Chapter 183
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Ten-Year Plan (3)
"That guy's Four Thousand Four, right?"
Zhuge Myeong muttered as if talking to himself. Of course, it wasn't really to himself. He was asking Zhuge Soso.
There was no way Zhuge Myeong wouldn't recognize Four Thousand Four.
The one who emerged from the forest was unmistakably Four Thousand Four. Three others had appeared alongside him, but in Zhuge Myeong's eyes, only Four Thousand Four was visible. The rest didn't register.
It was like a single, perfectly honed blade walking toward them.
The essence of the Polished Sword lay in refining away its sharpness.
It stripped away the edge's keen aura without marring its razor-thin keenness even by a speck of dust. The result was a sword that seemed sharp yet wasn't—or at least, didn't appear dangerous. But when one reached out to touch it, its edge proved so lethally keen that they recoiled in shock.
Four Thousand Four had appeared in just such a form.
"What happened at the Heavenly Annihilation Division?"
"……"
"At that level, he could even go toe-to-toe with Mian. Don't you think?"
Zhuge Myeong kept muttering to himself, while Zhuge Soso pressed her lips tight and remained silent.
Neither of them could tear their gazes away from Four Thousand Four.
Though both were looking at the same man, they saw different things.
Zhuge Myeong saw his martial prowess.
Zhuge Soso saw something else. She saw Four Thousand Four's intellect.
Four Thousand Four drew closer. He glanced at Zhuge Myeong and Vanguard, then spoke.
"I'd like to speak with you alone."
"Your Shadowless Wings have reached a profound level. Congratulations on such high attainment."
"I merely chose a weapon suited to Shadowless Wings... though it does feel a bit premature."
"Modest words."
"What is it this time?"
"What do you mean?"
"The thing that tracked me down... what should I call it? The tool that allowed you to follow me?"
"Pfft! How did you know I was here?"
"I've always suspected you were nearby."
"Impressive. Most people wouldn't notice a thing."
"What?"
"You already know."
"I've already undone the blood point control."
"Not completely."
It wasn't that he hadn't undone it completely. It could never be fully undone. The qi and blood circulation had fused inseparably with his body, flowing ceaselessly until the moment of death.
"I see. So the key to finding me lies here..."
Four Thousand Four tapped his temple with a finger.
"And what could follow this key?"
"This."
Zhuge Soso pulled a small stone from her bosom without hiding it and held it up.
It was a gemstone gleaming with a lustrous jade light, radiating brilliantly.
"Do you know what this light signifies?"
Four Thousand Four shook his head side to side.
"It's called a Lure Stone. Normally, it doesn't shine like this—it's just a plain blue rock. But recently, it started emitting this glow. That means someone connected to this stone desperately wants it. Now it's my turn to ask. Why did you seek me out?"
Four Thousand Four stared at Zhuge Soso, eyes widening in astonishment.
The Southern Sage lived up to her name. She could conceive of things no one else could imagine.
Indeed, just as the Southern Sage said, he had wanted to meet her.
"We were expelled from the main force."
"I know. That's why you can kill Heavenly Annihilation Division assassins so freely now."
Zhuge Soso glanced at the assassin sprawled on the ground.
"But we received a special assignment."
"That figures. Being discarded by the Heavenly Annihilation Division doesn't mean the restrictions are lifted."
"The target of this special assignment... is Nogu."
As he spoke, Four Thousand Four stared piercingly at Zhuge Soso.
She didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at the name Nogu. She acted as if she already knew.
"I'm curious. Four Thousand Four versus Nogu. Think you can pull it off?"
"Honestly, I'm not confident."
"I figured. Good luck. What do you want to know?"
"Why Nogu must die."
"……."
Zhuge Soso didn't answer immediately. Instead, a star-like sparkle emanated from her sleeve pouch.
"Do assassination orders even need reasons? Someone must have placed a hit on Nogu with the Heavenly Annihilation Division."
"Why was the Merchant Wanderer killed?"
"……."
"What's the connection between the Merchant Wanderer and the Zhuge family head?"
"That's ridiculous. Didn't you kill the Merchant Wanderer yourself? And you're the one who came charging to kill my father. If anyone should know, it's you—not me."
"If you won't answer my question..."
Four Thousand Four cut himself off and stared at Zhuge Soso.
"Then what?"
"I'll have no choice but to kill Nogu."
"You sound pretty confident you can take him down. The supreme under heaven, after all."
"There are those strong in martial arts, but no true supreme under heaven. Even if there were, as a living being, they carry the seeds of death. I may not succeed, but I intend to attempt the assassination with all my power."
Four Thousand Four wasn't smiling.
"You're not joking. You're serious."
"What meaning does Nogu's death hold?"
"Righteousness destroyed."
Zhuge Soso replied curtly and immediately.
"That's an enormous ripple for the death of one man."
"Which is exactly why killing Nogu won't be easy. No, I think it's impossible."
"What can I do here?"
"Do you trust me?"
"No. Your words represent the righteous faction's stance, not mine."
"Then why ask me?"
"……."
Four Thousand Four couldn't answer.
Thinking about it, what an absurd conversation. They lived in different worlds, walked different paths.
Yet he asked Zhuge Soso.
He felt she would answer without bias. He couldn't say why, but it seemed her presence—his secret longing, his hidden affection—was at play.
"Any other assassin wouldn't ask me this... or even tell me the next target is Nogu. And yet you say you don't trust me?"
