Chapter Five Hundred Thirty-Eight: One Trick to Rule the World
At the office door, Cheng Da Yong instantly put on a flattering expression and whispered:
“Little Zhang, I told you there was more to your early morning arrival with the boss than just coincidence.”
“Well, we should keep some things under the table; it wouldn’t be good to air them out.”
“If you outright say you know the boss, and if you get hired, the other interviewees will scream foul play.”
Ancestral Cang: “?”
Why should I care what they say?
Does it even matter if it’s underhanded or not?
Ancestral Cang couldn’t comprehend the logic of these ants. Is this even worth worrying about?
“But no worries,” Cheng Da Yong suddenly reassured him, patting his shoulder. “This is my forte!”
“Don’t stress; you’ll definitely get accepted this time. Just leave it to me.”
Ancestral Cang looked utterly confused. He didn’t even understand why Cheng Da Yong called him in, then he was shoved back into the office.
“Oops, misunderstanding! Little Zhang is just an admirer of Sect Leader Sang, not involved in any nepotism.”
Cheng Da Yong settled down with airs of importance and continued seriously, “Let’s get back to the interview.”
“Next question: What do you all think the mission of our Punishment Department is?”
The interviewees spoke one by one, with most responses being some variation of “rehabilitating criminals” or “offering second chances through hard work,” blah blah blah, all cliché bureaucratic fluff.
Cheng Da Yong nodded at each one, analyzing them.
Finally, it was Ancestral Cang’s turn.
“Little Zhang, your thoughts?”
Ancestral Cang considered for a moment and replied, “I think the only purpose of a place like the Punishment Department is one thing.”
“To torment and abuse prisoners and enjoy their expressions of suffering and despair.”
Others: “?”
Cheng Da Yong: “?”
The room fell silent, thick with tension.
Ancestral Cang glanced around, puzzled. Wasn’t that a good answer?
In his realm, stronger beings oppressing weaker ones was a given, and no one felt angry or resentful about it.
Prisons there weren’t for rehabilitating prisoners; they were just entertainment facilities for the strong to indulge themselves.
So, aren’t prisons meant for tormenting prisoners? Why else lock them up instead of just killing them?
Ancestral Cang thought he answered perfectly.
The other interviewees seemed to think this person might have had too many drinks and lost his mind.
Saying such things in an interview with those demonic values? How could this guy possibly get hired?
Before the interviewees could react further, Cheng Da Yong suddenly slammed his hand on the table.
“Excellent!”
“That’s the spirit!”
Others: “…Huh?”
“Let me ask you all, what position are you applying for?” Cheng Da Yong said, looking serious and stern. “It’s the interrogator for the Punishment Department!”
“If you all come off as kind-hearted, who would the vicious criminals fear? Who would ever respect you?”
“As employees of the Punishment Department, you need to realize! You are likely facing some of the worst scum in the cultivation world! To be a good interrogator, you need to overpower the prisoners.”
“I won’t hide it; many newbies who just joined the Punishment Department were so terrified upon meeting those ruthless criminals that their legs went weak, nearly wetting themselves.”
“Tell me!” Cheng Da Yong banged the table. “Can someone like that do a good job interrogating criminals?”
Suddenly, every interviewee fell silent.
Clearly, they were all pondering Cheng Da Yong’s brilliant speech.
They also reflected on whether they would be scared enough to wet themselves if they got into the Punishment Department.
“You wouldn’t believe it,” Cheng Da Yong noted nostalgically. “Back then, Sect Leader Sang was just a small employee of the Punishment Department.”
“But because of his incredible methods and bizarre torture techniques, people would pale when just hearing the names of some of his punishments.”
“Back in the day, all the fairies who fell into his hands were virtually living nightmares, screaming in anguish for days! The Punishment Department’s reputation soared as a result.”
“If you want to join the Punishment Department, you need to show the same ruthlessness and brutality as Sect Leader Sang! Otherwise, you won’t be fit for the job.”
“You all ought to learn from Little Zhang here!”
His impassioned speech fired up the interviewees, igniting a fierce enthusiasm in the air.
…Including Ancestral Cang.
Who would have thought this lowly ant from the lower realms had some insight? Such a profound understanding of torment and suffering! Maybe I should start respecting him.
But who knew that Sang Zhe was such a heavy-hitter too?
What a shame. If he weren’t my rival, I wouldn’t mind befriending him to discuss how to push those fairies to the ultimate torment.
…
Meanwhile, in Li Shanyan’s office.
“Is Old Li in? Senior Sister Shi and I brought over some materials from the Heavenly Punishment Department.”
After knocking, Yan Rouwan and Shi Qingyan entered, each carrying a stack of documents, and found Li Shanyan deep in thought, staring at a monitor.
“Ah, Miss Yan, Miss Shi, you two came at the right time.”
Li Shanyan asked curiously, “You’ve been with Young Master Sang for a while now; was he really such a ruthless and violent person? Did he enjoy torturing others, especially fairies?”
Yan Rouwan: “…Huh? Did he?”
Li Shanyan sighed, “Miss Yan, weren’t you also captured by him? How could you not know?”
Yan Rouwan recalled how Sang Zhe had used two cats to trick her back to the Demon Cult and couldn’t help but feel a mix of anger and amusement.
Shi Qingyan also fell silent for a long time before finally saying, “His methods… are quite unique.”
Li Shanyan cautiously probed, “Miss Shi… were you tortured too?”
“…Does it count if it’s in bed?” Shi Qingyan shot back.
Li Shanyan: “?”
Yan Rouwan: “?”
“But seriously, how did Young Master Sang manage to make you all so submissive and willing to follow him?”
Li Shanyan couldn’t comprehend. “Isn’t it said in the Punishment Department that when he was just a lowly employee, he used all sorts of inhumane torture to make fairies fall into despair?”
Shi Qingyan casually replied, “Who spread those rumors? There’s not that much nonsense; he just had one trick that worked wonders.”
“What trick?”
“Seduction, of course.”
Li Shanyan: “?”
Yan Rouwan: “…”
