The discussion was over.
With the candlelight behind him framing his features, Chrollo had a mysterious, sinister allure.
He slowly raised his head, stood, and looked each of his companions in the eye.
"This time, our targets are the people in the Council of Elders who hired the Zoldyck Family. Kill everyone who might have commissioned them."
Uvogin was the first to stand at those words.
It was hard to tell whether his expression was one of excitement or fear as he eagerly sought confirmation from Chrollo.
"Really, boss? We're going to slaughter the Council of Elders?! They're the ones who actually rule Meteor City. Won't that make everyone here our enemy?"
Chrollo curved his lips faintly and asked in return:
"Are you scared, Uvogin?"
Uvogin trembled all over with excitement.
"How could I be? A mission like this is the best thing I could ask for! Give the order, boss! My blood's already boiling!"
At that, the smile on Chrollo's face blossomed.
He raised a hand lightly, the gesture elegant and beautiful. Yet the words that left his mouth were utterly cruel, every one of them seeming steeped in blood!
"Go! You have my permission to slaughter them! Make everyone who dares lay a hand on us pay!"
The other Spiders looked eager to get started.
The entire Phantom Troupe base sprang to life, like a stagnant pool into which a live fish had suddenly swum!
Danger and death never brought these people fear. Instead, they brought pleasure.
They were true villains, bandits, and thugs, capable of every imaginable evil!
Next, the Spiders laid out their entire plan as though weaving a web.
The injured Number Eight and Machi would stay at the base with their leader, serving as bait to lure in the Zoldyck Family, while everyone else went out to slaughter the people in the Elders' Council!
The attack plan clearly assigned who would provide support, who would clean up afterward, and who would carry out the main slaughter.
Their leader had analyzed the Zoldyck Family's previous missions.
From those missions, he had deduced one rule the Zoldyck Family followed: once a client died or became unable to pay the assassination fee-
The Zoldyck Family was very likely to terminate the mission!
After all, they were a family of professional assassins conducting a legitimate business in murder.
Businesspeople would never take a loss or work for nothing.
Recalling the lies A Luo had made up earlier, he had even specifically sent Shalnark over to ask her for confirmation.
After receiving an affirmative answer, Chrollo sought to make the plan foolproof and prevent any targets from slipping through the net.
He made some further adjustments to the overall attack plan.
A Luo listened to the entire discussion from the sidelines.
Beyond being utterly awed by Chrollo's powers of deduction, she could not help beginning to worry about herself.
According to the Spiders' plan, they would send most of their fighting force to kill the people in the Elders' Council who had hired the Zoldyck Family, leaving their leader, Machi, and the injured Number Eight here to deal with the Zoldyck assassins coming for them?
What about me?
What arrangements have the Spiders made for me?
After all, she was still a child-a child without Nen, utterly incapable of protecting herself in a battle of this scale.
Whether she followed the main force out to kill and burn or stayed in this house waiting for the Zoldyck Family to come, wouldn't she end up as collateral damage, a fish roasted by someone else's fire?
So, after the Spiders finished discussing their plan, A Luo swallowed her embarrassment and followed Chrollo to his room.
Of course Chrollo knew A Luo was following him, but the man did not say a word the whole way. He neither sent her away nor asked why she was trailing him!
He simply went about his own business as though she did not exist.
After a quick wash, he pulled a thick, ancient tome out of who knew where and prepared to lose himself in reading.
Lola finally could not hold back. She cautiously approached Chrollo and reminded him in a low voice.
"Boss, what am I supposed to do while you're matching wits and fighting with the Zoldyck Family and the Council of Elders? Don't forget I'm a child! The kind of child who could get killed by accident when you start fighting."
Chrollo looked up at her without committing himself either way. His expression softened as he said unhurriedly:
"If you die, you die. I can always find another one later. Capable subordinates who can fight are hard to find, but cooks who can make a meal are everywhere."
Lola panicked at that.
No way! What do you mean, if I die, I die?
As far as I know, I'm the only person who's transmigrated into this world! Isn't rarity supposed to make something valuable? Without me, where would Chrollo find another one?
Besides, I know the future plot.
Hisoka's a fake member, Kurapika will come for revenge and kill their companions, and their leader will have his Nen sealed. Every one of those things is a matter of life and death for the Phantom Troupe!
Unfortunately, she could not tell him any of it.
Chrollo merely sat at ease on the sofa, quietly watching Lola's foolish, stammering inability to get any words out!
At last, she drooped her head and prepared to turn and leave.
Only then did Chrollo stand and bend down, wrapping an arm around Lola's shoulders as he murmured with something like a sigh:
"There's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want something, you have to give something in return, don't you? A Luo, giving you protection isn't difficult. But what are you prepared to offer in exchange? Your secret, or more information you haven't told us?"
For a moment, A Luo looked up at Chrollo, startled and uncertain.
She stared at him for a long time before lowering her head again without a word.
Fortunately, Chrollo did not seem inclined to force the issue. Seeing that A Luo had no intention of confessing, he loosened his large hand and let her go, allowing the little girl to leave in silence!
Over the time that followed, A Luo racked her brains for every possible escape plan.
In the end, she sorrowfully realized a cruel truth: even if she escaped the Spider Nest, as long as she remained within Meteor City-
Even if she were on its outskirts, it would take her at least five or six days to leave Meteor City at her current walking speed.
And food would be an enormous problem during those five or six days!
Without food, she would never make it out of this place filled with garbage.
But if she brought food, she would never be able to hold on to it.
With her level of skill, running around Meteor City carrying food would be no different from a child carrying gold through a marketplace. Someone would probably kill her and steal it within minutes!
After all, with her pathetic little tricks, she had to act cute and weak just to compete in a match. How could she possibly be a match for the people of Meteor City?
This was no civilized, law-abiding society. In the ring, she could bow her head, show weakness, and expect her opponent to stop short of killing her. Here, the only rule was the law of the jungle: the strong devoured the weak!
One careless mistake really could cost her life here.
She did not want to die, and she had not found her mother in this world yet. She could not let herself die in Meteor City like this.
But... what exactly can I do to stay alive through this chaos?
At that thought, A Luo could not help letting out a long, frustrated sigh.
And amid A Luo's sighs, the moment finally arrived for the Spiders to head out to kill and burn.
Before you continue