Chapter: Joining the Shadow Society
The next afternoon, in the dark basement of a grocery store east of Bailu Town, Cheng Yu sat in front of a tattered wooden table. A bald man sat opposite the wooden table.
"Name?"
"Cheng Yu."
"Age?"
"Twenty-two."
"Why did you choose to join the Shadow Society?"
"To fight against the evil Saint of Light."
Yesterday, Cheng Yu had openly defamed the Saint of Light and was noticed by the heretical organization Shadow Society, which invited him to join the Shadow Society to fight against the Church of Light.
Cheng Yu gladly accepted to see how the Shadow Society would assassinate the Saint of Light.
The bald man's barren head was shiny and bright—the brightest object in the dark basement.
He was the guide of the Shadow Society, responsible for registering new members and bestowing the blessing of the God of Shadow.
"I don't quite agree with your reason."
The bald man pursed his lips slightly, dissatisfied with Cheng Yu's reason for joining the Shadow Society.
"Isn't your Shadow Society against the Church of Light? I joined the Shadow Society to fight against the Church of Light. Isn't this reason reasonable enough?" Cheng Yu asked back.
The bald man stood up, turned his back to Cheng Yu, put his hands behind his back, remained silent, and looked like a hermit.
Cheng Yu was a bit unhappy.
What the hell are you talking about?
If you keep pretending, I'll twist your head off and use it as a light bulb.
At that moment, Andy, who was as skinny as a monkey next to him, reminded Cheng Yu, "It's hard for the guide to register newcomers. You have to give the guide a little hard work fee."
So it's a kickback.
Cheng Yu suddenly realized.
In fact, joining the Shadow Society was originally free, but the guide relied on his little power to collect a bit of money from newcomers to subsidize the family.
Cheng Yu joined the Shadow Society for the first time. He didn't know how much kickback the other party wanted.
The Shadow Society was listed as a heretic organization by the Church of Light. In Cheng Yu's impression, heretic organizations weren't low-class.
So he casually took out a gold coin and threw it on the table.
Ding~
Hearing the crisp sound of the coin hitting the table, the bald man turned around quickly.
Golden!
It exuded a unique nobility in the dim basement.
It was a gold coin.
"A gold coin?!!!"
The bald man's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
"Too little?"
Cheng Yu asked weakly.
"Brother, kneel down!"
Excited as if he'd won five million, the bald man was so excited tears flowed down his face. He threw himself at Cheng Yu's feet, hugged Cheng Yu's calves, and rubbed his face against them.
Originally, he'd only wanted to collect a ten-copper-coin tip to supplement family income, but Cheng Yu came up with a gold coin—too much.
Aren't you a heretic organization? Where's your class? Cheng Yu complained internally.
"Get lost."
Cheng Yu kicked the bald man away like kicking trash.
The bald man stood up with a flattering smile and patted the dust off his body. "Brother, I recognize your belief in the God of Shadow!"
His attitude was completely different from before.
"Why is your Shadow Society so shabby?" Cheng Yu's eyes were full of disdain.
This bald man was also a small leader in the Shadow Society.
He hadn't expected a gold coin could make him so excited.
Look at the Shadow Society gathering point—a dim basement, a dozen old chairs, and a broken table with a broken leg.
"The Shadow Society is listed as a heretical organization in the Black Sun Empire. There's no big sponsor to support it. The funds for activities are all saved by us believers who usually eat frugally," the bald man said helplessly.
There's no harm without comparison.
The Church of Light had the support of the Black Sun Empire royal family, many believers, and strong funds.
Every major city had a luxurious and magnificent Church of Light.
"The Shadow Society is so poor. Why do you still stay in it?"
If the Shadow Society is compared to a company, this company not only doesn't pay its employees but also requires employees to pay for work out of their own pockets—quite like the style of a large Chinese company.
"How can you, a newcomer, say such a thing? Joining the Shadow Society is of course out of faith in the great God of Shadow!"
The bald man said angrily.
"Damn, there are no benefits, and you have to pay out of your own pocket. I'd rather not join this Shadow Society. Give me back that gold coin."
"Hehehe, no."
The bald man had been furious just now. When he heard Cheng Yu wanted to return the gold coin, he immediately changed his face.
"Damn, you change your face faster than a woman."
Cheng Yu had seen his roommate chatting with his girlfriend.
The roommate's girlfriend acted like a spoiled child: Oh, my stomach is uncomfortable. What should I do?
Roommate: Drink more hot water.
Roommate's girlfriend's face darkened and she turned away.
The speed of her expression change was amazing.
"In fact, joining the Shadow Society does have benefits. Every member of the Shadow Society can get the blessing of the God of Shadow. The Holy See of Light doesn't have such benefits."
"What blessing?"
The bald man took out a shiny black ring from his pocket. The ring's surface was engraved with a large number of imperceptible runes—as dense as hair.
"Now that you've joined the Shadow Society, this Abyss Ring is for you."
"Abyss Ring?"
Cheng Yu took the ring and looked at it. "What's the use of this thing?"
"Abyss Ring is a medium. Even ordinary people can use Abyss Ring to mobilize a small amount of shadow power."
This was why the bald man joined the Shadow Society.
He was neither a mage nor a warrior but an ordinary person. He'd joined the Shadow Society and obtained extraordinary power comparable to a mage through Abyss Ring.
Cheng Yu put the black Abyss Ring on his middle finger. "How to use it?"
"It needs to be activated by a spell."
The bald man leaned close to Cheng Yu's ear and told him the spell of the Abyss Ring.
"You're a newcomer now. Your Abyss Ring can only mobilize the most basic shadow power. This power can allow you to blend into the shadow for a short time—very suitable for hiding your tracks."
Cheng Yu silently chanted the spell. The Abyss Ring on his middle finger emitted a faint black light. His feet were empty. His whole person blended into the shadow under his feet.
No wonder the previous Saints of Light were assassinated by the Shadow Society.
When Lanling Wang captured Xiao Qiao, there was at least an exclamation mark on his head. This skill is silent—not even an exclamation mark.
Cheng Yu blended into the shadow state for over ten seconds, then reappeared in the field of vision.
"My name is Buck, nicknamed Baldy. I'm the guide of the Shadow Society in Bailu Town. You can call me Buck or Baldy."
"Brother Cheng Yu is handsome and a devout believer of the God of Shadow. Call me anytime if you need my help."
Cheng Yu took off the Abyss Ring and put it in the system warehouse.
The Shadow Society was a heretical organization in the Black Sun Empire. If the people of the Church of Light saw him wearing the Abyss Ring, they'd definitely tie him up and burn him to death.