The game world, both inside and out, erupted in celebration.

The *Immortal World* forum was flooded with discussions about the Wen and Evil Decree.

"I knew Lin Bai would have this day coming; he was acting far too brazenly. If he continues like this and the NPCs in the game remain indifferent, it's a waste for the developers to have designed such intricate and rigorous AI."

"The Justice League infringed upon the interests of the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects, thereby bringing such immense trouble upon themselves. If Lin Bai had honestly managed the Beggar Gang, this disaster wouldn't have occurred."

"Manage the Beggar Gang? Lin Bai is being suppressed from all sides; the Beggar Gang is finished. At this point, the Beggar Gang is a liability. Lin Bai won't be taking them along for the ride."

"The reason the Righteous Seven Sects targeted Lin, the Storekeeper, isn't just because he touched their interests, but also because of the Righteous Door behind him. A mere Lin Bai isn't worth such a massive effort. After all, Lin, the Storekeeper's, apparent strength is only at the Divinity Transformation Stage; one or two experts could probably kill him easily. The Righteous Seven Sects are sending a clear message to the Righteous Door behind Lin Bai: live your secluded life quietly, and no one will bother you, but if you dare to show your face, we will crush you at all costs."

"Lin Bai's apparent strength is only at the Divinity Transformation Stage, all his Skills are public knowledge, and he's facing a worldwide manhunt. If he can survive this, let alone escape unscathed, I'll seriously start doubting the realism this game claims to pursue."

"Don't forget, Lin Bai has the Righteous Door behind him. Maybe this time, they can force out the real mastermind behind the Righteous Door."

"The Justice League's main combat strength is at the Golden Core level, their high-level power is Divinity Transformation, and there are Nascent Souls in between. What role do you think Players can play in this grand spectacle? Cannon fodder? Spectators? Or just messengers? As Players, who are supposed to be the protagonists of the game, we're reduced to doing odd jobs in this whole affair. Don't you find that pathetic?"

"I don't find it pathetic. I don't want to analyze the situation, nor do I care about the Beggar Gang's future. I just hope the game opens for public beta soon. I'd even be happy to go in and just be a messenger..."

"Plus one! Damn developers! Praying I get chosen next time."

"With the Wen and Evil Decree issued, it feels like this darn game has already reached its endgame."

"It's not the endgame; maybe it's the prologue. Think about it: thanks to Lin Bai stirring things up, all sorts of NPCs and Sects, famous and obscure, have come out of the woodwork. Once the Righteous Door is forced into the open, and high-level Cultivators battle it out, they could very well turn the Cultivation World into a wasteland, exhausting all high-level combat strength. This would completely erase the power gap between NPCs and Players. Future development should be a conflict between new principles and traditional cultivation, with Players building a new cultivation civilization upon the ruins."

"So, it's a post-apocalyptic game! The neighboring *Land of Gods and Demons* would beg to differ."

"Let them differ. The Righteous Door has practically been churned out by a printing press at this point. Players could totally introduce technological civilization. Remember that theory about Lin Bai returning from the future to save the world? A war lasting tens of thousands of years, civilization utterly destroyed, Lin Bai chosen to travel back from the future to save it, only to trigger a war in the Cultivation World—it forms a perfect logical loop."

"Hats off to you."

"I really don't want to play a post-apocalyptic game. Maybe the developers plan to make it a war game: the Hidden Clan, the Righteous Door, versus the Righteous Seven Sects. Players choose a faction and engage in a conflict lasting decades. After all, a peaceful world doesn't offer many quests; conflict is where the opportunities lie."

"That doesn't contradict what I said. Both sides trash the world, people from the future invent time machines, and Lin Bai gets sent back..."

"Are you just talking in circles with that theory?"

"It all boils down to one thing: I want to get into the game! I'm tired of just watching from the sidelines..."

"Plus one."

...

「Jiamucheng.」

Xu Longyun stood by the window, gazing towards the Morning Yuan Sword Sect.

Her usually impassive face was now etched with worry.

Zhao Tong, standing by her side, asked softly, "City Lord, the Wen and Evil Decree has been issued. Should we shut down the Beggar Gang's businesses?"

Xu Longyun started, then turned to him. "Zhao Tong, since when does Taiyi Country take orders from the Righteous Seven Sects?"

Zhao Tong looked at Xu Longyun, hesitated, but finally couldn't hold back. "City Lord, according to *Justice Weekly*, Lin Bai's official lover is Jiang Qingqin. There's no future for you and him. Besides, given Lin Bai's current situation, staying close to him could bring disaster upon you. Under the Wen and Evil Decree, no rules offer Shopkeeper Lin any protection. If those from the demonic path learn of your relationship with him, they might very well seize you to coerce him. Even for your own safety, it's not advisable to be too close to him now."

Xu Longyun frowned and fell silent.

Zhao Tong continued, "To my knowledge, the City Lords of Yimu, Bing Fire, and Ding Fire cities shut down all Beggar Gang businesses the moment they heard about the Wen and Evil Decree. They even forbade the sale of *Justice Weekly*. A large number of Beggar Gang members who protested were imprisoned..."

