20:50, outskirts of Kit City Cemetery.
Liyami was hiding on a small hill not far from the cemetery, quietly observing the situation inside, but she didn’t see a single person.
She furrowed her brow.
There were only ten minutes left until the contact time, but no sign of the contact person.
This situation could mean only two things.
The first possibility was slim: the contact had been attacked and therefore didn’t come.
But the Secret Society’s contacts were meticulously trained by the President.
While their assassination skills weren’t exceptional, their ability to escape was top-notch.
Unless the contact was killed instantly, the other side would definitely notify the President, who would then send her a message.
But Liyami hadn’t received any such message.
So either the enemy attacking the contact was overwhelmingly powerful and managed to kill them outright, or it was the second possibility.
The second possibility—and the one Liyami considered more likely—was that the contact’s strength was roughly equal to or even greater than hers.
Logically, the contact shouldn’t be stronger than her; after all, she was one of the strongest assassins in the Secret Society aside from the President herself.
Still, Liyami felt the second possibility was very real, because the contact had sent two messages: one yesterday and one today, both exactly the same.
It was important to remember that although the Secret Society’s contacts were endowed by the President with the ability to transmit messages over long distances, they couldn’t send messages arbitrarily.
All messages had to be approved by the President.
But here, the contact had sent two identical messages within two days—there was only one explanation. Liyami’s contact had been replaced.
Though she didn’t know why the contact had been replaced despite ongoing communication, now that the contact was changed, she couldn’t guarantee the new contact was weaker.
What if those guys were punished for something and relegated to being contacts?
No matter which possibility was true, Liyami wouldn’t take things lightly.
If she sensed anything wrong, she would immediately use the Teleportation Scroll to escape.
She glanced at the moon hanging in the sky to confirm the time.
20:58, the contact time was approaching.
Taking a deep breath, Liyami began to activate the silver Assassin’s Mark on her lower abdomen.
Enduring the burning heat brought by the cursed silver mark, Liyami sent out a message to the surroundings.
Before long, she received a reply.
“The time has come. Meet at the center of the cemetery. Contact initiated.”
Liyami raised an eyebrow after reading the message.
Somehow, this new contact seemed a little…over the top.
She silently prayed the situation wouldn’t go wrong and left the small hill, slowly making her way to the cemetery’s center.
Along the way, she carefully observed her surroundings, wary of any sudden attack from the contact.
But even after reaching the center, nothing happened.
At the center of the cemetery, Liyami looked around in confusion.
The new contact didn’t attack even after seeing that she had changed gender?
She had even prepared to take a hit and explain, but the other party made no move.
Could they have fled?
Thinking this, her expression hardened as she prepared to send another message.
But at that moment, she sensed something.
Turning around, she saw a figure emerge from the shadow of one of the tombstones.
The figure was cloaked and hooded, their face and body completely hidden.
Eerie, writhing shadows surrounded them, making it impossible to discern their appearance or gender.
Liyami’s heart skipped a beat.
Before the figure revealed themselves, she hadn’t noticed any trace of them.
The shadows around them weren’t simple.
Who exactly was this new contact?!
The figure spoke.
“Are you Liyami?”
The voice was a confusing blend of male and female tones, causing Liyami to pause.
But she quickly regained her composure, already knowing who this was.
She knelt on one knee, showing respect to the figure, and said, “President, why have you come?”
Seeing Liyami’s action and question, the figure dispelled the surrounding shadows and pulled down their hood.
It was a beautiful woman, with long purple hair and emerald eyes, her delicate features giving off an icy, aloof beauty.
Indeed, she was Aiwei, the President of the Shadow Veil Society.
Despite her common name, her deeds were legendary.
Since founding the Shadow Veil Society fifteen years ago, she had led the Secret Society in assassinating the kingdom’s various sinister enemies.
Thanks to her activities, the society had become a crucial force supporting the kingdom.
Now as President, Aiwei commanded many powerful assassins, and her own strength was formidable.
She had even killed targets at level 80, though few knew her true capabilities.
Rumor had it she had fought alongside the Hero, taking down the Four Heavenly Kings and numerous high-ranking officers.
In short, she was extremely strong—a true legend.
Clearing her throat, Aiwei no longer used the mixed voice but spoke in a clear, melodious tone.
“Are you really Liyami?!”
At this, Liyami nodded, activating her Assassin’s Mark with magic and sending a close-range message to the President.
After successfully receiving the message, Aiwei looked at Liyami with a strange expression.
She hadn’t expected her trusted assassin to have changed so much after such a long absence—not just her appearance but even her gender.
Aiwei almost doubted if she remembered Liyami’s gender correctly.
Seeing the President receive the message, Liyami relaxed.
The Assassin’s Mark still worked perfectly; it just had some extra, unnecessary functions.
If it had failed, she might have died here today.
Still, she hadn’t expected the President to personally contact her.
After all, she hadn’t received any assignments from the Secret Society recently, and this contact was just a routine check-in.
Though she didn’t know why the President had come in person, it was for the best.
Liyami had planned to look over the intelligence within the Secret Society first and ask other assassins if they had any leads on the Magic Circle.
If none of that worked, she planned to find the President.
For some reason, the President was rarely in the Secret Society’s base, and few assassins could contact her.
Usually, only the President contacted assassins, and messages from assassins rarely got a reply.
But now that the President was here, Liyami could directly report the current situation without waiting indefinitely for a reply.
So, Liyami began recounting the events, focusing on describing the Magic Circle.
After finishing, she looked to the President, hoping to hear a useful solution from her.