Chapter 157: A Minor Mishap (1)

Driven by intense curiosity, these people wanted to see for themselves whether Cold-Blood Five was truly inside. They began to approach the kitchen, preparing to push the door open and have a look.

Yet, despite this intention, they lingered at the kitchen threshold for a long time, hoping someone else would step inside first to test the waters. The very name "Cold-Blood Five" carried a weight that made them too terrified to cross that line.

Just as the crowd remained locked in hesitation, the door swung open. The young girl from within appeared before them, her eyes sweeping coldly across their faces.

"Ah, Lord Five, you are still inside! Didn't Frank just say..." Startled, the group instantly retreated a great distance. Inwardly, they began to curse Ye Lang furiously: she was clearly inside all along, so why claim she wasn't? Was he blind?

Naturally, they had no way of knowing that Ye Lang had indeed seen Cold-Blood Five, but simply refused to believe that this person actually was Cold-Blood Five!

And yet, the truth was that this young girl was the genuine, undisputed Cold-Blood Five. Without a shadow of a doubt and with no substitutes, she was the one and only Cold-Blood Five!

Had it not been for the members of the Cold-Blood Syndicate knowing the truth, it would have been nearly impossible for anyone to believe that this girl, not yet twenty years old, was the ruthless Cold-Blood Five. She had assassinated countless prominent figures whose names shook the world, becoming a legendary and enigmatic myth across the continent.

Of course, the details of these legends varied wildly, for no one ever suspected that those people had been eliminated by her!

The status Cold-Blood Five commanded today was not a matter of luck, nor was it granted out of chivalry toward her youth and gender; she had carved it out entirely through her own formidable strength, blow by blow!

Cold-Blood Five had grown up within the Cold-Blood Syndicate since childhood. By the age of five, she was already executing assassination assignments. More than a decade of a killer's life had passed since then. Very few of the assassins who debuted alongside her remained alive, and those who survived were naturally the absolute elite.

Yet, the reason she managed to stand out among them and become the leader of the assassin faction was not merely due to the passage of time, but because of her extraordinary innate talent. Her mentors all agreed that she was destined to become a living legend in the underworld. She was like the Grimlock of Death itself—if she demanded someone's life, that person was certain to die.

Within the assassin underworld, she bore a legendary moniker: The Reaper!

When the Reaper decrees your death at midnight, you will not survive to see the dawn!

As for why people here addressed her as "Lord Five" rather than "Miss Five," it seemed she felt the latter title made her sound a generation younger, a form of address she deeply disliked. She believed that a title as noble as "Miss" had nothing to do with her.

She considered herself nothing more than an assassin—someone who would remain merely an assassin for her entire life, unchanging and unyielding!

"Frank... he believes I am not Cold-Blood Five. None of you are to breathe a word of this to him—not a single syllable!" Cold-Blood Five stated coldly. An invisible, chilling wind swept through the gathered crowd.

Not a single person doubted that if they dared mention Cold-Blood Five to Ye Lang, she would execute them on the spot!

Because of this warning, everyone dared not speak of Cold-Blood Five in front of Ye Lang. Consequently, for a very long time afterward, Ye Lang remained utterly oblivious to her true identity, mistakenly assuming she must be the daughter of the original Cold-Blood Five.

Can the position of Cold-Blood Five be passed down hereditarily? Ye Lang had briefly wondered at the time, though he never cared enough to investigate or ask.

In the wake of this incident, yet another rumor began to circulate throughout the Cold-Blood Syndicate: Ye Lang was a man who must never be lightly offended. After all, he now had not only Cold-Blood Thirteen watching his back, but also that Reaper-like young girl, Cold-Blood Five.

Words truly failed them. No matter where Ye Lang went, someone always ended up taking care of him. Although their motives differed, the undeniable fact remained that people constantly looked after him. Was he perhaps some illegitimate son of the Goddess of Luck?

For some time following these events, Cold-Blood Thirteen remained secluded inside her quarters, while Ye Lang appeared to have found a new companion, frequently chatting and conversing with her.

This development left the entire Cold-Blood Syndicate utterly dumbfounded...

"Have you heard about the newcomer named Frank?" In the senior council chamber of the Cold-Blood Syndicate—a sanctum reserved exclusively for the Thirteen Eagles of Cold-Blood—this very topic was currently under discussion.

"Of course I have. He's that peculiar youth brought in by Cold-Blood Thirteen. Spends all day reading books; anyone unaware would think he was Cold-Blood Thirteen's apprentice," one person replied indifferently, clearly out of touch with the latest intelligence.

"Then do you know that Cold-Blood Five has been spending a great deal of time with this Frank?" the first speaker continued.

"Are you joking with me? Cold-Blood Five—how could she possibly walk alongside anyone? Unless she's planning to execute him." Someone expressed skepticism. Most members still viewed Cold-Blood Five purely through the lens of a ruthless assassin, and the members of the Thirteen Eagles were no exception.

"No, I am not joking. Furthermore, Cold-Blood Five has no intention of killing this Frank. In fact, it seems she is actually learning something from him!"

"Learning what?" The Eagles were bewildered. What could an "ordinary" youth possibly possess that would warrant Cold-Blood Five learning from him?

"Unknown. They frequently chat and talk together. If Frank doesn't drive Cold-Blood Five away, they simply stay together."

"What?! He drives Cold-Blood Five away? That is absolute nonsense!" Those who had not heard the rumor flatters rejected it outright, while those who had worn expressions of utter incomprehension—though they understood the others' disbelief, having reacted the exact same way initially.

How could this be possible? Cold-Blood Five being driven away by a mere youth? Even the Eagles themselves would not dare do such a thing. Did they not fear her endless repertoire of assassinations?

No one imagined that becoming the target of Cold-Blood Five could ever be a pleasant experience; it was something that would make your entire body crawl with unease!

Because of this terror, not a soul dared to offend her!

Let alone driving her away, nobody even dared to raise their voice when speaking to her. Fortunately, conversations with her usually involved nothing more than briefing her on assignments, to which she would merely respond with a curt confirmation, never uttering a half-word more.

Therefore, upon hearing that she had been chased off by Ye Lang, it was simply beyond anyone's capacity to believe!

"It is not a rumor, it is the truth! Over the past few days, Cold-Blood Five has frequently sought out Frank, and she always brings him fine delicacies. Otherwise, Frank won't say more than a few words to her. Only when she brings food might he converse with her for a little while!" those in the know began to recount for the benefit of the skeptics.

"However, it is only for a short while. Soon enough, that Frank will announce he needs to read and tell Cold-Blood Five to go play by herself," they continued.

"..."

At that very moment, those who had been in the dark felt their nerves go slightly numb. Was this truly the Cold-Blood Five they knew? Was this Frank actually still alive?

(To be continued)