Chapter 22: Test and Punishment
On the way to Viscount Xiaofeng’s safehouse, Hitana endured the guard captain’s praise of Hydra, giving her goosebumps.
Most crucially, she sensed his praise wasn’t like the nobles’ flattery but heartfelt, genuinely seeing Hydra as the perfect figure he described—an idea Hitana couldn’t stomach.
Thankfully, halfway there, another took over.
The captain was no big shot, just a regular Xiaofeng City guard leader.
Once news of Anselm’s arrival spread, proper escorts quickly appeared.
A graceful, alluring stewardess, hips swaying, greeted Anselm.
Her flirtatious demeanor irked Hitana.
—*Your city lord’s half-dead from an assassination, and you’re shaking your hips at an outsider? Shameless!*
“Viscount Xiaofeng’s condition is stable for now,” the stewardess told Anselm. “But we haven’t caught the mastermind. Lord Hydra, I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into…”
Anselm replied calmly, “No matter. Since I’m here, no one will take Viscount Xiaofeng’s life. Rest assured, Lady Selam.”
“As for Viscount Longbing’s death… I can only express regret.”
The young noble sighed softly,“I was a step too late.”
Too late, hm… too late.
Packing luggage and traveling from the mansion to Chishuang City’s teleportation chamber took about half an hour.
Saville’s reminder, half an hour earlier, of Viscount Longbing and Xiaofeng’s anxiety prompted Anselm’s immediate departure.
Meaning, Viscount Longbing’s arrival, assassination, and Viscount Xiaofeng’s attack all happened within an hour.
Fast enough… to be laughable.
Rubbing his cane, Anselm’s lips curved, ignoring the alluring stewardess.
His eyes gleamed with a future only he could see, forged from experience, wisdom, and critical intelligence.
If he played this chaos well, perhaps, hm…
He glanced at Hitana, lugging luggage and looking around, then lifted his cane, hooking her collar with the snake-headed grip, yanking her close.
Before the young wolf could bristle, Anselm whispered, “Hitana, I’ve decided to give you a test.”
“If you pass, I’ll grant you a seven-day paid vacation. You can take Marina to visit your parents, show off your achievements to old friends, and I’ll provide the supernatural essence you need to hone yourself.”
The words thrilled Hitana, erasing Anselm’s rudeness.
She shouted, “Real—ah, I know it’s true! So what do I do? Beat up and catch all the assassins?”
Stewardess Selam, professional, kept her gaze forward, pretending not to hear, though the surrounding guards’ expressions grew odd.
“No, a simple test.”
Anselm whispered leisurely, “Before we return to Chishuang City, ensure I don’t have to act in combat—not even the simplest action, including using Gleipnir as a hand cannon.”
Gleipnir was the name of Anselm’s ever-present cane.
Hitana didn’t know it, but she knew the “hand cannon” and had seen Anselm fire it.
Hearing his words, she grew even more gleeful.
It was just her usual job!
As if this guy ever acts!
“You have three chances. If I act three times, you fail, and you’ll face my… punishment.”
The young Hydra smiled brightly, his venomous fangs faintly visible.
“Punishment” made Hitana’s heart lurch, the banquet’s humiliation surging, stirring unease and a vague urge to back out.
That baseless hesitation fueled her anger—*What am I afraid of? Why should I be? Backing down means admitting I can’t handle this job!* And the reward was so rich!
“Deal, I’m in!” Hitana raised her chin. “Get ready to hand over those crystals!”
Already plotting Hitana’s “punishment,” Anselm smiled innocently “I’m looking forward to it, Hitana.”
“Wait, you’re smiling so slyly. You’re not gonna hide and fire three blanks to fail me, are you—mmph!”
To prevent Hitana’s reckless words from earning a shock, Anselm zapped her first, showing his foresight.
Viscount Xiaofeng’s residence was a castle.
Led by Selam, Anselm and Hitana reached the safehouse.
In Count Chishuang’s dark web of interests, Viscount Xiaofeng, handling raiding routes, was a tall, robust man, more warrior than the corpulent count and indeed he was.
Path to Heaven, third stage, Throne.
The bandaged man on the bed, eyes closed and regulating his breath, was a powerhouse who could independently harness supernatural essence without rituals or tools.
“…Lord Hydra.”
As Anselm approached, the exhausted man opened his eyes, sighing in relief at the sight of the young, handsome blond noble “You’re here. My apologies, I can’t rise to greet you. But… it doesn’t matter now.”
His eyes brimmed with fear and liberation “You’ll keep your promise, grant me your mercy, right?”
Anselm, hands on Gleipnir, smiled “I will, Viscount Xiaofeng. But first… I need to clarify something.”
“Who killed Viscount Longbing, and who tried to kill you—later, I’ll inspect Longbing’s body.”
“You—”
“I promised you both,” Anselm interrupted.
“Since you fulfilled my demands, I’ll grant the mercy I vowed.”
“But now, someone has prevented me from keeping that promise.”
The calm youth whispered, yet Viscount Xiaofeng heard a thunderous roar of fury in his steady words.
—His anger was real, Xiaofeng thought.
“It’s an unacceptable shame for a Hydra,” Anselm said.
“So I’ll uncover the truth and then grant your mercy. Until then, no one will take your life from me.”
Bored and clueless, with no intuitive alerts or hostile senses, Hitana tilted her head, feeling idle.
“Thank you… for your grace.” Xiaofeng’s smile was strained. “I’ll assist as best I can.”
“You seem stable enough. I’ll check Longbing’s body now.”
Anselm nodded, turning to leave.
Seeing him move, Hitana strode ahead.
Then, in an instant, a deafening boom exploded in her ears.
“…”
She turned stiffly, seeing Anselm still in his turning pose, arm extended backward, Gleipnir as a hand cannon, its barrel smoking.
The cannon aimed at the shadow cast by Viscount Xiaofeng on the floor.
—Where a figure, upper body nearly obliterated, had emerged from nowhere.
No blood, no gore—Hydra’s violent aesthetic forbade such messy killing.
The assassin’s remaining parts scattered like toy blocks, absurdly horrific.
“I said, Viscount Xiaofeng,” Anselm chuckled, reverting the hand cannon to a cane, speaking warmly, “no one will take your life without my permission.”
“Because I forbid it.”
In the silence, Anselm turned, raising one finger to Hitana.
One.
This wasn’t the banquet’s playful assassination, Miss Hitana.
Looking at her, more stunned than Xiaofeng, Anselm smiled gleefully.
Ready for your punishment?