Talia, the Filial Daughter

The calm, distant sea stretched endlessly to the horizon.

Towering waves crashed against bizarrely shaped reefs.

This was a vast island, covered with countless towering structures resembling medieval Tang Dynasty architecture.

Before dawn, wave after wave of figures clad in black martial attire wielded sharp blades as they began another grueling day of training.

At the tallest building on the island.

Inside a dimly lit room.

Several katanas hung quietly on the walls, adding a further air of grim austerity to the room.

"Splash, splash, splash."

The sound of warm running water echoed through the bathroom. Separated by a gauze curtain, a graceful figure washed herself from top to bottom.

Water ran along her smooth collarbones and splashed into the bathtub below, raising tiny ripples.

"Snap!"

Apparently finished with her early morning bath, the woman turned off the shower. After drawing open the curtain, a round, toned, yet straight and slender leg stepped lightly out of the tub first.

The toes of her small feet were painted with black nail polish.

Her lovely, delicate toes touched down lightly upon the expensive carpet.

"Miss."

The maid, who had long been waiting outside the bathroom, obediently offered her a warmed towel. As her gaze swept over the woman's taut, smooth, snowy back, she could not help marveling once more at heaven's favor toward this woman, as if everything beautiful and perfect had been bestowed upon her.

The woman's small hand brushed past the rise and fall of her breasts. Her red lips parted, and her voice was low and elegant, yet carried a trace of authority.

"Where is Father?"

She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and walked with light steps toward the full-length mirror in the bedroom.

Her silky black hair, exquisitely flawless face, high nose bridge, and slightly thin, tender red lips formed the face of a stunning beauty.

Yet the cold, merciless green eyes reflected in the mirror made her temperament seem all the more sinister and fierce, radiating the oppressive aura of someone in power.

She was undoubtedly a perfect woman. Her mixed Asian and European features gave her both the reserved beauty of an Eastern woman and the charming passion of a Western woman.

Half her blood came from her mother, and the other half from that rigid Eastern man.

The maid respectfully lowered her head.

"The Leader is in the council chamber."

Upon hearing the maid's words, Talia lifted her lovely face, revealing her slightly pointed chin. A cold laugh drifted from her lips. "Ha. He's still the same, clinging to those dead, outdated traditions."

As she spoke, the woman opened her wardrobe.

Unlike most women, her wardrobe contained nothing but black clothing.

Talia pulled out a set of black training clothes and put them on, making her curvaceous figure stand out even more.

Talia left the room and passed through the ancient corridors, her footsteps silent and steady.

Eighteen years of training and cultivation had turned her into an outstanding assassin.

Soon, amid the respectfully bowed heads of the assassins she passed, Talia descended the tower and stopped outside a cold cave carved into the island's seaside cliffs.

"Leader." Talia called out calmly, though her pretty, elegant face was full of mockery. Her rigid father did not even permit her to call him Father within the organization.

Talia secretly fumed.

Just because he thinks I'm a woman, incapable of taking on the burden of leading the League of Assassins.

As she thought this, an aged, hoarse voice sounded from within the cave. "Come in."

Talia took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The dark, deep cave held not a shred of light. Only the faint scent of sandalwood incense drifting through the air calmed Talia's thoughts.

Her beautiful green eyes gazed into the depths of the cave. Beneath the weak glow of an oil lamp, a thin, black-haired old man clad in a green robe sat cross-legged on a cushion, his eyes filled with coldness.

When he saw Talia, the old man's expression did not change, as though the person who had arrived was merely an ordinary member of the organization.

"What do you want?"

The old man raised his eyelids. A sharp glint flashed through his brown eyes as he stared into Talia's eyes and waited for her answer.

Talia got straight to the point. She despised this rigid old man. "Leader, I believe I'm ready. I can carry out my first mission."

Talia raised her right hand and slowly clenched it, her bones cracking. "Eighteen years of arduous training and killing have honed my skills to their peak. My blood is roaring."

"I am ready to uphold the League's noble principles."

"Is that so?" The old man listened to Talia, glanced at her, and waved a hand dismissively. "Then pick any mission from the underground website and carry it out."

"Consider it your graduation assignment."

The man's attitude was as casual as ever. He did not care about Talia's affairs.

With that, the old man slowly closed his eyes again. The intimidating force in his gaze vanished, and he became an utterly ordinary old man once more.

Looking at the old man's tightly shut eyes, Talia bit down hard on her lip with her pearly teeth. She bit so hard that a trace of blood slid from the corner of her lips.

Talia took a deep breath and lowered her head. "As you wish."

After saying that, the woman turned and left. Yet from how quickly she seemed ready to break into a run, it was clear that she was in no pleasant mood.

Talia soon returned to her room.

The moment she gently shut the door, her beautiful face was instantly filled with fury.

"Damn old bastard!" Talia roared, grabbing a katana from the table and slashing at the tables and chairs in the room to vent her rage.

That man was clearly her father, yet he had never acknowledged her. Simply because she was a woman, Ra's al Ghul—also known as Ra's al Ghul—that old bastard who had lived for who knew how many years, had decided she could not lead the League of Assassins.

Yes, this island was the base of the renowned League of Assassins.

From the fall of Rome to countless major historical events, the League of Assassins could be found behind them all.

And Talia al Ghul was Ra's al Ghul's daughter, the daughter of the great leader of the League of Assassins.

Yet this identity had never made Talia proud. Her father had never treated her as family, but more like a stranger.

"Hah!" Talia took a deep breath, her proud chest rising and falling slightly. "Heh, sooner or later, I'll claim the League of Assassins for myself. Ra's al Ghul, just wait!"

The firm conviction burning within her allowed Talia to rein in her anger.

She walked over to the computer, her cold eyes fixed on the screen.

Talia intended to choose an easy mission to begin with.

"I need to find an easy job."

Talia moved the mouse, and soon the cursor landed on a posted mission.

"Take the gemstone necklace from Lana Lang, a first-year student at Smallville High School in Kansas, and place it beneath the third large locust tree in the town cemetery."

"A necklace?" Talia raised a beautiful brow, mockery curling across her lips. "A story of some adolescent brat getting revenge?"

Talia moved the mouse and clicked to confirm.

"This mission is somewhat interesting." Talia's gaze was proud as she crossed her left leg over her right. Her lean thigh swayed lightly, though beneath it all, she harbored the desire to watch the drama unfold.

"I'll take it!"

I'm planning to use AI to make some pictures. Once the story goes premium, I'll create a group to share them with everyone, so please look forward to it.