Chapter 159 - The Secrets of the Ghost Nest
Chapter 159 The Secrets of the Ghost Nest
“Where are we going?” questioned Zhan Hongyan. Xiao Bing found another security suit in a room and asked her to put it on. The suit was for someone whose height was 170cm, but Zhan Hongyan was a tall woman at 172cm. Hence, the suit was stretched tightly as she put it on, which revealed her perfect body shape.
Xiao Bing swallowed and Zhan Hongyan did nor seem to care about it. She snorted and asked again, “Where are we going?” The sullenness was still on her face.
“I’m recruiting members for my own organization. Have you ever heard of the Long family?”
“Let’s just be honest with each other. I know you offended Long Xiaoyun before he died. His family will definitely blame it on you and Master Hou. This Long family has many powerful martial artists. I’m sure your death is certain.”
“Then why did you choose to follow me?” asked Xiao Bing while laughing.
“Sometimes you have to be humble when you’ve gotten stuck in a bad situation.”
“That’s practical, though.” Xiao Bing laughed. “Why didn’t you say something nice about me, like you’re attracted by my charm… Emm, since you already know, then I’m not gonna lie to you. The martial artists around me are all stronger than you. No offense.”
“None taken,” said Zhan Hongyan icily.
Since submitting to Xiao Bing, she seemed to be at ease and restored her usual aloofness.
“Lastly, I want to know where the base of the Ghost Nest is,” said Xiao Bing while looking at Zhan Hongyan.
Frowning, Zhan Hongyan asked, “What are you up to?”
“Hehe!” Xiao Bing snorted, “I turned you against the Ghost Nest and captured three of your kind. I’m pretty sure they will pay a price for my head and that’s not a good thing for me. I’d rather eliminate this bane first before they start striking.”
Zhan Hongyan became tense and shouted in disbelief, “Are you insane? Who the hell do you think you are? Even though the Ghost Nest isn’t the top organization of assassins in the country, there’s no way that you can root them out easily! You are seeking your own death.”
“You don’t have another choice.” Xiao Bing stared at her. “Have you ever heard the story of the Warlord? You must do things which are against your conscience to prove the loyalty you have sworn to me. Besides, you think you can still sleep well while being a traitor of the Ghost Nest?”
Zhan Hongyan hesitated. In fact, she did not particularly like the place. There was only interest among assassins. But she was deeply in awe of it. That was why she did not dare to tell him. Besides, keeping secrets was also a fundamental quality of being an assassin.
But she had already betrayed them!
Just as Xiao Bing had told her, she was not the assassin she used to be. Since she had sworn her fealty to Xiao Bing, she was supposed to give him a present to prove it. Otherwise, he would not trust her completely because she had two conflicts with him.
Zhan Hongyan finally stopped hesitating. “To earn your trust, I can tell you. But the Ghost Nest is not that simple, as you may have imagined. Defeating me doesn’t mean that you are able to eliminate the Ghost Nest. There are many assassins there more powerful than me.”
“So tell me how many assassins are there and how many of them are better than you?”
Xiao Bing sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette, “Tell me everything and tell me the truth. Take your time.”
Zhan Hongyan sat on the bed and sighed. “I don’t know how I fell into this trap you set. There are 20 assassins in total in the Ghost Nest. Five of them are carrying out missions outside. Among the rest of them, the two leaders are at the Transforming Strength Stage, and there are four martial artists at the Concealing Strength Stage. And four of the last 10 are at the Clear-strength Stage and the rest are at the Bone-refining Stage.
Xiao Bing pondered for a moment. “The number of martial artists at the Transforming Strength Stage in Jiang City could not be over 10 and most of them are at Master Hou’s service. And the Ghost Nest has two. It seems that I should not underestimate it anymore.”
“Our leaders are brothers. The fat one is called Starving and the slim one is called Hungry.”
Xiao Bing almost choked on his saliva. “What kind of names are those?”
Zhan Hongyan’s face was overwhelmed with terror. “Starving uses a knife as his weapon and every time he kills a person, he will chop off that person’s ears, chew them up, and swallow them down. Sometimes he will even cook the body and feast on it.”
Xiao Bing felt it was disgusting.
“That Hungry is even more terrifying. His weapon is a Three Diamond Sword. Whenever he’s killing his enemy, he will thrust the sword into the person’s belly and spin the sword until his enemy’s guts are cut into pieces. According to his theory, a man can never be hungry if he has no guts.”
