Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Unbelievable (3) - Assassinate Jigong
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The secret message contained just three characters. Yet the weight of those three words was immense.
'This is war!'
'No... way...'
Those who saw it couldn't speak, only blinking in stunned silence.
Shock had its limits. When something made no sense at all, when it was utterly absurd, even surprise faded away.
'Kill Jigong.' Who could even fathom such a thing?
"Jigong here... You don't mean Master Jigong, do you?"
Hanbi stammered.
There was only one person called Jigong in the current martial world. No room for doubt. But confirmation was still needed. It was just too outrageous.
"Correct."
Vanguard replied calmly.
"The head of Shaolin Temple, Master Jigong?"
"Correct."
"Kill the Old Man... you're telling me to kill the Old Man?!"
"Correct."
"......"
Hanbi fell silent.
Master Jigong wasn't just the leader of a single sect. He was the head of the great Shaolin Temple, one of the pillars guiding the current martial world.
He was also counted among the strongest in the world today.
Old Man, Blue Flame, Shattered Blade, Red Moon, Beautiful Face.
Of these, the Old Man was Master Jigong.
The Old Man was unanimously considered the top among the current martial world's strongest.
When asked, "Who is the strongest in the martial world today?" no one hesitated—the Old Man came to mind first. Then came debates of Blue Flame versus Shattered Blade, followed by Red Moon and Beautiful Face.
Old Man, Blue Flame, Shattered Blade, Red Moon, Beautiful Face—these were the Five Supreme Experts of the current martial world, ranked in order of strength.
The secret message explicitly ordered the assassination of the undisputed strongest.
How could they kill the Old Man? How to even approach him, let alone strike him down?
Suppose they succeeded.
The righteous sects would erupt in fury at the Old Man's death.
Once they learned the assassin was from the Heavenly Annihilation Division, it would ignite all-out war. Righteous factions versus the Heavenly Annihilation Division. A battle where one side had to be utterly destroyed. And they would find out—it was inevitable.
What madman had issued this order?
"What do you think?"
Vanguard eyed Four Thousand Four.
"When can I get intel on the Old Man?"
Four Thousand Four ignored Vanguard's question, turning instead to Iron Ball Papa.
Four Thousand Four had already accepted the mission.
He spoke of this impossible assassination as if it were the most natural thing, something that simply had to be done.
"When the time comes... you'll get it."
Iron Ball Papa replied reluctantly.
Headquarters always provided target details with the order.
Current location, companions, activities—fairly detailed information.
Of course, it was just a reference. Outdated by the time of execution. Real assassins gathered live intel on their own.
Still, headquarters' info was essential. It sketched the rough outline before moving.
"Just one question. What's holding you back?"
Vanguard asked gravely.
Things were going strangely, prompting the query.
Strictly speaking, Four Thousand Four should be at war with the Heavenly Annihilation Division. They should be sending cleaners to kill him.
That was the logical course.
Yet headquarters had issued him an order. As if nothing had happened. And Four Thousand Four accepted it. As if all was normal.
Why was Four Thousand Four taking orders from the Heavenly Annihilation Division? How was headquarters controlling him?
His faction ties had been severed. The stalker who hobbled him was dead.
Incomprehensible actions.
Four Thousand Four chuckled softly.
"We need to gather intel on the Old Man. As much as possible... No one from headquarters in the Beggars' Sect?"
"There are. But not at a level to access Master Jigong's info."
Iron Ball Papa answered.
"Get me as much as you can..."
"You... dodged last time, dodging again. What's grabbing your ankles?!"
Four Thousand Four let Hanbi's outburst flow past his ears, addressing Iron Ball Papa.
"I want a map of Shaolin Temple's grounds."
Leaving the Heavenly Annihilation Division wasn't easy. It demanded ruthless resolve.
The Division wasn't forgiving. Especially headquarters.
No one in the current martial world could enter and exit headquarters freely, like their own home.
Yet Four Thousand Four had done it.
Headquarters hadn't stopped him. Hadn't blocked him. Let him come and go as he pleased.
They weren't ready to kill him yet.
When headquarters showed this much leniency, they had preparations in place.
What were they? What leash did they hold?
He hadn't read their intent when leaving headquarters for the Beggars' Sect.
Now he knew clearly.
Headquarters had collared him the moment he left. No—from the start. He'd just been blind to it. Headquarters had been consistent all along.
Vanguard, Hanbi, Jaja, Fox!
These were his faction ties.
Strange bonds, forged by willingly discarding the stalker and creating new ones.
Vanguard and Hanbi had abandoned their factions. They had people as dear as life... yet forsook them to side with Four Thousand Four. To draw blades against headquarters.
