Chapter 466: You're Putting Me in a Tight Spot
Translator: Pika
Sang Hong seemed to have already foreseen all of this. “Who wants us dead?” He asked, his expression still calm.
Ding Run shook his head. “I was praising Lord Sang for knowing the ropes a second ago. Why are you asking such a childish question now? You know the rules in my line of work. How could I possibly leak out any information about my employer?”
Sang Hong said indifferently, “I’ll give you some extra cash.”
Ding Run stared silently at him.
Zu An almost burst out laughing. He didn’t expect the usually serious Sang Hong to be so good at cracking such dry jokes.
“You’re really putting me in a tight spot.” Ding Run walked around in a circle, scratching his head. He was clearly working through some internal conflicts.
A while later, he asked, “How much extra are we talking about?”
Off to the side, Zheng Dan smiled. This fellow really was worthy of his reputation as a Cash Warrior.
Sang Hong replied, “Ten thousand taels, just for a name.”
Ding Run seemed rather unimpressed.
He snorted and said, “You made me think long and hard just for this? Screw your ten thousand taels. Lord Sang really is an honest official. You’ve worked yourself all the way up to the post of governor, yet you can only offer ten thousand taels when your life is on the line!"
Sang Hong fell silent. He truly was a novice when it came to the art of bribery. Ten thousand taels was his limit.
Sang Qian hurriedly chimed in, “I have money! How about a hundred thousand?”
“A hundred thousand...” Ding Run nodded. “Even though it’s a little low, I guess it will be barely enough for a name. The two of you are quite interesting, though. One is upright and honest, and the other seems rather corrupt. Are the two of you starting up a comedy duo?”
Sang Hong’s expression fell. He had nothing to say in response.
Sang Qian hurriedly said, “Respectfully, please tell us who is the one that wants us dead.”
“Where’s the money?” Ding Run picked up his sword and gave him a sidelong glance.
Sang Qian immediately fished out a stack of silver banknotes. “Here, it’s right here!”
It has to be mentioned that the Embroidered Envoy did things differently from other law enforcement officials. If it had been any other bailiffs conducting the arrests, they would surely have stripped their prisoners of all their possessions. They wouldn’t have even left them with a single copper coin.
The Embroidered Envoy, however, would only check their prisoners for any hidden weapons or dangerous objects. They didn’t touch money at all.
Ding Run’s eyes lit up when he saw the cash. He reached out his hand, and the stack of bank notes floated over to him as if moved by an invisible hand.
He brought the notes up to his nose and gave it a sniff, and an intoxicated expression appeared on Ding Run’s face. “Ah... the smell of silver banknotes. Its fragrance will never fail to move me.”
Zu An could only stare at him.
This dude’s greed is on a whole new level...
After taking a few more moments to take in their smell, Ding Run put away the cash. “All right, it’s time to send you all to the afterlife.”
Sang Qian immediately flew into a panic. “You took my money, but you didn’t tell us who it was that put that hit on us!”
Ding Run grinned. “I will tell you his name just as you are taking your last breath. That way, I won’t be going back on my promise, and nothing unexpected will happen.”
Sang Qian and Sang Hong were both speechless.
Zu An was intrigued. Even though this fellow looked boorish, he was a pretty shrewd thinker. Escaping from this man was going to prove difficult.
In Sang Qian’s eyes, Ding Run’s snow white teeth looked just like the mark of the devil. He cowered in fear.
Sang Hong’s voice grew dark. “Do you know the consequences of taking our lives? We are court officials, and criminals as well. Zu An over here is even wanted alive by the emperor himself. If someone finds out that you were the one who killed us, you won’t have a chance to spend all that money, no matter how much you make.”
Ding Run nodded. “You have indeed pointed out something important. Of course, no one will know that I was the perpetrator if I kill everyone who knows about it.”
Just as the words had left his mouth, the blade in his hands flashed with a cold glint. Huang Huihong clutched his neck, his face covered in disbelief. He turned around to look at the carriage, his hand reaching out as if he wanted to grab on to something. However, his life leaked out of him, and his body crashed heavily into the ground.
His blade is incredibly fast!
This was everyone’s first reaction. After all, none of them even saw his blade move. There had only been a flash of vicious light, and by the time they looked, his blade was already back in its scabbard, as if it never left in the first place.
