-3 Side Story 3: Business

The pitch-black sewers.

A few hundred years ago, after the Empire was just established, the Wise Prime Minister, Halva Karabeyan, proposed that they should adopt the sewage system of the Capital of Triumph—the capital of the two Empires—and that it should be built as soon as possible. He had suggested this when the capital was newly built, the construction of the Eternal Star City was still unset, and the sewage work was underway. Tormond the First, who was old by then, pondered over this for an entire day before he launched the grand project that caused the Six Great Clans to groan endlessly about it, but earned the praise and acknowledgement of the citizens in the later generations.

Tormond only had one condition: the underground area of Renaissance Palace, which was being reconstructed at the time, was to be made a restricted zone of the sewage system.

Perhaps many of the later kings would find gratification in Tormond's condition, because in John the First's reign alone, the sewage that lay under the capital with plenty of intersecting paths became the fastest transportation route, and the most convenient hiding place for the country's illegal underground world, leaving every Garrison Officer and Chief Police Officer of the capital powerless and helpless against them.

In the darkness, two men in tight bodysuits jumped into the sewage without making a noise. They did not even make a splash. 

The two men got up slowly. Their position and view happened to cover each other's blind sides. The problem was whether they could see clearly in pitch-black darkness.

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

The sound of clapping traveled from further inside the dark sewage. The two men glanced at each other and turned towards the direction of the clapping.

"The skillful ones are the boldest indeed!"

From further inside the darkness came a voice that spoke in the common language, but it was heavy with a Far Easterner's accent. "You are indeed the famous Charleton brothers! You snuck into the most central area of the Iron Bat Organization, and they didn't even notice!"

A third man's shadow appeared from the darkness. He was dressed in Eastern garments—rarely seen in the Western Peninsula. His claps were rhythmic, and his voice was high-pitched, fine, soft and pleasant to the ears.

The three men stood facing each other another for a few seconds.

"I have seen your picture," one of the men said coldly. "You are Teng, the seal-bearing eunuch of Mane et Nox's royal family."

"FORMER seal-bearing eunuch." Teng corrected the man while he giggled in a strange and sharp voice. "I lost my job three years ago."

It was discreet, but Teng became wary. He could only move about in the dark at will with his ability, Heart Eye, but these people could see him clearly as if they were seeing at him in broad daylight. 

"I heard that Queen Yao who recently ascended the throne, placed a very high bounty on you. Now, you can only escape to the Western Peninsula and seek refuge in Shadow Shield," said the man whose expression could not be seen in the darkness. His voice was extremely desolate, and sent shivers down one's spine.

Next to him, his brother repeated only the key point of what he just said, as though his words were gold. "Very high bounty!"

Teng's pupils shrank. 'Damn assassin.'

"Alas. A woman meddling in politics." Teng first revealed a sorrowful expression and said something the Charleton brothers did not understand, before he immediately put on a smile. "Allowing a woman to rule Mane et Nox—this is the sign of the the end of a country. If you take my head and cross the ocean only to find that Mane et Nox is already engulfed in a sea of fire, who would you go to to claim your bounty?"

"Enough with your bullsh*t." The brother who spoke first then impassively said again, " Shadow Shield lit the Sacred Promise and asked to meet us here. Where is the Shadow Master himself?"

An especially friendly smile bloomed on Teng's face. He clasped his hands together before he raised them in front of his chest. He nodded slightly at the two men, and performed the Far Easterners' ceremonial bow.

"It is this worthless man who is the current Shadow Master of Shadow Shield." Teng lifted his head and enunciated clearly, using words unique only to the Far Easterners. His words caused the two men to frown.

Silence.

The two men exchanged astonished and somber glances, quick and silent.

After a while, the brother who spoke first said in a chilly tone, "Shadow Shield has changed their master. When did this happen?"

"The night before yesterday," Teng answered patiently.

The Charleton brothers were quiet for a while.

"So, the most terrifying assassin organization since the Battle of Eradication has fallen into the hands of this Far Easterner, who only arrived here fairly recently?

