The fire burned more fiercely, with occasional sounds of "crackling," like some mischievous kids throwing firecrackers into it.

The air was filled with the smell of roasted meat, somewhat tempting, but when you realize this aroma is coming from humans, your appetite vanishes into thin air.

At this moment, the martial monks all joined their hands and recited: "Amitabha, the sea of suffering is boundless, soon reach the other shore!"

Xiao Feng turned his head and instructed, "Offer them some prayers."

"This..." Hui Yi looked troubled.

"What's the problem?" Xiao Feng asked curiously.

Hui Yi shook his head, "Since the benefactor says so, let us offer some prayers then."

As he spoke, he summoned his junior monks, and they started chanting scriptures rhythmically.

The sounds of the martial monks chanting were inconsistent, even the tones differed, giving off a strong sense of disharmony.

It was like those performing an opera and those playing strings were each lost in their own rhythm, completely ignoring any attempt to harmonize.

However, no one present had ever seen monks offering prayers for the deceased, though it felt uncomfortable, no one could quite put their finger on what was wrong.

Yet, as time went on, Xiao Feng felt something was amiss.

Because the martial monk closest to him was humming a melody that sounded very familiar.

"Love isn't something you can buy, you can't just buy it..."

Unable to help himself, Xiao Feng followed along with the melody hummed by the monk and sang out the lyrics.

The martial monk who was humming the tune abruptly opened his eyes, looking at Xiao Feng in surprise, then his face flushed, and he closed his eyes to switch tunes.

"…" Xiao Feng.

So you all don't know how to perform this at all?

But on reflection, it's understandable; with such formidable combat capabilities, perhaps besides practicing martial arts, they wouldn't have had the time to learn chanting scriptures, not knowing isn't unusual.

But the problem is pretending to understand and being so serious about it, isn't that excessive?

Instantly, the martial monks' once lofty image in Xiao Feng's mind plummeted.

These people aren't really serious monks after all!

After mentally ridiculing them, Xiao Feng suddenly realized that he might have underestimated the newly appointed leader at Devil's Concentration Camp.

From pulling Iwakami Shigehiro into the scheme to gathering the rebellious mid-level instructors to send them to their doom, what the opponent played was open schemes, yet it appeared even more formidable than covert plots.

For a leader, executing a covert plot well isn't difficult, nor praiseworthy.

Xiao Feng carefully recalled that from the beginning, the opponent had clearly expressed her intentions, seemingly unbothered if others knew what she was up to, and eliminating so many instructors at once was a rare bold move.

Could the manipulator from behind the scenes possibly permit this?

Or perhaps she was the one directing it?

"When you were managing Devil's Concentration Camp, did the person behind the scenes ever intervene in your decisions?" Although knowing it might be inappropriate to ask now, Xiao Feng still voiced the question.

Su Yuzhuo pondered for a bit and replied, "No... because besides matters concerning you, I rarely make decisions myself."

"…" Xiao Feng.

"Why do you ask this?" Su Yuzhuo questioned, "Did you discover some other problem?"

Xiao Feng shook his head without responding; he never regarded the so-called "leader" as a true opponent but only wanted to deduce the manipulator's motives and psychology through her.

Because a "leader" like her on the surface isn't irreplaceable, just like successive leaders in state enterprises, whether it's one wearing red or one wearing green, whoever takes charge is all the same.

Xue Nuofu and Su Yuzhuo are the same, losing them wouldn't affect the normal operation of Devil's Concentration Camp.

In other words, as long as the person behind the scenes doesn't come out into the open, Devil's Concentration Camp won't have a day of being eradicated.

Before long, Hui Yi first joined his hands and recited: "Amitabha!"

The other junior monks followed suit, imitating and joining their hands to conclude the "prayers" for Iwakami Shigehiro and Fujiwara Keiaki.

His thoughts interrupted, Xiao Feng glanced at Hui Yi, feeling that being a monk somewhat underutilized this guy's talents.

Earlier, it was "helping the benefactor to escape the sea of suffering," now it was fear that prolonged "prayers" would expose them, he pretended effortlessly and naturally, mastering the act perfectly, a model in the art of pretense.

"How did your master train you all like this?" Xiao Feng couldn't help but ask.

Hui Yi smiled and said, "The Bodhisattva lowers her eyes, the Vajra glowers, with different foundations and qualities, this is the maxim our master left us.

And because the Bodhisattva lowers her eyes, she shows compassion to the six realms; because the Vajra glowers, he subdues the four devils.

Perhaps in the eyes of the benefactor, we differ greatly from the monks in your impression, but remember, all beings have no fixed appearance, as long as one keeps kindness in their heart, why adhere to traditional impressions?"

If not for the previous "love transaction," Xiao Feng might have truly bought into this talk, even thinking the other as profound and unfathomable.

But now, no matter how mystical Hui Yi's words sounded, it only made Xiao Feng feel like he was pretending more.

Of course, that's not the main point.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Feng tentatively asked, "Providing you with this pendant, whatever I ask you to do, you'll unconditionally follow me, right?"

Saying this, Xiao Feng couldn't quite believe these words came from himself.

When did he start speaking so politely?

But there was no choice; at his peak, Xiao Feng feared nothing, but with his current poor state, he couldn't act tough even if he wanted to.

"That's correct." Hui Yi, after hesitating briefly, nodded to affirm.

The hesitation was due to a sense that the person before him didn't have good intentions.

Indeed, Xiao Feng continued, "If that's the case, then come back to Jiangcheng with me, rest assured about the treatment; it will be according to a listed company's top executive standards, no less than that."

Taking a publicly listed company as a standard, although a few elites might earn millions in annual salary, the average level is around forty to fifty thousand.

At a fifty thousand calculation, eighteen people would need nine hundred thousand a year.

For Xiao Feng, who always prides himself on "frugality," this is undoubtedly a significant amount, but without a doubt, it's well-spent!

Not to mention being able to defeat Uesugi Yumi with one strike, just this alone is worth the price.

Though it was a combined effort of eighteen people, it's important to know it's not easy for just any eighteen masters to heavily wound Uesugi Yumi with one strike.

And judging by the martial monks' reactions, they seemed intrigued.

Xiao Feng coldly chuckled to himself, they really aren't serious monks after all.

But whether they're serious monks or rogue monks, as long as they can be utilized, they're good monks.

Hui Yi looked at his junior monks' reactions, shook his head, and internally sighed: the junior monks are still too young, still not stable enough!

Should they rashly agree now, they'd probably be sold out later and end up counting money for the seller.

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