Boundary-Crossing Elimination

Su Wen was currently dressed in the system's default black evening suit.

It looked understated yet luxurious, not something that could be mistaken for cheap street-stall clothing at a glance.

He followed the scattered flow of dignitaries toward the waiter, Evan Lucas.

"Sir, please present your Invitation Letter bearing the Bavarian Duchy Medal."

"Is this it?"

Su Wen moved as though he were about to elegantly draw the Invitation Letter from his jacket pocket like a British gentleman.

Just as the fake waiter focused his attention on Su Wen's hand.

The next second.

Su Wen raised his foot and viciously kicked him.

As a Transcendent assassin from Zero-Sum Game, the waiter did not lose his balance excessively from the kick. Instead, his eyes filled with killing intent.

He instinctively reached behind himself.

Su Wen realized that there had to be a weapon hidden there.

But many guests had witnessed the scene.

He did not continue the game. Instead, he lightly snapped his fingers.

Load: Starting Point

Su Wen returned to the game's initial position.

And began the next round of probing.

After the fifth load.

This time, he patiently waited until most of the guests had entered the banquet hall.

When Evan Lucas turned toward an empty alley, preparing to make the next arrangements for the plan.

Su Wen, like a passing pedestrian, happened to walk toward him in this London alley.

Then.

At the moment they passed each other, Su Wen's left hand reached for Lucas's lower back.

Store Item: Silenced Glock Pistol and Leather Holster

Storage Box Operation: Disable Pistol Safety

Retrieve Item: Silenced Glock Pistol

The pistol instantly appeared in his right hand.

He pulled the trigger.

Pfft.

Amid the muffled, indistinct sound of a close-range shot through the suppressor.

The waiter had his "mind blown" and collapsed limply to the ground.

Su Wen then took the Identity Token that granted access to the banquet hall from his pocket.

After practicing repeatedly through loads, every movement flowed in one seamless motion without the slightest hesitation.

Successfully killed a Tier 1 Transcendent

Achievement unlocked: Counterattack

Achievement comment: A Transcendent? You're weaker than the old hen at the village entrance.

Obtained Item—Wearable Outfit—Cairns Hotel Waiter

Change outfit?

He selected confirm.

The next second, Su Wen's clothes changed into the same black-and-white shirt uniform worn by Cairns Hotel waiters, and a hotel supervisor's communications channel was connected to his right ear.

Facing the Thames River, shimmering with London's nightscape, he adjusted his bow tie, then smiled and spoke as if talking to himself.

"From now on, I'm Evan Lucas too."

Game Progress: Eliminate three Zero-Sum Game assassins. Current progress (1/3)

Just before the banquet began, he entered the banquet hall.

Phase One Objective Complete: Infiltrate the banquet hall before 8:00 p.m.

Phase Two Objective: Determine Zero-Sum Game's method of assassination

Will you choose to serve everyone while searching for enemies hidden in the shadows?

Or will you look for an opportunity to speak with Duke Reinhardt?

Su Wen chose.

To do nothing.

Because he heard an order through his earpiece:

"Lucas, waiter number thirty-nine assigned to the east wing, stop slacking off. Go fetch a bottle of Bokeya Wine from the French Bordeaux Winery cellar. Remember to bring the bottle Mr. Campbell reserved."

Heron Campbell, the sixth heir of the Sua'gair Duchy.

That was the information Su Wen had obtained during an earlier appraisal.

And now.

The earpiece had instructed him so precisely to retrieve this particular bottle of Bokeya Wine.

"Interesting."

Through three loads, he had figured out the locations of the kitchen and wine cellar.

Then he made his way to the wine cellar entrance with practiced ease.

There, a bartender supposedly hired by Cairns Hotel from one of Britain's top Royal restaurants was sorting the wines.

Appraisal: Master Bartender Samuel Fran Comofield (disguised token), Zero-Sum Game Tier 2 assassin, Extraordinary Characteristics (Cognitive Correction), Sublimation Lineage (Impostor)

Just as expected.

To deploy a Tier 2 Transcendent as an assassin so early in the Origin era, and one marked with a special ability at that.

Su Wen could not help marveling that Zero-Sum Game, as an antisocial organization, truly had the confidence to assassinate Grand Duke Reinhardt.

Cognitive Correction was indeed powerful.

Unfortunately.

Not only was he a player projecting through a medium.

He could also conceal his appraisals.

"You're not Losent. You are..."

Before he could finish, Su Wen gently raised the Silenced Glock, pulled the trigger, and killed him with a single shot.

As a Tier 2 Psionic Transcendent.

His vitality was probably not even as high as that Tier 1 agility-type assassin from before.

Successfully killed a Tier 2 Transcendent

Achievement unlocked: Boundary-Crossing Elimination

Achievement comment: The Silver Sea granted you power. Unfortunately, it did not grant you wisdom.

Obtained Item—Disguisable Outfit—Master Bartender Samuel Fran Comofield

Game Progress: Eliminate three Zero-Sum Game assassins. Current progress (2/3)

While eliminating the assassin.

Su Wen also knew that time was now exceptionally tight.

The moment Samuel died, the logical effect of Cognitive Correction immediately failed.

If anyone came to the wine cellar next, they would become suspicious of the missing master bartender.

He appraised the bottle of wine in fake Samuel's hand.

Appraisal: Mixed botanical fermented wine. Ingredients: grape wine, minute quantity of Extraordinary cultivated poison-specialized lily-of-the-valley venom.

Zero-Sum Game had used Heron Campbell's name to replace the wine with poisoned wine, planning to poison Duke Reinhardt while pinning the blame on Heron.

As for whoever had provided the information behind this scheme, perhaps you could guess which heir of the Sua'gair Duchy it was.

"Mm, it seems this Duke Heir who awakened the Extraordinary Characteristics of Leadership isn't having an easy time either."

Su Wen shrugged.

"He wanted to use a rare fine wine to forge ties with Grand Duke Reinhardt of Bavaria as a bargaining chip in the competition.

"But the enemy learned of it, and it became the grave he dug for himself.

"Heron Campbell, you owe me a favor."

He continued thinking.

"Perhaps I can have an honest talk with Duke Reinhardt through the 'fake master bartender' lying on the ground and that heir."

At that moment.

The banquet across from the Palace of Westminster had just begun.

Duke Reinhardt walked to the center of the banquet hall and raised his wineglass.

And beside Heron Campbell's hand, there was now a note pinned beneath a wine bottle.