Chapter 1 Aftermath

Several days later, night.

The vast city of the Imperial Capital was shrouded in darkness, and nine figures in black silently arrived outside the residence Xu Jingming rented.

"The target is a first-rate expert, so be careful."

The white-haired elder leading the group said softly, and the others nodded slightly.

Their team was also very elite, an assassination squad composed of three first-rate experts and six second-rate experts! It was more than enough to deal with a Blood Rain Guard captain.

"Action," the elder ordered softly.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Figures scattered, quietly crossing the courtyard wall, each heading straight for the tightly closed house.

The place Xu Jingming rented was not large. After all, in the Imperial Capital, a year's rent of 50 taels of silver could not buy a luxurious mansion.

"Stop!" the elder said softly. He focused his mind and sensed the surroundings, also sensing the few houses in front of him.

"No breathing, can't sense any aura," the elder frowned. "At this late hour, he should be sound asleep. Fang Cheng, go in and take a look."

"Yes."

A figure silently came to the door, gently pried open the wooden window, and quietly slipped in. In just a few breaths, he slipped out again, and then went to check the厢房 (xiāngfáng, wing-room) next door.

"Sir, I've searched the houses inside and out, no one's there," the figure reported.

The other eight were a little surprised.

"That shouldn't be. According to the information, besides wandering around his jurisdiction and eating and drinking in the surrounding restaurants and teahouses, this Jingming mostly stays at his residence. He usually doesn't go out at night. Where did he go?" a companion said. "Brother Wen, what do we do now?"

"We're taking action against Jingming and Luo Baichuan tonight at the same time, we can't postpone it," the elder shook his head. "Once we postpone it, tomorrow morning, Jingming will learn about Luo Baichuan's matter, which may make him alert. So...we must act tonight."

"But he's not here," the companion worried.

"He must have gone out for something. We'll lie in ambush in the house! Once he returns, we'll surround and kill him. If he doesn't return all night, then consider him lucky." Soon, the nine quietly lay in ambush, patiently waiting for Xu Jingming's return.

******

At this moment, Xu Jingming was in a Qisha Lou (Seven Kill Tower) branch in the Imperial Capital.

He was wearing black clothes, a斗笠 (dǒulì, bamboo hat), and a mask. This Qisha Lou branch was a seemingly ordinary inn, but the hidden hall of this inn was very large. Xu Jingming was also handing in a mission.

"Lord Sansha (Three Kill), this is your reward," a gray-robed man weighed half a gold bar. "Fifty gold, not a bit less." Then he handed the half gold bar to Xu Jingming.

"Good."

Xu Jingming accepted the gold bar.

"After completing this mission, Lord, you'll also be promoted to Sisha (Four Kill) level, this is your new token." The gray-robed man also handed the new token to Xu Jingming, and asked with a smile, "Lord Sisha, would you like to choose a new mission?"

This assassin in front of him had only registered for less than a month, but had already completed five rather difficult missions, raising him to Sisha level.

"I'll rest for a while," Xu Jingming said, taking the token and turning to leave.

His current strength was considered quite powerful among first-rate experts. Even if he fought against an 'ultra-first-rate expert,' he might be able to fight dozens of moves.

After all, the advantage of a 20x combat bonus compared to a 10x combat bonus was very large, enough to kill in one or two moves.

But the advantage of a 20x combat bonus compared to a 15x combat bonus was not so outrageous! Depending on the environment and other factors, they could still fight for some moves. If they had companions to cooperate with, they could completely match them.

It was precisely because his strength was strong enough that he could become a Sisha level assassin in a short time.

...

In the dark night, dressed in black, with a bamboo hat and mask, Xu Jingming walked silently with a gun bag on his back.

"Being a Qisha Lou assassin is also a way to save money," Xu Jingming thought to himself.

As a player, he naturally had to work hard on several paths at the same time! Striving to save money.

Being a Blood Rain Guard captain was to save money.

Being a Qisha Lou assassin was also to save money.

As for becoming a Qisha Lou assassin? As a player, it was easy to collect information about the many branches of the Qisha Lou in the virtual world network, and it was easy to join.

"The detailed intelligence of the Blood Rain Guards also makes my assassinations much easier," Xu Jingming felt that the two paths complemented each other.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xu Jingming quietly returned to the front door of his residence, glanced at the door lock, and then quietly jumped over the courtyard wall, landing precisely in an inconspicuous corner of the front yard.

Xu Jingming glanced at the ground in the courtyard, and his pupils shrank involuntarily.

Although there was no moon tonight, only stars, with the help of the faint starlight...Xu Jingming, a cell-controlling expert, could still clearly see the detailed appearance of the ground in the front yard.

As a player, he was afraid of the Blood Rain World targeting him.

As a Qisha Lou assassin, he was even more cautious!

Therefore, his front and back yards had always been sprinkled with a layer of dust, as if they had not been swept for a long time. Anyone who walked into the courtyard...the footprints they left would expose them.

Xu Jingming's house had no maids or servants, only he lived there!

