Chapter 117: A Glimpse of Surprise

The task had only just been completed yesterday, and in the blink of an eye, newcomers were being added.

This wasn’t necessarily good news; usually, whenever new members were brought in, a new task would soon follow.

Yet this time, the returning staff didn’t seem overly annoyed.

Even in the Seventh Branch, no one was ordinary.

And all were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the “Sin Artifacts,” a rare bright spot in an otherwise tense routine.

Only Fang Shenyan and Ji Li wore less enthusiastic expressions.

Fang Shenyan, the only one in the branch who possessed a Sin Artifact, fully understood what it was. He watched the slightly excited group silently, knowing that questions would come once the newcomers were settled. There was no need to answer yet.

Ji Li, on the other hand, was uneasy over the state of the personas within him.

The second persona was deteriorating, and last night’s incident had made him deeply wary of the fourth persona. He worried that in the nights to come, the fourth might take control, doing things beyond his control.

How to restrain these personas had become a source of constant anxiety. His initial fears were now real, and so far, he had found no reliable solution.

When the staff arrived in the first-floor hall, they noticed the conference table had changed.

Originally able to seat around ten people, it had now doubled in size. While still modest within the spacious hall, it could now accommodate twenty.

At the head of the table sat Ji Li’s chair. It seemed that the position of acting manager still belonged solely to him.

They all sat down, minds heavy with their own thoughts, waiting silently for the arrival of 2:00 p.m.

Yu Guo, feeling the oppressive atmosphere, hesitated, ready to speak—but the time had arrived.

A broad, radiant white light flashed from the hall entrance, reaching the ceiling and illuminating one corner of the hotel. Clearly, a large group of staff was arriving.

Soon, fifteen newcomers of varying ages, appearances, and demeanors appeared in the hall.

The Seventh Branch had never gathered so many staff at once.

Even Ji Li looked up with curiosity, wondering which of these new recruits might be particularly capable.

Tongguan stood abruptly from his chair, reacting more strongly than the others. Whether this was instinct or had another purpose, no one could say.

The fifteen newcomers seemed unremarkable at first glance—no one immediately stood out.

Tongguan scanned them carefully while the others watched, bewildered.

Gradually, a young man of balanced build and cheerful features stepped forward.

Compared to those around him, he was slightly more noticeable—not exceptionally talented, but distinct. His attire marked him as a nouveau riche, obviously wealthy for only a short time.

He flailed his hands conspicuously, showing off the multiple large gold rings on his fingers, and casually tilted his head to reveal three gold chains around his neck.

“Big brother, kidnapping? Demanding ransom?”

His accent suggested the far northeastern regions. He looked at Tongguan and, seeing no response, seemed to remember something. He quickly pulled a scarf from his pocket and covered his eyes.

“I know the rules. I didn’t really see you. Just tell me how much you want, or you can take the rings first.”

Tongguan twitched at the corner of his mouth. The newcomer seemed young, likely a second-generation rich kid. Yet his manner of speaking was childish, more like someone who had just gotten rich overnight.

“Where did he learn this?”

Yu Guo was intrigued, thinking the eccentric, frantic behavior matched his own temperament.

“Isn’t this how they do it in movies?”

Yu Guo laughed heartily at the boy’s awkward tone, clapping a hand on Fang Shenyan’s shoulder—only to have Fang Shenyan kick the chair out from under him.

“Who are you people? How did you even bring us here?”

At that moment, a tall man pushed his way past the others and stepped to the front.

His skin was dark, his face like a ripe jujube, and he towered over the crowd by a full head. Despite the chill of autumn, he wore only a vest.

The question on everyone’s mind went unspoken—partly out of fear, partly out of caution. They waited for a representative to speak first.

Clearly, the naive nouveau riche could not reassure them. Only when the dark-skinned man stepped forward did all eyes finally settle on Tongguan.

Once the commotion ended, Tongguan gathered everyone together and explained everything about the Seventh Branch.

There were tears, wails, and people trying to flee—chaos everywhere.

Tongguan patiently answered their questions and guided them through activating the hotel phones.

Ji Li, half-closing his eyes, ignored them entirely.

Fang Shenyan lit a cigarette and, in a quiet voice, remarked pointedly,

“Looks like he’s the real manager…”

Who held the title mattered little to Ji Li. With the female voice backing him, he only needed to consider whether he would take the role himself.

If he refused, the Seventh Branch could exist without a manager from then on.

Yet Fang Shenyan’s oddly pointed remark piqued Ji Li’s curiosity.

He opened his eyes and quietly asked the smoking man, “What do you mean?”

Fang Shenyan viewed things differently than Ji Li.

Although unaware of all the inner workings, he could see the significance behind the manager’s nominal title.

“Whether we admit it or not, you, I, and Yu Guo—we three have already become a single unit.

Though we cannot fully trust each other, we operate as a group separate from Tongguan.

In other words, Tongguan is not aligned with us, and his persona will inevitably attract a following.

So whether or not you hold the manager title, the group and the hearts of the people are bound to split.

Tongguan, publicly and privately, will be your rival—just as we three are your rivals.”

Ji Li understood Fang Shenyan’s point. This perspective was accurate.

Even if he had no use for these useless people, he didn’t want Tongguan to dominate completely.

He could sense Tongguan plotting against him, and the hostility was unmistakable.

But to rally a team, appeasement alone wasn’t enough; tangible incentives were required.

Once Ji Li reached three-star status and became manager to undertake independent tasks, he could use Sin Artifacts as leverage to attract more people.

By then, Tongguan would no longer be a true rival.

Ji Li had been hesitant, but now he had another reason to become manager.

At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman standing silently in a corner.

A strange thought struck him.

How had he overlooked her all this time?

It shouldn’t have happened—her appearance was breathtaking, with an exceptional figure and aura.

Her short, dark-brown hair framed her ears, revealing a fair neck and striking profile, her eyebrows and eyes delicate and well-defined.

Yet she gave no sense of warmth; her expression exuded a distant, world-weary negativity.

Her cold, moonlit face turned toward Ji Li without revealing any emotion.

Their eyes met, and Ji Li sensed something hidden in hers—an aura of sin and death. He could feel she had killed before.

Such a striking and dangerous woman, yet standing so inconspicuously in the crowd—it was abnormal.