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Chapter 48: Tang San’s Conditions
The man with the tiger mask nodded, saying, "Of course I know. But in the past few decades, have you ever heard of any Redemption Society member being captured and implicating others?"
Wang Yanfeng was taken aback; his knowledge about the Redemption Society was limited.
"Gui Gui is one of ours. Over many years, the Redemption Society has developed its own strict rules. Every society member, from their identity to their tasks, has a careful arrangement to ensure their safety. Yes, we have an assassination team, but that's not all. We also have a well-organized intelligence task force. The bloodline and beliefs of humans bring us together. There are those who, after awakening to the Demonic God Transformation, choose to side with the enemy. But the vast majority still choose to be human, because we are fundamentally still humans, and demons or nymphs can never truly accept us."
Wang Yanfeng took a deep breath and asked, "If I join you, what do you need me to do?"
The man with the tiger mask replied, "I'm here for two main reasons. The first is to hope that you will join. You won't need to do much. Just continue to manage our human vassals here, expand their numbers as much as possible, educate them to gain enlightenment, and instill some of our ideas in them. This shouldn't be difficult for you, considering that it’s your job in the first place."
Wang Yanfeng slightly relaxed and nodded.
"And the second reason?"
The man with the tiger mask said, "Gui Gui mentioned that you have taught a very outstanding disciple. This child, despite his young age, already possesses fourth-order strength. The Society has decided to focus on cultivating him, and I am here to take him with me.”
Wang Yanfeng's heart tightened. "Are you talking about Tang San?"
He couldn't help but silently blame his sister, Gui Gui, for not revealing anything to him before.
"He's still young, and he doesn't even have the status of a vassal yet..." Wang Yanfeng said.
The man with the tiger mask waved his hand, saying, "You needn't worry about that. The Society will handle it. Moreover, whether the Society can fully groom him depends on whether his talents are sufficient. Therefore, I need to test him first."
Wang Yanfeng asked gravely, "What if I don't agree to join you?"
The man with the tiger mask replied, "That's okay too. Given your sibling relationship with Gui Gui, betraying us offers you no benefit. I believe you will still keep our secret. As for the child, if I confirm that he has enough potential, I will still bring him with me."
"How will you test me?" Just then, a young voice rang out. In the next instant, a figure deftly landed in the room, closing the window behind him—it was Tang San.
Seeing Tang San enter through the window, the man with the tiger mask instinctively raised his hand but stopped when he heard Tang San's words, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Before Tang San entered, he hadn't detected his presence. This child, who appeared to be only eight or nine years old, was this good at concealing himself? And the fact that he could detect his arrival meant his perception was also very sharp.
"Tang San, come here," Wang Yanfeng immediately beckoned to him.
Tang San walked over to Wang Yanfeng and Qiu Jing. The man with the tiger mask didn't stop him but watched him keenly, sizing him up from head to toe.
"The test is simple: a real battle. If you can last one minute against me, you pass," said the man with the tiger mask.
For some reason, when he looked into Tang San's eyes, clear yet restrained, he felt something unusual. He had a premonition that this child would bring him some very interesting surprises.
Tang San said, "I can join you, but I have conditions."
"Oh?" The man with the tiger mask looked at him with interest. Tang San's tone didn't sound like that of a child. "What conditions? You haven't passed my test yet, but you seem very confident."
Tang San didn't respond to his skepticism. He simply stated, "I want my training with you to be in Kali City, and I want a safe identity in the public eye."
Listening to the conversation between the man with the tiger mask and Wang Yanfeng had deepened his understanding of the Redemption Society. This human organization was undoubtedly not strong enough on its own, and while their goal sounded noble, achieving it seemed extremely challenging. However, this organization would allow him to leave this place sooner. Otherwise, he would have to wait at least another year to attain his vassal status before leaving.
Being able to go to Kali City earlier meant he could be by her side sooner. For Tang San, nothing was more important than this.
The man with the tiger mask said, "Your identity issue will naturally be solved. But why do you insist on going to Kali City?"
Tang San momentarily fell silent, seeming timid, then said, "Because Aunt Gui is there."
The tiger-faced man asked, "Then why are you willing to join us?"
Tang San suddenly looked up, and without hesitation, he said, "For revenge! My mother..." He paused, pursing his lips as a gleam of hatred flickered in his eyes.
This wasn't all an act. He was only nine years old and he naturally had to display traits characteristic of a child his age to avoid suspicion. However, his desire for revenge and hatred were in fact genuine.
The tiger-faced man looked at him and sighed softly, "Child, I support your quest for revenge. But remember, do not let hatred blind you. Our Redemption Society has much grander goals."
Tang San nodded silently, "I understand, but this is my reason for joining the Redemption Society. If you agree to my terms, I will join you."
The tiger-faced man nodded, "Alright, we'll set aside your conditions for now. You must first pass my test. Once you've passed, then we can discuss your terms."
Tang San naturally understood that he was being assessed for his potential.
When he first entered Kali City and met Gui Gui, he instantly suspected that she might have hidden intentions. And what he found later only served to reinforce these suspicions.
During his time in Kali City, he had seen many vassals, but none of them actually owned the businesses they were working for. There were only two exceptions: one was Mei Gongzi and her mother at Mei Gongzi's Milk Tea Shop, and the other was Gui Gui with her inn.
In his view, Mei Gongzi's Milk Tea Shop posed the greatest concern. It was located in the very heart of Kali City. The fact that a shop could operate there without any demon disturbances proved without a doubt the uniqueness of this establishment.
As for Gui Gui, although her status was not extraordinary, the fact that she owned a small inn within Kali City that was frequented by human vassals clearly raised questions.
At that time, Tang San had already considered that Gui Gui might be connected to the Redemption Society or backed by unseen forces. Since Gui Gui was the sister of Wang Yanfeng, the likelihood of her having a major power behind her was slim, hence the stronger suspicion towards her hidden intentions
Therefore, when Tang San participated in the Collision Contest, he also wanted to test Gui Gui's intentions, which was why he wanted to show her his capabilities.
Now that a member of the Redemption Society sought him out, he was less surprised and more pleased. This was precisely what he had hoped to see.
Resolving his own identity issues and managing an early visit to Kali City would not be easy if he relied solely on Wang Yanfeng and himself. It was not an easy feat and it could easily lead to future troubles.
On the other hand, while the Redemption Society was not very powerful, their continuous existence as the only human revolutionary organization suggested that they had some things to rely on.
And it was precisely these resources that Tang San needed the most right now.
Thus, his participation in the Collision Contest was not a momentary impulse but a well-thought-out move, and it had achieved multiple objectives in a single go.