"Let things take their course," Xu Longyun said. "No, post an official notice from the Government Office on Chef's Divine Food Stall, sealing it. It is not to be open to the public for the time being. You send people to guard it and prevent anyone from disturbing Jimmy Navada and his family. If anyone tries to make a move on Chef's Divine Food Stall, tell them it has been confiscated by the Government Office and has no further connection to Lin Bai!"

"What about the followers of the Way of Incompleteness within the city?" Zhao Tong asked.

"Don't worry about them," Xu Longyun said. "Their target is Lin Bai. As long as he isn't here, they won't harm the city's residents. I will be away for some time. In my absence, the Deputy City Lord will handle all affairs in Jiamucheng."

"Yes, City Lord," Zhao Tong acknowledged.

...

「Qian City.」

Guo Yuan stood in the back garden of the City Lord's mansion, his arm around [Crispy Rice]'s shoulder, admiring the koi in the pond.

Behind them, in the pavilion, lay exquisite pastries and fruit platters.

A maidservant stood by with a wine jug, occasionally stealing a glance at [Crispy Rice]'s back, her eyes betraying an unconscious hint of disdain.

"Crispy, my boy," Guo Yuan began, "now that the Wen and Evil Decree is out, Lin Bai is like a cornered rat everyone wants to beat. I don't think he can last much longer. Have you ever considered leading the Beggar Gang out from under his control? The Beggar Gang has the influential *Justice Weekly* and businesses spread across four cities. If you broke free and controlled thousands of Players, you could become a powerful figure in your own right."

"Old Guo, I've always wanted to lead a gang myself." [Crispy Rice] lifted his wine cup, took a sip, and gazed at the koi in the pond before sighing. "But while I may be the Beggar Gang's leader in name, most disciples joined because of Lin Bai's reputation. He also planted [Lonely Old Man] and [Crazy Man] in the gang to hold the real power. I'm just a puppet, a figurehead Gang Leader. Only with you can I find a moment's peace. Actually commanding the Beggar Gang? Easier said than done."

[Crispy Rice] didn't think he was affected by the Staff of Love; he had always believed he was the one controlling the City Lord with it. He was the Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang, but in reality, Lin Bai assigned the tasks, and people like [Lonely Old Man] were the ones who executed them. He even received far less of the Beggar Gang's advertising revenue than [Lonely Old Man]. They were both Players; how could he possibly accept that? Lin Bai's Staff of Love had made Guo Yuan infatuated with him. Through this, [Crispy Rice] saw the underlying strength of Taiyi Country and an opportunity to rise. That was why [Crispy Rice] had been cultivating his relationship with Guo Yuan recently, intending to use Guo Yuan's status and position to achieve his grand ambitions. As for what [Lonely Old Man] and [Sticky Rice] thought of him, [Crispy Rice] no longer cared. He needed to make a stunning impact, not be Lin Bai's puppet. Now, he had finally seized his chance. All those days spent humouring this old man hadn't been in vain.

Guo Yuan laughed heartily. "In the past, with Lin Bai around, taking control of the Beggar Gang was naturally difficult. But now, Lin Bai can't even fend for himself. Within Qian City, no one can escape my grasp! As for [Lonely Old Man] and [Crazy Man], if they behave, fine. If not, I'll just find an excuse to throw them in jail."

[Crispy Rice] smiled faintly. "We need to plan this carefully. I want to take control of the Beggar Gang, but I don't want to make an enemy of Lin Bai."

"Why is that?" Guo Yuan asked.

"Unless he's completely finished, I still need the immense attention he draws to sustain the Beggar Gang," [Crispy Rice] said. "The gang's funds mostly come from outside the game—real-world money. The City Lord's mansion doesn't have enough funds to support the entire Beggar Gang's operations. If we lose that external financial support, even if I control the gang, it will soon dissolve."

"That does sound rather tricky!" Guo Yuan frowned.

"Old Guo, you've managed Qian City for so many years. Is there anything that can truly stop you?" [Crispy Rice] gave Guo Yuan a flirtatious look, his finger tracing circles on Guo Yuan's chest. "Time is short. Help me secure the Beggar Gang first, and we can plan the rest later. We can make a move against [Lonely Old Man], but the advertising department must not be touched..."

With the Wen and Evil Decree issued, Lin Bai had become the ultimate focus of the game. Countless eyes would be on him, and advertising opportunities at a time like this were indispensable. This time, [Crispy Rice] planned to kick out [Lonely Old Man] and the others. He wanted the lion's share. Starting today, he was going to be the true Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang.

...

"Old Crazy, this is our chance." [Lonely Old Man] hadn't expected things to change so quickly. Although most Players on the forums were pessimistic about the Beggar Gang, he didn't share their view.

"What chance? All our businesses outside Jiamucheng have been shut down after we invested so much money, and you still think this is a chance?" [Crazy Man] retorted.

