Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 223 Merit and Benefits, Organization Origins

"Without a doubt, gentlemen, our goal is the entire Nine Provinces and Four Seas!"

Aizen gently waved his folding fan, his tone calm, but the confidence in his words was obvious to everyone, as if the entire land of Kyushu and the four seas were already under his control.

"Therefore, you are all fortunate to have joined the organization now. In the future, when we achieve this goal, you will all be people who have made great contributions!"

Of course, while this goal is ambitious, one cannot live with only one goal in mind. Life is not just about distant dreams, but also about the present hardships. The organization will ensure that everyone has no worries and that you can clearly see your path forward!

Gentlemen, why don't you take out your Heavenly Secrets Tablets and take another look?

Everyone took out their Heavenly Secrets Tablets and discovered that, in addition to the existing 'Forum' and 'Chat' icons, two more icons had been added.

These are the mission and Wanbao.

"From now on, everyone who completes any task will receive 'merit points' from the organization, and all merit points can be exchanged for items at 'Wanbao'!"
Of course, the organization has not forgotten the tasks completed by all members during this period; these tasks have now been converted into merit points and stored in each individual's account, which you can check yourself.

Aizen then picked up his teacup, sipped his tea, and let everyone examine the Heavenly Secrets Tablet.

A moment later, everyone's face lit up with joy.

Clearly, they were very satisfied with the results of their inspection.

In this task, everyone must complete a monthly task each month.

Furthermore, each person's task objectives are different, so the rewards will naturally be different as well.

The organization will occasionally release other tasks for members to choose from, and each task naturally has different requirements.

In addition, members can also create their own tasks and submit them to the organization. If permitted, they can also receive rewards upon completion of the task.

Just like before, Yin Susu devised a plan to make the Ming Cult submit.

There's a hidden perk here: if a self-created task is approved but has flaws in its plan, the organization will help fix and complete it.

All the merits earned from missions can be used for purchases in the 'Treasure Trove'.

In Wanbao, merit points can be exchanged for gold, with the standard being one tael of gold for every one merit point.

But I doubt anyone would be that foolish.

Merit points can be exchanged for various rare treasures, divine weapons, elixirs, martial arts manuals, and even guidance in cultivation.

This system also includes a monthly salary system, which is paid according to rank.

Even peripheral members can earn some merit points every month, which can be exchanged for one or two taels of gold, enough for a family to live a wealthy life.

There are also welfare benefits; employees receive an end-of-year bonus after a full year of service, and small gifts are given during holidays.

Membership in the organization can be passed down to the next generation, and all achievements are preserved.

The palace suddenly erupted in commotion.

Over the past six months, many of them have done a lot of things under the organization's orders, but generally they have not received any rewards afterward, which is equivalent to working for free.

Now that this system has been implemented, everyone's hard work has been rewarded.

Some people drooled over the martial arts skills they longed for, which were among the exchange options available on Wanbao.

Some people are already thinking about how to redeem the merits they have.

Some people with ulterior motives checked all the exchange items to see if any of the "Yellow Millet Pills" existed.

As a result, of course, there wasn't one!
The elixir of immortality that can reverse aging is the very reason why Zhou Ming keeps those princes and nobles from various countries sending infiltrators to serve the organization.

If it can be directly exchanged, wouldn't it be soon that someone will be able to obtain the Yellow Millet Pill and give it to the forces behind it in an attempt to study it?

That won't work!

These undercover agents are all extremely capable and outstanding individuals who can contribute to the organization's development.

Most importantly, it doesn't require any organizational effort to train them!

It's incredibly profitable with absolutely no investment!
Of the hundreds of official members gathered here, after excluding nearly a third of those disguised by Ai using projection, at least fifty of the remaining two hundred-plus people are spies from various factions.

It's easy to imagine how much effort these undercover agents put into the organization!
They are all people who have made great contributions!

"Everyone!"

Aizen spoke up: "Are you satisfied?"

The first person to sit down and taste the delicious food immediately stood up and shouted, "This subordinate is willing to dedicate everything to the organization!"

Aizen laughed and said, "No, the organization doesn't need your dedication, and you shouldn't dedicate everything to the organization. What you should dedicate is your own future!"

