One by one, everyone in the room was eliminated, their deaths swift and silent.
Next, the Shadow members moved around the mansion, continuing their killing spree without mercy, leaving no one behind.
By the time the guards outside realized something was wrong, it was too late. But they didn't have time to act, as they too were soon taken out with brutal efficiency.
Once the job was done, the Shadows set fire to the entire place, burning it to the ground and erasing every trace of life that once filled the mansion.
After completing their mission, the Shadows vanished into the night, leaving no evidence of their presence.
Elsewhere in the Western Continent.
In a grand, luxurious manor filled with golden fixtures and lavish decor, a group of family heads gathered in a hidden chamber.
They had been deep in discussion, greed flashing in their eyes as they talked about the fortune they would gain from kidnapping Monster Race children.
"They can switch between human and animal forms," one of them sneered. "Do you know how much rich nobles would pay to have that kind of pet?"
Another leaned forward, rubbing his hands together. "And the ones we don't like? Sell them to the fighting pits. They'll make us rich either way."
But soon, they got word from their informants about the Xu family's involvement and how they were spending huge amounts of money to wipe out the poachers who planned to go to the Southern Continent. This caused the atmosphere in the room to grow tense.
The arrogance and excitement from earlier were slowly replaced by fear.
One of the younger family heads, Zhao Han, known for his arrogant and vindictive nature, slammed his fist on the table, his face twisted with frustration.
"Are we really going to let this go?" he demanded, his voice loud and filled with anger. "The Xu family doesn't control the Western Continent.
We've invested too much to back out now. They don't get to tell us what to do in the Southern Continent—it's not under their control!"
A few heads nodded in agreement, but an older, more cautious leader shook his head slowly. "It's not that simple," he said, his voice calm but firm.
"We don't know the full extent of the Xu family's strength, but we've heard enough. If they're involved, we need to tread carefully.
He had done it quietly, in secret meetings, spreading rumors and half-truths, knowing full well what the greedy poachers would do with the information.
His plan was simple: create chaos in the Southern Continent, disrupt the balance, and then, when the Xu family was forced to intervene and deal with the situation, he would swoop in.
After the mess was over, his goal was to use the chaos to weaken the Xu family and eventually take control of their resources.
In his mind, he had already won.
"Xu family, you may have power now," Hu Jintao muttered to himself, his voice filled with contempt.
"But once this is all over, I'll control the strings. I will make you the most hated family to ruin your reputation. Do they think they can muscle in on every Continent? Foolish."
He took another sip of his tea, imagining the Xu family brought to their knees. He had heard about their strength and the silent way they dealt with problems, but he wasn't afraid.
He knew that after this incident, his influence would skyrocket, which would help him step over the most powerful family—the Xu family. Or so he thought.
Hu Jintao stood up, pacing around his study, his mind filled with thoughts of how he would peel away the Xu family's power, piece by piece.
"Let the play begin. I can't wait to see how they look at the end."
What Hu Jintao didn't know, however, was that the Shadows had already infiltrated his estate.
The assassins moved through his mansion like phantoms, leaving no trace of their presence. Servants, guards, and his family members—everyone in his manor was eliminated swiftly, their deaths silent.
By the time Hu Jintao was pacing in his study, the Shadows had already cleared the estate. His entire household had been wiped out, yet he remained blissfully unaware.
Suddenly, the doors to his study creaked open. Hu Jintao turned, startled, as a figure cloaked in shadow stepped silently into the room.
His eyes widened in horror as he realized the truth far too late. "W-what..." he stammered, but the assassin closed the distance before he could finish.
His final breath came in silence, just like the deaths of everyone else in his estate.
The Shadows had carried out their mission flawlessly, leaving no witnesses or trace behind. By morning, Hu Jintao and his ambitions would be nothing more than a fading memory.