Tonight's assassination attempt failed, but Ian Song was not discouraged.
The next day, he once again arrived outside the Strongarm Bull Devils' camp.
That Martial Saint still didn't show himself, continuing to lurk in silence. Moreover, the Martial Saint wasn't one of the Strongarm Bull Devils—he was from the Shadow Devils.
From what he knew, the ten great Devil races were far from harmonious, and even went to war with each other.
Why would a Shadow Devil Martial Saint serve the Strongarm Bull Devils?
On the second night, Ian Song still came up empty-handed.
But on the third night, he showed up again—the Shadow Devil Martial Saint was still there.
"Damn it, you think I can't outwait you forever?" Ian muttered.
After waiting several hours, Ian could only leave, frustrated.
The next morning, in his compound, Ian Song lounged in a chair with his eyes closed, resting while Liam Liang, Yoon Zhengyang, and the others trained nearby.
After a while, a man in armor walked in—it was Deputy Commander Fiona Li.
Ian immediately got up to greet him politely.
"When do you plan to head back to the battlefield?" Fiona Li asked.
"Probably in five or six days," Ian replied.
Fiona thought for a moment, then said, "The Strongarm Bull Devils must have already appointed a new ten-thousand-man commander. They could attack any time. Are you really willing to let Lance Xuanyuan snatch all the credit?"
Ian just smiled mysteriously. "Not worried."
"You look so sneaky—don't tell me you've already assassinated the new commander too?" Fiona joked.
Ian nodded.
Fiona was stunned. He'd only been joking, but it turned out to be true. He couldn't believe it: "You already killed Brock, and security must be airtight over there. How did you manage to assassinate a second ten-thousand-man commander?"
"That's a secret I can't tell," Ian said with a light laugh.
Fiona Li looked a bit frustrated. "Fine, if you won't say, forget it. Since their new ten-thousand-man commander is dead, the Devils won't be making any moves in the next few days. Why don't you bring your team and help me train my troops in battle formations?"
"No problem!" Ian Song nodded, but suddenly, as he looked at Fiona Li, an idea popped into his mind.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Fiona Li felt Ian Song's gaze was a bit strange.
"Deputy Commander Li, do you want to earn some merit?" Ian Song asked mysteriously.
Hearing this, Fiona Li's eyes lit up. "What's your idea?"
"No rush." Ian Song shook his head, his expression growing serious. "If you were to launch a sneak attack, do you have confidence in killing an initial-stage Shadow Devil Martial Saint?"
Fiona Li answered seriously, "The Shadow Devil race are born assassins, masters of concealment and killing, but their actual strength isn't that overwhelming. In a fair fight, I've got a fifty percent chance against one at my level. If I ambush him, my odds go up to eighty percent!"
"That's good." Ian Song's lips curled into a smile. Eighty percent is high, but there's still a chance of failure. If we add another Martial Saint, our odds go up even more.
Ian lowered his voice, "Deputy Commander Li, why not invite another Martial Saint to join us for this operation?"
"You haven't told me a thing—why should I agree?" Fiona Li said, annoyed.
"Heh, that's my bad!" Ian Song slapped his forehead. "Here's the deal: I know a movement art that lets me teleport anywhere within a hundred li. Both my assassinations were done by teleporting across the Blood River and straight into the enemy's tent for a sneak attack! Now, they've sent someone new to take over as ten-thousand-man commander.
But after two assassinations, they're on high alert. Not only are there ten Great Grandmaster guards, but a Shadow Devil Martial Saint is hiding in the dark. That Shadow Devil is incredibly cunning—on the first night, I used my Sword Puppet to lure the guards away, but the Martial Saint didn't fall for it.
I watched for two more nights, but that Shadow Devil Martial Saint stayed tight on guard, so I never got a chance to strike!
After hearing Ian Song's account, Fiona Li was incredulous. "What kind of movement art lets you teleport anywhere within a hundred li?"
His cultivation is already at the Martial Saint realm, but even at full speed, he can only cover a thousand meters in one breath.
Even a peak Martial Saint couldn't teleport freely within a hundred li like that.
"The movement art was taught to me by the dean!" Ian Song said.
"No wonder—the dean himself taught you!" Fiona Li said, full of envy. That kind of movement art is the ultimate escape skill. Clearly, the dean values you even more than I thought.
"Interested?" Ian Song asked again.
Fiona Li didn't agree right away, but asked, "So what's your plan?"
Ian Song pondered for a moment before saying, "My plan is to use the lure-the-tiger-from-the-mountain trick to draw those ten guards away, then show up to ambush their ten-thousand-man commander. That Shadow Devil Martial Saint will definitely come after me, and that's when you guys ambush him in return!"
"That's a great plan!" Fiona Li clapped his hands, looking excited. If they really managed to kill a Shadow Devil Martial Saint, that would be a massive achievement—after all, Martial Saints are top-tier fighters, and losing one is a huge blow.
"How about we make it three Martial Saints? That way our odds are even better!" Fiona Li suggested.
"That won't work—I can only take two people at a time!" Ian Song shook his head.
"Forget it then. I'll invite my good friend Marcus Meng right away—he's a deputy commander too, and his cultivation is even higher than mine, already at the peak of mid-stage Martial Saint, just a step away from late-stage. If we team up, that Shadow Devil won't stand a chance in an ambush. But before we go, we need to see your movement art for ourselves!"
"Of course, no problem!" Ian Song agreed immediately.
Half an hour later.
Ian Song met Marcus Meng, the deputy commander Fiona Li mentioned, in a private box at a Blood River City tavern.
Marcus looked to be in his early forties, tall and powerfully built, bald, and dressed in black armor—he cut a truly imposing figure.
"Little Li, what's with all the mystery, dragging me to a tavern?" Marcus Meng said, quick and direct.
"Sit down first—let me introduce you to someone!"
Fiona Li smiled and pointed at Ian Song. "This is Leon Huang from Sanctum Martial Academy, currently captain of Special Patrol Team Two. The commander thinks very highly of him. Too bad this kid isn't interested in staying in the army—otherwise, in ten years, he'd be above both of us!"
Marcus Meng laughed heartily. "Ha, Leon Huang! I've heard of you! You wiped out a thousand-strong Strongarm Bull Devil camp—very impressive!"
"Deputy Commander Meng, you're too kind—I just got lucky!" Ian Song said modestly.
"Lucky?" Fiona Li scoffed. "Old Meng, don't listen to this kid's nonsense—he's hiding plenty. You know Warlord Brock? Ian assassinated him. And the new ten-thousand-man commander, Sam? Ian got him too!"
"So Leon's that powerful!"
Hearing Fiona Li say this, Marcus Meng couldn't help showing a shocked expression.
"That's right. Now this kid is planning to assassinate the third ten-thousand-man commander!" Fiona Li added.
"Amazing, truly amazing! Leon, I'm definitely making you my friend. Here, let me toast you three cups!" Marcus Meng raised his glass, but Fiona Li pressed his hand down, saying, "Old Meng, hold on. We're here to discuss business—let's drink after we've settled things!"