Chapter 44: The Forty-Fourth Day of Becoming Cult Leader (Part 2)

At the same time, the area near Zhi Prefecture was also trying to issue the Jianghu Morning Report. It only took one day for everyone to go from questioning it to finding it irresistible. By the second day, people were already taking the initiative to come forward and testify that the intelligence inside was true, and that it was all intelligence known only within niche circles.

Thus, the Jianghu Morning Report immediately became popular. For those who could read and were usually somewhat bored, this item was the best form of entertainment to pass the time.

Whoever managed to buy the Jianghu Morning Report wished they could flaunt it properly, while others also stared covetously and wanted to borrow it from one another. It had clearly become a fashion.

At that moment, a student suddenly ran into Jiangnan Academy, waving the morning report in his hand and shouting, “Something strange! Something strange! Hurry and come look!”

“What is that?” A student immediately came over after hearing the news. When he saw the special paper in the other’s hand, he suddenly froze, then said disdainfully, “Wait. Don’t tell me what you’re holding is the recently rather famous Jianghu Morning Report? This newspaper mostly talks about useless news. Why did even you spend silver to buy it?”

The local students had always aspired to fight their way into officialdom, and thus had always rather looked down on so-called jianghu heroes. They had even less interest in this morning report.

However, the student holding the morning report mysteriously handed the newspaper to him. “Just look. It will absolutely astonish you.”

The student casually glanced at it, and was immediately drawn in by the perfectly regular, upright characters on the paper. His eyes lit up at once. “Wait. This handwriting… it doesn’t seem to have been written by hand?!”

“You finally understand.” The student holding the morning report pulled out another identical newspaper as if performing a magic trick, then set the two morning reports side by side for comparison. Once compared like this, it was extremely clear: the handwriting on the two morning reports was actually exactly the same, without the slightest difference. This had definitely not been written by human hand!

“I heard the Jianghu Morning Report sold three hundred copies in total. Could every single copy be exactly the same? How did they do it?!”

In the academy, every book was extremely precious. Students could only copy them by hand personally; there was no way to produce them in large quantities. Therefore, this morning report instantly drew the attention of every student. Even the teacher in the academy could not help repeatedly marveling, “Interesting! It must be some kind of method. What a pity. If we knew the method, then we would not need to rack our brains copying books.”

“Teacher, look here.” One student pointed at a block of text on the right side of the Jianghu Morning Report. “This was written by a Confucian scholar. Its contents are a classic explanation of a book called The Three Character Classic. If we could make contact with this Confucian scholar, wouldn’t we have a chance to learn this manufacturing method?”

“The Three Character Classic?” The teacher had never heard of this book before and could not help reading it carefully. “At the beginning of man, nature is good… Marvelous, marvelous. In a mere three characters, it contains the principle of education. I wonder who wrote it. It must be some great Confucian of high moral standing!”

The more he savored The Three Character Classic, the more he felt the broadness of its meaning. He wished he could discuss it with others at once. Unfortunately, the original text of The Three Character Classic written above had only two lines, leaving him deeply regretful.

“This manufacturing technique is indeed novel, but the appearance of such a classic text also makes us feel tremendously pleased. I truly wish we could hear the full proper contents.” The teacher sighed regretfully. Then his expression suddenly turned stern, and he reminded them, “The next time this morning report is released, you must make sure to snatch a copy. If you can contact the person citing this classic, that would be best. If you cannot, then being able to finish reading The Three Character Classic would also be a fortunate thing for us!”

Everyone nodded. They all felt these words were reasonable. But in their hearts, they also felt that it was only spending a bit of silver to buy a copy of the morning report. How difficult could it be?

As a result, three days later, when they set out full of confidence to buy the newest issue of the Jianghu Morning Report, the sea of people in the street scared their faces pale.

They saw that both sides of the road were packed with people. People pressed against people; all one could see were people. Everyone waved their arms and kept shouting.

“I want to buy the Jianghu Morning Report!”

“I’ve been waiting here for half the day! Give it to me first!”

“If my master doesn’t get this morning report, he’ll kill me! Let me go first!”

…

It turned out that it was not only the area around Zhi Prefecture. When the reputation of the Jianghu Morning Report spread into the martial world, all the curious people felt their hearts itch with desire. Who would not want to buy a copy of the famous Jianghu Morning Report and see it for themselves?

But only those with money and power would truly send people from thousands of li away to buy it. Even so, the nearby streets were packed so tightly that not even water could leak through.

There were simply too many people!

Looking at the grand scene of everyone frantically fighting to buy it, the academy students exchanged glances, wanting to cry but having no tears. It was over. The task their teacher had given them—could they really complete it?

