Chapter 24: The "Black Tomb" Emerges!
Andrei grew interested:
“Oh? What can I do to serve the Second Young Master?”
Sandro gritted his teeth and said, “Help me kill someone!”
A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of Andrei’s mouth as he asked, “Who? Is there anyone in Aifein that even the Second Young Master can’t handle?”
Sandro told Andrei about Cohen.
Andrei nodded slightly. “I know this person. I was actually planning to go see him tomorrow—Florence hasn’t seen a talent of this caliber in a long time.”
Sandro’s eyes lit up. “So, Mr. Envoy, you agree?”
Andrei smiled, “I can’t do it. This person must have already caught Raymond’s attention. Moreover, he seems to have some unclear ties with the ‘Pale Wing.’ If I act rashly, it would be too conspicuous and risky.”
Sandro’s expression darkened; this was exactly what he feared.
He had already received news that after the competition ended, Raymond had a long private conversation with this ‘Shadow Lord,’ and it was Raymond himself who escorted him out in the end.
For a legendary-level figure to personally send out a first-tier young man—there was no clearer implication than this: this person is under my protection!
On the Magma Continent, no one underestimated the power of a legendary figure; otherwise, Sandro wouldn’t have sought Andrei’s help.
Killing a first-tier was easy; the tricky part was dealing with the retaliation from a legendary-tier.
“But it’s not without a solution,” Andrei shifted his tone and continued, “I know some interesting friends. If the Second Young Master is willing to pay a considerable price, they’d be happy to help you solve your problem.”
Sandro’s eyes brightened and he quickly asked, “Are they reliable? Aren’t they afraid of retaliation from a legendary-tier?”
Andrei lowered his voice, growing somewhat cold and sinister: “Legendary-tier? Maybe they even dare to go after Saint-tier!”
Sandro’s eyes widened abruptly, a heavy name flashing through his mind. He might have already guessed who Andrei’s friends were.
Black Tomb!
He gasped inwardly, his gaze toward Andrei tinged with apprehension.
To be friends with such ruthless fiends, Andrei himself couldn’t be an innocent man.
Andrei immediately showed a warm smile: “If the Second Young Master is interested, I’ll contact them right away. Coincidentally, they’re nearby; they might arrive shortly.”
Sandro’s face trembled violently, his throat dry as he asked,
“You mean... the Black Tomb operatives are nearby? But this is the royal capital of Aifein!”
Andrei shrugged, “They seem to be organizing some big operation recently. Many are secretly gathering towards the capital. My friend wasn’t here before but arrived just these past days.”
Sandro hesitated for a long while, then thought of Cohen’s jeers and insults in the arena, and a surge of anger rose within him.
“Then please, Mr. Envoy, I entrust this to you!”
Andrei chuckled softly, took out a black magic stone, infused it with a trace of magic, and whispered something—without hiding from Sandro.
About an hour later, Sandro suddenly felt the temperature drop several degrees, as if an invisible hand gripped his heart tightly, making it hard to breathe.
His vision blurred, and a figure in a black robe silently appeared like a ghost, his face concealed beneath a hood, revealing cold, piercing eyes akin to blades in the dark night, radiating ruthlessness and resolve.
His presence exuded a bone-chilling cruelty that nearly overwhelmed Sandro’s very soul.
Andrei gently clapped his hands, breaking the black-robed man’s intimidating aura directed at Sandro.
“All right, let me introduce you—this is Sandro Gunter, Second Son of the Duke of Aifein’s Southern Territory.”
Cold sweat drenched Sandro’s back; his mind had just been filled with visions of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. If not for Andrei’s intervention, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Andrei lowered his voice, “As for this gentleman, the Second Young Master may call him the ‘Salesman.’”
The “Salesman” fixed his icy gaze on Sandro, his voice hard as stone: “You want to place an order?”
Sandro swallowed hard and replied dryly, “Order?”
Andrei cleared his throat, “That’s their slang for who you want killed.”
Sandro hurriedly said, “‘Shadow Lord’—that mysterious man who won ten consecutive matches in the arena today.”
“Time?”
“As soon as possible!”
The “Salesman” twirled a ring on his finger, producing a ledger in his hand. He scribbled calculations, occasionally pulling out a communication stone to input data.
After a long while, he finally uttered a number:
“Ten thousand.”
Sandro’s heart nearly skipped a beat. He blurted, “That much?”
Andrei frowned slightly in surprise, “Huh, Salesman, why so much? It’s almost more than the last job... Uh, don’t gouge the Second Young Master; he’s my dearest friend and sworn brother!”
Normally, the “Salesman” never explained to clients, but this time, for some reason, he spoke up:
“Based on intelligence, this person is already considered by Raymond as a candidate for the ‘Divine Guard Training Camp.’ Raymond has invested five thousand gold coins in him and values him highly. Charging ten thousand is reasonable.”
Andrei’s interest surged immediately:
“Wow, if old fox Raymond is so generous, this ‘Shadow Lord’ must be quite extraordinary.
Salesman, if you take this job, don’t act today—I plan to check him out tomorrow.”
Sandro was startled—not only by Raymond’s high regard for Cohen but also by Black Tomb’s intelligence capabilities.
The ‘Divine Guard Training Camp’ and Raymond’s investment were surely made during the day, yet Black Tomb had obtained the information so quickly. Their intelligence was truly formidable.
He suspected that Black Tomb might even have spies within the Duke’s Southern Territory mansion.
After much hesitation, Sandro finally made up his mind:
“All right, I’m in!”
“Half the deposit.”
Sandro gritted his teeth and handed over five one-thousand gold exchange certificates.
The “Salesman” took them, tossing back a silver token and a communication stone. The token was inscribed with “Silver Token 207.”
Andrei patiently explained, “This is the assassin’s contact token, one-time use only. It represents the Black Tomb assassin codenamed ‘Silver Token 207’ who will serve you.
After the mission is complete, he will contact you for verification, and then you pay the remaining balance.”
Sandro asked, “What level is this ‘Silver Token 207’?”
Andrei replied, “Silver tier.”
Sandro was relieved. No matter how powerful the ‘Shadow Lord’ was, he was only a first-tier transcendent. Sending a Silver-tier assassin was more than enough.
Even Raymond couldn’t protect him twenty-four hours a day.
Andrei turned to the “Salesman” and asked, “Salesman, are you guys up to something big lately? Why do I get the feeling everyone’s heading toward Florence? Is someone planning a coup?”
Sandro also discreetly pricked up his ears.
“Just visiting,” came the reply.
With that, the “Salesman” vanished silently into the shadows.
Andrei furrowed his brow. Even to me, they keep it secret? Looks like this mission’s target has quite a background. Who could it be...