Conrad Thornton leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with concern. "Liam, be careful with the Yates family. They may not have the power of the Ashworths, but in River North, they control everything."


    "I''ve dealt with worse." My voice was calm, but inside, rage simmered. Another corrupt family thinking they could take whatever they wanted.


    I stood, pacing by the window. "Conrad, I need you to deliver a message to Brecken Yates. Tell him he has exactly three days—not a week—to restore what was stolen. If he doesn''tply, I''ll dismantle his entire association piece by piece."


    Conrad''s eyes widened. "That''s... quite the ultimatum."


    "It''s not a threat. It''s a promise." I met his gaze steadily. "I''m tired of people thinking they can steal from me without consequences."


    After Conrad left, Sofia approached me cautiously. "Are you sure about this? Creating another enemy isn''t ideal right now."


    "The enemy already exists," I replied. "I''m just acknowledging it."


    Eamon cleared his throat. "Speaking of enemies, there''s something you should know. I''ve been monitoring news from the martial artsmunity. There''s a major discovery that everyone''s talking about."


    I turned my attention to him. "What discovery?"


    "An ancient battlefield has been unearthed in Shince City, about three hours from here." Eamon''s expression grew serious. "ording to reports, it''s filled with dark energy—exactly what you need for your cultivation."


    My pulse quickened. My chaotic body required both light and dark energy, and finding dark energy sources was significantly harder. This could be exactly what I needed to restore bnce after Jordan Yates''s people damaged my qi.


    "When was this discovered?" I asked.


    "Three days ago. The news just broke." Eamon handed me his tablet. "Every major family is sending representatives. The Ashworths are already on their way."


    I froze. "The Ashworths?"


    Sofia moved closer, reading over my shoulder. "It says here that Corbin Ashworth himself is overseeing their expedition."


    Corbin Ashworth—Isabelle''s uncle and one of my most dangerous enemies. If he caught me there...


    But I couldn''t ignore this opportunity. My qi was damaged, my cultivation stalled. This battlefield might contain exactly what I needed.


    "I have to go," I said finally. "The risk is worth it."


    Eamon shook his head. "It''s too dangerous. The Ashworths have a kill order on you."


    "I''ll be careful," I insisted. "Besides, in a ce filled with dark energy, my abilities will be amplified. If anyone should fear an encounter, it''s them."


    Sofia and Eamon exchanged worried nces, but neither argued further. They knew my mind was made up.


    That night, I meditated, trying to stabilize my damaged qi. The spiritual energy that Jordan Yates had stolen was crucial to my bnced cultivation. Without it, I felt a constant disharmony within my body, like an instrument slightly out of tune.


    Morning came too quickly. I was preparing to leave when there was a knock at the door.


    I opened it to find a slender woman with sharp features and unnervingly calm eyes. She wore a fitted ck zer and carried herself with unmistakable confidence.


    "Liam Knight," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "My name is Evelyn Norton. May Ie in?"


    I hesitated, then stepped aside. Something about her felt dangerous—not in the obvious way of a warrior, but in the subtle manner of a venomous snake.


    "What can I do for you, Ms. Norton?" I asked once we were seated.


    She smiled, a practiced expression that never reached her eyes. "It''s more about what I can do for you. I understand you''re nning to visit the newly discovered battlefield in Shince City."


    I kept my face neutral. "Who told you that?"


    "Information is my specialty," she replied simply. "Just as the Ashworth family''s hatred of you ismon knowledge."


    I tensed. "If you''re here to threaten me—"


    "Quite the opposite." Evelyn opened her purse and removed a small wooden box. "I''m here to offer you protection."


    She opened the box, revealing what appeared to be an ordinary ck hat.


    "This doesn''t look particrly protective," I observed dryly.


    Evelyn''s smile widened slightly. "Try it on."


    Cautiously, I took the hat and ced it on my head. Immediately, I felt a strange sensation wash over my face, like cool water flowing downward.


    "Go look in a mirror," she suggested.


    I walked to the bathroom and stared at my reflection in shock. My face waspletely different—the features blurred and indistinct, as if viewed through frosted ss. I was unrecognizable.


    When I returned to the living room, Evelyn looked pleased with herself. "Concealment artifacts are rare and incredibly valuable. This one is particrly effective because it doesn''t use qi, which means it can''t be detected by spiritual sense."


    "Perfect for sneaking into a battlefield crawling with enemies," I murmured. "Why would you offer me this?"


    "Because I want something in return." Her voice hardened. "Half of whatever treasures you find in the battlefield."


    I raised an eyebrow. "That''s a steep price."


    "Is it?" She crossed her legs elegantly. "Consider the alternative—going there exposed, with Corbin Ashworth and his minions hunting for your head."


    She had a point. Without a disguise, I''d be recognized immediately. The hat would give me freedom to explore without constantly looking over my shoulder.


    "Fine," I agreed. "Half of whatever I find. But I keep the hat afterward."


    "No," she countered immediately. "The hat returns to me once you leave the battlefield. It''s not for sale at any price."


    I studied her, trying to read her intentions. Something told me she wasn''t telling me everything.


    "There''s more, isn''t there?" I asked. "You didn''t seek me out just for a share of potential treasures."


    Evelyn''s mask of polite business slipped for just a moment, revealing something cold and calcting beneath. <em ss="ref-1c8c3a">This chapter was uploaded by the team at *.</em>


    "Perceptive," she acknowledged. "Yes, there''s a second condition."


    "Which is?"


    She leaned forward, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. "I want you to help me kill two people."


    I stared at her, taken aback by the bluntness of her request. "You want me to be your assassin?"


    "I want us to help each other," she corrected smoothly. "These people will be at the battlefield. They possess something I need, and they won''t surrender it willingly."


    "Who are they?"


    "That''s not relevant until you agree." She sat back, watching me carefully. "So, what do you say, Liam Knight? Do we have a deal?"


    I removed the hat, turning it over in my hands. The artifact was exactly what I needed, and the battlefield''s dark energy was crucial for my cultivation. But bing a killer for hire...


    "I don''t murder people for payment," I said finally.


    "Even if they deserve it?" Evelyn''s eyes glittered dangerously. "Even if they''re the kind of people who would crush others without a second thought? People not so different from those who''ve tried to destroy you?"


    Her words hit closer to home than I cared to admit. I''d killed before—always in self-defense or to protect others, but my hands weren''t clean.


    "I need to know who they are," I insisted. "I won''t agree blindly."


    "All in good time." Evelyn stood, smoothing her zer. "The battlefield opens to explorers tomorrow morning. We''ll meet at the eastern entrance at dawn. Bring your answer then." She gestured to the hat still in my hands. "Keep that for now—consider it a gesture of good faith."


    After she left, I sat in silence, turning the hat over and over in my hands.


    Sofia emerged from the bedroom, where she''d been listening. "You can''t seriously be considering this."


    "I need to go to that battlefield," I said quietly. "My cultivation depends on it."


    "But bing a hired killer?" Sofia''s voice wasced with concern. "That crosses a line, Liam."


    I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of the decision. She was right—this was different from fighting in self-defense. This was premeditated murder.


    "What if they truly deserve it?" I murmured, more to myself than to her.


    "That''s not for you to judge," Sofia replied softly. "Once you start ying executioner, where does it end?"


    I had no answer for her. In my mind, I kept hearing Evelyn''s cold, confident request: "I want you to help me kill two people."


    The hat sat in myp, offering protection, anonymity, and the chance to restore my damaged qi. All I had to do was agree to be someone''s personal assassin.


    As night fell, I still hadn''t decided. Dawn woulde soon, and with it, a choice that might change everything about who I was bing.