abstract password.

The cold touch of the jade slip could not suppress the heat rising in his heart.

He waved his subordinates away, and the main hall returned to dead silence.

Interesting... truly... interesting.

He muttered to himself, his voice echoing eerily in the vast hall.

This feeling was like a grandmaster of chess who, having exhausted his life's work and believing he understood every subtle opening and variation in the world, encounters a madman on the chessboard who doesn't follow the rules at all.

That madman was drawing a turtle on the board with his pieces.

You don't even know how to respond.

Because from the moment he placed his piece, you were no longer playing the same game of chess.

Night Radiance closed his eyes, his divine sense sinking into that shattered soul imprint.

In the final moment of Shadow Seven's dissipation, what he captured—besides chaotic spiritual energy and a fearless madness—was a kind of... law he had never encountered before, called a meme.

That law was intangible and formless, yet it built an indestructible barrier that precisely separated his elite scouts from that group of madmen.

Is this... their Dao?

A Heavenly Dao with mockery and madness at its core?

Night Radiance slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the warm, water-like moon soul stone beside him.

Inside the stone, a breathtakingly beautiful figure slept quietly, as if unchanging through the ages.

Yue'er, he said softly. The coldness in his voice, which could freeze souls, turned into a tenderness no one could see. It seems I must first go and understand... the world of madmen.

Meanwhile, the Lu family territory was already an ocean of joy.

The World Channel was completely flooded with battle reports of catching the mole.

Coordinates (173, 442), caught another one! This guy tried to bluff his way through. We told him to sing Two Tigers, and he actually sang Two Demon Tigers. Brothers, get him!

Hahaha, the brothers at the East Gate are so talented! Just now, a spy was forced into a corner and actually tried to bribe us with spirit stones, but he was silenced by the gatekeeper saying, I am your father.

Am I the only one who noticed the new post by the great god Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation? Feasibility Report on Shifting Abstract Cultural Barriers from Strategic Defense to Strategic Offense! Damn, this title—I swear, I feel like a Ph.D. student just possessed me!

This post exploded in the player forum like a bombshell.

The core idea of the post was simple and crude: We have already proven that these indigenous NPCs cannot understand our memes.

So, why should we passively wait for them to come to us, and then check them with passwords?

Why can't we take the initiative and use our memes as the most vicious curse, the sharpest weapon, and stab it directly into the heart of the demonic forces?

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation wrote passionately in the post: Brothers, imagine this: when the cultivators under the Demon Lord no longer greet each other with Greetings, fellow Daoist, but instead test each other with Are you stupid?; when their secret signal changes from A dark and windy night, to Palace Jade Liquid Wine... does their intelligence system still exist?

Imagine again: we portray the Demon Lord as a stallion who leaves his seeds everywhere, and depict his generals as jealous, resentful wives. If this story spreads in the market cities they control... how much of his prestige will remain?

This is war! It is a bloodless war! It is a cunning plot to pull the firewood from under the cauldron! We must make them fall into the vast ocean of people's war, make them suspicious of every blade of grass and tree, and make them fight their own people!

Below the post, countless players were boiling with excitement.

Holy shit! Killing the heart! I like it!

Demolition Office Director (Demolition Leader): Good job! Worthy of a reward! Count me in, I love going to other people's places to cause trouble!

Charge to the End (Divine Wind Battalion): Is this more interesting than hacking people? Fine, as long as there's a fight, I'll do it!

Immovable as a Mountain (Pot Lid Army): ...Where is the risk assessment report? The defensive strength of the enemy market city, our personnel allocation, retreat routes... have all these been considered?

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation replied to Immovable as a Mountain: Who needs a risk assessment! Just charge and be done with it! Just have fun! At worst, we die, and eighteen hours later, we'll be heroes again!

A cultural expedition against the demonic forces quickly took shape amidst the players' frenzied discussions.

The target of this operation was Black Stone Market City, the closest one to the Lu family territory, controlled by the Heavenly Demon Sect.

The core members of the operation were luxurious.

Chief Planner and Rumor Compiler — Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation.

Intelligence Support and NPC Defection Expert — Gossip Reporter Little Trumpet, and her professional consultant Chen Kang behind her.

