Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Chapter 22: Discarded (3)
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Even the cleaners who had come to sweep, and those about to be swept away, remained silent.
They had the will to clean and the will to be cleaned, yet neither side could make a move.
"Heh heh heh!"
The cleaner laughed. With an utterly ordinary motion, he drew a dagger from his bosom.
"Shall we see how you handle this one?"
Shiiit!
The cleaner tossed the dagger at Fox as if it were a mere prank. Yet it flew toward him at blinding speed, like a flash of light.
Fox squeezed his eyes shut.
The dagger carried tremendous inner force. Even if blocked with a sword, it wouldn't be deflected—it packed that much power. And equal inner energy fueled its velocity.
A deadly flying blade technique that could claim a life in the blink of an eye. But then—
Clang!
A metallic clash rang out right before Fox's eyes.
'Again!'
Even with his eyes closed, Fox sensed what had happened. The master of flying blades known as Shadowless Throw had struck down the cleaner's dagger, knocking it away mid-air with pinpoint precision.
'Who the hell is this guy!'
Fox's eyes snapped open in shock. But at that moment, something else was unfolding on the rooftop.
"Huff! Hoo!"
The cleaner who had thrown the dagger at Fox hurriedly retreated.
Where he had stood, a slender chopstick was embedded. Right in the exact spot he'd occupied.
"Urk!"
The cleaner who had dodged let out a shallow groan.
He fiddled with the tear in his robe.
He hadn't spotted the chopstick flying and dodged it. The chopstick had pierced his clothing, startling him into pulling back.
If it had aimed for his life... he'd already be dead.
The Second shot to his feet and strode toward the chopstick.
There was no need for stealth anymore. The enemy saw through everything, and those marked for cleaning knew the angel of death had arrived. What was left to hide?
The Second stared at the chopstick intently. For a long while.
"Hm!"
He let out a groan.
He picked up the roof tile it was stuck in.
The chopstick had pierced clean through the tile... as if it had been embedded there from the start. No puncture marks, no cracks from the impact—perfectly natural.
It had struck faster than lightning, in an instant.
"We're pulling back."
The Second clutched the tile and launched himself into the air.
He no longer cared about Vanguard's group. There was nothing left for him to do here.
The enemy was a Shadowless Throw master.
Death's touch came unseen and silent from the shadows.
If he could even locate the hiding spot, maybe he could try something. But he couldn't pinpoint the position.
Three attacks already.
Two had claimed lives, one had downed a dagger. All three from the enemy. Chopsticks hurled. Yet no clue where from.
One kill per strike.
This couldn't go on.
He could fight back if he faced the foe, but he couldn't even find them.
Withdraw for now.
Shiiit! Shiiiit!
The Second leaped away, and the cleaners scattered in flight.
Two of them slipped through the door into the inn. They should have waited until Vanguard's group was fully eliminated... Instead, they checked the fallen bodies as they approached.
One of them spoke.
"Feels strange leaving while the living ones watch."
"Who are you?"
Vanguard asked gravely.
No answer. Not a word.
"You think you've helped us?"
"......"
"Someone too cowardly to show themselves before us?"
Vanguard glared toward the waiter.
The waiter was frozen solid, trembling like a leaf.
The chopstick had come from that direction.
"Are you Four Thousand Four?!"
Fox blurted out suddenly.
Four Thousand Four? Why think that?
Four Thousand Four didn't use Shadowless Throw. If he had such skill, the Jeon clan wouldn't have caught him. They wouldn't have thrown him into the Nineteen Hells.
Shadowless Throw was invincible.
Four Thousand Four was a serial killer. If a murderer wielded an invincible technique, what would happen?
Yet Fox asked if it was him.
Among their allies, only Four Thousand Four might help, and given his freakish nature, maybe he had Shadowless Throw too.
"Four Thousand Four?"
"Why bring him up out of nowhere...?"
Hanbi and Jaja said with baffled expressions.
Four Thousand Four was dead. That much was certain. Were they still haunted by his ghost?
"Are you really Four Thousand Four?"
Vanguard asked.
No response.
"This is frustrating as hell..."
Hanbi jumped up abruptly and dashed behind the waiter. He searched the counter and every nook thoroughly.
