On the Ark.

"Don't worry," Kazan said confidently. "Do you think I would come to deal with this young lady of the Guigu family who travels the world without any preparation? Here, take this."

Kazan handed a bottle to Luther, who took it and asked with some confusion, "What's this?"

“Poison,” Kazan said calmly. “This potent poison is extracted from the venom of the cobalt blue poison dart frog. Just a little bit will paralyze the entire body, rendering the victim unable to move. If you apply it to the blade, then this battle will be largely a foregone conclusion. Guigu Xuehui is said to be the eldest daughter of the Guigu family, but since she has given up the position of heir to the Guigu family, she cannot learn the Guigu family's core skills. At most, she will only know a little bit of swordsmanship. And such an opponent should be the one that your Lupo tribe fears the least.”

Luther thought for a moment, then nodded and applied the poison to the dagger.

He didn't know much about the Guigu family of the Eastern Kingdom, so he didn't know how powerful the eldest daughter of the Guigu family would be. He simply thought that she was just a little girl, while he was a warrior of the Lupo tribe. If he still couldn't defeat her even with helpers, weapons, and poison, he might as well commit suicide immediately.

Although he had such thoughts before fighting the "Silver Wolf," he ended up suffering a terrible defeat... But how many "Silver Wolves" are there in this world? If a random woman could just jump out and beat him to a pulp, would there be any justice in this world? Besides, is the "Silver Wolf" even a woman? She's clearly a female monster, an invincible being.

Luther tried to reassure himself, but then one of the Lupo companions spoke up, "That woman went into the alley!"

He and Kazan looked over and saw that Guigu Xuehui indeed walked out of the crowded people and turned into a dark alley.

Luther was very surprised: "She found us? But how is that possible?"

The Lupo race is renowned for its unparalleled hunting skills; only an equally skilled Lupo could detect a predator. Yet, the other party detected it so easily? And in such a noisy environment no less! Isn't this counter-tracking ability a bit too strong?

Luther suddenly felt uneasy, but Kazan didn't seem to care.

“It shouldn’t be that they’ve discovered us,” Kazan said. “Guigu Xuehui is the organizer of ‘Halloween Night.’ She’s not here for leisure; she’s probably here to prepare for the work ahead. Of course, even if they have discovered us, it’s not impossible. The Guigu family of the Eastern Kingdom has some tricks up their sleeve, so it’s best not to underestimate them.”

"So what should we do now?" Luther looked at Kazan, suddenly realizing how indecisive he was without the boss around. "Should we chase after them?"

“Of course, now that we’re here, where do you think she can run to? Unless she’s given wings,” Kazan said with a sneer. “Besides, this is the best opportunity. It’s actually harder for us to make a move in the middle of the city. If we do it here, we can take care of it without anyone noticing.”

Luther thought Kazan made sense, and since Kazan was their employer and the money had already been paid, there was nothing more to say. He gave his companion a signal, and then the two of them walked into the alley one after the other. For safety, as soon as they entered the alley, they jumped out of their bulky bear hides, gripping their poisoned daggers tightly.

Kazan followed them in.

"Can you smell the scent of Oniguchi Yukie?" Kazan asked.

Luther nodded. In crowded streets, his sense of smell wasn't very effective, but in this narrow alley, this was the Lupo tribe's territory. He could easily smell Onigu Yuki's scent, and then silently followed, pursuing and hunting her like a hungry wolf.

"Hurry up!" Kazan urged. "Guigu Xuehui must be just ahead."

"I know."

Luther and his companions gave chase, with Kazan close behind. They quickly passed through the first alley and followed the scent to the second. Here, the scent of Guigu Xuehui was much stronger, but she was still nowhere to be seen in the straight alley. Luther paused, still wondering where Guigu Xuehui had gone, when a soft "click" sounded above his head.

Oh no, it's up there!

Luther looked up abruptly and saw a dark figure falling from the sky. The other person moved too fast for him to react.

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!"

Luther was unharmed, but his companion let out a bloodcurdling scream. It didn't last long, however, as his body had been sliced ​​in two from top to bottom, rendering him speechless. Blood gushed out—no, it erupted—spurting from his body, directly staining Luther and Kazan standing beside him crimson.

"Damn it!" Luther roared as he saw his companion killed, his Lupo blood burning as he lunged at his attacker.

However, before he could even launch a decent attack, his knife-wielding arm suddenly flew into the air.

The next second, the sharp blade was pressed against Luther's eyeballs. Luther's eyes widened as he stared at the dark red pupils that seemed to shimmer in the darkness.

“It feels more satisfying to chop down someone than an ordinary human.” The other party spoke slowly, his voice very soft, but it sounded like the Grim Reaper whispering in his ear. “It seems I didn’t come to the wrong person. If I had come to the wrong person in this place, it would probably have caused Lin Ye a lot of trouble. Fortunately, you took the initiative to come to me.”

