Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

Then she suddenly realized something—

This was the first time she had looked at Mr. Mambo face to face.

He has always been the one who occupies her body, sees the world through her eyes, and speaks through her mouth. Their communication is always one where she is curled up in the depths of her consciousness, while he manipulates everything on the front stage.

She had never stood before him like this before, not even as a consciousness, not even as a vague outline.

She suddenly didn't know what to say.

Cheng Cheng was also "watching" her.

What he saw was the phantom of a white-haired girl, slender and thin, with lingering fear in her pale red eyes as she returned from the abyss, and her lips slightly parted as if she were panting.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Then Cheng Cheng looked away, realizing the same thing.

So this is what Sylvia looks like.

The girl he had forced to do three hundred jumping jacks, crying and shouting "Kill me, Gu!"; the girl who screamed in his mind when he betrayed Cicero; the girl he had treated as an NPC, as a tool—only when she stood before him did he suddenly realize who she was—

The body she has always controlled belongs to a living, breathing, beautiful young woman with her own thoughts, who can feel wronged, angry, and coquettish.

Why didn't we notice it before?

I'm also feeling quite repressed, so why haven't I thought about taking a shower or going to the toilet after controlling Sylvia for so long?

Oh right, pretty girls don't go to the toilet.

That's fine.

The two were filled with mixed feelings, and just then, an invisible force began to pull them apart.

The time for the ceremony has arrived.

…………

Cheng Cheng's consciousness was abruptly pulled back to his body. He staggered a step and had to grab onto a nearby stone pillar to steady himself.

Sylvia returned to that familiar place—the depths of this body's consciousness.

Business as usual.

But everything seems a little different now.

“Congratulations.” Bazar’s voice came from the side, bowing respectfully. “You now possess the aura of a demon god. From this day forward, any member of the cult who sees you will know that you are ‘one of us’.”

"Alright." Cheng Cheng clapped his hands. "Does the sect have any other plans? If not, I'm going to run some dungeons."

“You are not the only one scheduled to receive the ceremony today,” the puppet elder raised his head. “Tonight is the day for believers to be interviewed. The sect has sent out invitations to many people to come and be tested. According to custom, I am responsible for receiving and presiding over the ceremony. If they pass, they will be taken into the temple for the ceremony.”

"interview?"

Cheng Cheng stroked his chin, and a new idea popped into his mind:

"Okay. Then I'll conduct the interviews myself tonight."

…………

Luke Valentine was still feeling uneasy as he pushed open the door to 13 Mink Street.

Behind the door was an ordinary living room with a fire burning in the fireplace, a gray blanket draped over a rocking chair, and the air filled with the scent of lavender and old books. It didn't look like a cult stronghold, but rather like the home of an elderly person living alone.

But he did not let his guard down.

His three years as a homeless man taught him one thing: the more normal a place seems, the more abnormal it often is.

Until an old man without arms walked over, glanced at him expressionlessly, said nothing, and simply gave a look into the depths of the house.

Luke followed his gaze and saw a half-open door, behind which were stone steps leading to the underground.

He took a deep breath and went downstairs.

The stone steps were long, and the further down he went, the colder, heavier, and more oppressive the air became, until he heard hushed, excited voices.

He walked to the end of the stone steps, and before him suddenly appeared an ancient and enormous underground palace.

The dome plunged into darkness, the floor was paved with a single slab of lapis lazuli, engraved with glowing runes, and a slowly rotating magic circle stood in the center of the hall. But at this moment, everyone's gaze was focused on the very front—

There stood a huge bronze throne, upon which sat a beautiful young woman.

Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded down, resembling a handful of melting moonlight in the dim light. Her face was so exquisitely beautiful that it was almost unreal. Her pale red eyes calmly swept over everyone present, yet beneath that serene gaze, it seemed as if a lion was lurking.

She wore a simple white dress, which made her appear petite compared to the enormous bronze throne, yet she exuded nobility, elegance, and majesty.

Luke was stunned by the girl's beauty, his breath caught in his throat for a moment, and then he immediately looked away and glanced to the side.

To the left of the throne, the one-armed old man who had guided him stood quietly, like the most loyal servant; to the right of the throne stood a man in a black suit, with an ordinary face and unremarkable demeanor, but standing there, he was like a knife hidden in its sheath.

Luke, a veteran of the battlefield, sensed danger the moment he saw the man, as if facing a Gold-ranked general on a battlefield deep in the abyss.

He took a deep breath and his gaze swept across the hall.

There are already dozens of people standing here.

They gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones, occasionally glancing at the girl on the throne with different expressions in their eyes—some with fear, some with curiosity, and some with blatant scrutiny.

Luke recognized several of them.

The bald, burly man closest to the magic circle had a scar on his face that ran diagonally from his brow bone to his chin. He leaned against a stone pillar, arms crossed, chin slightly raised, and looked down at the others with a condescending gaze.

"Iron Spine" Raymond.

It is said that he slaughtered an entire family overnight, even breaking the yolks of eggs, and then vanished in full view of everyone. The kingdom has offered a reward of 20 credits for his capture!

