Comprehension against the sky, creating the Five Thunders in the real world

Why can't I enjoy the same level of protection?
Isn't that underestimating people?
"Brother Lin Beichen, isn't this blatant bullying? I'm your brother who's been through thick and thin with you! Can you talk to them about this? My importance shouldn't be underestimated."

Yu Feng couldn't help but complain to Lin Beichen.

Lin Beichen could only shake his head and smile wryly at this.

He certainly wanted to change the status quo; he didn't want to lose his right to move freely.

While this is a form of protection, it is also a constraint for him.

"Don't try to act innocent after getting the better deal. Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?"

Lin Beichen glanced at Yu Feng with a slightly disdainful look.

How could he not see the gloating look in Yu Feng's eyes?
How infuriating! How dare he show off in front of me at a time like this? Is he itching for a beating again? A dangerous glint flashed in Lin Beichen's eyes, sending a chill down Yu Feng's spine.

Lin Beichen's eyes often held profound meaning.

Yu Feng immediately dropped his smug attitude and pleaded in a humble voice:
"I was just joking, Brother Lin Beichen, please don't take it to heart."

"Is something wrong? Please enlighten me, brother."

Yu Feng couldn't help but feel worried.

He wondered if he might encounter some bloodshed or disaster.

If we could know in advance, we might be able to avoid disaster.

Faced with Yu Feng's question, Lin Beichen spoke frankly: "Things are indeed going to be quite turbulent lately, and I suggest you stay here as well. Although your superiors haven't given you any orders, you can choose to stay and accompany them voluntarily. This is the safest option for you." He wasn't joking.

This is the case.

Even if Yu Feng is only an accomplice, the Sakura Kingdom will not let him go.

It can be said that Yu Feng is already tied to the same chariot as him.

Yu Feng wasn't sure if Lin Beichen was just trying to scare him.

But he dared not gamble with his life, after all, Lin Beichen's predictions were always accurate. If the situation was true, then he was indeed in danger; should he stay and keep Lin Beichen company?

After a moment's thought, Yu Feng said in a flattering tone:
"Brother Lin Beichen, please stop scaring me. This kind of joke isn't funny at all."

"When have I ever scared you? If you don't believe me, you can try it yourself."

Faced with Yu Feng's probing questions, Lin Beichen did not offer much explanation.

Whether the other party believes it or not, it's not something he can force.

If Yu Feng insists on not believing it, no matter how much he says, it will be in vain.

If Yu Feng is aware of the situation, the other party will know how to behave even without his reminder.

……

The actual situation was exactly as Lin Beichen had predicted.

Those assassins and mercenaries were just an appetizer.

The real ace assassin has yet to show his face.

At this moment, Norasuke was lurking in the shadows; he had not directly participated in the previous assassination attempt.

But all actions were under his control.

The reason he didn't act immediately was due to the professionalism of a hitman.

At the same time, because Norasuke cherished his life, he knew the saying "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." Those reckless fools were merely pawns he used to gather intelligence, pure cannon fodder sent to their deaths.

As the top ninja assassin in the Sakura Kingdom.

He has his own unique code of conduct.

Nora-suke trusted his intuition—Lin Beichen and Yu Feng remained highly vigilant. Under these circumstances, the success rate was extremely low, especially since these two were no ordinary individuals. Their ability to infiltrate Japan, disrupt the dragon vein, and then return unscathed to China was something no ordinary person could accomplish.

"I didn't expect China to attach so much importance to them; now the operation is even more difficult."

Three days have passed, and Norasuke remains inactive.

According to his estimate, at this point, he would only have a 60% chance of success.

Although he was 70% confident he could take down one of them, this was not the outcome he desired.

Who would risk their life if they could complete the mission alive?

He wasn't a trained assassin from Japan; he had independent thought and wasn't a puppet to be manipulated. Naturally, he wouldn't trade his own life for someone else's; it wasn't worth it.

"If all else fails, we'll have to lay low in China for now."

Sitting at a street stall, Norasuke savored the local wontons.

It must be said that Chinese snacks are truly delicious. Even these casually set up roadside stalls offer unforgettable flavors. He's been eating on this street for three days straight. Even in three days, he hasn't been able to try every single stall; even the same dish tastes different at each place. Take wontons, for example—each stall has its own unique flavor.

