Chapter 82

## Chapter 82. You Can Close Your Eyes

‘Poison!’

The moment Heiying noticed the poison spreading in the room, she held her breath.

But it was already too late; a trace of the poison had seeped into her body.

Sweat began to trickle down her forehead, despite her usual resistance to most poisons. Her fingertips trembled.

Wuying looked at her with a smile.

"Quite a potent poison, isn't it? Even you won't last long without the antidote."

"Why... why are you doing this?"

Wuying's smile deepened.

"Indeed, you've become dull. The old you would have taken action before the poison spread. Were you that glad to see me?"

"..."

Heiying glared at Wuying silently. Her face quickly turned expressionless.

An assassin must never be shaken, no matter the situation.

This was the first lesson the man before her had taught her.

"Is this... treason?"

He didn't kill her outright but subdued her with poison.

This meant he intended to have a conversation.

Heiying also needed time to understand the situation and expel the poison.

Of course, Wuying was well aware of her thoughts.

"Treason? How can you say such a disrespectful thing? How is killing the Chancellor treason?"

"The Chancellor is the Emperor's teacher. The Emperor has said that he regards him like a parent..."

"Exactly, that's the problem."

Wuying sipped his tea leisurely.

Though his movements seemed full of vulnerabilities, Heiying didn't take any rash actions.

"The Chancellor has been by the Emperor's side since he was young, acting as his eyes and ears. He enjoyed supreme power, and for his own interests, he killed many loyal officials."

"…Why are you saying such nonsense?"

Heiying dismissed Wuying's words as nonsense.

Gongsun Shou had dedicated his life to the state and the Emperor.

If he had truly been a power-hungry man, he wouldn't have retired to his hometown due to illness from years of service in the palace.

"Nonsense?"

"Of all people, you're the one saying this. Were any of the officials killed by the Chancellor loyal?"

The 'Tianying' intelligence agency of the Jinwei knew about all the dirty deeds in the palace.

The true nature of the powerful, their rivalries, and unspeakable scandals.

Heiying knew enough to feel nauseated, and Wuying, as the leader of the organization, must have known even more.

- The Chancellor is a fearsome power player. But he is also one of the few who deserves respect.

Wuying, who once said this, now called the Chancellor a sycophant.

Heiying still couldn't understand the situation.

"If he had just lived out his twilight years in peace and died quietly, none of this would have happened."

"What are you talking about...?"

Wuying laughed. This time, it was a genuine laugh.

A laugh that was even more chilling because it was genuine.

Putting down his teacup, he said with certainty.

"After the Chancellor's illness worsened and he retired, the Emperor regained his vigor. But when news came that the Chancellor's health had improved, the Emperor decided to bring him back. Many loyal officials were worried about the Chancellor's return."

"Surely... you can't mean..."

Heiying's eyes wavered as she looked at Wuying.

She felt a strong desire in his eyes.

A desire for power, which she had seen countless times while working in the shadows of the palace.

Wuying's eyes narrowed, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips.

"The loyal officials asked me to prevent the Emperor from becoming a puppet of the Chancellor again."

"…So the Emperor's shadow is colluding with sycophants to seek power. If this isn't treason, what is?"

Heiying asked, gathering the poison in her body to one place.

It was a temporary measure, but it made it easier for her to move. However, from the outside, she still appeared to be sweating and trembling.

Wuying laughed mockingly.

"You've lived your whole life as a puppet of power. Why shouldn't I enjoy power?"

The madness in his words made Heiying flinch.

She had always thought Wuying was emotionless, the perfect assassin.

Now she realized how wrong she had been.

'If the entire Jinwei is involved in this...'

Heiying felt a chill and looked at Wuying.

She carefully chose her words to extract the information she needed.

"Did Tian Sha (Heavenly Killer) approve of this?"

Wuying's expression hardened slightly.

"…Approval? Do you think Tian Sha is above me?"

A sharp killing intent swept over her neck, but Heiying felt relieved.

'Tian Sha doesn't know about this. That means the Jinwei hasn't fallen to them.'

