Illumi X Zoldyck X Self-Taught

Iron Wall opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just nodded vigorously, turned around and walked away quickly.

His footsteps pounded on the iron floor, heavier than usual, each step a resolute determination.

Jiang Ye walked behind the old wooden table in the center of the container room, sat down, and placed his hands on the table.

He made no move to stand up and greet him, nor did he make any special gesture.

Soon, footsteps approached from outside the door.

Iron Wall entered first, stepping aside to make way for the doorway.

The next second, another figure stepped across the threshold and slowly walked into the room.

Jiang Ye's gaze fell on that person, slowly sweeping over him.

Long, black hair hung straight down to her waist, the ends of which were meticulously trimmed.

His face was pale, and his features were so exquisite that they were almost inhuman, making it clear at first glance that this was not an ordinary face.

He wore a dark casual jacket, simply cut, without any unnecessary embellishments.

He stood there, silent as an unlit doll.

But what's most striking is his eyes.

Those eyes were completely black.

The pupils and irises merged into one, without any boundary, darkly embedded in that pale face, like two bottomless wells.

When those eyes look at you, you don't feel like they're looking at you; it's more like they're measuring you.

After assessing your skeletal structure, muscle structure, reaction speed, and..., whether you're worth his time.

But Jiang Ye believes it's more about where the Nen Needle is most suitable to be inserted.

The moment Jiang Ye's eyes met those eyes, all the energy in his body subconsciously converged towards his Aura Nodes for a split second.

It was an instinctive reaction; the body sensed the danger before the brain!

But he didn't move.

Jiang Ye's expression remained unchanged, his breathing was steady, and his posture in the chair was even more relaxed than before.

He leaned back in his chair, picked up the glass of water that had long since gone cold, took a sip, put it back, and began to speak.

Illumi Zoldyck Family.

Jiang Ye's voice was steady.

"I've long admired your reputation."

He paused for a moment, then gestured with his chin to indicate the location opposite him.

Sit.

Illumi did not sit.

He stood just two steps inside the doorway, his completely black eyes slowly scanning the room.

He took in everything in the room before finally turning his gaze back to Jiang Ye.

"You are the leader of the Rust Remains Alliance."

His tone wasn't asking a question, but rather confirming a fact that the answer was already known.

Jiang Ye neither denied nor nodded.

He simply sat there, quietly watching Illumi.

A hint of surprise flashed in Illumi's eyes.

He had long heard that the leader of the Rust Remains Alliance was originally just a twelve-year-old refugee, and now it seemed that this was indeed the case.

However, the aura they exuded was completely unlike that of ordinary refugees and children.

Ordinary people would undoubtedly feel fear and dread upon the Zoldyck Family, but Jiang Ye's eyes showed no fear whatsoever, only calmness.

Jiang Ye didn't give him any more time to observe.

"You didn't come here to chat with me this time."

Illumi tilted her head, her completely black left eye narrowing slightly as she re-examined Jiang Ye.

He then reached inside his collar and took out two items from a close-fitting position.

A folded piece of paper, a photograph with creases at the edges.

He placed the photos and papers together on the table and pushed them towards him.

"Someone wants him dead."

Illumi spoke without any emotion.

"But he escaped to District 13."

"I need you to help me find him, and capture him alive."

Jiang Ye glanced down at the photo.

The photo shows a thin, middle-aged man with prominent cheekbones and an old scar on his left eyebrow, standing in the shadows of a street, wearing a dark coat.

The photo was taken in low light and is somewhat blurry, but the facial features are clear enough.

Jiang Ye didn't touch the photo; his gaze shifted from it to the folded piece of paper.

A few hastily written words were on the edge of the paper, which should be the signature or code of the client.

He didn't unfold it to look at it, and continued to ask.

"Why don't you just take action?"

"With your abilities, find someone in District 13..."

Time.

Illumi interrupted him, her words concise and to the point.

"The goal is to enter District 13 three days ago."

"He's already gone into hiding."

"It would take me too long to search by myself."

He paused for a moment, his completely black eyes staring directly at Jiang Ye.

"In District 13, you're faster than me."

Jiang Ye looked at Yiermi but didn't rush to reply.

He knew Illumi was telling the truth.

When a top assassin enters an unfamiliar area to find someone, the fastest way is not to search through every piece of scrap metal himself, but to find someone who knows where that piece of scrap metal is.

Having spent so long in Meteor City, Jiang Ye knows all too well the value of the head snake.

As for why not look for Grey Elder?

It's very simple: getting things done through local powerful figures is easier and less costly than getting things done through elders.

But what truly ignited Jiang Ye was something else.

Illumi needs help.

In the Hunter world, those who help the Zoldyck Family are never there for free.

Jiang Ye pushed the photo onto the table and leaned back in his chair.

What he wanted was simple: the Zoldyck Family's training methods.

He's been in Meteor City for almost two months.

He practiced entanglement, special techniques, physical training, and combat under the most rudimentary conditions, making considerable progress, but he clearly knew what he still lacked.

A systematic, well-established training path that has been validated by generations of researchers.

As a self-taught vagrant, relying on fragmented knowledge from his previous life and scattered information from the original work, he groped in the dark, and sooner or later he would hit that invisible ceiling.

The Zoldyck Family begins training in killing techniques from birth.

Killua has been pushing the Testing Gate since he can remember. Gon and Killua learned in the Heavens Arena is just the Zoldyck Family's training system.

If we could pry even a single thread from Illumi, it would be a game-changer for him!

But Jiang Ye also knew that he couldn't rush things.

Illumi isn't the type of person who can be easily swayed by playing the victim.

This person is extremely rational, and all his actions revolve around the interests of his family.

To get something from him, you have to make him think that the deal is also beneficial to the Zoldyck Family.

Jiang Ye was silent for a moment, then looked up at Irmie with a half-smile on his face.

"You can launch a direct assault on District 13."

Jiang Ye spoke slowly and steadily.

"But you should have already calculated that it would take you at least three to five days to find a target to hide from in an unfamiliar area, all by yourself."

"And all the pathways, bunkers, and transfer points in this area are under my control."

"Moreover, my men will obstruct you both openly and secretly."

Upon hearing this, Irmie's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Jiang Ye continued speaking, his voice firm.

There are two possible endings.