Luther was paralyzed, gripped by fear. He recognized her immediately—the woman from the wrong room he'd gone to last night. He'd sensed her power then, but hadn't imagined it would reach this level. But why was she here?! Wasn't they looking for Guigu Xuehui?!

Just then, a crisp sound rang out beside him; it was Kazan, who had fallen to the ground.

Even Luther, who had Lupo blood, didn't dare to move in front of this opponent, let alone Kazan, who was just an ordinary person. Covered in blood, his body trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn't even stand up. When he fell to the ground, a warm liquid oozed from his crotch, accompanied by a pale yellow fragrance.

He looked up at the red-eyed woman standing in the darkness, and at the black greatsword that she had previously wrapped in strips of cloth but which was now fully exposed. He finally realized her identity and said in a trembling voice filled with extreme fear, "You, you, you are... the Deep Sea Hunter, Skadi?!"

Skadi tilted her head slightly, her long, gray-white hair cascading down like a waterfall.

She stared at Kazan, her red pupils seeming to burn with flames.

……

……

Author's note: I updated about 9,000 words today, and I still owe thirteen more chapters (who said I wouldn't be able to finish them!).

Also, regarding the chapter count issue, some readers said that today's chapters inexplicably jumped by forty chapters. Actually, that's not the case. You can see the chapter count by opening the table of contents; it's correct now. Yesterday or the day before, when I was writing "Confused," I accidentally wrote the next chapter of chapter 388 as chapter 349, which caused this blunder (no wonder the number of chapters kept decreasing). However, it has now been corrected.

Chapter 393 He's a guy who gives me a lot of trouble (3K)

There's no mistake, I absolutely won't admit to being wrong.

Long, wavy, greyish-white hair, coral eyes, and that signature black greatsword. This time, there was absolutely no mistake; she was the legendary bounty hunter, Skadi, who came from the deep sea and stirred up the tides with her greatsword.

Kazan, who spends most of his time in the bounty hunter world for work, knows Skadi intimately. In fact, almost everyone who frequents this circle knows Skadi. Even though few of them have actually seen Skadi, her illustrious record and the legend of never failing against any opponent are deeply etched in everyone's minds.

So, why is she here?!

Why are you wearing Oniguchi Yuki's clothes?! Why are you dressed up like Oniguchi Yuki?!

Kazan couldn't understand it, and it was difficult for him to figure it out, given the impact of the name Skadi on his mind and how hard it was for him to remain calm and think rationally.

Luther felt the same way.

Unlike Kazan, Luthor's fear of Skadi didn't stem from that vague legend. As Rusal's henchman and a Lupo warrior, he had never really understood the bounty hunter world and even held it in contempt. He considered them nothing more than a bunch of people who worked for money, lacking both strength and faith, and not worth paying any attention to. But now he knew he was wrong, because Skadi, known as the Deepsea Hunter, stood before him, a blade pressed against his eyeball, her overwhelming killing intent as vast as the ocean.

This feeling of being nearly drowned by sheer killing intent was something he had never experienced even when facing the "Silver Wolf." In other words, this deep-sea hunter before him was even stronger than the "Silver Wolf." Could this person even be considered human? Did such power truly deserve to exist?

The powerful and noble Lupo tribe was like lambs to the slaughter before her.

“I really didn’t want to fight in a place like this,” Skadi said softly. “Because of my fighting style, I’m easily covered in blood and stench. I rarely come out… well, according to him, to relax, so why are you all still chasing me? Are you only satisfied if you die here?”

Skadi's words contained a sense of helplessness, a helplessness that made Luther's eyelids twitch.

Imagine this: an enemy who killed one of your companions and crippled one of your hands in a single exchange sighs softly in front of you, saying things like, "I didn't want to fight, but you insisted on coming to your deaths. I had no choice but to let you die."

This was incredibly frustrating, and if it weren't for the fear still binding his body, Luthor would have truly wanted to fight Skadi to the death. Although he also knew that without his right hand and weapon, he didn't even have the strength to fight Skadi to the death.

Kazan, who had wet his pants nearby, heard Skadi's words and immediately scrambled to his feet from the garbage heap, shouting, "It's a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! We didn't mean to be your enemy, it's all a misunderstanding, we just mistook you for someone else..."

Skadi glanced at Kazan: "Mistook me for someone else? What do you mean?"

A single glance was enough to make Kazan feel a tightness in his chest, as if something was stuck in his throat, leaving him only able to make sounds but unable to speak. It took him a while to recover, but at the same time he felt his groin become even wetter and warmer.

“Ghost Valley Snow Painting!” Kazan said. “You’ve probably heard of the ‘Ghost Seeker,’ right? We’re here for her.”

“Guigu Xuehui?” Skadi thought for a moment, then murmured, “Lin Ye was right after all, she is your target.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” Kazan nodded repeatedly, as if afraid Skadi wouldn’t believe him. “Our target is Onigani Yuki, not you. Even if we had ten thousand times the courage, we wouldn’t dare to oppose someone as powerful as you.”

