NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Overtime Means Overtime Pay, You Know
“Young Master Sang, it’s time for work.”
In the dim and damp corridor, only a few torches flickered.
The demon cultivators’ prison was incredibly gloomy, with just a long bench and a wooden table.
Sang Zhe was lying on the bench, bubbles of drool slipping from his nose, when he was suddenly called out groggily.
“It’s the middle of the night… Isn’t Sister Yubbing going to take a break?”
“Stop being a smart mouth and open the door quickly.”
Sang Zhe yawned and weakly got up.
With a creak, the prison door slowly opened. A stunning woman in a floral dress, who seemed to carry a fragrant breeze wherever she walked, swayed her hips and plopped down in a chair.
“Well, it’s not that I’m heartless and want to make you work overtime in the middle of the night,” she said.
“It’s just that there’s a big job to do. The Sect Leader personally sent an order for you right now.” The beautiful woman teasingly pinched Sang Zhe’s chin and smiled charmingly.
Sang Zhe was used to it.
In this work environment filled with snake-hearted beauties of the demon cultivators, even a fresh-faced young man like him couldn’t avoid a bit of harassment.
Just bear it and it’ll pass.
The priority was the paycheck.
Especially since the woman in front of him had such curves and captivating eyes, and she happened to be his immediate superior.
Tang Yubbing, the head of the Punishment Department.
“What big job? Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I’m just on duty to guard tonight, not to work. Overtime needs to be paid for, you know.”
“Just look and you’ll know.” Tang Yubbing glanced at him with playful eyes.
What important person? Sang Zhe casually glanced at the blindfolded woman being escorted behind Tang Yubbing.
Her face looked pure and beautiful, quite attractive.
There was an ethereal quality about her; even though she was bound like a zongzi, she still resembled a celestial being covered in dust.
“Um! Um!!”
Though the woman was blindfolded, when she heard Sang Zhe’s voice, she immediately twisted and struggled with all her might.
Her emotions seemed extremely agitated.
“Oh, I thought it was someone important. An old acquaintance, huh?”
Sang Zhe walked over, grabbing the woman’s chin and inspecting her with curiosity, “Isn’t this the Water Moon Sect’s Yan Rouwan?”
“Looks like Sister’s haul this time is quite significant. Even Yan Rouwan has fallen?”
“Spent a lot of effort on this one.” Tang Yubbing pouted while fanning herself, “This little wench is tough. Even cornered, she managed to take down over thirty of my subordinates.”
“Wait a minute, you really have to teach her a lesson and make this little wench pay back everything she owes!”
She glared viciously at Yan Rouwan.
But Yan Rouwan boldly lifted her pale chin, unafraid.
“Oh ho ho, still defiant, huh?”
Tang Yubbing smiled seductive, lightly tapped Yan Rouwan’s chin with the tip of her shoe: “Do you realize where you are now?”
“This is the Punishment Department of the demon cultivators.”
Yan Rouwan trembled slightly, as if realizing something important.
“Exactly, this is the demon cultivators’ prison that even those righteous people fear and dare not speak of!”
Tang Yubbing laughed confidently: “Let’s not even mention you; many self-righteous righteous fighters have come through my department and all complied obediently. No matter how tough their mouths are, we can open them.”
“How can a pure little beauty like you possibly withstand it?”
“Besides, your interrogator is our department’s top performer in recent years.”
“He specializes in questioning high and mighty celestial beings like you.”
“Before you, countless celestial beings have fallen into my little brother’s hands.”
Listening to Tang Yubbing’s enthusiastic bragging, Sang Zhe could only scratch his head awkwardly, forcing a smile.
“All thanks to you, Sister Leader. I’m just a mere worker here.”
“Sang Zhe, you don’t need to be so humble.”
Tang Yubbing pinched his chin, her long eyelashes nearly brushing against Sang Zhe’s nose as she spoke softly, her breath warm against his throat.
“I know your skills well, little brother…”
“With you on the case, I’m sure this little wench will spill everything before we even start.”
Sang Zhe grinned and said, “Well, I’ll leave this person with you.”
As she turned to leave, Tang Yubbing seemed to remember something and added, “Oh, by the way.”
“This Yan Rouwan… I believe she was your senior sister before you betrayed the sect, wasn’t she?”
Without waiting for Sang Zhe’s expression to freeze, Tang Yubbing smiled sweetly:
“Don’t worry~ I wouldn’t suspect you.”
“I’m just reminding you.”
“This task was personally assigned by the Sect Leader; even if it’s a past acquaintance, you can’t go easy on her. I’ll be coming back for inspection in a couple of days.”
“… Got it?” Tang Yubbing’s beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously.
Sang Zhe nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice.
“Please rest assured, Leader. I will ensure the mission is completed.”
Tang Yubbing finally satisfied, patted his face and swayed her hips as she left the prison.
After she was gone, the once smiling Sang Zhe instantly deflated, sighing as he stepped forward to remove Yan Rouwan’s blindfold and mouth covering.
Her delicate body was tied in a manner that was inexplicably tempting, her complexion flushed, and her cherry lips gasping for air.
