An Unexpected Assassination, the Heavenly Assassins Organization!

For the first time, Gao Linzhi truly experienced how managers in the extraordinary world conduct themselves.

High-ranking officials almost always use body doubles.

Meanwhile, important officials in the imperial court were not being utilized.

The reason is simple: they don't have enough resources to mobilize local resources to create a substitute for themselves.

These Substitute Puppet are very expensive.

Gao Linzhi can afford it because he is the only ordinary player, a 25th-ranked noble, whose value is equivalent to hundreds of tons of gold per gram.

Most people in the imperial court were clearly not capable of using Substitute Puppet.

This thing is very expensive and requires a lot of technology.

Now it seems that since this prefect used Substitute Puppet, his name, age, height, and even gender may all be fake.

This information is probably only known to him.

This is what a high-ranking official with an extraordinary background looks like.

This means that it is very difficult to directly curse someone to death through various means.

It seems that becoming a high-ranking official requires a lot of things.

After all, this is an obvious target.

That's quite normal.

Gao Linzhi decided to find a way to gather more information.

He observed for a full half day.

Finally, he realized that although the prefectural governor's mansion seemed to be heavily guarded, it actually had some loopholes.

The loophole lies in the people entering and leaving the prefect's residence.

They are often just ordinary people, powerless to resist extraordinary methods.

Gao Linzhi then placed a spying talisman, a jade talisman capable of eavesdropping and spying, on someone.

In this way, he can observe the situation around the other person.

Of course, he knew that these vulnerabilities might have been left intentionally for phishing purposes.

Let's see who has designs on the prefectural governor's office.

And this prefectural governor's residence is not where the prefect himself resides.

This extraordinary world is troublesome.

This also made him realize that this was completely different from ordinary feudal dynasties.

In ordinary feudal dynasties, during their golden age, if the emperor, who held great power, wanted someone to die, although he couldn't kill them immediately, he could still suppress them over a long period of time, and it was easy to suffocate the target in that atmosphere.

For ordinary people, just surviving is already a good outcome.

However, this is precisely what doesn't work in the extraordinary world.

Because extraordinary energy is equivalent to a weapon that equalizes all beings, equivalent to a gun and a giant mushroom.

This prevented the emperor and high-ranking officials from acting arbitrarily or recklessly.

They cannot kill their subordinates, or even ordinary people, at will.

Using a body double may seem like a way to avoid threats, but it often comes with many problems.

After all, the harem can't be filled with stand-ins, can it?

On the contrary, the lower-level officials had fewer concerns.

They only believe in the present and don't consider the consequences much; they squeeze as much as they can out of the moment.

The saying "It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings" perfectly illustrates this point.

Gao Linzhi placed the jade talisman on a person who purchased grain and rice.

His position was neither high nor low.

The man was leading a group of people who were pushing a wheelbarrow, a typical one-wheeled cart with two legs that could be put down when tired, forming a triangular structure.

Gao Linzhi had seen it before, but it was something from a very backward era.

This imperial court, despite having contact with modern gamers, is still using this kind of thing.

This detail reveals that the feudal court instinctively rejected modern technology.

If modern technology rejects it, why not reject mystical magic, which poses an even greater threat?

There is only one reason.

There were previous courts that resisted, but they were overthrown by ambitious individuals who did not...

Such ambitious individuals don't need many people; just one genius, through meticulous research, can master incredibly powerful destructive spells.

Modern technology has a major problem: it requires large areas to be effective.

Therefore, the imperial court could suppress it relatively easily.

However, the mysterious system can be mastered by only a few people, and can be used to eliminate the emperor.

This process of elimination means that only families who have mastered a mysterious system can become royalty.

In fact, the royal family would naturally suppress the mystical systems among the common people, but they could not suppress them because of the strangeness and the barrier of the ocean.

As for technology, a system that requires a large population and market to develop, the imperial court also tries its best to suppress it to prevent any forces from emerging that could threaten it.

This kind of suppression is much more effective.

After all, the most populous markets are Capital Island and Prefectural Island.

If these two types of places are controlled, technology will not be able to emerge.

So, on this Prefectural Island, despite the existence of extraordinary powers and players, the people of the Prefect's Mansion were still using wheelbarrows.

Soon, that person led a group of people, carrying fresh rice, flour, vegetables, and meat, all purchased on the spot, and entered the prefectural governor's mansion through the back gate.

