Chapter 53: The Hidden Battle


    Han Ming opened his eyes slightly, listening intently without showing any emotion.


    A woman’s voice reached his ears: "Big Brother, is what you said about that thing true? Please don’t lie to me."


    A man’s voice replied, "Yes, Big Brother. From what you described, that thing is terrifying. Are we really going after it? With our strength, even if we find it, we probably can’t subdue it, right?"


    Han Ming cautiously moved to the edge of the tree hollow, peering through the faint starlight to see three people sitting not far away—two men and a woman. They were dressed as warriors, with no mages among them.


    The tree hollow had been carefully concealed by Han Ming and Sagus with weeds and branches, making it difficult to spot unless someone was actively searching.


    The trio had lit a small campfire nearby. The younger man was skewering something resembling yams on a stick, roasting them over the fire. From the voices, it was clear he was one of the speakers.


    The older man glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice. "It’s definitely real. I saw it with my own eyes. Not long ago, a large group of mercenaries entered the Barbarian Forest, and that thing wiped them out in an instant. The scene was horrifying."


    The young woman covered her mouth in shock. "Big Brother, if it’s that terrifying, why are we going after it? Isn’t that just asking for death?"


    The older man smiled at her question. "Who said we’re going to capture it? With our strength, that’s impossible. We’re just tracking it, quietly following it to see where it nests. Then we’ll sell that information for gold. I estimate we could get at least ten thousand gold coins."


    "Ten thousand!?" the younger man and woman exclaimed in unison.


    Even Han Ming was startled. Ten thousand gold coins!? An ordinary person’s annual income was only about ten gold coins. Ten thousand gold coins would be equivalent to over a hundred million yuan on Earth.


    What kind of creature could be so valuable that even information about it was worth such a fortune?


    The older man continued, "You don’t understand. That thing must have a magical beast core. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so powerful. Magical beast cores are incredibly rare. You can’t just buy them, even if you have the money. Ten thousand gold coins isn’t too much."


    Han Ming finally understood. They were talking about a magical beast. No wonder—magical beast cores were indeed extremely valuable. With his current wealth, he couldn’t afford one.


    But what kind of magical beast were they discussing? How could they be so sure it had a core?


    As Han Ming pondered this, he suddenly heard faint movements above him.


    He immediately held his breath, blending into the darkness. He was certain there was a skilled expert hiding above him.


    With his heightened sensitivity to water elements, he could barely detect the subtle sounds. This expert’s strength was undoubtedly formidable.


    "So, you know about it too?"


    Just as Han Ming expected, a voice rang out, and a figure leaped down from the tree above.


    The person was dressed in tight black clothing, with only their eyes visible. Han Ming recognized the attire immediately—it was identical to that of the Shadow Hall assassins.


    The trio was startled by the sudden appearance of the black-clad figure.


    The younger man trembled as he gripped his sword, pointing it at the intruder. "Who are you!? Why are you sneaking around and eavesdropping on us?"


    The black-clad figure chuckled. "Do you know where that thing has been recently? Tell me, and I’ll give you ten thousand gold coins."


    The younger man’s face lit up with greed at the mention of such a sum.


    But the older man, more experienced, remained calm. He subtly pulled the younger man behind him, sensing that this situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed.


    "Sorry, we don’t know its whereabouts. We’re still searching ourselves," the older man replied smoothly.


    The black-clad figure laughed softly and drew a finely crafted dagger from his waist. He twirled the blade between his fingers casually. "Oh? So, are you the only ones who know about its existence?"


    Seeing the dagger, the younger man and woman quickly drew their weapons, tense and ready for a fight.


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    They knew that anyone who could hide so close to them without being detected was no ordinary foe.


    The older man hesitated for a moment before answering, "No, many people know about it." As he spoke, his right hand subtly reached behind his back, gripping the hilt of a large sword.


    The black-clad figure’s question was probing, and the older man instantly understood the implication.


    But that brief hesitation was enough for the black-clad figure to notice.


    "Ha, you’re a decent liar, but not quite there yet. So, only the three of you know about it. That makes things easier."


    The black-clad figure’s voice turned cold, and without warning, he lunged at the trio, his dagger flashing.


    The older man had anticipated this. He drew his sword and met the attack, but the trio was no match for the assassin. In moments, all three were cut down, their bodies severed at the waist.


    Yes, severed at the waist.


    Han Ming’s eyes narrowed. To cut someone in half with such a small dagger required immense strength and precision.


    The black-clad figure stood silently over the three corpses, not moving.


    Han Ming, hidden in the tree hollow, watched the assassin’s every move, not daring to relax.


    After a moment of silence, the black-clad figure suddenly exhaled and laughed. "Impressive, truly impressive. If I hadn’t known you were there, even I might have missed you. Come on out."


    The black-clad figure’s gaze locked onto the tree hollow where Han Ming was hiding.


    "Well done, well done. As expected of a Shadow Hall expert."


    Han Ming knew he’d been discovered. He stepped out calmly, revealing himself and immediately identifying the black-clad figure’s affiliation.


