Seeing Ai and Lin’s smiling faces, I can’t help but beam back at them. I also notice some of the other people I’ve started to consider as my part of my close personal group.

Mei Lin, Chen, Ju, Ming, and Yan.

The Hero Team: Tai Ye the spider, Ru Ning the roach, and Dana the blob surrounds Mei Lin, the merchant girl I consider as my little sister in this world. Her innocent and youthful smile warms everyone’s heart that sees it.

Chen and Ju are both still hanging around each other, but seem to do significantly better than when I had met them chasing me down through the alleyways. Ju, in particular, now that she is in a better place physically, really reminds me of the Hexmaniac from a popular game.

Ming is still the silent, stoic giant. Looking at his figure, I can definitely tell I will need to heal him so his body can better take the weight of itself.

Finally, I can see Yan is still wearing extremely heavy clothing, which hides the excessive curves underneath. I keep getting the feeling she’s doing that purposely, though I’m sure I’ll find out why later.

But those aren’t the only people here that I easily recognize.

While I don’t know them as well, Shi Ji, a few of her posse members, including the redheaded woman, are waving out enthusiastically. The secretive noblewoman and her “More, Daddy” servant are hanging out in the corner. Even the bombastic young man from the bottom of the sect stairs, whose name I didn’t catch, is here.

On the Yellow Sashes side, my scan picks up several members that I had met or interacted with at some point.

Spanning from the first members of their group that I’ve met, all the way to the flexing, strong cultivator women who were showing off their muscles on the show street. In fact, every one of them is someone that I’ve had some type of interaction with at some point.

But out of all the people in their group, I focus on one lady with her head still bowed, but holding a small smile.

Shi. The redheaded badass guard.

I’m glad she’s here.

I’ve been hoping to talk to her again.

However, as I glance down the hall, I realize there are a lot of people here.

Like around 600 people including the Yellow Sash members.

And the vast majority of them were part of the personal group from before.

… which means all of these people are willing to join a contract to be my servant?

That’s can’t be right. Do they actually know I’ll be doing a contract?

It only takes a moment for my scan to verify.

All signs point to the Yellow Sashes, spreading rumors about this being a contracted personal group. The start of a new faction in the sect.

How would they know I had a contract, though?

Ah.

Unless they were planning to bring one themselves.

I’m getting the feeling that seeing these Yellow Sashes people I’ve met and interacted with aren’t here to just assist with this initial event. They must be here to join my ‘faction’ as well.

Why would Wu Qing, the leader of a major prostitute gang that spans across this sect, allow me to have so many of her people? From my count, around 150 of them.

Granted, the vast majority of them are just normal workers, but that’s still a significant income stream that is now gone. Not only that, but there are still several cultivators, alchemists, and clearly high earning prostitutes here.

People who aren’t easily replaced.

Shi is the one that seems to notice my confusion first.

Raising her head quickly, she walks over to me with a bright smile.

Soon enough, I’m the one having to raise my head, as I had forgotten how tall she is. Despite me being 183 cm.

And she looks good.

Really good. Fantastic, actually.

When I first met her, she had a full-on badass biker vibe. But now it’s all lady boss, with a tinge of Milf’ness and an edge.

In control and ready to rumble.

With her long red hair in a ponytail and dressed up, I am re-reminded of why I had lost my mind when I first saw her. I’m a little more used to handling women who are completely my type now, so it only takes me a half a second now to close my mouth.

Her next words get me right back on track, though.

“Hello Master James. I’m truly glad to see you again.

“As you can probably tell, besides your previous group, these ladies are looking to join your group as well. Our leader thought you might be confused why, so she wanted me to show you this.”

She holds out an orb like glass towards me, showing that I should put my hand on it.

Obviously, I use my scan on it before doing something with it. My scan lets me know it is simply a private message carrier.

Feeling a little more comfortable, I place my hand on it and immediately see an image of Wu Qing in her average looking form brightly smiling at me, before speaking. It isn’t live, so this should all be pre-recorded.

“Well. I’m assume that Shi has prepared everything correctly, after all the training we put her through, so I’ll work off of that and start with your big, obvious question.”

Her face turns serious, something I have seen little of from her. With a deep breath, she follows up with her answer.

“The Yellow Sashes have paid their debt. It cannot be said that we forget those who’ve helped us.”

She gives a slight bow.

“Thank you again for the assistance you’ve provided. Both in knowledge and healing. It was an extremely valuable service that even now is providing dividends for us.”

She pauses.

Dramatically, one might say.

And then her smile is back.

“You can consider this being us paying you back… but also keeping the door open if you want to help us in the future.

“Don’t get me wrong, though. We formally severed these women from our gang. They belong to you; in any way you wish. And to head off your concerns, they are the ones that volunteered. I didn’t force any of them. Some of them I will be sorely missing, but is an easy thing to give up for what you’ve done for us.”

She gives a wink at that, causing me to roll my eyes.

So, what’s the catch?

Her eyes, while still playful, have a hint of sharpness.

“… Just remember that we always pay back our debts, so anything you do for us will be handsomely rewarded. So, just keep us in mind.”

And then the tone shifts completely. To a pouting and spoiled sound, that throws me off my game.

“Also… when are you going to use your special privileges? I’ve been waiting for you to use your jade bracelet. I don’t give those to everyone, you know.

“Any service being available to you is a pretty big thing. And I’ve included things that aren’t even part of that tier of service, either.”

She’s twirling her finger in circles on an imaginary table, all the while fake pouting.

“I myself have been ready to fly out to ‘take care’ of you, by the way… And I’d make sure that you were satisfied in every way, as you likely can guess.”

My God.

I would really like to not be hypnotized by something like that. Or be drained, for that matter.

I’ve seen part of her true form and considering her position and the little I’ve seen of her skills; I can only imagine what she could do to a person in bed. And as a virgin? I’d have no chance. Even with my healing abilities.

As I’ve learned, it will heal status effects. But at a certain point, I’m not sure that would qualify.

And I’m not looking to find out.

Subconsciously, I’m shaking my head with a frown. But strangely, I can’t seem to take my eyes off her suspiciously average lips, just from thinking about it.

She has a knowing smile on right now, despite this just being a recording.

“Well. That’s all I wanted to say. When you’re almost ready to move back to your tower, just ask the girls to bring out the carriages. They won’t be like what you arrived at the sect with, but they’ll do the job of moving your people in.

“Good luck!”

And then it shuts off.

Only Shi and I could see this, with both our hands on it.

My eyes raise up to hers and she’s looking away.

My eyes turn back over to the group, my scan running the numbers.

600 people in total.

400 came from my personal group, which some people left and others joined from coalition.

100 people came from Yellow Sashes.

100 came from Yellow Sashes, choosing promising people from the streets near their areas.

I suppose… this really will be my ‘faction’.

Dang, that’s far more than I thought I’d have to deal with.

Time to step up.