Chapter 213
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Five Beasts (3)
Five people. Five secret letters.
"Who are they?"
"No idea."
"Then why kill people whose identities you don't even know?"
"......"
"Is this how you plan to operate from now on?"
"Yes."
"Regardless of the reason, just kill whoever you're told to?"
"Yes."
"Fine. Let me rephrase the question. How did you find out about these targets?"
"......"
"Can't tell us that either?"
Four Thousand Four remained calm. Eerily calm.
He could just hand back the secret letters. Even if he declared he wouldn't carry out the hits, no one could complain.
If they could do it, great. If not, no harm done.
That was Four Thousand Four's attitude. He wasn't forcing it or desperately pleading.
If you won't do it, I'll handle it myself.
Four Thousand Four never pressured anyone.
"You've changed a lot. You're not the Four Thousand Four we used to know."
"I can't keep getting beaten down and dying forever. From now on, I have to protect myself."
"Hmph!"
Vanguard grunted.
This wasn't about killing for revenge. It was about killing to survive. Not targeting the Heavenly Annihilation Division or the Central Plains martial world for vengeance, but slaying them to stay alive.
He couldn't keep dying like he had to the Heavenly Annihilation Division, Old Skeleton, or Miserly Little Killer. From here on, he'd fight back to live.
Find the Zhuge family head?
The secret letter Four Thousand Four had extended contained a clue to the Zhuge family head's whereabouts.
Four Thousand Four had prioritized that task first.
Even though Zhuge Soso had spared his life... for the assassins, Lord Zhuge's safety came first.
Yet Four Thousand Four was setting aside even Lord Zhuge's well-being to search for the family head.
And his explanation was unexpected. To survive?
Did that mean hunting the Zhuge family head was on the same level as striking back at the Heavenly Annihilation Division?
No one knew. Four Thousand Four wasn't talking.
"No other way around it, then."
Jaja picked up one of the secret letters. Without hesitation, she unfolded it.
"Weisu Han Qing? Who's this guy? Anyone know a Han Qing?"
Jaja tilted her head.
"First time hearing the name."
Hanbi curiously grabbed one himself and spread it wide.
"Gamak Mountain's Songam? Gamak Mountain sounds like a place, but what's Songam?"
Hanbi glanced at Four Thousand Four.
Four Thousand Four stayed silent.
The letters Hanbi and Jaja had picked contained names neither had ever heard before.
Han Qing probably lurked in Weisu.
Songam was a mystery. Not a real name—likely a moniker... They'd find out at Gamak Mountain. Anyway, since Four Thousand Four wanted him dead, he had to be human.
Four Thousand Four had only written the targets' names on the letters. No additional info.
This was how they'd always operated.
Given only the target, the assassins had to dig up the details themselves. That's why every cell needed a sharp, info-savvy scout.
This time, no scouts to help.
Five people, five letters. Even Fox, who they could ask for intel, got one. No teamwork—they each had to kill solo.
"How high are the odds of success on this foolhardy path?"
Vanguard asked, picking up a letter.
"We'll avoid fighting. So, success chance is basically zero."
"Avoid them? If they're worth us killing personally, they're no pushovers... Saying we won't fight means... these guys are outliers too. No wonder they haven't made waves in the martial world yet. Could they be assassins as well?"
"Probably."
"Then just say yes or no—'probably' what? You don't even know what they do?"
"Heh."
Four Thousand Four let out a smirk.
Vanguard's eyes gleamed. Hanbi twitched his brow. Jaja bit her lip lightly.
Four Thousand Four had just slipped.
People sometimes betray themselves with expressions or habits.
Four Thousand Four's bitter smile came out when he was awkward or clueless—like now.
He didn't know what these targets did for a living.
Yet he'd asked them to kill anyway. That made this bait. Killing them would lure out others.
Assassins this skilled wouldn't miss that tell.
"Saping's Huang Xueyong. Fine, I'm in."
Vanguard said, unfolding his letter.
"I know these people."
Fox said coldly.
Four Thousand Four looked at her, surprised.
"They're Shadow Triad folks. Assassins from the Five Great Families, just like the Heavenly Annihilation Division. Right?"
"Impressive. You really know everything."
Four Thousand Four sounded genuinely admiring. But Fox didn't smile. Her face hardened colder.
"I get it—your heart's all aflutter for Zhuge Soso. She's a beauty, even to me. Guys must go crazy. But this? This is too much."
"......"
"Attacking them means the Shadow Triad hunts us down. Killing these isn't the issue—it's what comes after. Most of us won't come back alive."
"We'll all return alive. I promise."
"Cocky much? Do you even know what the Shadow Triad is really like?"
"I figured you didn't know about the Shadow Triad, but you do."
"I don't."
"......"
"Get it? Me, who knows every martial world secret, knows nothing about the Shadow Triad. That's how hidden and dangerous they are."
"I'm being cautious."
