Chapter 37: Preparations Before the Battle
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"It seems you've been having a lot of fun after getting your revenge, huh~"
In the slums, Jiang Cheng's slender figure appeared in a corner.
Ferran, who was wiping down his firearm, looked up at Jiang Cheng. Behind her, several corpses suddenly shattered and collapsed to the ground.
Turning her head, Jiang Cheng followed his gaze and glanced at the corpses behind her. She chuckled softly.
"Well, they've been sneakily following me all the way. Who knows what they wanted, it was so annoying. It feels much better having killed them,"
"The Hero doesn't care what you do?"
Ferran asked doubtfully. How could that righteous and kind hero possibly allow Jiang Cheng to act so recklessly?
"Lyle? Of course he cares,"
Jiang Cheng shrugged, "But as long as I don't let him know about it, that's enough, isn't it?"
"Besides... he's busy worrying about how to keep me safe right now~ No matter what I do, as long as I'm safe, nothing else matters."
Jiang Cheng curled the corners of her lips into a light smile.
Ferran fell silent. Even the great Hero could be bewitched by this wicked woman.
What a terrifying woman...
However, Ferran sneered inwardly. He couldn't outplay Jiang Cheng,
But this woman, who helped him exact revenge yet was so vile, was still someone he wanted to disgust somehow.
After all, she was able to rush over the very moment that old man died and knew all about the murderer.
Even if the murderer wasn't related to her, she had still stood by and watched, letting her teacher die without lifting a finger.
Thinking of this, Ferran chuckled coldly. Deliberately wanting to make Jiang Cheng uncomfortable, he said,
"What's this? You have to hide your killings from the Hero? Is this some 'husband's not home, wife gets bored and secretly murders' kind of thing?"
"Ding!"
With a crisp sound, a point on the wall behind Ferran's head suddenly exploded.
Ferran only felt a chill at his neck. Reaching up to touch it, he realized there was already a small cut oozing with fine blood.
"I know you suspect me,"
Jiang Cheng narrowed her eyes and said, "And I know you blame me for not saving that teacher of yours."
"I won't deny I'm a villain. But... if I hear you dragging Lyle into things when you talk about me again—"
She let out a short laugh, "Next time, the thing blowing open will be your head."
"You are in no position to defy me. You're just a rat who couldn't even get revenge without my help."
With that, Jiang Cheng turned around. Suddenly, her steps paused.
On the surface, Ferran's words didn't seem to faze her,
But in fact, Jiang Cheng was seething inside, to the point that she nearly forgot to bring up her main purpose here.
"Oh right, another avenger will be joining our grand revenge scheme soon,"
Jiang Cheng tilted her head slightly as she spoke, her messy hair floating in the wind. Ferran couldn't see her face, but he vaguely felt she was smiling.
"Who is it? Did his family get killed too?"
Ferran asked curiously without overthinking it. He really wanted to know what kind of relative this fellow avenger had lost to those bastards at the Mechanic's Association.
"It's our dear Hero, Lyle. Hehehehaha~"
Jiang Cheng answered, unable to keep from bursting into manic laughter.
"Huh?"
Ferran blurted out in shock. Had the Mechanic's Association gone mad? Even daring to lay hands on the Hero's family?
"Puhahaha—"
Jiang Cheng doubled over with laughter, taking a long time before she straightened back up.
"His teacher died,"
Jiang Cheng said, beaming, "It was the Adventurer God's doing."
With a straight face, Jiang Cheng continued to heap slander on the Adventurer God.
"Don't call it the Adventurer God!"
Ferran said with disgust. "It's unworthy of that title."
"Ha,"
Jiang Cheng shrugged. "Call it what you want. You're the current successor of the late Adventurer God, after all."
"In short, remember to come to my place tomorrow to find the Hero. I'll gather everyone, and we'll sit down and discuss how we can achieve our revenge."
"Alright,"
Ferran nodded. "For revenge, I'll remember."
"Ha, do as you wish."
Jiang Cheng shook her head. "In any case, if you want to get rid of it, you'll die. If you're scared off by that, it's understandable. After all, you're just a rat."
"Who would expect a mere rat to possess the resolve to lay down his life for his teacher's sake? You're not Lyle, so I won't hold you to those lofty ideals."
Without waiting for Ferran to reply, Jiang Cheng's figure had already vanished.
Ferran remained where he was, silent for a long time. He gripped his handgun tighter, his gaze growing determined.
Even if he didn't have Lyle's lofty convictions or formidable strength,
Even if he really was just a rat as Jiang Cheng mocked, at the very least, for the sake of revenge, he would give everything he had.
But how could he have known that Jiang Cheng was precisely manipulating that mindset in him?
Just as she was guiding the others the same way,
People with obsessions or goals like these were so easy to control.
That was one of the main reasons she always felt it was a stroke of genius to have that teacher persona executed.
Not only did it reduce her risk of exposure, but it also gave Lyle another wish for vengeance, making him much easier to control.
At least, until Jiang Cheng's identity was revealed and Lyle dealt her severe punishment, she would always take pride in this brilliant decision.
Elsewhere, similar scenes were unfolding. Jiang Cheng sought out those she might cooperate with, one by one.
"If you can defeat the Adventurer God, perhaps you all will be free from its influence. With the credentials of Myriad Gods' Temple, regaining your original identities will be convenient. So... steel yourselves for death, and kill it,"
In front of the mecha, Jiang Cheng spoke sweetly. The other party nodded its immense, rusted head.
"So,"
Jiang Cheng said with absolute confidence, looking at the president before her,
"help us eliminate it and establish a new god, or else, your great God of Technology will die."
"When do we move out?"
The president remained silent for a long time before finally responding.
"I truly underestimated your ambition."
At this moment, Renata was squatting in a desolate corner of the city, dejected.
She had failed her tribe's mission and felt so ashamed she could hardly bear to return, even though word had already gotten back home.
"Jiang Cheng, what do you want?" she suddenly turned to ask.
"To tell you a way to become fully recognized by leading your entire tribe to success,"
"And, what's the price?"
Renata was smart—she didn't ask what the method was first.
As a Saintess, Jiang Cheng would not deceive her about such things, so the most important issue was what price she would have to pay.
"The price? Lead your entire tribe in rebellion against it—even if it costs you all your lives. How about that?"
"Uh..."
Renata froze. "I'll have to discuss it with my tribe."
"No problem,"
Jiang Cheng shook her head. "I'm in no rush. Anyway, once you've decided, just come to my place and find the Hero."
"As for this clearance form, the section for verification—Lyle, the Hero, is qualified to sign for the local Myriad Gods' Temple."
Jiang Cheng said with a warm smile, "But eliminating it is also Lyle's wish, so... good luck,"
With that, Jiang Cheng turned and left again.
She hadn't actually told the whole truth. As the Saintess, she was equally qualified.
But... if she revealed that, how could she make them willingly lay down their lives for Jiang Cheng's purposes?
Finally, there was only Lyle, the trickiest one, left to notify.
Jiang Cheng sighed. In her room, Jiang Cheng's real body opened her eyes.
"Lyle,"
Turning around, Jiang Cheng looked at Lyle beside her, about to speak,
"Jiang Cheng, don't say another word,"
Lyle glanced at the clock and said earnestly.
?
"It's already late. It's time—come to my room for some physical training."
???
Get out!