Abyss Sequence-Chapter 353 - 10: Branding Bestowal
"Hello, Yan Luo."
As the president of the Crimson No. 2 Hunter’s Guild, Wu Zechuan used a bit of his power to become the first Hunter to be interviewed by Yan Luo.
Even though he seldom hunts in the Abyss now, he still wants to become stronger and thus needs the ’Frenzy’ mark.
Yan Luo looked at Wu Zechuan and asked expressionlessly, "If you accepted the Frenzy mark, would you slaughter others to gain strength?"
Wu Zechuan replied, "No."
Yan Luo asked, "If you accepted the Frenzy mark, would you only use its power on demons?"
Wu Zechuan replied, "I will only enhance myself by slaughtering demons."
Yan Luo asked, "If you accepted the Frenzy mark, would you contribute your strength to combat the Abyss?"
Wu Zechuan replied, "It’s every Hunter’s duty to fight the Abyss. I’m no exception. My answer is ’yes.’"
Hearing this, Yan Luo raised his hand and his finger pointed at Wu Zechuan.
The ’Frenzy’ Evil God’s Mark followed his will and was shared with Wu Zechuan’s body.
Wu Zechuan felt nothing and asked in confusion, "Is that it?"
Yan Luo nodded, "It’s been shared with you. From now on, you can slaughter demons to gain enhancement. I’ve tried it; for people at our level, killing anything below fatal-level demons yields little enhancement. It’s best to hunt fatal-level and city-breaking level demons."
"Thanks." Wu Zechuan smiled as he propped himself up from the table.
Watching Wu Zechuan leave, Yan Luo shouted to the line behind him, "Next."
Yan Luo can vaguely discern a person’s emotions when speaking, and nearly no one can lie in front of him.
The second Hunter approached and answered Yan Luo’s questions.
While answering the first two questions, the Hunter was very earnest, but his tone became casual when answering the last question.
But the last question was just something Yan Luo added on a whim. As long as the Hunter didn’t dislike the last question, Yan Luo didn’t care and would pass them through the review.
One by one, the Hunters stepped forward, and Yan Luo granted the Evil God’s Mark to the vast majority, with only a few failing his test during the interview.
These people were inconsistent, saying one thing but thinking another, which is why Yan Luo refused to grant them the Evil God’s Mark.
Most people passed the interview, except for those few, and many looked at them with peculiar expressions.
Disgust, helplessness, ridicule, but mostly caution.
No one likes hypocrites who say one thing and do another.
Even if everyone is keeping some of their true thoughts to themselves, they still speak with some honesty.
The reason those few were singled out by Yan Luo was that they didn’t speak a single word of truth.
On the surface, they promised Yan Luo they wouldn’t slaughter others to enhance themselves, but their hearts said otherwise.
This means that if they obtained the Frenzy mark, they might indeed kill others to strengthen themselves.
After being pointed out by Yan Luo, some were ashamed and angry, some quietly left, and some even had the gall to say to Yan Luo, "Isn’t there a saying that if someone can keep doing good their whole life, then no matter what they think inside, they’re a good person?"
They passed the preliminary review because they appeared decent in others’ eyes.
These people usually put forward a good image. Even if their hearts didn’t match their words, the Hunters who asked Yan Luo this question felt Yan Luo should give them a chance to prove themselves.
Hearing this, others truly thought there was some reason to it.
But Yan Luo’s following words quickly dispelled their thoughts.
Yan Luo coldly stared at the Hunter who suggested giving them a chance, even though he hadn’t passed the review, and said, "The Evil God’s Mark is a very dangerous thing. If you don’t have the mental fortitude to control it, it won’t be you controlling the mark, but the mark controlling you. If you can’t even promise not to harm others, why do you think you can withstand the temptation of its power?"
"Well said!" You Yifeng clapped with a smile.