Luther turned to look at Kazan, enraged by Kazan's words. Such groveling was intolerable to any normal Lupo. Even in death—with a sword piercing their heart, a blade severing their head, or even being torn in two—the Lupo's pride would not allow them to die on their knees. The dignity of Syracuse was not to be desecrated!

...He had intended to say that, but Skadi's sword was pressed against his face, and a single misstep could take his life. Besides, not all Lupo are fearless; if he truly weren't, he wouldn't have followed Rusar like a stray dog, fleeing his homeland from the "Silver Wolf's" blade. Therefore, when Kazan uttered those words that he considered utterly shameful, even if he was indignant, he could only suppress his anger and softly agree.

“Yes, sir, we have no intention of being your enemy.” Luther caught a glimpse of his companion’s corpse out of the corner of his eye, gritted his teeth, and spat out the words, “This is all a misunderstanding.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Kazan exclaimed. “It’s all a misunderstanding! We really mistook you for someone else. You look so much like Onigu Yuki, from your hair and height to your demeanor. Plus, you were wearing a mask and covering your sword. Otherwise, we would never have mistaken you!”

Skadi glanced at Kazan, then at Luther, and nodded thoughtfully: "I see."

As she spoke, she slowly lowered her sword.

As the sword's edge receded from his eye, Luther let out a long sigh of relief, like someone who had been submerged in the sea for ages bursting to the surface and breathing in fresh air. Kazan, too, wore an expression of ecstatic joy; this feeling of surviving a near-death experience is always the most exhilarating, no matter the circumstances.

After experiencing this moment, Kazan no longer had any feelings for Onigu Yuki, only wanting to quickly return to his warm bed... no, to quickly return to the warm and soft bed of his Felin maid...

puff.

Before Kazan could put an end to his wonderful idea, Skadi, who had already put down her sword, swung her greatsword once again.

When Kazan looked up, he saw Luther's head fall from mid-air, bounce twice on the ground, and then turn to face him, his terrified eyes still fixed on him.

Kazan was dumbfounded.

“Returning you idiots is ultimately a troublesome matter.” Skadi, covered in blood, slowly walked towards Kazan. “You’ve made a mistake this time, but what if you make the same mistake again next time? It’s fine to target me, of course, since you guys can’t cause any big trouble anyway. But if you target him and I’m not around, well, it’s better to settle things here.”

Kazan's expression had completely frozen.

So, to prevent them from apologizing next time, you're getting rid of them beforehand? What kind of logic is that?! Are you out of your mind?!

Kazan desperately wanted to say those words, but dared not, fearing he would enrage Skadi. The only thing he dared to say, and could say, was the utterly meaningless phrase, "Please, spare me," as he retreated further and further. But it was all in vain. When he was cornered against the wall, with nowhere left to go, he watched as Skadi slowly raised her sword.

“Actually, I’m not very happy today,” Skadi said slowly. “Because that guy is just too kind. Kindness doesn’t work in this world. You’ll always suffer. But I can’t say anything to him, because it’s useless. Although you can’t tell on the surface, he’s more stubborn than anyone else. It’s really difficult… What do you think?”

Kazan: "?"

Skadi sighed, "If only he had half as much malice as you, I wouldn't have to worry about him like this. Honestly."

Kazan had no idea what Skadi was, but he never had the chance to understand, because Skadi had already swung her sword.

"Ah ah ah ah ah……"

Kazan let out a piercing scream, but the sound, which came from the deep alley, was instantly drowned out by the noise of Halloween.

A few minutes later, Skadi, covered in blood, slowly walked out of the alley.

She had initially worried that her appearance would cause panic, but she quickly realized she was overthinking it. Since it was Halloween, the streets were filled with people dressed in bizarre costumes, and her blood-covered appearance didn't seem like much in the current atmosphere.

Looking at the night sky above, Skadi thought for a moment, then took out her phone and called Lin Ye.

The call connected quickly, and Skadi spoke to Lin Ye.

“I got lost, but it’s okay. I’ll go back to the hotel now. I know the way to the hotel… Hmm? You asked me what I was doing just now?” Skadi thought for a moment and said slowly, “I helped an old lady cross the street. Hmm, the old lady said my mask was very nice.”

Let's rewind five minutes to the milk tea shop at the other end of the street.

Lin Ye stared blankly at Gui Gu Xuehui, thinking he had misheard: "What did you say?"

"Huh? Didn't you hear me?" Guigu Xuehui said. "Never mind if you didn't hear me, I've already said it anyway."

"No, no, no, I heard you clearly." Lin Ye took a deep breath and then forced a smile. "You're joking, right? A joke from 'Halloween Night'? That's quite interesting."

Guigu Xuehui chuckled and said, "If you think it's a joke, then so be it."

Lin Ye's smile gradually faded.

Now he was certain that this was no joke.

She genuinely intended to ask Lin Ye to kill her.

……

……

Author's note: Today should also be three chapters, over 8 words.