Gao Linzhi knew that this food was probably not for the governor and his confidants.

The governor and his confidants should have been served food separately.

It should be grown and raised within the prefectural governor's residence; they wouldn't purchase it from outside.

Who knows if the things outside are under some kind of curse?

However, servants certainly didn't receive this treatment.

It's impossible for every servant to eat the dishes served in the manor.

After all, it would be too wasteful of manpower and time for the manor to plant them separately.

Gao Linzhi watched as the buyer entered the prefectural governor's mansion.

He saw people greeting him on the street.

"Hello, Manager Wu."

"Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Wu."

"Mr. Wu has taken people out to make purchases again."

"What's good to eat today, Old Wu?"

Clearly, this person was a familiar face in the prefect's residence.

Soon, he led his men to a large kitchen.

There, a group of chefs were boasting.

"What do you think that 'Longevity Water' tastes like? What would it taste like if you stewed it with beef?" a middle-aged chef asked.

"I think it's about the same as your grandma's foot bath water," an old chef joked.

"Damn it, Old Zhang, you're asking for it!"

"Hahaha, Old Zhang, have you tasted his grandma's foot bath water? Otherwise, how do you know it'll be about the same?"

"Hahaha!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Linzhi immediately smiled.

This is Sei-i.

They frequently resort to swearing, making jokes, and engaging in baseless ridicule.

"Roll!"

Gao Linzhi continued to spy.

"Have you heard? Our young lady has taken a fancy to a scholar outside," a cook boasted.

How did you know?

"I'm having an affair with Miss's maid, Chunyan. She told me, and she even told me not to tell anyone else."

"Hahaha, is that really the case? Isn't the Prefect going to do anything about it?"

"What do we care? We don't even know if he's the governor's son."

"Oh, so the young lady is a bastard. Why doesn't the prefect care?"

"It's better to be a bastard, so that no one will use the young lady's body to curse the prefect."

Clearly, these servants, through constant exposure, also learned a great deal about the secret system.

At the same time.

In a back room.

Prefect Liu was talking to General Liu.

"Damn the imperial court! They didn't give us the Longevity Water, but instead gave it to the Wind and Thunder Islands!" The prefect cursed loudly, completely abandoning his previous courteous demeanor.

"My lord, Haifeng Island and Hailei Island have been completely exploited by the imperial court."

"Actually, they know they're being used, but the Longevity Water is too precious, so they willingly let themselves be used," General Liu added.

"Damn it, if they were willing to cooperate with us, and the three of them united, they could have divided up the imperial territory, and we wouldn't be in this passive situation now," Prefect Liu continued.

"What the master says is true. If we can occupy this large area of the sea, I believe we can find the Longevity Water ourselves," General Liu.

"The court is corrupt now. It can only survive by relying on the Imperial Observatory and a few important officials, plus the abundance of food. If it were the previous dynasty, there would have been uprisings everywhere by now," Prefect Liu said with a regretful expression.

"Yes, now that those players have arrived, demon nests are appearing everywhere. There's more demon meat than we can eat every day. It'll be quite difficult for the imperial court to bring this down," said General Liu a sigh.

"That's true."

As the two were talking, suddenly, a cold light flashed.

A sword pierced Prefect Liu's chest.

The governor stared in shock at the sword hilt protruding from his chest.

After a moment of stunned silence, he shouted, "An assassin!"

"Quickly, someone come!" General Liu shouted immediately.

Right there in the back hall, right before his eyes, the dignified prefect's double was assassinated.

Just then, hearing the adjutant's shout, the soldiers rushed over first.

Next, the purchasing manager Gao Linzhi had set up the spying talisman also ran over with a group of people.

Logically, they shouldn't have gathered around; it just goes to show how bad the rules are at the prefectural governor's residence.

It's a complete charade.

Gao Linzhi saw that the prefect's double, who had been perfectly fine just moments before, had now been stabbed.

He's not dead yet.

He was slightly taken aback.

Then I realized, it doesn't matter, it's just a puppet.

But could the assassin not have thought of this?

If they had already thought of it, why did they still attempt the assassination?

Sure enough, the governor suddenly laughed the next moment.

"Assassin, you are truly foolish."

"How could they do something so thankless?"

"You should know that high-ranking officials like us all have puppet decoys."

