The underground chamber trembled with fear. The two assassins crouched behind an altar, soaked in sweat and barely able to speak.
First Assassin (sobbing):
"H-Help us! Please!!"
Their voices cracked from trauma, eyes darting like hunted animals.
The Night Manager stepped forward, his shadow stretching toward Qing Yan.
Night Manager (furious):
"You—!! What did you do to them?!"
Qing Yan (shrugging):
"Nothing much. We were just playing a little game."
Night Manager:
"You call this a game?!"
Second Assassin (desperate):
"M-M-Manager, please! K-Kill that monster!"
The manager's eyes sharpened, and his Qi flared menacingly.
Night Manager (coldly):
"Looks like I'll have to rip you apart to snap them out of this. I don't know what kind of trick you're using to hide your cultivation… but this is where you die."
Qing Yan (tilting his head):
"Hiding? Me? Nah… you're just not worthy enough to see it."
The manager smirked—then disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only laughter that echoed through the chamber.
Night Manager (mocking from the shadows):
"HAHAHA! Try finding me now, big mouth. Where'd all that confidence go?"
Qing Yan didn't flinch. Instead, he looked casually to his upper right — directly at the empty space where the manager was hiding.
Qing Yan (smiling):
"Huh… got some tricks after all."
Night Manager (thinking, panicked):
"D-Did he just look right at me?! That's impossible! Even a peak Heaven-Breaking Realm couldn't sense me!"
Qing Yan (chuckling):
"Hey. Assassins aren't supposed to panic. That's rule one."
He vanished—and reappeared right behind the manager.
Qing Yan (low, threatening):
"Don't be surprised… this is just the beginning."
The manager spun around in shock—only to see nothing.
Frantically, he turned back toward the altar.
Qing Yan now floated calmly in front of him, arms crossed, gaze like a blade.
Qing Yan:
"Looking for someone?"
Snarling, the manager lunged forward and plunged a dagger straight into Qing Yan's chest.
Night Manager (laughing hysterically):
"Hahaha! GOT YOU!!"
Another knife. Then another.
Stab. Stab. Stab.
Six blades buried deep in Qing Yan's chest.
Night Manager (panting, wild):
"HAHAHA! That's the price for messing with me!"
He turned to the assassins behind him, grinning.
Night Manager:
"Look, you cowards! Your Demon King is DEAD!"
But the assassins weren't moving.
They were pale. Still. Eyes locked behind the manager.
He turned again—and froze.
Qing Yan was still standing. Still smiling.
Not a drop of blood leaked. Not a single step back taken.
Qing Yan (softly):
"You done?"
A spike of terror shot through the manager's body.
Without thinking, he shoved Qing Yan away with both hands and stumbled back—feet skidding on blood.
He turned to flee, panic overtaking him.
Night Manager (thinking, frantic):
"Run… run! He should be dead! That wasn't an illusion—was it?!"
He ran toward the far side of the chamber, breathing raggedly.
Then, he dared a glance back.
Qing Yan hadn't moved.
Still there. Still smiling.
Night Manager (whispering):
"H-How can a dead man smile…?"
And then—
Qing Yan appeared in front of him.
No sound. No blur. Just—there.
Holding all six knives.
Qing Yan (grinning):
"Hey, buddy."
Night Manager (stumbling backward):
"H-HOW?! M-M-MONSTER!!!"
Qing Yan (mocking):
"Now, now. Would you like to cancel your technique and surrender? Or should I break it for you?"
The manager couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. His mouth trembled without sound.
Qing Yan (coldly):
"Ah… silence, then."
He raised a single hand — and released a massive wave of Qi.
BOOM.
The shockwave flattened the chamber.
The two assassins fainted instantly, their minds overwhelmed.
The manager vomited blood, his concealment technique collapsing. His Qi barrier shattered like glass as he dropped to his knees.
Qing Yan (stepping forward):
"Now. Who are you? And what do you want?"
The manager looked up, blood smeared across his chin, yet smiling faintly.
Night Manager (breathing ragged):
"Heh… I won't tell you anything. Or should I say… I can't. If any of us three speaks about our identities, we explode. So go ahead—ask away. Your efforts are meaningless."
Qing Yan (dark smile):
"Oh? You think I didn't know that?"
The manager's smirk faded into confusion.
Qing Yan (whispering):
"Why do you think I kept all three of you alive?"
The color drained from the manager's face.
Qing Yan (grinning wider):
"Yeah… for the experiment."
[TO BE CONTINUED]