    The black-clad figure was taken aback. "How do you know I’m from the Shadow Hall? Do you know about the Shadow Hall? Who are you?"


    Han Ming smirked. "I’m a low-ranking member of the Shadow Hall. A few years ago, I participated in the Shadow Hall’s Death Selection in the Valley of Death."


    "Ah, I see. So, we’re on the same side. That explains it," the black-clad figure said, relaxing slightly as he approached Han Ming.


    Han Ming nodded with a smile, not moving.


    "Are you also here on orders to track that thing?" the black-clad figure asked, pulling down his mask to reveal an aged face.


    Han Ming remained silent, still smiling.


    The two stood there, staring at each other, neither making a move.


    Finally, the black-clad figure sighed. "The younger generation is truly formidable. When did you figure it out?"


    Han Ming smiled faintly. "The moment you discovered me, I discovered you."


    To an outsider, their conversation would have been utterly baffling.


    "Good, very good," the black-clad figure praised, but then his arm shot out, a flash of light streaking toward Han Ming.


    Han Ming leaned back, narrowly avoiding the strike, but his feet remained firmly planted.


    He wiped a thin line of blood from his cheek with his thumb, licking it thoughtfully. He knew that any movement—whether stepping back or dodging—would leave him open to further attacks. Staying still was the best strategy. Remain calm, wait for the next move. Let the opponent make the first mistake.


    The black-clad figure was visibly impressed, his aged eyes gleaming with interest. "Good! Good! Good!" he exclaimed. "It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a promising young talent. Whoever you are, I formally invite you to join the Shadow Hall. From what you’ve said, it’s clear you’ve participated in the Death Selection. If I’m not mistaken, you’re the one responsible for the disappearance of several Shadow Hall members a few years ago."


    The black-clad figure had seen through Han Ming’s identity.


    Han Ming nodded slightly, admitting it. There was no point in hiding it. The Shadow Hall would have noticed the disappearance of their members, and Han Ming’s knowledge of the Death Selection confirmed his involvement.


    "The Shadow Hall’s power is beyond your comprehension. Young man, listen to me. With your talent, joining the Shadow Hall would be no problem. As for the members you killed, we can let bygones be bygones. I might even take you as my personal disciple. What do you say?"


    The black-clad figure continued to persuade Han Ming.


    But Han Ming remained silent, still smiling.


    The two fell into silence again.


    Suddenly, the black-clad figure burst into laughter. "Haha, you figured it out again, didn’t you?"


    Han Ming smiled and nodded. "The moment you spoke, I knew. At first, you pretended to treat me as one of your own, even removing your mask to lower my guard. I have to admit, it was quite effective. After your sneak attack failed, you tried to recruit me into the Shadow Hall, hoping I’d let my guard down again so you could strike. Shadow Hall members are indeed skilled."


    The black-clad figure clapped slowly. "Good, very good. If it weren’t for the fact that you know about that thing, I’d genuinely want to recruit you into the Shadow Hall. What a pity. Such a promising talent, and I have to destroy you myself. Since you’re a smart man, I won’t bother with tricks. Draw your weapon."


    Han Ming continued to smile, not moving.


    Seeing Han Ming’s refusal to act, the black-clad figure’s smile faded. His expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing.


    In all his years, he had never encountered someone so young yet so cunning. This person could not be allowed to live.


    With that thought, the black-clad figure attacked. His dagger vanished from sight, moving faster than the eye could follow.


    Han Ming’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly retreated, kicking off the tree trunk behind him and flipping into the air. But even so, three gashes appeared on his chest, shallow cuts from the dagger’s edge.


    The black-clad figure smirked as Han Ming leaped into the air. "Youthful recklessness. Now that you’re in the air, where will you dodge?" He didn’t slow down, thrusting his dagger toward Han Ming’s chest.


    Han Ming, still smiling, said, "Who said I need to dodge?"


    He raised his left hand and caught the dagger barehanded.


    The black-clad figure’s eyes widened in shock. To an ordinary opponent, Han Ming’s move would seem foolish. But the black-clad figure was no ordinary foe. He instantly understood Han Ming’s plan, but it was too late.


    Han Ming’s palm was pierced by the dagger, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, he slid his hand down to the hilt and gripped the black-clad figure’s wrist tightly, blood dripping from the wound.


    "Got you," Han Ming said with a grin. He yanked his hand back with tremendous force, pulling the black-clad figure toward him.


    The black-clad figure, caught off guard, tried to retaliate with a second dagger in his other hand, but he was too slow.


    Before he could strike, Han Ming’s fist slammed into his chest.


    The black-clad figure was sent flying, crashing to the ground in a heap of dry leaves. His ribs shattered, rendering him immobile.


    Han Ming landed gracefully, kicking the dagger away and breaking the black-clad figure’s limbs for good measure.


    He crouched beside the fallen assassin, still smiling. "Now, tell me. What exactly is this ‘thing’ you’re all talking about?"