Chapter 96: Moonlit Night, Mackerel Cat

On the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, the bright moon hung high.

From beneath Wu Ya’s military camp emerged four young people.

Drawing from last time’s experience, Lu Ran and the others chose to leave the village a day early, avoiding the morning rush.

After all, every departure required climbing a hundred-meter-high stone staircase; once crowds gathered, progress became slow, crowded, and dangerous.

“Almost full.” Jiang Ruyi whispered.

“Ruyi-jie?” Tian Tian looked puzzled.

Jiang Ruyi slightly lifted her head, gesturing toward the bright moon in the night sky.

“Oh, it’s just a few days until Mid-Autumn.” Tian Tian murmured.

Since demonic incursions occur every lunar fifteenth, festivals like Yuanxiao and Mid-Autumn have lost their original character.

Tian Tian and the others felt little about it.

After all, they were born in an era where gods and demons coexisted; since they could remember, the world had always been this way.

All the warmth and beauty associated with Yuanxiao and Mid-Autumn—lantern festivals, moon-worship, moon-songs—

Existed only in history books.

In their parents’ memories, in the stories told by their grandparents.

“Class monitor, all the demon crystals have been turned in,” Deng Yu said, approaching. “We collected 362 Stream-grade demon crystals and 498 Mist-grade demon crystals.”

Deng Yu held up the military’s inventory list and continued: “We stayed in the village for seventeen days, lodging for sixteen.”

Jiang Ruyi: “Just give the result.”

Deng Yu: “Total lodging and meals cost 160 Mist-grade demon crystals.”

“Also, the military collected 300 Mist-grade demon crystals on behalf of the school for completing assigned tasks.”

“Each of us kept ten Stream-grade demon crystals.”

Jiang Ruyi smiled and emphasized: “Just state the final result.”

Deng Yu: “We each take home 16,290 yuan—over four thousand per person.”

Beside them, Lu Ran smirked.

Jiang Ruyi turned to Lu Ran: “Too little?”

Lu Ran shook his head slightly: “Not too little—it’s far too little!”

Jiang Ruyi quickly signaled him to lower his voice: “Keep it down.”

Lu Ran stole a glance at the soldiers standing guard nearby.

The soldiers stood motionless, faces solemn, as if they hadn’t heard a word.

Some things simply shouldn’t be said inside a military camp.

But Lu Ran truly believed the demon crystal buyback price was far too low.

A single Mist-grade demon crystal was bought back for only five yuan!

It was lawless!

Taxi flag-down fares were seven yuan!

And a Stream-grade demon crystal? Only fifty yuan.

Moreover, the official buyback price was fixed—but if you wanted to buy from the authorities, the price was completely different!

Still, with Divine Power Pearls available, the utility of demon crystals had been drastically reduced.

Generally, only high-level believers consumed vast quantities of demon crystals when breaking through their ranks.

The authorities also discouraged individuals from hoarding large amounts of demon crystals.

Unlike Divine Power Pearls, demon crystals emitted more blatant energy fluctuations, potentially attracting demonic attention.

Of course, the authorities merely advised.

If your home was guarded by a small divine statue, even filling it with demon crystals should pose little risk.

Even the most greedy demon clan still possessed basic instincts for self-preservation.

As for whether your divine patron scolds you—

That’s another matter entirely~

“This fifteenth’s city defense will likely be organized by class,” Jiang Ruyi smoothly shifted topics.

As per tradition, after students entered their final year, small-team formats gradually merged into class-wide units.

The believer’s role demanded survival—leveraging each other’s strengths, uniting as one.

Not individual heroism or lone-wolf tactics!

Among countless believers, perhaps only Lu Ran could transcend this rule and mindset.

After all, he possessed a demon sculpture garden!

In time, Lu Ran wouldn’t just become a “technique kaleidoscope”—he could summon countless demons to serve him.

Provided Lu Ran didn’t die young.

One man as an army? It was inevitable.

“Our classmates are lucky,” Deng Yu sighed.

Lu Ran frowned: “Why’s that?”

Deng Yu shrugged: “Being in the same class as you—how could our class rank low?”

Lu Ran nodded in agreement: “Indeed, our Deng Shao always speaks a little truth.”

Jiang Ruyi smiled faintly.

Her eyes fixed on Lu Ran, holding a trace of pride, a hint of delight.

Her choice had been right.

When Lu Ran revealed his exceptional talent yet was taken under the wing of the Ninth-Rank God—Xiang Xianyang—the students split into two camps.

One group doubted Lu Ran utterly, refusing to team with him, fearing he’d doom his teammates.

The other believed Lu Ran’s talent was extraordinary—his achievements would surely be high.

Jiang Ruyi barely belonged to the latter.

Or rather, she belonged to a third category.

Jiang Ruyi chose Lu Ran not as a gamble—she had already prepared for the worst.