"No, you're not. Hanbi just showed his letter—Gamak Mountain's Songam? Songam's a Taoist title. A Qingcheng Sect Daoist's moniker. Exiled, he wandered until settling on Gamak Mountain, where his martial arts changed. Heartless Seven Kills Sword Art. But the key? Guys like Songam are just low-level grunts in the Shadow Triad."
"I see."
"That's it? No other thoughts? Doesn't it strike you that the Five Great Families stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Heavenly Annihilation Division and Nine Great Sects because of the Shadow Triad?"
Four Thousand Four placed a hand on Fox's shoulder.
"Fox."
"Speak. Don't lower your voice."
"I... plan to win."
"Ha!"
Fox gasped.
"Vanguard, Hanbi, Jaja, and you... We all know Lord Zhuge's life comes first. I'm just as desperate—about the Four Absolutes. I need to know why they were born. If they're pointless, then I'm a bastard child."
"What does that have to do with this? No way!"
Fox stared at Four Thousand Four in shock.
Four Thousand Four planned to meditate on the Four Absolutes undisturbed.
Undisturbed... Roaming the martial world without interference... Eliminating anyone who got in the way... Then pondering his origins.
Four Thousand Four intended to take on the entire martial world.
If Lord Zhuge's survival was urgent for Vanguard and the others, Four Thousand Four had staked his life on the Four Absolutes.
A life pledged to conviction.
"Fine. I trust you."
Fox touched the hand on her shoulder.
Four Thousand Four let her. He didn't pull away.
Everyone dispersed.
Shadows unknown to the world departed, carrying death.
Han Qing, Songam, Huang Xueyong, Li Zheng, and Situ Hong.
They were tentacles of the Shadow Triad's Third House.
Used to assassinate key figures on Third House orders, most likely. Pure speculation, of course.
Even Zhuge Myeong or Zhuge Soso didn't know exactly what the Shadow Triad did. They only dealt openly with the Five Great Families' heads.
The Eight Families Assembly was precisely the gathering of those Five Great heads and the Shadow Triad heads. Zhuge Soso had attended as proxy for her missing father, but only as a stand-in. She'd requested Second House aid against the Heavenly Annihilation Division, but refusal at the assembly wouldn't have been odd.
Zhuge Soso hadn't used the Second House she'd requested.
Because she'd gained a tool to replace them. A powerful weapon named Four Thousand Four.
Four Thousand Four had infiltrated the Heavenly Annihilation Division's core in the Second House's stead.
Four Thousand Four had pushed the martial world to the brink in the Second House's place.
Even without her asking... Her thoughts aligned eerily with Four Thousand Four's moves.
Besides, the Second House was a tricky tool.
You don't swing an unfamiliar tool blindly. Without knowing its temper, you'd cut yourself instead.
She'd requested them out of necessity, but with Four Thousand Four handling things well, no need now.
That was the situation.
But it wasn't fruitless. Requesting them had revealed a bit.
Yes. Far more intel on the Second House than the Third.
The info passed to Four Thousand Four skewed toward Second House, with almost none on First or Third.
Han Qing, Songam, Huang Xueyong, Li Zheng, Situ Hong... Third House tentacles... That was all they knew of the Third House. Everything else buried in shadows.
"We have to touch the Second House."
Step by step, up the stairs. Drag them into the light. Only then could they find clues to the missing head—where he'd gone, why.
But Four Thousand Four thought differently.
Prodding the Second House now would make them burrow deeper.
Four Thousand Four's instinct.
Zhuge Soso plotted tactics on strategy; Four Thousand Four moved on gut.
Best way to draw them out? Sever the tentacles.
They'd have to show.
Then what? What did Shadow Triad emergence have to do with crumbling the Heavenly Annihilation Division? Could it avenge Vanguard, Jaja, Hanbi?
Four Thousand Four believed it all connected.
Not separate. Shadow Triad linked to Heavenly Annihilation Division, and to Old Skeleton too.
Pierce one, pierce them all.
Whoosh!
Four Thousand Four rose.
Everyone took one letter. Last remaining... Situ Hong.
Four Thousand Four had no intention of killing Situ Hong.
Weisu and Gamak Mountain were ten li apart. Gamak to Huang Xueyong's Saping, another ten li. Weisu and Saping far, but Gamak responsive.
Linking the five spots formed the Five Directions formation.
The Third House's five formed it, guarding each other. Or protecting someone within.
Four Thousand Four favored the latter.
If Han Qing, Songam, Huang Xueyong, and Li Zheng fell, how would Situ Hong react? Flee? Something else? Didn't matter. If guarding via Five Directions, he'd move inevitably.
That was Four Thousand Four's confidence in drawing them out.
Don't strike Situ Hong. Hide deeper, watch his moves.
They'll all pull it off.
Four Thousand Four didn't worry about Vanguard and the rest.
They'd grown strong slaying the reserve forces.
Maybe lacking in pure martial arts, but their killer instinct topped anyone.
Swoosh!
Four Thousand Four shot toward Magok, where Situ Hong lurked.