"Hot food is so comforting."

"It smells delicious!" Norasuke exclaimed to himself.

Initially, he looked down on Chinese street food, believing it was beneath his status. He would never have touched these snacks if it weren't for the need to conceal his whereabouts. He wouldn't have tried them at all if the mission required him to disguise himself. But as it turns out, no one can escape the "it smells so good" phenomenon.

Even the top assassins of the Sakura Kingdom cannot resist the temptation of delicious food.

"Sticky rice chicken, char siu rice, Peking duck, uh..."

"What am I thinking? I'm an assassin, how can I be thinking about food all day?"

Noraku was on the verge of a breakdown.

I don't know when it started, but he actually became a foodie.

The stall owners along the street all seemed to remember him—this young man frequented different stalls for three days straight, never repeating the same thing, and being from out of town, he was naturally easy to recall. Everyone secretly guessed that he might be a food blogger. People in small towns don't think too much about such things, nor do they expect to attract business through bloggers.

As the locals say, doing things practically is better than anything else.

What's the point of all this fancy stuff? After all, who would make a special trip to eat in such a remote and impoverished place? Wouldn't that be a waste of time?

"Young man, cough cough, this lady wants to ask you something."

Just as Norasuke was pondering what to eat tomorrow, the vendor woman came over from behind her cart and looked him up and down. The young man's features were fairly regular, but he was too thin; she would have preferred him if he were a bit heavier.

"Cough cough cough?!"

The sudden question almost made Noryosuke choke on his wontons.

He and the proprietress were complete strangers; this was their first meeting.

The other person suddenly struck up a conversation; has my identity been exposed?

He believed his disguise was flawless and without any flaws.

Did they slip up in some detail?

However, since I'm playing the role of an outsider, I should be able to get away with some minor mistakes.

"Hey, young man, don't be nervous."

"The lady just wanted to ask, 'Whose wontons are the best on this street?'"

The woman's face was beaming with a bright smile.

The sign above her head was particularly eye-catching:

—The most delicious wonton shop on the whole street.

Sitting at a simple wooden table, Norasuke was enjoying the wontons cooked by the proprietress.

This food stall, converted from a tricycle, has a prominent sign hanging on it.

The proprietress stood right beneath the signboard, a kind and gentle smile on her face. The elderly man who shared the stall with her was also drawn to the conversation, his eyes filled with anticipation, eager to hear the young man's opinion. Who on the whole street didn't know the reputation of "the best wonton shop"? And if you asked which shop had the most delicious wontons...

If his family is second to none, absolutely no one would dare to claim first place.

This is truly a business with a conscience!
The old man thought to himself that all the other shops were unscrupulous merchants.

Click click click——

bang bang bang-

With a flash of light, the old man skillfully wielded two knives to chop the minced meat on the cutting board.

His wontons are made with the freshest ingredients. Truly high-end cuisine often requires only the simplest cooking methods: freshly made wontons are put directly into the pot and boiled for ten minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped green onions and add a few small shrimp.

No complicated procedures are required; you can easily make a bowl of the most delicious wontons.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Norasuke felt the sound of the cleaver hitting the cutting board was getting louder and louder. Was this a warning? Intuition told him what the safest response was.

He swallowed the wonton in his mouth without hesitation, and then said:

"Delicious! Of course, the best wontons from the best wonton shop are the best!"

A friendly smile spread across his face.

He didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

Since the landlady wants to hear praise, it's fine to say a few nice words.

Anyway, it's just a matter of talking, and there's no harm in losing anything.

"Haha, young man, you have a good eye! Not bad, not bad, I have high hopes for you."

The proprietress beamed, waved her hand generously, and said:
"This meal is on me."

Under Norasuke's astonished gaze, the proprietress turned and returned to her stall.

Things took an unexpected turn, but he didn't take it to heart.

……

In the following days, he wandered through every corner of the street.

He sampled all sorts of local delicacies. At first, he would comfort himself by saying that it was to disguise his identity, but now he simply stopped pretending—he was there to enjoy the food.

Is it really appropriate for an assassin to be so unprofessional?

If anyone asks, Norasuke will definitely answer with a straight face: After being an assassin for so many years and fighting for so long, can't I enjoy myself?

