At the same moment.
At the other end of the floating port.
Inside the most private suite of a luxurious casino.
A golden chip spun rapidly across the table, rolling over one playing card after another before finally landing atop a towering pile of chips.
"Hee, I've got a great hand this time. You're all going to lose."
A flippant voice rang out.
"Cut the crap. You've already lost once and caused all of us plenty of trouble," another voice immediately shot back.
"You mean the assassin? Oh, come on, how was I supposed to know?"
The flippant voice turned somewhat vicious:
"I'm a supreme VIP of the Assassin Alliance. Every year, I send them after a few targets-"
"Yet they dared to neglect a major client like me and sent an assassin who would leak his employer's information."
"Hmph... once I'm in charge, I'll kill every last person in the Assassin Guild."
"A bunch of servants who can't even do their jobs."
He flicked his hand, and another clatter of falling chips sounded across the table.
"I fold this hand. Consider it my apology to everyone."
He folded.
That meant he gave up all the chips he had already wagered.
All those chips would go to the winner of the ensuing round.
Perhaps this concession of his made everyone feel considerably better.
A steady voice then spoke:
"That Shen Ye has already arrived at Cloud Mountain Port. He'll be taking the exam soon. What do you all think?"
"It couldn't be simpler," someone replied.
"Let's hear it."
"Have a word with the examiners. Make sure he fails."
"Just make him fail? Let him off that easily? You should know that the old man in my family personally reprimanded me over this," another voice said resentfully.
"Don't rush. This incident