Chapter 1 The Correct Path of Pretending to Be a God

Now that he knew even the common people of this world could provide a large amount of Faith Power,

Li Ang laid out his next course of action.

That was to become a charlatan, a good charlatan who could receive widespread respect and worship.

To achieve this goal, he had to use the identity of 'Ximenzi Daoren' (Taoist Ximenzi) that he had previously fabricated, and create as much momentum as possible for Daoist Ximenzi, propagating legendary deeds.

Showing off in public, gaining popularity, or in other words, showing off and slapping faces, was the best way to build momentum.

Hearing Li Ang's method of dismembering and concealing corpses, the guests in the hall turned pale with fright, hastily grabbed their packages, jumped off the communal sleeping platform, and fled from the two gloomy-faced travelers.

The shop assistant holding a candle and a long stick was also frightened. Looking at the two guests isolated by the crowd, he never imagined that the seemingly honest people would be so ferocious.

What was even more terrifying was that these two might have already murdered many lone merchants carrying money in other inns by hiding corpses in lime.

If the young Daoist hadn't exposed their tricks, the people in the inn might not have known that a bloody case had occurred in the lobby last night until morning.

In just a moment,

Li Ang could see the Faith Power charging progress bar of the Godly Mark in the player information bar increase by about thirty points—among them, the unlucky merchant who was saved provided five points of Faith Power alone.

This amount of energy was enough for Li Ang to modify five more Special Worms, or create a small-scale miracle.

Li Ang said calmly, "鏢師 (Biāoshī) Yang."

"Here!"

"Please take some people to search the luggage of the travelers sleeping in the corners. Those whose luggage contains lime and cloth are accomplices of these bandits."

Li Ang said indifferently, "As for whether there are any inside accomplices...

Heh, we'll send them to the court later.

Under the torture of clamp sticks, everything can be interrogated."

In this era, there was no such thing as "criminals also have human rights."

Especially in remote areas like Goose City, a small border county, the magistrate would do anything to gain political achievements.

Hearing Li Ang's words, the two travelers couldn't help but shudder, subconsciously glancing behind them.

Perhaps to prevent bandits, the gate of Tongfu Inn was extremely thick.

Moreover, when the inn closed, the waiter had already bolted the door.

It would definitely be impossible to break through by force in a short time.

The traveler on the left ignored the shop assistants holding sticks, who did not dare to step forward. He took a deep look at Li Ang and said in a low voice, "You nosy Taoist priest, aren't you afraid of killing yourself?"

"Heh, if I encounter a murder case and don't stop it, how can I live up to Sherlock Holmes Layman, Conan Daoren, and Kindaichi Yama, who taught me criminal investigation skills."

Li Ang shook his head and smiled, "After I finished talking about the method of murder, you should have knelt on the ground, crying and saying your motives for killing, sincerely expressing regret, and then be taken away.

But looking at your expressions, it seems that you are unwilling to be captured without a fight?"

"Humph."

The traveler's face showed a hideous smile, and he shouted in a low voice, "If we don't act now, when will we? Do you all want to be beheaded?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the pale-faced travelers who had run over earlier instantly put on fierce expressions, took out short daggers from their clothes, and held them against Li Ang, the innkeeper, and the caravan steward.

Even when being a bandit these days, one had to learn to read people's expressions.

After suddenly subduing these three people, Yang Er and the other guards were anxious, but they did not dare to act directly, for fear that the bandits would slash their knives across—

Because they had to sleep on the communal sleeping platform, the knives and swords carried by Yang Er and others were locked in the next room during the day, which made it easier for the bandits to commit crimes.

"One, two...seven, eight."

Li Ang, with a knife held against his neck, was not panicked at all. He slowly counted the number of bandits holding knives, sighed, and joked, "Including the two of you, there are eight bandits in total.

Is the money you get from murdering merchants enough to share?"

"That's none of your business."

The traveler shook his head and said to a shop assistant with a knife held against his neck, "Go get some ropes and cloth and tie up the others.

Then get the key to the main gate."

The shop assistant was also a clever person, knowing that the bandits wanted ropes and cloth to tie up the hands and feet of everyone in the inn, and to gag their mouths, so that the bandits could sneak out of the inn and escape out of the city under cover of night.

But this was only the first layer.

If he really brought ropes and cloth, and tied up everyone in the inn, the first thing these bandits would do was to cut everyone's throats.

To prevent the crowd from shouting and making noise when the bandits escaped, alerting the city guards and the city gate officers.

"I...I'll go right now."

The shop assistant's back was pressed against the tip of a knife, and he was controlled by others. Although he was unwilling, he could only slowly turn around.

He kept praying that the guests upstairs could hear the noise downstairs, quietly climb over the wall, find the government to report the crime, and let the officers come to rescue them.

Although he knew in his heart that if the officers really arrived, the vicious bandits would probably not surrender and wait to die...

Could it be that he was really going to die here today? If he had known this, he should have borrowed more money from the shopkeeper, taken the money to the Yihong Courtyard, and redeemed that courtesan...

The shop assistant was being held hostage by the bandits and walked into the next room. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel sad and wanted to cry.

He was just thinking of trying his best to turn around and fight the bandits to the death,

But he heard the short-haired Daoren (Taoist) say unhurriedly, "Heaven's principles are clear, and good and evil are distinct. You bandits commit crimes and do not repent even when you are about to die. Don't blame me, the poor Daoist, for taking action to punish you!

Savior of misery, save all sins, deliver from all misfortunes, boundless source of transcendence, vast and natural purity. All receive the power of the Great Dao, to subdue all demons.

Where is the Soul-Locking Warden?"