Chapter 188: Love Kidnapping

Guo Yuan and the sect leaders left one after another.

In the reception hall, only the cadres of the Beggar Sect and a few deacons of the Justice Gate remained.

"Alright, the rest are all our own people, so we can speak freely without worrying about our image anymore." Lin Bai scanned the people in the hall and put away Cupid's Bow.

Daoxu, Lao Mi, and the others were suddenly stunned; so, the way you were acting just now was you still worrying about your image?

"Don't look at me like that." Lin Bai smiled at the crowd. "I'm not stupid; I can still tell who is close and who is distant. Our core will always be the Justice Gate and the Beggar Sect. Forcing them to merge into the Justice Gate would have too many side effects, which is why we have the temporary Justice Alliance, but the alliance is ultimately for our own development. What I said earlier might have been a bit harsh, so don't take it to heart. I have poured the most effort into you all; don't be afraid that I will suppress or restrict you."

"..." Lao Mi paused for a moment and asked Gugao Laoren via private chat, "Do you believe him?"

Gugao Laoren replied: "Does it matter? Aren't you getting too into character? We're just playing a game, just play along."

And so.

All the players said in unison: "Many thanks to Shopkeeper Lin for your trust in us."

Lin Bai smiled and continued: "You all know that I cultivate 'Words Follow the Law' in order to become the Heavenly Dao. But there are too many setbacks and hardships on the road to becoming the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, I need powerful protective sects. The Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects have held the Cultivation World for many years and will not watch me rise; you are my only chance."

"The complete prophecy of the Nine Ancestors of the Justice Gate is actually that the Heavenly Descended will enter the world and trigger a catastrophe of the current age, but it is the best opportunity to become the Heavenly Dao; once missed, there is no hope for the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, I do not want to prevent the catastrophe; fundamentally, we are one."

"Then what about maintaining world peace?" Lao Mi asked.

"I'll do it while I'm at it. But we must prioritize our own interests. Having a good reputation makes doing things more convenient, doesn't it?" Lin Bai looked around at everyone and smiled. "I know the Heavenly Descended are not a monolith, and there must be conflicts of interest among you. I'm sure you aren't willing to fall behind others. Therefore, public opinion must be kept in our hands so that we can gain the help of the whole world. Understand?"

"Shopkeeper Lin is too insightful!" Gugao Laoren looked at Lin Bai with admiration and said in the private chat channel, "Only we players can oversee the whole situation. In reality, without so much intelligence, everyone would be completely manipulated by a person like him. The NPC's intelligence is too terrifying."

"Even from a player's perspective, you have to admit that everything he said is a fact." Lao Mi said, "Everyone knows what he said isn't right, yet they have to follow the path he set. This must be what they call an open conspiracy!"

"Shopkeeper Lin will definitely grow into the final boss." Gugao Laoren sighed with emotion.

Daoxu sat to the side, closing his eyes to rest.

Not looking at Lin Bai, the feeling of disgust in his heart could be lessened, but his slightly trembling ears showed that he was not as calm as he appeared.

Lin Bai turned to Daoxu and smiled: "Daoxu, don't always think about ruining my plans. First, you are no match for me; second, I have more Puppets now, so I will have fewer opportunities to use you in the future, and you can hide in the card and not come out; third, what if I become the Heavenly Dao? Wouldn't you be free? There is a saying: when one person attains the Dao, their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. My attainment of the Heavenly Dao is beneficial to everyone..."

Daoxu snorted, noncommittal.

"Sect Leader, is the cultivation method of the Law really true?" Daojing couldn't help but ask.

"Absolutely true." Lin Bai said, "When the Heavenly Dao is formed, the gods of the Laws will return to their positions; this is something that will inevitably happen. I won't lie to you about this; after all, I have to rely on the Laws to lead the transformation of the Cultivation World.

One day, when my cultivation is successful and I find the way back to the Justice Gate headquarters, I can take you to see the Cangjing Ge of the Justice Gate. The research of the past ancestors of the Justice Gate regarding the Heavenly Dao and the Laws is all there; you can go see it for yourselves..."

