No one would pry open someone else's door in the middle of the night, especially during such a critical period.
Li Wu stared intently at the door lock. The moment the door opened, he would not hesitate to shoot and kill the intruder.
However, a second later, the window behind him suddenly shattered, and several jet-black raven feathers drifted down into various corners of the room.
Li Wu turned to shoot, but immediately dismissed the thought upon seeing the intruder's appearance.
Because even if he shot, he couldn't kill her.
She didn't fall into the category of "ordinary human."
"Hmm? You're not dead. I remember the one in charge of the assassination this time was the vice-captain of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps, the Ace Sniper 'Morning Light' or something like that. He's pretty famous. His gun shoots a bit to the left—even I can't handle it—but he hits his targets accurately from over a kilometer away. It's incredible that you survived."
A gray-haired woman wearing a black hood jumped in through the window. She circled Raiden Mei to confirm the target was unharmed before shifting her gaze to Li Wu at the door.
"A dark and windy night, a lone man and woman... Did I come at a bad time? Should I wait until you're done? After all, this is the last night. It'd be a shame not to do it."
The gray-haired woman tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and sat casually on a chair, sizing up the two of them with amusement.
She waited a while, but no one answered.
"Alright, looks like no one understands my humor. I'm just boring myself, sigh..."
Li Wu recognized this person. Raven, real name Natasha Cioara, a member of World Serpent. Under the right conditions, she possessed combat power comparable to an average S-rank Valkyrie—at least in the storyline, she could make Rita suffer repeatedly.
Does this crisis include her too? It seems my intervention has caused more characters to enter the stage ahead of schedule.
"Are you here to kill her too? Did you pry open my door just now?" Li Wu lowered his gun, knowing it was meaningless.
"I'm only responsible for collecting the corpse. The boss paid too little; it's not enough for my killing fee. Don't worry, I'm very professional. I absolutely won't do anything beyond what I'm paid for. If I really wanted to kill you, I definitely wouldn't have missed like that self-proclaimed Ace Sniper."
"I make my living in this business by maintaining a 100% mission completion rate. Missing would seriously impact my reputation."
"As for prying the door, I wouldn't do something like that. So, your time is running out, student~ Step aside and hand over Raiden Mei. They won't hurt you."
Raven waved her hand, indicating she had no intention of launching a sneak attack.
Li Wu knew this, and he knew something else. He quickly took out the black card.
"Help me. I can pay you double."
"Pfft..."
Hearing Li Wu's words, Raven laughed as if she'd heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Hey, hey, hey. You're not planning to go against a mercenary corps, are you? Those guys lick blood from their knife edges. They're different from kids like you who grew up in the greenhouse of a school."
"The employer paid a heavy price this time. The entire Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps has been mobilized. There's no need for me to risk my life betraying the employer and conflicting with my peers for the money you're offering. Not intervening is already my bottom line. Asking me to help you is impossible. Besides..."
Raven changed the subject, her wine-red eyes narrowing slightly as she clearly captured the micro-expressions on Li Wu's face.
He's not scared?
"You and Raiden Mei have been investigated thoroughly long ago. I don't think an ordinary Far East high school student burdened with debt can fight against the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps. But you won't listen even if I say so. How about a bet? I love gambling games."
Perhaps thinking Li Wu was doomed to die, Raven simply took off her hood, revealing her true appearance.
Here it comes.
Li Wu held his breath and focused. In a later crisis event, the protagonist had encountered Raven and stood on the opposite side, betting with her just like this.
"If you can really solve this, I wouldn't mind giving up this mission and helping you clean up the mess. But if you fail, I'll save you at the critical moment, but the price is that black card in your hand. Want to make a bet?"
Raven said teasingly.
Her sharp wine-red finger claws tapped lightly on the table, waiting for Li Wu's answer.
For her, it was a game she couldn't lose. It was impossible for an ordinary person to defeat an entire mercenary corps, let alone while dragging around a burden.
Anyway, saving Li Wu was simple and wouldn't count as betraying the employer. Plus, she could earn some "extra income" on the side. It was practically a steal.
Li Wu also saw through her little scheme and mercilessly exposed it: "Promising me a safe retreat first, thinking I'll get emotional and decide to fight with everything I have, only to end up having you take the black card?"
"Looks like you're pretty calm. Then forget i—"
"I accept."
"Huh?"
Raven froze on the spot, shaking her head as if to confirm she hadn't misheard.
He accepted just like that?
In Nagazora City, a black card was practically a symbol of the highest status. The wealth it contained was enough so that an ordinary person wouldn't have to worry about money for several lifetimes.
To bet a black card on a game with such slim chances of winning—one would have to be out of their mind.
"Are you... serious? It's not too late to back out now. Don't come crying to me later saying you regret it," Raven warned.
Li Wu picked up his handgun again, threw the black card from his bag directly to Raven, and walked toward the bedroom door. "I won't regret it. But the rules of the game need to change. Two hours. You take Raiden Mei and hide for two hours without being found. If I can come back alive after two hours, I win. If I die, you win."
"Are you crazy?! Aren't you afraid I'll just take the black card and leave? You plan to take out the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps alone?"
Raven blurted out, but quickly realized what was happening, associating it with those seemingly fearless "brothers" and "friends" in her past gambling games...
He just wants to look cool before running away.
He'll wait until the two-hour protection period is over and Raiden Mei is dead, then slink back to take the black card. After all, the winning condition for the game is just for him to come back alive after two hours.
Heh...
"Fine. Two hours. If you haven't shown up by then, I'll come find you myself." The smile on Raven's face vanished abruptly, replaced by undisguised indifference and disgust.
"I trust you're not that kind of person. Two hours. Take good care of her for me."
Li Wu closed the bedroom door again, leaving only Raiden Mei and Raven in the room.
A high-sounding traitor, acting so resolute.
Raven stared at the closed door, as if trying to burn the retreating figure of the coward to ashes through the wood.
Her sharp-edged finger claws glinted coldly in the moonlight.
"Tsk. Hypocritical men." Raven clicked her tongue. Her gaze fell back on Raiden Mei, and she shook her head, a feeling of pity rising in her heart. "Did you hear that? 'Take good care of her for me.' sounds so touching, like the final request of a tragic hero in a movie."