Chapter 280: Play within a Play

The soundproof barrier at Duojin Inn was clearly very effective.

Even if Xiao Shiliu screamed at the top of his lungs, no one would come to his aid.

Inside the room,

Xu Xiaoshou carefully applied medicine to the man's wounds, while feeling on edge, afraid that he might suddenly thrash around again.

He was terrified!

But he desperately wanted that information!

If Xiao Shiliu didn't cooperate, he would have no choice but to die!

What a waste that would be?

Xu Xiaoshou said seriously,

"I'm sincerely telling you, you really shouldn't move. If you do, I'll panic..."

Xiao Shiliu was completely broken.

What do you mean, "if I move, you panic"? Is that even human language?

I was just trying to give you the Wangzuo essence blood from the ring—that's all!

I was so earnest, but what did I get in return...?

He instinctively wanted to glance down at his wounds, but a deep-seated fear made him shudder and quickly suppress the urge.

Don't move!

If I move again, I really will die!

As he watched the wounds gradually heal, Xu Xiaoshou sighed and said,

"Alright, go on. You were talking about Zhang Taiying earlier—what level is he?"

"Wangzuo."

So that's how it is. To hold the position of lord in Tian Sang City, his strength must be considerable.

Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself and continued asking,

"How many Wangzuo and how many Zongshi does the Zhang family have?"

Xiao Shiliu's eyes were vacant as he answered mechanically,

"On the surface, just Zhang Taiying alone, but in secret, there are probably more—at least three or more."

"What about Zongshi?"

"Zongshi—probably no fewer than a dozen."

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. This was a major clan!

He knew that on the Sheng Shen Continent, reaching Zongshi level meant having the foundation to establish a sect.

Forces above that were backed by Wangzuo experts.

But for a single entity like the Zhang family, even if it was powerful, it wasn't like the Ling Gong academy system, so it was tough to gather more than a handful of Wangzuo.

With at least three Wangzuo overseeing it, the Zhang family's dominant status was clear.

What a talent pool!

Places like Tian Sang Ling Gong, which encompassed multiple cities in a prefecture, had only a few Wangzuo.

Even counting those old-timers, it was just a dozen or so.

The ones in their prime—Xu Xiaoshou had only met those four.

The four giants.

That was it.

If the Zhang family had at least three...

Xu Xiaoshou immediately shelved the idea of launching a counterattack against the Zhang family to eliminate the threat at its root.

That would be unwise. What if they had more hidden ones—a fourth, a fifth...?

How would he handle that?

Walking straight into a trap?

Xu Xiaoshou pulled his thoughts back and looked at Xiao Shiliu again.

The man was completely numb, and Xu Xiaoshou fell silent. He followed suit, seemingly giving up all resistance and turning into nothing more than a machine spilling his master's secrets.

However...

"Locked on, passive value: 1."

Even if he could deceive Xu Xiaoshou, he couldn't fool that information panel that seemed to see through everything.

A surge of locked qi pulled Xu Xiaoshou out of Xiao Shiliu's act.

Though he had never truly relaxed...

"What a shame. I wasn't planning on giving you a chance anyway—you'd still have to die after I get the information..."

"But if you keep putting on a show instead of fighting for it, that one-in-a-million opportunity will never even appear!"

"Sigh."

Xu Xiaoshou sighed inwardly.

At first, he had wondered if he could really go through with killing Xiao Shiliu after getting the answers, but now...

It wasn't necessary.

"You can continue. Tell me everything about the Zhang family's actions against me in detail."

Xu Xiaoshou's gaze wandered as if he were deep in thought, completely absorbed by the intelligence.

Xiao Shiliu's voice remained hollow,

"The Zhang family didn't just put a bounty on you in 'An Ming Street'—more importantly, they've issued a wanted order for you through 'San Zhu Xiang'."

"'San Zhu Xiang'?" Xu Xiaoshou was even more puzzled.

"Yes, 'San Zhu Xiang' is the most mysterious assassin organization across the entire continent, a holy shrine for killers. Once they issue a wanted order, the target is almost certainly doomed."

"Why?"

Xiao Shiliu finally showed a spark of interest, glancing at Xu Xiaoshou as if he were already a dead man, and continued,

"'San Zhu Xiang' has eight levels of bounties. The first five are just for show—no one posts them, and no one takes them. The last three are the truly terrifying ones."

"That's where the name comes from—divided into Dead Disciple, Evil One, and Decaying Corpse, corresponding to the sixth, seventh, and eighth levels."

"Even the lowest level, Dead Disciple, has a minimum bounty of no less than one million Ling Jing!"

Xu Xiaoshou turned pale at the words.

One million?

Am I worth that much?

He even felt an urge to cut off his own head and deliver it.

Has the Zhang family gone mad? Just throwing money around like that?

"A million bounty..."

Xu Xiaoshou understood how desperate the assassin world could be.

A mere fifty thousand had drawn in Zongshi like Li Qi and Xiao Shiliu—a million?

What a joke!

"You're lying to me!"

A slight curve formed at the corner of Xiao Shiliu's lips. He finally saw fear in this devil's eyes—what a wonderful sight.

If that fear could bloom at his own hands in the end, it would be perfect.

"Lying to you?"

"I have no need to lie. Everything I said is true. The only reason you're still alive is that the big shots in 'San Zhu Xiang' look down on your strength."

"For them, it's not just about killing—it's about saving face!"

"You're not worth their effort."

Xiao Shiliu sneered,

"We're different—small-time killers. We go for the resources, for the money!"

Xu Xiaoshou nodded in understanding and said comfortingly,

"Everyone has their own troubles and hardships. Being a killer must be tough too. I get it—it's really hard on you."

Xiao Shiliu: ???

What kind of response is that?

Are you comforting me?

Do I need your comfort?

I'm a ruthless killer—I don't need this!

"Suspected, passive value: 1."

"Resisted, passive value: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou sighed and silently patted Xiao Shiliu's shoulder. After a long pause, he finally said,

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Xiao Shiliu shook his head.

"No."

"I've said everything. All the intelligence on the Zhang family is yours now."

"What you need to watch out for isn't just the Zhang family—'San Zhu Xiang's wanted order won't stop until you're dead."

Xiao Shiliu didn't dare move a finger—he wouldn't make a single sound now.

But after blocking the pain, he could still feel the incredible effect of the youth's healing medicine as his muscles twitched.

Even his severed limbs seemed like they might barely function again.

Just a little more...

Xiao Shiliu calculated in his mind, his eyes hollow and devoid of any killing intent or gleam—just pure, numb despair.

Xu Xiaoshou withdrew his hand from Xiao Shiliu's shoulder, lost in his own thoughts, his face full of contemplation and conflict, murmuring softly,

"'San Zhu Xiang'..."

As he spoke, his hand swept out in a flash, and Xiao Shiliu's head flew into the air.