"Please do!" Lucian Drake waved his hand casually, his tone both teasing and commanding.
At his signal, the young girl beside him—Yana—moved like lightning. Her delicate foot brushed the ground, and in the blink of an eye, her slender body soared over the city wall, disappearing into the night sky like a dark petal carried by the wind.
The world outside was silent for a breath, then two, then ten.
Before the incense stick could even burn halfway, a blur streaked across the horizon. Yana landed lightly in front of Lucian, her long black hair trailing behind her, eyes bright with pride. In her hand dangled an unconscious middle-aged man, his clothes torn, his aura faint.
"Turns out he was an Origin Tier expert—extrely vigilant too," Yana said, puffing up her chest a little. "He attacked the mont he saw ! But..." she smirked, brushing an invisible speck of dust from her sleeve, "...he was no match for . Knocked him out in just a few moves, haha!"
Lucian’s lips curved into an approving smile. "You’ve worked hard," he said warmly.
He reached into his robe and pulled out a folded slip of paper, his purple eyes gleaming with quiet amusent. "This just ca in from one of my spies," he said, tapping the paper with his finger. "There’s another Origin Tier master at the Fire Temple. Strong, careful, and dangerous. Please go capture him—and bring him back alive."
"Sure!" Yana took the note, glanced at it, then—without even a pause—dropped the unconscious man onto the floor and vanished again into the night.
Monts later, barely the ti it takes to drink a cup of tea, she returned—dragging another limp figure behind her.
Lucian chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Efficient as always."
He handed her another note. "There’s one more. Hidden near the western market."
Without complaint, she took the paper and darted off again.
This rhythm continued—swift, seamless, almost chanical.
One note, one capture.
By the ti Yana returned from her seventh mission, her slender shoulders were glistening faintly with sweat, her breath just slightly uneven. At her feet lay a small pile of defeated masters—seven Origin Tier experts, each stripped of pride and consciousness.
Lucian smiled. "Yana," he said softly, pulling out another slip of paper.
"Let rest for a bit!" she blurted, throwing up a hand dramatically. Her black eyes glared playfully at him as she grabbed a nearby cup of iced tea, gulped half of it down, and sighed in satisfaction.
"Yana’s finally seen through you!" she huffed, her lips pouting in mock outrage. "You’ve been treating like a coolie all along! I’ve been running everywhere, catching people while you sit here, drinking tea, looking so comfortable—ugh, you villain!"
Lucian laughed, lifting his cup with unhurried grace. "That’s not fair, now, is it?" he countered smoothly. "If I had your skills, I’d have gone myself. But alas, I don’t. So naturally, I have to trouble you."
He leaned forward slightly, a playful gleam in his violet eyes. "Besides, I haven’t been idle either. Without the intelligence I provided, do you think you could have found them so easily?"
Yana squinted at him, suspicious but amused. "...That does make sense," she admitted reluctantly. Then her tone softened, slyly playful. "But still, I feel like I’m getting the short end of the deal."
She blinked at him, wide-eyed, her tone dripping with exaggerated innocence.
Lucian chuckled, recognizing the look imdiately. "Fine," he said with a sigh, pretending to give in. "When we divide the spoils later, I’ll give you a little extra. Satisfied?"
Her eyes lit up instantly. "It’s a deal!"
Downing the rest of her tea, Yana stretched her arms overhead, her fatigue forgotten. With renewed energy, she spun on her heel and flashed a grin. "Alright then! Let’s catch a few more!"
Lucian smiled faintly as she dashed off again, her laughter echoing down the corridor.
And so the night deepened, and their strange partnership continued.
Under the cover of moonlight, one after another, the Origin Tier assassins who had co for Lucian’s life were silently captured. So didn’t even understand how they were discovered. Others tried to flee—only to be caught within minutes by the black-haired huntress who moved faster than the wind itself.
Soon, the capital grew eerily quiet.
Those paying close attention began to notice the stillness. Rumors circulated through the shadows like ripples on still water.
"Didn’t they say dozens of top experts went to assassinate the Emperor?"
"Then why is the Drake Kingdom still so calm? Not a single rumor of chaos or bloodshed?"
"Could it be... they all failed?"
Those paying close attention began to notice the stillness. Rumors circulated through the shadows like ripples on still water.
"Didn’t they say dozens of top experts went to assassinate the Emperor?"
"Then why is the Drake Kingdom still so calm? Not a single rumor of chaos or bloodshed?"
"Could it be... they all failed?"
The whispers grew quieter over ti. Fear replaced greed.
Little did they know, the assassins hadn’t vanished into thin air. They had simply been caught.
Yana had dragged every one of them into the palace dungeons, where their martial abilities were stripped clean. The once-feared masters of the underground now sat powerless in the dark, their fates sealed.
The whispers grew quieter over ti. Fear replaced greed.
Little did they know, the assassins hadn’t vanished into thin air. They had simply been caught.
Yana had dragged every one of them into the palace dungeons, where their martial abilities were stripped clean. The once-feared masters of the underground now sat powerless in the dark, their fates sealed.
When the final count was made, the numbers stunned even Lucian.
Thirteen Origin Tier masters.
Forty-five Gold Level experts.
All of them captured. All of their wealth—rings, treasures, and coins—had been neatly confiscated.
Naturally, those spoils fell right into the hands of Lucian Drake and his ever-smiling huntress, Yana.
And as the capital slept peacefully under the silver glow of the moon, the young Emperor leaned back in his chair, eyes glittering with quiet amusent.
The fish had co to bite—and the fisherman had taken everything.
User Comments
0 comments from readers