Chapter 1690 - 867: Heavy Karma of the Fishing Trade

"Troublesome."

The curtain isolating the four sides, the elder sitting cross-legged in front of the divination sand table lowered his eyes, staring at the dim light of the oil lamp.

As soon as Caruso proposed the target of this assassination, he fell into a long contemplation.

Luobomo's former teacher, now one of the most active assassin killers in the Sheng Jiao Series, the white-robed elder who has stood atop the Transcend Rank for years, Schelbach pondered for a long time before slowly saying: "Too troublesome, this job I won't take."

Caruso's expression twitched slightly, bending over in earnest plea:

"Please, you must lend us your aid."

Schelbach lowered his eyes, staring at Caruso, his gaze cold as it swept over that earnest face, finally landing on the carpet where he sat cross-legged, accepting the token respectfully offered by the other party.

Years ago, Sheng Jiao Series had once given someone a contract, a mission disregarding cost and consequences, a time they could name anyone within their power.

Over the years, his teacher believed it would never be seen again, but never forgot, even entrusted it to him before dying.

Clearly, the other party hadn't forgotten either.

After such a long time, this token returned to his hands.

Bringing another trouble.

He had no choice.

"I won't charge a fee, but this doesn't mean you need not pay a price."

Schelbach slowly said: "You need to create the conditions for this. Without an opportunity, I will not act, and even if I act, it doesn't guarantee the result."

"..." Caruso paused, dumbfounded: "Are you saying you're not confident either?"

"Confident?"

Schelbach indifferently replied: "To kill a master of Ember, besides the Punishment Team of the Taiyi Ring, who can be completely confident? If I had the ability, my head would've long been kicked around like a ball by that contemporary Heavenly Furnace."

Everyone always said the combat power of a craftsman ranks lowest in the Twelve Superior, but it depends on the person, environment, and stage. Perhaps under the same Rank, a craftsman's destructive power might be lacking, but it doesn't mean they're easy to kill.

One could even say, due to the ingrained competitive instinct and professional habit among craftsmen, the difficulty of killing a craftsman proportional to his position within the Association!

The deeper the competition, the farther one goes, stepping over more peers, climbing higher!

The strength of Ember's abilities isn't even about Rank, this is akin to Tian Yuan, defined entirely by their position.

Moreover, a High Rank craftsman inherently represents countless creations and trump cards, with untold concealed weapons lurking, a monster capable of anything within a workshop.

For other Supreme Chosen, there are patterns to follow, routines to go through, but... each craftsman's research focus, results, habitual paths, and style differ.

How to kill an Ember?

Of course, a surprise encounter, unless you're daring enough to storm the workshop for a direct showdown?

If so, you are truly brave!

"Firstly, you must lure him away from his workshop and get him out of the Seven Cities," Schelbach said, "Only then is there a thirty-three to forty chance."

Caruso hesitated, cautiously asking: "Couldn't you invite the Heavenly People..."

Schelbach remained silent, staring at him.

His lips curled up, as if mocking.

After a long while, he slowly asked: "Can you afford it?"

Heavenly People aren't like me, restricted by faction considerations and bound by contract, nor swayed by mere wealth.

No matter how poor or desperate a Heavenly Person, they wouldn't lower themselves to such a degree, nor be this disgraceful.

Even if Caruso could pay, no one would take it.

"Better not dream, Heavenly People can kill you as easily as a dog, but they can't kill him."

Schelbach raised his hand, stopping his upcoming foolish words: "Your very suggestion of this job already breaks the rules, perhaps someone might protect you and spare you like a dog, but if a Heavenly Person breaks the rules, even killing you a thousand times cannot make amends."

Dog fights inside the Desert Market are commonplace, the life-and-death struggle truly normal, employing any means necessary is standard.

But it doesn't mean the world outside the Desert Market is the same.

Ji Jue can be hit by a car, drowned in water, blown up by himself, even hacked to death by offended peers, crushed selling arms in Central Earth by the Empire, or arrogantly fall in a contest of outcomes, all are possible, all are no issue.

At least all can be explained.

But if he dies at the hands of a Heavenly Person, that's absolutely unacceptable!

Unless Ji Jue flagrantly violated their interests, deliberately insulting and challenging a Heavenly Person face to face.

Otherwise, the Taiyi Ring will absolutely not let it go, his teacher, Gustav, the Councilman as his backer, even the Heavenly Furnace who's always favored him might personally step in.

That's why it's troublesome.

For someone of Ji Jue's identity, complexity, and prominence, even in death, it must be reasonable.

It must be death that can be justified and explained...

Schelbach gave Caruso a deep look, telling him: "There is only one chance, I will give my all, since you disregard the consequences, then be prepared."

Be prepared for everything.

Lure the craftsman out of the Seven Cities, let him fall into a trap, create that fleeting opportunity, restrain all his spiritual qualities when he's least prepared, sever all his fallback plans, and finally deliver the crucial fatal blow!