Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 308 - 275: Courtesy Before Force, Punishment Without Education.

Chapter 308: Chapter 275: Courtesy Before Force, Punishment Without Education.

"To thoroughly resolve this crisis, we must first ascertain the root of the crisis—where does it originate?"

This time, Roger didn’t wait for anyone to ask; he voluntarily exercised his brain, peeling the matter layer by layer to clarify the key points.

"As long as the billion-dollar bounty exists, then even if God himself intervened, it would be of no use. In this world, there will never be a shortage of assassins willing to risk their lives for money.

In Zhuxia, there’s a saying, ’What’s first in literature, what’s second in martial arts...’ "

"It’s ’There is no first in literature, no second in martial arts,’"

Tang Tang reminded him.

"Yes, that’s the saying. In fact, it also applies to assassin teams. Even newcomers in this profession don’t think they fall short compared to their predecessors.

Therefore, one can imagine the despair at the number of assassins and bounty hunters attracted by the billion-dollar reward.

The only solution is to communicate with the Skywolf Foundation... to send respected individuals with status to negotiate, to retract the revenge fund’s bounty, offering in private, if necessary, to provide double the benefits to the Skywolf Foundation."

"Double the benefits?"

Zhou Ping’an roughly understood what Roger meant.

It was nothing more than finding a way to secretly provide benefits to the person in charge of the Skywolf Foundation to have them cancel the bounty.

After all, the principle of dealing with the Sky Hawk Alliance is to have no principles.

Whether or not they can be persuaded to go against their principles largely depends on the size of the benefit offered.

"Generally speaking, once a billion-dollar revenge bounty is activated and someone completes the task, the Skywolf Foundation is accustomed to taking a ten percent commission.

This income, Chen Guangyuan must have paid in advance. To get the Skywolf Foundation to cancel this commission, they must compensate not only for the loss of their commission but also for the damage to their reputation."

As he said this, Roger’s expression was bitter.

In his view, the solution was proposed, but he truly didn’t believe Zhou Ping’an could do it.

The man was not of high birth.

His social background seemed to be lacking too.

There were no influential figures backing him.

If there was one unique aspect, it was his combat prowess—he was exceptionally skilled at fighting.

But in this world, there’s a shortage of everything except for fighters.

Around the world, there are countless desperadoes willing to gamble with their lives for just a few hundred Skyhawk Currency.

By what means could he persuade the Skywolf Foundation to cancel the commission?

"What background does the Skywolf Foundation have?" Tang Tang suddenly asked.

This time Roger didn’t hesitate and answered straight away, "The Skywolf Foundation itself started with charity, with a very good reputation, boasting thorough service and strict adherence to credibility.

The man behind the curtains is named Johnson, a famous arms dealer in Proluo State, who has gradually been whitewashing his activities.

However, he still maintains an immense and formidable combat troop of a thousand men under him..."

Upon hearing this, Tang Tang became somewhat silent.

Even Roger, the core brain of the Nightingale Team ranked seventy-ninth on the Black List, believed the opponent’s combat troop was extremely elite, then it must indeed be very elite.

It was either personal skill that was outstanding.

Or top-notch equipment, allowing them to overpower others with sheer firepower.

Tang Tang felt it was likely both.

As an arms dealer, the man was not short of money and could recruit many skilled individuals.

Nor was he short of equipment, able to arm his men to the teeth.

With immense wealth and strong power.

To become an arms dealer and emerge unscathed, even managing to whitewash himself into an upright and successful individual, there must be a formidable backing force behind him.

Perhaps it’s some kind of unspoken alliance of interests.

This kind of person, what does he lack?

Is he short of just that little bit of money?

One need not mention how much a bankruptcy of credibility would damage his reputation.

"I understand, the bounty must be withdrawn..." Zhou Ping’an listened quietly, his expression calm. After thinking for a moment, he added, "If I’m not mistaken, this bounty has been activated for quite some time now. Many bounty hunters must have rushed to Dongjiang. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hide, you can only hide. Not only should you conceal yourself, but you also have to ensure all your family, relatives, and friends are well hidden.

Remember this advice: never trust the character of these arms dealers, bounty hunters, and professional assassins...

Including myself."

Roger sighed.

Recalling the things he had experienced over the years, from naivety to maturity, after feeding his conscience to the dogs and his hands stained with the blood of his kind, he could no longer find a glimmer of humanity within his heart.

To put it bluntly, people like him had no concern for innocence or guilt, nor were there any rules that could constrain them.

