Chapter 160: Recruitment Order of Zhou Ling City

Chapter 160: Recruitment Order of Zhou Ling City

Lin Nuo felt that the thought process of this Celestial Demon Woman was far too erratic; perhaps the age gap created a generation divide.

“What the heck, your partner’s outfit is light gray?”

And what about those in funeral garb? They all wear white; do you not say they indulge in group activities?

Lin Nuo couldn’t help but smack her on the head.

“Stop with all this nonsense; come here, let me dress you up.”

“Master, you’re truly multi-talented, you can even make outfits,” Ling Meng couldn’t help but admire.

“I can’t make someone beautiful, but making them ugly is a piece of cake!”

“Ah… you want to make me ugly?” Ling Meng’s tone showed her displeasure.

“Otherwise? Do you think I’m taking you to a banquet?”

Lin Nuo finally removed his hand from Ling Meng’s head.

“With your looks, it would be too dazzling; you absolutely must be made to look less attractive.”

Right, making someone ugly is something anyone can do, right?

“So, Master, you admit my beauty then?” Ling Meng suddenly felt proud.

“Yes, I’ve never denied it.”

Lin Nuo replied calmly. To be honest, he wouldn’t intentionally deny his disciple’s beauty.

Having a beautiful disciple was indeed pleasing to the eyes, but it was too ostentatious—definitely not a good thing for a villain seeking to cultivate a low profile.

Being praised by Lin Nuo should have been a joyous occasion. However, his indifferent tone made her feel unhappy.

It felt as if he was just going through the motions, a cold sort of insincerity.

“Hmph, Master’s just giving me the runaround.”

“I’m not giving you the runaround.”

“You can say that again! I’ve never seen anyone compliment a girl’s beauty with such a frosty expression.”

“Well, now you have.”

“……”

This rotten master was really driving her up the wall.

Ling Meng quietly boiled with anger but could do nothing against Lin Nuo, though she mentally noted this minor grudge for future repayment.

“Enough with the chatter; sit still.”

Ling Meng obediently followed Lin Nuo’s words and sat quietly. He pulled out his makeup tools, everything from powders to brow razors, preparing to give her an ugly makeover.

Since Ling Meng was naturally stunning, turning her into something ugly would require a significant effort.

Plus, she requested that she shouldn’t be made too ugly; at most, just mediocre. Otherwise, she would throw a fit, and the Celestial Demon Woman throwing tantrums wasn’t a joke.

Lin Nuo could only try to meet her requirements. First, he darkened her pristine face a bit, then added some wrinkles and bags under her eyes. Initially intending to add some acne, he ultimately backed off after Ling Meng’s strong protest.

After a lengthy session, Ling Meng no longer carried her former enchanting aura; she now possessed a more common charm. However, given her naturally good facial structure, Lin Nuo didn’t overly degrade her appearance, and she now resembled an innocent village girl.

Of course, an innocent village girl wasn’t silky smooth. Lin Nuo also made her hands appear rougher by adding lines, as if they had endured years of hard work.

“All done, you can check yourself in the bronze mirror.”

“Mm…”

Ling Meng took the bronze mirror, gazing at her reflection, pursing her lips in dissatisfaction.

No matter how the makeup was done, as long as it made her look ugly, Ling Meng wouldn’t be content. How could she be satisfied when her beautiful face was marred by Lin Nuo?

Using another side of the bronze mirror, Lin Nuo applied his own makeup, first darkening his face and then deepening the wrinkles until he appeared like a weathered man.

As for scars, he added just a light one—nothing too deep; otherwise, entering the city, he would be mistaken for a gangster. How could he explain that to the city guards?

“All set, let’s get moving.”

Lin Nuo packed up the tools, slung his bundle over his shoulder, and stood up to leave.

“Master, I’m not satisfied.”

“What are you dissatisfied with?”

“Can you make me a bit prettier?”

“I’ve done my utmost. I said we’re not going for a banquet; there’s no need for me to pretty you up.”

Lin Nuo snatched the bronze mirror from Ling Meng’s hand. She looked at him with a pouting expression, her eyes filled with grievance.

This rotten master, I’m ugly now. You’d better take responsibility!

“Master, if we happen to be alone, can you remove the makeup?”

“For what?”

“After all, your original looks are much more handsome.”

“Let’s go, stop dragging your feet.”

Lin Nuo headed towards the cave entrance, carrying his bag.

Ling Meng hurriedly got up, chasing after him, yelling, “Master, I’m counting on you to agree!”

Lin Nuo didn’t respond. Dealing with this female disciple, the more words he exchanged with her, the more she spiraled into weird ideas. It was better not to engage too much.

……

Zhou Ling City, City Lord’s Mansion.

A middle-aged city lord paced back and forth, visibly anxious and agitated.

“Sir, the assassin, Poison Bee, has repeatedly committed murder within the city; we must ramp up our efforts.”

“That won’t do. Right now, Zhou Ling City is short on personnel; even the Taoists from the dojo have suffered many casualties. With fierce beasts wreaking havoc nearby, we don’t have additional skilled talents to handle him. Plus, there’s the Sacred Altar—be it the Refining Demon Sect, the Dark Alliance, or other underground organizations, they’re all itching to make a move. I know these assassins; they act according to their tasks, merely killing a few people. Comparatively, if the Sacred Altar falls, the common folk of this region would suffer immensely.”

“Sir, if that’s the case, why not take a gamble? We’ve tightly controlled Zhou Ling City, resisting outsiders. While that stabilizes the city a bit, it also drives off many capable individuals. We could issue a recruitment order within the city, inviting brave and righteous warriors to resist fierce beasts, easing the pressure on our personnel.”

“But what if evil-doers take this opportunity to infiltrate?”

“We have no choice, sir. Under the current strict control, Zhou Ling City is still chaotic; we have to take some risks. Furthermore, the recruitment order will offer generous rewards for talented individuals and will create a temporary Righteous Path Organization. If one wishes to join the higher teams, they must achieve merits. This way, evil-doers won’t find it easy to blend in, and even if they do, they’ll still need to accomplish something; that won’t harm us.”

The city lord listened to his advisor’s words, stroking his beard as he pondered for a moment.

“Very well, let’s do it.”

The city lord approved, immediately ordering his advisor to arrange for the establishment of the Righteous Path Organization, to issue the recruitment order, and to consult the court about elevating the temporary Righteous Path Organization to the status of Royal Army. This way, they could attract more capable individuals.

Due to Zhou Ling City being close to the Sacred Altar, they had a solid basis to petition the court. As expected, the court quickly granted approval and provided financial support. Those who joined the Righteous Path Organization would not only be rewarded but could also enhance their reputations. News spread swiftly, and more and more people headed for Zhou Ling City.

……

Zhou Ling City, at a public notice board.

“Zhou Ling City establishes the Righteous Path Organization, with benefits equivalent to the Royal Army!”

“Yeah, but the requirements are quite strict; one must achieve merits.”

The common folk were chatting excitedly, and among the crowd was a sinister-looking man with a cold smile.

He, known as Poison Bee, gnawed on a bun while surveying the notice.

Heh, the Righteous Path Organization is just right; they’ll attract all those targets, saving me the trouble of searching everywhere.

At that moment, two individuals dressed in light gray cloaks squeezed through the crowd.