Lu Jun had no idea about the immense reaction he had caused. Before even entering the academy, he had already garnered the fear and apprehension of all the students at Pearl University.
Even if he knew, he wouldn't care. On the contrary, he wished for this to happen. By baring his fangs and building a reputation as a madman, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. In this world, the kind-hearted are bullied, while those with a fierce personality receive better treatment.
When Lu Mei and Night Hawk arrived at the abandoned factory, they gasped at the sight of corpses lying around, their eyes wide open in death.
As they walked inside, they saw a young man sitting in the darkness with one leg crossed, a black Cursed Pool next to him. His left foot was stepping on the head of Yu Ang, which was soaked in the pool.
Upon seeing her younger brother, Lu Mei immediately stepped forward, giving him a gentle hug as she softly asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm... fine." Lu Jun awkwardly broke free from his sister's embrace and turned to the winged man behind her, saying, "You must be Night Hawk. I've heard the Inquisitor Tang mention you."
Night Hawk nodded, forcing a stiff smile. "The famed protector of Bo City, Lu Jun. It's an honor."
Thanks to the battle at Bo City, which resulted in minimal losses, Lu Jun had become a centerpiece of the government's propaganda.
"Just a meaningless title." Lu Jun smiled politely. As he stood up, he kicked the lifeless Yu Ang aside like a stray dog.
"I've already extracted the intel from his head. There's a Blue-Clothed Deacon in the Magic City. The address is... If you don't believe me, you can have a mind mage verify it."
Night Hawk immediately grew serious upon hearing this. He quickly made a phone call, summoning the Inquisition to dispatch and act on the lead.
Noticing Lu Jun's surprised expression, Night Hawk smiled and said, "Of course, I trust a city protector like you. Besides, with such a commotion, tonight's events can barely be covered up. If we don't act now, by morning, the Blue-Clothed Deacon will already be gone."
Lu Jun nodded, feeling a peculiar sense of satisfaction, as if he were in a game. After defending Bo City, he gained a badge titled [Sword Immortal of Bo City], which sparkled gold when displayed. It granted +10 reputation and a 50% persuasion bonus when dealing with government mages.
Shortly after, inquisitors began arriving to interrogate Yu Ang. Once the information was confirmed, teams of enforcers were sent out to eradicate the hidden rats of the Black Vatican.
Even Night Hawk hurried off, claiming they had tracked down the Blue-Clothed Deacon's whereabouts.
The operation lasted from midnight until dawn.
Lu Jun and his sister remained in the abandoned factory until Tang Yue arrived in a hurry. She scolded him, "Why act so recklessly? Couldn't you wait for backup?"
It had only been a few days since they last met, but seeing Tang Yue's beautiful yet weary face touched Lu Jun's heart. He waved it off and said, "Thanks. The Black Vatican must be eradicated harshly; otherwise, they'll keep haunting us."
"Tsk, you'll burn through all your lives at this rate." Tang Yue reached out and playfully ruffled Lu Jun's hair. Her enchanting eyes turned to Lu Mei, saying, "With a brother like him, you must be constantly on edge."
Lu Mei gave a helpless but doting smile. "He's always been headstrong since he was little. What can I do?"
Lu Jun, though enjoying the attention from his two elder sisters, felt something was off. How had they become so chummy in such a short time? They acted like old friends.
Lu Mei soon turned to Tang Yue, holding her hand with a raised brow. "This is Sister Tang Yue. From now on, she's your god-sister, so show some respect."
Tang Yue chuckled like a mischievous fox, pressing down on Lu Jun's head and messing up his hair. She scolded, "Did you hear that? From now on, I'm your sister, and you better respect me."
Lu Jun caught the underlying message—she didn't want him spilling anything about the Xishui Town incident. It was an outright threat.
He pursed his lips, wondering what kind of charm she had cast on his sister.
As dawn broke, a weary Night Hawk returned, smiling at Lu Jun. "Well done. We captured a Blue-Clothed Deacon. Following this lead, we might even uncover Salan."
Lu Jun listened indifferently. Catching a Red Cardinal wasn't that easy. In the original timeline, countless Blue-Clothed Deacons were apprehended, yet Salan remained elusive. Still, dealing with this deacon a year and a half earlier would prevent many unnecessary sacrifices.
Night Hawk sincerely expressed his gratitude. "We truly owe you. The government will reward you. Did you know a Blue-Clothed Deacon's bounty is 120 million yuan? A Gray-Clothed Priest's is 20 million. You'll receive at least 20 million for the former and an additional 20 million for the latter, making it 40 million total."
Hearing the substantial reward, Lu Jun's eyes lit up. The original novel set the same prices, though most people still considered them too low given the immense risks of fighting the Black Vatican.
Seeing Lu Jun's greed, Tang Yue nudged him with a huff. "Don't get blinded by money. You're risking your life out there. Stay in university, study, and cultivate. Stop meddling in these matters."
Perhaps the collaboration in Xishui Town had brought them closer, but Tang Yue now treated Lu Jun like a younger brother—not romantically, but as family.
He nodded dismissively. "Got it."
Lu Mei, noticing Lu Jun's conflicted expression, covered her mouth and laughed softly. "This is good. Now someone can keep you in check. You're becoming harder for me to manage as you grow older."
Lu Jun hurriedly grabbed his sister's delicate hand, reassuring her, "Don't worry. I'll be more careful next time."
Feeling his warmth, Lu Mei blushed but said nothing more.
Unbeknownst to Lu Jun, the nearby inquisitors watched with envy. Who wouldn't want two beautiful sisters to comfort them after a deadly encounter? To them, Lu Jun was a winner in life.
Meanwhile, Night Hawk remained indifferent, seemingly unaffected by the situation.
Lu Jun suddenly asked, "Have you extracted all of Yu Ang's information?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Nothing."
Lu Jun walked up to Yu Ang, who was already foaming at the mouth and dazed, and coldly said, "Cut the weeds and dig up the roots."
Squelch!
With that, a black-gold flying sword shot out from his hand, piercing through Yu Ang's skull, splattering red and white matter everywhere.
The others turned to look, chills running down their spines. The boy, who moments ago was an obedient little brother, now appeared ruthless and decisive. Then again, anyone daring to oppose the Black Vatican had to be a hardened soul.
In the original timeline, Yu Ang had escaped death, later causing trouble by using Mo Fan's family as leverage. Lu Jun was determined to avoid that mistake. To him, only a dead member of the Black Vatican was a good one. Now, Xu Zhaoting might have a brighter future.
With that, the incident came to an end. Lu Jun packed up the Cursed Pool, and neither the Inquisition nor the government said anything against it. Even the higher-ups came to express their condolences. After all, a hero who fought against the Black Vatican deserved recognition, especially after surviving an assassination attempt.
[For additional chapters....
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