"New footprints, and quite a few." Xu Jingming tried to sense with the Lian Xin Fa (Heart Refining Method), his mental consciousness wave spreading out, affecting those few houses, sensing a series of life auras.

Xu Jingming suddenly opened his eyes, quietly leaped, and jumped out of the courtyard wall again, reaching the outside of the house.

"He's out!"

The elder hiding in the house sensed a faint aura just entering the courtyard, and then quietly leaving.

"Yo!"

An extremely ear-piercing scream sounded, and a signal arrow soared into the sky, exploding in the air into a blood rain pattern.

"Blood Rain Guard signal arrow!"

The signal arrow immediately alarmed many people.

"It's the signal arrow."

"It's the captain's house."

The signal arrow could be seen within a radius of more than ten miles! Moreover, the piercing sound was enough to spread far.

The street where Xu Jingming lived had five Blood Rain Guards stationed long-term. Some of these five Blood Rain Guards were drinking wine, and some were already sound asleep, but they at least ensured that two were awake. At this moment, hearing the piercing sound of the signal arrow, all five were instantly awakened.

"It's the captain's house, hurry, hurry, hurry." The five Blood Rain Guards rushed over first.

"Captain Jing's house is asking for help." A patrol of Auxiliary Guards also rushed over with all their might. If their direct superior's residence sent out a signal arrow, they would naturally have to rush over desperately.

"What?" Zhang Ke heard the piercing sound of the signal arrow, pushed open the window and saw the blood rain pattern in the sky from afar. He immediately jumped out of the brothel, and ordered at the same time, "Follow me." Taking five Blood Rain Guards, each transformed into a blurred afterimage, heading straight for the captain's house.

Some Blood Rain Guards who were asleep at home were awakened by the patrolling Auxiliary Guards.

The signal arrow was issued in the area where the captain's house was located! All the Blood Rain Guards and Auxiliary Guards in the entire jurisdiction were alarmed, and they all swarmed over.

...

"It's the Blood Rain Guard signal arrow, we've been discovered," the elder's expression changed when he saw the rising signal arrow. "Action! Before a large group of Blood Rain Guards arrive, kill that Jingming first."

"By the time they arrive, that Jingming will already be dead."

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!

In an instant, nine figures rushed out of the house, each transforming into a blurred figure, rushing towards the street outside.

"There are nine people." Xu Jingming stood on the street, holding a long spear, sensing the nine auras rushing towards him.

Too fast!

His residence was too small, the distance from the house to the street was less than thirty meters, and it didn't take these experts even a second to rush over.

Xu Jingming's heart was as still as water, silently waiting. Coming to the Blood Rain World, accumulating ten thousand gold to obtain a sacrificial opportunity was the goal, but the most fundamental thing...was still to hone himself! At this moment, facing the assassination of nine people, the fighting spirit in Xu Jingming's heart was rising instead!

Come on!

No matter how strong the enemy! He would still kill them all!

"Now's the time!" Xu Jingming's eyes flashed with a cold light. The five Blood Rain Guards in the distance were rushing over, and Xu Jingming had already moved.

At the moment the nine figures rushed out of the courtyard wall, what greeted them was a terrifying spear shadow!

"What?"

The unlucky assassin chosen by Xu Jingming was not good at sensing auras. Caught off guard, he blocked with both sabers at the same time.

"Puchi!"

That long spear was as swift as a black dragon.

When they touched, the rotating force of the spear was like a black dragon swimming, extremely slippery, blocking the obstructing sabers, and the spearhead directly penetrated the assassin's throat! Afterwards, it was also instantly pulled out, and Xu Jingming had already retreated.

An assassin fell from the air to the ground, no longer making a sound.

The team of nine had one person die as soon as they rushed out of the courtyard.

"What courage," the elder said, seeing this, not surprised but happy. "He didn't escape, surround and kill him."

If Xu Jingming had issued the signal arrow and immediately escaped, as long as he delayed for a while, the Blood Rain Guards would arrive, and their assassination mission would likely fail.

He didn't expect this person to be so crazy, not cherishing his life, and taking the initiative to meet the enemy!

"Kill."

Three first-rate experts and five second-rate experts quickly surrounded and attacked, each with a chilling murderous intent.

When Xu Jingming killed one person, he understood in his heart: "He's a second-rate expert." After comprehending the four spear principles, four volumes of the 《Hua Guang》 (Radiant Light) upper volume spear technique had already reached the entry level. According to Xuan's records, after all five volumes of the spear technique had reached the entry level, their combined power would naturally be extremely great.

But the combination of the four volumes of spear technique was already very impressive, and he could completely kill ordinary second-rate experts in one move.

"Clang clang clang!!!"

The long spear in Xu Jingming's hand turned over, like a rolling dragon, the spearhead flashed again and again, and was even more ghostly and enchanting. Under the sweep of the long spear, it blocked a series of hidden weapons that were attacking.

The three major first-rate experts were responsible for the main attack! They all felt the great threat brought by this spear shadow.

