Chapter 151

However, in their family of assassins, there was one thing they excelled at beyond doubt: observation.

Hiding abnormalities was far harder than spotting them.

Silva and Zeno didn't spend much effort concealing their situation—they only did a quick cleanup.

So, when they returned to the Zoldyck estate with half their eyebrows missing and looking like bald warrior monks…

"Husband?! Father-in-law?!"

Kikyo, dressed in her noble attire with her mechanical monocle glowing, rushed over after hearing from Gotoh, and upon seeing their appearance, let out a shrill scream.

While it wasn't unusual for them to return injured from missions, looking like this was something else entirely.

At least, Kikyo had never seen anything like it.

"Don't make such a fuss," Silva said calmly. "It'll grow back in a couple of days."

Kikyo: "..."

After a moment, she realized that her husband and father-in-law seemed completely unfazed by their appearance.

But still, their look…

Once the shock passed, a chuckle began to bubble up.

She really had never seen Silva and Zeno look like this before.

"If you're thinking about taking a photo, I'd advise against it," Silva said, cutting off Kikyo's mischievous thoughts as the red light on her monocle flickered ominously.

After all these years, he could tell exactly what she was plotting.

Zeno, on the other hand, quietly slipped away to change into something less conspicuous.

"Don't tell anyone about this," Zeno instructed before disappearing. "Just say we're taking some time off and won't be seeing visitors."

The two had returned using Zeno's Dragon Head, landing discreetly in the mountains behind the estate to avoid drawing attention.

Though they were cold-blooded assassins, they did have a shred of sentimentality.

Upon landing, they contacted Gotoh, gave their instructions, and retreated to their rooms, where they encountered Kikyo.

Silva and Zeno thought they had managed to keep their return under wraps, even checking to ensure no one had spotted them.

But—

They had forgotten one member of the family: the tech-savvy outlier.

Snap.

In a small room, a chip bag fell from Milluki's hands.

"Is that... Dad? And Grandpa?!"

He stared at the screen projecting Silva and Zeno's current appearance, utterly stunned.

"No way!"

Leaning closer, his pudgy face almost pressed against the screen as he confirmed what he was seeing.

His jaw dropped and stayed open.

"This is... unbelievable..."

Muttering to himself, Milluki's shock soon gave way to excitement.

"I need to save this for posterity!"

Without hesitation, Milluki's fingers began flying over the keyboard.

"I bet even Illumi's never seen Dad and Grandpa looking like this. Once I've saved this, I'll print it out and show it to him!"

"And Killua and Kalluto! They'll finally understand how amazing I am to have photos like these!"

"That brat Killua won't dare look down on me anymore, hmph!"

Completely unaware that he was walking into disaster, Milluki was well on his way to ensuring a family bonding session unlike any other.

Meanwhile, at Morin's location:

"Is everything settled now?"

After Silva and Zeno left, Morin first took out his Doctor's Toolbox to heal their injuries.

Then, he sent a flying kick to the overly enthusiastic Hua Shitoulang, who had rushed over to say something, and turned his attention to Machi with genuine concern.

"Everything's fine now," Machi replied, her tone softening under Morin's sincere gaze.

"That's good to hear." Morin smiled with relief.

He then turned to Hua Shitoulang, who was sitting on the ground, clutching his leg with a pitiful expression.

"What are you still doing here? Didn't I tell you to go train if you want to challenge the Zoldyck family in the future?"

"Stop dawdling and start preparing!"

Hua Shitoulang:

Master, your favoritism is way too obvious!

I'm your direct disciple too!

Although he was brimming with grievances, Hua Shitoulang knew better than to interrupt his master right now.

He could only sulk and plan to contact Morin later once things had settled down.

"Ugh..."

"Hmm…"

Hua Shitoulang responded weakly, preparing to leave when Morin stopped him and tossed something his way.

"Don't forget this on your way out."

"This is…" Hua Shitoulang caught the object and gasped in surprise. "Kude's head?!"

Earlier, during the activation of [Expert Stumbling Master Z], Morin had stashed Kude's head away to avoid any accidental damage.

"Take this to the Hunter Association and claim the reward. The accomplishment of taking down an S-rank bandit group should be enough to elevate your Hunter rank to One-Star."

"But—" Hua Shitoulang was about to refuse when Morin interrupted him:

"No buts. When a master gives something to a disciple, the disciple takes it without hesitation."

"Besides, Kude's head is of no use to me. For you, however, it could be quite significant."

Morin's tone softened. "If you can become a One-Star Hunter, you'll gain considerable recognition within the Association. That recognition might prove useful to me one day."

"More importantly, I want you to remember this mission—learn from the experience and the lessons it brought."

Hua Shitoulang remained silent.

After hearing such words, he decided not to argue further. He gave Morin a deep and formal bow of gratitude in the Heartflow style before leaving with Kude's head in hand.

As he vanished into the distance, only Morin and Machi remained at the scene.

The atmosphere gradually grew… a little unusual.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way too," Machi said, glancing around. Sensing something off, she adjusted her training outfit slightly and prepared to leave.

But before she could take a step, Morin grabbed her wrist.

"I thought you might speak up for Kude's head when I gave it to Hua Shitoulang," Morin said with a teasing smile.

"I'm not that thoughtless," Machi replied, struggling against his grip. "Let go!"

"No can do."

Despite her protests, Morin kept his hold firm and continued smiling at her.

Machi rolled her eyes and reluctantly gave up resisting.

"After all, he's your disciple. I'm not so petty as to snatch something from someone who's practically a junior to me."

Though Machi hailed from Meteor City and often acted with little regard for convention, she still had her principles.

If Hua Shitoulang had been a stranger, she might have tried her luck. But knowing he was Morin's apprentice, she wouldn't stoop to such behavior.

"When did you realize Hua Shitoulang was my disciple?" Morin asked as he gently pulled her along the beach.

The two strolled along the sandy shore, creating a picturesque scene that neither seemed to want to disturb.

Machi, perhaps sensing the unusual serenity of the moment, gradually stopped resisting.

She began recounting everything—from her time at Heaven's Arena to the events leading up to Morin's arrival.

Only Morin could prompt her to open up so easily.

"I see…"

Hearing the full story, Morin chuckled softly.

"So, you figured out my connection to Hua Shitoulang but didn't call to confirm it. Instead, you decided to tail him on your own.

"Tell me, how should I punish you for this?"

At the word punish, Machi's body visibly tensed.

Memories of their first joint mission outside the Mosibia capital flashed through her mind.

Before she could react or protest, Morin leaned in closer—just like that day.

"Wha—?!"

Machi's pupils dilated slightly.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air.

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