“What a psycho,” Xiao Bing cursed. “I’m sure any normal man would want the two bastards dead. How can you work for men like them?”
Zhan Hongyan sighed. “We all have our difficulties. There are two types of assassins in this world; ones that have joined an organization and ones that are called rogue assassins. For some assassins who are not very skillful, like me, joining an organization means that we are under its protection. Otherwise, we could get killed by some other assassins.”
Xiao Bing asked, “Have you ever thought of finding another organization to join?”
“The Ghost Nest found me first. Besides, they were not the only two who have disgusting desires among all the assassins. There might be other assassins like them if I join another organization.”
“That’s true. I can assure you that your new boss is not a psychopath. And you haven’t told me the location of their base yet.”
Zhan Hongyan stared at Xiao Bing like there was an idiot in front of her. “Are you really going to destroy them? You don’t consider yourself as a god, do you?”
“I’m not a god. But it doesn’t take a god-like power to eliminate them. Besides, I can use the help of the police.” Jiang Wanting suddenly swam up before his eyes.
Given his present strength, it would be quite difficult for Xiao Bing to exterminate the organization. But things would be different if the police were involved and Jiang Wanting happened to be his friend. Actually, Xiao Bing didn’t intend to take advantage of her. He just wanted her to take the credit. He believed that Jiang Wanting would be used as an example of all the police in Black Province.
After Zhan Hongyan had told him all she knew about the Ghost Nest, Xiao Bing took her to the noodle house by car. Wang Guifang, Zhang Jing, Li Hong, and Jiang Susu were sitting around a table and playing mahjong with Maggie watching them. Su Xiaoxiao had already gone home under Lil Bei’s escort. Su Xiaoxiao wanted to spend time with her mother since she finally came home.
Dumbass was squatting down and playing with crickets. But Xiao Bing did not see Gao Fei.
Upon seeing Xiao Bing come back, Dumbass jumped up. He giggled, “Brother Bing, why does this man look like a girl?”
The others all cast Zhan Hongyan a glance and then they all laughed. She threw Dumbass an icy glimpse with her facing still looking aloof. “Why is he so unfriendly?” asked Dumbass stupidly.
Xiao Bing rolled his eyes. “Are you blind? She’s a pretty girl, not a man!”
Zhan Hongyan took off the security cap on her head and let her hair down. Everyone in the noodle house instantly gasped and even Dumbass opened his eyes wide and shouted in vast disbelief, “How did a man suddenly turn into a pretty girl?”
Zhan Hongyan took a look at Xiao Bing and asked brusquely, “Is he mentally ill?”
“I’m not stupid. I’m just a little bit clumsy.”
There was a hint of a smile in Zhan Hongyan’s eyes, but soon after it turned into her usual aloofness.
Xiao Bing clapped his hands. “Let me introduce her to you. This is my friend and she will help guys with the business, but even though there is no payment for her, you can’t just ask her to do anything. She’ll live here in the noodle house with Gao Fei and Maggie because she has no place to stay now.”
Zhan Hongyan did not seem to like the offer. “I can solve this problem. I won’t live with others.”
A voice that was even colder drifting from the door. “Maggie won’t live with an unidentified stranger either.”
There was a hint of anger flashing in Zhan Hongyan’s eyes. She suddenly whirled around and then she saw two eyes that terrified her. There was no human emotion in them, just indifference toward all living things. She felt like she was falling into a bottomless pit. The anger in her eyes soon turned into horror.
Gao Fei was standing behind her!
Seemingly having sensed the enmity in Zhan Hongyan’s eyes, Gao Fei spoke icily, “I don’t like being gazed at like that. I wish this to be the last time.” His voice made her feel like she was in an ice house.
Zhan Hongyan sucked in her breath. Xiao Bing was also surprised by the intensity of Gao Fei’s killing intent. Though blood-drinking Jim, who was killed by Xiao Bing, was scary, he was just a psychopath. Yet the disposition Gao Fei was giving off was the essence of a killer, and the pure intention of slaughter. Even Jim could not do that.
Gao Fei stopped staring at Zhan Hongyan and passed by her. He directly walked up to Maggie, who was playing mahjong before. After seeing what happened just now, she seemed unhappy. “Brother, you scared our new sister,” said Maggie, pouting.
“I know, Maggie.”
To Maggie, Gao Fei was always gentle, even meek.
Zhan Hongyong asked in a low and trembling voice, “Who is he?”
“My friend, Gao Fei!”