Yāo Dan sighed at the table. The procedural processes were always the most boring part of… well, anything really.

But Dan would have it no other way. Setting up due process was the entire point of this cult, in Dan’s mind at least. If he’d wanted, he could have set off on some grand adventure, doing as he pleases, trying to solve problems as he comes across them, gaining power simply by searching for knowledge and integrating it within him.

But people had done that before him, and they will do it after him, Dan knew what it led to. Victory or defeat.

There are no people to care, and no people to care for, Dan wasn’t one to sit around reminiscing with family and friends, but he knew that without things to care about, family, friends, countrymen, the only thing that would remain is a record of his life, if he was lucky.

Not for a single second did Dan think about ‘rising to the top’ like some anime character, there wasn’t even a reward set up for that, and he’d have to risk a whole array of ‘fates-worse-than-death’ for it, anyways.

What he wanted was change, already he had went through an entire lifetime unable to provide even the most basic amount of change for any of the things he cared about. He wasn’t an activist, he didn’t risk himself or anything he had, he was simply made to care, and Fu was fully aware that made him a hypocrite.

Hell, the only thing Dan could say he was proud about in his last life was his family and his death. At least he could say his death was kind of cool. Imagine if he had fucked up while washing the dishes or something…

And right now, if Dan wanted change, he would have to put in the effort, which meant paperwork and directive meetings. Dan had to hold back a sigh while thinking about it, it wouldn’t do to have his underlings think their time was beneath him…

…

Chen Yu lounged on his couch in his guarded villa. He was reading reports, but he only really glanced through them. Delegation was a major part of the Chen family, and Yu’s only real job, beyond that of spitting out a few orders to the branch heads over a communication stone, was dealing with powerful players.

Every two or three days, Yu would have a meeting with a cultivator from one of the mountain sects nearest city, a visiting triad member, or even just his son, who reigned over the old Chen fencing family business that Yu had run before getting into the respect business.

Any time that respect was transgressed, a remark that reached his ears, a tenant disobeyed, a payment withheld, or even an outright challenge, a bill was paid, and one of his friends in the violence business paid the transgressor a visit.

It was quick, it was efficient, and as long as he paid out, no one dared to challenge him. The city wouldn’t touch him, especially with the Earthly Empire’s new ‘Peak first’ policy. He’d have to set the town ablaze for the empire to even move a finger, and besides, ever since he took over, inter-gang violence took a nose dive, as well as violence in general.

If not love, the public appreciated him.

He took a drink of his plum wine and continued to relax, he wasn’t the strongest in the province, by far, but he had proclaimed his own empire of dirt over this one horse town.

And if anyone wanted to change that, there would be hell to pay.

…

“How many cult heads do you plan to establish, my lord?” Project head Fu asked respectfully.

‘As many as we need to function smoothly in the near and far future.’ Dan answered idly while looking over mission statements, proposed cult protocol, suggested recruitment policy, and distribution routes for food and treasures.

‘Though, to be more specific, off of the top of my head, judicial, legal, defense, information/subterfuge, public relations, ethics, operations, as well as entertainment.’ Dan completely ignored the silence that usually occurred when he used his powers to convey huge amounts of information.

‘And that reminds me, I’ll need to form a council of cult heads to introduce, deliberate, and vote upon issues. I’ll maintain executive power over decision making in the cult, but the cult will benefit from having popular beliefs at least considered, as well as having an official way to bring issues to my attention.’

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“Why is that, Lord Dan?” Faith head Yue supplicated.

Dan partly wished Yue would see him more as a person, but he guessed that would be counter-intuitive to the job he gave her….

Still, nothing for it but answering honestly, if she seemed to lose interest in his true self, he could always have her replaced.

‘Considering and following the needs and wants of the people in an organization before the needs and wants of those nominally in charge is called being a ‘bottom-up’ organization, while doing the opposite and following those at top is called a ‘top-down’ organization.’ The cultist nodded along, already having gotten used to Dan’s tendency to ensure that the cultists understood the reasoning of Dans actions in the few hours that they had worked together.

