「A moment later.」

Tian Shouren, Zhu Dahai, the square-faced cultivator, and others hurried to the main hall of the Defense Division.

Shen Mo was already seated in the high-backed chair at the head of the hall, leafing through the roster of cultivators in the Defense Division!

"Our division has so few people, and there are plenty of seats in the hall. Please, sit down; don't be formal," Shen Mo said with a smile.

Zhu Dahai and the square-faced cultivator exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and offered a salute to Shen Mo.

"Master Shen, we wish to resign from all our duties in the Defense Division."

"We hope you will strike our names from the roster."

Shen Mo looked at them.

After sizing them up, he said, "There's no rush. Please wait a moment."

Then, his expression turned serious.

"Our Defense Division has always been responsible for eliminating demons and eradicating evil, but now we face a predicament: a lack of resources and a decline in talent."

"Times are tough, and a demonic catastrophe is looming..."

"Given the current state of our division, I fear we won't be able to protect the millions of creatures within and beyond the city!"

"By the authority vested in me by the Five Great Sects, I, your Commander, will begin restructuring the Hongye City Defense Division today."

"Your overdue monthly salaries will be paid in full."

"Furthermore, we will remove unproductive personnel, audit the division's assets, recruit capable cultivators for active duty, and reassert the core responsibilities of the Defense Division..."

Shen Mo briefly outlined his future plans.

Afterward, his gaze fell once more upon the five individuals in the room.

The elderly cultivator, Tian Shouren, remained impassive.

Zhu Dahai and the other four Body Tempering Realm cultivators, however, all wore grave expressions.

The difference was that Zhu Dahai and the square-faced cultivator, amidst their solemnity, had an eager glint in their eyes.

The other two Body Tempering Realm cultivators showed no such excitement.

"Hong Tao, Li Weicheng!"

Shen Mo suddenly called out two names.

These were the two who had previously resolved to stay with the Defense Division.

They hurriedly rose, looking at Shen Mo with confusion. "Master Shen?"

Shen Mo produced dozens of low-grade Spirit Stones and six Grade I elixirs. He divided them into two piles and, with a flick of his sleeve, sent them toward the two men.

"These are the cultivation resources the Defense Division owes you. This month's salary is also included."

"Take them."

"From this day forward, you no longer need to report for duty at the Defense Division!"

Hearing this, Hong Tao and Li Weicheng's expressions changed slightly.

"Master Shen," they quickly asked, "though we haven't made significant contributions since joining the Defense Division, we have been diligent and never neglectful of our duties."

"Fellow Daoist Tian and the others can vouch for us."

"May we ask why the Commander wishes to dismiss us?"

Shen Mo chuckled, his tone tinged with amusement. "It's not that I, as Commander, don't welcome cultivators from the Tian Family and Gold Toad Tower to serve in the Defense Division."

"It's just that you concealed your true origins when you registered."

"This act... violates the rules of our Defense Division!"

"If you still wish to serve the Defense Division, you are welcome to participate when we next recruit."

"Only, do not conceal anything when you register next time!"

On his first day at the Defense Division, Shen Mo had used his ability, 'Insight into All Beings', to probe the backgrounds of Tian Shouren and the other four.

The results showed that among the five, two were from the Tian Clan and the Gold Toad Tower!

They were Hong Tao and Li Weicheng.

Hong Tao's real name was Tian Tao, from a branch family of the Tian Clan.

Li Weicheng's name was genuine, but he had registered his origin as a rogue cultivator.

In reality, he was a disciple of the Gold Toad Tower and possessed several of their unique magical arts and cultivation methods.

Undoubtedly, these two were spies planted in the Defense Division by the Tian Family and the Gold Toad Tower.

Had they been honest and registered their true affiliations, Shen Mo wouldn't have minded.

After all, the very purpose of the Defense Division was to unite various factions.

It wouldn't refuse any cultivator—aside from evil cultivators—whether they hailed from the Five Great Sects, cultivation families, minor immortal sects, or were rogue cultivators.

Now that Shen Mo had exposed their origins, the expressions on Tian Tao and Li Weicheng's faces were quite a sight: first disbelief, then confusion and embarrassment, followed by a hint of fear.

Zhu Dahai and the square-faced Ji Gu were stunned. They had no idea that colleagues they had worked with for years were actually from the Tian Clan and the Gold Toad Tower.

They immediately confronted and questioned the two.

Consequently, after accepting the Spirit Stones and elixirs, Tian Tao and Li Weicheng shamefacedly fled the Defense Division.

They had been serving here with ulterior motives, under instructions from their respective families and immortal sects.

With their true identities exposed, how could they dare to remain any longer!

Witnessing this, a flicker of disappointment crossed Zhu Dahai's and Ji Gu's faces.

However, their spirits lifted quickly when Shen Mo distributed their long-overdue monthly salaries from the Defense Division, paid in full.

Of course, Shen Mo would not bear the cost of these Spirit Stones and elixirs himself.

He was merely fronting the funds to the Defense Division temporarily and intended to recoup the amount once the revenue from the Blood Silver Mine arrived.

"Never mind those two; they at least accomplished a fair bit for the Defense Division."

"However, there are over thirty individuals on the roster who have never served a single day yet draw over two hundred and fifty Spirit Stones each month."

"These people must all be struck from the roster!"

Having received their monthly salaries, Zhu Dahai and Ji Gu no longer spoke of leaving.

Instead, they grew concerned and attempted to reason with Shen Mo.

"Master Shen... many of these cultivators are connected to powers like the Tian Family, the Gold Toad Tower, and the Thriving Gold Sect."

"Isn't dismissing all of them at once... a bit too rash?"

"Perhaps it would be better to dismiss a group first. Once the Commander has solidified his authority in Hongye City, it wouldn't be too late to remove the rest."

Those able to draw a salary from the Defense Division without performing any duties were naturally not ordinary family cultivators or rogue cultivators.

And the elites of the various factions wouldn't stoop to claim a few Spirit Stones a month at the cost of their reputation.

Thus, those on the roster drawing unearned salaries were mostly non-essential members or disciples from factions like the Tian Family, the Gold Toad Tower, and the Thriving Gold Sect.

Even so, dismissing over thirty people at once was a drastic measure.

It could easily provoke these individuals to band together and cause trouble, or even... antagonize the various factions.

"This matter must be handled swiftly, not slowly!"

Shen Mo closed the roster, his tone resolute.

"Only by removing these unproductive individuals can we change the prevailing atmosphere in the Defense Division."

"In the future, cultivators who come to serve at the Defense Division will not entertain the thought of drawing a salary without contributing."

"Furthermore, this will free up cultivation resources to recruit genuinely strong cultivators!"

Seeing Shen Mo's unwavering resolve, Zhu Dahai and Ji Gu said no more.

Soon after, word of Shen Mo's actions spread quickly among the affected cultivators.

In less than half a day, a crowd of twenty to thirty people had gathered at the entrance of the Defense Division.

These were all cultivators who had been on the Defense Division's payroll, drawing monthly salaries without ever performing a day of actual duty.

Among them were five at the Qi Gathering Realm; the rest were at the Body Tempering Realm.

Judging by their attire and appearance, most hailed from the three major powers: the Tian Family, the Gold Toad Tower, and the Thriving Gold Sect.

Fewer than ten were from other, smaller factions.

The mortals who ran stalls outside the Defense Division, witnessing this intimidating assembly, quickly packed up and retreated to a safe distance.

「Meanwhile, in places imperceptible to mortals,」

Divine Senses and talisman messages were being exchanged incessantly.

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