It was the final watch of the night.
The city was asleep—
but some people were awake, counting lives.
Inside a secret house of the Eastern Caravan Alliance,
three masked figures stood.
"The target is simple,"
the leader said.
"Li Tian.
Dead by dawn."
Gold coins were placed on the table.
The assassins picked them up without a change in expression.
What they didn't know—
this hunt was already compromised.
---
Li Tian — Three Steps Ahead
At the same moment, Li Tian sat in his study.
Another move had already been completed on the chessboard.
The leader of Shadow Veil stood before him.
"The assassins have made their move,"
he reported.
"Eastern Alliance.
High-level killers."
Li Tian calmly took a sip of tea.
"Their route?"
"South alley.
Rooftop entry."
Li Tian nodded.
"Perfect."
---
The Trap
That night, Li Tian did not sleep at home.
He deliberately leaked a fake routine—
lanterns stayed lit,
guards looked slightly relaxed,
a servant was deliberately seen leaving.
Exactly what the assassins wanted.
Three shadows landed on the rooftop.
Next panel—
An empty room.
"Trap,"
one assassin muttered—
but it was already too late.
---
Shadow Veil vs Shadow Killers
Movement stirred in the dark alleys.
One assassin fell—
a blade across the throat, soundless.
The second tried to flee—
a rope snapped tight from behind.
The third stopped.
"Who are you people?"
he growled.
A voice emerged from the shadows—
"Those who survive contracts."
Final strike.
Silence.
---
Bloodless Victory
Morning came to the city—
yet no blood was seen.
Only one thing spread—
The assassins of the Eastern Caravan Alliance had vanished.
---
Political Aftermath
Two days later, sealed evidence reached the officials—
bribe records,
illegal assassination orders,
proof of route sabotage.
An investigation was launched against the Eastern Alliance.
Their warehouses were sealed.
Their trade license suspended.
Black River and Golden Scale withdrew.
---
Mu Qinglan's Realization
Mu Qinglan looked at Li Tian.
"You never started a war…
you ended it."
Li Tian replied calmly—
"A war is truly won
when people feel like it never even happened."
---
End Panel
In the city bazaar, the Merchant Guild's flag fluttered peacefully.
Rival banners had been taken down.
Li Tian gazed out the window, thinking—
"Murim fears the sword.
But true fear…
comes from invisible control."
Caption:
> "When the prey begins to plan,
the role of the hunter changes."
Next Chapter: Li Tian's next big move — Influence Beyond the Market.