‘Bottom-up organizations are historically more adaptable to change, whilst top-down organizations are so resistant to change that they often must incur significant damage before they do so. Since true demons are beings from and of chaos, and we are a demon cult, a bottom-up structure will be of major benefit to us in the long run.’ Dan finally looked away from the page as he tilted his head. ‘And I suppose since I am looking to benefit the people by using the people, giving the people themselves some influence only makes sense.’

“What if the people wish for something that is harmful to themselves, Lord?” Communications head Li intoned.

‘Then I will say no.’ Dan stated simply. ‘I am not saying that I will make myself a slave to the will of the people, or even that their judgment is better than mine.’ Dan shook his head, as if to show that the very concept was absurd.

‘I am simply stating that the people who are experiencing the problems likely know what the problems are better than the people who only read about it. Whether that holds true when the people at the top are supernaturally able is a matter of debate, but I know I would still benefit from the opinions of the masses, so let me know if you find anyone like that.’ Dan was twirling the wooden pencil in his hand by the time he was finished speaking. Fidgeting was one of the signs the cultists would learn to mean their lords patience was wearing thin.

Not a single one of the cultists dared to say anything else after they heard the finality in Dan’s tone, and it wasn’t until Dan continued to work on their meeting that they relaxed.

Which took a minute as Dan was continuing to overlook the papers he was focused on before.

Eventually, though… ‘Fu, what do you think of…’

…

The Skywatch Boys, a gang under the Chen family, were sitting under the shade of an alley.

“I’m sure it will be fine.” Gang Song, the sub-leader of the group, assured his boys. “The porters have refused to pay before. It should be fine.” But the head boy wasn’t doing much to assure his boys.

The dock protection ring hadn’t been rifled this bad before.

“E-excuse me…” A child looking barely the age of seven had walked up to them, but stopped fairly short.

“Whactha want, brat?” One of the boys called out.

“I-I was told to give you this…” The kid held out the basket.

“Oh for the love of the divine.” One of the thug boys grumbled as he moved towards the boy boy.

“Would it have killed you to come any- Ghrrk, guah!” Gang Song felt his heart turn into ice as he rushed over to what had made his boy throw up.

Song wanted to do the same, but because he’d had a feeling, he didn’t.

‘Those crazy bastards.’ Was all Song could think as he looked at Gang Sun, his brother’s, head in the basket. ‘Preform or die.’ was carved into his forehead.

There’d be vengeance for this, he swore, they’d underestimate a rat in the corner, and he’d rip out their damned throats.

But for now, there was only one option.

They’d preform.

…

Zhang Wei stayed behind while the other cultists began leaving at the first signs of dawn.

‘Speak your mind, Wei.’ Dan stated while organizing the work done during the night. ‘I know you aren’t staying just here because you can’t get tired in my presence.’

Wei quickly nodded. “Of course master.” The bureaucrat turned cultist gulped before continuing, nervous because of his topic. “I’ve noticed all of your plans…”

Dan leveled Wei a blank stare, ‘Come on Wei, you know I don’t bite.’

Wei just nodded. “Well, it’s that all of your plans, distributing food and shelter to the believers, helping merchants smuggle your goods, recruitment, bribery, and even training acolyte cultists, all take extra steps to avoid the Chen family. I think that this would all be much more efficient if we simply take steps to remove them.”

To Wei’s relief, Dan just nodded. ‘I’ve thought the same, and I certainly don’t like organized crime, but I don’t think it’s worth the risk just yet.’

Dan put his arm around Wei’s shoulder as he walked him to the door. ‘As far as I’m aware, we have time on our side, and will continue to do so as long as we remain undiscovered. There’s no need to put our members in danger by starting a gang war.’

“Gang war?” Wei asked.

‘They’re an umbrella syndicate run by a single family named Chen. Turning a few gangs against them while providing them with a few nifty tools and weapons would be the easiest thing in the world for me.’

Dan sighed as he let Wei out. ‘But conflict isn’t exactly good for secrecy, and unnecessary bloodshed doesn’t set well with me. Unless they bother us, I’m fine with growing our influence and limiting theirs until they lose they ability to be a problem.’

Dan reined in his qi once Wei was gone, shut down the array of mystical bullshit, and with a final smile, was gone.

There was always more to do when you were a tireless demon hellbent on change.