Chapter 1461: Chapter 156: Trapped in a Desperate Situation
The Duke’s Mansion. Several carriages were parked at the entrance, and a group of flamboyantly dressed young women followed their attendants into the mansion. Their melodious chatter broke the silence of the night, adding an air of chaos to the tranquility. There were dozens of these women, all appearing to be in their early twenties. Their attire was exceptionally revealing, leaving large expanses of fair skin exposed to the air, stirring untamed thoughts. Under the attendants’ guidance, they headed toward a cluster of small buildings within the mansion’s confines.
Near the mansion’s wall, atop a tall tree, a shadowy figure remained curled up, camouflaged by the darkness. Watching the women enter the small building, his eyes burned with disdain and bloodthirsty light. These sullied women were the type he despised most. This dark figure was Ah Dai. He had been lying in wait for over an hour, anticipating their arrival. Ah Dai was well aware of the dangers within the Assassin’s Guild. He knew that even a moment’s carelessness could cost him his life in this den of malevolence. As he saw the women entering the building, Ah Dai still did not move; he continued to wait.
Half an hour later, the aroma of alcohol and meat began wafting out from the small building, accompanied by bursts of laughter. Ah Dai knew it was time for him to act. Slowly, he descended from the tree, his body darting like lightning toward a hidden sentry. A cold glint flashed, and the sentry’s throat was slit. To avoid exposing himself because of the glow of True Qi, Ah Dai had opted to use the Finger Blade he had acquired from Wo Xin. Compared to his earlier time in the City of Nino as a petty thief, he was now on an entirely different level. The Finger Blade felt as if it had become part of him, responding effortlessly to the True Qi it contained. With a slight tremor of his finger, the tool formerly used for theft had turned into a lethal instrument of murder.
He released the left hand that had been muffling the sentry’s mouth and stood motionless for a moment, diligently listening for signs of disturbance from the surrounding sentries using his enhanced hearing. Perhaps captivated by the debauchery within the small building, the sentries were oblivious to the killing intent now saturating the courtyard. Seeing no activity from them, Ah Dai employed the same silent approach to deal with the next hidden sentry. These lower-rank assassins had no chance to resist; their lives were extinguished one by one under the edge of his Finger Blade. Blood seeped onto the green grass, its stark contrast against the red creating a jarring visual. Fortunately, under the cover of night, no one had discovered this transformation. Ah Dai acted with incredible speed, taking only thirty minutes to eliminate all eighty-three hidden sentries with unerring precision.
Ah Dai stared at the Finger Blade in his hand, waves of malevolent aura rolling within him. After dispatching the last sentry, blood dripped steadily from the blade, its gleaming edge now tinged with dark crimson. Having killed over eighty individuals, the malevolent aura in Ah Dai’s heart grew restless and surged. Intent to kill swelled like an unstoppable tide, yet Ah Dai’s mind remained extraordinarily clear. He refrained from charging into the small building directly, instead slipping into a dark corner and focusing his will. Channeling the golden energy within his Dantian, he began to elevate his Golden Body. With his immense spiritual power, he could simultaneously control the energy within himself to prevent any light from escaping. Under the influence of the Golden Body, the malevolent aura that had just arisen gradually dissipated, restoring peace to Ah Dai’s heart. Taking a deep breath, he lightly touched the Sword of Hades at his chest and leapt forward without hesitation, moving unhindered toward the mansion’s cluster of small buildings.
Using the cacophony of voices as a guide, Ah Dai deftly bypassed the outermost building and arrived at the largest main building at the center of the grounds. The overpowering scents of liquor and roasted meat, combined with laughter and frivolity, endlessly assaulted his senses. His right hand instinctively came to rest on the Sword of Hades at his chest, its chilling evil aura sharpening his focus. Suddenly, Ah Dai felt a faint dizziness that startled him into halting for a moment. He quickly circulated the Golden Body in his Dantian, allowing its True Qi to reignite vitality within him and dispel the sensation. He silently dismissed the incident, attributing his dizziness to the excessive killings earlier. Cautiously, he approached the main building. Ah Dai leapt into the air, silently landing against the building’s wall. Using the Solid State Energy of the Shifting Transformation technique, his fingers sank deeply into the wall’s surface, as firmly as if the wall were made of tofu. Pressing close to the wall, he listened attentively for a while until convinced there were no abnormalities. He then carefully shifted his gaze toward a nearby window.
The expansive hall stretched over a thousand square meters, its center deliberately left empty. Couples of men and women entwined with each other, laughing and drinking, engaging in obscene acts without a care. The dozen assassins Ah Dai had seen in the courtyard last night were among them, each cradling a beautiful woman in their arms, their drunken expressions accompanied by lecherous gestures. From their postures alone, it was evident they were in a vile state. Ah Dai directed his gaze toward the hall’s main seat, where an elderly man clad in a regal robe sat imposingly. The man appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with jet-black hair and eyes, his massive belly protruding prominently. Dark circles ringed his eyes, the telltale signs of indulgence in excess. Judging by his attire and the Purple Gold Crown on his head, Ah Dai deduced this must be the Duke Mie Feng had mentioned. But where was the Master? Since the Duke was hosting the entire Assassin’s Guild, it stood to reason the Master should be here as well.
