Time seemed to freeze the instant the oilcloth hit the floor.
The drunkard's curses, the shattering of glasses, and those two pairs of eyes suddenly locked onto her, filled with murderous intent—all blended like ice water, freezing the air around Lin Xi. The shackles around her ankles felt unbearably heavy now, reminding her of her disadvantage in mobility.
[Eliminate all threats.]
The system's command was cold and direct.
The "mercenary" moved first! The feigned mediocrity on his face instantly gave way to savagery. His right hand darted like lightning toward the dagger at his waist, while his left lunged directly for the oilcloth bundle at Lin Xi's feet. His movements were swift and precise, clearly those of a highly trained professional—no ordinary mercenary.
Almost simultaneously, the blood clan scout moved! Instead of lunging at Lin Xi, he slid backward like a ghost, his cloak billowing as he sought to escape the chaos and minimize exposure.
One attacked, one fled—their coordination seamless.
Lin Xi's mind processed the situation in a fraction of a second. Priority target: intelligence! Then, the attacker before her!
She didn't attempt to bend down for the bundle—that would leave her fully exposed to the dagger. Instead, she made a move that surprised everyone.
She violently lifted her shackled feet—not backward, but forward! Wielding the heavy chains as a weapon, she swept them with a whistling motion toward the "mercenary's" wrist reaching for the bundle and the thrusting dagger!
Clang!
The chains collided with the dagger, producing a shrill metallic clang. The mercenary clearly hadn't anticipated this "sacrifice" daring to fight back in such a manner. His wrist went numb from the impact, nearly causing him to drop the dagger, and his forward momentum stalled.
It was this split-second hesitation!
Lin Xi harnessed the momentum from the chain's swing, spinning sideways as if weightless. His right hand—long concealed beneath the fur-lined robe—shot out. Not to grab the bundle, but with fingers curled like a hook, it struck precisely at the mercenary's throat, momentarily exposed in shock!
This sudden shift in tactics was both swift and devious, completely departing from the Wolf Clan's usual reliance on brute force in combat. It carried the ruthless precision of some otherworldly martial art.
The mercenary's pupils contracted sharply as he jerked his head back to dodge. His throat narrowly avoided the deadly grab, but several bloody scratches still marred the side of his neck from Lin Xi's fingertips.
But Lin Xi's true target had never been his throat.
The instant he leaned back, his attention completely drawn upward, her left foot—which had seemed to be supporting her weight, shackled as it was—swept upward like a scorpion's tail. Silent yet lightning-fast, her toe struck the fallen oilcloth bundle with pinpoint accuracy!
"Thud!"
The package flew through the air in an arc, landing in a shadowy corner piled high with empty barrels.
The entire sequence unfolded in the blink of an eye. Most patrons hadn't even registered what happened before they saw the shackled "useless" woman actually fighting a vicious "mercenary"—and seemingly... gaining the upper hand?
The mercenary, both shocked and enraged, growled low and lunged again, thrusting his dagger straight for Lin Xi's heart. This time, he held nothing back. His Alpha-level strength erupted, his speed and force far surpassing his previous attack.
Lin Xi's eyes narrowed sharply. The iron shackles on her feet severely limited her evasion range. Taking this blow head-on would be suicide.
At that critical moment—
Whoosh!
A faint whistling sound cut through the air.
The mercenary lunging at Lin Xi froze abruptly, his forward momentum halted mid-strike. He looked down in disbelief, seeing a slender, hair-thin needle—glowing with a faint blue light—piercing his chest, right over his heart.
He opened his mouth to speak, but only black blood gushed out. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
It was that Blood Clan scout! He had returned and struck down his own "comrade"!
Standing a few paces away, the hood of his cloak lifted slightly, revealing a pale, handsome face devoid of color and a pair of cold, ruby-like eyes. He glanced at the "mercenary" dying rapidly on the ground, his gaze showing no flicker of emotion. Then his eyes shifted to Lin Xi, briefly sweeping over the corner where the bundle had fallen.
"The item is yours," his voice carried the cold elegance unique to the Blood Clan. "Tell your master that 'Shadow' sends his regards."
With that, his form flickered like a bat merging into shadow, vanishing instantly into the tavern's chaotic crowd and dim light, leaving no trace.
Only then did true chaos erupt within the tavern. A death had occurred! Panicked patrons scrambled to their feet, jostling toward the exit.
Lin Xi remained rooted to the spot, her chest rising and falling slightly. The brief struggle had drained what little stamina she had left. She glanced at the rapidly cooling corpse on the floor, then toward the direction the vampire had vanished.
"Shadow"? Wasn't that the name of a unit under Lucifer's command? Was this an organization? Or the codename for some faction?
She had no time to ponder. The mission's deadline weighed on her like an invisible pressure. She strode toward the corner piled with barrels, bent down to pick up the oilcloth bundle, and swiftly tucked it into the lining of her velvet robe, nestling it close to the "Shadow Fang" insignia.
The badge's icy touch and the bundle's outline pressed against her skin.
Intelligence secured. One threat eliminated. Another threat... temporarily removed.
But the mission required "eliminating all threats." Did that vampire spy count? And... were there other eyes watching within this tavern?
She pulled the hood of her velvet cloak over her head, obscuring most of her face. Blending into the panicked crowd surging toward the exit, she lowered her gaze, dragging her shackles, step by step toward the tavern door.
The clang of the chains against the floor drowned in the surrounding chaos.
Behind her, the turmoil at the Shadow Tavern had only just begun. Ahead of her, the night over the royal city was as thick as ink.
She had taken the first step. But Lin Xi knew that delivering this intelligence back to Lucifer was where the real test began. Would he believe her story? About that mysterious blood clan? About the phrase "Shadow's Greetings"?
[Side Quest: Acquire intelligence items and eliminate all threats. (In Progress)]