The three heads X the flag bearers X Nubia

Silence settled over the gravel clearing for a few seconds.

Iron Wall and Shattered Eye both turned their eyes to Jiang Ye.

They understood just how serious the matter Shu Mu had described was.

They understood even more clearly that it was no longer something they could get involved in.

The news that Grey Elder was about to be crowned an official elder weighed on their chests like a boulder, so heavy they almost forgot to breathe.

At a time like this, every decision had to be made by Jiang Ye.

Only he could see what move to make next on this chessboard.

But Jiang Ye did not answer immediately.

He was silent for a moment, then changed the subject.

"Since you know so much about it."

"Do you know about the Dawn Society?"

At those words, Shu Mu's body stiffened.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and a complex glint flashed through his narrow eyes.

He opened his mouth to say something, but swallowed the words at the last moment.

Clearly, he was hesitating!

Jiang Ye watched him expressionlessly and did not ask a second time.

He simply raised his right hand and crooked his index finger.

Splurt!

The next moment, a pitch-black Shadow Spike silently shot out of the shadow behind Shu Mu and pierced his left shoulder.

Blood dripped from the tip of the Shadow Spike onto the ground, spreading into a small crimson patch on the gray-white gravel.

Shu Mu gave a short, muffled groan and curled up, but did not cry out.

It wasn't that it didn't hurt. He didn't dare cry out.

Jiang Ye lowered his hand, his tone flat.

"Are you dead?"

Shu Mu's lips trembled.

"...Not dead."

"If you're not dead, squeak a couple of times."

Shu Mu hurriedly spoke.

"Squeak... squeak, squeak."

His voice trembled with pain, but the squeaks were quick and short as he desperately tried to prove he was still alive.

On closer inspection, a fine layer of cold sweat had formed on his forehead and was running down his brow bones into the corners of his eyes, but he did not even dare raise a hand to wipe it away.

Feeling the pain in his body, he suddenly understood one thing.

In front of this twelve-year-old child, he had no room to bargain.

He might die if he spoke, but if he didn't... he would definitely die.

"The Dawn Society..."

Shu Mu took a deep breath, suppressing the searing pain from the Shadow Spike deep in his chest, and began spilling everything he knew.

He looked ready to let the fish die and the net break.

"The Dawn Society isn't an ordinary gang."

"Its structure is complicated. It isn't run by a single person."

"At the top are three heads. Beneath them are twelve flag bearers and elite members, with duties divided among the ranks and each responsible for their own area."

He paused and caught his breath before continuing.

"The three heads are Nubia, Jiliu, and Yejian."

"Nubia is the chairman, an Enhancement Nen user, and a former member of the elder guard."

"He rarely shows himself, but when he makes a move, it's on the scale of suppressing an entire position."

"Jiliu handles tactical coordination, while Yejian controls personnel."

"The three of them each hold a share of power and run the entire Dawn Society together."

At that point, Shu Mu lifted his eyes slightly and glanced at Jiang Ye, as if checking whether he was listening.

Jiang Ye's expression did not change. He simply stood there quietly, his shadow spreading silently at his feet.

Shu Mu swallowed and continued.

"Tie Liao was the leader of the Shattered Iron Group in name, but he actually belonged to the Dawn Society."

He paused, steadying the weight of his final words before saying them.

"He was one of the twelve flag bearers and belonged to Nubia's faction."

At that, Iron Wall's brows knitted sharply.

Shattered Eye's lips pressed into a thin line.

They had both known Tie Liao had a backer, but only now did they truly understand how high and mighty that backer was.

Shu Mu watched Jiang Ye's expression and hesitated, but finally said the last part.

"Once Nubia finds out Tie Liao is dead, he'll definitely come after you."

His voice was very low, with a trace of fear in it.

"And... as far as I know, Tie Liao was Nubia's most crucial piece on the board."

"Nubia sent him to put down roots in District 13, not to fight over territory here..."

He took a deep breath.

"It was so he could become the future head of the Dawn Society's flag bearers."

"As long as Tie Liao established himself in District 13, he could rise straight from leader of the Shattered Iron Group into the Dawn Society's core ranks."

"Then Nubia's votes among the three heads would outnumber Jiliu's and Yejian's."

He raised his head and looked Jiang Ye in the eye.

"By killing Tie Liao... you didn't just kill the leader of a small gang."

"I can tell you clearly: you chopped down Nubia's ladder to the top of the Dawn Society."

When his voice fell silent, only the wind and Shu Mu's heavy breathing remained in the gravel clearing.

Jiang Ye stood there, looking down at the Shadow Spike still slowly dripping blood from Shu Mu's shoulder. Only after a moment did he speak.

"So Nubia will definitely come."

"He'll bring people to District 13."

"He'll find me sooner than Grey Elder."

"And then... kill me."

Shu Mu's pupils contracted slightly, and he nodded.

"Yes."

Hearing that answer, the corners of Jiang Ye's mouth curved upward.

It was the kind of smile Iron Wall and Shattered Eye had both seen before, one that always sent a chill down their spines and filled them with a sense of foreboding.

"Perfect."

Jiang Ye turned around, his gaze passing beyond the gray-white sky at the edge of the scrap zone and settling on the distance.

"That saves me the trouble of looking for him."