Chapter 330 Gold and Silver Dolls

"The time is almost ripe..."

Even as these events unfolded, countless capable individuals in Mingzhou sensed the underlying issues, though they dared not intervene. In Zhumen Town, Erguotou, the Red Lantern Society's Right Protector, was also deeply troubled. "Old Bai Gan's task isn't easy!"

"The safest way to deal with the Five Fiend Envoys is to not show your face at all. Ensure no information leaks, swiftly eliminate them, and take the treasure."

"But that's the problem; it's not convenient to take credit with that esteemed figure in the mountains afterward."

"The other option is to fish."

"Essentially, it's wanting to cause trouble for the Five Fiend Envoys but actually provoking them to come looking for trouble, taking the opportunity to eliminate them. It's easier to explain later, and it lets that esteemed figure in the mountains know we helped."

"But how do I pull it off?"

The Right Protector couldn't help but worry. He had many hidden identities, but carrying out tasks became somewhat troublesome.

The Red Lantern Society wasn't his personal domain.

Even though he had taken care of the Red Lantern Goddess since she was a minor evil spirit, even now, every decision in the Red Lantern Society was still believed by the Goddess to be her own idea. He was just a pitiful follower, offering a word of advice at crucial moments.

Even within the Society, in the eyes of his subordinates, his prestige as the Right Protector was less than that of the Left Protector.

The advantage, of course, was that he was well-hidden and not easily exposed.

The disadvantage was that every time he wanted to do something, he had to think it through carefully to ensure things went smoothly as desired.

Slowly pondering how to deal with that particular Five Fiend Envoy, the poor Right Protector paced through a spacious courtyard, arriving at the hall where the Left Protector usually cultivated. He respectfully knocked on the door.

After hearing the Left Protector's reply of "Come in," he hastily put on a smiling face, bowed, and entered the room, saying, "Little lady, still busy?"

Inside the room, the Left Protector was changing clothes, her voluptuous body displayed before him. She glared at him and said, "What little lady? Be careful; our affair can't let the Goddess know."

"If the left and right protectors under her command are sleeping together, how can the Goddess trust us in the future?"

"..."

"Yes, yes..."

The Right Protector nodded hastily, secretly thinking, "It's okay, you don't know about my affair with the Goddess, do you?"

"Go lie down on the bed first."

The Left Protector wrapped herself up and said to Erguotou, "I'll give you an incense stick's worth of time."

"No need, no need..."

The Right Protector quickly said, "I came here to discuss serious business with you."

"The last batch of blood offerings cut from Qingni'ao is for the two of us to split. If it goes into the public account, at least half will be taken to give to the branch incense holders, so we must handle it carefully!"

"..."

The Left Protector rolled her eyes at him and said, "What's so special about it? It's not the first time. I'll personally go and retrieve it; is that okay?"

The Right Protector was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed, "Much appreciated, much appreciated. Then you should get at least 20% more."

"I get 70%, you get 30%?"

The Left Protector was surprised by his generosity, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she chuckled, "Finally, I see you being generous for once. Then I'll give you two incense sticks' worth of time later, how about that?"

The Right Protector then approached and embraced her slender waist, whispering, "Only two incense sticks? What can you even do in that time?"

In less than an incense stick's worth of time, the Left Protector had changed into plain clothes, tied up her hair, and looked heroic and spirited. She walked out of the hall, called a few of her confidants, and hurriedly left Zhumen Town while the Red Lantern Goddess was still asleep.

She traveled quickly towards the agreed location. She was familiar with Mingzhou, but for some reason, the more she traveled in this direction, the more uneasy she felt, unsure of what was happening.

Finally, she arrived at the agreed location and waited for a long time without seeing anyone. She was feeling suspicious when she suddenly saw the bald-headed shopkeeper who helped her transport the blood offerings approaching. He was covered in blood, his face pale, and he shouted, "Something bad has happened, Sister Yin, something bad has happened!"

The Left Protector's expression changed instantly. She reined in her horse and went to meet him, "We've traveled this road many times. What could have happened?"

"It's over there."

The bald-headed shopkeeper raised his hand and pointed, shouting, "For some reason, a band of bandits appeared ahead and forcibly robbed us of the blood offerings we were transporting, killing all the brothers escorting them."

"Luckily, I had some skills and managed to escape from there."

"..."

"What?"

The Left Protector was shocked. Looking into the distance, she saw a dark and oppressive scene. "There are only a few wealthy villages ahead, and the Green Mountain Gang, which trades mules and horses, is there. They're the most law-abiding. Where did the bandits come from?"

This batch of blood offerings was special, and she didn't want to give up on it. In addition, she had learned skills from the Xinghun Sect and was bold because of her skills. She untied a white chain from her waist and shouted, "Take me over there to take a look!"

The bald-headed shopkeeper didn't dare disobey and led her over.

From a distance, they saw a village, with oil lamps and torches lit everywhere. The area was filled with kneeling people, all naked and without a stitch of clothing on their bodies.