…

Qin Ming likewise had never imagined that the Jianghu Morning Report would be so sought after!

However, before the Jianghu Morning Report went on sale, Qin Ming had still been busy with one major matter.

That’s right. It was the matter of the undercover agent!

At this moment, everything Qin Ming had planned in his mind had settled into place. He was only waiting for the newspaper to be printed. Now, he finally did not need to think about the cult’s internal affairs and could tentatively look for that like-minded undercover agent.

But when he truly wanted to find that person, Qin Ming was somewhat stumped. He once again borrowed the disciple roster from Yang Xu, who managed the disciples. Facing the list of a dozen or so disciples who had joined in the same batch as Shen Fubai, he stubbornly had no strong impression of them at all. After casually flipping through it, he could only wordlessly ask Yang Xu, who for some reason seemed a little nervous, “These disciples… is there anything strange about them? Anything at all. Tell me about it.”

As soon as these words came out, Yang Xu’s heart trembled.

Could it be that the Cult Leader was beginning to close the net? Was he officially searching for the undercover agents hidden within the cult?

His heart twisted into a chaotic mess, but on the surface, Yang Xu still showed a suspicious expression. “There doesn’t seem to be anything strange. May the Cult Leader please clarify…?”

Qin Ming, however, had no idea how to say it. How was he supposed to clarify? Was he supposed to openly ask whether there was anyone who did not belong among the Demonic Cult disciples?

“…Forget it. Have all of them come to the study to see this seat.” Qin Ming waved his hand and came up with a testing method. “This seat has an important matter to discuss.”

“Yes!” Yang Xu left with his mind in turmoil.

About a quarter of an hour later, the fourteen Demonic Cult disciples who had newly joined the cult all raised their foolish, clear eyes in unison and looked at Qin Ming with worship.

“May the Cult Leader live for a thousand autumns!”

Shen Fubai, Chen Lue, and Zhang Daniu were all among them.

Qin Ming carefully examined every person’s expression, automatically skipping over familiar people like Shen Fubai and the others. But based on his own eyesight, as expected, he still could not tell what was different about these people.

He could not help raising a question to test them. “I hear that Danyangzi and the others, the culprits behind the disappearance case, have already been escorted into the imperial prison and are awaiting interrogation. Tell me, regarding this matter, should we kick them while they are down, or stand aside and watch coldly? All of you, speak your thoughts.”

This was also the matter Qin Ming was currently agonizing over. He had promised to use these criminals’ blood to console the souls of the dead, but at present, no one knew how the authorities would sentence Danyangzi and the others, whether their crimes would be reduced, and so on. In short, Qin Ming had been thinking all along about whether he should do something in advance to ensure that Danyangzi and the others would definitely face legal punishment!

And after coming into contact with jianghu chivalrous heroes like Yin Hongwen, Qin Ming could be certain that if the undercover agent was a true jianghu hero, they would definitely disdain kicking someone while they were down. Even if they did not have that kind of personality, they would absolutely not use a vicious plan. He hoped to secretly uncover the other party’s identity through this method!

Under his expectant gaze, the Demonic Cult disciples began speaking one by one.

“I think we should call on everyone in the jianghu to put pressure on the authorities! Make them behead Danyangzi as soon as possible!”

“We can sit in front of the prison and force them to execute Danyangzi!”

“I think… we can throw rotten eggs at Danyangzi while he’s paraded through the streets to express our resolve!”

“Abah abah abah…”

Qin Ming nodded from time to time. As he thought it over, he felt that none of these moves were especially vicious, and there did not seem to be anyone he could obviously eliminate.

Until he heard Zhang Daniu’s answer.

“Simple. We mask our faces, break into the imperial prison, kill Danyangzi and the others directly, then come back. Wouldn’t that neatly solve the future trouble?”

Qin Ming:?

Chen Lue took a step forward. His voice was calm, but the content made one’s hair stand on end. “We forge some additional evidence of Danyangzi’s crimes and submit it to the Court of Judicial Review, increasing the severity of their charges so that even if someone vouches for them, they absolutely cannot survive.”

Qin Ming:…

Ah, this, this. These two people’s moves were more ruthless than the last. One was underhanded, the other direct, but both were terrifying to this extent!

A famous orthodox sect disciple absolutely could not be either of these two. Directly eliminated!

And the only one remaining, Shen Fubai, hesitated for a moment before unexpectedly giving Qin Ming an answer that surprised him. “This subordinate does not agree with the opinions of the two of them. We cannot kill Danyangzi, and likewise we cannot pile some nonexistent crimes onto their heads. These are all crooked ideas, despised by others. This subordinate believes it is better to be open and aboveboard!”

“You…”

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