Meanwhile, several high-ranking officials in Japan were feeling anxious.

The top assassins they had hired at great expense hadn't sent back any news for so long, leading them to believe that Norasuke had already successfully completed his mission. However, after sending intelligence agents to investigate, they were shocked to discover that Lin Beichen and Yu Feng were completely unharmed and still alive and kicking under the protection of the Chinese military.

Although they had encountered several attacks before, they had easily thwarted them all.

The people of Sakura Country are not fools; they are all aware of Noryosuke's strength.

If he had actually made a move, the outcome would not have been like this. In other words, Norasuke hasn't even taken any action yet.

So he must still be looking for an opportunity.

But so much time has passed and not a single message has come back. What on earth is going on?
Is it possible to take money and not do anything?
Should we contact him and ask what's going on?

Some hesitated and asked Honda for instructions.

If they weren't so anxious to wait, they wouldn't have bothered to contact Norasuke.

They were afraid that a single mistake would expose the other party's whereabouts.

But so much time has passed, and if we don't contact them again, we'll lose faith.

“I think it’s inappropriate. Since we hired him, we should have given him full trust.”

"The most important thing between people is honesty."

"Let's wait patiently a little longer!"

Tieban Dahe spoke with righteous indignation.

There is an old Chinese saying: "If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them."

Three more days passed in the blink of an eye, and then another three days passed, until everyone noticed something was wrong.

Even if Noryosuke was being cautious.

Even if he wanted to ensure that he could kill Lin Beichen and Yu Feng with one blow.

But how much time has passed since then? So much time without any news. Even if the assassination failed, they should have sent a reply. Could that bastard have absconded with the money? The thought made everyone's faces turn grim. This speculation was indeed reasonable.

In order to persuade the number one assassin of the Sakura Kingdom.

They paid an astronomical sum.

Who wouldn't be tempted by such a large sum of money? The difficulty of assassinating Lin Beichen and Yu Feng far exceeded expectations. Thinking about it carefully, absconding with the money isn't impossible, after all, he's been doing this for so many years.

It's time to retire from this life.

"It's over, it's completely over, this money is probably gone for good."

Many people present had similar thoughts.

Honda's face was gloomy, and his gaze unconsciously drifted toward the Teppanyaki River.

Tieban Dahe lowered his head and remained silent, not daring to even breathe loudly at that moment.

He clearly remembered what he had said a few days ago. If he could turn back time, he would want to slap himself a few times—why had he spoken up and defended Noransuke? That guy hadn't given him anything in return. What was the point? Why did he have to speak up for him?

Now, it seems Norasuke has likely absconded with the money.

Just a few days ago, he firmly believed that Norasuke wasn't that kind of person.

As a role model in the assassin world, one should possess professional ethics and a bottom line.

Now it seems all his principles and moral standards were bullshit; he was just an unreliable guy. Assassins and killers operate in the shadows; as long as they don't want to reveal their identities, they're virtually impossible to find. They can disappear at any time with ease.

What's even more troublesome is that these high-ranking officials in Japan have no idea about Norasuke's true identity.

In other words, even if Norasuke really did abscond with the money, or even secretly returned to Japan, it doesn't mean that he was guilty of absconding with the money.

They may not be able to track him down.

Is it absurd? It is absurd to the extreme.

Who can blame them when they're top-tier assassins?

Not all assassins can reach the level of Norasuke.

He's a rare find, unique in the entire Sakura Country. His exceptional strength and impeccable reputation are the reasons. Because of this, no one has ever bothered to investigate his true identity; it's simply unimportant. What matters is that Norasuke can eliminate their target and remove a thorn in their side.

He has never had a failure record in his career.

Furthermore, there has never been a case of breaking one's promise to anyone.

It is precisely because of this that Teppanyaki Taiga trusts Norasuke so much.

That's why everyone here didn't hesitate to hire him for a hefty sum.

"Ahem, I think something unexpected might have happened. Let's try to contact him first. Maybe he's still in hiding. A true top assassin's style is naturally different from an ordinary assassin." Despite the skeptical looks and immense psychological pressure from everyone, Teppanyaki Taiga made a final defense for Norasuke. Now he was in a bind and could only grit his teeth and continue.

He prayed silently in his heart.

I pray that Norasuke won't disappoint him. (End of Chapter)