"Troublesome."
Within the curtain that sealed off inside from outside, the old man sat cross-legged before a divination sand table, his eyes lowered as he gazed at the faint glow of an oil lamp.
After Caruso stated the target of this assassination, he fell into a long silence.
Luo Bomo's former teacher, one of the most active assassin-killers of the corner-laying lineage in the present age, the white-robed elder Shalbah, who had stood at the peak of the Transcendent Rank for many years, pondered for a long while before slowly saying, "Too troublesome. I won't take this job."
Caruso's expression twitched. He bent at the waist and pleaded, "Please, you must lend us a helping hand."
Shalbah lowered his gaze and looked at Caruso. His cold eyes swept over that earnest face before finally landing on the token respectfully presented by the other man, resting upon the carpet where he sat cross-legged.
Years ago, the angle-research lineage had given someone a contract: one action and one term of service regardless of cost or consequences, a named target within their capabilities. For all these years, his teacher had thought he would never see it again, yet he had never forgotten it. Before his death, he had even entrusted the matter to Shalbah.
Clearly, the other party had not forgotten either.
After such a long span of time, this token had returned before him.
And brought another headache with it.
He had no choice.
"I won't charge a fee, but that does not mean you won't have to pay a price."
Shalbah slowly said, "You need to create the right conditions. If there is no opportunity, I will not act. Even if I do act, I cannot guarantee the result."
"...." Caruso paused for a moment, startled. "Even you aren't certain?"
"Certain?"