Standing next to him was a thin, middle-aged man, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, with his hair neatly combed and even holding a walking stick.

Theodore, the "Viper".

A lawyer with a small reputation in Silvershine City, he actually specializes in handling dirty work for gangsters—faking evidence, bribing witnesses, and occasionally getting involved in trouble-solving himself.

It is said that in 30% of the cases he handled, the witnesses would "accidentally" die before the trial. In the end, the matter was exposed, but he escaped unscathed before being arrested by the police, and the Kingdom put a reward of 240,000 credits on his head!

A small figure crouched in the corner, wearing a tattered cloak. His face was obscured, but his narrow eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness.

"Night Owl".

One of the most mysterious assassins in the underworld, no one knows what he looks like or his name. All that is known is that he has killed at least twenty people, including a viscount. Bounty: 30 credits!

Besides these three, a number of notable villains also arrived. Each of them was on the kingdom's wanted list, each possessed unique skills, and each had powerful eyes, a confident smile, and dignified movements. It was clear that they were the best of the best among the strong!

If all of these people are caught, Yinhui City, which is known for its "simple and honest folk customs," could be named a National Civilized City this year!

Now, they've all joined the Cult of the Primal God?

Luke suddenly realized he had come to the wrong place.

He was just a bankrupt veteran, a homeless man with a mountain of debt, a good-for-nothing who couldn't even afford to eat. What right did he have to stand with these people?

"Almost everyone has arrived."

Just then, the girl sitting on the throne slowly spoke:

"I am the head of the Primal God Cult in Silvershine City. The two beside me are Silver and Gold rank experts, and they are the examiners for this selection. We will now begin the Primal God Cult member selection. Line up and state your personal information."

The examiner gave the order, and the villains in the hall sized each other up, sizing each other up, and cautiously formed a crooked line.

Luke was last in line.

"Iron Spine" Raymond is ranked first.

He walked three steps to the throne, stopped, and looked confidently at the girl on the throne.

The girl sat with her legs crossed, her pale red eyes looking at him without any emotion.

"Tell me, why did you choose to join our Genshin Impact cult? What can you bring to our Genshin Impact family? What are your career plans? What is your expected monthly salary?"

"Huh?" Raymond frowned, stumped by the barrage of questions.

Aren't you a secret organization? Aren't you a cult?

Why does this feel like a company interview?

"What? You can't answer?" The girl frowned. "If you can't answer, you're eliminated!"

After saying that, the bodyguard beside him stepped forward, grabbed Raymond by the back of the neck, and carried him out of the hall like a chick.

The people in line immediately became restless and started discussing among themselves.

"Are you really sure he's a wanted criminal?" Cheng Cheng asked Sylvia in a low voice as the bodyguard left. "Worth 20?"

"Yes, I've seen him in my father's file."

"Okay, I didn't expect to earn some pocket money from an interview. I'll call the bodyguard and tell him to beat me half to death and tie me up first."

Only after the bodyguard returned did Cheng Cheng allow the second interviewee to come forward.

Theodore, the "Viper".

He stepped forward, a polite smile on his face, and gave a slight bow.

"Dear examiner, I am Theodore. It is a great honor to have the opportunity to participate in the interview for the Genshin Impact Cult. I know that your cult has top-notch faith appeal and an extremely vast territory in the industry. It is the most promising unicorn organization among the current secret organizations."

"First, please allow me to give a brief self-introduction. I used to be a lawyer for the Tiger Gang, skilled in handling disputes and smoothing over relationships. I've observed that although your cult has a large number of followers and strong execution capabilities, its external brand image is often negatively labeled by the Kingdom as 'heretical' and 'anti-humanity.' This greatly limits your cult's development and the recruitment of high-level talent. Therefore, my short-term goal is..."

"...In conclusion, my expected salary is 5 credits per month."

After saying that, Theodore the Viper confidently raised his head.

I spoke so well, I'm sure I'll get accepted!

"Eliminated," the girl on the throne said coldly. "Go back."

"Why?" Theodore was indignant.

"Join our Genshin Impact Cult, and the Genshin Impact will be your parents!" the girl said sternly. "You should do whatever the Genshin Impact tells you to do without complaint! After all, only when the Genshin Impact is strong can you become strong! But what have you done? You actually have your own plans? This is unfilial! It's betrayal!"

"Then, Genshin Impact gave you a foothold, so how can you ask the Genshin Impact cult for a salary? You should be paying tribute to Genshin Impact! It's not like we Genshin Impact don't want to make money! This is disloyalty! A second betrayal!"

"In the end, Genshin Impact did not betray you, but you betrayed Genshin Impact twice. This is unjust! A third betrayal!"

After saying that, the girl smiled and said, "You disloyal, unfilial, and unjust person, you have betrayed our Primordial God Cult three times. Why should I still need you? Get out!"

After saying that, the bodyguard silently stepped forward, picked Theodore up, and left.

Cheng Cheng sighed softly. If Sylvia hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have realized that this person was also a wanted criminal of the kingdom.

The cold-hearted believers have turned into warm credit points again, how sad and lamentable.