WebNovels

Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Found out x Sold out

"Tch. Kids these days are getting way too cocky…"

It didn't take long before Zeno and Silva Zoldyck tracked down Chrollo's hideout.

The old man unleashed a monstrous En, his aura field expanding to terrifying proportions. With that kind of coverage, any stealth or disguise Chrollo was using became completely useless.

Not that Chrollo even tried to hide.

Zeno's scoff came the moment he realized the target was just sitting inside the building—in the very auction hall where everything was supposed to happen—waiting for them.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Spiders were already in a full-blown war with the underground mafia outside. It was getting louder and bloodier by the second.

"Be careful, Dad," Silva said, flashing back to when they'd taken out Troupe Member #8. He knew damn well that killing a Spider wasn't as simple as it sounded.

"Hmph." Zeno didn't seem concerned. The two of them stepped into the corridor and pushed open the doors.

The hall was fully lit.

Standing alone on the empty auction stage was a handsome young man with black hair, calm as ever—watching them walk in like he'd been expecting them.

No doubt about it—he was a Spider.

Judging from how chaotic things were outside, this wasn't just any member. They were probably staring at one of the Troupe's core players. Maybe even the boss himself.

Silva knew the Troupe better than his father did. He recognized Chrollo immediately. They'd crossed paths before—back when they killed No. 8.

But Zeno and Silva barely glanced at Chrollo before shifting their eyes to something else.

The giant red curtain hanging behind the stage.

Someone else was there.

And they were even more dangerous than Chrollo.

Zeno and Silva locked eyes.

No words needed.

Whoever it was behind the curtain, their Zetsu was nearly flawless—not a trace of aura leaking out. Still, as seasoned assassins, both of them had instinctively spread their En the moment they stepped in, scanning for threats.

Silva's En wasn't as big as his dad's, but it covered the entire floor with no problem.

And if it weren't for the feedback from that En—and how close the presence was—they might've missed the hidden figure altogether.

Honestly, if it had been anyone else, even with a solid En, they probably wouldn't have picked up on it. This person felt like literal air inside the field.

Invisible. Untraceable.

But unfortunately for them, the Zoldycks weren't "anyone else." Their Nen skill was off the charts. And they'd picked up just enough of a crack in the disguise.

"Dad," Silva said quietly.

No need to explain further—they were already shifting focus away from Chrollo.

In just a second, they knew: if they wanted to kill Chrollo, they'd have to deal with whoever was hiding behind the curtain first. That guy was a bigger threat by far.

Just the pressure from his Zetsu alone was insane.

Someone that good at hiding… definitely tied to the Spiders. Probably an enemy too.

"I know," Zeno replied.

Chrollo caught the shift in their attention from their expressions alone.

He smirked, glancing toward the hidden figure and chuckled, "Looks like they found you."

"Sigh…"

With a calm exhale, the red curtain parted, and Xiang Nan walked out slowly, meeting Zeno and Silva's gaze.

"Not like I really thought I could fool you two… I just figured the Zoldycks were professionals—you had one target, and I wasn't it. Even if you noticed me, as long as I stayed out of the way, you'd let it slide."

"…Guess I was wrong."

The moment they saw him, both Zeno and Silva's expressions shifted.

Yeah—they knew this guy.

Whether it was Killua or Illumi, both had been around him before. More importantly, the Zoldyck intel network had all the dirt. They knew exactly who Xiang Nan was—and how much power he held in the Republic of Padokea's military.

"…This changes things, Dad," Silva said. "If he's in play, the Ten Dons definitely aren't paying enough."

"Not even close," Zeno muttered, arms still behind his back. "If we're counting him in, they'd owe us ten times the agreed amount… but whatever. We already took the job. Let's finish it first—payments can wait."

With that, Zeno's aura erupted like a furnace. He took a step forward.

Target: Xiang Nan.

"I'll handle him. You deal with the Spider. Don't expect an easy time though—holding him off won't be simple."

"Understood."

Silva didn't argue. He obeyed without hesitation.

"You guys are seriously overthinking this…" Xiang Nan raised his hands with a relaxed smile, nodding toward Chrollo. "I'm just here to watch. I've got no intention of fighting. Kill him if you want. I won't stop you."

"…Huh?"

Zeno froze. Silva did too.

The old man studied Xiang Nan's expression—he wasn't joking.

"You really are a nosy bastard…" Zeno muttered, voice half-mocking, half-approving. "But at least you know when to stay in your lane."

"He used to be one of the Shadow Beasts—the Ten Dons' elite enforcers," Silva added. "But I heard they all got wiped out. No clue what he's doing now… Still, he's clearly got ties to the underworld."

"Fine, let's get rid of this brat first…"

Honestly, they weren't being paid much for this to begin with. Dealing with an unexpected wildcard like Xiang Nan? Not worth the extra trouble. Since he was backing out, that worked just fine for them.

Zeno turned his focus back to Chrollo.

"You…"

Chrollo gave Xiang Nan a sideways glance and a helpless smile. "Really sold me out that fast, huh?"

Then he leapt down from the stage and walked straight toward the Zoldycks.

"Good luck," Xiang Nan called out cheerfully.

Whoosh!

The three figures closed in—and then vanished in an instant.

The battle had begun.

Xiang Nan's eyes lit up instantly.

This was a rare chance to witness the Zoldyck duo up close.

Both Zeno and Silva unleashed their Nen like twin infernos. Their aura output completely dwarfed Chrollo's.

And the quality of their life energy—pure, focused, and in perfect sync with their bodies—was on another level entirely.

Chrollo's aura was smaller, less refined… but his fighting spirit was burning hot.

He didn't flinch.

Not even a little.

He was razor-sharp—ready to kill.

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