Refining a Mountain Range into a Bracelet

News of Zhou You's assassination attempt caused a stir when it reached the capital.

This was outrageous. Someone had openly tried to assassinate a grandmaster's adopted son. That killer had truly been bold enough to swallow the heavens.

Upon hearing that it was the Impermanent Killers, though, everyone went, "Oh, then it's fine."

Just as Zhou You had expected, the Impermanent Killers were an organization tacitly permitted in the capital under the balance of power among all factions.

Countless aristocratic families had settled in the capital, while space and resources were limited. Conflicts were inevitable amid competition, yet everyone had to maintain a harmonious facade. Usually, they would first invite a mediator to reconcile the matter; if that failed, they would settle victory and defeat with their fists.

Those were all aboveboard methods. Some disputes were simply too difficult to determine right from wrong, making it necessary to employ more underhanded means.

Why else would the great families keep retainers and dead warriors if not to handle dirty work?

But exceptions occasionally arose. That was when "killers" and "assassins" were needed as patches, and independently operated assassin organizations emerged accordingly.

The Impermanent Killers were the industry's unicorn. They had basically monopolized most of the capital's business and enjoyed a far-reaching reputation.

They had a solid reputation, exceptional service, and a monopoly on the finest elite killers. They were the first choice for vendettas and silencing witnesses.

Their good reputation lay in this: they took payment only for completed work. If they failed, they never accepted payment, preferring to bear the losses themselves. And there was also this... even if beaten to death, they would never reveal who their client was.

Zhou You did not hurry back to the residence. Instead, using his injuries and need for recuperation as an excuse,