"The Raven Guards raised your must-kill level to 'Zi'[1]." The brother who spoke first said slowly, "It looks like there was a reason for this."

As he heard the words "Raven Guards", Teng carefully concealed the hatred and rage in his eyes.

"Hah, Commander Lin thinks highly of me, but what a pity... he will never marry the woman he loves." Teng let out a seemingly regretful sigh. "It looks like I should, in response, raise Queen Yau's must-kill level to 'S' in Shadow Shield."

Teng did not mind discussing the current person holding power in Mane et Nox, but the two men before him seemed to not share his interest at all. 

"Why did you pick Eternal Star City?" the brother who spoke first asked. "Constellation and Mane et Nox are allies. Queen Yao had just ascended the throne, Aydi the Second and Morat would be happy to catch you as a gift for her ascension."

'How sharp. He went straight to the point.' 

Teng sneered. "Trust me. Constellation will soon be too busy and will have no time to care for other things."

Teng smiled sinisterly and said, "Of course, Morat and his followers have sharp noses. We must still be careful of the things we should be careful of. And for some reason, the Blood Bottle Gang are not on good terms with us. So, I have no choice but to ask you to bear with this a little and meet me underground."

The two men understood the message behind Teng's words. Their gazes met, and they exchanged countless messages in a short time.

The brother who spoke first snorted softly. "Clearly, you are restless wherever you go. Once, you brought harm to the citizens of the Eastern Peninsula, you came to the Western Peninsula and also intend to cause trouble."

"You flatter me." Teng laughed a little. "May I know if you are the older or the younger Charleton?"

"Bannette," said the brother who spoke first.

Teng laughed long and hard again. "Oh! So you are the famous Migratory Locust Blade! Then this one must be the older Charleton, Blood Chant Lordan? Your attacks in Norton Dukedom—"

"You know what, you long-winded hermaphrodite?" the younger Charleton, Bannette, interrupted him brusquely. "We really want to cut your head down in exchange for the bounty."

Teng froze instantly.

The older Charleton, Lordan, who regarded his words like gold, picked up where his brother left off, "Get straight to the point."

Teng's expression initially turned cold, but it was barely noticeable. Then, he immediately put on a smile. "Shadow Shield wants to discuss a large business with your reputable family."

The younger Charleton immediately rejected it with a shake of his head. "Shadow Shield will occupy most of the marketplace and the customer source, while the Charletons only deal with large businesses that are unpopular and challenging. This is the Assassin's Sacred Promise which the twenty-eighth head of Charletons, and the third generation Shadow Master swore before the Dark Night God Statue. It is not to be violated."

The older Charleton added quietly, "Shadow and Blade, none crosses the boundary."

Teng laughed happily. "We Far Easterners do not believe in gods, much less this Dark Night who disappeared for countless years!"

He lowered his head and said shrewdly, "Now, on this present day, since the seventy-third Shadow Master is a Far Easterner, we should change the Assassin's Sacred Promise a little."

"Far Easterner?" The younger Charleton sneered disdainfully. "During the times of the Ancient Empire, you were only slaves."

Teng's gaze turned cold and he said darkly, "But the Empire had never conquered the Far East. No matter how many times it was besieged, Kirin Holy Capital still stands tall to this date. The only Far Easterners the Ancient Empire can turn into slaves were only prisoners of war."

"Enough," The older Charleton cut them off. "If there is no other business, we will meet again some day."

"Wait!" Teng called out to the two brothers who were about to leave. He sighed deeply. "The origin of the Charleton Family can be traced back to the branch known as the 'magic destroyers,' under the War Wizards in Alchemy Tower, before the Age of the Empire."

His voice spread melodiously in the sewers, as if he was vividly telling his students an old story.

The Charleton brothers' expressions changed simultaneously!

