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

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, until Honda broke the deadlock.

Honda looked around and said calmly, "That makes sense."

Top assassins always have something that sets them apart.

This is all understandable.

He appeared calm and composed.

It was as if they had never suspected that Norasuke would abscond with the money.

This is the demeanor of a leader: no matter how anxious one is inside, one must remain calm on the surface.

What were the results of the other assassins' attacks on Lin Beichen and Yu Feng? Without exception, they all failed. They all met their demise unexpectedly. In this light, the lack of news might actually be good news. After hearing Honda's analysis, everyone nodded in agreement; it certainly made sense.

As per the initial agreement with Norōsuke.

Unless there are special circumstances, it's best not to disturb him.

But now an exception has to be made. Morale is already wavering, and if they don't receive definite news soon, even Hondakawa might not be able to endure the torment. Aside from the enormous sum of money involved, time is the most precious resource right now, and Japan can't afford to wait any longer.

……

Another pleasant and leisurely day.

Noraku continued to enjoy his afternoon tea leisurely.

This was already the umpteenth time he had enjoyed this kind of leisurely time.

Just then, he received a communication request from the land of cherry blossoms.

Norasuke, who was immersed in the aroma of tea, was suddenly stunned.

After a moment of confusion, he suddenly realized that he was a professional assassin.

But what is he doing right now?
His expression turned somewhat grim, but he quickly reassured himself: the situation in China is tense right now, and the entire country is cracking down on lurking assassins. Everything he's doing now is necessary preparation for better completing his mission and for a more perfect disguise; it's all part of his plan.

Thinking of this, my original sense of guilt vanished instantly.

I did nothing wrong; it was all for the smooth progress of the mission.

All actions conformed to the code of conduct.

To ensure his identity remained undiscovered, Norasuke made a "difficult" decision.

He decided to finish his afternoon tea before contacting the Japanese side.

……

The communication request disappeared without a trace.

It was as if the person they were looking for didn't exist at all on the other end of the line.

It's over, completely over. Getting ripped off is a minor issue; what's most unacceptable is being treated like a fool.

Everyone here is a respectable person.

They were all respected and dignified figures in the country of Japan.

If outsiders knew they had been mocked like this, how could they save face?

A deathly silence filled the conference room; you could hear a pin drop. Teppanyaki Taiga's face was deathly pale; the man who had defended Norasuke countless times was now utterly helpless.

"Didn't some people previously swear that Norasuke had a high level of professional ethics?"

"We trusted him so much that we waited until now to contact him even when there were problems, but he's vanished like he's disappeared into thin air. Is this what they call a top assassin? It's laughable." The new head of the Yamamoto family sneered without any politeness. The Yamamoto family and the family that Teppanyaki Taiga belong to have always been at odds, whether due to tradition or long-standing grudges, it's unclear.

The various families under his command checking and balancing each other is exactly the situation Hondakawa is happy to see.

He did not speak out to stop them, but silently observed the heated exchange below.

"That's right, that's right. I also remember someone saying that Norasuke is still lurking in China."

Then someone else chimed in sarcastically.

Tieban Dahe could easily tell who these people were referring to as "someone".

He cursed inwardly: "Why don't you just give me your ID number directly? What's the point of beating around the bush? Besides, it hasn't even been an hour since the message was sent. Norasuke might be on a mission and it's normal that he can't reply immediately. So hasty and impulsive, and they still want to assassinate Lin Beichen and Yu Feng?"

Teppanyaki Taiga still firmly believes in Norasuke's strength.

The opponent has never failed before, and this time will likely be no exception.

The truth is often in the hands of a minority.

Tieban Dahe considered himself the only one sober in a world of drunks.

"No way, no way, does anyone really think Norasuke can successfully assassinate Lin Beichen and Yu Feng?"

"So many people have failed, including some of the best."

“I admit that Norasuke has a brilliant record and has never failed. But this time the target is under tight protection by the Chinese military. I think it is very difficult for him to succeed.”

"Forget it, let's just give up if it doesn't work out. We can afford to lose this little bit of money."

"But I must remind some people to stop being so stubborn. Norasuke? He's nothing but a joke." Everyone chimed in, and Teppanyaki Taiga didn't even have a chance to interject. What could he say in this situation? Ultimately, one cannot defend oneself.

He is not Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms period.

He simply couldn't win a debate with a group of scholars.

