章 106: Decision

This overwhelming feeling caused Chen's usually calm heart, as serene as still water, to tremble involuntarily for a moment.

"Since we've decided to end the fight, I want to ask you something!" Jun lowered his treasured sword and held it in his hand.

"What is it?" Chen raised his head and looked at him softly. After the sword appreciation event, the king of assassins, Chen, instantly regained his cold composure.

"Since you're called the king of assassins, then your profession must be that of a hired killer. I assume the number one assassin organization you once belonged to is your people, correct?" Jun asked solemnly, his eyes turning slightly red, like blood.

"Are you looking down on me, or are you holding that bunch of thugs in too high regard? Could it be that you think I, Chen, would have any connection with that group of assassins who have been troubling the people of Zhao lately? Those people aren't even qualified to carry this papa's shoes!" Chen looked at him with a hint of sadness, seeing that Jun had directly associated him with those assassins.

"Then, that's a shame. I was planning on taking all those tribes under my command to invade Zhao, kill those who deserve to be killed, and stop causing so much suffering to the people who have endured enough. Perhaps you don't know, but all the state armies have joined forces to invade Qin. Now, amidst all this chaos, I might be able to seize the good from it and strengthen my personal army," Jun said with such calmness, as if the situation and its consequences were already fully envisioned in his mind.

"It all sounds good, with a reasonable moral code, but I doubt you have the strength to take Zhao with its massive army backing it." Chen couldn't imagine Jun's strength being so great, considering his age.

Jun simply smiled and said, "I'm from the Haiyue assassin clan. I have an army of over one hundred thousand soldiers, given the current events, and I know that by killing those who need to be killed, I can take a nation with ease."

He had a good number of assassins under his command and an intelligence network that, although it had its unexpected leaks, was strong enough to keep him informed about everything happening in the world.

As the only one who truly cared for the people, Jun believed he was destined to unify China, possessing power beyond any king or general.

His power was so immense that it could haunt anyone's mind, leaving them sleepless at night, thinking that his assassins might kill them in their sleep.

Chen laughed heartily, his expression bitter yet without restraint. "It's really not easy being associated with someone with your ambitions. Either way, I despise monarchs. Those spineless dogs shouldn't be ruling a state. Look at us—we know what the world needs, and we know the best way to solve the problems that surround it. But the kings? They just give orders and sit, waiting for others to succeed or fail on their behalf."

"So, can we use your reputation to gain an advantage in negotiations?" Jun asked, hoping to avoid unnecessary drama in taking control of the other tribes or non-hidden assassin clans.

While Chen spoke of his personal opinions, his face remained still and calm. It was as if the matter didn't concern him at all. As the king of assassins of his generation, he had long accepted the possibility of death.

Whether it was the death of others or his own, for him, it was all the same!

"Why don't you hide in the occupied cities, then? It might be difficult to completely conceal yourself in a well-structured city, but a normal one wouldn't be a bad place to hide," Jun asked, somewhat confused, still not understanding Chen's purpose in revealing himself.

"I am Chen, a lowly scoundrel among dog thieves and chicken robbers. No one would follow me to take a kingdom. I am an assassin! I have killed both good and bad people indiscriminately, but I have never let an innocent person die because of me! Even though I've cut people down like wheat, those who died by my hand perished by my sword or my own hands!" Chen's expression remained cold and calm, and his eyes gleamed with a unique pride. "That is an assassin! But I won't seek a foolish death like your ambitions."

"If one day I were to die at the hands of someone else, I wouldn't feel wronged!" Chen smiled coldly, turning his face toward the sky. "Since the moment I set out to kill others, I've been prepared for others to claim my life! There's not much more to say about these things; you're also an assassin. Could it be that you don't understand this logic?"

Jun's eyes lit up. How could he not understand? Just as Jun had his own principles that he would never bend, Chen also had an arrogance that was uniquely his!

Just as Chen had said, Zhao's strength and their alignment had always been incredibly strong. Even with his army, he had no confidence in facing them directly and could only hide and rely on strategies, with no chance of retaliation! What could Chen do?

If they stirred the hornet's nest, they would be hunted down with no chance to hide in Zhao. But Jun's actions changed things.

