Chapter 160: The new second-in-command?

After completely digesting the power he received from Gali, Bai Zang naturally could no longer resist the projection of fear with his own will.

"Ugh...!" He suddenly fell to the ground, letting out a painful roar! This kind of attack, directed at the heart and the very essence, was a thousand times more terrifying than any physical damage.

"don't want……"

Bai Zang curled up in pain, and his body once again showed signs of losing control.

Just when he thought he was about to completely collapse and disappear, the feeling of peeling off came to an abrupt end.

The scene of deep space receded like the tide, and the light and shadow of the temple became stable again.

The dust of blasphemy on Bai Zang's body disappeared. At this moment, he was soaked in cold sweat and gasping violently, like a fish out of water. The look in his eyes when he looked at the throne was filled with the most primitive fear that penetrated deep into his bones.

I can confirm that at that moment, he truly felt the fear from his soul.

All temptations, calculations, and pursuits of power are ridiculously insignificant in the face of such absolute suppression!

My voice returned to its previous cold calm, but with a subtle, just-right hint of "tolerance":

"Considering that this is your first offense, the starry sky will not destroy it." This word of "tolerance" frightened Bai Zang more than any punishment.

"The strength you seek comes from struggle, from... the courage to face the abyss."

I pointed out what he already knew, and continued in an enigmatic tone, "This road is filled with thorns and filth. I can give you the 'key' to unlock the next door."

I pointed my fingertips lightly at Bai Zang. A faint ray of starlight sank into the space between his eyebrows.

This is a subconscious fragment containing cloud and thunder patterns, which can calm the residual fluctuations that just got out of control.

And in that faint subconscious, I also hid a part of my own body.

"Go back, Bai Zang." My figure on the throne began to become extremely illusory, and my voice also became vague, with a kind of indifference and looking down on all living beings.

"If your faith is filled with reverence, the stars may... guide you. If you harbor blasphemous thoughts..."

After sending Bai Zang out, I stopped maintaining the mirror world, lay down and planned to have a good sleep.

…

In the Black Dragon Gang's stronghold, inside the leader's office.

Bai Zang, who was leaning on the chair, suddenly opened his eyes, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He let out a long breath. After the great fear, there was ecstasy of surviving the disaster and a twisted gratitude.

The gods didn't abandon him! They gave him a chance! Even after he blasphemed, they still "forgivingly" granted him the key! Isn't this the greatest "gift" and "test" of all?

But Bai Zang couldn't figure out why he seemed to see Ji Ling's shadow the moment he received the "key"...

Could it be that Ji Ling was the turning point brought to him by "Lord Xingqiong"? Bai Zang thought so.

Thinking of the abilities Ji Ling had demonstrated before, how she was able to break into the "Ice Claw" lair alone and escape unscathed, as well as the information she possessed and the support of official forces, Bai Zang felt that it made more and more sense.

He suddenly trembled and bowed deeply in the direction where the throne disappeared.

"I will obey your will."

…

I slept for a long time and it was already dawn when I woke up. I felt much clearer in the head and the wound on my ribs didn't hurt as much. After all, as the number of evolutions increased, my recovery speed from external injuries also became faster and faster. I estimated that I would be fully recovered within a day.

After regaining my energy, I sat down to meditate and adjust my state. Deep in the ocean of my subconscious mind, a few tiny lights flickered weakly. These tiny lights were symbols of faith, and one of them shone much brighter than before.

Meditation concluded. The pinprick of faith in Bai Zang within his sea of ​​consciousness remained bright and steady, even radiating a faint glow around him, attracting other, fainter pinpricks of light. It felt like finally lighting a guiding bonfire in a dark wasteland.

The corners of my mouth lifted up involuntarily. This was the right step.

There was a knock on the door at the right moment, with a different, almost deliberate, respectful rhythm.

"Ms. Ji, the boss asks you to go to the meeting room." It was Aaron's voice outside the door, a little more reserved than before.

"Um."

I responded, stood up and stretched my muscles, then took out a clean shirt that didn't fit me well from the closet and put it on.

This was prepared by Bai Zang before.

As soon as I opened the door, Aaron immediately lowered his head and stepped aside, not even daring to meet my gaze. I didn't care and followed him all the way to the meeting room.

The meeting room was a bit crowded. Almost all the core members had arrived, either standing or sitting, and the air was thick with a dull, tense atmosphere. Bai Zang sat at the head table, habitually fiddling with his lighter, but his eyes were calm. As he glanced at me, he nodded slightly, a hint of understanding.

Next to him sat a man, a man so large he was practically bloated, one of his eyes devoid of pupils, a mirror-like luster instead. At that moment, his eyes were unabashedly sizing me up and down, filled with disdain, questioning, and a kind of irritability that came from having his territory invaded.

I had seen this person before when I "blessed" them in the mirror world. He was also someone who had awakened his abilities.

Bai Zang cleared his throat, his voice not loud, but it instantly suppressed all the whispers.

"Everyone is here. I called you all together today for one thing." His eyes scanned the entire room, finally landing on Zhao Kui, and then slowly moved to my face.

"I have decided that from today on, Ji Ling will officially become the deputy leader of the Black Dragon Gang."

As soon as the words fell, the hall fell into dead silence.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on me, with shock, disbelief, confusion... and most of them looked at Zhao Kui.

It seems that Zhao Kui was the original second-in-command, at least the second-in-command in name only.

The flesh on Zhao Kui's face trembled violently, and he leaped to his feet, the chair beneath him groaning under the weight. He stared intently at Bai Zang, his voice as raspy as sandpaper. "Boss! What do you mean by this?! This woman has only been here a few days? She hasn't accomplished anything! Just because she took down a few Ice Claws? I can take down that thing with my men!"

His huge finger nearly stabbed Bai Zang in the face. "I, Zhao Kui, followed you out of the pile of corpses, seizing territory, searching for supplies, and fending off monsters. Every single one of those things wasn't done with my life at stake. And now you let this delicate, tender-skinned woman of unknown origin ride on my head?!"

His roar echoed in the meeting room, stirring up a buzz of agreement. It was clear that Zhao Kui held considerable power within the gang, and his discontent represented the voices of a considerable number of people.

Bai Zang had no expression on his face, but he stopped twirling the lighter with his fingers. He glanced at Zhao Kui sharply, "Zhao Kui, watch your attitude. This is an order, not a negotiation."