Chapter 148

The devastating power of the advanced weaponry was evident from the destruction it caused.

Fortunately, the entire Sixth Continent hadn't been obliterated.

Morin sighed in relief and shifted his gaze to Silva and Zeno. Both appeared utterly defeated, their auras depleted and their bodies battered.

Beneath their feet lay the now-defunct Ultimate Falling Expert Z, its mechanical body completely dismantled.

Well, a machine was still just a machine. Silva and Zeno managing to take it apart was within Morin's expectations.

What he hadn't anticipated was the extent of the damage the Ultimate Falling Expert Z inflicted on the two. It was, admittedly, a pleasant surprise.

"So, shall we have a proper talk now?"

Morin clapped his hands and casually walked forward.

He didn't even feel the need to release any aura to pressure them anymore.

What he had expected to be a fierce, drawn-out battle had ended in a much more satisfying way, saving him a great deal of effort.

"Talk?"

Zeno glanced at the approaching Morin and instinctively reached to stroke his beard, only to remember it had been burned off.

His eyelid twitched slightly.

"What's there to talk about?"

He shook his head slowly. "At this point, don't we have no choice left?"

"This time, we'll admit defeat."

"Say what you want. What do you plan to do?"

"No choice? Admit defeat? Speak plainly?"

Morin squinted at Zeno, sizing him up.

Not a single word from this cunning old fox was trustworthy, in Morin's eyes.

The more desperate the situation, the more these sly old Zoldycks would resort to any means to escape.

Especially for a family of assassins like theirs. Even Killua had been a skilled liar from a young age, a testament to the depth of his family's teachings.

"Speak plainly? I suppose that can be arranged, but…"

Morin smirked and tossed a few Shadow Flashlights into the air.

In an instant—BANG!—

Shadowy figures emerged, surrounding Silva and Zeno from the north, south, east, and west, leaving no openings for escape.

Silva: "…"

Zeno: "…"

"Seems your guard against us is still as high as ever," Zeno remarked, his eyelid twitching.

"Well then, Mr. Morin," Zeno's tone softened, "could you grant this old former head of the Zoldyck family some mercy?"

"If your hair were red, I might consider it," Morin replied bluntly. "But since you were so eager to kill me before, showing me no mercy, why should I offer you any now?"

"That was simply adhering to our professional code and the principles of our family, which we uphold even in death," Zeno said.

"Oh? Then you can die by those principles," Morin retorted.

Zeno fell silent.

"How about this…" Zeno sighed. "Name your terms. If it's within our ability, we'll fulfill them, and this matter will end here. How does that sound?"

"Negotiations, huh…"

Morin thought for a moment. "Alright, I want someone from the Zoldyck family."

"Who?"

Silva's voice was deep and cold.

"Alluka Zoldyck," Morin said, his tone casual.

And then—

SWISH!

Zeno and Silva's gazes sharpened instantly, locking onto Morin with an intensity that could cut through steel.

"How do you know about him?" Zeno asked, his tone calm but his face devoid of emotion.

He referred to Alluka as "him," refusing even to call him by name—a clear sign that he did not consider Alluka a true member of the family.

"Oh, isn't Alluka your fourth son?" Morin replied with a smile, avoiding a direct answer.

"What's the matter? Feeling reluctant? Could it be that the Zoldyck family is more sentimental about blood ties than the cold and ruthless reputation it's known for?"

"The Zoldyck family treats kin differently than outsiders," Zeno said, his gaze deep and meaningful as he looked at Morin.

Silva furrowed his brows tightly and said to Morin:

"Alluka is impossible to give to you."

Neither he nor Zeno brought up Alluka again or questioned how Morin had learned about the matter.

To them, Alluka was like a forbidden topic.

"Alright, then let me pick someone else," Morin proposed. "How about Kalluto Zoldyck?"

Zeno: "…"

"If you're going to keep mocking the two of us, then we won't hesitate to go out in a blaze of glory before we die," Zeno said, rolling his eyes—a rare sight—and speaking in exasperation.

"Alright, no more jokes."

Morin waved his hand dismissively, deciding not to push the two any further. He didn't want to provoke them into actually making some desperate, last-ditch attack.

"Honestly, I'm not the one you should be negotiating with," Morin said, his tone returning to normal.

"That decision lies with the victims."

As he spoke, Morin turned to look at Machi and Kastro (Uvogin).

"What do you two think?"

"Us?"

Kastro, who had been standing off to the side watching the drama unfold, was caught off guard when Morin addressed him.

"You get to decide whether to spare them or end their careers as assassins here and now," Morin clarified.

"Well, I…"

Kastro opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he glanced at Machi, who was silently observing, her expression calm and unreadable.

He wisely shrank back and said, "Master, you've always taught me that ladies first…"

He offered an awkward, sheepish smile, clearly trying to leave a good impression on his senior.

Machi glanced at him indifferently.

She didn't speak or change her expression, but in Kastro's eyes, her look seemed to carry the unspoken message: Good. At least you know your place.

Relieved, he exhaled silently, grateful for his quick thinking.

"All for me…"

Realizing that Morin's actions were for her sake, giving her the final say, warmed Machi's heart.

"Well, I wouldn't mind negotiating terms," she said after a moment, her tone shifting.

The warmth in her expression faded as she turned to face Zeno and Silva, her eyes gleaming with a sharp, calculating light.

"The Zoldyck family is known as the premier assassin clan, a reputation built on accepting high-profile assassination contracts. Surely, you must have accumulated quite the fortune?"

I knew it, Morin thought, a wry smile forming.

The moment Machi spoke, he could already guess her line of thinking.

While money was less important than life, they were no longer in immediate danger.

Plus, they held the absolute upper hand. Missing this golden opportunity to demand compensation would be inexcusable.

"Not to mention, it'd be a waste of the injuries we suffered getting here," Machi thought to herself.

She wasn't the type to let a chance to make money slip away!

"A fortune?"

For some reason, Zeno felt an ominous sense of foreboding.

"How much are you asking for?"

"Oh, not much," Machi replied calmly as she began tallying expenses. "Medical bills for our injuries, compensation for damages, emotional distress fees, my lost wages…"

"All in all, it's not a lot—just two hundred billion Jenny."

Zeno: "…"

Morin: "…"

The scene fell silent once more.

Zeno had lost count of how many times today he'd been rendered utterly speechless.

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