Simply relying on assassination techniques, it might be possible to deal with one or two of their strong pursuers at a general level.

But if they were tied to a war, thousands of soldiers would immediately rush to their location! Even if Chen's movement technique was incredible, what good would it be? After all, he couldn't make an entire army disappear by himself.

Take the recent assassination mission, for example; if it hadn't been for Jun lending a hand and creating the perfect opportunity for Chen to act, there was no way he could have killed two powerful warriors and paralyzed another in one move. If Chen had followed his original plan for a surprise attack, he might have been able to kill one great general at most. He would've needed extraordinary luck to escape safely after revealing himself in the attack. How could he possibly eliminate three powerful pursuers in one blow?

"Before this, I wasn't willing to just die! Because I didn't even know what Zhao was discussing behind closed doors, I always tried to protect the secrets of these mountains. But now that we're in a desperate situation, I'm seriously thinking of supporting your campaign."

"Then take the power of the assassin villages, and let's change the world. You may be old, but you still have that desire to make a difference."

Chen looked solemnly at Jun and said, "I can die; the king of assassins can die! But if I help you, you must promise that after all this, you'll find a place where we can live in peace!"

"I promise, I will help everyone like us."

Chen chuckled carefully, completely shedding all the chains of his mind.

"Maybe it's like you said: We didn't know each other before this. No matter what others say or if I prepared you or not, there will not be a shred of guilt in my heart after killing those noble bastards. In critical moments, for the sake of one's life, there's nothing a man can't do! There's no reason to blame actions taken under such circumstances by assassins who only want to defend themselves. I've also never felt there was anything wrong with diverting attention from our actions to a much better cause."

Jun's eyes sharpened as he continued, "But don't forget, our purpose is to make a better place than what those foolish kings have achieved after five hundred years of war."

Chen stared at Jun and snorted, "I've already lost to you in close combat! Go ahead and claim the assassin villages without me.

"But are you really willing? To give up the title in this way? Though others may not know the circumstances, are you really reconciled with this?" Jun stepped forward and demanded.

"Then…" Chen murmured sadly.

At that moment, Trevor suddenly shouted, "Jun, there are many experts rushing here, not far away. It seems your previous battle attracted someone's attention. Let's move to another place to talk."

Chen's face turned frigid as his hands tightened around the hilt of his sword.

"Since you aren't fully reconciled with the loss, why don't we change the method to determine the winner?" Jun continued lightly, seemingly unaffected by the news. "You heard it too; the people coming here are all soldiers or assassins. Why don't we use them as targets for our competition? We'll use our strongest assassination techniques as the wager! And we'll see to whom the honor belongs!"

"See who kills more?" Chen's eyes lit up.

"Just numbers aren't enough; we'll also compete in the speed of killing!" Jun's eyes shone with a fighting spirit. "These people aren't just your enemies; they're the enemies hunting you down to take your life! You want them to kill you, and I don't want them to live!"

…

Sou, sou, sou...

In a brief moment, several figures shot down and landed on the snowy ground. With a few quick steps, they swiftly moved across the area, carefully examining it with complete vigilance. Every corner of the area was thoroughly combed until they finally stopped at the place where Chen and Jun had previously exchanged blows.

A man with a face full of the hardships of life stood silently as a strange light flickered in his eyes. His limbs were thin and fragile, and he wore hemp garments with a tall hat on his head. This was Ba Tei, a general of Zhao. Beside him were two other men in similar clothing.

Two men in black robes with long beards approached, lightly stepping on the snowy ground. Their movements were elegant and unrestrained, and their demeanor was calm. Long swords hung from their waists like simple decorations. Behind them, hundreds of soldiers in cold-weather armor followed.

"A battle took place here recently; I can smell it." Ba Tei said slowly as a ghostly fire flickered in his eyes. He carefully observed the disturbed terrain and occasionally looked around doubtfully. His nose sniffed wildly at the air, and after a moment, his face suddenly twisted with hatred. "Many men… I believe the assassin villages are moving beyond the mountains. If this continues, we'll have to burn those villages down to ashes before the war."