The first floor of the Sky Net headquarters.
In the center of the first floor was a very large room, surrounded by smaller rooms.
The moment Ye Cangtian and Gui Wu stepped through the doorway, the doors of the small rooms instantly opened, and figures darted out.
Within tens of seconds, these people densely occupied more than half of the hall, numbering at least 400.
They held various weapons, their eyes emanating cold killing intent. At first glance, they were indeed intimidating.
But upon closer inspection, many of them were subtly shifting their stances.
Clearly, they were not entirely fearless when facing Ye Cangtian and Gui Wu.
These were all the Yellow-tier assassins currently at the Sky Net headquarters. While their strength might not be exceptional,
As Xue Ye put it, they were cannon fodder, meant to wear down Po Xiao and Gui Wu.
Xue Ye cared little for the eventual losses.
There were plenty of assassins worldwide eager to join Sky Net, making up for such losses a minor issue.
"Yo, quite a few of you!"
"This welcome ceremony is a bit too grand."
Ye Cangtian chuckled playfully and then said, "Since you've come out to greet us, if anyone kneels and begs for mercy, they will be spared!"
Ye Cangtian's words seemed to fall into the sea. The Yellow-tier assassins before him showed no reaction, even displaying a hint of disdain.
They knew Po Xiao was strong, but no matter how many there were, he was only one person, and they understood the principle that even the best fighter can't win against overwhelming odds.
Furthermore, they had never fought against a Profound-tier expert and were unaware of their terrifying power. As the saying goes, a newborn calf fears no tiger.
Therefore, most of them were still indulging in the fantasy of defeating the two through sheer numbers.
"Alas! Ignorance breeds fear!"
Seeing no movement from the other side, Ye Cangtian sighed and shook his head in helplessness.
The next moment, he flashed forward, appearing directly before the nearest assassin, and unleashed a punch.
*Boom!*
After a muffled thud, the assassin let out a startled cry and was sent flying backward, crashing into a row of people behind him.
Most surprisingly, with such force, that assassin should have been seriously injured, yet he inexplicably stood up, his hands fumbling at his chest.
"Haha, I'm fine, I'm still alive..."
As the words fell, everyone was dumbfounded. Such a powerful attack, and the person was unharmed. What kind of strength was required to achieve this!
Just then, sounds of wailing began to spread.
These wails came from the people behind that assassin. These individuals, having been hit by their comrade, now had blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, clutching their chests and rolling on the ground.
"Striking through an obstacle?"
The same four words flashed through everyone's minds.
The next moment, they quickly repositioned themselves, spacing out as much as possible to avoid another such blow.
"This is just a lesson. If you remain stubborn, I will have to resort to killing!"
Ye Cangtian's voice echoed again, drawing everyone's attention. The fear in their eyes intensified.
Before, they were unafraid because they didn't understand the terror of a Profound-tier expert. But now that he had displayed such heaven-defying means, how could they dare to continue opposing him!
*Thump! Thump...*
As the first figure knelt down, everyone followed suit like dominoes, one after another.
Only then did Ye Cangtian display a satisfied smile.
He could have killed these assassins, but he chose not to.
These assassins were inexhaustible; assassins from all over the world would replenish their ranks. Rather than letting those who knew no better join Sky Net, he decided to spare them.
At least they had developed a psychological shadow of his strength, making it difficult for them to oppose him in the future.
"Remember, from now on, you will remain kneeling here. If anyone attempts to escape before we leave, they will face the consequences!"
With that thought, Ye Cangtian icily delivered his final command and then ascended the stairs.
Watching Po Xiao and Gui Wu depart, some of the Yellow-tier assassins' eyes darted around.
They all knew that Po Xiao had come to kill and wreak havoc. If Xue Ye succeeded in defeating Po Xiao and Gui Wu, then all would be well.
But if Xue Ye were to be defeated, would Po Xiao spare them?
With this thought, those harboring a sliver of hope quietly rose to their feet and dashed towards the exit.
Everyone watched as the first assassin to charge out. If he emerged unscathed, it would prove Po Xiao's threat was mere bluster, and then these individuals would surely break free and flee.
*Whoosh!*
However, as the first assassin to break out stepped just beyond the doorway, a silver light suddenly flashed. Immediately after, that assassin collapsed in a pool of blood.
Witnessing this, all the Yellow-tier assassins turned deathly pale, and the hall instantly fell silent. They no longer dared to harbor any illusions.
...
The second floor of the Sky Net headquarters.
This was still a hall, but the number of people within was significantly fewer, perhaps only seventy or eighty.
After a series of defeats, these were the remaining few Black-tier assassins at the headquarters.
Xue Ye clearly intended to have a decisive battle with Po Xiao. As for these Black-tier experts serving as cannon fodder, Xue Ye felt a pang of regret.
After all, for Sky Net, nurturing a Black-tier assassin was not an easy feat.
But there was no other way. Compared to their own lives, these Black-tier assassins were practically worthless.
Even if sacrificing them could guarantee even a sliver of a chance of victory, he felt it was worth it.
Besides, though these individuals were Black-tier experts, they had no standing in the major powers.
Their strength was rather ordinary, mostly at the early to middle stages of the Black-tier.
With such strength, even if they were given a Nine-Revolutions Golden Elixir, they would not be able to reach the Profound-tier.
Therefore, using them as cannon fodder, while regrettable for Xue Ye, did not stir any genuine heartache.
At this moment, these assassins, perhaps resentful at being treated as cannon fodder or perhaps facing a powerful enemy and knowing they were outmatched,
Did not emanate fierce killing intent. Instead, they were all incredibly lethargic.
To use an internet colloquialism, they were "rotting" – since death was inevitable one way or another, what difference did fighting or not fighting make?
Most crucially, Xue Ye had disregarded their camaraderie and used them as expendable pawns. Why should they risk their lives for him?
Seeing their state, Ye Cangtian was somewhat surprised.
He raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said, "Are you going to let me pass, or are you going to fight me?"
Ye Cangtian was curious. If these people were to block him, they were all too lethargic, showing no signs of being in a state of facing a major enemy.
Yet, if they were to let him pass, they were precisely blocking the stairs, making him want to laugh and cry at the same time.
As his words fell, a man with a cigarette dangling from his lips lazily stepped forward.
He sized up Ye Cangtian from head to toe and gritted out, "We don't want to fight you, but we can't let you pass either."
This was the current sentiment of all the Black-tier assassins. They knew they were no match for Po Xiao and Gui Wu, and once a battle ensued, death would be certain.
However, if they let the other party pass, and if Xue Ye emerged victorious in the end, he would also show them no mercy.
Therefore, they stood lethargically at the top of the stairs, expressing their dissatisfaction, while simultaneously preventing Po Xiao's advance.
"Don't you find this very contradictory?"
Hearing the other party's words, Ye Cangtian suddenly chuckled and spoke.
The man glanced at Ye Cangtian and said with resignation, "It is contradictory, but we don't want to be cannon fodder, nor do we want to be retaliated against by Xue Ye afterward. We just want to live..."
"Wanting to live is not difficult, as long as you move aside."
Hearing that the other party had no fighting spirit, Ye Cangtian continued, "In fact, you all know very well that this is pointless. You cannot stop me."
Saying that, Ye Cangtian paused and then added, "How about this, I'll knock you all unconscious. What do you say?"