Is It Wrong to Bully the Novice Village for System Rewards?

Chapter 186: Pulling Off a Big One

“Haha! Excellent!”

Lord Ginseng stroked his beard with immense satisfaction. Suddenly, a thought seemed to strike him, and he leaned forward excitedly.

“Since the Spirit Grass Gang is officially established, we can no longer act like a disorderly mob. We need rules. Military Advisor, I entrust the drafting of the gang’s code of conduct to you.”

He paused, adopting a solemn expression. “Furthermore, our struggle against humanity will be a long and arduous war. The previous slogan—Spirit Grass Lives Matter—lacks a certain… dominance. Military Advisor, please devise a more awe-inspiring battle cry for our movement.”

A more awe-inspiring slogan?

Qi Yuan pondered for a brief moment before straightening his posture. With a face full of revolutionary zeal, he declared:

“How about this: Overthrow Human Tyranny! Spirit Grass Shall Never Be Slaves!”

“Overthrow Human Tyranny? Spirit Grass Shall Never Be Slaves?”

Lord Ginseng’s eyes lit up like lanterns. He immediately gave Qi Yuan a thumbs-up. “Brilliant! Simply brilliant! As expected of our Military Advisor. Your quick wit is unmatched! To come up with such a blood-boiling slogan in an instant!”

Turning to the group of Spirit Grass dolls, his voice trembled with passion:

“Children! Your Gang Leader officially announces that from this day forth, the battle cry of the Spirit Grass Gang shall be: Overthrow Human Tyranny! Spirit Grass Shall Never Be Slaves!”

The dolls erupted into a frenzy, dancing and waving their little leafy arms as they chanted in unison:

“Overthrow Human Tyranny! Spirit Grass Shall Never Be Slaves!” “Overthrow Human Tyranny! Spirit Grass Shall Never Be Slaves!”

Watching the vegetable kindergarten transform into a fanatical MLM rally, Qi Yuan felt a slight blush creep up his neck.

Am I taking this con too far?

At this rate, I’m going to go down in history as the greatest traitor the human race has ever known…

Just as the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, Lord Ginseng coughed twice, signaling for silence. He adopted a posture of grave authority.

“Children! To celebrate the founding of our gang, this Leader has decided to strike while the iron is hot. We shall show those alchemists at the Pill Saint Sect exactly how terrifying the Spirit Grass Gang can be!”

He turned his gaze to Qi Yuan, his expression benign yet probing.

“Deputy Gang Leader, I plan to infiltrate the Pill Saint Sect’s treasury in the near future and empty it completely. What is your opinion on this operation?”

Are you insulting my intelligence?

This test is too obvious. You’re not even trying to act. What undercover agent falls for such a clumsy bait?

Qi Yuan felt a surge of internal disdain, but on the surface, he feigned shock and concern. He spoke with the earnestness of a loyal advisor terrified for his leader’s safety.

“Gang Leader, I must advise caution! The Pill Saint Sect is no small-time faction. It is heavily guarded, layered with restrictions, and rumored to be protected by a Dao Integration stage expert. To barge in blindly… isn’t that too risky?”

His tone was sincere, his words heartfelt. Every syllable dripped with concern for the gang’s welfare.

Lord Ginseng nodded slightly, clearly pleased with Qi Yuan’s “loyalty.” He smiled, waving a dismissive hand.

“Military Advisor, you may not know this, but the defensive formations of human sects are practically non-existent to us Spirit Grass. We are born of the earth; we come and go as we please.”

A smug grin spread across the old ginseng’s face.

“To tell you the truth, just over a month ago, I took Xing-boy on a little excursion. We pulled off a major heist! Not only did we rescue four Spirit Grass dolls imprisoned in their herb garden, but we also liberated a massive amount of Spirit Stones from their treasury.”

“And the best part? I found the private refining chamber of their head alchemist and swept away every single pill he had made! I even left a message on that great demon’s furnace to let him know who did it! Hahahaha… it was incredibly satisfying!”

So the misspelled graffiti was this old geezer’s handiwork…

Qi Yuan had an epiphany. He silently roasted the old root in his heart.

This old ginseng acts like an illiterate nouveau riche landlord pretending to be an intellectual. With his half-baked culture, no wonder he turned a perfectly good Phantom Star Herb into a delinquent brat.