"Shopkeeper Lin, can the Heavenly Descended cultivate the Laws?" Kugua Teng asked, "You just said that the Laws are the only means to restrict the Heavenly Descended..."

"Heaven and Earth are unkind; they treat all things as straw dogs. Heaven and Earth treat all things the same as they treat straw dogs; they do not interfere and have no preferences. I can cultivate, the little white fox can cultivate, Daojing and Daokong can cultivate, and if a stubborn stone gains intelligence, it can also cultivate. Since you have come to this world, you can naturally cultivate." Lin Bai smiled.

Whoosh!

The many players breathed a sigh of relief in unison. As long as they could cultivate, it wouldn't be fun to watch such a powerful and fun hidden Skill and not be able to practice it.

"However, there is only one god corresponding to each Law, so it is very likely that most people are doing useless work. You must be mentally prepared." Lin Bai continued.

"Since all things are equal, can this old man cultivate?" Daoxu suddenly asked.

"You harbor hatred in your heart; you can't even pass the first hurdle." Lin Bai shook his head and said, "Being a Puppet will always be a knot in your heart; you will feel resentful whenever you think of it. Back then, when I told Qingyu and the others they couldn't cultivate, it was because I didn't want them to waste their time, but Qingyu and Huaxi secretly realized the Love Dao behind my back, and I couldn't be bothered to interfere with them. Daoxu, you certainly have no hope for 'Words Follow the Law', but you can try the Love Dao; you also have the conditions for it."

As he spoke, Lin Bai looked at Pei Yanzong.

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned this, but as soon as he did, Daoxu's emotions instantly became uncontrollable, his face flushed red: "This old man would like to cultivate the Love Dao, but you have to arrange a decent person for me..."

Lin Bai interrupted him and asked: "How about Ge Feiyun?"

"..." Daoxu was stunned, "You still want to make a move on her?"

"The Beggar Sect and the Justice Gate are our foundation, and the Justice Alliance is our layout; neither can collapse. Those sect leaders are not of one mind with us; planting a few of our own people by their side can influence their decisions at critical moments and keep us informed of their movements." Lin Bai said earnestly.

Lao Mi glared at Lin Bai and couldn't help but complain: "Does Shopkeeper Lin have some misunderstanding about the definition of 'our own people'?"

"Black-hearted, ruthless, thick-skinned, and unscrupulous in doing things; I told you Shopkeeper Lin would definitely grow into the final boss." Gugao Laoren praised.

Daoxu didn't speak for a long time, as if stunned by Lin Bai's shamelessness.

Lin Bai waited for Daoxu's answer; he still had two Golden Cards that could seal a Nascent Soul and didn't want to waste them. He only had two reliable bodyguards, which always made him feel insecure.

The battle with the Evil Five Sects made him realize that his own strength was not yet strong enough, and having more security was never a mistake. If possible, he even wanted to turn Xin Shang into a Puppet.

The combat style of blood mist plus the Sky Curtain was too useful.

"If you send her to go undercover, how can I cultivate the Love Dao with her?" Daoxu looked at Pei Yanzong, then at Lin Bai, but in the end, he couldn't resist the devil's temptation.

"Turning everyone into a Puppet carries too much risk." Lin Bai smiled. "We can take it slow and gradually turn all the sect leaders into Puppets of the Justice Gate. Once they are all our own people, the Justice Alliance will be the Justice Gate, and at that time, you can naturally cultivate the Love Dao with Ge Feiyun openly."

"How do we operate?" Daoxu pondered for a moment and asked.

"We will go find her quietly, then find an opportunity to shoot her with an arrow, and she will fall deeply in love with you." Lin Bai said. "At that time, you can persuade her in the name of being together, letting her willingly be collected into the card by me. Then, you continue to persuade her to go back and work undercover."

"Will it work?" Daoxu frowned.

"You must firmly believe that the power of love is great." Lin Bai smiled.

"Sect Leader Lin, may I ask, what is that bow of yours?" Gugao Laoren suddenly asked.

