Hank's words made Su Xiao's eyes light up. He finally confirmed that the current time was three days before the scene that appeared in the original story, which involved the burning of the scrap yard.
This meant that within the maximum time limit of his mission, the scrap yard would be set ablaze. For Su Xiao, this was undoubtedly good news. The more chaos there was, the more opportunities he would have. In murky waters, it was easier to fish.
Hank walked out of the warehouse, seemingly remembering something, and turned to say, "Our boss is Brandon Oka. Now that you're a member of the guard team, how could you not know the boss's name?"
Su Xiao chuckled lightly and nodded in acknowledgment.
The two stepped out of the warehouse, and by now, the sky was getting darker, with tired pedestrians filling the streets. Through casual conversation, Su Xiao learned that the strong man he had seen earlier, who was now his "superior," Brandon Oka, had been the head of the guards for nearly ten years. He had a wide network and was in contact with many officials in the palace, even having been summoned by the king.
Su Xiao wasn't entirely convinced by what Hank said; it seemed like he was trying to flatter Brandon. While it might be true that Brandon had held the position for ten years, the claim about his connections was questionable. After all, staying in one position for a decade could also mean that his "superior" wasn't doing particularly well in the capital.
Just as Hank was about to say goodbye, Su Xiao took the initiative to speak up. "How about we grab a drink? I just arrived in the capital today and have a lot to ask you."
Hank pretended to hesitate, but under Su Xiao's "warm invitation," the two entered a tavern.
After a few cups of rice wine, Hank's face turned slightly red, and he started to talk more freely. "Let me tell you, if the boss hadn't been unable to control himself back then, he would have long since taken a position in the palace. I mean, why did he have to get involved with... hic."
Hank let out a hiccup, 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 drink had mysteriously disappeared. In this dangerous world of missions, drinking was undoubtedly a reckless act, so Su Xiao didn’t drink a single drop.
"Forget it, let's not talk about that. The boss is living it up these days, a regular at Joy Street. I really envy him."
Su Xiao casually replied and poured Hank another drink.
After a few rounds of drinks, it was around seven in the evening when Su Xiao and Hank parted ways at the tavern door. The streets were now brightly lit.
Su Xiao lit a cigarette, and through the swirling smoke, he thoughtfully watched Hank walk away. Hank had provided him with a lot of information, and now that it was night, it was time for Su Xiao to act.
With one hand resting on the hilt of his knife, Su Xiao stopped a passerby. The person was initially annoyed but visibly became fearful when they saw Su Xiao in the guard uniform.
"Could you tell me where Joy Street is?"
The passerby flashed a knowing smile and pointed Su Xiao in the right direction. That smile, along with the name "Joy Street," made Su Xiao think about what kind of place it was. His "superior" certainly had a lot of energy.
As the lights came on, the street was bathed in shades of pink and red.
On both sides of the street were buildings with two or three stories, topped with glazed tiles, and lanterns hanging in front, either round or square.
The soft sounds of instruments mixed with laughter and chatter, as many men and women snuggled closely together.
On the balcony of a nearby building, Su Xiao could vaguely see some women dressed provocatively, holding slender pipes, smiling alluringly as they tried to attract passing customers.
This was Joy Street, the flower street of the pirate world.
On the roof of a building, Su Xiao, dressed in black, crouched with the "Dragon Slaying Flash" in his hand.
Since entering the pirate world, Su Xiao had hardly made a move, but tonight, he was going to assassinate his first target to lay the groundwork for his mission.
A loud laugh echoed through the street.
That familiar laughter immediately caught Su Xiao's attention. The person laughing was none other than his "superior," Brandon Oka.
Brandon walked down Joy Street, flanked by two guards, swaggering confidently. Passersby quickly stepped aside when they saw Brandon, their expressions tense.
"Finally here."
Su Xiao hid on the rooftop, closely following Brandon and his group.
Before long, they entered a building, and Su Xiao moved through the darkness to reach the top of that building.
After waiting for a moment, Su Xiao leaped down from the roof, landing silently, and quickly pressed against the wall to avoid being detected.
Using the cover of the night and dim lights, Su Xiao began to check each room.
He didn’t need to rely on sight to search the rooms; he could do it by sound.
Su Xiao had trained specifically for this ability and remembered Brandon Oka's voice.
After checking three rooms, Su Xiao found his target. Inside, he could hear a conversation between a man and a woman.
"When are you going to 'save me'? Can you really bear to see me with other men?"
"Soon, soon. This is the Left Minister's business, and it’s not just about money. I've been working hard lately. The Left Minister is close to the king..."
Su Xiao listened expressionlessly to the conversation, but the increasingly flirtatious content made him frown.
But it wasn't the right time yet; Su Xiao needed to wait until Oka was at his most vulnerable to deliver a fatal blow.
Soon, the opportunity came as nearby guards began to chat, their attention distracted.
Su Xiao slowly drew his long knife from his waist, then gently pushed open a window and slipped into the room without making a sound.
Inside, a man and a woman were nestled together, embracing each other.
Su Xiao chose this moment because it was the only time Oka would let his guard down.
With every step closer to Oka, Su Xiao was extremely cautious, moving as silently as a predator stalking its prey.
Five meters, three meters, one meter.
Su Xiao reached behind Oka, slowly raising his long knife, the tip aimed at Oka's neck. At that moment, Oka was turned away, not looking in Su Xiao's direction. Just then, the woman beside Oka seemed to sense something, but it was too late.
With a firm grip on the hilt, Su Xiao thrust the knife into Oka's neck with all his strength.
The blade pierced through Oka's neck as if it were cutting through paper, and then it went through the woman beside him.
If Su Xiao only killed Oka, the woman would scream immediately, and the guards at the door would rush in, putting Su Xiao in danger.
In the pirate world, even ordinary civilians had strong physical stats, let alone the guards.
One knife, two people, without hesitation.
This was also why the reincarnation paradise chose him to be a hunter.
Being a hunter wasn't just about having special talent; it also required the courage and decisiveness to kill.
(End of Chapter)