Under Xiang Xianyang’s discipline, Lu Ran might indeed avoid battle, flee at critical moments.

He might do every despicable yet understandable thing.

If Lu Ran joined another team and performed poorly—even once faltering—his survival prospects would become dire.

Everyone would shun him; no team would accept such a coward.

Having sat beside him for two years, Jiang Ruyi understood Lu Ran’s nature—strong-willed, proud.

She truly couldn’t bear to see him humiliated, crushed, broken beyond repair.

So Jiang Ruyi chose to stand by him—at least, to help him graduate safely.

To her immense surprise, Lu Ran’s performance far exceeded everyone’s expectations!

He never once made her carry him.

Quite the opposite—this little lamb was the true leader of the flock!

Still, this conclusion came too soon.

Lu Ran was still only a Stream-grade believer; as his realm advanced, the influence of his god would naturally deepen.

In other words, Jiang Ruyi still prepared for the worst, ready to bear the consequences at any moment.

“Why are you staring at me so much?” Lu Ran scratched his head, feigning bashfulness. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Hmph.” Jiang Ruyi’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she turned away.

He’d performed well—so far, truly well.

Lu Ran whispered: “If you like it, say it out loud.”

Deng Yu’s expression turned odd.

I thought your voice wasn’t loud at all?

Lu Ran: “The fifteenth of every lunar month comes like clockwork—more reliable than relatives.

Who knows which fifteenth will be my last?

You’ve got to be brave. You’ve got to seize the chance—”

Lu Ran fell silent as Jiang Ruyi stepped forward, walking straight toward him.

The sudden move left Lu Ran momentarily stunned.

Tian Tian’s mouth hung slightly open, unsure what Ruyi-jie intended, only thinking she was incredibly brave.

Jiang Ruyi stood before Lu Ran, lifting her eyelids to meet his gaze.

Just as Lu Ran was at a loss, he felt a sharp pain in his toes!

Jiang Ruyi stepped forward again and crushed his shoe tip with her heel.

“Ow!” Lu Ran hissed.

Damn it~

You treating me like the Axe Gang now?

“The vehicle’s here,” Deng Yu said, barely holding back his laughter.

“Don’t talk such gloomy nonsense,” Jiang Ruyi snapped, then turned and walked away.

But once her back was to them, her cheeks burned red, and her steps grew faster.

Such an unladylike gesture was certainly not her style.

Deng Yu tang slung an arm around Lu Ran’s shoulder and gazed at Jiang Meiren’s graceful back, urging:

“Brother Lu, Class Monitor Jiang is right! Don’t ever speak such ill-omened words again.”

The truth proved: lies don’t hurt, but the truth is a sharp blade!

Why are everyone so wary?

Because what Lu Ran said could very well come true!

In fact, as early as June 15, Lu Ran had nearly died in the arms of the Red Paper Creature.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say it anymore.” Lu Ran replied offhandedly, following Deng Yu tang toward the business vehicle.

At ten p.m., Lu Ran stood before his own door.

As he inserted the key into the lock, he heard a persistent scratching from inside.

“Click.”

Lu Ran opened the door: “Good evening?”

The tabby cat’s expression changed instantly, leaping backward in panic.

“Meow!!”

The cat’s cry was piercing!

The little tabby’s fur stood completely on end, its body arched, retreating steadily.

Lu Ran froze in place.

Was it because his killing aura was too strong, his bloodstain too thick?

Lu Ran fell silent for a moment, then stepped into the house.

Under the tabby’s wary gaze, Lu Ran avoided it and headed for the bathroom.

More than half an hour later, Lu Ran emerged, his body fragrant with shower gel, clutching a pile of cleaned magic crystals.

“Baa~”

A faint bleat sounded.

In moments, a fluffy little head peeked out from the doorway.

A single note of compassion had forcibly reversed the creature’s mindset and will.

The poor tabby,

had been toyed with at the whim of this man.

To some extent, the believers were no longer human.

As long as Lu Ran wished, ordinary people before him were no different from this little cat.

“Here.” Lu Ran sat on the edge of the bed and placed several glittering magic crystals on the floor.

“Meow~” The tabby approached, rubbing against Lu Ran’s ankles.

Its fluffy paws curiously pawed at the translucent magic crystals.

Lu Ran’s gaze gradually softened.

Bathing could only wash the bloodstain from his body.

This scene before him could purge the violence from his heart.

Lu Ran had been a believer for just over two months, yet the number of lives he had taken already numbered in the thousands.

Corpses littered the ground; rivers ran red with blood.

“Sorry, I scared you.” Lu Ran bent down and gently stroked the cat’s fluffy ears.

His expression was unusually gentle; he sighed inwardly.

In the days ahead, the little tabby would surely be frightened again.

After all, along his path forward, the bones would only grow more numerous, more numerous.

Until they piled into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

(End of Chapter)