The sound of water stopped. Lu Ze stood with a towel on his head and a long bath towel wrapped around his lower body, revealing his well-defined abs and V-cut. His physique was enviable even to adults, a testament to his prowess as an ace assassin.
"Ah, Assassins' Edge is about to end. I'm truly reluctant to see it go... but my path must not stop here."
He sprawled on the bed like a starfish, staring blankly at the ceiling. He then placed his revolver under the pillow, ready for any impending crisis, and promptly fell asleep. The life of an assassin was not just mentally taxing but physically draining; in a single word, it was exhausting. It was precisely this exhaustion that allowed him to sleep so soundly.
Time flew by. The night was uneventful.
Lu Ze, anticipating the alarm, woke up just seconds before it rang. He waited for it to sound, turned it off, and then lay back down. After an indeterminate amount of time, he slowly got out of bed. Rest always seemed to pass too quickly; it felt like mere seconds, yet an entire night had elapsed.
"Today... I'll complete the last mission."
After a simple wash, he grabbed a piece of bread and milk bought downstairs, put on his ragged clothes, and headed out. The mission location wasn't far from his home, situated in a plaza. His target worked in a cafe there.
With striking blue eyes and long white hair, she wore a waitress uniform, balancing a tray. She was exceptionally polite to every customer, appearing like a young woman driven by the need to make a living.
"This person..."
Lu Ze's pupils dilated. He stared at the target with a shock he couldn't conceal, his eyes gleaming with an excitement that even his black hood couldn't hide.
As if sensing his gaze, the working girl paused. She glanced at the boy's attire, thought for a few seconds, and then quickly approached the counter.
"Could I please have a glass of water? Thank you."
After receiving what she wanted, she walked out of the cafe and straight towards the boy, smiling. "I've been watching you for a while. You must be thirsty too, right? Here, I can't afford to buy you coffee, but free water is available. If you don't mind, please have some."
Her words were free of any condescension, spoken as if to a friend. She even gently took his hand, seemingly unconcerned by his soiled cloak.
"...Thank you..."
With a tremor in his voice, Lu Ze uttered only two words as he accepted the glass of water, a heartfelt smile gracing his lips.
"That's right, as a person, you should smile. You can't just bottle up your feelings; it's quite uncomfortable. If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work now. I'm still on duty."
The girl bid him farewell. A hint of panic flickered across the boy's face as he quickly asked, "What's your name?"
Hearing his question, the girl slowed her steps, turned back, and replied, "Kiana. My name is Kiana Kaslana."
Meanwhile, the boss began to hurry her along, as he hadn't hired a waitress to slack off.
"Kiana... My name is Lu Ze! We'll meet again!"
He wasn't sure if she heard him, but the boy was content, genuinely satisfied. However, the mission still needed to be completed, so he chose a spot to begin his surveillance. Glancing around, he sat down in front of the adjacent shop. From here, he could observe every corner of the plaza and respond quickly if needed. He had already guessed who the client was. Perhaps that person was also watching from some hidden vantage point.
After waiting for about three hours, the girl finally finished her shift. Tired, she sat on a bench outside, gazing at the sky, lost in thought.
"Dad... where are you? Why... why did you abandon me?"
Her blue eyes were filled with longing. She had searched through countless cities, following leads. The last time she saw a wanted poster, she wondered what her father had done.
Suddenly, a girl sprinted towards Kiana. Reaching behind her, she produced a sharp blue energy blade and lunged at Kiana.
In that critical moment, before Kiana could even react in shock, a black cloak shielded her. Lu Ze then kicked the assailant away.
"Get lost! You're just a B-rank Valkyrie. Do you want to die by my gun?"
His silver revolver glinted in the sunlight. In that instant, the boy seemed to become the girl's guiding light.
"You..."
Before she could respond, two more individuals burst from the crowd, one armed with a gun, the other with a melee weapon.
"It seems there's no room for negotiation with you. Are you unhappy unless you get a few bruises?"
The silver revolver fired two shots rapidly. The attackers tried to dodge, but the bullets seemed to have eyes, striking one in the arm. Crimson blood sprayed into the air; that arm was ruined, unless she could sprout a new one. The bones in her arm had been pulverized, ensuring paralysis even if the wound healed. The other bullet struck the hand holding the gun, causing it to explode. The impact was so devastating it felt more like a Barret than a revolver.
"Retreat!"
The person on the ground yelled loudly. If they continued fighting, they would likely die. The other two exchanged glances and quickly withdrew. The commotion caused the surrounding crowd to scatter, and police sirens could be heard approaching the scene.
"Tsk... It'll be troublesome if the police find me."
As he considered his escape route, the girl from behind grabbed his hand and pulled him in a direction. After a series of turns, they arrived at an unknown location.
"Phew... Thank you this time. If it weren't for you, I might have gotten hurt."
She didn't elaborate on the extent of the potential injury, as her own abilities would have allowed her to escape three B-rank Valkyries, albeit with some minor wounds.
"It's nothing. A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. You're the first person on the street who hasn't looked down on me. I should be the one to thank you."
Lu Ze waved his hand dismissively. He knew they would meet again. His immediate priority was to find the client, or things might get complicated.
Watching the boy in the black cloak depart, Kiana looked at her hand and murmured, "Lu Ze... How interesting. Will we... be able to meet again?"