"Even if you come here to assassinate, you're just wasting a precious opportunity and a manpower."

"You've wasted your spies planted in my residence."

And at this time...

A voice rang out from a tree in the courtyard.

"Heh, you're an idiot too."

"As expected, you meat-eaters are all despicable, lacking ambition, and only know how to oppress the people."

"Even if you have a stand-in, it doesn't matter."

"Because the sword that just stabbed you was Sword of Curse."

"This sword is cursed; it will automatically target your body."

Gao Linzhi was startled upon hearing this.

Then it dawned on me again.

The righteous path is one foot high, but the evil path is ten feet high.

This was destined to happen.

He can use puppet substitutes, but others can use other methods to break the puppets.

Just like in the real world, where people use body doubles, assassins can also release germs. As long as the body double comes into contact with the real person, the real person will also be infected.

Therefore, the real person usually no longer contacts the stand-in.

And here, naturally, someone will develop a way to counter the Stand.

It can only be said that ambitious people are the most motivated to absorb and improve military technology.

Just like the Qing Dynasty, who would have thought that the seemingly conservative and barbaric Qing Dynasty was actually the most enlightened when it first came to power?

Muskets and cannons—anyone with the ability will be given a flag upon arrival.

"Who are you?" The stand-in immediately sensed something was wrong and looked at the trees in the courtyard.

Because he realized he was truly alright; otherwise, with a stab wound to his chest, why would he be able to say so much?

If his stand-in is alright, then who is in trouble?

Suddenly, a wisp of White Mist appeared on the treetop in the courtyard.

The White Mist then condensed into a human shape.

"We are the Sky Assassins!" the figure said coldly.

"Heavenly Assassins? Don't you claim to act on behalf of Heaven and specialize in killing tyrannical officials? I, Liu, have never wronged the people," Prefect Liu exclaimed in shock.

"Because your ambition is too great, and you want to stir up chaos in the world, while the people can still live in peace and prosperity, we, the Heavenly Assassins, will naturally not allow you to continue living," the Heavenly Assassins representative said coldly.

Upon seeing this, Gao Linzhi immediately felt that his trip had been worthwhile.

He received another important piece of information about a powerful force.

An assassin organization, claiming to act on behalf of Heaven and righteousness.

Regardless of their true nature, they are certainly an adversary of the imperial court at present.

Sure enough, there were organizations among the common people that were targeting the imperial court.

At this moment, the prefect was truly taken aback.

"No way, you can't do this to me."

"Although I want to rebel, it's all for the sake of making life better for the people!"

"You can't wrong an innocent person!"

"Good man, if you are a good man, why do you exploit the surrounding islands every year to provide tribute to your people? Where do you send those people?"

"And this time, you clearly didn't have the Longevity Water, so why didn't you just say so? You even attracted many Descenders to die in vain!" the Heavenly Assassin sneered.

Clearly, they are an organization that presents itself as righteous, and this person genuinely believes he is righteous.

Gao Linzhi understood very well that such an organization was very powerful.

Moreover, the people inside are easily fanatical and difficult to bribe.

They are often fearless because they have found meaning in life: to fight for justice.

These are the most terrifying warriors; they are far more difficult to deal with than those so-called strongmen.

"No, it's just for their own good, to give them a chance to improve themselves," the prefect's double said ambiguously.

Clearly, he couldn't explain it clearly.

"Damn it, you bunch of bastards from the Heavenly Assassins! The imperial court offered you amnesty, but you gave up wealth and honor to go into seclusion and keep an eye on the court!" General Liu said angrily.

"Hmph, you are also members of the imperial court. Don't you also think about rebelling all the time? It is precisely because of people like you that we, the Heavenly Assassins, will not be recruited by the imperial court! Once we are recruited, how can we deal with you?" The Heavenly Assassins said with great pride.

And at this time...

The magistrate's double was already bleeding from all seven orifices.

However, this stand-in can still speak normally.

Clearly, his true form is beginning to be injured.

"No, this can't be! It took me fifty years to become the governor, and I still have 200 years, 2000 years to live!" The governor panicked.

He was filled with regret at that moment.

I should have known better than to suppress the players; I should have made good use of their skills. That way, we might be able to deal with this strange assassination curse now.

This is the mindset of feudal officials—they only think of change when they are about to die.

That's good enough.

Many officials in the imperial court would not change their ways even when facing death.