Chapter 161 Li Mu's Revenge <TOC> Chapter 163 Demos
Translator: SumTLMan
The commotion within the district directly alarmed the ruler of Raginbeard, and the fully armed riot control forces with power armor appeared on the streets.
As soon as they saw any activity on the streets, they opened fire, killing on the spot.
Raginbeard had always maintained order in this manner; if you wanted to cause trouble, then you could die. Even the most insane looters would become quiet after their heads were blown apart.
Trucks hauled piles of corpses out of the city, and water trucks washed away the bloodstains, bringing the entire disturbance to an end.
Three days later, Raginbeard returned to peace and prosperity, and the riot caused by the potassium salt had become nothing more than a topic of conversation after a few drinks.
At the Tequila Bar at midnight, this was the favorite haunt of local assassins, with dazzling lights and music, and huge floor-to-ceiling windows allowing passersby to see the men and women dancing wildly inside.
The income of an assassin was much higher than that of a looter; with each completed assignment, they would receive a substantial commission. The only drawback was the extremely high mortality rate.
This meant that assassins were either on the road to killing or on the road to pleasure.
Viper, with a staggering gait, carried a bottle of sugarcane liquor as he left the bar. He was a somewhat well-known assassin in the nearby districts. If someone had an enemy, they could simply pay Silver Python, and Viper would take care of it for them.
He had killed over sixty targets, which made him a seasoned veteran in the assassin industry.
More than half of the assassins would be killed after completing their first assignment, as there were no unarmed individuals in Raginbeard.
Viper picked up the sugarcane liquor and poured a large gulp into his mouth; his residence was not far from the Tequila Bar.
Walking down a deserted alley, Viper’s hand holding the liquor bottle tightened; he felt something. As an exceptionally skilled assassin, he naturally had many enemies, but their attempts at revenge had never been successful.
His moon-level holy relic, Danger Intuition, allowed him to sense danger three seconds in advance. Though brief, it was enough for Viper to dodge attacks and counterattack his opponents.
However, this time, the enemy’s strength exceeded Viper’s expectations.
He had barely placed his hand on the handle of his pistol when a hand stealthily gripped the back of his neck, an irresistible force emanating.
“Crack.”
Viper’s neck was crushed, and his entire body went limp, like a boneless snake.
Li Mu emerged from the dark alley, his appearance already altered to resemble Viper’s through the use of a curio.
Li Mu had been observing Viper for two days. Since only those who completed three tasks could obtain the right to purchase energy cultivation techniques from Silver Python, all he needed to do was kill someone with purchasing rights and then take their place.
Viper was the lucky one he had set his sights on. Li Mu sat in the bar across from the Silver Python Exchange, and he was the third person to enter for trading.
For the following two days, Li Mu kept a watchful eye on him, ensuring that no flaws were detected during the trading process.
The next morning, Viper impersonated by Li Mu walked through the gates of the exchange.
The building was a robust structure, made of half-meter-thick reinforced concrete. Its primary business was that of assassin brokering. Countless people came here every day, dreaming of making a name for themselves as assassins.
In the hall, a dozen uniformed women were working, and the clattering of typewriters sounded like a symphony. The large blackboard was filled with bounties on prey. Names were constantly crossed off and replaced with new ones.
“Viper, you’re here!”
A slightly balding Ansei man stood up and warmly embraced Li Mu.
“Didn’t you just complete a deal two days ago? Are you short on cash again? I was actually looking for you, and here you are.”
His name was Simpson, the Silver Python’s assassin broker.
Li Mu sat in the booth, propping himself up with both arms.
“I’m not here to take jobs this time; I want to acquire a few energy cultivation techniques.”
“Energy cultivation techniques? Sure, I’ll take you to choose some in a moment. However, there’s a mission that requires a group of skilled hands, and the reward is quite high!”
Simpson sat across from him and poured him a cup of coffee. Although purchasing several energy cultivation techniques was a bit odd, assassin brokers never delved too deep into an assassin’s actions.
Because in this line of work, the key to lasting is to curb one’s curiosity.
Li Mu didn’t care. After all, this identity would be useless once the energy cultivation techniques were obtained. It didn’t matter what mission it was; he could simply bail on it.
The entire exchange had over ten underground floors, each serving a different purpose. The fifth floor housed all the Silver Python’s energy cultivation techniques, amounting to hundreds, accumulated since the organization’s inception.
Simpson took out a booklet that recorded all the energy cultivation techniques available for external trade.
Li Mu picked up the booklet and leafed through it, selecting ten energy cultivation techniques, each with a different focus than the ones he had previously acquired. Among them, the most outstanding was the White Rhino energy cultivation technique, specializing in enhancing the skin and significantly boosting defense. The master who created this technique likely sought to mimic the power of the Dragon Roar Golden Bell Shield, focusing entirely on increasing resistance to impact.
Although it was somewhat specialized, it was still an excellent energy cultivation technique. As for the other techniques, the less impressive ones were comparable to the White Steel Broken Flow, while the better ones were only equivalent to the Soul Cult’s Hidden Bone energy, nothing extraordinary.
Nevertheless, he was very satisfied, as these techniques were merely nourishment for Lia’s brain in the vat to create even better energy cultivation techniques.
“Alright, the bill will be deducted from your account. However, with the purchase of so many energy cultivation techniques, there won’t be much money left in your account.”
Simpson pulled out an exchange voucher and inscribed the chosen techniques by Li Mu, then imprinted it with his unique psychic energy mark. The voucher was made from a tanned leaf of a psychic plant, which possessed a high affinity for psychic energy. Like a magnetic disk, it could record a substantial amount of information through psychic energy.
Even if someone else stole the voucher, they could not complete the transaction at the exchange. They would only expose their criminal act. Psychic energy was as unique as fingerprints; every individual’s psychic energy was one-of-a-kind. While physical appearances could be disguised, psychic energy could not.
As one of the twelve major predator gangs, the Silver Serpents were more adept at business operations than the Black Dragon Breath.
“Press your psychic energy mark.”
For an assassin’s voucher to be valid, both the broker and the assassin’s psychic energy marks had to be imprinted.
Li Mu placed his thumb on the voucher, hesitated for a moment, then lifted his hand.
Simpson was momentarily bewildered, as if he had just seen the voucher disappear for an instant. Shaking his head, he resolved not to visit the bars to look for Luying this week. He then picked up the voucher and examined it carefully, confirming that it indeed bore the mark of Viper’s psychic energy without any issues.
“From now on, you’ll have to work harder on taking up missions; otherwise, you won’t have a chance to advance to the third level.”
A woman walked over, took the voucher from Simpson, and returned to her workstation. She typed up a copy for archiving, then sent the voucher through a copper pipe on the side of her desk into the basement.
Moments later, a man dressed in a suit appeared, holding a silver tray with ten technique manuals in front of Li Mu, before respectfully retreating.
“Now let’s talk about your new mission. This is a big deal, and the client is someone high up!” Simpson pointed at the ceiling with his finger and spoke in a mysterious tone, “If you catch the eye of those influential figures, you’ll truly make a fortune.”