Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Mysterious Assassin (Part I)

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Gao Lan’s heart gave an inexplicable jolt. She stared at Yan Tian in disbelief and said in a trembling voice, “You... you’re not thinking of killing me to silence me, are you?”

Yan Tian chuckled. “What do you think? If I wanted to kill you to silence you, would I have gone to the trouble of saving you?”

“Then what exactly do you mean?”

“I merely hope you’ll keep my secret for me.”

“Impossible!” Gao Lan replied with absolute firmness. “Although I hate my brother too, the old master once showed me great kindness. He had me live with my brother because he hoped I would protect him. Now that my brother is dead, if the old master asks me about it, can I really say I know nothing of the truth? Absolutely not!”

Yan Tian shrugged. “Then I have no choice but to...” As he spoke, he slowly reached one hand toward her shoulder.

A trace of resentment and despair flashed through Gao Lan’s eyes. Her hand even trembled, as though she wanted to block his palm. In the end, however, she remained still. She closed her eyes and allowed Yan Tian’s hand, which seemed heavy enough to crush a thousand pounds, to settle upon her shoulder.

Nothing like the violent surge of inner energy she had imagined occurred. Her internal organs were not torn apart. When she opened her eyes, she found Yan Tian merely stroking her shoulder with gentle, casual ease, a hint of admiration in his gaze.

“You know how to repay kindness, and you draw a clear line between gratitude and grievance. I like that.” Yan Tian smiled. “I hear you’re a core member of the Fate Killers, the fastest hand in Asia—the Elf. They say your success rate on missions is one hundred percent, that no matter how difficult the target, none has ever escaped your assassination. A police officer I know also told me that your underworld nickname is the Witch of the Hundred Killings, because you’ve killed more than a hundred people. A super-assassin and an underworld queenpin—your reputations may not be pleasant, and your temper is certainly vicious enough, but I can’t help admiring your persistence.”

The more Gao Lan listened, the more terrified she became. She blurted out, “How—how did you know that I’m... that I’m the Elf?”

She was already completely flustered. Under different circumstances, even if Yan Tian had presented irrefutable proof that she was the Elf, she would never have admitted it.

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“How I know is none of your concern.” With a teasing smile, Yan Tian lifted her chin. “I know that people who work as assassins must have plenty of enemies. Tell me—if I exposed your identity and drew the attention of your enemies, or even the government, would your organization protect you?”

Gao Lan sighed. “Go ahead and tell them. At worst, I’ll die. But if you’re planning to use my life to force me to conceal what happened tonight, you may as well kill me now.”

“I told you, I like you.” Yan Tian smiled. “Since I like you, why would I kill you? I came here tonight to kill someone. There were no witnesses, and I left no clues. You are the only threat to me. If you reveal the truth, the Gao family will surely mobilize all its strength to hunt me down.”

“Then—then run!” Gao Lan’s voice had taken on a pleading note. “Please, take your girlfriends and flee. Leave Crane City. Go as far away as you can, somewhere beyond the old master’s reach. Then you’ll be safe.”

“Why should I run?” Yan Tian raised one finger and wagged it. “There’s an old saying I like very much: nip trouble in the bud. You see, you may reveal the truth about tonight, and the Gao family will come after me. But I don’t want to run, and I don’t want myself or the people around me to be harmed. What can I do? There is still a way.”

“You...” Gao Lan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You mean to...”

“Heh, heh.” Yan Tian smiled harmlessly, almost foolishly. “I can’t think of any other way. In fact, everything depends on you! The lives of all those old masters and gentlemen of the Gao family are in your hands. Look, it’s still early—there are several hours until dawn. You’ve seen what I can do. Killing a few people... wouldn’t take very long, would it?”

Gao Lan remained silent for a long while before finally letting out a deep sigh. “You’re ruthless. I never imagined that someone as vicious as you would be an obscure high school student.”

“How many people know your true face?” Yan Tian smiled. “If I remember correctly, you’re my junior schoolmate as well. You’re in your second year of high school this year.”

Gao Lan shook her head. “My brother truly had it coming. How could he have provoked someone like you?”

“Everyone has their own happiness, and everyone has their own misfortune.” Yan Tian patted her shoulder with a smile. “The enjoyment your brother had over the past decade or so already exceeded what many ordinary people experience in several lifetimes. He should die without regret.”

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Gao Lan said quietly, “Go. I’ll conceal the truth about tonight. From now on... the Gao family won’t trouble you.”

Yan Tian nodded. “That would be best. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind becoming a cold-blooded butcher for once.”

As he spoke, he lightly stroked her bottom, then jumped down from the bed and said, “Before I leave, may I ask you one question?”

Gao Lan gave a bitter smile. “You seem to have already found my weak point. What do you want to ask? Do I even have the choice not to answer?”

“Very well. Can you tell me what martial art you practice and which school you belong to? How many martial arts experts like you are there in this world? You know, I’m not trying to pry into the affairs of your sect. The rules of the martial world are explained quite clearly in martial-arts novels. I merely... merely want to know whether there are many others like me. Otherwise, it’s simply too lonely.”

Gao Lan fell silent again for a while before replying, “My sect is called the Illusory Sound House. Apart from my master, I’ve never met another martial arts expert. I don’t know whether my master has any fellow disciples, nor whether I have any senior or junior brothers and sisters.”

“The Illusory Sound House... the Illusory Sound House...” Yan Tian murmured the name several times, then nodded. “Thank you.”

With that, he walked to the window, pushed it open, and leaped out. In an instant, he vanished into the night.

Gao Lan stood by the window, watching the silhouette gradually merge with the darkness. She remained there for a long while. Only after the figure had disappeared completely did she pick up her phone and dial a number.

After a long wait, the call was answered. Without expression, she said, “Dad, my brother is dead... He was killed. The killer... I didn’t see him...”

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