Chapter 62: Red’s Trap and Shadow’s Arrival

Irene’s judgment had proven correct.

Though she might appear unreliable at times, Irene was indeed a professional when it came to gathering intelligence.

Xiluo’er still recalled Irene telling her that Red’s thuggish demeanor was nothing more than a carefully crafted disguise.

Hiding one’s true capabilities was not a profound skill, yet it was undeniably effective. Irene herself often employed such tactics, and now Xiluo’er fully understood the truth behind Irene’s earlier words.

“If you truly believe Red is merely an ordinary hoodlum, then his objective has been met.”

Xiluo’er had to admit that Red was an exceptionally cunning and treacherous individual.

Not only had he detected her tracking him, but he had also silently laid a trap in reverse.

Moreover, while seemingly strolling through the streets, he had three hidden sentinels concealed in the shadows.

Indeed, as Red himself had asserted, those without a certain level of cunning would struggle to survive in the murky underworld of Kana City.

Unfortunately, compared to Xiluo’er, he still fell short.

He lacked professionalism.

Assassins trained by the Chaos Cult would never be stumped by the defenses of a local gang leader.

If she truly couldn’t overcome such petty machinations, Xiluo’er might as well have revealed her identity to Eve immediately.

After Xiluo’er calmly pointed out that all of his hidden sentinels had been neutralized, she observed a complete shift in the man standing before her.

He transitioned from his feigned leisure to a fleeting moment of panic, then quickly regained his composure. It was as if he had torn off a mask, revealing the fangs of a venomous snake.

“Alright, I concede.”

Red gritted his teeth, uttering the words with a venomous tone. Though his life was entirely in Xiluo’er’s hands, his voice betrayed not a hint of fear.

Instead, it carried an almost arrogant malice, especially under such dire circumstances.

“Speak, what do you wish to know?”

“No tricks. Just ask.”

“You must be aware of my influence in Kana City. I will tell you everything I know.”

Red genuinely did not seem to fear Xiluo’er, who held a dagger against his throat. The fact that she hadn’t killed him immediately and instead wished to question him proved he still held value in her eyes.

Value meant room for negotiation, and negotiation meant survival. If he could survive, he would have a chance for revenge.

‘Where there’s life, there’s hope.’

Xiluo’er raised an eyebrow. Red’s attitude was far more unyielding than she had anticipated; he even dared to imply a subtle threat in his words.

“I have no interest in your usual illicit dealings.”

“I only want to know one thing: the disappearance cases in Kana City. I need every detail.”

After Xiluo’er directly posed her question, Red fell silent. She waited for a long time, but the gang leader before her uttered not another word.

Standing behind him, she couldn’t see Red’s current expression. However, the moment the words “disappearance cases” left her lips, the easygoing look on his face instantly clouded over.

The disappearance cases had plagued Kana City for years. In the past, some had indeed traced the clues back to him, though those individuals had all vanished without a trace.

Yet, this assassin today was the first to confront him so directly about the matter.

Only when the dagger pressed slightly harder, digging into Red’s skin, did Xiluo’er finally hear him speak.

“Who are you? And why are you investigating this?”

“I am the one asking the questions now.”

The dagger continued to apply pressure, and a thin line of blood began to form on Red’s neck.

Sure enough, Red knew a great deal.

Xiluo’er narrowed her eyes.

Although Red had yet to reveal anything, Xiluo’er had been carefully observing his reactions ever since the words “disappearance cases” were spoken.

“I advise you not to delve any deeper into this matter. Trust me, the forces behind it are not ones you can afford to provoke.”

“Do you truly believe I became the most powerful gang in Kana City relying solely on my own strength?”

Red chose not to reveal everything, hinting just enough. He believed his meaning would be clear to his interrogator.

He had always handled the disappearance cases with extreme caution, never expecting someone to track him down so directly because of them.

“The forces behind it… the City Lord’s Mansion, isn’t it?”

The emotionless voice from behind him made Red’s pupils contract sharply once more. He hadn’t expected his opponent to have investigated to such an extent.

Or rather, having investigated so far, did they still dare to continue their inquiry?

“How much do you know?”

Red’s voice turned grim, but his only response was the dagger slightly shifting downwards on his neck, leaving a shallow cut.

“Heh, alright.”

“You are smarter than those who came before, and you know more.”

“Since you wish to know, I shall tell you…”

Xiluo’er frowned slightly, surprised by Red’s sudden willingness to cooperate.

“…But you’ll have to hear it from below.”

Something was wrong! Red’s current state was unsettling!

Centered on Red, a strange aura erupted from his entire being. The force of this aura was so immense that it sent Xiluo’er flying backward!

Damn it! Red had another trick up his sleeve!

Although she quickly regained her balance and landed steadily, Xiluo’er understood that she had lost the element of surprise.

Truth be told, the reason she was so easily countered by Red was because of his height. The gang leader was quite tall, while Xiluo’er’s own height was… complicated. When she had threatened him earlier, she had actually been on her tiptoes to press the dagger against his neck.

“Heh, an assassin, are you?” Red swiftly turned, sweeping his gaze over Xiluo’er. “Have you ever considered a question? Over all these years of disappearances in Kana City, you are certainly not the only one who has traced it back to me.”

“Do you know what happened to those who discovered the truth in the end?”

Tsk… she had truly been careless.

Xiluo’er hadn’t anticipated Red possessing such a hidden ace, a ‘burst’ ability. The aura that had repelled her earlier was of no low rank.

“I told you, the forces behind the disappearance cases are not ones you can provoke!”

With a ferocious expression, Red raised his right hand and charged towards Xiluo’er.

****

“You’re finally here.”

At the end of the misty alleyway, Shadow, the Chaos Cult’s hidden operative in Kana City, stood silently, calmly observing Rona as she appeared.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Rona glanced left and right, seemingly assessing her surroundings, before speaking with an impassive expression. Her right hand rested on the hilt of her sword.

“Not long… not long compared to all the time I’ve spent waiting in Kana City.”

“How about it, shall we chat, Miss Rona?”

Shadow let out a low, eerie chuckle as they faced Rona.