From headquarters' view, they were the worst traitors.
Yet headquarters hadn't killed them. Hadn't touched their discarded factions.
Because they were all his faction now.
Jaja was set to become a branch leader.
Where had Fox gotten that info?
Locked in the Heavenly Annihilation Division's Thunder Prison, how had he—or she—learned such a top secret?
Headquarters had told her.
They'd anticipated Fox going to Four Thousand Four, using her to relay Jaja's news.
Obey, and Jaja lives. We'll help her lead a branch. Disobey... and you're on your own.
He didn't know Jaja and Fox's factions. But they couldn't abandon them. No reason or backstory would allow it.
Now, their factions were his burden too.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division's pressure wasn't limited to four people. It extended to their ties.
Four Thousand Four had realized this recently. When he met Fox in Iron Ball Papa's secret chamber.
Releasing Vanguard and Hanbi? Understandable. Even Jaja? Fine, if they planned to use her as branch leader.
Fox? Red Moon brought her, but headquarters wouldn't discard such a card lightly.
Headquarters had maneuvered Fox to Four Thousand Four via Red Moon.
Otherwise, she couldn't have reached him without effort.
The factions tied to assassinating Master Jigong encompassed them all.
Now, only his choice remained.
Ignore the factions and go his own way? Simple enough.
Vanguard, Hanbi, Jaja, Fox... Were their blood or flesh mingled with his?
They were all branch members. Bluntly, they could die fulfilling killing duties. In that moment, a silent prayer of remembrance and turn away—that was the bond's depth.
Not even worth calling a faction tie.
If his heart was cold, ruthless, he'd discard such bonds without thought.
So why had the Heavenly Annihilation Division thrown these ties at him?
Humanity! Cultivating humanity meant understanding human bonds. One who grasped that would feel these ties as thick as eons.
Perhaps Iron Ball Papa was included too. No, he surely was... and who else? Impossible to pin down.
Endless, like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
Such ties demanded careful decision at first encounter.
Once accepted, escape was impossible. Eternal slavery. As a tool of murder. Refuse? Then just one clash with headquarters remained.
Four Thousand Four chose acceptance.
He'd come to know Vanguard. Hanbi and Jaja too. Fox as well.
Should he kill them?
Thus, despite the absurdity, he'd attempt to assassinate Master Jigong, the Old Man. If possible.
"So the order came down?"
Fox beamed.
"This doesn't concern you."
Vanguard said coldly.
Four Thousand Four had asked to exclude Fox. As always, no reason or explanation—just the request. And as always, Vanguard couldn't refuse. Oddly, Four Thousand Four's words always swayed him now.
Fox was out.
But Fox showed no sign of backing down. As if expecting Vanguard's gruffness, she sat unfazed.
"Who am I? Number One Scout, that's who. When an order drops, first thing is scouting..."
"I said it doesn't concern you!"
"Kill Jigong. Right?"
"How do you... Papa!"
Vanguard bellowed toward the door.
"Yelling won't help. Papa went upstairs."
Fox pointed at the ceiling.
Above ground, all sounds from the underground chamber were blocked.
"Vanguard, you're too much. Papa's no fool... He shared headquarters' top secret with me for a reason. Didn't that cross your mind?"
"......!"
"How much intel can you gather on Master Jigong?"
"Hmph."
"See? You need a scout anyway. And among all-time scouts, has there been one like me?"
"Don't toot your own horn."
"I'll gather everything on Master Jigong. All I can. But first... promise to include me."
"That's not my call..."
"Who's leading this op? You or Four Thousand Four?"
Vanguard. The order came to him.
"Fine. I get your point. I'll ask Four Thousand Four first..."
"I don't trust Four Thousand Four. You promise."
"Hey! Why are you all ganging up on me? What happened between you and Four Thousand Four? What's with you two?!"
Vanguard exploded.
Fox just grinned.
"Flower Grove and Flower Thunder are nearly complete. Against the Old Man, won't you need Flower Thunder?"
"Argh! Do whatever! But if he complains, you handle it! Don't let it splash back on me!"
"What a softie. Four Thousand Four can't touch me. I'll handle the rest, so don't worry."
"Whatever. But can you really gather intel on Jigong?"
"No idea. First time with a big shot like Master Jigong. But I'll try. I'm in now, so for my own survival, I'll scrape up everything I can."
"It's not just you—we all need to survive... Do it. As much as possible."
Vanguard said darkly.
Fox and Vanguard felt the same. They spoke of survival, but none believed they could attack Shaolin's head and live.
They'd all die. Without even brushing Master Jigong's sleeve.