126 A Casual Killing

Over the next few days, Xiunan clearly sensed that the Golden Spiral organization was placing greater importance and attention on him. This was evident at the villa adjacent to the Pale Laboratory.

Batch after batch of personnel were being delivered, not only consisting of young and beautiful maidens but also several highly professional combat squads.

This served two purposes: first, to win his favor, and second, to bolster his protection. If Xiunan were to be assassinated, the Golden Spiral would lose a major asset. Their faction, which was on the verge of taking flight, could face a premature interruption—a scenario they would never permit.

Consequently, the leader of the Golden Spiral, White Smoke, directly mobilized two elite squads from the combat department to station themselves within Xiunan’s villa laboratory to ensure his safety.

One morning, the leaves rustled in the breeze.

Xiunan stirred from his room, golden sunlight streaming through the gaps in the curtains to form a patch of light on the floor. He squinted to adjust before rising.

After washing and dressing, he walked to the window and threw it open.

A crisp morning breeze washed over him, carrying the faint fragrance of trees and moist vapor. Listening quietly, he could hear the distant, clear chirping of birds in the forest and the rushing sound of a waterfall.

The location of this mountain villa was truly excellent; Xiunan had grown quite fond of it over the past few days.

He took a few deep breaths and closed the window. He opened his door and descended the stairs.

In the spacious living room on the first floor, a rich breakfast was already set out on the table, with several beautiful maids waiting nearby. The warm sunlight bathed them, making their fair skin appear as white as milk.

Xiunan’s mind remained undisturbed as he sat down to enjoy his breakfast. To him, a fried egg, a piece of buttered toast, and a cup of hot milk were far more delicious than any woman.

If one could not control one’s own desires, the pursuit of greater power was nothing but a delusion.

*With no room for women in his heart, the blade becomes divine!*

He did not need anyone to teach him such a principle. However, having pleasing servants was acceptable, so he did not refuse.

He finished the warm, milky-white drink in his cup, wiped his mouth with a damp cloth, and stood up.

Two maids quickly approached; one held a soft black coat, while the other offered him a pair of brown gloves.

After getting dressed, Xiunan pondered for a moment. "Do not bother preparing lunch for me. I will return for dinner." He patted the creases on his clothing.

"Yes," they replied in unison, exchanging a glance before nodding.

Ten minutes later, in a secret chamber within the Pale Laboratory.

The soundproofing in this room was excellent; the walls were lined with acoustic materials, and the outermost layer was made of hard alloy. When the Pale Laboratory was being renovated, Xiunan had specifically requested these unique features from the Golden Bull Chamber of Commerce.

In the center of the room, Xiunan stood barefoot, wearing only black athletic shorts. A black Mask of Wrath rested on his face.

The iron-like muscles on his body rippled, rolling up and down like waves. Gradually, an intense, searing body heat radiated from his skin. The area beneath his skin rapidly turned crimson, as if he were made of molten, glowing iron.

He suddenly pressed his palms together: "Pale Knight!"

*Whoosh!* A powerful gust of air swept toward the walls, striking them like surging tides.

A figure over three meters tall stood silently, blocking the light and casting a vast shadow across the floor.

The Pale Knight had become taller and stronger than when it first appeared, its presence many times more imposing. Its armor was incredibly thick, like plates of iron fused together. Just looking at it gave one a sense of immovable, mountain-like solidity.

This was the result of the重铠 (Heavy Armor) ability, now evolved five times over.

It was only because of this "turtle shell" that Xiunan was qualified to skirmish with the Black Smoke Giant, who had one foot in the realm of an Ascendant.

On the armor, the originally pure black surface now featured tiny red patches, shimmering like stardust in the night sky. This change came from the Blood-Red Knight ability.

By acquiring various antiques from the Bycalen era, Xiunan had obtained one hundred evolution points, which, combined with his original three, gave him a total of one hundred and three.

Undoubtedly, the Blood-Red Knight was the most powerful trump card among all his abilities. Xiunan prioritized it, spending seventy points on it. The previous evolution had cost only forty; this was nearly double.

