On the main street of the northwestern part of the outer city, an old beggar sat on the roadside, dressed in black tattered clothes.
His body emitted a stench so foul that many people quickened their pace as they approached him.
Despite the putrid odor surrounding him, the old beggar wore a bright smile on his face, watching pedestrians move back and forth.
He was known as the Smiling Beggar, a fixture in his spot both day and night, indifferent to the occurrences in the city.
Today, however, things would be different.
As usual, the old man sat on his spot, smiling at passersby, unperturbed by the cold disdain in their eyes. He had grown accustomed to it. Suddenly, amid the throng of people, a child no older than eight approached the Smiling Beggar.
The child bent down, placing some bronze coins inside the small plate in front of the beggar and skillfully putting a folded piece of paper beside him.
With that, the child ran away, blending into the crowd before disappearing from the bustling street.
The Smiling Beggar's expression remained unchanged as he picked up the folded paper and read its contents. Afterward, he squeezed the paper, and it burnt to a crisp.
"I guess it's time for these old bones to do some exercise," he thought, and his smile deepened.
Before anyone could notice anything, the Smiling Beggar had vanished from his usual spot.
Inside the lobby of the Death Shadow headquarters, a group of men with various masks on their faces looked at the mission board with slight shock.
"I never expected a platinum mission to appear this time," a hoarse voice came from a mask.
"Yes, this is beyond us. We should not concern ourselves with it."
"I agree, let's move to the silver missions."
"Why be such a coward? Can't you take the mission to broaden your experience?"
In the Wang clan, Liu clan, Cheng clan, and other clans associated with them, instead of a moment of happiness, they were thrown into sadness.
Their clan masters, wives, and all their powerful elders had all been killed, rendering them powerless in Baiyun City.
They were once the top clans in the city, but now they were the weakest. Almost all their resources had been taken from them, if not for their deep roots in the city. They would have long become history under the claws of greedy people.
With the arrival of the younger generations, the city became more lively.
Inside the city lord's mansion, a young man and woman looked at their weak father with shock written on their faces.
The city lord looked at his two remaining sons with deep sadness on his face. He knew his greed and arrogance had led to his current situation, and if not for their deep foundation, he would probably be dead. Taking a deep breath, he controlled his emotions and said with a serious tone.
"You don't have to worry about me. Since you've returned, I want to warn you."
The two young stars looked at each other and couldn't believe their proud father would become like this. Still, they listened attentively to their father's words.
"When you meet the Cao clan and other people around them, be respectful, better still avoid them at all costs." His voice was grave, as if he was passing the most important news to them.
The Cao Clan!
For a couple of seconds, the two didn't believe what they just heard. They should be respectful to the declining Cao clan. What in the heavens was going on? They screamed in their minds.
The city lord looked at his two children and knew they didn't take his warning to heart, but there's nothing he could do. He had done his best as their father, and whatever decision they took, they would have to bear it.
"Remember what I told you. Now, you can leave; I want to rest."
The two didn't utter a word and performed their respect before leaving the room with shock still written on their faces.
******
[AN: I don't feel like writing today. I lost all my money to crypto trading. I'm sad.]