……

Another full hour passed, and just when everyone thought Norasuke wouldn't reply, the communication suddenly went through. According to the agreement, a reply was due within twenty-four hours at the latest. The fact that the communication had returned meant Norasuke was still on his mission. This was tantamount to a resounding slap in the face to those who had just mocked Teppanyaki Taiga.

The Tieban River instantly transformed from a listless state into a vibrant and energetic one.

He looked around at everyone and said with a forced smile, "The most important thing between people is trust. Since we hired Norasuke to carry out the assassination mission, we should give him enough trust."

"Instead of talking behind people's backs like you do."

"Gossiping behind people's backs, do you even deserve to be called that? I, Tieban Dahe, am ashamed to be associated with you." Although the words weren't too harsh, they made everyone present feel ashamed.

There's nothing we can do; they were the ones who said such harsh things earlier.

Who could have predicted such a dramatic turn of events?
Norasuke, whom they thought had absconded with the money, actually contacted them.

It seems that Norasuke did nothing wrong; he was just waiting for the right moment.

Honda's expression improved noticeably. He glanced at Teppanyaki Taiga and then stepped in to smooth things over. They were all on the same side; there was no need to make things too tense. A few words would suffice; let's hear what Noryusuke has to say first. With Honda mediating, Teppanyaki Taiga didn't dare to go too far.

The others, like defeated roosters, all lowered their heads and dared not utter another sound.

"Do you know how I survived these past ten days?! Do you know?"

Noransuke decides to strike first.

He didn't give the other side a chance to make a move, and decisively chose to take the initiative.

"The situation in China is so dire right now that it's like hell on earth for us assassins. How easy is it to hide your identity in this environment? I went through so much trouble to finally find an opportunity to assassinate Lin Beichen."

"But what about you? What did those words mean? You don't trust me?" "If you don't trust me, then forget it. This mission is too difficult. I don't think it's worth risking my life for this little bit of money," Norasuke said decisively.

No one expected Norasuke to be so tough.

For a moment, I didn't know how to refute it.

Indeed, they had previously suspected that Norasuke had absconded with the money.

Therefore, during our conversation just now, I inevitably said some inappropriate things.

"Most of the assassins have been wiped out. Now I should be free."

Faced with the tight protection from the authorities, Lin Beichen appeared quite helpless.

He did not believe he was incapable of dealing with potential dangers.

The best way to eliminate the assassins lurking in China more quickly is to use oneself as bait. Lin Beichen had previously made this suggestion to several high-ranking military officials, but unfortunately it was not adopted.

These high-ranking officials protected him as if he were a rare treasure.

They feared he might be assassinated by enemy assassins.

This is because he is regarded as a national hero.

China would never allow its meritorious officials to be assassinated by enemy countries; they would do everything in their power to protect them. As for why Yu Feng's freedom wasn't restricted, he was, in principle, one of those who had rendered meritorious service.

The main reason is that the military is familiar with Yu Feng's modus operandi.

Wherever Lin Beichen is, Yu Feng will basically follow.

Since Lin Beichen needs to accept the military's protection for safety reasons.

Under these circumstances, they believed that Yu Feng would not dare to act rashly.

As they expected, Yu Feng had been staying in the safe zone with Lin Beichen all this time. In truth, he, like Lin Beichen, longed to go out; this imprisoned life was completely out of their nature. Facing assassins, they showed no fear, even feeling excited! Because only in real combat could they continuously hone their skills.

"Going out now is not a problem, but I suspect there are still a few troublesome individuals who haven't been eliminated. These slip-ups are the ones we need to be most wary of. If you are confident in handling them, I naturally won't stop you. With your abilities, you shouldn't be easily taken down." The military high command nodded in approval of Lin Beichen's application.

It would be against their style to hide simply because there might be danger.

Moreover, it's still uncertain who the hunter and the prey are.

According to Lin Beichen's plan, this was tantamount to a "entrapment operation".

"Don't worry, top-tier assassins aren't something you can just run into anytime."

Lin Beichen was not worried.

At most, only the most elite assassins from Japan would come looking for trouble with him.

Assassins from other regions probably wouldn't dare cause trouble in China; this is forbidden territory for assassins and mercenaries. Only those reckless bastards who don't know their own limitations would dare to try their luck here. They fantasize about pulling off this big heist in Japan, then retiring from their life of crime and living a carefree life.