Beneath the blindfold, a pair of red-toned, pity-inducing eyes stared fixedly at Sang Zhe.
“Sang Zhe… you traitor!”
“Save your breath, Sister Yan. I’m just a worker here.”
“Just be honest, and we can make this easier for both of us, plus I can get some rest sooner.”
Sang Zhe moved a chair, sat down at the wooden table, lit a candle, and emotionlessly read out loud:
“Ahem, welcome to the Punishment Department of the demon cultivators. Our department adheres to the principle of ‘Be honest or be tortured’; sincerely providing every inmate a quality and comfortable prison life. You can choose to remain silent, but every word you say will be taken as grounds for torture…”
Sang Zhe rambled on with the official script.
Yan Rouwan didn’t say a word, simply watching him coldly.
Once he finished his lengthy speech and took a sip of tea to clear his throat, Yan Rouwan suddenly spoke up:
“Why did you betray the sect back then?”
Sang Zhe paused while holding the teacup.
After a moment, he casually finished the tea and smacked his lips.
“… I forgot.”
Forgot? Yan Rouwan looked puzzled.
And it was true; it had been so long—after all, it was a matter of years ago.
Sang Zhe only vaguely remembered that he had been set up by a few senior brothers and sisters who disliked him, casually accusing him of colluding with the demon cultivators before having him tortured.
They had lured him to a secluded place, intent on beating him to death and making it look like he was shot down for escaping.
This way, they could even return to the sect for a reward.
Sang Zhe thought his life was coming to an end there.
But by chance, someone passed by and killed them all.
And that person brought him back to the demon cultivators.
That person was the current Sect Leader of the demon cultivators, Hua Jianglian.
“I can’t even recall what the accusations were when those senior brothers and sisters set me up.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” Sang Zhe shrugged, “I’m doing quite well here.”
“Free meals, free lodging, a monthly salary over ten thousand, holidays during festivals, and they even cover the five insurances and one fund.”
Yan Rouwan bit her rosy lips and after a moment said softly:
“Sang Zhe, I know your nature; I also know you weren’t getting along with your fellow brothers and had grievances in the sect.”
“But it’s okay, just come back with me, and I’ll personally inform the Sect Leader; I’ll make sure you get justice!”
Sang Zhe just blinked at her lightly.
That gaze made Yan Rouwan increasingly anxious and creeped out.
“Seems Sister Yan knows about it.”
“Then why didn’t you stand up to help me back then, instead of letting them bully me?” His tone was calm as he asked.
“I…” Yan Rouwan was immediately at a loss for words.
Sang Zhe didn’t press on, shaking his head: “Doesn’t matter. I’ve already joined the demon cultivators.”
“Sister Yan, let’s just keep it straightforward. It makes it easier for both of us.”
“… No matter what grievances you have, joining the demon cultivators is unforgivable.”
Yan Rouwan coldly stared at him: “I will never compromise with you evil cultists.”
Seeing her determined look, Sang Zhe silently sighed.
“Why is it that every newcomer’s first words are so tough?”
“Why can’t you just behave and not torture yourselves?”
Watching Sang Zhe slowly rise, Yan Rouwan felt increasingly uneasy.
“Since Sister Yan is so steadfast…”
“Then don’t blame your junior for being ruthless.”
Sang Zhe secretly chanted in his heart: System, it’s time to get to work.
In no time, some panels began to appear in his mind.
[Yan Rouwan, lower-grade Nascent Soul. Likes flowers, birds, and animals, especially fond of fluffy ones like cats and dogs. She has a cat named Jiao Jiao in the sect, which she dotes on immensely.]
[Her greatest fear are slippery animals, like snakes, eels, or loaches. The system recommends the following… ]
After glancing over it, Sang Zhe felt confident.
“Sister Yan, how about this?”
He rubbed his hands with a mischievous grin as he approached Yan Rouwan, who shrank back, panic-stricken: “What are you going to do?”
“Well, here’s the thing.”
Sang Zhe held up a stamp: “This is a soul imprint of the demon cultivators that I personally made. If you willingly carve this imprint into your soul, you can’t ever disobey my orders; you’ll have to listen to whatever I say.”
“All you have to do is obediently carve this soul imprint onto your own soul, and we can wrap up this job happily. I’ll even use my salary to treat you to a drink in the city. How about that?”
“You wish!” Yan Rouwan spat at him without hesitation.
“Do you think I, Yan Rouwan, would become your servant? Dream on! Even if I die, I absolutely won’t compromise with the demon cultivators.”
“Well, then there’s no choice.”
Sang Zhe shrugged in disappointment.
“If you insist on being stubborn and resisting…”
He leaned closer to Yan Rouwan, his voice low like a devil whispering as he got close to her ear:
“… I might just steal your cat from the sect and open a cat café in the city.”
“So you can watch your precious cat being played with by countless people every day.”
“She’d be fed until her belly is full and bulging, meowing pathetically at passersby, getting all happy while being petted, showing her belly to please… Hehehe~”
For the first time, fear and despair flickered in Yan Rouwan’s eyes.