When he sensed the duo's expressions drastically change—thanks to Heart Eye—Teng chuckled lightly and said, "About a thousand years ago, although the Far East had to bear with indescribable hardships caused by the Ancient Empire's frequent invasions, if there was something good that came out of it, it was how our civilization was never destroyed despite the change in dynasties. We have an immense number of records in the Chen Royal Family's Flourish and Decay Pavilion, such as records of the Charleton Family's details; and that is just Mane et Nox alone."

The younger Charleton said coldly, "So? Do you plan to kill us with books?"

Teng nodded in his heart. 'It looks like he has found the key to what I said.' He stepped forward slowly.

"During the era of the Empire, you were famous for being the wizards' nightmare; the assassins who did not fear magic. You were one of the few assassin families who could break through the court wizards' layers of defense and directly strike your target, which is how you earned the ferocious name of Assassin's Flower."

Teng took another two steps forward and clicked his tongue twice, as if he was exclaiming in admiration. "Your fame once traveled far and wide. Anyone who heard about you would tremble with fear and feel chills down their spines. You even dealt with the businesses that stretched across the continent. The Grief King of the Dawn Dynasty died under your sword.

"What was your family motto?" Teng scratched his head before he slapped it, as if he suddenly realized something. "Oh, that's right! 

"Death calls when magic falls."

But Teng seemed to have recalled something horrible. He shook his head, frowned deeply, and revealed a pained expression on his face. He also changed his topic accordingly.

"But what a pity… that the calamities were born."

The younger Charleton clenched his fists gently.

"The Three Great Magic Towers were destroyed one after another, the wizards were scattered, and their inheritance was destroyed."

Teng started to walk leisurely, and spoke while swaying his head, "After the Battle of Eradication, magic was banned under strict orders. In just decades, when the last wizard died under meticulous care, magic became completely extinct."

The older Charleton's pupils began to constrict slowly.

Teng sighed and continued to speak, "Ever since then, wizards are no longer seen among the noblemen's guests, magic was removed from the royal family's fundamental curriculum, the Department of Wizards in the military disappeared without a trace, and the higher-ups no longer have effective anti-assassination and anti-concealment tactics using magic as its base.

"So the difficulty level of assassinations reduced on a huge scale. The criteria for becoming assassins lowered substantially, and even someone who did not know about magic could successfully execute an assassination if they caught someone off-guard."

The older Charleton furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"Since the Battle of Eradication, assassins from different backgrounds emerged one after another, even the most amateurish of amateurs dared to become assassins if they did not care for their lives and had a blade with them. Oh, Shadow Shield also rose to power because of this, and claimed most of the assassination deals."

The younger Charleton inhaled deeply at once and glanced at his brother, but the older Charleton did not respond and only had his eyes fixed on Teng.

"The poor Charleton Family. Because of us and because of all kinds of assassins, the number of business deals they could receive became less. Since the wizards are gone, if one could hire an assassin at a cheap cost to kill someone, why should one pay a higher price to hire the Assassin's Flower?"

Teng turned around and laughed playfully.

"Right. After the dragons disappeared, what use could one have for dragon-slaying skills?"

The Charleton brothers' expressions grew more and more unpleasant.

"What a pity. In just a few centuries, the number of people who visited the Charletons became so few that it is now rare for anyone to seek your services. You are now forgotten, and not mentioned by others. The number of your people grew smaller, and your skills worsened."

Teng sighed. He seemed to lament their state. "But it's no wonder. When there's no business, there's no money… When there's no money, there's no inheritance.

"The Assassin's Flowers once enjoyed a glorious period, but now, you are the only two assassins in your generation who are qualified to wield your blades," Teng said as he looked up and glanced at Lordan and Bannette. He giggled a little and shook his head. "A family with only two men. Tsk tsk."

The Charleton brothers did not react for a long while, but Teng knew that his goal had been achieved.

"My honorable brothers, I wonder, with your age, how long will you still be able to use your blades? Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years?" Teng sneered and shook his head as he used a term of address unique to Far Easterners to address the two brothers. "When I revisit the history books, I read about the birth of a dynasty until its eventual end, and the rise and fall of families. I always sigh in regret during those times."

