Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Chapter 417: 208. How to Cancel the Jinling Kill-on-Sight Order_2

But the problem was, they already knew the Qinglong Association might be related to the Hou Clan, but they did not know whether the relationship between the two was good or bad.

If the relationship was bad, her response should be fine, but if the two families were on good terms and she said she was there to kill Fang Jinghong, wouldn't that be asking for death?

Hou Yuxiao almost immediately saw through the concern in Zhu Qing's eyes and realized she was guessing the relationship between the Qinglong Association and the Hou Clan. He shook his head helplessly, no longer wishing to tease the two of them, and spoke directly,

"Jinling Zhu Clan has two types of assassination orders, the Jinling Death Order and the Assassination Order. Which one was issued to Fang Jinghong, and who issued it? Speak clearly, and I might spare your lives!"

Joy appeared on Zhu Qing's face, but a trace of sadness still flickered deep in her eyes.

She was happy that Hou Yuxiao was willing to let them go, but from his words, she could infer that the relationship between the Hou Clan and the Qinglong Association was definitely very good, otherwise they wouldn't be helping Fang Jinghong to investigate who had issued the assassination order.

That being the case, their sisters' assassination attempt was definitely doomed to fail, and failing meant they could not rescue their father, hence Zhu Qing's expression darkened for a moment.

"At the end of May, Escort Leader He Wuyou of Ling Cheng Escort Agency in Tongling County personally came to Jinling County to our Zhu Clan, and spent 150,000 taels of silver to place a Jinling Death Order on Fang Jinghong!"

Hou Yuxiao was momentarily stunned, then turned to look at Hou Yujie. The two exchanged a glance and understood immediately.

In May, Hou Yujie, under the identity of the Third Dragon Head Fang Jinghong in the Qinglong Association, had assassinated Tong Long, the younger brother of the head of Ling Cheng Escort Agency, Tong Yun. It must have been then that Tong Yun paid the Jinling Zhu Clan.

Hou Yujie's expression flickered strangely and he asked, "If you could find out this much, then you must have been to Tongling County and should know that Ling Cheng Escort Agency has already been annihilated. The person who placed the order is dead; why are you still here?"

Zhu Qing's expression darkened as she replied, "Although we of the Jinling Zhu Clan conduct the dishonorable business of assassination, we do have a reputation to maintain. If we could just take money because the client died, who would come to us for assassination orders in the future?"

There are laws for countries, rules for professions!

Hou Yuxiao slightly sighed, saying to himself that indeed, this rule was well established.

In the martial world, every profession has its rules. On the larger scale, as Zhu Qing said, although assassination was a dishonorable profession, it still needed to uphold credibility; on the smaller scale, if in a situation like today, the Zhu Clan truly disregarded He Wuyou's assassination order because Ling Cheng Escort Agency was annihilated, and word got out, others really wouldn't seek them out in the future.

After all, some who commission assassinations are already risking their lives, and moreover, if assassins didn't adhere to this rule, wouldn't that increase the risk for employers? After all, as long as the employer died, the assassins would no longer pursue the kill.

In this way, those targeted for assassination could simply ferret out who placed the kill order on them to evade being assassinated.

"So you say, since the Jinling Death Order has been placed, you still have to successfully kill Fang Jinghong to complete it, what if it truly can't be completed?"

With a mischievous look, Hou Yujie asked this question. The sisters were after Fang Jinghong, who was technically himself, but he had just schooled them on the rooftop. There was no possibility of them assassinating him, therefore he asked with interest.

Zhu Qing's expression turned gloomy as she shook her head, "The Jinling Death Order only allows for success. We are merely the first wave of assassins. If we fail, and no report is made back within a month, a second wave of assassins will come, each stronger than the last. The third wave follows the same principle.

If all three waves fail, then..."

Hou Yuxiao and his company looked at her, all exhibiting a hint of interest.

"To maintain the reputation of the Jinling Death Order, my Jinling Zhu Clan will commit the entire clan to fulfill this order, up until the last member perishes!"

In the dead of night, this declaration made not only Hou Yuxiao furrow his brow, but his spine also chilled slightly. If the Zhu Clan was truly committed to upholding the reputation of the Jinling Death Order as Zhu Qing described, they indeed qualified as a true assassin family...

But this meant trouble for the Hou Family!

Hou Yuduan also furrowed his brow, clearly recognizing the complexity of the situation.

Only Hou Yucheng and Hou Yujie were different; the former appeared indifferent, clearly disregarding the sisters' declaration, while the latter's expression darkened slightly.

"Master of Hou Family, Zhu Qing is frank, speaking her mind. If Fang Jinghong is not important to the Hou Family, it would be best for the Master of Hou Family to remain uninvolved. Although we of the Jinling Zhu Clan are merely one assassination force in Jinling, we have many experts in our clan. Rashly causing discord could harm both the Hou and Zhu clans," said Zhu Qing.

Zhu Qing, suppressing the fear in her heart, looked up and met Hou Yuxiao's gaze, saying words that someone of her ostensibly lowly status should not have said.

She was gambling that the relationship between the Hou Family and the Qinglong Association was not that strong. There was no choice; if the Hou Family was indeed intimately tied with the Qinglong Association to protect Fang Jinghong, then their assassination mission would certainly fail.

Failing this mission meant they couldn't find any information about their father...

Zhu Qing was out of options, otherwise she would not take such a big risk.