Michael sat on the edge of his bed, his long fingers deftly cleaning his prized AMT Hardballer. The gun gleamed under the faint glow of the lantern in his small inn room. Tomorrow, the competition would begin—the perfect opportunity to get close to Lin Yu. From the rumors he'd gathered, Lin Yu was a paranoid man, surrounded by dozens of guards at all times. The only way to get near him without raising suspicion was to infiltrate his inner circle. Michael's plan was simple: win the competition, become one of Lin Yu's new bodyguards, and strike when the time was right.
But Michael's mind wasn't entirely on the mission. It wandered back to the woman he had left behind in the cave. Despite his usual cold indifference, there was something about her that lingered in his thoughts. Who was she? Why had someone tried to kill her? He had patched her up and left, but a nagging curiosity gnawed at him.
"Focus, Michael," he muttered to himself, sliding his gun back into his storage ring. "You've got a job to do."
The streets outside the inn were bustling with activity. People from all over Xianwu Province gathered to witness or participate in the competition. The festival atmosphere made it harder for Michael to stay unnoticed, but he was used to blending in. He donned a plain black cloak, pulled the hood over his head, and slipped out of the inn.
As he walked through the city's winding streets, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. His instincts were never wrong, and they were telling him that something—or someone—was tracking him. He paused briefly, glancing around. The narrow alleyways were filled with merchants and citizens, but no one seemed suspicious.
Still, the feeling persisted.
At the same time, the woman Michael had saved was already in the city, watching from a distance. Her name was Li Mei, and she was no ordinary woman. She was a highly skilled cultivator, known across the land for her mastery in both martial arts and spiritual energy manipulation. She had been ambushed by Lin Yu's men because she had something they feared—a powerful artifact that could threaten Lin Yu's rule.
She had followed the faint trace of her clothing's essence to Xianwu, and it led her directly to the man who had saved her. The same man who, despite his noble intentions, had seen her in a vulnerable state. Her pride burned with anger. She had to find him, not only to settle the debt of her life but to deal with the fact that he had seen her naked. She could not let that go.
Li Mei's sharp eyes scanned the crowds, searching for the mysterious stranger. She was confident that with her skills, it wouldn't take long to find him.
"Whoever you are, I will find you," she muttered under her breath, her lips curling into a smirk.
But her search for the stranger was temporarily put on hold. She had another mission—Lin Yu. Her hand instinctively touched the hilt of her sword hidden beneath her robes. Lin Yu had sent his assassins after her, and now she would return the favor. If this mysterious man had the same goal, perhaps they would cross paths again. Until then, she would keep an eye out for both him and her primary target.
Michael's senses were on high alert as he navigated the streets. He couldn't afford any distractions. He needed to get close to Lin Yu, and that meant winning the competition tomorrow. But the feeling of being followed wouldn't go away.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of movement. A figure, cloaked in shadow, darted into an alleyway just ahead of him. Michael's muscles tensed. He wasn't sure if this was a threat, but he wasn't about to take any chances.
He quietly followed, slipping into the shadows, moving like a ghost through the narrow alley. The figure was fast, but not fast enough to escape Michael's sharp eyes. He kept a steady distance, observing from the shadows.
As he turned the corner, he found the figure standing at the end of the alley, facing him. The hooded figure slowly lifted their head, and Michael's eyes widened in recognition.
It was the woman from the cave.
"Well, well," she said, her voice cool but laced with a dangerous edge. "I was wondering when we'd cross paths again."
Michael didn't show any surprise on his face, but inside, he was mildly impressed. Most people couldn't track him, but this woman had. And from the look in her eyes, she wasn't exactly thrilled.
"I assume you're here to thank me," Michael said, his voice casual, though his hand rested lightly on the hilt of his knife hidden under his cloak.
Li Mei's eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms. "Thank you? Do you think you deserve thanks for seeing me naked? I'd rather kill you."
Michael chuckled softly. "I didn't see much. You were half-dead when I found you. Consider it a favor."
"A favor?" Li Mei's anger flared. "You touched me. Undressed me. You think I'd let that slide?"
"Let's be clear," Michael replied calmly, taking a step closer. "I saved your life. You'd be dead if I hadn't intervened. So, unless you'd rather have died bleeding out on a riverbank, maybe you should reconsider killing the one person who kept you alive."
Li Mei's eyes flashed with irritation, but there was a grudging acknowledgment in her gaze. "Fine. You saved me. But you should have left it at that."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Noted. Next time, I'll let you bleed out."
There was a tense silence between them, both sizing each other up. Michael could feel the energy radiating from her—she wasn't just an ordinary woman. Whoever she was, she had power, and she knew how to use it.
Finally, Li Mei sighed and dropped her arms. "Look, I don't have time for this. I'm here for Lin Yu. I assume you are too?"
Michael's smile was faint but dangerous. "I am."
"Good," she said, turning on her heel and starting to walk away. "We'll see who gets to him first."
Michael watched her leave, his mind already calculating the possibilities. She was skilled, that much was clear. Having her as an enemy might complicate things. But as an ally? That could be interesting.
"Wait," Michael called after her, his voice cutting through the night.
Li Mei stopped but didn't turn around.
"How about we make a deal?" he suggested, taking a step forward. "We both want Lin Yu dead. Instead of stepping on each other's toes, we work together."
Li Mei finally turned, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "And why would I trust you?"
Michael shrugged. "You don't have to. But you've seen my work firsthand. You know I can get the job done. Together, we stand a better chance of getting close to him."
She studied him for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Fine. A temporary alliance. But don't think for a second that I've forgotten about our little… misunderstanding."
Michael smirked. "Fair enough."
With that, the deal was struck. Two lethal forces, both aiming for the same target, are now united in their mission.
The next morning, the competition grounds were packed with participants, all eager to prove themselves worthy of being Lin Yu's new bodyguards. Michael and Li Mei stood side by side, blending into the crowd, their eyes focused on the grand stage where Lin Yu himself would soon appear.
"Remember," Michael whispered, his eyes scanning the area, "we're not here to play fair. We're here to kill."
Li Mei nodded, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. "I never play fair."
The game had begun, and with two assassins now in the mix, Lin Yu's days were numbered.
To be Continued...