Fortunately, the merfolk, who were the organizers behind the scenes, finally managed to control the situation and forcibly expelled some of the merfolk who had gathered just to make up the numbers.
Of course, even if they were forcibly expelled, some compensation had to be given, either human currency or items they needed daily could serve as compensation.
After all, they had initially gathered by the merfolk's command. If the assembled merfolk were dispersed without any compensation, it would lead to a collapse of their credibility.
To avoid being unable to gather any merfolk in the future, they still had to appease them. It was a small price to pay; they could just gather freshwater merfolk and sea merfolk separately next time.
Seriously, this was just a rural area. In places like Tokyo Bay, the merfolk who came ashore no longer bothered differentiating between freshwater merfolk and sea merfolk.
The organizers complained a few times and managed to appease everyone's anger. Finally, only their elite troops remained at the scene.
"What kind of situation is this? We finally gathered, thinking we could get some good things from Lord of Water, and then it's just like this—"
"Enough! Although this time was a failure, the Lord of Water will not hold it against us. As long as we gather enough believers, we can hold another sacrifice later."
Just as one merman was about to continue speaking, he was reprimanded by the merman who was clearly the leader.
This matter absolutely could not involve higher authorities. After all, they relied on the Lord of Water to survive. This level was already enough.
Then, the leading merman continued, "Speaking of which, those ninjas who just infiltrated, are they from the True History Compilation Committee?"
"Only their ninjas are numerous enough, but they shouldn't have any reason to infiltrate here, right? Is there some secret here for them?"
A subordinate immediately said that they were not a large merfolk tribe, just a rural merfolk group. They did not have any trump cards, at most they could communicate with the Lord of Water, but this was a basic ability of large merfolk groups.
They had held countless ceremonies before, and no lives were harmed or anything. The True History Compilation Committee had always ignored these things.
"Could it be for that unique item of our Okinawan merfolk tribe?" Another merman subordinate beside him speculated.
The merfolk immediately became serious. The possibility of them being targeted was too low. If they had to find a reason, it would be that one.
One merman immediately said angrily, "Could it be that they really want to exterminate us? We clearly already—"
"Silence!" The merman leader shouted loudly, "No matter what, do not mention this matter for now!"
The merfolk nodded timidly. They still trusted their leader's command. Since the leader had said so, they naturally would not disobey again.
"What a pity, I almost heard it~"
Qianshu Lian sighed, regretting that he almost heard what they were going to discuss.
"What's a pity? Qianshu Lian, please stand up and answer this question!"
The teacher on the podium pointed out Qianshu Lian's name without ceremony. He had already noticed that Qianshu Lian was distracted earlier.
He did not expect that now he was not only distracted but even started talking. Should he not call him out to remind him?
Yukino Yukinoshita's gaze next to him became even more peculiar. She was very certain that Qianshu Lian next to her was definitely not distracted.
But Qianshu Lian just started talking to himself like this. This guy must be doing something that she could not see or perceive.
"And Snow Below, this class I have seen you look at Qianshu Lian countless times. Please restrain yourself a bit, okay?"
The teacher's next sentence quickly interrupted Yukino Yukinoshita's thoughts, making Yukino Yukinoshita quickly lower her head with a slight blush.
It also allowed the students present to witness for the first time that the school's unreachable beauty could also make such a shy expression.
Although they seemed to have discovered some extraordinary truth, the mere fact that Snow Below could make such an expression was enough to make them forget what just happened.
Qianshu Lian easily solved the teacher's question and sat down, while also having the Black Shadow Troops give up their surveillance of that group of merfolk.
More Black Shadow Troops soldiers continued to expand the search area as instructed by Qianshu Lian earlier. This time, the Black Shadow Troops did not stop at suspicious and remote places.
Because they had stronger and more professional supporters, after avoiding those regular bases that were clearly large official organizations, they unhesitatingly launched surprise attacks on underground bases that might belong to cult organizations.
To be honest, although the number of cults born in this country was still far less than the number of cults born in a certain peninsula country.
After all, that peninsula country seemed to be able to develop cults from anything, while there were not many legitimate religions.
At least in this country, legitimate religions still held the dominant position on the surface, and cults were basically suppressed and wanted.
But the number was still quite large. Just by expanding from Tokyo to the outer mountainous areas, the Black Shadow Troops discovered many interesting places.
The leading Black Shadow Troops unhesitatingly broke in and fought with the cultists inside, followed by a group of large Black Shadow Troops who also rushed in.
These burly Black Shadow Troops could take down several cultists with each punch. Many cultists used magic to fight.
However, it seemed that no one went the path of knights or body techniques, so they were basically all squishy, and as mages, their attack power was not high either.
It could be said that the difficulty was not on the same level as the regular organizations that Qianshu Lian had avoided earlier. At least, Qianshu Lian did not think it would be so easy to break into a regular organization's base.
Moreover, people in regular organizations are constrained by discipline and salary, while these cult organizations rely on faith, do they not? If you have faith, why are you still so vulnerable?
Thanks to the atmosphere of the merfolk, Qianshu Lian gained a lot of inspiration. Although he did not target those regular official organizations, he could touch cult organizations like these in the dark.
On this day alone, the Black Shadow Troops swept countless cults for Qianshu Lian within and outside the Tokyo area.