What the organization needs is just two words... loyalty!

"Loyalty!" the man immediately raised his hand in response.

"Loyalty!" One figure after another stood up and shouted.

In just a short while, voices echoed throughout the palace.

"loyalty!"

"loyalty!"

"loyalty!"

"Very well!" Aizen nodded. "With our combined efforts, great things are within reach!"

"I am truly ashamed that your enthusiasm has been met with nothing but illusions. How about this: each member present may have the opportunity to ask a question. This will serve as compensation."

If I know the answer, I will certainly tell you all.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

Everyone present was a martial artist, practicing martial arts, so naturally there would be things they couldn't understand.

At times like these, it would be best if someone could offer guidance, but if not, at best, one's strength growth would stagnate, and at worst, one would suffer from qi deviation.

However, the so-called explanations are not free.

Why should someone teach you out of the blue?

Among the myriad treasures within the Heavenly Secret Card, even a single guidance at the Innate level requires one hundred merit points!

But now, Aizen has given me a chance to offer some guidance.

The strength of gin is unfathomable.

Jian Yue had just displayed a glimpse of his power, and it was terrifying. The others couldn't discern his exact level of strength, but they estimated it to be at the Grandmaster level.

Aizen, though seemingly unassuming, had just acted in a way that suggested he was above Kinshu and Kengaku.

He is probably a Grandmaster-level expert as well.

Now, this grandmaster needs to offer guidance to each member present.

Opportunity!

This is absolutely a great opportunity!

moment.

The same member stood up and said, "This junior would like to ask, when I circulate my internal energy, I always experience slight pain when my Qi flows through the Yongquan acupoint. I don't know why."

Without a second thought, Aizen said directly, "This is due to the difference between your cultivation method and your individual body. In the future, when you circulate your energy to the Yongquan acupoint, just slow down by three-tenths and there will be no problem."

Once someone takes the lead, others immediately follow.

The first few people asked about martial arts, but the ninth one asked about something else.

"May I ask, sir, my father was taken away by the two envoys who reward good and punish evil thirteen years ago. I wonder what his current situation is, whether he is alive or dead?"

"Naturally, life is possible. Xia Ke Island is neither a dangerous place nor a place of death."

"Then why doesn't my father return?"

"It's simply because he doesn't want to come back. On that Xia Ke Island, there are countless martial arts manuals left behind by a senior master. Your father is obsessed with martial arts and studies them diligently, to the point of forgetting himself, so he doesn't want to return."

"So that's how it is, so that's how it is..." the man murmured to himself, then sat down.

His question made everyone realize that Aizen's statement about being completely open to answering questions was absolutely true.

Aside from offering martial arts guidance, he even casually revealed some intelligence.

Others followed suit.

Even so, no one would be foolish enough to directly inquire about the organization's inner workings or extremely sensitive questions such as the composition of Huang Liangdan.

Most people are asking about their own spiritual cultivation.

People have discovered that this kind of questioning has another huge advantage: it allows them to directly hear other people's answers to the question.

If their doubts are the same as yours, then you can simply get it for free.

Before I knew it, I had asked everyone in the hundreds.

Several days have passed.

"Oops!"

Suddenly, someone slapped their forehead and said, "I didn't give any instructions to my men before I came here. This delay of a few days is likely to cause problems!"

Aizen heard his voice and laughed, "Don't worry, you are all under a genjutsu, so your perception of time is different from normal."

Gin!

"it is good."

Jin Jiu responded and then snapped his fingers. The magnificent palaces around them vanished instantly with a golden light, and everyone returned to the training ground.

The sun was shining brightly.

Looking at the sun through the window, it was not much different from before.

"This... We were in an illusion, and it felt like several days had passed. Could it be that only a short while had passed in reality?"

"Looking at the sun... it certainly seems so!"

Everyone was extremely surprised.

"Everyone!"

Aizen added, "Although the time was short, this gathering is indeed over."

He then pointed, and a large gate rippling with golden waves reappeared.

For a moment, everyone was distracted, and when they looked again, they could no longer find any trace of them.