Zu An fell silent as he looked at Huang Huihong’s corpse. Even though this man had captured him, Zu An still thought of him as someone worthy of respect. He was responsible and diligent, and he didn’t have any questionable morals. Up to his final moments, he had still been dedicated to the completion of his mission.
Who would have thought that a man like him would die silently in the wilderness?
Zheng Dan’s hand secretly found his. Without a doubt, this hitman was a vicious and merciless killer. There was no chance that he would leave anyone alive.
She was still a young lady, after all. Even though she had experienced many things as the boss of the Whale Gang, staring death in the face was still a frightening experience..
The one consolation she had was that Zu An was by her side. If this really was the end, then at least the journey across the yellow springs of the underworld wouldn’t be a lonely one.
Zu An had no intention of accepting this fate. He looked at the approaching Ding Run and said, “I’ll give you double whatever the other guy has paid you to buy our freedom.”
Compared to Sang Hong’s ‘honest poverty’, he was definitely considered a rich bastard. He still had a few million silver taels on him.
Ding Run chuckled. “Oh? I didn’t expect a kid like you to have so much money on you.”
Zu An smiled. “I’m really not as noble as Lord Sang over there. I have quite a few methods of making money.”
“There have always been rumors floating around regarding the Chu clan’s wealth. Now, I finally believe them. You’ve only spent a few months in the Chu clan, yet you’ve already accumulated so much. I’ll have to go for a stroll around the Chu clan when I have the chance.” Ding Run seemed rather moved, but he quickly changed the topic. “I’m honestly quite tempted, but I cannot take your money.”
“Why?” Zu An said in surprise. “Aren’t you called the Cash Warrior? I’m already doubling their offer. Why wouldn’t you accept it? Aren’t you advertising one thing but selling something else?”
Ding Run replied, “I have to think long term. Even though earning double the amount of silver from you right now seems like a good deal, if I take a job but don’t complete it, who will hire me in the future? I’ll be losing big! That’s why I cannot take your cash.”
Zu An sighed. “It’s surprising to find a hitman who is so principled in our society,” he said.
“Thank you for your praise. Since I find you quite agreeable, I’ll give you a swift and painless death later,” Ding Run replied.
Zu An’s eyes narrowed. “You hinted that you would interrogate me for the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra earlier. From what you’re saying, it seems like there are others who want me dead as well.”
“I was just casually throwing it out there. I refuse to believe that there is a technique in this world that can grant eternal life. Cash is more practical. Given our limited lifespan, the best thing one can do is to live the most glamorous life possible.” Ding Run chuckled. “Since the two of us seem to be hitting it off, let me tell you something. Someone does want you dead, and that person doesn’t want me to reveal their identity either. I don’t know why they are so concerned, though.”
The expressions of Sang Hong, Sang Qian, and Zheng Dan all flickered when they heard that someone had put out a hit on Zu An as well.
Oddly enough, Zu An himself didn’t seem the least bit affected. “Since you’re a hit man, can I entrust you with a job?”
“Entrust me with a job?” Ding Run was stunned. “My targets are always either begging for their lives or sobbing bitterly. To meet someone like you who wants to help me in my business is quite the rare sight. Indeed, I am a hit man. If you can afford my rates, then of course you can entrust me with a job.”
“That’s good to know,” Zu An said. “How much do you charge for a hit?”
Ding Run chuckled. “That’s hard to say! Different targets have different levels of cultivation and social standing, and the price will obviously be different, according to each individual. Of course, I won’t do it for cheap, no matter how shoddy the target is. After all, anyone who is worthy of being my target wouldn’t be an easy job.”
“I’ll trouble you to kill the one who put the hit on me, then,” Zu An said.
Ding Run’s eyes narrowed. “So that’s what you had in mind, kid. I fear that I...”
“I’ll give you extra,” Zu An continued in a composed manner. “I’ll pay you double whatever that person paid to send you after me.”
Ding Run hesitated. “You really are putting me in quite the spot here...”
“Triple!” Zu An continued without flinching.
Ding Run’s eyes lit up. “Fine! Deal!”
Sang Qian was completely stunned. This kind of bullshit was okay?
As expected, this brat’s brain worked quickly! Maybe it’s better if I don’t antagonize him in the future.
Sigh, I might not even make it beyond today. What’s the point in thinking about this now?