The force responsible was a ten-man elite squad led personally by the Divine Wind Battalion commander Charge to the End. They weren't looking to kill enemies; their only goal was to tear open a bloody path and cover the core personnel's retreat if the plan was exposed.

The night before departure, Little Trumpet found Chen Kang, who was counting supplies in the warehouse.

Black Stone Market City, who is the person in charge for the Heavenly Demon Sect? Personality, strength, any quirks? Little Trumpet got straight to the point, skillfully turning on her recording artifact.

Chen Kang's movements paused. He looked up, his eyes complex as he watched this vibrant girl.

He used to be a regular at Black Stone Market City; back then, he was a disciple of the Qingxi Chen Family, full of spirit.

Later, he was a lackey of the Demon Sect, going there to hand over tasks, swallowing his pride.

Now, he had to act as a guide to help a group of madmen overthrow the place.

How ironic fate was.

The person in charge is a sub-helm leader of the Black Spider Hall, named Scorpion. He is at the eighth level of Qi Refining, greedy, and a bully who is weak-willed at heart, Chen Kang said slowly, the floodgates of memory opening. He loves listening to music at Spring Breeze Pavilion in the center of the market city, and is always accompanied by two seventh-level Qi Refining guards. The defensive force of the market city is about fifty people, all outer members of the Black Spider Hall, and their combat power is... not worth mentioning.

Very good, Little Trumpet's eyes lit up. Does he have any scandals? For example... regarding his private life?

Chen Kang's mouth twitched. He was starting to understand this group's fighting style.

Yes. It is said he usurped the Dao companion of the previous helm leader. This is common knowledge within the Black Spider Hall, but no one dares to speak of it.

Perfect! Little Trumpet clapped her hands excitedly. Let's start there! Thank you for the information, Mr. Chen. You've made another contribution.

She turned to leave, but Chen Kang called out to her.

You guys... be careful. Although Scorpion is not strong, his methods are insidious. He habitually uses a poison-soaked Scorpion tail needle, which is extremely difficult to guard against.

Don't worry, Little Trumpet turned back and smiled at him, revealing two small fangs. We players fear nothing more than death.

Watching the girl's retreating figure, Chen Kang was speechless for a long time.

He realized that the hatred in his heart for the destruction of his family had, at some point, become so faint it was almost invisible.

Replacing it was a kind of... worry that even he couldn't explain.

The next day, Black Stone Market City.

Unlike the bustling construction atmosphere of the player territory, the sky here seemed to always be shrouded in a layer of oppressive gray.

Cultivators and mortals on the street hurried along, their faces numb and fearful.

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation and his group had changed into ordinary cultivator robes, blending into the crowd, completely unremarkable.

They didn't rush to act, but first took a tour around the market city.

Charge to the End was a bit impatient: Why not just rush into that Spring Breeze Pavilion and chop that so-called Scorpion to pieces? Why make it so complicated?

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation rolled his eyes at him, like looking at an uncultured barbarian: Brute! Do you understand what art is? We don't want just his life; we want the face of the entire Heavenly Demon Sect!

He led the group to the busiest storytelling teahouse in the market city.

In the teahouse, a thin, gaunt storyteller was listlessly telling a cliché story about a righteous sect disciple who encounters an opportunity and slays demons, making the tea customers below drowsy.

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation stepped forward and slapped a medium-grade spirit stone on the table with a thud.

In the stunned gaze of the storyteller and all the customers, he smiled slightly. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly spread throughout the teahouse:

Sir, tell us something everyone wants to hear. Tell us... The Secret History of the Demon Lord: Night Radiance and the Seven Demonesses He Had to Deal With!

In an instant, the entire teahouse fell silent.

Everyone's eyes focused on this daring young man.

The storyteller's face went pale, and he waved his hands repeatedly: Guest, guest, you can't do that! This... this is a capital offense!

Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation slapped down another medium-grade spirit stone and said slowly: I don't know if it's a capital offense or not. I only know that if you tell it today, these two spirit stones are yours. If you don't, I guarantee you won't have the chance to speak ever again.

A naked threat, wrapped in a smile.

The storyteller looked at the two glittering spirit stones, then at the muscular man (Charge to the End) behind Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation who was clenching his fists until they cracked, and cold sweat poured down.

In the end, the desire for survival overcame the fear of the demonic path.

