Silence descended like a heavy blanket.
At that moment, it seemed as though even the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects had been chased away by the overpowering stench of blood, leaving behind a profound stillness in the surroundings.
It wasn't until some time later that a sound finally shattered the silence.
"Gulp..."
That was the sound of someone swallowing hard.
Meili was still slumped on the ground as she gazed at the vast pool of bloodstains and the scattered remains of Demon Beast flesh now coloring the ground crimson. Then, her eyes shifted to the sharp dagger aimed at her head, and she couldn't help but swallow nervously.
Especially under the piercing gaze of those ice-blue Mystic Eyes.
Under their scrutiny, Meili felt as though a block of ice had been thrust into her spine, causing the blood in her veins to freeze, making her unbearably cold.
In such a dire situation, Meili was so terrified that words failed her.
And in that moment, the twin maid sisters traversed the sea of blood and flesh to stand behind Fang Li.
"Elder Sister, Elder Sister, looks like this assassin is petrified by Lord Fang Li," One of the twins remarked.
"Rem, Rem, this little troublemaker seems to be petrified by that scoundrel," The other twin added.
Their words dripped with sarcasm, but Meili couldn't conjure a smile.
Because the twin sisters' gaze bore into her devoid of emotion, as though they were executioners deciding their next move, sending shivers down Meili's spine.
Helpless and lacking the power of Demon Beasts to aid her, Meili found herself utterly incapable of dealing with the situation before her.
Now, being stared down by a Murdering Demon and a pair of Oni sisters, Meili couldn't even entertain the notion of escape.
So, Fang Li, observing the frightened Meili, spoke again with a faint smile.
"How about it? Can we talk now?"
How could Meili dare to refuse?
At that moment, Meili could only nod repeatedly, akin to pounding garlic.
However, the twin sisters seemed somewhat dissatisfied with this.
"Lord Fang Li is too soft," Rem said somewhat tactfully. "Rem believes this assassin isn't worth keeping alive."
The implication was to swiftly end her life.
"Ram doesn't think this scum is worth conversing with," Ram said bluntly. "Since she dared to attack Lord Roswaal's mansion, she should pay the price."
The implication was also to swiftly end her life.
The Oni sisters' ruthless comments nearly brought Meili to tears.
Now, Meili could only cast hopeful eyes at Fang Li.
And Fang Li, seemingly oblivious to the twin maids' remarks, continued the conversation on his own.
"First, let me ask you a question." Fang Li raised the dagger in his hand, as if in threat, and questioned Meili, "Who hired you?"
"I... I don't know," Meili said, shrinking and trembling with fear. "I only accepted the Mission and don't know who assigned it."
This wasn't unexpected.
After all, many wouldn't want information about hiring an assassin leaked. If there was a risk of exposure, they'd think twice about hiring one.
Legitimate assassin organizations would definitely have rules to protect their clients' information, not for the client's sake, but to ensure business went smoothly.
Of course, it was also possible Meili was lying and withholding information about the client.
So, Rem and Ram's gazes toward Meili gradually grew more menacing, making her shrink further.
Fang Li was still indifferent and continued to inquire as though unconcerned about the matter, "Then let me ask you another question: Does your assassin organization have any information about the Witch Cult?"
"The Witch Cult?" Meili reacted to the term.
"The Witch Cult..." Rem and Ram also reacted to the term.
However, while the former's reaction appeared somewhat puzzled, the latter's response unintentionally revealed a hint of negativity.
It was only natural.
The ones responsible for the devastation of the Oni Village, leaving only Rem and Ram, were the Witch Cult.
Moreover, considering that Ram's horn had also been severed by members of the Witch Cult, regardless of Ram's reaction, Rem, much like the first time she heard the name of the Witch Cult in the restaurant, was exuding an air of fury.
Yet, compared to that time, Rem had already unlocked the Heart Bond and was no longer as consumed by it.
Thus, Rem managed to keep her emotions in check, though her gaze at Meili turned somewhat piercing.
Under Rem's intense stare, the weight on Meili's heart was immense.
At that moment, Meili hastily spoke up, "I... I only know that the Witch Cult seems to have recently crossed into the kingdom's borders and is gearing up for something. I don't have any further details."
Having said that, Meili paused for a moment and cautiously added, "However, there's reliable chatter going around that those folks seem to have their sights set on the Silver-Haired Half-Elf."
The information provided echoed what Elsa had mentioned previously.
"Is that all?" Fang Li queried directly. "It's been several days since then. Has your organization not received any updated intel?"
"I've been tied up with missions and haven't had a chance to report back to the organization," Meili replied somewhat anxiously. "So, what I've shared is all I know."
Upon hearing this, Rem and Ram exchanged glances, both falling silent.
Fang Li also furrowed his brow, unable to suppress a sigh inwardly.
Was it truly impossible for any fresh intel to surface in just a few days?
If so...
"I'll call you Meili," Fang Li addressed her.
"Now Meili, let me ask you a question, do you value your life?"
This question warranted no verbal response.
With an even more desperate demeanor than before, Meili nodded repeatedly.
Observing this, Fang Li offered a faint smile.
"Well then, let's strike a deal!"
Seeing Fang Li's seemingly mischievous grin, Meili's heart suddenly sank with a foreboding feeling.
Shortly after, approximately half an hour later, Fang Li's entire group emerged from the forest.
However, perched on Rem's shoulder was an additional captive girl, bound and wearing a dejected expression on her face.
It was only at this moment that the notification sound from the system chimed in Fang Li's mind.
"Serial Number 11273 completed B-Rank Side Quest, Gained 20000 Exchange Points."
Though completing a Side Quest netted Fang Li 20000 Exchange Points, there was still a shortfall of 10000 Exchange Points to meet the target of Fang Li's Main Quest Three.
Moreover, Main Quest One and Main Quest Two remained incomplete. Fang Li sighed softly.
"It looks like I'll still be quite busy for a while."
...
You can read ahead up to 70 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395
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1. I am not Interested In Devil Fruit
2. Marvel Disassembler