Chapter 24: The True Face of Red Spider

Xiluo’er certainly couldn’t recall knowing anyone so naive. Ever since arriving in Kana City, her interactions had been solely with individuals as challenging as Rona, Eve, and Red Spider.

Constantly parrying their advances every day was utterly exhausting!

As their conversation continued, one of the ruffians seemed to lose patience. He took a half-step forward, reaching out to grab the young woman’s wrist.

“Eek—”

A tiny gasp escaped the young woman’s lips. She instinctively recoiled a half-step, unknowingly dodging the ruffian’s hand.

Xiluo’er still hesitated. She didn’t want to stand by and watch the young woman be bullied, yet attracting trouble in her current disguise would undoubtedly increase the risk of her identity being exposed.

Missing his grab, the ruffian clearly grew impatient, abandoning all pretense. He bellowed and lunged at the young woman once more.

“Stop wasting my time!”

“Eek—”

At that moment, hearing the young woman’s slightly affected, small cry of alarm, Xiluo’er finally remembered where she had heard that voice before.

It was unmistakably Red Spider’s voice!

The Red Spider before her was a completely different person from the one Xiluo’er had encountered in the black market. Her light-colored, adorable dress and sweet voice made her appear to be nothing more than an ordinary, charming young woman.

Coupled with her deliberately feigned, sweet-girl voice, Xiluo’er naturally hadn’t connected her to the dangerous assassin from the Shadow Assassination Group.

But… could a formidable assassin from the Shadow Assassination Group truly be cornered in an alley by two petty ruffians, utterly powerless to resist?

Xiluo’er gazed suspiciously at Red Spider, who was cowering at the end of the alley. The very next second, Xiluo’er’s eyes beneath her plain mask widened in astonishment.

Without the obstruction of a mask, Red Spider’s face was laid bare before her.

A fair, lovely face, short white hair, and playful gray eyes—the young woman’s features in Xiluo’er’s mind overlapped by seventy to eighty percent with the appearance of a certain stoic-faced hero.

Disregarding whether acting would expose her, Xiluo’er pushed off the ground from her hidden corner, charging towards the end of the alley.

This young woman… she truly knew her!

Setting aside the identity of “Red Spider,” the face of the young woman beneath the mask was also deeply familiar to Xiluo’er.

It was Irene!

She was Irene, Eve’s younger sister, who had gotten separated from her when they were children!

Xiluo’er had never imagined that Red Spider was, in fact, Irene!

Xiluo’er swiftly recalled the information about Irene from the game.

After getting separated from Eve, the character of Irene had indeed been taken in by the Assassin Shadow Assassination Group. Therefore, by the time she reunited with her sister Eve in the game, the two stood on entirely different sides.

However, according to the original plot, the character Irene should only have appeared in later chapters; she wasn’t supposed to have any role in the Kana City storyline.

Xiluo’er quickly compared “Irene” and “Red Spider,” their figures gradually merging in her mind.

Their build, appearance, personality… the more Xiluo’er thought about it, the more similarities she found between Red Spider and Irene.

Irene was part of the Shadow Assassination Group, and so was Red Spider. It was just that before, she had never considered connecting these two seemingly unrelated characters.

Moreover, during their first meeting in the black market, she had found Red Spider’s voice somewhat familiar. This familiarity likely stemmed not only from “Xiluo’er’s” memories but also from having heard Irene’s voice many times in the game.

Before the two ruffians could make any inappropriate moves, Xiluo’er appeared behind them like a phantom.

Having learned Red Spider’s true identity, she dared not stand by and do nothing.

It was no joke; this was the protagonist Eve’s biological sister! What if her being bullied by ruffians here somehow brought trouble upon herself?

Though she was merely a passing bystander at this moment, Xiluo’er dared not give Eve any reason to cut her down.

****

Seeing the ruffians about to lose their temper and resort to violence, Red Spider, her plan on the verge of success, curved her lips into a subtle, impish smile.

But the next second, the ruffians inexplicably froze, their expressions shifting from impatience to terror.

Red Spider immediately noticed the petite figure that had materialized behind the two ruffians like a ghost.

Two slender arms emerged from a black cloak, two glints of cold steel resting against the ruffians’ throats.

The daggers’ blades had already pressed slightly into one ruffian’s skin, drawing a thin line of blood. Any further movement, and the consequences were obvious.

“Don’t turn around.”

A cold, muffled voice echoed from behind them. Both ruffians instinctively straightened, not daring to move.

“Red Spider, they’ve seen your face.”

“Should I dispose of them?”

Xiluo’er understood one of the most crucial rules for an assassin: never carelessly reveal your true face to others.

The tables had instantly turned, yet no trace of joy appeared on Red Spider’s face.

“Sigh…”

Red Spider let out a sigh, the fear and timidity that had enveloped her moments ago vanishing instantly.

“Little Cat Tail, you’re too impatient.”

The ruffian’s eyes widened in surprise. The young woman who had been trembling in fear moments ago seemed to have transformed, becoming relaxed and languid.

But before he could comprehend what was happening, a stinging sensation at his neck made the ruffian instinctively lower his head.

Xiluo’er’s dagger remained poised, not moving an inch, yet…

The next moment, the two ruffians’ thoughts ceased.

Xiluo’er swiftly stepped back, silently watching the two ruffians collapse to the ground, ensuring that the blood from their necks wouldn’t stain her cloak.

She hadn’t made the move; it was Red Spider.

The two ruffians probably hadn’t even realized what happened, but as an assassin, Xiluo’er noticed. Red Spider’s finger had subtly hooked, and a thread-like gleam flashed by. The two ruffians then silently fell to the ground.

Beneath her mask, Xiluo’er frowned. She suddenly understood why Irene’s alias was “Red Spider.”

“These two were Red’s subordinates. I investigated them; the illicit dealings they’ve conducted with Red are enough to get them killed several times over.”

Before Xiluo’er could speak, Red Spider scoffed disdainfully.

Xiluo’er subtly observed Red Spider. At this moment, she looked nothing like a young woman utterly powerless against two ruffians.

In other words, her earlier performance had all been an act.

“Oh, Little Cat Tail, didn’t you consider? How could I possibly be bullied by mere ruffians like them?”

Red Spider spread her hands, a helpless expression on her face.