Far away, several thousand kilometers away.
In a small town's inn.
Ring, ring, ring! An urgent telephone rang. It was the assassin organization's dedicated operator calling.
"Hello? I'm on vacation. Don't disturb me unless it's important." A braided man had just finished bathing, his hair still wet. He picked up the receiver and spoke in a cold, impolite voice.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tien Shinhan. The Ophiuchus Legion has issued a job. They are begging you to accept it, and you can name your price." The operator on the other end spoke very carefully. After all, he was speaking with Tien Shinhan, the World's Number One Killer.
Tien Shinhan was intrigued, but his tone remained icy. "I don't have time."
"Sir, sir, everything is negotiable."
"Four million!"
"Everything is negotiable."
"Who is the target?"
"A martial arts school called Tianxin Style. It's a small school." The caller relayed the information.
Tien Shinhan stroked his beard and twisted his neck, producing a crisp series of cracking sounds. With a sinister look, he said, "Hm, a martial arts school? Heh heh, you know I never take jobs against martial arts schools."
"Th-this..." The other party panicked. It was said that Tien Shinhan himself had come from a martial arts school, so all his previous assignments had targeted individuals. He had never attacked an entire school before.
"Hmph, then you'll have to pay more!"
Tien Shinhan stated it bluntly.
"Y-yes... uh, all right!" The person on the other end kept wiping away sweat.
"Thirty million. Not one cent less."
With that, Tien Shinhan hung up. He sat beside the bed and lit a cigarette, and the inn room soon filled with smoke.
"Tianxin Style, the school of this year's World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament champion?"
After a while, Tien Shinhan stubbed out his