Chapter 860 - 737: The Poker Killer Organization (Extended - ) (Part 2)

The few strong practitioners responsible for divination were also suffering backlash at this time. "We only divined fragments of space and an endless sea of flames, which should depict the manifestation of laws. It signifies the presence of a holy-tier being with profound mastery of laws."

"Indeed, elder, that holy-tier being might have had an old grudge against Elder Ku. Now that Elder Ku is dead, there’s no clue. It’s not that we don’t want to avenge Elder Ku, but indeed we have no means to do so."

What he meant to imply was that since Elder Ku was already dead, why provoke a being suspected to be of holy-tier.

Continuing to divine could likely draw the attention of that holy-tier entity, and by then, it wouldn’t just be Elder Ku who’d suffer.

"However, esteemed elders, we still divined a key clue."

The divine domain-level adept, who knew a bit about divination, walked past Elder Ku’s corpse and came to the corner, pulling out an inconspicuous playing card.

"This playing card, symbolizing the ’Black Spade K’, was left behind by that black-robed strongman."

One of the elders furrowed his brow, sensing that the matter wasn’t so simple.

"What is a playing card?"

The divine domain adept, who knew a bit about divination, explained, "Playing cards are a form of entertainment tool sold by the ’Treasure Pavilion’. A deck consists of 54 cards, 52 of which are regular cards, and the other two are jokers... Playing cards are very popular now, elder, do you not know?"

The divine domain adept introduced a ton of information, eventually making the elder feel as if he came from a rural backwater.

Very uncomfortable.

What made the elder even more uncomfortable was that the other two elders obviously knew what playing cards were, as did other Unity Realm and Divine Domain Realm individuals present, but only he was completely clueless.

He didn’t even know how something could be called popular!

The elder was angry, his presence intimidating.

The divine domain adept, who knew a bit about divination, suddenly realized he had misspoken and quickly thought of something. "Elder, I have a limited edition of the collector’s playing card deck here, I’ll give it to you."

The elder accepted it expressionlessly.

"In any case, designate this black-robed strongman as ’Black Spade K’ and keep a close watch on any intelligence related to ’Black Spade K’."

...

While the ’Black Spade K’ team was in action, Tang Yu’s other avatar had already arrived in the capital city of Dragon Abyss Empire, a top-level force.

It was a combination of him, Eileen, and Xing Yue.

Tang Yu, wearing the World Ring, smoothly located the Heart Demon Clan’s avatar—a general with significant power in the Dragon Abyss Empire.

According to investigations, this general’s combat power was inferior to an elder of the Heavenly Alliance Commerce, but having been assassinated by the Demon Shadow of the Shadow Guild years ago and severely injured, the general always had elite guards by his side.

"A divine domain-level master and twelve Unity Realm Peak level defenders."

Tang Yu murmured in virtualization state.

The general himself was also a divine domain-level strongman, enhancing his combat power somewhat when possessed by the Heart Demon Clan. The positioning of the twelve Unity Realm Peak defenders subtly matched a formation, making them capable of posing a threat to the divine domain level when combined.

"A bit tricky, so... it’s better to go straight up."

Boom!

A terrifying fluctuation erupted in the general’s mansion.

Within moments, calm was restored.

The entire general’s mansion was in turmoil, as one strongman after another broke through the sky, appearing above the mansion.

The strongmen released their spiritual power, scanning the area to instantly understand what had transpired.

"General Longchui has fallen... Did anyone in the mansion see the assassin?"

The servants in the mansion shook their heads.

Most were only ordinary awakening tier individuals, stunned from the shockwave. Those in the Stepping Void Realm within the mansion didn’t even dare to check the core of the battle.

A Unity Realm manager in the mansion said, "The general had divine domain-level guards and a personal guard composed entirely of Unity Realm Peak strongmen, and some Unity-level experts went when the battle fluctuations appeared, but..."

The Unity Realm manager still had a lingering fear, deliberately slowing his steps.

"All Unity-level individuals who went to support died. No one knows what happened. The assassin was utterly brazen!"

The Dragon Abyss Empire also adopted tracking methods similar to those of the Heavenly Alliance Commerce.

But they found nothing.

The difference was that the upper echelons of the Dragon Abyss Empire were ninety percent certain it was the work of an assassin, as General Longchui had faced assassination attempts more than once or twice.

"However, this time the assassin seemed rash, which doesn’t align with the assassination style of the Shadow Guild."

"How can the assassin be so reckless and not fear exposure by encirclement? Our imperial capital has more than ten divine domain-level, and even a sleeping holy-tier ancestor."

"Yet we’ve discovered nothing, proving the assassin’s success."

"Hmm? Look, it’s a ’Heart Q’ card the assassin left behind."

The divine domain individual flipped the limited edition collector’s card between his fingers, "A new assassin organization has emerged. The assassin counter-tracked and counter-divined well. I think we should start from General Longchui’s enemies to investigate who hired the Poker Association’s assassins."

...

Both groups tasked with assassinating the divine domain-level were very successful.

One benefited from the fact that few strongmen were involved with space laws; the other had the Holy Artifact ’Heaven and Earth Lock’, and the other Holy Artifact ’Ice Chime’, which could instantly kill divine domain-levels and suppress battle fluctuation diffusion.

It was only when the confidant divine domain associated with General Longchui self-detonated that the battle wave could not be completely suppressed.

Although rashness brings temporary delight, continuous rashness continuously delights,

Tang Yu believed he wasn’t reckless, he always balanced courage with wisdom.

The other three groups targeting Unity Realm avatars’ assassination proceeded more smoothly.

It was true assassination.

The Heart Demon Clan-portrayed Unity Realm positions were far less vigilant than the divine domain, and Grey Blade, Fani, and Kong acted, instantly annihilating the Unity Realm’s Origin, leaving no remains but traces of assassination and a playing card on site.

...

The first day, ten Heart Demon Clan avatars were assassinated.

The second day, the Heart Demon Clan played roles began to leverage their power to protect themselves but were still slaughtered mercilessly—after all, the highest position was only divine domain, without the right reasons, couldn’t even request other divine domains’ protection.

It’s worth mentioning,

Tang Yu thought his assassinations would shake the continent, yet everything remained calm.

Those forces initially in tension and conflict showed signs of easing.

He was initially puzzled, and only upon investigation by the Intelligence Department discovered there were no reports of certain strongmen’s assassination or demise.

"Within top-level forces, the divine domain is a pillar. The fall of any divine domain is a substantial blow to a force, likely causing it to fall behind in clashes with neighboring forces... Hence, each force silently agreed to conceal the deaths of its strongmen."

He wanted to laugh.

The Intelligence Department couldn’t find anything; most top-level forces probably knew no more.

Divine domain individuals not appearing for years or decades are commonplace, easily explained as retreating.

"Both the Cliff Heart Empire and the coalition of eight kingdoms contracted their influence range in a day. They must be just as bewildered."

Grey Blade looked more perplexed.

He opened his mouth, "Lord, I’m unsure if I should say this."

"What’s up?"

"Some forces of the strongmen we assassinated secretly seek us out... "

"Isn’t that normal?"

How could a force stay indifferent to high-level assassinations? Even among the relatively distant Heavenly Alliance Commerce, they would maintain appearances.

"No..." Grey Blade paused, "The covert search for us is just a private act of some executives, and they’re not tracking us, rather... wanting to contact our ’Poker Association’, to hire our assassins to eliminate their enemies, etc."

After all, our ’Poker Association’ can one-hit divine domains, with unquestionable capability in the eyes of those executives."

"So," Grey Blade asked the question he was most eager to ask, "Lord, should we take those jobs?"