However, it was worth the price. After its second evolution, the Blood-Red Knight gained significant substantive improvements.

First, the Blood-Red Knight state was gradually becoming solidified, allowing the Pale Knight to gain a portion of the strength increase even in its normal form—roughly thirty percent of the boost provided by the Blood-Red Knight state.

This effectively raised the floor of the Pale Knight’s combat power, ensuring he possessed formidable strength even in his ordinary state.

Second, the Blood-Red Knight state had developed a strange resonance with the Mask of Wrath, amplifying both rage and bloodthirst.

If Xiunan wore the Mask of Wrath while in the Blood-Red Knight state, the mask’s frenzy effect would increase dramatically, forming something akin to a "Domain of Fury." Within this range, all enemies would be scorched by his wrath, involuntarily succumbing to timidity, fear, and the urge to retreat.

Effectively, this inflicted a negative status on others, which, in turn, was equivalent to a relative increase in Xiunan’s combat power.

These two effects were his greatest gains.

Beyond that, Xiunan did not waste the remaining thirty-three points. He spent eleven to strengthen his speed attribute and sixteen to strengthen his defense for the second time. The remaining six points were saved for the future.

Only a few days had passed since the clash with the Ancient Society, yet Xiunan’s strength had already made significant strides. If he were to encounter the Black Smoke Giant now, he would certainly not be as battered as he had been previously, relying solely on his "turtle shell" to endure the beating.

Now, with his strength improved, Xiunan felt a restless urge. He slowly opened his right hand.

A crystal-clear coin lay there, with a mist-like red dot shifting shapes in its center.

A Tracking Crystal—a semi-standard transcendent item.

Anything produced by the Milodalen School was bound to be high quality.

During that battle, Xiunan had long since planted a tracking mark on the Black Smoke Giant. Such a mark would persist for at least half a month without fading.

Although the tracking radius of the crystal was only two kilometers, Xiunan still had ways to quickly locate the target.

There were only so many crowded areas around Nilodo: the city center, industrial zones, and a few satellite cities. A quick sweep would take less than a day.

If the Black Smoke Giant was hiding nearby, waiting for an opportunity, he would never escape Xiunan’s pursuit.

If the opponent had withdrawn, Xiunan would not be at a loss either. Removing a hidden threat that had been lurking like a thorn in his side was excellent news.

*Perhaps, it is worth a try.*

Xiunan did not consider this reckless; rather, he wanted to force the opponent out of the shadows. Ideally, he wanted to make the Black Smoke Giant realize the futility of the situation and leave Nilodo for the time being.

The primary task he had to complete was the final objective of this chapter: to crush the entire Nilodo branch of the Holy Flame Society. This requirement was arduous, and it was best to eliminate all unexpected variables.

Xiunan did not want a nemesis popping up while he was locked in a bloody struggle with the enemies of the Holy Flame Society.

His plan was to dog the Black Smoke Giant, making it known that he possessed tracking capabilities. Faced with repeated confrontations, the Black Smoke Giant and the Ancient Society behind him would likely have to reconsider and temporarily halt their assassination plans.

With a slight movement of his body, Xiunan’s thoughts became clear and focused. He pushed other ideas aside and began to move within the specially constructed secret chamber, continuously adapting to his increased power.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!* The sounds of his punches echoed repeatedly.

The chamber was filled with churning, searing currents of air.

***

Three hours later, it was noon.

Brilliant sunlight beat down on the rooftops, bleaching the walls and ground a pale white. A few white pigeons fluttered out from the ornamental trees beside the building, swaying as they landed on a power line.

"Not here."

On the rooftop, Xiunan stood at the edge, gazing quietly at the black asphalt road below. He glanced at his watch.

"Almost twelve o'clock."

A gentle breeze blew, causing the hem of his black trench coat to flutter. His medium-length hair parted down the center.

*Hum...*

A black car drove in from the distance.

With a screech of tires, three people stepped out.

Each was dressed in black, carrying dark briefcases. They scanned their surroundings with guarded expressions.

Before long, five people emerged from a nearby building. They looked fierce and burly. However, they acted with great deference toward the three men, the leaders of the two groups exchanging words.

