Yeah, she was no longer an ordinary person herself. Why would she be afraid of being assassinated?
"So, the only person she needs to fear is Mebius herself."
As they spoke, both of their gazes settled on Mebius.
Mebius, being stared at by the two of them, rolled her eyes.
"You two are fine now, but I'm the one in trouble. So tell me, what's the solution?"
"How about Velvie stays with you for a few days? Once I've turned the assassin over, she can leave."
"...That could work."
After thinking it over for a while, Mebius nodded in agreement.
It was not as though she could not agree to something like this. Besides, it was for her own safety.
Until nightfall...
"Let me guess who she'll try to assassinate first this time. Me, or Mebius and the others?"
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Chang Yuan stared at the only entrance.
In that instant, a black figure flashed past.
A hint of cherry-pink flickered within that black silhouette.
"Coming for me first? Makes sense. I'm the mastermind, after all. To capture bandits, capture their leader first."
The moment Chang Yuan finished muttering to himself—
That figure suddenly drew a long blade and thrust it at him.
Her attack was decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
Facing the strike, Chang Yuan merely shifted his body slightly and avoided the blade.
The blade struck the wall behind Chang Yuan and instantly sank three inches into it.
That alone showed how powerful the strike had been.
"As expected of one of the future Thirteen Flame-Chasers. She already has such strength as an ordinary person. Tsk, tsk, tsk."
After dodging the blow, Chang Yuan stood to the side and watched the assassin, who had been left dazed by her first failure.
However, the assassin did not remain distracted for long. She immediately steadied herself and launched another attack at Chang Yuan.
Every one of her attacks targeted vital points—the neck, the heart, and the temples.
Every one of those places was fatal.
Yet without exception, every slash missed.
Seeing this, the assassin had no intention of continuing and instead prepared to flee.
From Chang Yuan's evasions, she could tell that he had not gone all out. This target was clearly not someone she could handle.
But just as she was about to escape, a single sentence from Chang Yuan froze her in place.
"I say, the renowned Chrysalis assassin, Forget-me-not—Miss Sakura—are you really planning to just walk away like that? Wouldn't that make me, the second-in-command of the First Squad, look pretty bad?"
Hearing him reveal every part of her identity, Sakura froze on the spot.
Then she turned toward Chang Yuan with astonishment in her eyes.
"Wondering how I know who you are?"
Seeing Sakura's expression, Chang Yuan guessed what she was thinking.
"Have you considered the possibility that you've already been abandoned? Sending you to assassinate me was merely a way to use my hand to get rid of you?
After all, as Flame-Chasing Moth higher-ups, how could they not know my strength? Back then, Airi and I joined forces to kill the Second Herrscher."
Of course, all of that was complete nonsense, meant only to disrupt Sakura's thoughts so he could win her over.
And Sakura actually believed him. She knew what those people were like, and it would not be surprising at all for them to discard someone once they had outlived their usefulness.
Assassins learned too much about their employers' darker secrets, so very few of them survived long enough to retire. Even after retirement, endless trouble would still follow them.
That was why, after finally retiring, she had planned to take her younger sister into anonymity, far from all these well-known places, and survive in some obscure corner of the world.
"But you can trust me. I have never been on the same side as those councilors. They sent you to assassinate me because they fear my strength.
Even if the odds were minuscule, they still wanted to try. After all, if you failed, it would only mean the death of an assassin. It would have nothing to do with them.
So, do you want to join me? I can guarantee your sister's absolute safety—provided you come to Flame-Chasing Moth."
After saying that, Chang Yuan pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other as he looked at Sakura.
After hearing Chang Yuan's offer, Sakura was deeply shaken.
She had long since stopped wanting to work for those councilors. Who knew when she would become an abandoned pawn, just like now?
But she could not be certain whether the man before her could truly guarantee her sister's safety.
"Don't believe me? You can try calling your employer. I can make him die instantly, without even giving him a chance to retaliate against you."
"...If you can really do that, then I will swear loyalty to you."
If Chang Yuan could truly accomplish it, then her sister's safety would definitely be guaranteed.
Sakura immediately called her employer.
Meanwhile, Chang Yuan activated the nanobots' surveillance equipment. He wanted to see who was behind this.
"Are you calling to tell me the mission is complete?"
"...Yes."
After replying softly, Sakura fixed her gaze on Chang Yuan.
By then, Chang Yuan had learned which councilor was the mastermind.
He grinned, then pressed the detonation button.
This time, he would kill a chicken to warn the monkeys and crush some of the arrogance they were so proud of.
Just as Sakura was wondering what was happening, the sound of an explosion came from the other end of the phone.
Beep, beep, beep—!
"Well? Is that enough to protect your sister? The moment they try to make a move against her, I'll know. Then I can make them die instantly."
"...Chrysalis assassin, codename 'Forget-me-not,' real name Sakura. I hereby swear loyalty to you."
Sakura set down her long blade, dropped to one knee, and pledged her loyalty.
Seeing this, Chang Yuan grinned so broadly that he could barely close his mouth.
If he were not devoted to pure romance, who knew what kind of development might have happened now.
"Pretend the mission failed and go back. I know there are still some councilors who were not the masterminds, but with the mastermind dead this time, they probably won't dare make a move anytime soon.
Take this chance to bring your sister to a city near Flame-Chasing Moth's headquarters. Around here, I can guarantee your sister's absolute safety."
That was not an empty claim. He really could do it.
The nanobots Velvie had made were already monitoring Flame-Chasing Moth's headquarters from every angle, without a single blind spot.
The surrounding cities had not yet been placed under surveillance, but that was only because production of the nanobots had not caught up yet.
Once it did, the entire world would be monitored from every angle, without a single blind spot.
Then dealing with the Honkai would become much easier.
"Yes. Also, this is my private number. You may command me whenever you need me. I will become the sharpest blade in your hand."
Before you continue