Chapter 30: Silver Fox

"Chudong, have you heard of this person?" Gu Mo was a little surprised. He had never even heard of the assassin Silver Fox, yet Gu Chudong apparently knew him.

"Yes," Gu Chudong replied, "I didn't used to follow such things, so naturally, I wasn't aware. But ever since you became a Catch-Blade Man, Brother, I've been paying close attention to the wanted criminals of the Jianghu. Silver Fox carries a very high bounty – even higher than Feilong's – a full three thousand taels.

Silver Fox is an assassin who has only recently emerged within the last two years. He has only struck nine times in total, each time targeting prominent figures, and has never failed. However, his widespread reputation stems from his distinctive modus operandi.

This individual is incredibly arrogant. While most assassins and bounty hunters operate covertly, fearing exposure, Silver Fox is different. He's ostentatious, always notifying his targets in advance of an impending assassination and even specifying the exact date of his strike. Yet, despite this audacious approach, he has never once failed. Consequently, in just two years and after only nine strikes, he has earned the title of Yunzhou's foremost assassin."

Gu Mo mused, "Truly audacious."

Yansanniang added, "He is indeed very arrogant, but he has the ability to back it up. He's incredibly elusive. Even though he gives advance notice every time, and his targets are always prominent Jianghu figures who have made extensive preparations, he still succeeds without fail. To this day, no one has ever seen his true face."

"So, that means Wang Yuanbao, who received the death notice, must be making elaborate preparations?" Gu Mo inquired.

Yansanniang nodded slightly. "Wang Yuanbao is the wealthiest man in Yong'an County, with numerous businesses under his control. In terms of wealth, he ranks among the top ten in the entire Linjiang Prefecture. He himself is also a first-rate Jianghu master.

Upon receiving Silver Fox's death notice, Wang Yuanbao immediately contacted the authorities. The Six Doors agency took the matter very seriously; currently, Zhuo Qingfeng, our Linjiang Prefecture Six Doors Chief Constable, renowned as the 'Swift God Catcher,' has personally led a team of experts to Yong'an County.

However, Wang Yuanbao doesn't fully trust the Six Doors and is deeply concerned about Silver Fox's methods. Therefore, he has also issued a bounty order to the Jianghu. As far as I know, three 'Chasing Wind' agencies—Dongyang, Fuwei, and Xinyihang—have accepted the commission and dispatched their top Catch-Blade Men to assist. The bounty alone amounts to six thousand taels, and additionally, any Catch-Blade Man who participates will receive an extra five hundred taels as a bonus, regardless of success."

Gu Mo sighed, "He truly lives up to his reputation as the wealthiest man; his generosity is remarkable. But, Boss Yan, as you've already mentioned, this is a personal commission from Wang Yuanbao, and these three 'Chasing Wind' agencies are the strongest in our Linjiang Prefecture. What about your Bu'er Mountain Villa?"

Yansanniang chuckled, "You don't need to worry about that, Young Hero Gu. If you're willing to accept this mission, I have my methods to secure a commission from Wang Yuanbao for our Bu'er Mountain Villa. This is an excellent opportunity for the villa to gain renown. I'm not joking; this Silver Fox is no ordinary foe. Combined with the government's reward, various smaller bounties, and Wang Yuanbao's six thousand taels, the total sum is nearly twelve thousand taels. According to our 30-70 split rule, if you successfully eliminate this person, you could receive over eight thousand taels."

Just then, a system notification sounded in Gu Mo's mind:

New Target DetectedWanted Target: Silver FoxMission Level: Four-StarReward: Max-Level Little Li Flying Dagger...

The system's reward intrigued Gu Mo. Little Li Flying Dagger wasn't merely a martial art; its essence was a spiritual force, transcending conventional combat techniques. Gu Mo speculated that, in terms of conceptual depth, this martial art surpassed the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms. This wasn't about raw combat power—not that Little Li Flying Dagger would necessarily be stronger—but rather that its underlying martial philosophy was a cut above. The cultivation path for Little Li Flying Dagger aligned with the second of the three martial arts cultivation directions Shen Bai had previously described: the true martial intent, which focused heavily on cultivating one's will.

"I can give it a try," Gu Mo said.

A slight smile appeared on Yansanniang's face when she heard Gu Mo's words. Having collaborated with him once before and interacted extensively since, she knew Gu Mo preferred not to make absolute statements. Therefore, Gu Mo saying "I can give it a try" meant he was accepting the mission.

"Excellent," Yansanniang said, "Alright, there are still five days. It only takes two days to travel from here to Yong'an County, so there's no need to rush. You can rest assured and wait for my news, and get some good rest these next few days. I'll also need a bit of time to secure the commission from Wang Yuanbao."

