Hank's words made Ender's eyes light up.
He finally knew the exact time period: it was a scene from the original story, taking place three days before the Gray Terminal was burned.
This meant that the Gray Terminal would be set on fire within the maximum time limit of his mission.
This was good news for Ender. The more chaos there was, the more chances he would have. It's always easier to fish in muddy water.
Hank walked toward the storage room exit. As if he suddenly remembered something, he turned and said, "Our boss's name is Brandon O'Car. You are a member of the Guards now; you should know your boss's name."
Ender gave a small laugh and nodded to show he understood.
The two walked out of the warehouse. The sky was already getting dark, and the streets were filled with tired people.
Through their casual talk, Ender found out that the big man he had met earlier—his current "boss," Brandon O'Car—had been the Head of the Guards for almost ten years. He supposedly had many connections and talked with officials big and small in the palace, and he was even called to meet the King once.
Ender didn't completely believe what Hank was saying, as the man seemed to be flattering his boss.
Brandon O'Car being the Head of the Guards for ten years might be true, but his "wide connections" needed to be checked.
After all, staying in the same position for ten years also meant that this "boss" was not doing very well in the capital city.
Just as Hank was about to say goodbye and leave, Ender spoke first.
"How about we go for a drink? I just got to the capital city today, and I have many things to ask you about."
Hank pretended to be difficult, but after Ender's "warm invitation," the two walked into a tavern.
After a few cups of rice wine, Hank's face was slightly red, and his breath smelled of alcohol. He clearly started talking a lot more.
"I'm telling you, if the boss hadn't had trouble controlling himself, he would have been working in the palace by now."
"Who did the boss have to mess with, right? He just had to touch... hic..."
Hank hiccupped and stopped talking mid-sentence, as if he realized he had said something wrong.
Ender raised his cup and clinked it against Hank's. As Hank tilted his head back to drink, the wine in Ender's cup disappeared without a trace.
Drinking alcohol in this dangerous world was like looking for trouble, so Ender did not drink a single drop.
"Forget it, I won't say any more. The boss is still living well every day. He's a regular at the Pleasure Quarter; it makes me so envious."
Ender responded with a few simple words and poured Hank another cup.
After a few more rounds of drinks, it was around seven in the evening. Ender and Hank parted ways outside the tavern. The streets were now brightly lit with lamps.
Ender lit a cigarette. Through the rising smoke, he looked at Hank walking away, deep in thought.
The man had given him a lot of information, and now that it was night, it was time for Ender to act.
With one hand resting on the knife handle at his waist, Ender stopped a passerby. The passerby was annoyed at first, but when he clearly saw Ender wearing the Guards uniform, he became noticeably nervous.
"Tell me, where is the Pleasure Quarter?"
The passerby gave Ender a smile that men understood, then pointed out the direction for him.
That smile and the name "Pleasure Quarter" made Ender realize what kind of place it was.
His "boss" certainly had a lot of energy.
–
The Pleasure Quarter
Lamps were being lit for the evening in a district mostly colored pink and red.
The streets were lined with two- or three-story pointed-roof buildings. Their tops were covered with colorful tiles, and circular or square lanterns hung in front of the doors.
Soft musical sounds mixed with the happy laughter on the streets. Many men and women were hugging each other closely.
On the upper floors along the street, you could vaguely see women wearing revealing clothes and holding thin, long pipes. These women were smiling invitingly, trying to attract customers passing by.
This was the Pleasure Quarter, the red-light district of this kingdom.
On the rooftop of one of the buildings, Ender squatted in dark clothes, holding the Dragon Slayer. (TL/N: I… AM.. Batman)
Since entering this world, Ender hadn't had a real fight. Tonight, he would assassinate his first target to prepare for the mission.
A loud laugh came from the street.
The somewhat familiar laughter immediately drew Ender's attention. The person laughing was none other than the "boss" he had met during the day.
Brandon O'Car, followed by two guards, was walking boldly down the Pleasure Quarter street.
Passersby quickly stepped aside and looked nervous when they saw Brandon O'Car.
"He's finally here."
Ender hid on the rooftop, closely following Brandon O'Car and his men.
It wasn't long before Brandon O'Car and his guards entered one of the buildings. Ender moved through the darkness of the night and came to the top of that building.
After waiting for a moment, Ender jumped down from the roof. He landed silently and immediately pressed himself against the wall to avoid being seen.
Using the darkness and the faint lamplight as cover, Ender began to check the rooms one by one.
He didn't need to use his eyes to check the rooms; he could rely on sound alone.
Ender had trained this ability specifically, and he remembered Brandon O'Car's voice.
After checking three rooms, Ender found his target. Voices came from the room—a man and a woman talking.
"When are you going to 'save me'? Can you really bear to see me with other men here?"
"Soon, soon. This business belongs to the Left Minister, and money alone can't solve it. I've been trying hard recently. The Left Minister is close to the King..."
Ender listened to the two people talking with no expression on his face, but their conversation became increasingly flirty, making him frown.
But it was not the right time yet. Ender had to wait for O'Car to be at his most vulnerable moment to strike a deadly blow.
Soon, the opportunity arrived. The nearby guards started talking, and their attention was slightly diverted.
Ender slowly drew the long knife from his waist, then gently pushed open the window and slipped into the room without making a sound.
Inside the room, a man and a woman were embracing each other.
Ender chose this moment because it was the only time O'Car would lower his guard.
With every step closer to O'Car, Ender was extremely careful, moving quietly like a leopard before a hunt.
Five meters, three meters, one meter.
Ender reached O'Car's back and slowly raised the long knife. The tip of the blade was aimed at O'Car's side neck. O'Car had his head turned away from Ender and wasn't looking in his direction. Just then, the woman next to O'Car seemed to notice something. Unfortunately, it was too late.
Gripping the knife handle with one hand, Ender used all his strength to stab toward O'Car's side neck.
Pfft.
The long knife easily pierced O'Car's neck, as if cutting through a sheet of paper. Then, the sharp tip went right through the woman next to O'Car.
If he had only killed O'Car, the woman next to him would have screamed instantly. If the guards outside the door rushed in, Ender would be in danger.
Even the common people in this world have strong physical stats, let alone the guards.
One knife, two people, without hesitation.
This is why the Reincarnation Paradise chose him to be a Hunter.
A Hunter must not only have special abilities but also the courage and decisiveness to kill enemies.