(The Lost Midnight)
1. The tavern has always been the jewel of the town.
That was the inextinguishable light, which, along with the noise, permeated the interior and exterior of the hall;
Sometimes it swirled in the glass, mingling with the glistening red wine. Shane Minette downed his full glass, drawing cheers from the crowd.
As the leader of the "Midnight Slayers," a well-known mercenary group in the Star Continent, he frequently visits the tavern and is already a regular customer.
Every night, he would use the cocktail parties to make acquaintances with heroes and spies, and to gather clues in order to track down his prey.
“Some people used to call us ‘the king’s lackeys,’ but of course, they’re all buried in the ground now…”
Shane gestured with his thumb toward the crimson greatsword slung behind his back.
No one dared to touch it; they could only keep their distance and look at it with adoration.
At this moment, he is chatting with those around him, using his past experiences as a topic of conversation.
"Midnight Slayers" are mercenary groups, and the only bounty hunter organization on the mainland with several members working together.
But no one knows its exact origins. Outsiders have only heard of its name;
Even experts well-versed in the affairs of the continent only vaguely know that this mercenary group has a connection with the supreme ruler of the Star Dawn Continent—
The Sun King Augustus had close ties with the Sun King and often cooperated secretly. The "Midnight Slayer" was feared by all, and his appearance was sure to unleash a bloody massacre.
Nevertheless, they made no move tonight—or rather, they were waiting for the right moment to close the net. The net was cast, a trap that stretched to the heavens and the earth;
The arrow is already drawn, its sights set on the target.
In short, the night is calm, but it foreshadows a storm.
The noise of the party drowned out everything, including the footsteps of guests who arrived at the tavern late at night.
Shane glanced toward the door. The guest had taken off his coat to keep out the night chill as soon as he entered, and casually hung it on the wall, wearing only a black vest.
His exposed, muscular arms, covered in old sword and knife wounds, were utterly terrifying. His eyes were sharp as venomous snakes, as if they could kill anyone they looked at.
However, at this moment his attention was only focused on hanging clothes, ignoring the strange looks that had been drawn to him.
He then coldly picked up where Shane left off: "The king's lackey... Hmph, how many people aren't even qualified to be the king's lackey, yet they still fawn over the throne in order to receive the sun's rays."
The noise subsided immediately. His words were like a thorn.
After hearing this, Shane chuckled dryly, then, ignoring those around him, brazenly continued his colleague's words: "Those hundred-odd people at the 'Feast of Heroes,' weren't they all there for the chance to grovel before the throne? Don't you agree?"
“Shane, aren’t you one of them?” The man with wounded arms walked over, sat down next to Shane, and instructed the boss, “Blood Twilight.”
Nothing had changed, Shane confirmed with his colleagues. Coldness and darkness were his defining characteristics—the hallmarks of "Continuation Blade." Midnight Slayers didn't address each other by name, only by nicknames.
Incidentally, Shane's nickname is "Red Blade," derived from his long red hair and the red greatsword he carries.
The warmth inside the tavern would be completely dissipated as soon as Xu Ren was present.
At the same time, he was the shadow beneath the gleaming lights, a chilling presence. The wounds on his arms were his battle scars, and those scars came from the two short swords at his waist, their blades dark red, having licked the blood of countless throats—
Fortunately, it was tightly wrapped in a leather sheath at this moment.
If Red Blade calls himself a greatsword warrior charging to the front lines, then Continue Blade is a dual-bladed assassin of the night, and the third colleague, Thin Blade, is an expert in strategy and counter-espionage.
As the surrounding noise returned, "Red Blade" Shane Minette whispered to his colleague beside him:
“I was forced to act alone. The king only ordered me to lie in ambush at the banquet by myself. But I never expected that guy would cause a huge avalanche, rendering me completely useless and making my trip a waste. This is the worst disgrace to our Midnight Slayers ever.”
Despite still having questions, Xu Ren didn't bother to ask any further and silently finished the bright red cocktail "Blood Twilight" in front of him.
Then he replied, "Even though you're the boss, there won't be a next time. Wash off the stain immediately."
Xu Ren implied that the mission needed to be completed quickly.
The taste of strong liquor lingered in his throat, and his twin blades desperately craved the taste of blood.
"Do you dare disobey the king's orders? However, the subsequent pursuit is entirely our prerogative... By the way, where is the thin blade?"
Xu Ren gestured with his eyes towards the window, then stared intently at the second cup of "Blood Twilight" that was brought to him.
"I understand. Are you afraid of being harassed by men?" With that, Hongren casually pulled the servant who was passing by into her arms, ignoring her screams, and began to tear at her shirt.
He then felt he hadn't had enough fun, so he forced the wine in his hand into her mouth and then lifted her up again. Xu Ren remained unmoved, having developed a habit of ignoring amusement.
The crimson greatsword with its red blade was accidentally deflected by the female servant who was flailing her arms and legs. Enraged, he threw her onto a table a few meters away. A loud noise echoed through the tavern.
"Who gave you permission to touch my sword?"
Xu Ren glanced at his colleagues. Hong Ren seemed genuinely enraged; the people at that table drew their weapons and surrounded them. The innkeeper, fearing Hong Ren might start a fight in the tavern, tried to calmly persuade his customers.
He hadn't changed, Xu Ren thought; he always hated others touching his greatsword. Once, he even got into a fight with a colleague over it, and of course, Hong Ren also took care of the colleague in the process.
The boss voluntarily compensated the group with a table of food and drinks, and instructed his subordinates to prepare a superior private living room for them on the second floor for their enjoyment throughout the night.
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