And in the center of the crowd was a strange altar. A man with tattered clothes was sitting inside, drinking with his head raised. Around him were piles of cloth, grain, gold, silver, carriages, and even piles of tattered clothes.

The Left Protector was on guard and tentatively stepped forward, cupping her hands in greeting, "May I ask who you are? I suppose the flood washed over the Dragon King Temple; there's been a misunderstanding?" (An idiom referring to accidentally offending someone from one's own side)

Before she could finish speaking, the man on the altar suddenly turned his head to look at her, his eyes cold and fierce, "The Five Fiend Altar rises, fortune wanes, life surges..."

Before his words could fade, the dazed people kneeling around the altar suddenly turned their eyes red and grabbed knives and spears, attacking the Left Protector. Now, with the help of the surrounding oil lamps, the Left Protector could see clearly.

These people were not bandits at all; they were clearly members of the Mule and Horse Gang. Among them were even a few who had dealt with the Red Lantern Society before, and she recognized their faces.

But now, they were like madmen, rushing forward with bloodshot eyes, not caring about their lives. She could even see some members of the Red Lantern Society mixed in with them, their faces full of ferocity.

"Courting death!"

The Left Protector was skilled and had a great temper. Seeing this, she waved her white chain and smashed it forward.

"Chi Chi Chi Chi..."

The white chain danced, and the people rushing in the front fell to the ground like straw before they could even get close to her group.

The Left Protector was about to shout and ask what was happening.

Unexpectedly, the man sitting on the altar drinking saw that she had some skills and suddenly revealed a cruel smile. He tugged on the red thread in his hand and pulled out two strange objects, one a golden doll and the other a silver doll.

Both dolls had whip marks on their bodies, as if they had been severely beaten. Their heads were covered with black cloth, seemingly to prevent them from seeing what was in front of them.

He blew a breath towards the two dolls, and suddenly, the two dolls raised their heads, golden and silver light flashing on their bodies at the same time. They suddenly transformed into a cloud of golden and silver mist, slowly rolling forward.

The golden and silver mist dazzled the eyes and blocked the senses.

The Left Protector was also skilled, but before she could really engage with the other party, she felt a flash of gold and silver before her eyes, dazzling her. She hurriedly wanted to escape, but her mind was already confused.

The white chain in her hand fell to the ground silently, and she seemed to be stupid, walking forward in a daze.

It was the bald-headed shopkeeper who was following behind who was quick-witted. In terms of skill, he was not as good as the Left Protector, but as a watchman, he was better at holding on. Seeing that things were not good, he shouted and hurriedly fled backward to deliver the message...

"Not good..."

A few breaths later, in Zhumen Town, the Right Protector received the news and was shocked. He rushed out and went straight to the Lantern Hall.

The red lanterns in the hall had just been lit, and the Red Lantern Goddess hadn't even finished stretching when she was startled by the Right Protector, "Has that esteemed figure come looking for me?"

"...No."

The Right Protector was stunned for a moment before hurriedly saying, "Goddess, something terrible has happened, the Left Protector is in danger!"

"..."

Hearing the Right Protector's words, the Red Lantern Goddess first breathed a sigh of relief, glad that it wasn't that esteemed figure coming to cause trouble. Then she realized something was wrong, "In danger?"

"Who could put the Left Protector in danger? Could it be that esteemed figure who made a move?"

"..."

The Right Protector was stunned and hurriedly said, "...No, it has nothing to do with that esteemed figure. It's someone who came from out of town, came to Mingzhou Prefecture to create evil, rob our blood offerings, harm our Left Protector, and cause chaos in several villages. There are bandits everywhere..."

"What?"

The Red Lantern Goddess was furious when she heard this, "He's gone too far!"

The Right Protector said, "Not only that, but that person is destroying Mingzhou's feng shui under that esteemed figure's nose; this is embarrassing that esteemed figure!"

"Outrageous!"

The Red Lantern Goddess's anger grew even more, "No matter who he is, gather the troops and eliminate them, show that esteemed figure!"

"Alright!"

Erguotou immediately went out and loudly ordered, "All incense burners take the red lanterns to deliver the decree. All villages, as well as fellow martial artists, follow the Goddess to eliminate the evil..."

In an instant, the sound of horses' hooves rang out, and one red lantern after another flew out of Zhumen Town, like red dragons in the deep night.

In just one night, seventeen villages under the Red Lantern Society, as well as countless martial arts figures who were friendly with the Red Lantern Society and followed the Red Lantern Goddess's lead, were all ordered to move out, rushing out in a mighty force to capture the person who created the evil.

...

...

At the same time, a woman holding a child was slowly walking along a mountain path.

The night was deep, and there was no one around, but she didn't care at all. Wherever she passed, evil spirits retreated, and even the gloomy forests on both sides of the road quietly withdrew their ferocious claws.

But just then, someone suddenly jumped out from the side of the road, limping on one leg. Judging from the voice, it was a childish girl's voice, shouting, "This mountain is mine, this tree is planted by me..."

"If you want to pass, leave the toll!"

(End of this chapter)