Earth, Feilan City – Xiao Family Residence.
Night had fallen.
"Xena Xiao should be back soon!" Liana Xiao murmured to herself, a chill and murderous intent lacing her voice as she sat alone in her room.
She knew that Xena would likely return with a vial of C78 Essence Purification Elixir, and soon after, she'd break through to the Purification Stage, becoming a Purification Stage powerhouse. When that happened, Xena would earn the respect and admiration of everyone in the Xiao family, leaving Liana hopelessly behind, unable to ever catch up.
For Liana, this was a nightmare she could not endure.
A sudden thought sparked in her mind—a bold, sinister thought. Kill Xena, take the C78 Essence Purification Elixir, and claim the benefits herself.
"I'm no match for her!" Liana sighed, then added with a steely resolve, "But I can hire assassins!"
Arranging for assassins to kill a member of her own family was a capital offense if discovered. However, if the plan succeeded, the elixir would be hers, and she could easily secure a place in a university. Once she became a university student, even if the plot was exposed, the Xiao family wouldn't dare act against her so easily.
"Let's do it!" Liana gritted her teeth.
While numerous assassin groups operated on Earth, large-scale organizations were beyond Liana's reach. However, within Feilan City and a few neighboring cities, there was a widely known syndicate—the Blood Hand Syndicate.
This organization wasn't especially powerful; its strongest member was only at the peak of the Blood Transformation Stage. Yet their skill in remaining hidden allowed them to operate with impunity. No one knew the location of their headquarters, and thus, they had managed to avoid detection for years.
The Blood Hand Syndicate would accept any contract as long as they were paid, regardless of the target.
Once her mind was made up, Liana went to her mother's room. Liana's mother, Yara Li, hailed from Feilan City's prominent Li family and had married into the Xiao family. Of everyone in the Xiao family, Yara Li was closest to Liana.
This time, she intended to borrow money from her mother, as she wouldn't be able to afford a professional assassin herself.
"Mom, are you awake?" Liana asked, standing by the door.
Her father was frequently away on business, and thus she didn't worry about disturbing him.
"It's you, Liana. Come in; I'm not asleep yet," her mother's voice responded from within.
Entering, Liana approached her mother, wearing an expression of hesitation.
"Liana, what's the matter? Is someone bullying you? Tell me, and I'll make sure they regret it," Yara Li promised, a fierce glint in her eyes.
"Mom, it's like this…" Liana began, explaining her rivalry with Xena, how Xena's success had become a threat, and subtly hinting at her desire to eliminate her.
"Liana… are you saying you want to…?" Yara Li mimicked a cutting motion across her neck, clearly shocked.
"Yes. I want her gone. Mom, will you help me?" Liana asked, her tone resolute.
"That's… risky…" Yara hesitated. Eliminating the main line's eldest daughter was dangerous. If it were discovered, her family line could face severe repercussions from the Xiao family.
However, if Xena were gone, Liana would stand out, gaining much more favor from the family. And more than anything, seeing her daughter happy was what Yara wanted most.
"I'll help you. Tell me what you need," Yara agreed.
"Mom, I need to hire assassins from the Blood Hand Syndicate to kill Xena, but I don't have enough money. Since you manage the family's finances, could you give me some funds? I need around two hundred thousand," Liana said coldly.
"Two hundred thousand! That much?" Yara was taken aback.
She could access two hundred thousand, but that amount would be hard to hide from her husband. Knowing his character, he would never approve.
"Mom, please?" Tears welled up in Liana's eyes, threatening to spill over.
"All right, I'll get it for you!" Yara quickly agreed, eager to please her daughter.
Soon after, she transferred the two hundred thousand to Liana.
Ding! A message notification confirmed the successful transfer. Liana's face lit up with satisfaction as she thought, "Xena Xiao, you're dead."
Blood Hand Syndicate Official Website
A new assassination request had just arrived at headquarters. Several high-ranking members gathered to discuss it.
"Two hundred thousand to kill a young girl at the ninth stage of the Flesh Refinement Phase. Not a difficult task, and the pay's decent."
"But she's Xena Xiao, the Xiao family's eldest daughter. Are we sure about this? It could lead to trouble."
"Who cares about the Xiao family? We kill whoever we're paid to kill. Besides, people think our top fighters are at the Blood Transformation Stage. They'd be surprised. If we didn't have a Void Stage expert in our ranks, do you think we'd have survived this long? Even if the Xiao family found our headquarters, they wouldn't be able to do anything."
"Exactly. We can't be timid about a single job, or we'll ruin our reputation. Let's take it."
"Who should we send? For two hundred thousand, we'll only strike once and can send up to five Purification Stage Level One assassins and one Level Two. If the contractor agrees, we'll finalize the deal."
"Sounds like a plan."
Soon, Liana received a message from the Blood Hand Syndicate: Five Purification Stage Level One assassins, one Level Two, one attempt, two hundred thousand.
Smiling coldly, she lightly tapped the "Agree" button.
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