He found nothing.
Shiiiit! Shiiit!
The Second propelled himself at maximum speed.
Swoosh!
One of the pursuing cleaners surged forward, matching pace with the Second shoulder-to-shoulder.
He flashed a thumbs-up.
In that instant, a thin smile on the Second's lips was sliced away.
The bastard was following. The one who'd just thumbs-upped had famously sharp ears.
He heard everything.
Guanyinzi Mogal—that was him.
He'd dared take the title "Guanyin" for hearing all the world's sounds, like the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
And he truly heard everything.
But that's all he could do. Just listen. His martial arts were third-rate.
The Second had recruited him solely for those ears.
"Distance?"
Guanyinzi Mogal held up four fingers.
Forty zhang behind, giving chase. Maintaining pursuit across that vast distance meant the enemy's tracking was no joke.
Tap tap!
The Second patted his own shoulder twice.
After leaping another dozen paces or so, one cleaner fell behind, breathing raggedly.
"Huff!"
The straggler gripped his knees with both hands, panting fiercely—no intention of catching up.
The runners pressed on. Faster still.
Soon, another fell behind, unable to match the pace.
Two now positioned along the pursuit path.
They'd staged a bit of theater, but their intent to block the chaser was clear.
The Second glanced at Guanyinzi.
Guanyinzi thumbs-upped.
The pursuer hadn't slowed, still closing in.
"Huff!"
The first straggler quietly sat on his haunches.
Moments later, the second did the same.
Strange? Why sit? No one ordered it. No reason to.
The Second halted.
Snap! Snap!
He snapped his fingers.
They should respond. At least look up or wave.
Silence. They sat motionless.
"Hm!"
The Second groaned.
They were already dead. Gone without knowing it. No screams, just instant ends.
To learn how, he'd have to check the bodies. But he could guess. Chopsticks in them.
Shadowless Throw was hunting them.
"This bastard's after us!"
The tables had turned. For the first time, the cleaners were the hunted.
The Second boarded a boat and crossed the Yangtze.
He chose a stretch so wide it looked like the sea, with vast shores on both sides.
To follow, the enemy would need a boat too.
No boats pursued.
The Second eyed Guanyinzi.
Guanyinzi grimaced and thumbs-upped, then pointed at the riverbed.
Meaning: the bastard's chasing through the water.
"Check the river!"
The cleaners scattered, scanning the depths.
In the river? Clinging to the hull? Or masterful diver?
They saw nothing.
The foe was invisible. Unless a fish, he'd surface eventually. He didn't. Yet Guanyinzi insisted pursuit continued.
Times like this, he regretted cutting out tongues.
Done to prevent leaks... Was it a mistake?
"Distance?"
Guanyinzi held up four fingers again.
"Certain?"
Nod! Nod!
"Possible?"
Nod! Nod!
Not under the boat. Not clinging. Keeping a leisurely forty zhang gap.
Forty zhang in the river was enormous.
A full sprint from shore would outpace anyone landing later. By then, escapees would be ten ri away.
No clue direction—how to chase?
Thus, river pursuits close gaps fast. Hit land, pursue immediately. Otherwise, lose them.
The enemy held forty zhang.
A declaration of no pursuit. But he was pursuing.
"Distance?"
Four fingers again.
Still forty zhang as shore neared.
"Full sprint."
The cleaners understood.
"On three."
The Second planned to leap before docking.
"One, two, three!"
On three, he launched from the boat.
Shiiiit! Whiiiish!
Cleaners vaulted in unison.
Boat hadn't touched shore yet. Leap to land, then sprint.
Whiiiiiish!
Had they ever pushed this hard? Lungs burned to the throat.
Top lightfoot techniques at full throttle bred true stragglers.
One, two lagged.
They'd wander the Central Plains till orders came. Never return to headquarters lightly. A precaution against pursuit—now real.
"Hooo!"
The Second ran nearly twenty ri before stopping.
"The bastard?"
Guanyinzi wheezed too hard to answer.
"Hahk! Hahk! Hahk!"
Guanyinzi panted roughly, barely keeping up—thanks to the Second's arm.
Finally catching breath... he thumbs-upped.