"Did you overhear my conversation with Tan Rui?"
Hearing Cipher mention "exceptionally powerful mercenaries," Shen Yan immediately thought back to his discussion with Tan Rui yesterday. Combining that with her nearly undetectable invisibility, he deduced that she had been listening since then.
"Mm-hm, precisely."
Cipher nodded, confirming his suspicion.
"Setting aside the fact that you posted a commission targeting me, you even sold our team's info to that Tan Rui fellow. We were ambushed because of you."
"The shadow your little stunt cast over us can't be compensated by a mere 100,000 Credits. So, just like the Backcurrent Alliance, I've come to 'demand an explanation.'"
As she spoke, Cipher produced the [Wisp of Aura] and placed it on the desk.
"100,000 Credits?!"
At the mention of that figure, Shen Yan's expression shifted. He spoke with a hint of disbelief. "The 100,000 Credits that vanished into thin air from my account... that was your doing?"
"Correct, but no prize for guessing. Honestly, I was kind enough to only take 100,000. But looking at you now... I think I'll have to take the remaining 240,000 too nya~"
The more Shen Yan's face darkened, the brighter Cipher smiled. She harbored no goodwill toward this "Boss Shen" who had put a hit out on her and sold the Spark Squad's intelligence.
Her current philosophy was simple: if others don't provoke me, I might not provoke them. But if they do, I'll mess them up until they wish they were dead nya!
"What are your terms?"
After a moment of silence, Shen Yan spoke slowly.
Hearing his response, Cipher thought for a second before asking a question that made Shen Yan lose his composure.
"If the Branch President of the Mercenary Association disappeared for a while, it shouldn't cause too much of a stir, right?"
"You want to kill me? Setting aside the fact that I can't detect you, that doesn't mean I'm a lamb for the slaughter. Besides, the Association Headquarters would send someone down to investigate my cause of death."
Shen Yan could no longer maintain his poker face.
The shadows around him began to writhe. Crimson light bled from the eyes of the shadow's head, as if trying to force Cipher to abandon the thought.
"Now, now, Boss Shen, don't get so worked up."
Seeing Shen Yan hissing at her like a stressed animal, Cipher used a flat, calming tone to soothe him.
"By 'disappearing for a while,' I didn't mean forever. You just need to be a guest at my friend's house for a bit."
Then, her tone shifted sharply.
"Furthermore, if I truly wanted your life, you really would be... a lamb for the slaughter."
With that, she picked up the glass bottle from the desk. Under Shen Yan's wary gaze, she slowly unscrewed the cap.
In an instant, a terrifying sensation erupted from the bottle, sweeping through the entire Mercenary Association.
It was the sensation of death itself.
Being the closest, the moment the bottle opened, Shen Yan felt as if his heart were being crushed by a cold, horrific claw. This was followed by a piercing chill accompanied by a tearing, agonizing pain.
The agony spread from his heart to every limb in an instant. His veins felt as though they had been forcibly frozen by that extreme cold, the blood within them coming to a halt.
Shen Yan could no longer support his own weight. Clutching his heart, he collapsed to his knees, trembling. Large beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and rolled down his cheeks.
He felt as though he had entered a near-death state the very second the bottle was opened.
"Eh? Why does he look like he's in so much pain?"
Cipher frowned as she watched the miserable Shen Yan.
She looked at the wisp of purple mist inside the bottle and muttered to herself in confusion.
"That shouldn't be right. Based on the Shut-In Princess's ability, shouldn't people pass away peacefully? This doesn't look peaceful at all."
'Besides, the distance between Xiao Ran and me before was about the same as the distance between me and this Shen Yan, but Xiao Ran didn't seem to suffer this much.'
Scratching her head, Cipher couldn't figure it out for the moment. However, seeing that Shen Yan looked like he was halfway to the grave, she hurried to close the cap.
She only wanted to scare the man, not kill him.
Once the bottle was sealed, Shen Yan felt significantly better, though he still couldn't stand. He remained kneeling, propping himself up with his hands as he panted heavily.
"So, Boss Shen? Do you still think there's any difference between you and a lamb for the slaughter when facing this breath?"
Cipher looked down at the kneeling man, idly tossing the glass bottle in her hand as she questioned him.
It took over a minute of silence before Shen Yan finally caught his breath.
He lifted his head, watching the glass bottle as it rose and fell in Cipher's hand, and asked with great difficulty:
"Why... are you completely unaffected...?"
He could sense that the deathly aura emitted by that breath was indiscriminate; it wasn't targeting him alone.
But why? Cipher was clearly the closest one to it, yet he couldn't see a single trace of fear on her face.
Hearing the question, Cipher flashed a smile and quite happily explained the fact that she was immune to any instant-death curses.
The more people believed it, the easier it was for her lies to become reality. She was practically itching for everyone who encountered this aura to ask her that very question.
"Have you made up your mind? Are you going to try your luck and see if you can resist that feeling of death again, or will you come with me quietly?"
After finishing her explanation, Cipher cut back to the main point, asking for his choice once more.
After a long silence, Shen Yan slowly nodded.
"...I'll go with you."
Under the weight of that power, even standing up was a luxury, let alone resisting.
"That's more like it. Come on then."
Seeing Shen Yan agree, Cipher put the [Wisp of Aura] away and turned to walk out of the room.
However, before Shen Yan could even stand up to follow, Cipher's head popped back through the doorway to add one more thing:
"Don't think about running. I planted a mark inside your body when you weren't looking. No matter where you run, I'll find you."
"And if I have to come find you, as a punishment, I'll let you experience that near-death sensation one more time."
"...I won't."
"Good. I'll wait for you downstairs at the entrance of the Association."
With that, Cipher left the room once more.