Assassination

Chapter 37: Assassination

Humble, polite, warm, and sunny—this was the first impression Biba gave people, as though he had been born with the ability to earn others' trust.

But unfortunately, cut open any pink-haired person and they were black inside; Biba was the finest among them.

For the sake of revenge, his mind had already reached a pathological state.

After successfully taking revenge in the original story, the emptiness he felt made him seem deeply conflicted. He had even given the White Blood Plasma meant to save his own life to fulfill the protagonist.

This man whose inner flaws were like a sieve could only appear so "flawless" because he was supported by his conviction for revenge...

"Mr. Xu, I truly regret that we did not meet sooner. I hope that little incident during the day will not affect our friendship."

Inside a guest room, Biba and Xu Yue sat cross-legged on the floor, chatting as though they had hit it off splendidly.

He had already learned from Mumei and Sion that the man before him, whom even he could not quite see through, was likely one of his own kind!

Combined with those immensely powerful Jet Bullets and the man's own abilities, Xu Yue was entirely worth befriending and recruiting. Moreover, during their conversation, the resonance between them and their astonishingly similar values had directly won Biba's approval.

Because he understood Biba from the original story, Xu Yue had practically hit Biba's sweet spot every time during their exchange that night. The atmosphere of their conversation was simply delightful.

"Biba, there are a large number of Kabane aboard your Kōtetsujō, aren't there?"

Xu Yue savored the tea in his hand. Once he had built up the atmosphere enough, he began to get straight to the point.

Biba did not mind in the slightest. With the same gentle smile on his face, he said,

"To deal with Kabane, one must first understand Kabane. Don't you think the appearance of the Kabane is a heaven-sent opportunity?"

"I agree with that, but unfortunately, I lack suitable research personnel."

Xu Yue nodded lightly, expressing his agreement with Biba's words.

"Haha, so long as Mr. Xu joins hands with me, the materials in my possession can be opened to you as well."

Biba laughed freely, showing no stinginess over the information he possessed.

To Biba, aside from revenge, there was almost nothing else that could hold an important place in his heart.

So long as it served the purpose of revenge, he could compromise on anything!

Originally, there would have been no unexpected changes if he had simply proceeded step by step according to his plan. But now, he absolutely had to keep the man before him out of the Shogun's camp. Paying a certain price for that was worthwhile.

Their nighttime talk signified the completion of a successful backroom deal...

His dealings with both Awen Station and Biba had gone smoothly. The Jet Bullet trade had also been far more lucrative than expected; even Biba had placed a large order. With both sides competing on price, the final price was somewhat higher than anticipated.

Perhaps Biba's deliberate attempt to befriend him had played a part as well. Xu Yue took this opportunity to naturally meet the person he had wanted most from the Hunting Party: the doctor who specifically researched Kabane for Biba.

But clearly, sharing technology was one thing. Biba still kept a tight hold on such vital technical personnel. Xu Yue merely smiled and did not make much of it.

Just as Xu Yue lingered at Awen Station for several more days, the event he had been waiting for and anticipating finally occurred.

The vanished Kaku had finally lived up to expectations...

Leaning against a rooftop and drinking the sake in his hand, Xu Yue watched the several people holding a secret discussion inside a secluded house ahead. His eyes were utterly calm in the darkness.

Having personally altered the course of the plot, he naturally understood the power of plot inertia. Even after he had forcibly changed the plot with so many advantages at hand, a mission to correct the plot had still been issued.

Under those circumstances, it was only natural that Kaku, who had played no small role, would still complete this event amid her tangled feelings of love and hatred!

And that laughable assassination plot from the original story would probably continue to happen as well. It had merely been delayed by a few days.

This discovery gave Xu Yue an even deeper understanding of the strength of the Mission Space's plot inertia.

"It seems I haven't wasted these past few days waiting. Since that's the case, it's about time to wrap things up here and save myself quite a bit of trouble..."

Draining the sake in his hand in one gulp, Xu Yue tossed aside the exquisite cup. With a soft laugh, he vanished from the eaves...

Clang! Clang!

The alarm bells on the city walls rang without stop, casting a heavy atmosphere over all of Awen Station.

"Kabane! They're Kabane! So many Kabane are coming toward the city walls!"

"How is that possible? Why would the Kabane come here on their own? That shouldn't be happening."

"..."

The reports sent by the Samurai at the walls threw the station into a state of great tension.

Awen Station's primary defensive measure was its city walls. It did not possess the naturally advantageous terrain of Kōkan Station. In theory, if there were enough Kabane, they could swarm up and over the walls.

For a time, all of Awen Station entered a state of battle readiness.

Having stood here for so long, they naturally had their own methods and several contingency plans for handling such situations.

Elder Kawasaki of Awen Station had been in the middle of discussions with Xu Yue and Biba. Though a trace of cold sweat appeared on his forehead after receiving the news, he remained calm as he said to Xu Yue and Biba,

"Please do not worry, honored guests. With walls this thick, the Kabane cannot break in. We will arrange for people to leave through another gate, mount horses with blood, and lure them away."

Xu Yue looked at the Elder, the smile still remaining on his face.

"Of course, I trust your response."

What the Elder did not know was that the people who had lured the Kabane here were precisely those currently inside Awen Station preparing to assassinate Biba. One of them was even a senior figure of Awen Station.

It had to be said that Kaku had grasped Biba's personality quite accurately—at the very least, his outward personality...

"Elder Kawasaki, please allow the Hunting Party to go into battle. Hunting Kabane is our duty."

Just as expected, Biba spoke up without the slightest hesitation. The image he had always cultivated was that of a liberator who cleared away Kabane, which was how he had earned his current reputation.

"This..."

Elder Kawasaki still appeared somewhat hesitant, but before he could answer, Biba had already stood up and headed for the door, saying forcefully,

"Then it's settled."

It had to be said that this madman in Xu Yue's eyes truly possessed personal charisma. His leadership qualities instinctively made others obey him.

As a real space, the Mission Space automatically filled in and rationalized its characters' behavior compared to the original story. From their brief contact alone, Biba's image was more concrete than in the original work.

"Then I shall take my leave as well."

Xu Yue smiled and gave a slight bow before leaving the main residence. Watching Biba head toward the Hunting Party's Steam Iron Fortress—the Kōtetsujō—Xu Yue merely smiled before walking in another direction...

Waaah~, I went out to the countryside today, so this came a little late~... Also, there's only this one chapter.

Please be gentle with me~

Thanks to Gospel No. 5 and Baiyuren for the tips~

Please be kind, everyone—give me some more bookmarks, recommendations, and clicks...