There are quite a few killers who harbor this kind of wishful thinking.

The most likely top assassins still active are probably just a few from Japan. Lin Beichen estimates there are no more than two or three at most, and he's quite confident about that.

"Do you need our cooperation in your fishing operation?"

"It's better to be cautious, don't you think?"

“No need, Yu Feng and I can handle it. If possible, could you lend Zhang San to me for a while?” Lin Beichen thought of Zhang San, the king of soldiers he had worked with before.

As a top-notch individual combat expert, Zhang San's combat effectiveness is indeed formidable.

Even Lin Beichen dared not be careless in the slightest when facing Zhang San.

In a head-on confrontation, he has at most a 70% chance of winning.

However, if he used unconventional methods, Lin Beichen was absolutely confident he could subdue Zhang San. He was quite proficient in divination, feng shui, and various Taoist secret techniques. With a calculated strategy against an unsuspecting opponent, he could completely defeat Zhang San through various "accidents."

"Oh? You have good taste, actually wanting Zhang San to help you."

"That depends on his own wishes."

Military high-ranking officer Lü Guangwei nodded in agreement and did not refuse Lin Beichen's request.

He believed that Zhang San would not refuse Lin Beichen's invitation.

They had worked together before, and Zhang San spoke highly of Lin Beichen after returning.

When others asked him who was stronger between him and Lin Beichen, Zhang San would always smile and remain silent.

"By the way, how did things go with those prisoners from last time?"

"Wasn't there someone willing to cooperate?" Lin Beichen thought of Nara Kotsubaki, the prisoner he had captured in the Kunlun Mountains. Because she was quite cooperative, he handed her over to the authorities.

"You mean him? He's become our intelligence specialist now."

“Given his previous special status, he will need to be monitored for the time being. As long as he makes enough contributions, we will grant him a certain degree of freedom.” Lu Guangwei’s expression was slightly strange as he scrutinized Lin Beichen from head to toe.

Lin Beichen felt a little uneasy being stared at like that by Lü Guangwei.

"Do you and him have some kind of special relationship? He's asked to see you several times. But your situation is special, and his identity is sensitive, so I haven't approved it." Lu Guangwei's words made Lin Beichen's scalp tingle.

What does this mean? Does it mean they suspect him of having an affair with a prisoner?
Don't talk nonsense, there is absolutely no ambiguity between me and Nara Kotsubaki.

"Don't overthink it. I've only met him once at most."

Once a prejudice is formed, it is often very difficult to reverse.

Lin Beichen really couldn't understand what was wrong with Lü Guangwei today, that he would gossip to such an extent.

He could clearly sense that Lü Guangwei hadn't listened to a word he said.

Perhaps in Lü Guangwei's view, there must be some special relationship between Nara Kotsubaki and himself. Otherwise, why would Nara Kotsubaki willingly become a spy? Why would she completely betray Japan? There must be some reason and motive behind it. In addition, Nara Kotsubaki occasionally inquires about Lin Beichen's recent situation, making it difficult not to arouse suspicion.

"Alright, alright, I understand! When necessary, you can make an exception and use your good looks to your advantage."

Lu Guangwei gave him a knowing look.

He stepped forward, patted Lin Beichen on the shoulder, and said earnestly.

"Regardless of his past identity, he is now serving China. To allow him to focus on his work, I think we should arrange for you to meet him." This statement was truly astonishing.

Lin Beichen hadn't expected that his casual question would lead Lü Guangwei to make such a decision. He looked at him, puzzled, and asked, "Is this really necessary? I'm really not that familiar with him."

Lü Guangwei's face was full of disbelief.

"We're really not that familiar."

Lin Beichen tried to explain again.

He wanted Lü Guangwei to believe that he was telling the truth.

But Lü Guangwei always wore an expression that said, "Don't try to fool me, kid."

He didn't believe Lin Beichen was telling the truth at all. Based on his intuition, he felt that there was definitely something fishy going on between Lin Beichen and Nara Kotsubaki.

"Really, you have to believe me."

"There was really no need to arrange a meeting between us. Aren't you just ruining my reputation?" Lin Beichen's expression was extremely serious, trying to prove that he and the other party truly had no relationship. But the more he argued, the more certain Lu Guangwei's intuition became that there was something more to it. (End of Chapter)