novelraw Chapter 23 : The Assassin and the Curse
Chapter 23 : The Assassin and the Curse
Chapter 23: The Assassin and the Curse
“Golden Splendor” KTV, Emperor Suite.
Wang Defa had just finished the curse ritual that had drained nearly all his strength. He collapsed onto the sofa, savoring the chilled towel and fruit platter handed to him by his subordinates.
He didn’t notice that, within the dusty ventilation duct above the suite, a rat was watching every movement that had just taken place, recording it all down to the smallest detail.
That eerie altar, the straw effigy bound with human hair, the candles burning with ghostly green flames, and Wang Defa’s sinister, witch-like incantations…
Every image and sound was transmitted through a power that transcended modern technology, clearly reflected into another mind on the other side of the city—Yang Li’s.
……
Inside the dormitory at the zoo.
Yang Li abruptly sat up in bed, a layer of fine sweat beading on her forehead.
“Curse…”
She murmured under her breath, her eyes filled with shock and deep disgust.
Through the eyes of the rat, Yang Li had witnessed the entire curse ritual in real time, allowing her, for the first time, to truly feel the venomous and sinister nature of the 【Shadow】 faction.
They didn’t even need direct contact—just from tens of kilometers away, they could silently and invisibly take a person’s life.
This 【Curse Master】 was the most lethal long-range attacker of the 【Shadow】 faction, and the greatest threat to all 【Radiance】 players!
He had to be eliminated immediately!
Yang Li’s gaze turned cold and sharp, showing a calm decisiveness far beyond her eighteen years.
She immediately contacted Su Wan through encrypted chat software.
【Yang Li】: “I’ve been tracking those puppet animals. I saw them deliver Liu Gang’s and the others’ hair to a woman.”
“Then that woman handed the hair to a man. That man just used the hair to launch a curse on Liu Gang and Sun Na!”
Less than ten seconds after sending the message, Su Wan’s reply came through.
【Su Wan】: “Location?”
【Yang Li】: “Golden Splendor KTV, Emperor Suite. The target is a greasy, middle-aged fat man.”
【Su Wan】: “What’s his current state?”
【Yang Li】: “Extremely weak, like he’s been completely drained. I guess that kind of curse consumes a lot of his own energy—he can’t possibly cast another one anytime soon.”
【Su Wan】: “This is the best time to eliminate him.”
【Yang Li】: “I’ll go right now.”
【Su Wan】: “Don’t.”
Yang Li froze at the message.
【Su Wan】: “Your transcendent ability isn’t combat-type. If you act rashly now and get exposed to the authorities, we’ll all be in danger.”
【Yang Li】: “Then what should we do? Just sit and watch Liu Gang and Sun Na get cursed to death?”
【Su Wan】: “Pass the intel to them.”
【Su Wan】: “They’re combat-type transcendents, and they’ve already been exposed to the authorities—so it’s fine for them to act.”
“You just need to stay as a silent observer and guide them.”
“And remind them—the official purge could start at any time.”
Su Wan’s plan made Yang Li instantly understand her intent.
【Yang Li】: “Understood.”
After ending the communication, Yang Li moved into action.
She walked to the window and blew a sharp, clear whistle into the night sky.
Moments later, a hawk with a wingspan of over two meters descended silently onto her windowsill, like a phantom of the night.
Yang Li swiftly wrote down Wang Defa’s location, ability, and current weakened condition on a slip of paper, then carefully tied it to the hawk’s sharp talon.
“Go!”
She stroked the hawk’s feathers and gave the command.
With a piercing cry, the hawk spread its wings and soared upward, streaking toward the direction of the abandoned textile factory on the outskirts of the city like an arrow released from a bow.
……
Inside the textile factory, at the same moment Wang Defa launched his curse.
“Ugh…”
Sun Na let out a pained groan, clutching her chest as her face instantly turned deathly pale.
A powerful wave of weakness surged through her like a tide, draining every ounce of strength from her body.
She felt as if an icy hand had seized her heart, each beat stabbing her with searing pain.
“What’s wrong?”
Zhang Jie immediately asked, alarmed.
“I… I don’t know…” Sun Na’s voice trembled. “I feel… so cold, and my strength’s gone…”
Before she could finish, Liu Gang suddenly opened his eyes. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his once-sharp gaze had dulled.
