Chapter 9: Pierce Them
Hank’s words made Su Xiao’s eyes light up.
He finally confirmed that the current point in time was a scene that appeared in the original work, three days before the incineration of the Waste Terminal.
In other words, within the maximum time limit of his mission, the Waste Terminal would be burned down.
This was undoubtedly good news for Su Xiao. The more chaotic things were, the more opportunities he would have. Troubled waters were easier to fish in.
Hank walked toward the warehouse exit, then seemed to remember something and turned his head to say, “Our boss is Brandon Oka. Now that you’re also a member of the guard team, how can you not know the boss’s name?”
Su Xiao chuckled lightly and nodded in acknowledgment.
The two walked out of the warehouse. By then, the sky had gradually darkened, and the streets were filled with weary pedestrians.
Through casual conversation, Su Xiao learned that the burly man he had seen earlier—his current “superior,” Brandon Oka—had served as the captain of the guard for nearly ten years. He had a wide network of connections, had dealings with various officials in the royal palace, and had even been summoned by the king.
Su Xiao didn’t fully believe the words coming out of Hank’s mouth. There was a suspicion of flattery.
It might be true that Brandon Oka had been the guard captain for ten years, but the claim of a broad network of connections remained to be verified.
After all, staying in one position for ten years also meant that this “superior” of his hadn’t made much progress in the royal capital.
Just as Hank was about to say goodbye and leave, Su Xiao took the initiative to speak.
“How about a drink? I just arrived in the royal capital today, and there are many things I need to ask you about.”
Hank pretended to be reluctant, but under Su Xiao’s “enthusiastic invitation,” the two entered a tavern.
After a few cups of rice wine, Hank’s face flushed slightly, his breath reeked of alcohol, and he became noticeably more talkative.
“Let me tell you, if the boss hadn’t been unable to control his lower half back then, he would have entered the palace to serve long ago. Tell me, why did the boss have to mess with… burp~.”
Hank let out a burp, stopping mid-sentence as if he realized he had said something wrong.
Su Xiao raised his glass and clinked it with Hank’s. While Hank tilted his head back to drink, Su Xiao’s wine had already vanished without a trace.
Drinking alcohol in this dangerous mission world was undoubtedly suicidal, so Su Xiao hadn’t consumed a single drop.
“Forget it, I won’t say more. The boss lives a carefree life now anyway. He’s a regular at Pleasure Street. Makes people jealous.”
Su Xiao responded with a few casual words and poured Hank another drink.
After several rounds of drinking, it was around seven in the evening. Su Xiao and Hank parted ways at the tavern entrance. The streets were already brightly lit.
Su Xiao lit a cigarette. Amidst the curling smoke, he gazed thoughtfully at Hank’s retreating figure.
The other party had provided him with a lot of information. And now that night had fallen, it was time for Su Xiao to act.
Resting one hand on the hilt of the blade at his waist, Su Xiao stopped a passerby. The passerby was initially annoyed, but upon seeing Su Xiao’s guard uniform, he became visibly intimidated.
“Excuse me, where is Pleasure Street?”
The passerby revealed a knowing grin that all men understood, then pointed Su Xiao in the right direction.
That kind of smile, along with the name “Pleasure Street,” gave Su Xiao an idea of what kind of place it was.
His “superior” certainly had a lot of energy.
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In a district dominated by pink and red lights, the street was lined with two- or three-story pointed-roof buildings. The rooftops were covered with glazed tiles, and round or square lanterns hung in front of each door.
The gentle sound of musical instruments mingled with the laughter and chatter on the street. Many men and women were intimately entwined.
On the balconies of the buildings along the street, one could vaguely see some scantily clad women holding long, slender smoking pipes. These women stood on the balconies with flirtatious smiles, trying to attract passing customers.
This was Pleasure Street—the red-light district of the One Piece world.
On the rooftop of one building, Su Xiao crouched in black clothes, gripping the [Dragon-Slaying Flash] in his hand.
Since entering the One Piece world, Su Xiao hadn’t made many moves. But tonight, he was going to assassinate his first target, laying the groundwork for completing his mission.
A loud laugh echoed from the street.
That somewhat familiar laugh immediately drew Su Xiao’s attention. The person laughing was none other than the “superior” he had met during the day.
Brandon Oka was followed by two guards, swaggering down Pleasure Street.
When the passersby saw Brandon Oka, they quickly moved aside, looking somewhat restrained.
“Finally here.”
Su Xiao hid on the rooftop, closely following Brandon Oka and his men.
Before long, Brandon Oka and the others entered a building. Su Xiao moved through the darkness, arriving at the top of that building.
After waiting for a moment, Su Xiao leaped down from the rooftop, landing silently, and immediately pressed himself against the wall to avoid detection.
Taking advantage of the cover of night and the dim lighting, Su Xiao began checking the rooms one by one.
He didn’t need to use his eyes to check the rooms; sound alone was enough.
Su Xiao had specifically trained this ability. He still remembered Brandon Oka’s voice.
After checking three rooms, Su Xiao found his target. A conversation was coming from inside the room—a man and a woman.
“When are you finally going to ‘save me’? Can you bear to see me here with other men?”
“Soon, soon. This is the business of the Left Minister. It’s not just a matter of money. I’ve been working hard lately. The Left Minister is someone close to the king…”
Su Xiao listened expressionlessly to the conversation between the two in the room, but the content grew increasingly “sickening,” causing him to furrow his brow.
But now was not the time. Su Xiao had to wait for Oka’s most vulnerable moment to deliver a fatal blow.
Things progressed smoothly. Before long, heavy breathing came from the room.
Su Xiao slowly drew his long blade from its scabbard, then gently pushed open the window, slipped into the room, and made no sound at all.
Inside the room, a man and a woman were tangled together, in the midst of their act.
The reason Su Xiao chose this moment was that only now was Oka at his most vulnerable.
With every step closer to Oka, Su Xiao was exceptionally cautious, like a leopard stalking its prey, moving without a sound.
Five meters, three meters, one meter.
Su Xiao arrived behind Oka, slowly raising his long blade, the tip aimed at the back of Oka’s head.
The woman beneath Oka, who had been enjoying herself with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes for some reason and saw Su Xiao holding the blade.
Terror flashed across her face, and she instinctively wanted to scream. Oka also noticed the woman’s terrified expression.
But it was all too late.
Gripping the hilt with both hands, Su Xiao drove the blade with all his force toward the back of Oka’s head.
“Pfft.”
The long blade pierced straight through the back of Oka’s head. The sharp tip, as if piercing a sheet of paper, emerged from Oka’s mouth.
The blade didn’t stop. The bloodstained tip then pierced the eye socket of the woman beneath Oka, before sinking deeply into the tatami mat under her.
The two impaled by the blade twitched violently like fish out of water. One had his spine and mouth damaged, the other had her brain pierced. Neither could scream, so they didn’t attract any attention.
Su Xiao’s strike had been precisely calculated.
If he only killed Oka, the woman beneath him would scream immediately. Then the guards at the door would rush into the room, putting Su Xiao in a dangerous situation.
In the One Piece world, even ordinary civilians had strong physical stats, let alone guards.
Two lives with one strike, showing no mercy. Su Xiao’s killing skills surpassed those of most assassins.
This was also why Reincarnation Paradise had chosen him to become a Hunter.
Being a Hunter wasn’t just about having a special talent; it also required the courage to kill.
(This is a brand new novel, so please leave your recommendations and add it to your collection.)