He was also among this batch of reviewed members. Even though he was a ’former Abyssal Believer,’ he staunchly answered Yan Luo’s questions and passed Yan Luo’s review, gaining the Evil God’s Mark.
Yan Luo did not discriminate against him for being a former Abyssal Believer but treated him the same as everyone else, which moved You Yifeng greatly.
Soon, sparse applause rang out in the hall, gradually becoming thunderous.
"Well said, Yan Luo!"
"That’s how it should be! No, that’s the only way it should be!"
"Boss Yan is fair and honest! Boss Luo is honest and fair!"
Yan Luo cast a glance at the cheering Hunters, "Even if you flatter me, when it’s your turn, I won’t hold back."
As soon as he said this, the cheer and applause abruptly stopped, replaced by boos and middle fingers standing like a forest.
Although the preliminary review eliminated more than half, 184 Hunters needed to be interviewed by Yan Luo. Even if the interview was just a few words, it took a lot of time.
After a whirlwind of activity, it was already dinner time.
Lingquan University’s Crimson No. 2 Abyss Academy hadn’t formally started yet. Apart from students like Sasa who were originally part of Crimson No. 2, the Abyss Academy didn’t assign dormitories to other students, so these days, Wang Lingyu was staying at Yan Luo’s house.
So Yan Luo planned to return home to have dinner with Wang Lingyu, declining the other Hunters’ invitation to dine together without hesitation.
After Yan Luo left, the Hunters couldn’t help but mockingly gossip about his back.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, how did such a young guy turn into a tightly-controlled middle-aged man?"
"If he breaks up with his girlfriend in the future, I’m afraid he won’t have the money to hire a lawyer!"
"But would anyone who becomes Yan Luo’s partner really want to break up with him? Even as a man, I’d want to give it a shot with him!"
You Yifeng, standing by, couldn’t take it anymore and quickly coughed a couple of times.
The Hunters glanced at You Yifeng and laughed.
"Don’t worry, Boss You, we weren’t talking about you—after all, you’re not exactly young either, the prime example of a middle-aged man under strict control by his wife."
You Yifeng glared at them, muttering incomprehensible words like ’I’m not afraid of my wife’ and ’I respect her,’ as he headed home before dinner, provoking a round of laughter from the remaining Hunters.
After the laughter, the Hunters each pointed at someone else and said in unison, "Laughing at what, you friendless dog!"
......
Yan Luo took a taxi back to the villa and saw Wang Lingyu and Sasa already seated at the dining table waiting for dinner.
Keke was busy placing freshly prepared dishes on the dining table.
The little robot was the first to notice its owner, projecting a smiling emoji into the air. Yan Luo walked over, patted Keke’s white shell, pulled out a chair next to the dining table, and sat down.
A hand-washing device popped out from under the table. Yan Luo washed his hands, just in time for dinner.
"If you didn’t return soon, the two of us were going to start without you." Wang Lingyu glanced at Yan Luo, baring her teeth, "We weren’t going to wait for you!"
Yan Luo looked at Wang Lingyu quizzically, "Isn’t that the normal thing to do? After all, I’m the one who’s late."
Wang Lingyu was momentarily at a loss for words, pouting before burying her head into her meal.
After eating for a while, Wang Lingyu suddenly asked, "In a few days, you’re going to Alfheim, right?"
Yan Luo and Sasa exchanged glances, nodding, "That’s right."
Wang Lingyu looked up, her big eyes fixed on Yan Luo, "Can I go with you?"
"What would you do there?" Yan Luo asked, puzzled.
"I want to travel with you!" Wang Lingyu said earnestly.
Then she remembered Sasa, and quickly turned to hug her, "Of course, I also want to travel with Senior!"
Sasa helplessly looked at Wang Lingyu and sighed, "Could you not drag me into your little lover’s tiff?"
"But Senior, you’re also part of our family; I wouldn’t want to show favoritism," Wang Lingyu laughed.
Sasa suddenly understood, "So I’m your lover, not Yan Luo’s!"