He trembling picked up the gavel and slammed it down heavily!

Speaking of that demonic giant Night Radiance, he looks imposing on the surface, but in reality, he is a henpecked husband...

The beginning of the story was explosive enough.

Under the vivid guidance of Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation, a grand demonic sect palace drama, combining soap opera, romance, and power struggle, unfolded.

In the story, the Demon Lord Night Radiance was no longer the hero who dominated the world, but a poor wretch played in the palms of seven demonesses.

The Great Protector Fierce Shadow became a loyal dog trapped in love, and the Dark Hall Master Faceless Ones was a pervert who peeped at privacy... Every character had an astonishing similarity to the petty affairs of Scorpion, the person in charge of Black Stone Market City.

For a moment, even breathing disappeared in the teahouse.

Everyone pricked up their ears, listening, mesmerized.

Meanwhile, the other players led by Little Trumpet turned into flyer distributors, quietly stuffing the flyers they had prepared, which featured stick-figure drawings of The Demon Lord's Harem on Fire, into every corner.

Rumors grew wings.

In less than half an hour, the entire Black Stone Market City, from cultivators to mortals, was whispering.

Have you heard? Demon Lord is controlled by his seven wives, and even has to apply for pocket money!

More than that! It is said that Sub-helm Leader Scorpion learned these methods from the Demon Lord, that's why he snatched someone else's Dao companion!

Is it true? That's too ridiculous...

Better to believe it's true than to believe it's not!

Inside Spring Breeze Pavilion, Scorpion was enjoying wine fed by a beauty, listening to his subordinate's report. His face turned from red to green, and from green to purple.

Bang!

He slapped the jade table in front of him, roaring furiously: Rebellion! This is all rebellion! Investigate for me! Catch that storyteller and those spreading rumors! I want to peel their skin and pull out their tendons!

The two guards behind him immediately took the order and left.

Scorpion stood up angrily. He knew this was definitely not groundless.

This was someone targeting him, shaking the rule of the Heavenly Demon Sect!

He had to use the bloodiest means to suppress this evil wind!

However, just as he rushed out of Spring Breeze Pavilion, he bumped into Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation and Charge to the End, who had mischievous smiles on their faces.

Yo, Sub-helm Leader Scorpion, where are you in such a hurry to go? Keyboard Warrior Governing the Nation was waving a fan, dressed like a scholar.

Scorpion's pupils shrank, and he shouted sharply: It's you! Take them down!

Before his voice fell, he only felt a flash of white light in front of him, and a cloud of pungent powder was sprinkled over his head and face.

It was lime powder!

Fuck! No martial ethics! Scorpion subconsciously closed his eyes and retreated violently, feeling both shocked and angry.

What kind of fighting style is this?!

And his two guards, just about to rush up, found their feet empty, the ground instantly collapsed, revealing a trap filled with sharp bamboo spikes.

The work of Trap Master - Infrastructure Maniac had arrived, albeit late.

Kill!

Charge to the End was waiting for this moment. He roared, and the fine steel broadsword he had looted from the Black Wind Stockade leader slashed down with wild blade wind!

Scorpion was shocked and angry. He, a dignified eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator, was actually being thrown into chaos by a bunch of rabble using such underhanded means.

He roared, spiritual energy erupted, shaking off the lime on his body. A streak of black light shot out from his waist, straight for Charge to the End's throat.

It was the Scorpion tail needle!

However, Charge to the End didn't dodge or evade; there was even a trace of fanatical excitement in his eyes.

Just as the poison needle was about to pierce him, a huge door-panel shield, carrying the sound of wind, slammed in from the side!

Bang!

Scorpion only felt a huge force coming, and his whole body was knocked flying, his blood and energy churning.

A big man with the ID Shield Mountain appeared there, protecting Charge to the End tightly.

You mother... Scorpion almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Where did these monsters come from?!

They didn't play by the rules at all!

In the next second, he saw a scene he would never forget in his life.

From all directions, dozens of passersby had surrounded them, their eyes flashing with the same light—greed, excitement, fanaticism.

BOSS! It's a field BOSS!

Brothers, get him! Loot the gear!

Don't let him run! For the Alliance!

Scorpion, this local emperor of Black Stone Market City, at this moment, completely fell into the vast ocean of people's war.