This gathering truly felt like a dream.

A portal that allows one to travel a thousand miles in a single step.

It's an illusion that seems completely real and can even confuse the sense of time.

But in any case, now is the time to end it.

One by one, everyone walked through the portal of light.

Even though it's the same time, they're divided into different places, all over the country.

Extremely mysterious.

Those in power immediately summoned their subordinates to inquire about the time, only to discover that a short period of time had indeed passed.

If you think about it, it seems that all of this past time was concentrated at the beginning, before the illusion of that gin was cast.

This also demonstrates the impact on their perception of time.

Unnamed island.

Aizen, Kengoku, Kinshu, Mokudojin, and Agui stood at the very top of the island, looking down.

"This island is quite well-constructed," Aizen said with a smile.

Gin said, "The entire island was built according to the design drawings drawn by Sherry, so it's naturally excellent."

"I see."

Aizen nodded.

He then turned to look at Mu Daoren and A Gui: "You two are both Grandmasters, and you have made great achievements in the past six months. Therefore, you should be promoted to organizational cadres here."

Within my organization, identity and rank are determined by a Heavenly Secret Talisman. Peripheral members have no talisman, prospective members have a wooden talisman, and formal members have a silver talisman. As for officers… we will tailor-make a Heavenly Secret Talisman for each of you, and you can choose the style yourself.

This is done to conceal your identities and prevent outsiders from verifying your status as members of the organization through the Heavenly Secret Card.

Unfortunately, these custom-made divination tokens were extremely difficult to manufacture, thus preventing their widespread adoption.

The two nodded to indicate that they understood.

Since the purpose is to conceal it, the more hidden the design of this custom-made Heavenly Secret Card, the better.

At the same time, the use of the Heavenly Secret Card requires the infusion of true energy, so this aspect also needs to be convenient.

Both of them chose a ring.

"The Heavenly Secret Token should be delivered to you in about a month."

Aizen said, "As executives, your official authority has not actually increased much, but your authority within the organization will naturally increase significantly."

All benefits and perks will be provided.

Most importantly, becoming a cadre means becoming one of our own. Therefore, you are entitled to know more about the organization's secrets.

Aizen looked up at the sky and said, "I have said before that the origin of the organization can be traced back to the ancient era of gods and demons. This is not an exaggeration. In ancient times, the Yanhuang Alliance fought against a great enemy. I believe you all know this."

Master Mu asked in surprise, "Of course you mean the Jiuli tribe led by Chiyou?"

"Indeed, we are descendants of Chi You, the Jiuli tribe. However, that was thousands of years ago, and the grudges of that time would not have continued to this day."

Over the past few thousand years, the ethnic group has undergone many changes. Those who have seized power are the "Four Emperors," a group of stubborn conservatives, who are our opponents.

We, as the new generation within our group, are led by seven people and are known as the 'Seven Sages,' one of whom is me.

The seven of us have broken free from their constraints and created an organization.

The organization's authority can be broadly divided into intelligence, research, logistics, and you, who are recruited from outside.

There is no hierarchy among the departments; it is only based on rank. As cadres, your rank within the organization is only lower than mine and the other six. Therefore, you two have nothing to fear from anyone, not even those from other tribes.

"My subordinate understands."

The two men clasped their hands in a fist salute.

Master Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

He was genuinely afraid that the organization was hierarchical, and even though he was a Grandmaster, he would still have to bow respectfully to others in the organization, especially those from other ethnic groups.

That's so frustrating.

He only relaxed now that everything was explained clearly.

It turns out that my position in the organization can be considered second-tier.

As for Aizen, who was a level above him, he naturally took it in stride.

I don't feel that being subordinate to the other party is a grievance.

After all, the other party came from a mysterious clan and was the highest-ranking person in the clan, as well as one of the founders of the organization.

Most importantly, he still remembered the show of force Jian Yue had given him.

A powerful expert at the second level of the Grandmaster realm actually followed the other party obediently, without saying a word from beginning to end, as if he were just a follower.

Thus, how could someone who had only broken through to the Grandmaster level less than a year ago have the confidence to act so arrogantly?

(End of this chapter)