Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Shadow Covenant, specializing in lurking, infiltrating, assassinating_1
The following afternoon, as agreed, Wang Linchi acted as bait, with Xu Shou serving as his protector.
He was somewhat puzzled. The opponent was Elite Gold Level and didn’t even dare to offend the black market. How could they dare to act so rashly under the watchful gaze of an Elite Gold Level Awakener?
Well, if they truly dared to act, the problem would be even bigger.
Because they feared organizations, not individuals, suggesting a more powerful force backed the opponent.
The two walked into the distance, chatting and laughing, as the sky gradually dimmed.
The previous hustle and bustle quieted down in an instant.
"You didn’t think your plan was seamless, did you?" a voice rang out.
Somehow, their surroundings had taken on a dark, monochrome tone.
"A boundary?" Xu Shou’s expression changed. He hadn’t perceived how the opponent had managed it, despite being highly alert the entire way.
Moreover, he wasn’t alone; there were quite a few Six Doors arrest officers and constables nearby, including one Officer Jin Zhang and three Silver Badge arrest officers, yet none of them had reacted.
"Shadow Covenant!" Xu Shou stared at the figure not far away—a distorted form, like a living shadow.
The Shadow Covenant, like the Baylong Religion, was also a heretical organization, though it was backed by powers from a different Gigantic Secret Realm. The Gigantic Secret Realm behind the Shadow Covenant was named the Shadow Realm, predominantly black in tone. After assimilation, Awakeners became shadow-like beings, much like how the Blood Dragon Vein within the Baylong Religion granted control over blood.
Compared to the more violent Baylong Religion, the Shadow Covenant was trickier. They excelled at hiding, infiltrating, assassinating, and, most importantly, gathering intelligence.
Therefore, when they struck, they usually did so without leaving a trace, unless there were no other alternatives.
This was why the Peacock Sword Sect had struggled to find them, forcing the sect to post a commission on the black market—perhaps to lure the snake from its hole, or simply to divert attention.
"May I ask why you want to kill me? I don’t recall offending the Shadow Covenant or having any conflicts of interest with you," Wang Linchi immediately asked.
"I am only responsible for killing, not explaining." The shadow-like Awakener didn’t launch into a villainous monologue but attacked directly.
Luckily, Xu Shou was an experienced Elite Gold Level Awakener. The two immediately clashed within the boundary.
To Wang Linchi, this boundary possessed not only shadow attributes but also spatial attributes.
When these two attributes were superimposed, they formed a Shadow Space. Breaking through it would not be easy.
The outside world had likely realized their disappearance and might have already begun the unsealing process. As long as Xu Shou could hold on, they had a chance to survive.
WHOOSH!
A sharp gust of wind howled past his ear as a pitch-black blade aimed for his temple.
But a large hand suddenly snatched it from the air.
Xu Shou hadn’t forgotten his mission was to protect Wang Linchi, not to kill this shadow.
So he had remained vigilant.
With a single, violent punch, the shadow was shattered.
"You’re still too green. Train for a few more years before coming out to be an assassin." Xu Shou retracted his hand. He perfectly understood the situation: as long as he held out, the opponent would be the unfortunate one.
Moreover, the enemy was naturally countered by him, as this particular shadow was an assassin type.
Normally, their assignments involved fleeing far away if the first attack didn’t land. However, Xu Shou’s Soul Resemblance was the Nine Bulls and Two Tigers Talent, and all of his Soul Kinds were dedicated to enhancing his Physique. This made him incredibly strong in offense, defense, and speed. Most importantly, he was highly experienced in close combat.
The shadow, however, was different. His failed assassination attempt meant he couldn’t flee and was trapped within the Shadow Space Boundary, forced into close combat with Xu Shou. Naturally, he was no match.
Escape was clearly impossible; the Shadow Covenant must have issued a death order. Otherwise, as an assassin, he would have escaped long ago, lying low and awaiting the next opportunity.
The figure remained silent, eventually melting slowly into the Shadow Space.
"Speaking of which, why does the Shadow Covenant want to attack us?" Wang Linchi was somewhat puzzled.
"That’s a question for that kid," Xu Shou sneered.
Xu Shou wasn’t clear on the specifics himself, but perhaps the people from Six Doors knew more.
However, now that they had determined the Shadow Covenant was responsible, the next steps would be much easier.
They might not be able to handle the Shadow Covenant, but there were those in the Court who could.
CRACKLE...
Just as he finished speaking, large cracks began to appear on the Shadow Space Boundary.
Clearly, Six Doors had detected the problem and launched a rescue operation at the first opportunity.
In merely three seconds, the entire boundary shattered. The dark monochrome vanished, and everything returned to normal.
However, a dark figure was seen darting through the deeper shadows.
"Trying to escape? Hmph!" Li Xijian’s voice boomed. He transformed into a giant Water Elemental. With a sweep of his massive hand, he snatched the shadow that was scrambling through the darkness.
The captured shadow then reverted to a humanoid form, squirming continuously.
Li Xijian scowled. "Indeed, it’s those rats of the Shadow Covenant."
Countless water droplets condensed, forming a vast cage that firmly imprisoned the figure.
Clearly, this wasn’t Li Xijian’s first encounter with Shadow Covenant members, as he had a Soul Skill ready to deal with them.
Immediately afterwards, various seals were applied. The shadow was forcefully restrained to prevent suicide, which would mean losing any clues.
"That was terrifying. I was almost a goner," Wang Linchi sighed. It was a close call. If Xu Shou, the former academy director, hadn’t given his all, he’d truly have been done for.
"Your courage..." Xu Shou was rendered speechless by Wang Linchi’s words.
What kind of person is this? Xu Shou thought.
"What does being scared matter? I’m not a Battle-type Awakener anyway," Wang Linchi declared, surprisingly proud of his cowardice.
Li Xijian’s mood had improved considerably. "Consider this a merit on your record," he said with a tease. "I’ll find you next time something like this happens."
"Spare me, please! My fragile constitution can’t handle it," Wang Linchi grumbled.
"It’s not up to you," Li Xijian said. "We just caught one shadow, and we haven’t investigated why they wanted to kill you yet.
"According to past precedent, where there’s one shadow, a whole nest of them usually follows. This is just the beginning."
Li Xijian gave Wang Linchi a heads-up.
Are they cockroaches or something? Wang Linchi mused. Actually, they are quite similar—little critters always hiding in the shadows.
No, they’re worse than cockroaches. Cockroaches have tenacious vitality; these shadows are just fragile assassins.
Soon after, the situation was resolved. Wang Linchi didn’t return to his dormitory but planned to continue staying in his office.
The Soul Seed Bureau had its dangers, but it was still safer than his own home. At least there, a monitoring boundary was active. Any use of Soul Skills or Soul Seed powers would be instantly detected and countered.
That’s why the Shadow Covenant only dared to surveil within the Soul Seed Bureau, never to act.
Making a move there would be like firing a handgun in a bank—who else would they arrest but you?