Chapter 13: New Equipment
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The Northern District of the Royal Capital was a renowned industrial quarter and port, its shipping routes linking it to every nation on the continent. Chaos and prosperity flourished side by side.
Mo Xuanyu stepped down from the carriage, his boots splashing through the filthy street water, and found himself standing on the Northern District’s busiest thoroughfare, Frank Avenue.
The streets were packed with traffic and pedestrians, noisy and congested beneath a sky choked with smoke. Passersby wore every manner of clothing and spoke with accents from all corners of the land.
Some bore only numbness in their eyes. Others were filled with ambition, dreaming of making their mark in this center of commerce.
Mo Xuanyu had changed his appearance. With black hair, blue eyes, and a dark-gray overcoat, he looked like a commercial elite who had come to a foreign land, every movement revealing effortless composure and elegance.
Combined with his handsome face, he seemed capable of persuading countless people to invest their fortunes in him after only a few words—and to make them feel it hardly mattered even if they were being deceived.
“Sir~ Why not buy a bouquet? It would suit your beauty perfectly.”
On the street, a little girl in a white dress eagerly promoted her wares to Mo Xuanyu. Her basket held fresh roses and white roses.
“Three white roses. The ones that are about to wilt.”
Mo Xuanyu took out a silver coin and handed it to the girl. The pitiful expression in her eyes vanished at once.
She carefully picked up the coin and examined it. Only after her fingertips felt the familiar mark upon it did she return it to Mo Xuanyu and lead him into an alley.
The silver coin had been enclosed in Mentor Peter’s letter. It was the unique proof of identity used by the Dusk Assassins.
The alley was dark and deep. After walking for about five minutes, the girl stopped before a door and knocked. A sign above it read, “Cain’s Forge.”
A young man opened the door. He wore a vest and held an iron hammer in one hand, his face smeared with soot. Clearly, he had been working beside the furnace moments before.
“You’re back awfully early today.” The young man looked somewhat surprised when he saw the girl, then turned a wary gaze toward Mo Xuanyu.
“The assassin gentleman arranged by the mentors has arrived,” the girl said. “I’ll leave him to you. I’m going back to sell flowers.”
With that, she hummed a tune and ran off. She was the Free Commune’s contact stationed in the Northern District. Her task was to bring people to designated locations; on the surface, she was merely a flower seller.
The Northern District was a tangled web of competing powers, and most members of the Free Commune lived there as well. Mo Xuanyu had learned of the white-rose signal through Mentor Peter’s letter.
The young man relaxed his guard and nodded to Mo Xuanyu.
“Please come in, Mr. Assassin.”
Mo Xuanyu entered the forge, and a wave of heat struck him. The temperature inside was far higher than outdoors.
He casually removed his hat and hung it nearby.
The young man called toward the interior, “Teacher, we have a visitor.”
Hearing this, the curtain was lifted, and a bearded man poked his head out. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s, causing Mo Xuanyu to tense instinctively.
That scrutinizing look soon faded.
“You must be Mola. You’re even younger than the letter described.” Cain stepped out, a cigarette between his lips. After studying Mo Xuanyu carefully, he muttered, “Peter really is ruthless.”
He turned and went back inside.
“Come in.”
The young man froze when he heard the name Mola. His eyes widened as he stared at Mo Xuanyu in disbelief.
“You’re Master Mola? I heard your story a long time ago!”
Within the Free Commune, no one knew Mola Venus’s true appearance, but his reputation was immense. Nearly every member of the Free Commune knew his name.
That was why, when Mola Venus had voluntarily surrendered to the Sun King, many members had assumed it was a deception. How could Master Mola possibly betray them?
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The young man had always believed the same. Thus, upon learning that the man before him was Mola, he was overcome with excitement. It meant that Mola’s betrayal was merely an arrangement made by the higher-ups.
“I hope you can continue to keep this confidential.” Mo Xuanyu gave the young man a faint smile. After receiving repeated assurances from him, he turned and entered the room.
Inside, Cain sat at a table and poured Mo Xuanyu a cup of water. Smoking, he gestured for Mo Xuanyu to sit, then took a map from among the books nearby.
“I know the entire plan. From this point onward, I’ll provide whatever assistance I can, but I won’t act personally. The key to the mission must depend on you.”
Cain’s tone was solemn.
Cain’s identity was something of a mystery. He had once been among the earliest members of the Free Commune and could rightfully be called one of its founding elders.
Later, after clashing with the other high-ranking leaders over their differing views—and with his body no longer able to bear the strain—Cain ultimately withdrew from the Free Commune and went into hiding as a blacksmith.
Yet he had never truly severed his ties with the organization. In his own way, he continued to train and cultivate a large number of new recruits for the Commune.
Only Mentor Peter and Cain knew about Mola Venus’s espionage plan. The two men had once been revolutionary comrades who had faced life and death together.
“This map shows the armed forces we possess within the Royal Capital. There are roughly a thousand of them, all workers and soldiers. If necessary, they can throw the capital into chaos.”
“These areas—and these—are palaces where the Children of the Sun may be living. They’re all heavily guarded. He’s about three years old by now.”
Cain pointed out numerous palaces where the Child of the Sun might be residing. Many maids and guards within the royal palace were members of the Free Commune, but because the Sun King was so cautious, they had never been able to confirm the child’s exact location.
“How is your progress?” Cain continued, turning to Mo Xuanyu.