After a long pause, Four Thousand Four finally pried open his reluctant lips.
"I've lost my way."
"That path... wouldn't have been lost if the Heavenly Annihilation Division hadn't cast you out?"
Four Thousand Four shook his head.
"I would have lost it anyway."
This time, Zhuge Soso fell silent.
They didn't speak again until nearly an entire incense stick had burned away. At last, Zhuge Soso let out a deep sigh and opened her mouth.
"Sigh! I wonder what the martial world would be like without a man called Four Thousand Four. It would have been... dreadfully boring."
"……."
"Kill Nogu. No, scratch that—do your utmost to kill him."
"You seem awfully certain I can't..."
"You can't."
Zhuge Soso cut him off decisively.
"Nogu is a warrior on another plane from Mian the Deathbringer or Crimson Moon. Calling him a martial god wouldn't be an exaggeration. Shadowless Wings? I doubt it'd work on Nogu."
"Hmph!"
"But that doesn't mean I'm telling you to die. Let me state my goal clearly. I want the Heavenly Annihilation Division gone. And everyone who shares their path with it."
"Mm!"
Four Thousand Four could only groan in response.
"You, Four Thousand Four, just do your job. I'll do mine. And search for the path you've lost."
"You won't give me an answer?"
"About the connection between the Merchant Wanderer, my father, and Grandmaster Jigong?"
Four Thousand Four nodded.
"The Heavenly Annihilation Division is led by ten people. They each hold equal shares. They're called the Ten Seats, and the Star Edge Master you killed was one of them. Now it's nine seats instead of ten."
There was something Zhuge Soso didn't know.
The old man who taught him warmth... that old man was also one of the Ten Seats. So now only eight remained.
The claim of equal shares among the Ten Seats was also untrue.
The Star Edge Master held no shares at all. His death left his seat vacant, unfilled by anyone. Zero shares.
No one had replaced the old man either.
The old man had passed warmth solely to Four Thousand Four.
This was certain. There was no possibility he'd taught it to anyone else.
Warmth was a secret not transmitted to outsiders, and it followed the principle of single succession. Passed to only one person—that was the iron rule.
If anyone were to take the old man's seat among the Ten Seats, it would be Four Thousand Four.
But he had been cast out. Left without any support from the Heavenly Annihilation Division, forced to carry out absurd special assignments. And this wouldn't be the end.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division saw him as nothing more than a tool for killing.
Like the Star Edge Master, the old man held no shares.
What of the others? Someone like Little Punishment Leader might hold some shares. But without knowing who the rest were, he couldn't say.
Zhuge Soso continued.
"If the Heavenly Annihilation Division has Ten Seats, then the righteous side has Two Venerables. One is Grandmaster Jigong. Each Venerable has Eight Heads and Twin Secrets... The Eight Heads could be factions or people. The Twin Secrets are people."
"Then the Zhuge family head and the Merchant Wanderer?"
"My father is one of Grandmaster Jigong's Twin Secrets. The Merchant Wanderer is presumed to be one of the other Venerable's Twin Secrets. The Heavenly Annihilation Division's public declaration of assassinating them both was a threat—showing they know who the Two Venerables are and their Twin Secrets too."
Suddenly, hazy truths snapped into clarity for Four Thousand Four.
"These are secrets among secrets, aren't they?"
"Four Thousand Four, I'm choosing to trust you."
"……."
"I said it earlier. I wonder what the martial world would be without you. To both Northern Luminary and me, you're untamable... what should I call it? A burning ember? That's what you are. So like Northern Luminary, I'm going to try using you to my utmost."
"You'll keep following me?"
"Yes. Truthfully, you didn't need to provoke the Beggars' Clan. You did it to draw me out, right?"
"I plan to use the Beggars' Clan to lure out Nogu too."
"He'll show. Sooner than you think. You think he'd fear Shadowless Wings?"
Zhuge Soso smiled brightly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, sparkling with light.
Four Thousand Four... the more time passed, the heavier he seemed.
Four Thousand Four posed only formal questions to her.
But that wasn't all.
He was clearly seeking help. Not just for facts, but desperately, from the heart and in reality. Asking for aid in his own way.
When Four Thousand Four stepped out from the forest... she saw another version of herself.
The martial world had two terms for her kind.
Northern Luminary and Southern Sage—Invincible Martial Blaze and Literary Radiance!
She now thought it was time to revise that saying.
Northern Luminary, Southern Sage, and Shadowless.
Four Thousand Four thought things assassins never would. He knew how to wield the Beggars' Clan effectively. They knew they were being used but had no choice but to play along.
He'd found her by exploiting the Beggars' Clan.
Four Thousand Four had no Lure Stone. No other way to track her. Unless... by deciphering the secret message left by the foolish Beggars' Clan member.
Yes. He'd gleaned her location from that idiot's cipher and come to her.
Four Thousand Four knew how to use the Southern Sage and make the Northern Luminary serve him.
Shadowless's wisdom hadn't yet blazed forth. But it would soon.
'If Northern Luminary had seen that man... he'd recognize his true worth... But if not, he still doesn't know... I can't let Northern Luminary see him. Then... we'll have a chance.'
Northern Luminary had seen Four Thousand Four. He knew. But he'd seen the Four Thousand Four from Bamboo Grove, not the current one. The difference between then and now was like heaven and earth.
If Northern Luminary remembered him as the Bamboo Grove version... he'd end up the one used by Four Thousand Four.
Zhuge Soso gave a faint smile.