If slaughtering an entire city was necessary just to kill a target,

Believe it, out of ten assassins, nine would take action.

The remaining one wouldn’t be conscientious but would simply find it too troublesome.

"I know."

"No, you don’t understand. I won’t say much else; I’ll just mention the methods of a few top-ranked assassins on the Black List, and you’ll get it."

Roger had racked his brain planning meticulously just to save his own life and to avoid the torment of the damned True Qi Blades within him.

He was terrified that Zhou Ping’an would make some wrong choice, which would lead to both of them meeting their end. At this moment, he was somewhat anxious.

"Ranked fifth on the Black List is ’Hellfire’. Nobody knows how many are in the team, but everyone knows their signature method: blowing up buildings.

They have destroyed as many as three skyscrapers. Once, their target was inside the Public Security Bureau, and somehow they managed to blow the entire building complex, which covered tens of acres, right into the sky, turning it into a pile of rubble."

Roger felt that compared to Hellfire’s methods, their Nightingale Team seemed like mere child’s play.

Not only could they blow things up, but they also always found just the right opportunity to do so.

This was very impressive.

After the incidents, many forces tried to investigate Hellfire’s methods but could never figure out how those bombs were placed.

"Ranked third is ’Pandora.’ Nobody knows whether this person is male or female, nor whether they have a team supporting them.

The reason for this moniker is simply that their deeds somewhat resemble those of an ancient mythological witch.

Wherever they strike, plague and disease follow.

In one mission, they caused half a city’s population to die of illness.

Once Pandora takes action, it is nothing short of a disaster..."

"What about the one ranked first?"

Zhou Ping’an furrowed his brows as he listened.

Indeed, "inhumane" wasn’t enough to describe the madness of these assassins.

This Black List really had some substance.

"The first on the Black List cannot be mentioned or inquired about. We insiders usually refer to him as ’Satan’ and do not discuss his identity or methods.

We only know that once Satan takes on a job, the target’s death notice might as well be announced."

Roger fell silent for a moment.

Even under the threat to his life,

he dared not reveal any detailed information.

Fearing that speaking out could bring great disaster upon him.

This showed just how powerful the deterrent force of the one ranked first, "Mr. Satan," truly was.

Zhou Ping’an slightly shook his head, a trace of disappointment on his face.

"Will a reward of one billion attract their interest?"

"Unlikely. The bounty for just one job carried out by each assassin in the top ten of the Black List exceeds one billion, let alone the top five.

Ordinarily, out of pride in their status, these assassins wouldn’t cross oceans to take action...

However, if there happens to be a high-ranking Black List assassin locally in Zhuxia, one cannot rule out the possibility they might take on the bounty task on a whim."

"Do you have Johnson’s contact information?"

Zhou Ping’an thought for a moment and then asked.

He felt that Roger’s suggestion was somewhat unreliable,

yet the idea had given him some inspiration.

The method of doing things was not to his liking,

but the direction was correct.

"Johnson’s contact information is generally not disclosed, and he would not deal personally with peripheral affairs. I definitely don’t have it.

However, I do have the number for Mr. Jeffrey, the daily affairs manager of the Skywolf Foundation."

"That’ll do."

Zhou Ping’an just needed to find someone to talk to; if the problem could be peacefully resolved, then peace was the best option.

In Zhuxia, there is a saying, ’courtesy before force,’ and another that goes, ’uninstructed and yet punished, that’s called cruelty’.

Now, as a hitman intermediary, the issue had landed on his own head.

To then say he’s just an intermediary and the grudges have nothing to do with his own foundation, that would be rather senseless.

Hence, Zhou Ping’an’s approach was not to beg or to negotiate, but to deliver an ultimatum.

"Mr. Jeffrey, this is Zhou Ping’an speaking. How can your organization retract the one billion bounty?"

Zhou Ping’an was fluent enough in Skyhawk language not to have any problems communicating. It wasn’t too smooth, but his choice of words was extremely precise and did not lead to misunderstandings.

"What did you say? I don’t understand,"

the person on the other end clearly had not anticipated such a forthright opening line from Zhou Ping’an.

Inwardly bewildered, weren’t Zhuxia people known for their subtlety in conversation? How come this target was so aggressive?

The portly man in a silver-gray suit, softly reporting on business, heard the phone ring and hastily sought his boss’s permission.

Seeing the nod from the other side, he immediately answered the call, and upon hearing the voice through the receiver, his eyes narrowed into slits.