Chapter 93
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Solo Run (3)
"Spare me."
The voice was calm.
Four Thousand Four simply gazed down at him, as if he had anticipated such a reaction.
"Spare me."
Once more, the calm voice pleaded.
The leader of the Tangha Escort Bureau didn't stir from his bed. Not even a fingertip twitched. He lay utterly still, like a man with a venomous serpent coiled atop him, awaiting his fate.
Four Thousand Four gripped the man's head and fell silent.
The woman who had been sleeping beside the Escort Bureau leader awoke as well. But she too remained motionless.
Both had surrendered everything to the killer's hand.
They offered no resistance whatsoever.
"What reason do I have to spare you?"
Four Thousand Four's words were ice-cold.
"I will deliver the goods by next month without fail. I swear to keep my promise... so please, spare me."
"I've heard nothing about any promise."
"You can take my life anytime you wish. Just put in a single report on my behalf. By the time the reply comes, I'll have fulfilled my end. It's shameless of me, but please consider my situation..."
Resignation laced the Escort Bureau leader's voice.
The woman was the same. She too had abandoned hope of survival. She wasn't even contemplating staying alive.
They had prepared for death.
From his words, it was clear the Escort Bureau leader was entangled with the Heavenly Annihilation Division. He had promised them something. That must be why he knew their terror all too well.
And that was the result. Giving up on life.
Why hadn't a man who sensed his death coming fled? Because he knew the Heavenly Annihilation Division too well to even try.
In his heart, he must have wanted to run dozens of times over. But knowing their dreadfulness, knowing he couldn't survive anywhere in the world, he had forsaken escape entirely.
"What was it you promised the Heavenly Annihilation Division?"
In that instant, the Escort Bureau leader clamped his mouth shut.
The woman trembled faintly. She must have sensed death's approach.
Even in death, he was resolved not to speak of it—that much was clear.
Four Thousand Four quietly regulated his breathing.
Aligning his breath with his opponent's. Waiting in silence until the fear of death ebbed from the man.
"I'm sorry. That, I cannot tell you..."
The fear of death had drained from the Escort Bureau leader. In its place, a flicker of hope sprouted.
The assassin hasn't struck yet. Maybe I can live.
A glint of hope sparked in the Escort Bureau leader's eyes. In that moment—
Crack!
His head snapped violently to the side.
"Ahk!"
The woman clapped a hand over her mouth, letting out a short cry.
She didn't scream loudly. A full shout would summon the escorts, sparking a fight with the assassin. And the outcome? The entire Tangha Escort Bureau massacred.
The Heavenly Annihilation Division dispatched squads for their killings.
Only one was visible to the eye, but six lurked scattered around.
If escorts clashed with assassins, it would end in total annihilation for the escorts.
One couldn't help but wonder why the Escort Bureau leader and his wife stifled even their groans, refusing to signal his death.
There must be someone in the bureau they needed to protect.
Whoosh!
Four Thousand Four, having slain the Escort Bureau leader without a parting word, vanished.
The woman stepped outside.
She slipped quietly to the outer quarters, fetched one escort, and brought him to the inner chamber.
Moments later, the escort emerged carrying the dead Escort Bureau leader on his back.
They headed toward the hills behind the inner compound. Planning a secret burial, it seemed.
Her husband is dead, yet a secret burial...
Four Thousand Four frowned.
The Tangha Escort Bureau had failed to deliver what it owed the Heavenly Annihilation Division. In retribution, they killed the leader.
But something was off.
This wasn't a murder to silence him. If it were about sealing lips, they would have ordered the wife's death too. Yet no such order had come.
So not silencing... more like a warning.
Killing as a warning? And the leader and his wife accepting it as a matter of course?
What kind of organization was the Heavenly Annihilation Division?
About half a shichen later, the woman and escort returned. As expected, the Escort Bureau leader was nowhere in sight.
The escort gently embraced the leader's wife.
She embraced him in return.
Hah!
Four Thousand Four let out a scoff.
Human malice lurked here too? Had the woman committed adultery with her subordinate, then framed and assassinated her husband? If so, whatever was meant for the Heavenly Annihilation Division must be in her or the escort's possession...
Was he overthinking? The escort could be her blood brother, merely comforting a sister who lost her husband...
The woman and escort kissed. Deeply.
He wasn't overthinking. A widow kissing another man right after her husband's death.
The Escort Bureau leader must have entrusted his affairs to her without a clue.
The escort departed, leaving the woman alone.
She appeared composed. Not at all like a woman who had just lost her husband.
Calmly, she produced a firework and launched it into the night sky with all her might.
Shooo! Boom!
A red cascade bloomed against the pitch-black heavens. Red sparks rained down like a shower.
Now it's my turn to be hunted.
Four Thousand Four guessed the red signal's meaning.
He had come to the Tangha Escort Bureau in secret. Up to the moment he killed the leader—no, even now—the Heavenly Annihilation Division had no idea he was here.