"Love Bow, a Magic Tool refined by the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Justice Gate. Before I went down the mountain, my master gave it to me to assist me in cultivating the Love Dao. When I meet someone I like, I shoot her with an arrow, and she will briefly develop an infatuation for me." Lin Bai glanced at him and explained casually, "Then, I can launch an offensive and take the opportunity to cultivate the Love Dao, and finally, lovers will be united."

Lin Bai never forgot to perfect the Justice Gate behind him.

"..." The group of players was stunned.

Kugua Teng smacked his lips: "Alright, so there isn't a single person in the Justice Gate with a normal mind; they're all freaks!"

"Master said that I am obsessed with cultivation, and it is too difficult to find true love on my own merits." Lin Bai sighed and said, "This is also a helpless move out of necessity."

"That's not true! Master has the best personality, and many people like Master!" The little fox complained on Lin Bai's behalf, then her eyes lit up, "Master, did Jiang Qingqin fall in love with you because she was hit by your Love Arrow?"

"No." Lin Bai shook his head. "I conquered her with my personal charm. After entering the world, I knew Master was wrong; there are still many people who like me. I don't need the Love Arrow to cultivate the Love Dao. So, I just use the Love Bow as a weapon, and it's quite useful..."

The corners of Daoxu's mouth twitched involuntarily, and he thought to himself, it's too damn useful!

……

"Sect Master, could the Love Bow help me out as well?" Daojing couldn't help but ask. "I know that I won't achieve much in my cultivation of Words Follow the Law, and I also want to cultivate the Love Dao, but after hundreds of years of cultivation, I've long forgotten how to win the favor of a Dao companion. Could the Sect Master use the Love Arrow to help me..."

"No problem." Lin Bai smiled and agreed. "Whenever you meet someone you fancy, tell me, and I'll shoot her for you."

"Many thanks, Sect Master." Daojing was overjoyed.

"But there is a prerequisite: the Dao companion you choose must be beneficial to the development of the Justice Sect. The Love Arrow is not easy to refine, so I cannot have you wasting it." Lin Bai glanced at him and exhorted.

"Naturally." Daojing chuckled. "Who wouldn't want a powerful Dao companion?"

Daokong hesitated for a long time before making the same request: "Please, Sect Master, lend me a hand as well. I don't feel I have any talent for Words Follow the Law."

"Everyone will have one, everyone will." Lin Bai nodded with a smile.

"Sect Master Lin, is the Love Arrow useful for us Heavenly Descended?" Lao Mi asked, full of anticipation.

For Daoxu and the others, finding a Dao companion was for the sake of cultivating the Laws of Love, but in the eyes of the players, a couple bound by the Love Arrow was simply a free bodyguard, leading to the same destination as Lin Bai's cards.

"It is useful for everyone." Lin Bai said.

"Can we craft the Love Bow?" Gugao Laoren asked.

"Once you have the means of the Justice Sect's ancestor, you'll be able to craft it, more or less." Lin Bai glanced at him and said, "This is a Divine Artifact, after all. In the entire Justice Sect, there is only this one bow."

"Oh, that is truly a pity. Sect Master, if you encounter a suitable person, please trouble Shopkeeper Lin to shoot an arrow for us as well!" Gugao Laoren said.

At the same time, he said in the private chat channel: "Guys, I really want to loot Shopkeeper Lin! If we get this set of Divine Artifacts on him, we can ditch Shopkeeper Lin and go solo. The Justice Sect's capital is just too massive."

"Indeed!" Kugua Teng chimed in. "Gao Laoda, you aren't planning to scheme against Shopkeeper Lin again, are you?"

"The time isn't right." Gugao Laoren said. "Our levels are too low, and we haven't truly gained Shopkeeper Lin's trust yet, so it's not easy to make a move. Let's wait a bit longer; perhaps the Justice Sect will send Shopkeeper Lin a few more Divine Artifacts!"

……

Loot me?

In your dreams!

Players really are ungrateful wolves that can't be tamed!

