Chapter 184
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Ten-Year Plan (4)
Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!
The bonfire burned brightly and steadily.
A savory aroma began to rise. The rabbit skewered over the flames roasted to a perfect golden brown.
"Looks like it's ready to eat now."
Fox stared at the roasting rabbit as he spoke.
It was very late to be having dinner. Deep in the mountains, it was impossible to know the exact time...... But judging by the moon's position, it probably hadn't passed midnight yet.
And yet, no one felt hungry.
The rabbit gave off a mouthwatering scent, but it stirred no appetite whatsoever.
They had poked the Beggar Clan's hornet's nest.
Having received orders from the Heavenly Annihilation Division, they should have kept a strict distance from sects like the Beggars' Sect. Instead, they had voluntarily made themselves prime surveillance targets.
And then there was Zhuge Soso, the Zhuge family's chief strategist.
If they intended to carry out the Heavenly Annihilation Division's orders, she was one of the people they absolutely should never have met.
Four Thousand Four had told her he needed to kill Nogu.
From the righteous sects' perspective, they would protect Nogu no matter what. Especially Zhuge Soso, the Zhuge family's brain trust and a beacon of the righteous path. There was no way she'd stand by and let Nogu die.
What was Four Thousand Four thinking?
He intended to carry out the assassination contract. Success or failure aside, it seemed he planned to go through with it. And yet, all his actions and the people he met were things he should have strictly avoided.
No wonder there was no appetite.
"Kill him if you can, they said. They won't interfere at all."
Everyone snapped their heads up to stare at Four Thousand Four.
"Did they really... say that?"
"They also said there's no way you'll succeed in killing him."
"That's obvious. How could anyone kill Nogu?"
Fox flipped the roasting rabbit as he spoke.
"Either way, you stirred up the Beggars' Sect to lure out Nogu, right? So how exactly do you plan to draw him out?"
Fox fixed Four Thousand Four with a piercing stare.
"Nothing more to do. I've already done it all. Now we just wait."
"The goal was to spread word of the assassination contract through the Beggars' Sect..."
"And that's already been achieved."
"Already achieved?"
Vanguard echoed in disbelief.
Four Thousand Four had just dropped something crucial.
Spreading the news through the Beggars' Sect was equivalent to announcing the assassination contract to the entire Central Plains martial world. Beggar Clan disciples were everywhere across the land, and they'd each pass along the word.
Did that mean the entire martial world already knew?
Four Thousand Four continued.
"Nogu will come. If Zhuge Soso's prediction holds, we'll meet him sooner than expected."
"No way... You've been waiting for this?"
Hanbi muttered with a grim expression.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division had played the assassination contract card, and the righteous martial world had eagerly snatched it up.
Four Thousand Four stood on a cliff with chasms on both sides.
One misstep in either direction, and he'd plummet a thousand feet.
No one knew exactly what Four Thousand Four was up to. But it was clear he was caught like a shrimp between the clash of giants: the Heavenly Annihilation Division and the righteous martial world.
"Four Thousand Four, I didn't want to say this, but... if we're in your way, maybe we should bow out here."
Vanguard spoke in a heavy tone.
They weren't fools. Four Thousand Four had no backing from the Heavenly Annihilation Division. Without Vanguard, Hanbi, Jaja, and Fox, the Division couldn't command him at all.
It wasn't fear of Nogu that made him say this. Four Thousand Four had done more than enough already, and they didn't want to hold him back. Of course, even if he went alone, Vanguard's only option was still assassinating Nogu. They themselves were tightly bound by orders, with no room for choice.
"Fox, any info on Nogu?"
Four Thousand Four ignored Vanguard and turned to Fox.
"It'll be ready soon."
"Aim for within four or five days."
"Possible. But if it's that soon?"
"That's when I think we'll run into Nogu."
The righteous martial world! They'd clearly been waiting for this moment!
Vanguard's group was heading toward Mount Song. But even at best speed, it would take at least ten days to arrive. Taking main roads could shave off a bit.
Meeting Nogu somewhere in between meant the other side was approaching too.
Nogu was coming.
In truth, if Nogu stayed at Mount Song, striking him would be impossible. Forget Nogu—even taking on the Shaolin Six Monks would be a stretch, even staking their lives.
Yet Nogu was coming out himself, which meant he had that much confidence.
The world's greatest master.
"Four or five days is tight, but... got it. I'll gather what I can. No, everything I can."
"I'll fight here."
Four Thousand Four scanned their surroundings.
Their camp was in some nameless deep mountain. No water, steep slopes everywhere—a treacherous terrain.
Perfect for striking from above, hellish to climb from below.
"Hanbi, take out one of the Shaolin Six Monks. Around that fifth ridge."
Four Thousand Four pointed to the ridge.
"At most."
Hanbi replied curtly.
In truth... the Shaolin Six Monks had inherited Nogu's techniques in full. They weren't counted among the top five masters only because of Nogu himself—without him, who knows how the rankings might shift.
They were that strong.
Even with a surprise attack, could Hanbi really take down even one?
"Vanguard."
"Guess I have to earn my keep. One of the Six Monks?"
"Hit Nogu."
Everyone's jaws dropped at Four Thousand Four's words.
What did that mean? Wasn't that the same as telling Vanguard to die?
Four Thousand Four chuckled.