But one thing they knew: that he would kill the Escort Bureau leader.
In truth, he didn't have to keep that promise.
Whether he killed the leader or not, there was no guarantee of safety for the hostages. Perhaps that guarantee vanished the instant he carried out the assassination.
That's why he had hesitated to kill.
But if the reason for the assassination was failing to deliver the goods... the leader was doomed anyway. Even if Four Thousand Four spared him, someone else would finish the job.
And it wouldn't take long.
Assassin squads had already gathered nearby to kill him.
Believing he would target the Escort Bureau leader, they lay in wait.
One of them would receive orders to kill the leader.
In that case, better to kill cleanly. Since death was inevitable, his way was the most merciful—painless, without even realizing it.
There was no need to kill, but since the man was marked for death, he did it.
The woman had signaled the Escort Bureau leader's death.
The assassin squads racing to kill him would mobilize at once. They'd comb the Tangha Escort Bureau from top to bottom.
A fierce glint flashed in Four Thousand Four's eyes.
"He died too soon without even noticing."
Jaja gripped her sword tightly as she spoke.
"Fox, we have to pursue him. If you don't want to, back out. I won't tolerate interference, no matter what."
Vanguard said coldly.
"Are you really going to kill Four Thousand Four?"
"We live if we kill him."
"Vanguard, even so..."
"No other way."
"Heh heh! I grew fond of the guy, but with our group held hostage, no choice."
Hanbi narrowed his eyes. At that moment—
Whoosh! Shhh!
A gust stirred around them.
Winds didn't rise on their own. Someone had moved.
"Looking to die?!"
Jaja whipped around. Then Vanguard spoke.
"Jaja, fall back."
"As expected of a top-grade Martial Camp expert—something's different. My head's still attached, right?"
A man who appeared behind Jaja drawled lazily.
There were six of them. A perfect assassin squad.
"What brings you here?"
Vanguard asked them.
One of the newcomers pointed at the night sky.
"That. Orders came down to us."
"What? For real?"
"Why else would we be out here catching night dew? Heh heh! How do you screw up guarding a single squad leader? That guy—didn't you miss taking down Vanguard?"
"......"
Vanguard was speechless.
The Twelve Divisions had appeared. Not content with assigning Four Thousand Four to his main unit, they sent the Twelve Divisions too.
A declaration of their iron will to kill him.
"Man, he's really done for. What now?"
Fox muttered, furrowing his brow.
Then, rustling sounds heralded another six emerging.
"Damn it all! How many are being thrown at one guy?!"
A massive man like a wild bear bellowed furiously as he appeared.
"Whoa!"
Fox gaped at him.
Among those Fox had seen, the biggest was Six Squad's Wild Boar. No wonder they nicknamed him Pig.
But this newcomer dwarfed Wild Boar like a child.
"You too?"
"Can't even handle a brat that well?!"
The newcomer wielded a massive cleaver. Too enormous for an ordinary man to even lift. Its blade alone was as wide as an adult's waist.
The bear-like man rested the huge blade on his shoulder and glared.
"South? North?"
The giant asked the Twelve Divisions' leader.
"North."
"Keh heh heh! Fine. We'll take South. Better if they kill him there. Don't wanna waste time on small fry."
"Heh heh heh! That guy's vibe... feels like he'll head south?"
"Good if he does. I'll cleave him in one swing. Keh heh heh! Four Thousand Four? Bullshit! All flash in the name. Let's go! Hah hah hah ha!"
The bear-like man led his squad away.
Once he was gone... silence fell abruptly. Like a massive storm had swept through.
The Twelve Divisions' leader approached Vanguard. He stared him straight in the eye, then curled his lips in a cruel smile.
"Vanguard, mind some advice?"
"......"
"If you're still hung up on Four Thousand Four, ditch it now."
"No lingering attachments."
"Nah, you do. I don't buy that you lost him. You, of all people, failing a pursuit? Heh heh heh! Even a stray dog would laugh at that."
"I'll take the advice to heart."
"Huh? I haven't given the real advice yet."
"What is it?"
"This job—us and that bear bastard got it simultaneously. You can guess what that means."
"Hmph!"
Jaja snorted from the side.
The Twelve Divisions' leader didn't even glance at her. As if her scoff didn't register.
He continued.
"Truth is, we almost didn't get this gig. Know who they originally tapped?"
"Who?"
"The Four Greats."
"Gasp!"
Jaja, who had scoffed moments ago, now paled and stared at Vanguard.
Vanguard's face drained of color too.
"That's my real advice. Four Thousand Four... the main unit's dead set on ending him. Whatever attachment you have, drop it for real. It won't even reach your turn, but if it does..."
The Twelve Divisions' leader clapped Vanguard on the shoulder.
Vanguard couldn't utter a word.
Neither could Jaja or Hanbi. No words would come.
"Who's the Four Greats?"
Fox asked curiously.
Jaja, still deathly pale, scowled deeply, bit her lip hard, and spat.
"The ones who crawled out of the underworld prison."