I still need you all to help me conquer the world, so I'll tolerate you for a while. Once I truly grow strong, I'll send every single one of you back to the novice village!

"Of course you can." Lin Bai looked at the few players with a smile and asked, "Do you mind the gender?"

"We don't mind." The players shook their heads decisively and said in unison.

Are you kidding? Are they really counting on falling in love with a program in the game and cultivating the Love Dao?

When it comes down to it.

It's just finding a bodyguard, so of course the more powerful, the better...

……

Daojing and the others looked at the many players in disbelief, as if they were looking at a group of perverts.

"That's good then." Lin Bai smiled and took out Pan Jinlian's bamboo pole. "Lao Mi, I'm giving you a mission!"

"Please speak." Lao Mi straightened his back subconsciously. If he remembered correctly, this should be the first time Lin Bai had officially issued a mission in the game.

"The theme of the second issue of Justice Weekly is the establishment of the Justice Alliance. It needs to introduce every member of the alliance in detail, so go and interview the City Lord!" Lin Bai said.

"Me?" Lao Mi was stunned, followed by a look of surprise. "Shopkeeper Lin, are you going to give me a Reporter ID?"

"Shopkeeper Lin, I feel I am more suitable to be a reporter than the Chief Beggar." First Immortal World Paparazzi immediately became anxious. "Have you forgotten me? I was the one who introduced the advertisements, and unlike the Chief Beggar and the others, I don't have so many official duties. My dream is to become a reporter, and I will definitely make Justice Weekly the best in the world..."

"Ahem!" Lao Mi glanced at First Immortal World Paparazzi and said, "Sect Master Lin, you should give the Reporter ID to him! If we want to carry forward Justice Weekly, professional matters should be handled by professional people. I'm really not very familiar with this news business."

"The Reporter ID should naturally go to the more suitable person." Lin Bai smiled. "But you can still conduct interviews without a Reporter ID; the City Lord's Mansion won't stop you. There is a reason I'm asking you to go find the City Lord this time."

"What reason?" Lao Mi asked in confusion.

"You are the Chief Beggar. For the next period of time, all of the Beggar Sect's activities will be concentrated in Qian City. Building a good relationship with him will be beneficial to the development of the Beggar Sect." Lin Bai looked at him and said earnestly, "You just said you didn't mind the gender of your Dao companion. This bamboo pole in my hand is called the 'Love Stick'. It can only be used once. Although it's not as good as the Love Bow, its effect is not bad either. During your interview with the City Lord, pretend to accidentally hit him with the bamboo pole, and a romance should blossom between you and the City Lord. By conquering the City Lord with love, it means we have someone on the inside in official circles."

……

"Holy crap!"

"Holy crap!"

"A one-time Divine Artifact, Lao Mi, you've hit the jackpot, kid."

"What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and accept the mission."

"Once you get the Love Stick, try hitting Shopkeeper Lin with it first. If you could actually spark a romance with Shopkeeper Lin, that would be the real jackpot, and it would benefit everyone."

……

The players' private chat channel suddenly exploded.

Lin Bai glanced at Kanmu Yihao, who had suggested that Lao Mi hit him with the Love Stick, and silently made a note of him in his heart.

"I am willing." Lao Mi looked at Pan Jinlian's bamboo pole and nodded with excitement.

"Remember, you only have one chance. Once the Love Stick hits someone else, it will become completely ineffective." Lin Bai cautioned solemnly.

The Yuelao System's mission required two people of status to form a CP, so he had to be cautious. If he wasted Xiao Pan's bamboo pole and had to rely on Cupid's Bow to form a CP, the difficulty would be quite high.

An ill-fated connection is still a connection!

"Shopkeeper Lin, I guarantee I will complete the mission." Lao Mi said loudly.

"Don't get any crooked ideas. Controlling the City Lord is of great use to the development of the Beggar Sect. If you can't do this well, your time as Chief Beggar will be at an end." Lin Bai handed Pan Jinlian's bamboo pole to Lao Mi and exhorted him again with a stern face, "Do not let me down."

(End of chapter)