Recovering from the revelation, Qi Yuan looked at the four rescued dolls and asked hesitantly, “Gang Leader, how did you handle the stolen… ah, I mean, the liberated Spirit Stones and Pills?”

Lord Ginseng puffed out his chest, his eyebrows dancing with pride.

“The children are at a growing age; they need Spirit Stones to replenish their spiritual power. Aside from paying the rent for this hideout, they’ve eaten all of them.”

“As for those Pills… they are made from the corpses of our kin. Keeping them is useless and morbid. So, I buried all those bottles and jars deep within the earth veins, allowing our fallen comrades to rest in peace.”

What a waste!

Qi Yuan’s eyelids twitched violently. He had a sudden urge to drag this old vegetable outside and execute him by firing squad for five minutes straight.

Those were pills refined personally by the Pill Saint, Zu Chengzhi! A single one could buy this entire brothel, and you buried them?!

And you buried them in the earth veins? Once the chaotic Earth Mother Essence seeps in, those pills are garbage!

Qi Yuan forcefully suppressed his homicidal urge and put on a serious face.

“Gang Leader, that method of disposal is actually highly unreasonable. Please, never do that again.”

“Unreasonable?” Lord Ginseng’s face darkened. “What do you mean? Are you speaking up for those alchemists?”

“Gang Leader, you misunderstand.” Qi Yuan shook his head calmly. “As long as the alchemists’ attitude toward us remains unchanged, destroying the pills is meaningless. In fact, it will only lead to the sacrifice of more Spirit Grass.”

Lord Ginseng looked confused. “Explain.”

Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes, slipping into his role as the master strategist.

“Think about it. Supply and demand. When you steal the pills, the alchemists will be angry, yes. But what will they do next? They will immediately refine more pills to replenish their stock. Doesn’t that mean a fresh batch of innocent Spirit Grass will be harvested and killed?”

“Furthermore, if we empty the Pill Saint Sect’s treasury, they will suffer a financial loss. To recoup that loss, they will refine even more pills to sell on the market.”

“This creates a vicious cycle. The more you take, the more the alchemists will intensify their consumption of Spirit Grass. If this continues, aren’t we working against the very philosophy of the Spirit Grass Gang?”

“Uh… that…”

Lord Ginseng felt his brain short-circuiting. The logic was undeniable. He looked blankly at Qi Yuan. “But… then what should we do?”

I was waiting for you to ask that!

Qi Yuan smiled, radiating confidence.

“There is a way. Gang Leader, you possess the heaven-defying ability to ignore formations and restrictions. Using such a talent on a mere Pill Saint Sect is a waste!”

“If we want the world to know the Spirit Grass Gang’s philosophy, we need to commit a crime that shakes the heavens! We need to cause a sensation that rocks the entire cultivation world!”

“In terms of status and influence, the Seven Great Sanctuaries far surpass the Pill Saint Sect. I believe the Seven Great Sanctuaries are the only targets worthy of our debut!”

“The Seven Great Sanctuaries?” Lord Ginseng’s breathing quickened.

Qi Yuan patted his chest solemnly and raised his voice.

“I have achieved no merit, yet you appointed me as Military Advisor. I am overwhelmed by your trust. Since I have joined the gang, I must offer a toumingzhuang—a pledge of absolute loyalty.”

“I happen to be a disciple of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary. I know the layout like the back of my hand. Why don’t we coordinate from the inside and outside? We go to the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary and pull off the biggest heist in history! One battle to establish our fame and terrorize the world!”

Hearing this, Lord Ginseng was visibly moved. He patted Qi Yuan’s shoulder, his eyes shimmering with emotion.

“Military Advisor, this plan is magnificent! I did not misjudge you. To forsake the darkness for the light, to turn against your own sect for the sake of righteousness… you are truly the pillar of the Spirit Grass Gang!”

Qi Yuan smiled humbly.

“You flatter me, Gang Leader.”

Besides, this dim-witted old ginseng is going to get caught sooner or later. Rather than letting the Alchemist Association benefit from his capture, I might as well deliver a ‘care package’ to my own sect…

Qi Yuan calculated silently.