"Understood." Gu Mo understood that a man of Wang Yuanbao's standing wouldn't simply invite just anyone. While Gu Mo's current reputation among Catch-Blade Men was far from that of a Gold Medal Catch-Blade Man, his achievement of slaying Feilong, coupled with Shen Bai's public endorsement and Yansanniang's connections, would surely secure the commission.

Soon after, Yansanniang departed. As she left, she provided some intelligence on Silver Fox, primarily detailing his fighting style, habits, and tactics observed during his previous strikes. Gu Chudong studied the information intently and described it in great detail to Gu Mo, giving him a clear mental image of Silver Fox. He was a man with lightning-fast sword draws and incredibly refined lightness skills, moving like the wind. His actions were clean and decisive, each strike a precise thrust to the throat.

...

The following day.

Gu Mo and Gu Chudong followed their plan, inviting their respective friends to their new home. In total, there were six guests. Two were Gu Chudong's close friends: Qu Xiao, Qu Heng's daughter, and the granddaughter of an elderly escort master from the Changfeng Escort Agency. Gu Mo invited four people, all former escort masters from the Changfeng Escort Agency with whom he had maintained good relations. He specifically invited Qu Heng. While Gu Chudong visited the homes of the other guests to extend invitations, Gu Mo personally went to Qu Heng's residence to invite him.

Qu Heng lived in a small residential alley. Hearing that Gu Mo was at his door, Qu Heng, who had been resting, quickly rose from his bed, dressing as he walked out. Upon entering the living room, he immediately spotted Gu Mo. "A Mo, when did you get back?" he asked. "I happen to have something for you." As he spoke, Qu Heng glanced at his daughter, Qu Xiao, who was chatting with Gu Chudong. "Xiao Xiao," he instructed, "please go to my study and fetch the bundle from the middle of the second shelf."

"Right away!" Qu Xiao had a straightforward and open personality. Similar in age to Gu Chudong, she had also practiced martial arts since childhood and carried herself with an open, decisive manner. She hurried out and quickly returned with a bundle.

Meanwhile, Gu Mo and Qu Heng were sharing tea. Qu Heng took the bundle, handed it to Gu Mo, and said, "A Mo, there's one hundred taels of silver in here."

Gu Mo chuckled, "Uncle Qu, you're quite wealthy, aren't you? Giving me such a generous 'red envelope' just for moving into a new home?"

Qu Heng waved a dismissive hand. "I'm not *that* wealthy. This is compensation I demanded from the escort agency on your behalf. A few days ago, after I returned from Zhushan County, I sought out Young Master Yang Yan and gave him a thorough beating. The scoundrel is still bedridden. Only after I hit him did he finally confess the truth: Master Yang Fang did act dishonorably by abandoning you, but he didn't go to extreme lengths. He actually provided a hundred taels in compensation, which that rascal Yang Yan had simply embezzled."

Gu Mo chuckled, "Uncle Qu, you've really antagonized Yang Yan now."

"I won't kill him," Qu Heng stated, "but if he dares to cause me trouble, I'll simply quit. If I leave, I'll take at least a dozen of our best men with me to another escort agency. Then we'll see if Master Yang Fang himself doesn't beat him to death."

Gu Mo chuckled, accepting the bundle. "Uncle Qu, I've accepted the money. This was, after all, compensation Changfeng Escort Agency owed me. I had originally intended to go there myself to demand it, but since it's already been given, we'll let it go." While Gu Mo harbored some resentment toward the Changfeng Escort Agency, it wasn't a deep-seated hatred. To be precise, Young Master Yang Yan had kicked him while he was down, and Master Yang Fang had been dishonorable. However, neither had committed any truly outrageous acts. Though Yang Yan had spoken maliciously, he hadn't resorted to physical violence or other extreme behaviors. Thus, there was no lingering animosity. By accepting the money, Gu Mo signaled that all past grievances were now settled.

Following this, Gu Mo extended his invitation to Qu Heng for the housewarming feast.

"Tomorrow? I'm afraid that won't be possible." However, after listening, Qu Heng shook his head. "As you just saw, I'm currently resting to conserve my energy. I'm setting off on an escort mission tonight."

"What kind of escort mission would depart so late at night?" Gu Mo asked, surprised.

Qu Heng lowered his voice. "A major escort. The Changfeng Escort Agency's guarantee deposit with the authorities alone is two hundred thousand taels. The Chief Escort Master himself is leading the convoy, accompanied by twelve escort masters and over fifty veteran escorts. We don't even know what the cargo is, or where it's being delivered; only the Chief Escort Master knows."

Gu Mo knew this was undoubtedly something extraordinary and didn't press for more details. He simply said, "Then, Uncle Qu, please take extra care. Once you return, come to my place, and we'll have a good drink together."

"No problem at all."