Chapter 22: The Assassin’s Gambit and the Bow of Finality

He put away the Bow of Finality and spoke towards the outside, “Come in, what is it?”

She pushed the door open and entered. Only then did Zhang Luan notice she was wearing only a thin, red slip dress, cradling a thick book in her arms.

“His Royal Highness, Holy Son~ The High Priest sent me to deliver the temple’s doctrines to you. Please accept them.”

Despite her words, she showed no intention of letting go of the book. Instead, she walked directly to Zhang Luan’s side, striking an even more alluring pose than before, deliberately teasing his senses.

Zhang Luan scrutinized her from head to toe. She had a good figure, but it still paled in comparison to Nan Fenghua’s. At the very least, Nan Fenghua’s voluptuous chest was far more enticing than hers.

“Is there something else?”

“Yes… His Royal Highness, Holy Son, there’s something I wish to ask of you~”

Zhang Luan looked her over, then a mysterious smile suddenly blossomed on his face. His attitude underwent a complete 180-degree shift. He reached out, wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and pulled her close to him.

“What is it, my little beauty?”

“His Royal Highness, Holy Son, you’re so naughty~ Then I’ll tell you…”

Zhang Luan gazed at her with a beaming smile, one hand roaming over her body.

“Speak. What do you want? Is it my life?”

At these words, the maid’s expression abruptly changed. Without the slightest hesitation, she produced a runic blade from an unknown hiding spot and plunged it towards Zhang Luan’s heart.

But just as the blade’s tip was about to touch his skin, the maid’s body suddenly stiffened, unable to move. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

Zhang Luan sneered, standing before her, and gently patted her beautiful face.

“The Demon Roar Papacy’s assassination squad is moving against me so quickly, huh? Too bad for you, I found out.”

This woman was indeed suspicious. Zhang Luan had initially thought she was merely an overly forward maid. After all, given his status in a temple where women outnumbered men, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a few to seek advancement through him.

However, the moment he saw the purple-gold flower tattooed on her lower abdomen, he instantly understood exactly who this woman was.

She was an assassin from the Demon Roar Papacy’s assassination squad.

As members of the Demon Roar Papacy’s hidden forces, these assassins constantly mingled within Akamana City, occasionally emerging to target members of the Akamana Faith.

The assassination squad consisted entirely of women. Their favorite tactic was to seduce men, extract information, and then use specially crafted cursed daggers to pierce their victims’ hearts. Even if the target outranked them significantly, that cursed dagger was an exceptionally insidious tool.

It allowed them to unleash a curse at the cost of their own lives. Once the dagger entered a body, they would commit suicide, and simultaneously, the person whose heart was pierced would also perish.

This item was highly sought after among players. After all, when they could still revive, such a method—sacrificing one’s life to take an enemy’s—was incredibly effective.

Zhang Luan observed her unwilling gaze, a mischievous impulse suddenly taking hold. He dispelled the spatial power he had imbued her with during his earlier ‘touching.’

The woman’s eyes sharpened. Believing Zhang Luan’s power had failed, she raised the blade, her form melting into the shadows. In an instant, she reappeared behind Zhang Luan, raising the short blade to stab him in the back.

Zhang Luan had no intention of showing mercy. He spun around abruptly, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick that sent both her and the heavy door flying outwards.

The strength gained after his advancement was truly formidable. Compared to his somewhat frail body before, he could now effortlessly crush his pre-advancement self.

The assassin woman coughed up blood, her health bar plummeting by three-quarters. She glared viciously at Zhang Luan, then vanished into the shadows once more. This time, she wasn’t attacking Zhang Luan; she was trying to escape.

But how could Zhang Luan allow her to leave unscathed?

He drew his Shadowhorn Bow, aiming it towards her escape route. The spatial energy he had placed on her continuously reported her coordinates to him.

He drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and pulled the string taut. With a *whoosh*, the spiraling, super-heavy arrow shot forth, directly piercing a massive white stone pillar. A patch of blood remained on the pillar, and then the woman’s body slowly materialized, utterly lifeless.

The tremendous noise naturally alerted others. When Yanate was the first to arrive and witnessed the scene, his brows furrowed.

“Your Royal Highness, Holy Son, what is this?”

Zhang Luan put away his longbow and calmly stated, “She was from the Demon Roar Papacy’s assassination squad. She tried to kill me just now. I was merely defending myself. What? Is that not allowed?”

Yanate said nothing further, instead directing several guards to carry away the corpse. Only then did he turn to Zhang Luan. “The Demon Roar Papacy’s assassination squad moved against you so quickly. It seems His Royal Highness, Holy Son, already has some understanding of that organization, so I won’t need to explain further.”

“Whatever. Find someone to fix the door.”

“Yes, His Royal Highness, Holy Son.”

Lying on his bed, Zhang Luan toyed with the cursed dagger. This assassin had served as a reminder: if someone were to attack him with such a potent cursed item, he might genuinely be in a difficult position.

However, he wasn’t without solutions. The [Peerless Charm Necklace] could completely nullify curses, but the drawback was that he would turn into a woman. He was profoundly resistant to such a transformation, both physiologically and psychologically, so he needed to find another way.

In the ancient forest, there existed creatures known as Soul Eaters. They fed on the remnants of souls left behind after death. These beings could be used to craft a curse-dispelling potion. Given the opportunity, Zhang Luan resolved to capture a few and refine them into medicine.

****

As night fell, Zhang Luan left his room and went to the Akamana Temple’s guardian training grounds. He intended to test the capabilities of the Bow of Finality.

What surprised him, however, was finding another figure there, swinging a wooden sword at a log. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Lin Jiu, the man he had previously shot clean through. His thin shirt was soaked with sweat, indicating he had been there for quite some time.

As Zhang Luan approached, Lin Jiu also noticed him. His already fatigued body suddenly flinched, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.

“You… what are you going to do?”

Zhang Luan found it somewhat amusing. It seemed this fellow was truly terrified of him.

“What? Is this place only for you? No one else is allowed? What immense authority you wield, even greater than mine, the Holy Son.”

“No… I didn’t mean that, Your… Your Royal Highness, Holy Son… please, go ahead.”

Watching his comical display of fear mixed with reluctance, Zhang Luan chuckled. He paid the man no further mind. The seed of fear had already been planted deep within Lin Jiu’s heart; even if he wished to resist in the future, it would be of no concern.

He pulled out the Bow of Finality. Black and red currents of energy danced wildly around it. With a flick of his finger, a string of light immediately appeared.

He drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and, using the minimal amount of strength, shot at a wooden stake. With a *crack*, the stake shattered instantly.

Zhang Luan nodded with great satisfaction. The bow felt wonderful in his hands, as intuitive as an extension of his own arm, utterly devoid of awkwardness.