He just wanted to enjoy playing the game, but this perfectly good Immortal World game had been forcibly dragged into suspense, horror, and mixed with all sorts of conspiracy theories. His head was about to explode. Moreover, he deeply lamented the Beggar Gang's investments. Who would have thought that the newly established business chain would be severed just like that due to an unexpected event? This made [Crazy Man] wonder if the game company was using this opportunity to make a quick buck and scam them out of their money.

"It's good that they've all been shut down!" [Lonely Old Man] said. "Those businesses Lin Bai set up distracted us too much. Except for the advertising department and *Justice Weekly*, I plan to shut down all unrelated ventures. Let's use this opportunity to raise our Levels. Those who do Alchemy should focus on Alchemy, and those who do Artifact Refining should focus on Artifact Refining. For us, our Level is everything. Meanwhile, the advertising department will operate at full capacity. While Lin Bai is being hunted, we'll take on as many advertisements as possible and earn as much money as we can."

"So you're planning a one-shot deal?" [Crazy Man] queried.

"Two-pronged approach," [Lonely Old Man] grinned. "I plan to tell Lin Bai that, due to the Wen and Evil Decree, we're moving the Beggar Gang's operations underground to preserve our strength and regroup. To the outside world, we'll announce that the Beggar Gang, unwilling to be implicated by Lin Bai, has severed ties with him. In the future, if Lin Bai wins, the Beggar Gang remains the Beggar Gang. If Lin Bai dies, then our separation becomes real..."

"..." [Crazy Man] was dumbstruck.

"Old Crazy, after a while, when the big financial consortiums enter the game, the Beggar Gang's advantages will dwindle. Let's earn enough money and raise our Levels now. In the future, whether we start anew or switch to another Sect, we'll still have better opportunities," [Lonely Old Man] excitedly explained his plan to [Crazy Man].

At that very moment, a commotion erupted outside. [Lumberjack No.1]'s panicked voice came from outside: "Old Lone, log off quickly! The City Guard Army is making a move on the Beggar Gang!"

"What?" [Crazy Man] shot to his feet. "This is your so-called opportunity?"

"Of course, it's an opportunity," [Lonely Old Man] said with a dismissive laugh. "Why log off? Let them arrest us. Once Guo Yuan makes his move, our story to Lin Bai will be even more convincing. Then, when we announce our separation from Lin Bai, the City Lord will naturally release us. What fault lies with us Players? We merely followed the wrong person, that's all..."

...

[Lonely Old Man]'s optimism lasted until he saw [Crispy Rice] and the City Lord in the prison. Seeing the two of them acting so intimately, an ominous premonition struck him. Still, clinging to a sliver of hope, he shared his plan with [Crispy Rice] via private chat, hoping for his cooperation.

[Crispy Rice] looked with pity at [Lonely Old Man], whom he had imprisoned, smiled wickedly, and replied via private chat: "Good plan. I'm adopting it. Old Lone, just wait patiently in prison for my good news!"

Instantly, [Lonely Old Man]'s expression changed drastically. "[Crispy Rice], you're insane!"

"I'm not insane; you're the one who misunderstood your own position," [Crispy Rice] said with a smug smile. "Nominally, I am the Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang, am I not? You've earned quite a lot already; it's my turn now. I'll talk to everyone in the advertising department one by one. What real influence is there between Players? It's just a matter of who pays more. I think they'll agree. Besides, apart from Lin Bai, I have the City Lord backing me. You probably don't realize how deep Taiyi Country's foundations are. Sticking with me is far more promising than sticking with you..."

[Lonely Old Man]'s face fell. He had never imagined such a turn of events. Here, in the game, he felt a suffocating frustration, almost wanting to cough up blood. He gripped the prison bars, staring at [Crispy Rice]. "[Crispy Rice], do you know what you're doing? You were controlled by Lin Bai long ago! The Staff of Love works both ways! Don't you think your obsession with the City Lord is a bit unnatural? Lin Bai's Skills can affect reality..."

"Do you believe that?" [Crispy Rice] shook his head, looking at [Lonely Old Man] with pity. "You don't really think I've been bewitched by some old man in a game, do you? That's ridiculous! It's just a game, and you're taking it so seriously. Coming up with such a laughable excuse—you're destined to fail!"

"Damn it!" [Lonely Old Man] slammed his fist hard against the bars, his eyes bloodshot. "[Crispy Rice], you'll regret this!"

[Crispy Rice] said, "I won't regret it.

"First, I was always the rightful Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang. You all constantly looked down on me, thought I just got lucky, and took it upon yourselves to exercise the Gang Leader's authority in my stead. On what grounds?

"Second, I haven't broken any laws. You don't actually believe a judge will side with you because I 'framed' you in a game, do you?

"Third, I know that if Lin Bai falls, I can't support the Beggar Gang. But I don't need to. I'll make enough quick cash from this. Maybe I'll get a new account and just enjoy the game again.

"As for you, you'll probably have to get a new account sooner than I will! After all, given my relationship with the City Lord, he most likely won't be letting you out. Speaking of which, I should thank you for managing the Beggar Gang so well for me!"