Unexpected Betrayal!

Cardinal City.

The leading hegemony in both research and development field in the 22nd century. With sky scrapers as far as the eye can see on either side of the street, the enormous bill-boards that displayed various advertisements, with supermodels and famous actors appearing as glamours as net idols, it could be said that the Cardinal city was at the forefront of many different fields, including entertainment and business.

Many budding talents of various families, be it Mana-artists, or old wealthy families, or political families made many investments in the development of the Cardinal city.

The main attraction of the city, that is the Tower of Bishop that loomed over the city like a silent sentry, stood in the middle of the busy hubbub like a stony giant.

Down below, the hover-cars honked and screeched on the asphalt, the over-paths meandering through the city like snakes. In the distance, the train whistle could be heard as it departed from the station.

Standing in the middle of this pandemonium, Nagahide felt strangely out of place.

It's not like he hadn't come to Cardinal city before. Previously, he had come plenty of times with his division to complete missions, but that was almost always during the quiet tranquility of the night and never during daytime. Standing in the strange and yet familiar city, he felt a mysterious sense of nostalgia for those simple days where his only concern had been to complete his mission and report to the family in one piece.

He had opted to switch his usual gear to a pair of loose black trousers and black boots. His belt held his swords, and his daggers were hidden inside his coat which he wore over his high neck , sleeveless shirt.

He swept his unruly hair back, as he entered the city. The city entrance was guarded by two guards who looked bored out of their mind. They carelessly glanced over the travel permits they were shown, then motioned for them to enter.

There were two entrances. One for the privileged and wealthy, while the other was for the common citizens. To make sure his purpose would not be discovered and to avoid curiosity and unnecessary questioning, Nagahide opted to enter through the commoner's entrance.

Although he would have to pay a few coins, but, it was nothing if he could avoid detection. When it was his turn, he quietly offered his travel permit book to the guard. The guard flipped through the pages, and gave a cursory glance. He gave a nod, then handed the book back, quietly pocketing the hundred rumming bill into his pocket.

The bustle of the city entered his ears as soon as he stepped through the gate. Rummaging in his coat pocket, he pulled out a flatted hat and put it on, covering his hair. Then slowly he mingled into the crowd and disappeared.

_

Shen Li Jin was known by many names. The hundred tails dragon, Silent Gun, Demon Hound. All of these names does not begin to describe his true power.

Born to the leader of the Shen Conglomerate and one of his many lovers, he was raised in the streets among the ruffians. He climbed up the ranks by climbing over a mountain of corpses and by the time he was ten years old, he already had a larger influence of the Cardinal City's underground.

People didn't just fear him. It was fear born out of respect. He treated those under his commands impartially, and justly. He rewarded those who deserved it, and punished just as ruthlessly.

At one and twenty years of age, he was no less a veteran that knew how to steer a large organization to the peak of prosperity. The organization under him, Black Hell Rose, was one such organization.

At his age, he had a large network of connections with both the wealthy and political clans residing around the world. There was no end to his influence and even powerful Mana-artist clans had to show him his due respect. Even though he himself was not a Mana-artist and what people today called a pure-blood, he showed no discrimination against the Mana-artist and treated them just as equally as he treated any other.

Standing before him, even Nagahide, famed for his stealth and fast intelligence gathering skills, had to show him respect.

It was quiet within the big office room. The stale smell of cigars and alcohol was overpowering, but Nagahide ignored it, paying attention to the man seated before him. At twenty one years of age, Shen Li Jin had a noble demeanor. He was not overly handsome, but not ordinary either. He had a quiet authority about him that demanded attention, and his sharp, viper like gaze held his audience captive and hypnotized. It didn't help that his eyes had an unusual golden color.

Nagahide had heard rumors that the reason that all of the males in the Shen family since the ancient times had this unique color for their eyes was because their ancestor had once offended a golden snake.

He had ridiculed the snake for its unusual eye color and had tried to sold it off as a commodity. Offended, the snake who turned out to be a goddess visiting the human realm cursed the man to have the same color of eyes that he ridiculed. After that for generations to come, the Shen family had had golden eyes as was cursed by the goddess. They were in turn ridiculed by society for difference in eye color and was often mistaken for demons.

Of course, as time passed such absurd notions were discarded but people still felt uncomfortable at being stared at by such a pair of eyes.

His gaze flitted through the page. Nagahide didn't know what Kibamaru had spoken of in the letter, but from the occasional frown marring the man's face he understood that the contents of the letter was quite troubling.

Putting down the letter, Shen Li Jin was quiet for a moment. "I understood most of it," he said after a while.

Nagahide crossed his arms over his chest. His coat had been confiscated upon entering the room, along with his weapons. He shifted his feet, as he looked at the man in front of him. "Then-,"

"I can't help you," the emotionless tone stopped Nagahide in his tracks. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Exactly what I meant. The stakes are too high for me to risk mine and my subordinates lives," Shen Li Jin said, coldly, while the door to the office burst open and several men in black suits came in and surrounded Nagahide, blocking the entrance.

Seated behind the big mahogany desk, Shen Li Jin appeared calm, and unperturbed as he locked his gaze with Nagahide. "As for you, I would like to ask for you stay with us a while longer," he said, apathetically.

Nagahide looked around, noting the number of men that had flowed into the room. Many more might be stationed at the main entrances as well, he thought, but he didn't show hi thoughts on his face, his expression calm. He smiled. "Heh. Since when have you been the Auditor's dog, Shen Li Jin?" he asked.

Shen Li Jin didn't appear to be bothered about his ridiculing tone as he answered. "It's called being smart," he said. "Won't you reconsider?" he asked.

Nagahide sneered. "Sorry, I have no time to listen to the barking of a leashed dog!" saying this he leaped back. The black suited men open fired.

_

Shen Li Jin watched the carnage that was before his eyes.

Medical personnel were busy tending to the wound and carting off the critically injured towards the ambulance. The excuse he had given them was an attempted robbery. They unsurprisingly bought it. In their line of work, they had learned early on not to ask too many questions.

Looking at his subordinates, who were groaning on the ground, and the blood splatters on the ground, he clenched his fists. He should've known not to underestimate a Mana-artist.

At the sound of hurried footsteps behind him, he turned his head, slightly. "Boss!" The one who came just now was his right hand man, Tian Ao Hu. Shen Li Jin nodded. "Casualties?" he asked.

"Yes. 51 injured. Another 40 dead," Tian Ao Hu said, grimly. What followed was a heavy silence. Tian Ao Hu shifted on his feet, then started to ask. "Sir, should we give chase?"

Shen Li Jin looked at the scene before him, at his subordinates being wheeled off to the ambulances and another row of his subordinates being laid on the ground and being covered with white clothes. He watched as a medical officer take the pulse of a nearby man, then shake his head at another medical officer. He slowly closed the motionless man's eyes, and covered him with a white cloth.

Tian Ao Hu waited. Shen Li JIn clenched his fists then slowly his fingers loosened. He shook his head. "Let him go," he said coldly, his face wiped off of any expression. "Let him understand the difference of power between his and theirs,"

Tian Ao Hu pursed his lips. Then he withdrew, silently bowing his head. In the middle of the pandemonium Shen Li Jin stood silently, his wide back looking extremely lonely...