"Nogu—Venerable Jigong is a monk. He doesn't kill."
"Then?"
"He'll subdue you, but he won't kill."
"Ah, I see."
Vanguard chuckled too.
Assassins often used human bait. Sacrifice one to create an opening.
The moment Vanguard attacked Nogu, Four Thousand Four would seize the chance. Movement creates openings.
"What about me?"
Fox asked, eyes wide.
"I told you. Info on Nogu."
"That's prep before he arrives. Who do I fight? I need something to do."
"Any more movement is superfluous. It'd just get in the way, no help at all."
Vanguard, Hanbi, and Fox immediately pictured the attack pattern from Four Thousand Four's words.
Hanbi strikes one of the Shaolin Six Monks from the fifth ridge.
She'd target one of the six, but the kill wouldn't succeed.
Instead, she'd tie up all six.
When Hanbi attacks, Venerable Jigong would leave the Six Monks behind and come up alone.
Vanguard attacks, with Four Thousand Four right on his heels.
One chance, no second. Fail once, and it's over.
Even maximizing surprise, it looked tough.
Assassins instinctively separated easy jobs from hard ones—and impossible ones.
This contract was impossible from the start.
"But... why'd you meet that woman?"
Fox asked, eyes gleaming.
"Who? Zhuge Soso?"
"Yeah."
"Hm! Why meet her? Why indeed... Fox, who are my enemies right now? Is Venerable Jigong one?"
"..."
Fox couldn't answer right away.
It was so simple... Venerable Jigong was definitely an enemy... But Four Thousand Four's situation was different. Setting aside his orders, he had no grudge against the righteous martial world.
No, wait. Did he really have none?
Four Thousand Four had killed the Merchant Wanderer. He'd trespassed on Zhuge family grounds too.
He was undeniably an enemy of the righteous sects.
Then what about the Heavenly Annihilation Division? Ally or foe? Probably closer to foe.
Both sides enemies.
"Exactly. Got it."
Four Thousand Four hadn't answered, but Fox already understood.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division and righteous martial world—both enemies.
Neither the Heavenly Annihilation Division nor righteous martial world—enemies.
That was Four Thousand Four's position right now. Both sides enemies and not-enemies. So no one was off-limits. Everyone he met had to be watched. They could turn enemy and cross blades at any moment.
In such a situation, what reason was there not to meet someone from the righteous side? If they could offer even a scrap of help, he had to meet anyone.
Meeting Zhuge Soso had yielded great results.
Detaching her from this affair was a massive win in itself.
Four Thousand Four reached for the rabbit as he spoke.
"We've got about four or five days. Prepare everything you can in that time. Fire bombs, thunderclaps, whatever. Right now, I'm of a mind to collapse this entire mountain if I could. Think you can manage it?"
His last words were aimed at Fox.
"You think I'm a god? How the hell is that possible?!"
Fox yelled.
Hanbi headed down to the fifth ridge at first light.
He needed to scout the most likely path for the Shaolin Six Monks to ascend. No—make sure they couldn't take any other route. Guide them onto the path he'd prepared.
Heavenly Annihilation Division assassins always moved as a full six-man unit, whether targeting one or two.
Now he moved alone.
Success odds were that much lower.
"Crazy bastard. Still believes this can work."
Hanbi chuckled.
"This place... connected to Sobei somehow?"
Vanguard asked.
No one but Four Thousand Four remained around. Hanbi was scouting the mountainside, and Fox had descended to gather intel on Nogu. He probably wouldn't return until late evening.
So Four Thousand Four should prepare too... but he did nothing.
That's why Vanguard asked. Was this place tied to Sobei?
"Sobei? Why bring him up out of nowhere?"
"I want to know why you chose this as the battlefield. Doesn't look like a suitable spot to me."
Vanguard eyed Four Thousand Four.
"Heh! Here, strikes from above double in power. Blocks from below require double the effort. Maximizes geographic advantage..."
"Cut the crap!"
Vanguard glared.
Last night, Four Thousand Four had said he wanted to collapse the whole mountain.
That was the key.
Fox couldn't do it, but Sobei could. With the trap arrays Sobei had built, it was entirely possible.
If this place was Sobey's handiwork...
Four Thousand Four carried countless diagrams in his head. Info on this place would be among them, along with Sobey's trap arrays. Then the mountain really would collapse.
Sobey's second disciple in the Penalty Crew had failed to evade a collapsing trap array and fell to his death.
The same would happen here.
Hanbi? He'd be thrown down the mountain with the Shaolin Six Monks.
Vanguard too, down the mountain—subdued by Venerable Jigong and handed to the Six Monks. The natural course.
Fox wouldn't even be on the mountain from the start. Four Thousand Four would send him down on some pretext.
In the end, Four Thousand Four planned to die here with Venerable Jigong.
"Planning to die alone?"
"Why die together?"
"You bastard!"
"Hanbi and you, Vanguard—you're definite burdens to me. You saw the Heavenly Annihilation Division's orders, right? For this job, you're dead weight. I even thought of going solo..."
"Thought about it—what changed?"
"Too frustrating to drop like a weed. Vanguard, watch closely how I live and how I die. At least one person should know my life story."
"And what good does that do?"
"Heh heh! Just a hunch... but I doubt I'm the only successor to the Secret Arts."
Four Thousand Four gave a bitter smile.