Chapter 7: Shadows in the Dark
The night was far from silent. Even after the assassin's body had turned to ash, the weight of the battle still hung in the air. My pulse was steady, but my mind raced with questions.
The Five Shadows were coming. I had survived the first one, but what about the next?
And then there was Xiao Rin.
She had watched everything—without interfering.
She hadn't helped me. But she hadn't worked against me either.
I turned my gaze toward the rooftop where she had stood moments ago. She was gone now, disappearing into the night like a phantom.
I sighed. I didn't have time to chase after her.
Right now, there was only one thing I needed to do.
Find the traitor.
Unraveling the Mystery
Han Min rushed into the room a few moments later, his expression filled with shock. "Brother Ye! What happened?!"
I held up the assassin's dagger. The serpent insignia gleamed under the candlelight.
"One of the Five Shadows," I said. "And he's dead."
Han Min's eyes widened. "You killed him?!"
"Had no choice," I muttered, tossing the blade onto the table. "He self-destructed before I could get any real answers."
Han Min frowned, stepping closer to examine the weapon. "That symbol… I've seen it before."
I turned to him sharply. "Where?"
He hesitated, rubbing his chin. "It's rare, but I swear I saw it during an intelligence report last month. It was connected to a secret faction within the cult."
A secret faction?
A cold feeling crept up my spine. That meant this wasn't just a random assassination. This was part of something bigger.
Han Min ran a hand through his hair. "If this faction is real, it means we have an entire network of enemies working from the shadows."
I gritted my teeth. Enemies that wanted me dead.
And worst of all—one of them was high-ranking enough to pull the strings.
A Risky Move
If I wanted answers, I needed to go where the real information was kept.
The intelligence archives of the Sixth Division.
But there was a problem.
That area was restricted to high-level elders, and while I held some authority, I didn't have the rank or influence to just waltz in and demand classified information.
So, I had two choices:
Request access from a superior and risk exposing that I was investigating.
Sneak in and take the information myself.
I didn't even have to think about it.
I was going to sneak in.
Breaking Into My Own Division
The intelligence archives were located deep inside the Sixth Division's compound, protected by guard formations and detection arrays.
But I had two advantages.
First, I was part of the Sixth Division, meaning I knew the patrol routes.
Second, I had Shadow Step and the Hidden Blade's stealth ability.
Dressed in dark robes, I moved silently through the corridors, my presence fading into the darkness.
Ding!
[Skill Activated: Shadow Step]
Effect: Your movement is undetectable in low-light conditions for 10 seconds.
I slipped past two patrolling guards, my footsteps completely silent.
Soon, I reached the heavy iron doors leading to the restricted archives.
Locked.
Of course.
I reached into my sleeve and pulled out a small lockpicking tool—one of the many things I had looted from past missions.
I inserted it into the keyhole, focusing my Qi on my fingertips.
Click.
The lock twisted open.
I pushed the door inward and stepped inside.
The Truth in Ink
The archives smelled of aged parchment and ink, rows of scrolls and records stacked neatly on wooden shelves.
I moved quickly, scanning the labels. Assassination records. External missions. Internal conflicts.
Then, I found it.
Silent Blades Sect Contracts.
I pulled the scroll from the shelf and unfurled it. My eyes moved quickly over the document, scanning for key details.
And there it was.
My name. Ye Qing.
Someone had placed a high-priority kill order on me.
But that wasn't the part that made my blood freeze.
At the bottom of the contract was the name of the one who had requested my death.
"Elder Wu Jian – Seventh Division"
I clenched my jaw.
An elder of the Seventh Division had ordered my execution.
Why? What was I to him?
Before I could process it further, my instincts screamed danger.
I spun around—just in time to see a hand strike toward my throat.
A shadowy figure had been waiting for me.
A Fight in the Dark
I barely dodged, the intruder's fingers grazing my neck. I leapt backward, drawing my Hidden Blade.
The figure didn't move forward immediately. Instead, they stood just outside the candlelight, watching.
Then, a familiar voice.
"You're braver than I expected."
I exhaled sharply. Xiao Rin.
She stepped forward, arms crossed. "Breaking into your own division's archives? You do realize you could be executed for this, right?"
I sheathed my blade. "You were following me."
She smirked. "Obviously."
I crossed my arms. "And? Are you going to report me?"
She tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "That depends… What did you find?"
I debated whether to tell her. But if she was connected to the Silent Blades Sect, she might already know about Elder Wu Jian.
So, I took a risk.
"The one who placed the kill order on me," I said. "It was Elder Wu Jian of the Seventh Division."
Xiao Rin's smirk vanished.
For the first time, she looked genuinely surprised.
I stepped closer. "What do you know about him?"
She hesitated, then spoke. "If that name is real… then your situation is worse than I thought."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"
She exhaled. "Because Wu Jian isn't just a Demonic Cult elder. He's something else."
My fingers tightened. "Explain."
She met my gaze. "He's the hidden master of the Silent Blades Sect."
The room fell into silence.
My blood turned cold.
I wasn't just being hunted by an elder.
I was being targeted by the true master of assassins himself.
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Chapter 8 Teasers:
Ye Qing confronts Wu Jian's influence.
Xiao Rin reveals her true motives—is she on Ye Qing's side or playing her own game?
The next assassin from the Five Shadows is already coming.