Chapter 335: The Cult Leader and Hogan

Hogan was startled by the Cult Leader's words and immediately turned to check if the door was shut tight.

Only after confirming that no one could hear did he look at the Cult Leader with an angry expression: "Are you insane?!"

The Cult Leader smiled slightly, his expression without a ripple, as if he had just spoken of a most trivial matter.

"General Hogan is now second only to one; have you truly never thought of going a step further? Think carefully: you grew up with His Majesty the King, yet because of the difference in your status, you have always lived under his control.

Furthermore, General Hogan, you are peerless in bravery; who in this Ansili does not know of you? The position of General should have been yours alone!

Yet what did His Majesty the King do? He chose a fool inferior to you in both background and ability as General, completely disregarding the friendship between you.

If not for my help, I fear General Hogan would not have the glory you possess today."

The Cult Leader guided him step by step, his sharp eyes fixed on Hogan's expression, catching every slightest flicker of emotion.

Hogan, however, fell silent at this moment; he rubbed the hilt of his blade with his thumb, pursed his lips, and looked at the Cult Leader, his gaze like a snake waking from hibernation.

General Hogan did not doubt the Cult Leader's ability; he had already witnessed it in past events—how sinister, cunning, and heinous this sanctimonious Cult Leader was.

Therefore, since the Cult Leader was proposing such a treasonous matter now, he must have his own agenda.

Hogan knew this well, so even though he was tempted, he did not reveal a single trace of emotion.

However, Hogan's silence was information clear enough; the Cult Leader was calculating and understood that once the desires of the human heart are magnified, they can no longer be ignored.

"What is the Cult Leader's goal? To be honest, including when you helped me in the past and now, I do not know what your true purpose is."

Hogan stared at the Cult Leader, "The Cult Leader is too mysterious; it makes one uneasy."

A flash of cunning crossed the Cult Leader's eyes: "Does General Hogan not know my purpose from back then? Yet you were the one who personally delivered your own daughter to me."

"Of course, my primary goal is still to be friends with General Hogan."

Just as Hogan was about to lose his temper, the Cult Leader quickly added: "But my goal this time is sincerely to help the General."

Hogan snorted coldly: "Do you think I would believe that?"

"Very well, since we are to cooperate, we must be honest with each other. I know everything about General Hogan, yet the General knows nothing of my affairs; that will always lead to a lack of security."

The Cult Leader paused and said: "My goal is very simple: once the General sits on the throne, continue to make the Due Sect the state religion and promote it vigorously."

"Isn't it already?"

"It is different. The General saw the scene today; I, the Cult Leader, returned from my travels, yet I could only show my face at the banquet and could not even meet my own believers. And as for who the people were cheering and celebrating—was it me or His Majesty the King? The General is very clear on this point."

Hogan sneered: "If you let all the people of the country become your most loyal believers, wouldn't the position of King be yours? Do you think that is possible?"

"The General still does not understand my meaning. If I wanted the position of King, I could have achieved it long ago."

"Then what is it you want?"

"What I want is belief, the absolute faith of the people in me. Only when people believe in me can I become more powerful!"

General Hogan did not understand the Cult Leader's profound words, but he was accustomed to him always saying inexplicable things, so he did not pay it any mind.

"This reason does not hold up."

Hogan said: "As it looks now, rather than you helping me, it seems more like I am helping you, so you had best say something useful."

"General, we are clearly helping each other."

The Cult Leader wore a look of disappointment and shook his head: "Forget it, I knew you wouldn't understand. No one can understand me, but everything I say is true."

"Since that is the case, I will add a condition. If General Hogan can agree to my request and keep your promise, once it is done, I will give those people to the General."

"Which people?"

The Cult Leader's eyes were mysterious: "Naturally, the death-servants who once helped General Hogan kill his rivals."

Hogan narrowed his eyes; rotting faces crawling out of graves surfaced in his mind, and for no reason, his stomach churned violently.

"I am a Cult Leader, after all, and I know some Artisan Techniques. Those people are my secret weapon. With them, not to mention this Ansili, even the entire Zhonglu would be within the General's grasp."

The Cult Leader deliberately drew out his tone, speaking with full temptation.

Hogan's expression was calm, but in reality, a stormy sea had already risen in his heart. He had witnessed the power of those death-servants; they were simply evil spirits from hell. Even the bravest Martial Artist would be terrified to the point of weak knees upon seeing them.

Hogan asked: "Are you truly willing to give those people to me?"

"Of course!" The Cult Leader spread his hands in a gesture of offering, "As long as the General can keep your promise to me, I am willing to offer everything to the General."

Hogan was silent for another moment, then said: "Fine, I agree."

"Many thanks, General. I believe we will certainly cooperate happily."

The Cult Leader changed the subject, "Since the cooperation is reached, please do one thing for me first, General."

"What thing?"

"I didn't notice it when I returned last time, but this time I realized that our Princess Laila has already grown into a woman."

The Cult Leader narrowed his eyes, his expression lost in thought,

"And I heard that our Princess is also my loyal believer. Since that is the case, the arduous task of helping the Princess transform from a girl into a woman naturally falls to me, the Cult Leader!"

Hogan's expression froze, and he said angrily: "Today is a celebration, and His Majesty the King is already dissatisfied with you. If you dare to target the Princess now, I think you truly do not want to live!"

"This is also part of the plan to help the General kill the King. I believe the General can manage it."

The Cult Leader said with a warm smile.

"Not today, it's too risky!"

Hogan refused.

The Cult Leader said: "Today is the only opportunity. After today, I will have to go on my travels again; His Majesty the King will not allow me to stay in Ansili. In that case, General Hogan will have to wait another year to ascend the throne."

Hogan frowned in thought: "Is there no other way?"

"To do it without anyone knowing, the most suitable candidates are the Queen and the Princess. Today, the Queen will certainly be by the King's side at all times, so we can only start with the Princess."

"Then what do you intend to do?"

The Cult Leader revealed an indulgent smile again: "Naturally, I will first help the Princess become a real woman. I believe that in order to thank me, the Princess will certainly help me do anything."

Hogan sneered: "You just want to satisfy your own selfish desires, don't you? You sanctimonious Cult Leader."

The Cult Leader smiled with disdain and said: "I am indeed a sanctimonious Cult Leader, but what kind of father is the General?"

"Hmm, I think he is a good father; after all, for the sake of his own future, he personally handed his daughter over to me to take care of, and I did not fail the task, successfully turning Commander Yuri from a girl into a woman, though she herself does not know it."

Swish!

The scimitar left its sheath!

Hogan grabbed the Cult Leader by the collar, his True Qi surging and billowing, the blade pressed against the Cult Leader's neck; his eyes were scarlet as he roared, "If you dare mention this matter again, believe it or not, I can chop off your head right now!"

The Cult Leader's eyes were filled with contempt, yet he yielded with his words: "General, calm your anger; for the sake of our cooperation, it is better if we do not have internal strife."

Hogan shoved the Cult Leader away, sheathed his blade, steadied his breathing, and asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"

The Cult Leader said, "It is very simple. You go find my Follower Leiji; he has a stupefying drug. All the General needs to do is find a way to make Princess Laila drink the medicine when the banquet starts in a while, and leave the rest to me."

"Is this Follower of yours reliable?"

"General, rest assured, Leiji has been with me for many years. If I remember correctly, you even saw him the last time I cooperated with you."

Hogan nodded: "Fine, I will help you handle the Princess, but tonight, I must see the corpse of King Abdullah, as well as those death warriors of yours."

The Cult Leader smiled: "General, rest assured, we have cooperated before, and this time will certainly satisfy the General as well."

………