A mysterious look appeared in Teng's eyes. "They are like highly interesting plays, but before they can bring an end to their performance, the time for the curtain to fall is nigh. They had a long journey ahead with countless great scenes to enjoy, but the time has come for the sun to set. How could one not feel sorry and sigh about it?"

There was a long period of silence.

"You can save your breath on the Charleton Family's legacy." The younger Charleton, Bannette, could not hold back anymore and spoke firmly. There was already slight anger in his voice. "There are outstanding seeds of assassins in each generation of our family, and all of them can bloom into the most dazzling Assassin's Flowers."

Bannette clenched his fists while his eyes seemed to burn. 'The Charletons will not be wiped out in our generation... Never. Absolutely not.'

As he watched his younger brother's face, Lordan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Of course, with your outstanding abilities, my honorable brothers, I believe that your future generation must also be the most dazzling Assassin Flowers."

Teng nodded as he smiled. "Your skills as magic destroyers are no longer needed, but if we are talking about the artistry of wielding the knife, you are still the strongest in the world. That is why the Assassin's Sacred Covenant decided to let you be in charge of the most high-profile businesses."

Then, Teng changed the topic, and his tone of speech became strange. "But what if the clients do not like to read history books as much as I do, and have not heard of the Charletons' fame? Why would they come looking for you if they do not have my knowledge?"

Teng shook his head and sighed in pity as if he felt sorry about it. "I wonder how many people still remember the Charletons. How many people still think of the reliable Assassin's Flowers when they require such services and pay you to kill someone else?"

The younger Charleton exhaled softly while the older Charleton remained still.

Teng slapped his head and turned around before saying, "So, I was thinking that we should launch an assassination that will make us known worldwide in one go…

"An attack that is unprecedented, a movement that will shock the world…"

The younger Charleton's breaths grew heavier, and the older Charleton furrowed his brow even tighter. 

Teng approached them slowly. His words were filled with the intention to tempt them. "Will this operation make the Charletons' matchless reputation even more unbeatable... and lead the Assassin Flower's illustrious prestige to gain resounding fame?"

Teng laughed heartily. "Magic has become extinct, and because of it, our clients have become blind, because they have been at peace for too long. It is time for us to remind them of our existence."

The assassin brothers' eyes were fixed on him.

Teng clapped softly. His gaze was profound. "We should remind them of who exactly are the most outstanding assassins in history, and the most terrifying killers."

Teng's eyes sparkled. While his tone was quiet and peaceful, he threw his last, powerful bait before the assassins in front of him. "Most importantly, we should remind them that the assassin family with the longest history, the finest and deepest legacy, and the most feared name, have not just not been wiped out, but will definitely rise again... And they will be as marvellous as they were in the past."

The Charleton brothers' breaths became erratic. 

The serious look on Teng's face faded away. He opened his eyes and smiled. "When that day comes, I believe that the Charleton Family's business will be frequented by many visitors and clients."

He looked up and cast a glance at the brothers in front of him.

There was silence, one that was longer than before. 

In the long silence, Lordan and Bannette looked at each other numerous times and exchanged countless messages through their eyes. Then, the two brothers stopped looking at each other.

The younger Charleton turned to Teng, who had a look of anticipation on his face. With the Charletons' pride, which had lasted for more than a thousand years, and with the hope that they would rise again, the Migratory Locust Blade took one step forward.

"It had better be a good business deal," Bannette said in a freezing tone.

Teng breathed out through his nose, feeling relaxed. It was as though he just smelled the most amazing scent in the world. He then laughed happily and clapped continuously.

"Hahahahahahahaha… I swear with my life that this is an unprecedentedly great business deal!"

Right before the Charleton brothers' eyes, once Teng had his share of laughing, he slowly spread his arms, and a fierce look appeared in his eyes. 

"You will not dare to imagine how big it is."

1. Zi is one of the twelve Earthly Branches the Chinese use to calculate time. In here, it is used by the Raven Guards to rank the priority of the people on their kill list. Based on the Chinese Earthly Branch system, Zi is for people who have the highest priority on their list.