Chapter 5: The Assassin and the Strength of Legends

Su Yan stood frozen in place, his mouth agape, staring at the system's latest mission.

[Next Mission: Assassinate a VIP (Reward: ¥20,000)]

"Assassinate?!" Su Yan sputtered, his eyes darting nervously around the plaza as if waiting for a professional hitman to come and put a bounty on his own head. The panic creeping into his chest was palpable.

“Are you telling me I’m supposed to kill someone for money?” His voice cracked under the pressure, his mind reeling at the absurdity of it all.

[Yes. You have 10 minutes to prepare.]

“10 minutes?!” Su Yan screeched, drawing the attention of a few nearby pedestrians. He quickly lowered his voice. “Who am I supposed to kill? How do I even do that?!”

He received no response from the system, just the ticking of an invisible clock in his mind, counting down the seconds until he would be forced into action. His hands were shaking. This was way out of his league.

Just as panic began to seize him, a new presence arrived.

A woman—tall, graceful, and undeniably stunning—appeared in front of him as if she’d materialized from thin air. Her long, black hair shimmered under the afternoon sun, her striking features calm and composed. She wore a sleek, black outfit that screamed danger, with black combat boots that clacked against the pavement like an ominous warning. Her piercing, ice-blue eyes locked onto his with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.

Su Yan’s first thought was: She looks like she could kill me with a look.

"Are you Su Yan?" she asked, her voice smooth, yet carrying an edge.

Su Yan gulped. “Y-Yes. Who... who are you?”

“My name is Zhen," she said, her lips curving into a smile that made Su Yan’s heart skip a beat. "And I’m here for you."

Her smile didn't reach her eyes.

Su Yan blinked. “I—I’m not sure I understand. What do you mean, ‘here for me’?”

“I’ve been hired to eliminate you,” she replied flatly, her voice as cold as her gaze. "But... I’m going to give you a choice."

“A choice?” Su Yan repeated, his voice now a bit more strained. "What kind of choice?"

She stepped closer, her heels clicking with each step as if she was walking toward her prey. “You have 10 minutes, just like your mission. In those 10 minutes, you will either try to run, or... you can face me. Choose wisely.”

Su Yan’s mind was racing. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.

The woman didn’t even seem to care whether he lived or died—her expression was as neutral as a chess master contemplating her next move. But Su Yan had an odd sense that there was more to her than met the eye.

"Why do you want to kill me?!" he asked desperately. “What did I ever do to you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “It’s not personal. It’s business.”

Before Su Yan could respond, the system beeped in his ear.

[Infinite Strength Activated: You have 10 minutes of infinite strength. Use wisely.]

A surge of energy coursed through him, his body suddenly feeling invincible. His muscles were on fire with raw power, and his senses were sharper than ever. It was as if the world had slowed down around him, his reaction time speeding up in a way that felt... supernatural.

“Ten minutes,” Su Yan murmured under his breath. The system had just given him a chance to fight back. Maybe he could survive this after all.

Zhen raised an eyebrow as she noticed the sudden shift in his posture. "Feeling brave, are we?"

Su Yan grinned. "You don’t know what you’re up against, lady."

With newfound strength coursing through him, he launched himself forward. The movement was so fast that it felt like he was gliding rather than running. In mere seconds, he was in front of her, his fist aimed at her face.

Zhen’s smile never faltered.

With a fluid motion, she sidestepped his punch, her body moving with the grace of a dancer. She was fast—way faster than anyone Su Yan had ever encountered. She retaliated instantly, her leg snapping out to strike him in the chest. The force of the blow sent him flying backward, but his enhanced strength helped him land on his feet.

"Impressive," Zhen said, her voice devoid of emotion. "But you’ll need more than that to survive."

Su Yan was breathing heavily now, his adrenaline mixing with the supercharged strength the system had granted him. He launched another attack—this time, a series of rapid punches aimed at her torso.

Zhen blocked each one with the precision of a trained fighter, but Su Yan’s strikes were no longer just desperate swings—they were calculated. His mind was sharper, his strength immeasurable. He was starting to believe that he might actually have a chance.

Then, in an unexpected move, Zhen’s palm shot out, grabbing his wrist mid-punch. In a flash, she twisted his arm, flipping him onto the ground with a fluid motion that sent pain shooting through his body.

“Not bad for an amateur,” she said, her voice almost affectionate. “But this is my world, not yours.”

Su Yan groaned, struggling to get up. He could feel his strength beginning to fade—only minutes remained. But he wasn’t about to give up.

In a final attempt, he pushed himself up with all the strength he had left, launching himself toward her with one last effort. He wasn’t going down without a fight.

But just as he closed the distance, Zhen’s hand shot out, grabbing his throat and lifting him off the ground effortlessly. Her fingers were like steel, her grip unyielding.

“Time’s up, Su Yan,” she whispered, her eyes locked on his. "Your strength is fading."

Su Yan gasped for air, his vision blurring as his enhanced strength began to disappear. But just before he lost consciousness, he heard the system beep again.

[Mission Failed: Assassination unsuccessful. Additional penalty: ¥5,000 added to debt.]

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