A moment later, one of the five returned to the building and brought out two more briefcases.

When opened, they were filled with paper star-coins. The other three opened their own briefcases, which contained bags of white, powdery substances.

"Drug trafficking? Interesting, the Holy Flame Society is involved in this trade as well. Of course, the Holy Flame Society already occupies a large portion of Nilodo’s underground black market. If the upper echelons don't need it, how could the low-level members resist such a lucrative industry?"

Xiunan muttered to himself. Even from a hundred meters away, he could see the patterns on the sleeves of the three men.

They were members of the Holy Flame Society, likely low-level ones.

The leader seemed to be a young man who had only recently stepped into the path of a Secret Ring Master, wearing an arrogant, condescending expression. He kept a cold face even while conducting the transaction.

"Even a mosquito is meat, no matter how small. It’s just your bad luck to run into me..." Xiunan suddenly vanished from his spot.

In a secluded alley a hundred meters away.

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Xiunan spread his hands, his iron-like grip locking onto a head and slamming it into the concrete wall beside him.

Eight times in succession, eight large holes appeared in the wall.

Their mangled, bloody heads had pierced through the wall into the courtyard on the other side. One could only imagine the screams of whoever happened to be in that courtyard...

However, that was none of Xiunan’s concern.

He had long since transformed into a blurred shadow and left the street, ignoring the frantic cries rising behind him.

He had passed by, and since he didn’t like what he saw, he killed them. The perpetrators of this "case" would likely never find the culprit, for the killer’s motive was simply that it was "on his way."

Nilodo, North District, Kofolan University.

Kofolan University was one of the five most famous schools on the East Coast of the Agali Republic and a crucial cradle for technical talent. To be admitted to Kofolan, one needed not only excellent grades but ideally, a background of status.

Of course, the majority of students were commoners with good grades; young nobles were in the minority everywhere.

Because of Kofolan University’s presence, the surrounding streets were bustling. It wasn't just basic amenities like food streets; there were also office buildings, cafes, and luxury shops for various companies.

Naturally, such bustle existed only outside the university.

Inside, Kofolan University remained a picture of quiet leisure, seemingly untouched by external disturbances.

A place for academic research required at least a stable environment. A good campus atmosphere was essential.

To the south of the school lay an artificial lake. A massive white statue of the first president stood by the lake, surrounded by a large expanse of green lawn. Students could be seen frolicking or enjoying their lunch hour.

To the left of the lawn was a camphor tree-lined avenue, the neatly arranged trees emitting a faint, pleasant scent. The lush canopies blocked the sun, leaving the path cool and shaded.

On either side of the road, brass trash cans stood at regular intervals, accompanied by black benches.

On one of these benches, a man in a trench coat leaned back, his eyes slightly narrowed, letting the golden spots of light filter through the leaves and fall upon him.

The man’s right hand rhythmically tossed and caught a crystal-clear coin, which spun rapidly in the air.

In the distance, a few figures walked slowly toward him.

"Stanya, I had nightmares again yesterday. I don't think I can pay attention in class today. Help me keep an eye on the teacher later. I might need to catch a quick nap..." said a cute girl with severe dark circles under her eyes. She hugged a stack of textbooks to her chest.

"Mhm, Lily, just sit next to me then," a beautiful girl replied softly. She wore a black and white school uniform with her hair tied in a black ponytail.

Her long, fair legs looked as if they had been brushed with milk.

On the lawn nearby, several boys playing games stole glances in their direction, their eyes filled with admiration.

The two talked as they passed the bench.

The man remained in the same posture, eyes closed in rest.

Several yellow-green leaves fell onto his head.

Stanya glanced at him with her beautiful eyes. She kept walking, but her gaze lingered on him.

After walking several dozen meters.

"What’s wrong?" Lily asked, glancing back at the man on the bench.

"Nothing. That man is an outsider..."

Stanya paused for a moment before adding, "We’d better stay away from him."

On the other side, Xiunan slowly opened his eyes. He unfolded his right hand, the crystal coin resting on his palm.

"The final destination is here. So, have you chosen to disguise yourself as a teacher or a student?"