“My body… something’s wrong.”
Liu Gang’s voice was low and hoarse. “My strength… it’s fading.”
As a battle-hardened soldier, he knew his own body better than anyone.
But now, he could clearly feel his vitality being devoured at an unnatural rate by some unknown force.
Zhang Jie’s expression darkened as he watched his comrades weaken before his eyes.
Something had gone terribly wrong!
“Damn it! Were we poisoned? Or drugged?” Sun Na asked in panic.
“No.”
Liu Gang forced himself to stay calm through the weakness. “Our food and water were separate—no chance of poisoning.”
“And this feeling… it’s not like toxins.”
His gaze swept over Sun Na, then he felt the vanishing power within his own body. A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
“Remember that death notice? The one about the player called 【Hermit】.”
Sun Na’s expression sank instantly. “I remember. Don’t tell me… we’re in the same situation as that 【Hermit】?!”
“The rat!”
Liu Gang’s eyes suddenly blazed with realization. He remembered that strange puppet rat he had killed the day before!
“That rat yesterday! Its target was us!”
Liu Gang’s voice trembled with fury. “It took something from us—like… fallen hair!”
“Hair?” Sun Na and Zhang Jie were stunned.
“Yes! The 【Shadow】 faction must have someone who can attack us remotely through some kind of medium!”
Liu Gang slammed his fist against a steel plate, producing a dull clang—but far weaker than before.
“Curse! We’ve been cursed!”
The word alone sent chills down all three of their spines.
“What do we do now? We don’t even know where the enemy is!” Sun Na’s tone carried a hint of despair.
The factory fell into heavy silence, broken only by their ragged breathing.
Just as they were lost and helpless—
A sharp, piercing eagle’s cry rang out from above, shattering the silence.
Zhang Jie looked up sharply. A massive hawk circled above them, its keen eyes locked onto him.
“What the—”
Before Zhang Jie could react, the hawk folded its wings and dove like a fighter jet, landing precisely on his arm.
He then noticed a slip of paper tied to the hawk’s claw.
Zhang Jie carefully untied and unfolded it—his pupils shrank sharply.
The message on the note made everything clear in an instant!
“Curse! It’s the 【Curse Master】 of the 【Shadow】 faction!”
Zhang Jie read the words aloud.
Liu Gang and Sun Na’s faces filled with sudden understanding and blazing fury.
“Wang Defa… Golden Splendor KTV…”
Sun Na gnashed her teeth, her eyes burning with vengeance. “I’ll burn that bastard to ashes myself!”
She tried to stand, but her body was like a puddle of mud—she collapsed as soon as she exerted herself.
Liu Gang wasn’t faring any better; even lifting an arm was an effort.
“Who’s helping us?” Zhang Jie asked.
“Our teammate! Someone from the 【Radiance】 faction!”
Liu Gang leaned against the wall, gasping heavily, but his eyes still burned with the ferocity of a wounded lion.
He looked at Zhang Jie—the only one still standing—and mustered all his remaining strength. “Kid…”
“Our lives… are in your hands now.”
“Find him. Kill him!”
“Only by killing him can we lift this curse!”
Zhang Jie stared at Liu Gang’s weakened form, fury rising within him.
He nodded firmly, eyes ablaze with vengeance. “Leave it to me!”
Then Zhang Jie turned and followed the hawk out of the factory.
“You must… succeed!”
Liu Gang roared with his remaining strength as Zhang Jie’s figure disappeared.
Zhang Jie didn’t look back—he simply raised an “OK” sign over his shoulder.
The next second, he followed the soaring hawk into the boundless night, like an arrow shot from a bowstring.
The first counterattack from the 【Radiance】 faction had officially begun!
However, just moments after Zhang Jie vanished into the darkness—
“Woooo—Woooo—Woooo—!”
Ear-splitting alarms blared like a death knell, echoing across the factory grounds!
Dozens of bright, blinding searchlights cut through the sky, illuminating the entire abandoned textile factory as bright as day!
Above, the thunderous roar of armed helicopters drew near, their rotor wash rattling the corrugated metal rooftops.
On the ground, countless armored vehicles and heavily armed soldiers surged out from the darkness like a tidal wave, sealing off the factory completely!