Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Organization Behind the Scenes

He sensed that the seven men, whose aura was only slightly weaker than Xiao Ye’s, had slaughtered all the guards outside, leaving no one alive. Even Xue Gui, whom he had captured, had vanished without a trace.

“I was merely stalling for time with you. In truth, you are the strongest power in this base, aren’t you? All I needed was to keep you occupied and eliminate your guards one by one; how could I possibly worry about not rescuing the hostages? As for the issues you mentioned…” Xiao Ye smiled dismissively, his face full of disdain. “I couldn’t care less.”

Realizing that Xiao Ye spoke the truth, Red Ghost grew even more agitated. Having already drunk the blood of two men, his frenzy only deepened—he was on the verge of madness.

Scarlet Dragon had wiped out all the guards on the island, and Xue Gui had been successfully rescued. This mission was a complete fiasco for Red Ghost.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly pierced his flesh.

“When I kill you, you won’t be so talkative anymore.” Red Ghost suddenly raised his head, his body moving swiftly toward Xiao Ye.

Now, he had no other thoughts; everything he did was driven by the sole desire to kill Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye had no intention of speaking further. Every extra ounce of strength spent now was wasted. He drew a dagger from somewhere on his person and said to Red Ghost:

“Consider yourself fortunate—you’ll get a glimpse of my weapon.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the two collided once more.

The hilt of Xiao Ye’s dagger was pitch black, save for a single embellishment: a silver-white dragon, its posture unrestrained, as if about to soar into the skies. The blade was sheathed in a fine leather scabbard, elegant yet exuding undeniable menace.

Until now, whether facing those old men or anyone else, Xiao Ye had never revealed his weapon in public. This was his first time drawing it against Red Ghost.

Red Ghost looked on without fear as the two clashed violently again.

Xiao Ye did not remove the scabbard from the dagger. He wanted to trade a few more blows with Red Ghost—to toy with him a little longer.

Red Ghost’s strength had surged, his muscles growing even denser. Xiao Ye’s dagger, even with effort, could not pierce his flesh or leave a mark.

Red Ghost landed a punch on Xiao Ye, who, having concentrated all his strength on the blade, took the blow head-on. His body shot backward at great speed, but he made sure Red Ghost paid a price as well.

With the dagger reversed in his hand, the leather sheath slipped soundlessly to the ground. As he retreated out of Red Ghost’s reach, he slashed a line across his enemy’s chest.

Instantly, Red Ghost’s chest erupted in a torrent of blood. Given the density of his muscles, the dagger tore his flesh wide open, the wound a gory mess.

Xiao Ye was thrown back dozens of steps. The force of Red Ghost’s punch was tremendous. He suppressed the tightness in his chest, swallowing the urge to vomit blood, using every ounce of willpower to steady his raging qi and blood.

Red Ghost fared no better. Whatever stimulant he had taken did not seem to dull the pain; he half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath.

Xiao Ye eyed him, suddenly sensing something was amiss.

Red Ghost’s aura was flickering again, growing weaker and stronger by turns, despite the grievous wound Xiao Ye had just inflicted. Suspicion crept into Xiao Ye’s heart.

Could it be that the blood Red Ghost drank was the source of his sustained power?

There was no way to prove this theory. Once he recovered a little, Xiao Ye stood up again, dagger still reversed in his hand.

Red Ghost touched his wound, and the strange sensation vanished at once. The bleeding slowed, and he brought his palm to his mouth, licking it clean, savoring every drop.

“In this state, you’re the first to ever wound me.” Red Ghost’s face remained twisted in a wicked grin as he glared at Xiao Ye.

“And you are the first to see this dagger of mine. Care to try again?” Xiao Ye replied with a smile, the two once more at a standoff.

“To tell you the truth, I’m conflicted. My orders are to kill you, but right now, I have no desire to end your life at all.”

Indeed, Red Ghost did not want to kill Xiao Ye. It had been a long time since anyone had forced him to such a frenzy, compelled him to use this trump card. To cripple this man and keep him as a pet at his side—what could be more delightful?

“You talk too much. Save it if you survive!” Xiao Ye shook his head, saying no more, and for the first time, launched an attack.

He was ready now, but even so, he found himself unprepared for the decision. Once Xiao Ye made up his mind, taking Red Ghost’s head would be as effortless as reaching out.

He no longer intended to play games. The task he set out to do was done. Killing Red Ghost now would only draw the attention of the powers behind him, so why not await them at his leisure?

Gripping the reverse-held dagger, Xiao Ye slashed at Red Ghost’s neck, aiming to end it in one stroke.

Red Ghost had no time to retreat, but Xiao Ye was a fraction of a second too late—just short of slicing through that crimson neck.

He adapted instantly. With the dagger still reversed, he rode the inertia, driving his knee into Red Ghost’s body while releasing the dagger with his right hand, seizing it with his left, and slashing once more before him.

A moment later, something fell to the edge of the ring, while a torrent of blood spurted from a wrist. Xiao Ye landed nimbly on the platform, not a drop of blood staining him.

Red Ghost, by contrast, looked terrifying—his eyes bloodshot, clutching his arm desperately, but unable to staunch the flow.

His mind was slipping; the massive blood loss left him unable to sustain the stimulant’s effects. Red Ghost staggered, on the verge of collapse.

“You must have taken some kind of drug—the blood was just a distraction, wasn’t it?” Xiao Ye finally saw through the ruse and voiced his guess loudly.

Red Ghost panted, sweat beading on his brow, his state returning to normal. Facing Xiao Ye, he no longer had the strength to fight.

“Not talking? No matter. Say farewell to the organization you serve.” Xiao Ye wiped the blood from his dagger, ready to finish Red Ghost off.

At that moment, a surge of overwhelming power suddenly erupted somewhere in the base. The sound of something tearing through the air came from not far behind Xiao Ye.

Hearing it, Xiao Ye’s eyes narrowed. He turned in midair, halting his killing blow.

When he landed, an old man with white hair stood upon the platform.

Dagger in hand, Xiao Ye knew this elder was no ordinary man. Keeping the blade ready was at least a deterrent.

The old man said nothing. The wounded Red Ghost at his side could barely stay upright, on the verge of collapse. The elder squared off with Xiao Ye for a moment, then, without a word, hoisted Red Ghost onto his back.

Seeing that the old man had no intention of attacking him, Xiao Ye slowly lowered his guard. A new idea began to take shape in his mind.

He had gravely wounded Red Ghost today, and from the man's words, it seemed there were even greater powers behind him. Xiao Ye was no longer worried about finding their true leader.

He watched as the white-haired elder carried Red Ghost away. The two exchanged not a single word—as if they existed in different worlds.

Casting his gaze over the corpses of the ten men, Xiao Ye’s eyes betrayed not a hint of pity.