Tian Sha was the leader and the strongest of the Jinwei.

Ten years ago, there were two notorious villains, Huanying Majun and Duanan Majun. They were sworn brothers who repeatedly attacked government offices, stole valuables, and left insulting messages about the Emperor.

High-ranking martial artists from the martial arts alliance tried to eliminate them but were massacred due to the villains' formidable martial arts.

Then, a man in official attire appeared before the two villains.

- By imperial decree, I will execute you here.

The man in official attire killed Huanying Majun and Duanan Majun within ten seconds, decapitated them, and displayed their heads for a month.

After that, he became known as Tian Sha and was considered one of the Ten Greats in the current martial arts world.

'I must inform Tian Sha about this. It will turn the tide.'

Heiying resolved this in her heart and secretly gathered her inner energy.

She was prepared to leave behind both her arms.

At the very least, she needed that much resolve to escape.

At that moment, Wuying took something out of his robe and extended it to her.

"Heiying, I'll give you a chance to live."

It was a small wooden box. When she opened the lid, a faintly fragrant medicinal herb was inside.

"I heard that you personally prepare the Chancellor's decoction every day. Boil this and give it to him."

Even a fool could tell that this herb was not a tonic.

Heiying spoke in a voice as cold as ice.

"Are you telling me to poison the Elder? To kill him with my own hands?"

"This is the cleanest way. He's an old man who was told he wouldn't live for a few more years anyway. It wouldn't be strange if his heart stopped tomorrow morning."

"..."

Heiying bowed her head and looked at the wooden box in silence.

Thinking she was in a dilemma, Wuying spoke in a gentler tone.

"The Emperor knows that the Chancellor values you. So you will be safe."

"..."

"After this is over, I promise you complete freedom. The Chancellor must have promised you wealth and honor. But I can make the same promise."

Wuying took out another wooden box and extended it to her. Inside was a black poison pill.

"Swallow this. Then go back, boil the decoction, and give it to the Chancellor tonight. I'll give you the antidote once I confirm his death."

"..."

Heiying knew Wuying wouldn't keep his promise.

The moment she swallowed the poison pill, she would become a dog on a leash again.

"Or will you choose death here?"

Since Heiying had no other options, Wuying's expression was relaxed.

Heiying was already poisoned and no longer the ruthless assassin he once knew.

'An assassin who feels emotions will value their own life. Heiying, you can't refuse my offer.'

But Wuying was wrong.

Heiying felt emotions because she had become complacent as Gongsun Shou's personal guard.

"I... I have no interest in wealth and honor."

She hadn't slacked off in her training for a single day in the past few years and had always given her best to her missions.

During that time, she had developed a deep affection for the old man, Gongsun Shou.

"I would rather die than betray the Elder."

Now, Gongsun Shou was not just a respected Chancellor to her but her only family.

A family worth risking her life to protect.

"Are you sure you won't regret it?"

"Of course."

At the same time, Heiying sprang up from her seat. Hidden weapons shot out from her sleeves.

Pew!

The weapons embedded in the table between them. Wuying blocked them with the table and stepped back.

Knowing the ambush wouldn't work, Heiying didn't panic and continued her attack.

Wuying clicked his tongue at Heiying's fierce momentum.

"This is your answer? I'm disappointed."

At that moment, four assassins dropped from the ceiling, and two more rose from the floor.

Surrounded by six assassins, Heiying drew two daggers and summoned the Tianying's secret martial art, Dark Shadow Flow.

Swoosh...

Her body seemed to dissolve into a mist.

But the other assassins were the same.

They all knew the same martial art and were familiar with each other.

'They've brought all the elite of Tianying.'

There was no time to be surprised. Heiying was busy dodging and deflecting the blades coming from all directions.

Clang!

Before becoming Gongsun Shou's personal guard, she was the strongest in Tianying, second only to Wuying. She was known as 'Yi Ying' (First Shadow) before becoming Heiying.

Despite her overwhelming skill, the assassins surrounding her were all formidable.

Moreover