"What?"

"How is his strength so strong?"

The three first-rate experts all felt the fierce and ruthless nature of this long spear! Xu Jingming also used a long weapon against their three short weapons... If it was a one-on-one, none of them would be a match.

Xu Jingming's spear technique was also good at adapting to changes, always controlling the situation on the field. Xu Jingming's movement technique changed, taking advantage of the situation to change, so that at most three or five people were besieging him at the same time at any moment.

"Captain." Five Blood Rain Guards rushed over, and even though they were more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) away, they had already released a series of hidden weapons.

The surprise attack of the hidden weapons caused some confusion among the eight assassins who were besieging.

"Pu."

Xu Jingming seized the opportunity of the chaos and pierced another assassin's chest with a spear.

"Withdraw!" Seeing this, the leading elder reluctantly gave the order, and the seven began to scatter and flee!

It had to be admitted that the mission had failed!

This time's target was stronger than expected, and Blood Rain Guards were also rushing over one after another. The longer they delayed, the more unfavorable it would be for them.

"Want to leave?" Xu Jingming took the initiative to rush forward. He, who cultivated the Hua Hong (Radiant Rainbow) spear technique, was still quite good at speed. At least most of the assassins in front of him were not as fast as him.

Pu!

The second-rate expert closest to Xu Jingming was stabbed to death with a spear! Xu Jingming immediately chased after one of the first-rate swordsman experts.

"Brother Wen, save me." The first-rate swordsman expert shouted anxiously. At this moment, they were scattered and fleeing. In a one-on-one, he had no confidence in dealing with Xu Jingming at all.

"Withdraw!" The elder didn't turn his head back, and gave a strict order.

He was very clear that ordinary Blood Rain Guards were generally also second-rate experts, and their speed of travel was extremely fast! If they didn't leave now and wasted more time, there would probably be a group of Blood Rain Guards, plus a group of Auxiliary Guards intercepting them.

The Auxiliary Guards were also all experts who had entered the 流 (liú, stream/level), and they were surrounded by a large number of them. With Xu Jingming and Zhang Ke, two first-rate experts, they were afraid they really wouldn't be able to escape.

"Damn it."

This first-rate swordsman expert was angry and unwilling. He turned around and made a desperate few swords, the sword light was like a peacock spreading its tail, gorgeous and unparalleled, but also dangerous.

At this time, Xu Jingming was not in a hurry, relying on the 'length advantage' of the long spear against the sword, he suppressed him head-on! He did not advance rashly! As the Blood Rain Guards surrounded him, the more anxious the first-rate swordsman expert became, and he also revealed a flaw.

"Pu." Xu Jingming sent the long spear forward, and pierced into the swordsman's abdomen, piercing out a bloody hole.

"In a normal one-on-one fight, it would probably take twenty moves to kill him. But because he was anxious, I seriously injured him in just a few moves." Xu Jingming shook his long spear, and knocked the sword in the swordsman's hand flying.

"Take him down." Xu Jingming instructed the five Blood Rain Guards who had arrived, and looked into the distance, because of the few moves of fighting, the other assassins had scattered and escaped into the darkness.

"A young man from a remote small city, his strength is so strong." The swordsman stared at Xu Jingming, "I'm afraid that in the future, you will be able to reach the ultra-first-rate realm. Falling into your hands, I have nothing to say."

"Who sent you here," Xu Jingming looked at him.

"Hmph, you've offended a big figure you can't afford to offend." The swordsman sneered. "This time you survived, but next time, you won't be so lucky."

As soon as he finished speaking, blood flowed from the corner of the swordsman's mouth, and his eyes dimmed.

The Blood Rain Guards who were binding him with chains were all slightly stunned.

"Captain, he committed suicide." The Blood Rain Guards were also a little flustered when they saw this.

A dignified first-rate expert, just being captured alive, chose to commit suicide?

This was a 刺士 (cìshì, assassin/zealot)!

How terrifying must the force be to be able to cultivate first-rate expert assassins?

"Zealot?"

Xu Jingming was also shocked.

Even if Fei Qing was high-ranking and powerful, the experts under his command were all officials, and he probably didn't have many 'first-rate expert zealots'. Those who could cultivate 'first-rate expert zealots' were all terrifying great forces in the Blood Rain World.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!

Zhang Ke arrived with five Blood Rain Guards.

"Captain," Zhang Ke walked over, "What happened?"

Xu Jingming was checking the corpses: "It's a group of assassins."

Among his 32 Blood Rain Guards, the deputy captain Zhang Ke was also a first-rate expert. In the Imperial Capital, Blood Rain Guard captains were almost all first-rate experts. And the deputy captains, a small portion of them were also first-rate experts.

"They're all a bunch of paupers." After checking the four corpses, the gold leaves and broken silver Xu Jingming found added up to less than one hundred taels of silver.

"Who sent the assassins?" Xu Jingming was also a little confused. Was it the Shen Gong family? Was it the forces behind those few people he assassinated? That shouldn't be, he did it very cleanly.