“The Sun King has invited me to attend tonight’s banquet. I returned to the capital by escorting Prince Eric,” Mo Xuanyu replied.
“There’s something else. On the way back to the capital, we were attacked by the rebel army.”
He had not forgotten his primary mission: uncovering the traitor within their ranks.
Cain frowned when he heard this. He rose and paced around the room. Only after finishing his cigarette did he curse under his breath.
“No wonder Eric suddenly cut off contact with us. There really is a traitor in the organization!”
“Our position is to support Eric in launching a coup, exhausting the Sun King’s guards and, ideally, forcing him to abdicate. We would never assassinate Eric at a time like this.”
“Anyone capable of independently mobilizing an entire regional rebel force must hold a significant position. He may even have guessed at our espionage plan, though he probably hasn’t found proof that you’re a spy.”
“We must eliminate him before he finds that proof.”
“Peter and I will investigate this matter. I’ll also send someone to explain everything to Eric. For now, focus on dealing with the Sun King.” Cain lit another cigarette.
He lowered his head slightly, deep apprehension in his eyes.
“Be extremely careful of the Sun King. He is a terrifying man. The fact that he dared accept the surrender of an assassin master like you means that, in his eyes, you pose no meaningful threat to him.”
“I understand.”
Mo Xuanyu nodded, his expression calm and utterly fearless. A trace of relief stirred in Cain’s heart.
Unable to help himself, he asked, “This mission is almost certain death. Aren’t you afraid?”
Mo Xuanyu met his gaze calmly.
“I’m only carrying out my mission. Nothing more.”
The mission Mo Xuanyu spoke of was not the same mission Cain had in mind. Even so, Cain was clearly moved by his fearless resolve.
He stubbed out his cigarette and pointed at Mo Xuanyu’s wrist.
“Give me your hidden blade. I’ll upgrade it for you.”
Mo Xuanyu rolled up his sleeve, removed the hidden blade from his wrist, and handed it over.
Cain went to his workbench, dismantled the weapon, and rummaged through a nearby box for parts. Soon, the sounds of hammering and tinkering filled the room.
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At lunchtime, the young man entered carrying toasted bread. Cain waved a hand.
“You two eat.”
“Teacher is always like this.” The young man shrugged at Mo Xuanyu.
While he waited, Mo Xuanyu ate the bread and studied the secret map of the Royal Capital. It might prove useful in his subsequent actions.
“All right. This should do.”
At last, Cain set down his screwdriver with satisfaction and handed Mo Xuanyu a brand-new hidden blade, pride and confidence written across his face.
[Dusk Hidden Blade — Rotating Blade]
Description: A hidden blade improved by the master blacksmith Cain. Its blade has been replaced, its internal structure upgraded, and a rotating axle installed.
Quality: Green (unchanged)
Suggested Price: 300 points
Rating: S (formerly B+)
The greatest difference between the rotating-blade hidden blade and an ordinary hidden blade lay in the axle installed within it.
The mechanism allowed the blade to rotate ninety degrees, enabling the user to hold it either in a reverse grip or a forward grip, like a dagger.
Cain had not merely added the rotating axle to the newly improved weapon; he had also replaced its original blade with one he had forged himself.
The pitch-black blade was made of hundred-fold tempered steel. Combined with Cain’s new design, the weapon far surpassed Mo Xuanyu’s original hidden blade in structural quality and killing power alike.
Snick!
The blade sprang out with ferocious force.
He reversed his grip. Thanks to the rotating-blade design, the hidden blade offered far greater versatility. It was no longer limited to a single assassination, but could be adapted to many situations.
“Impressive.” Mo Xuanyu could not help praising it. He was already reluctant to part with the new weapon.
Cain folded his arms and smiled.
“At least you know good craftsmanship when you see it.”
Cain had decided to make the rotating-blade modification because he had taken Mo Xuanyu’s banquet that evening into account. Mo Xuanyu would certainly be unable to bring a longsword, dagger, or flintlock pistol with him.
Without conventional weapons, the importance of the hidden blade was self-evident.
By the time Mo Xuanyu left Cain’s forge, it was already noon. He hailed a carriage and, after changing vehicles several times, returned to the military camp.
Mo Xiao was waiting at home. The moment he saw Mo Xuanyu return, he handed him a suit of clothing.
“The Sun King sent someone to deliver it,” he explained. “There’s also a letter.”
Puzzled, Mo Xuanyu accepted the letter and opened it.
The handwriting inside was arrogant and razor-sharp. The Sun King began with a few pleasantries, praising Mo Xuanyu for his accomplishments while escorting Eric all the way back.
He then stated that he would publicly reward Mo Xuanyu at the banquet and instructed him to prepare—in other words, to dress properly.
Mo Xuanyu looked at the clothing sent by the Sun King. It was a pure-white formal uniform with a distinctly Nora Kingdom style, resembling an officer’s dress uniform and adorned with dazzling golden willow-fluff motifs.
Mo Xuanyu frowned slightly.
Compared with ordinary formalwear, pure white was always more conspicuous.
More importantly, the collar of the uniform had been embroidered with the royal emblem of luxuriant blossoms. It was practically a public declaration to everyone that Mo Xuanyu was a man favored by the Sun King.
When the banquet reached the reward ceremony, there was little doubt that everyone present would remember Mo Xuanyu vividly.
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