Chapter 8: We're not Shibai

“Zeth, stop the habitual tricks someone might recognize you,” Kate said walking closer to Zitrey. She was followed by the Boss, hands in the back, and in handcuffs.

“Mn.” Her extremely short reply.

Kate noticed that Zitrey was still on the peak of rage. Her bloodshed eyes were still flaming yet in stygian. This kind of demeanor will only happen if she encounters a thing from her past. 

“Is it because those robbers imitate her old work? Or something more complex than what I've imagined?” Her coffeelike eyes suddenly laid to Zitrey's neck. Dried blood came from the wound was clearly seen on her neck and some part of it are still bleeding. This sight made her heart tightened.

Kate took a step closer to the two people on the ground. She bent her leg to face them with the same level of height. Then said with a playful tone yet has a wicked smile, “Please, excuse me...”

In a blink of an eye, a loud and crisp sound of slap can be heard coming from X's face. Five reddish fingers were vividly imprinted on his cheeks. He momentarily drops his jaw from shock, and Y eyes widened. 

“How dare you put scars to my brother's beautiful neck? Let me avenge him!” Kate suddenly enclosed X's neck with her hands, choking him hardly.

X struggle to free himself against the firm hands of Kate. He could felt the tightening of his neck; blocking the passageway of the oxygen going to the lungs, making him hard to breathe. Because he lowers his guard for just a second, this happened to him. 

Y was crying beside him. His body was numb and can't control well. He can't do anything but beg and shout while his brother is fighting for his life. “Please, stop, stop!”

Zitrey sighed because of her sister's impulsive and childish act. Below the surface of the stagnant water hide a monster. “Kate, don't kill him. I need to confirm something from them.”

“Not yet, I want him to experience near death! Those who hurt my little brother, I won't forgive them!” she said while putting more force on his hands. In this, X's face was slowly turning into purple. 

“Kate, if you want to continue, then I don't have a choice but to call your subordinates to stop you.” Zitrey knows Kate was afraid to show off her other self to the people who respect her so well, especially her subordinates.

Kate at once let go of X as soon as she heard it. X immediately gasp for air, coughing vigorously. For a moment he thought he would die from oxygen deprivation. “This damn woman has extraordinary strength!”

“Damn you! Hulk woman!” he shouted as soon as oxygen fill up his lungs. 

Kate left eyebrow rise, “Hulk woman?” Her lips move closer towards X's ear. Then whispered with her chilling voice, “Thanks to my little brother's mercy, I might kill you right here right now without looking back to my status. What hand did you use when you wounded my brother? Right or left? I may chop it off with your foul tongue.” Just how deep Kate's hatred against X? Every word she speaks makes the scalp of Y tingled and heart to leap.

“Brother, Brother... ” Y eyes were full of worry to his brother, confirming if his alright.

“I'm fine, no one can kill me.” 'This Hulk woman and that foolish young man. I'll make sure they will suffer much stronger compared to us.' Clutching the only thing remains on his coat. 

Kate glared at X intently before she straightened her legs and faces Zitrey with her usual angelic smiling face. A 180-degrees different than before while staring at X. “Zeth, let me treat your wound first.” she said with her usual soft voice while getting something in her pocket. 

Even how worried Kate may look, Zitrey still looked at her with her cold eyes and replied in her usual monotonous tone, refusing, “It's just a scratch, do not make a mountain out of a mole.”

Hearing this Kate twinkle eyes turned dull, although she was in blue she still managed to smile; yet gloomily said, “Then just let me put a band-aid.”

 Her jade-like fingers reflecting in the moonlight was gently putting the band-aid on Zitrey's neck. The said thing has a bunny designed on it and seems inappropriate to put to this cold princess. But to Kate's eyes no one more adorable than her little sister.

Kate always brings a bunch of the said thing with different cute designs on it, likewise, first aid kit. Zitrey has a high tolerance for pain and slightly ignorant of her own wound. She will never know she has until she saw it, but even so, she still doesn't care about it. This made Kate worried more.

When Kate was done on her work, Zitrey walked closer at Boss's direction who quietly and calmly watched them. She was about to ask a question when she felt a strong killing intent aiming at her. She suddenly on guard and eyes searching to her surroundings. 

Kate did the same thing, “What is it?” she asked. Hands in the pistols. 

Zitrey stared at the three masked men. Looking at them, she was sure it's not one of them. “We're not the only one here. Someones were aiming at me. I can feel his bloodthirst.”

They have been alerted for a long time, yet nothing happened, moreover they found no-one, and the killing intent vanished. As if that someone was a bubble, pop in the thin air. 

The two of them slightly lowered their guard. Zitrey continues her business and looks at the Boss. She needs information to solve the puzzle inside her head. 

“Kate makes sure your subordinates are away from 50 meters radius.”

After she handcuffs the two lying down on the ground, she clicks the earpiece on her ear and command, “Lioness Squad, likewise before, make sure you stay away 50 meters in the radius and find someone suspicious. Also, some of you should assist the district two officers in taking care of the common people. Ooh and report to them that the Lioness Squad successfully capture the culprits. Just wait for a few minutes before Major Nightroad surrenders them to the district 2. That's all, report to me later.”

“Roger!” all of her subordinates immediately followed her command.

Zitrey, “Who is your Shizun? Who is the mastermind behind this?” her voice carrying a wave of greatly repressed anger. 

The Boss of the masked men was in confused expression while staring at Zitrey, “I don't know what are you talking about.”

She instantly pulled his collar after he had heard those denial words. “I know you're not just a robber, now tell me the truth. Who is it?!”

Kate on other hand didn't also understand what Zitrey means, “Zeth, a penny for your thoughts.”

Zitrey without even leaving her stare to the Boss's eyes, she said, “They're not the murderer of the said person in district 2. They just a piece, an actor on a play.”

“What do you mean?” her words make Kate even more confusing. 

When Zitrey let go of the Boss collar, the moon above them was slowly eaten by the dark clouds. She then said with a very cold low voice, that almost freezing. “They're not and never be, 'cause they're SHĪBÀI.”

As soon as Zitrey finished her statement, the Boss eyes dilated and eyebrows knitted. Zitrey successfully triggers his rage that was covered in his calm face. In millions of words, he hates to hear the word Shībài.

The twin brothers angrily shouted simultaneously, “No! We're not! Get back your words!!!”

“Shībài? They are? As in those words?” Kate asked while stepping on X's back whose already kissing the ground. Lips are in cut and fresh blood is dripping from it. Who knows when did this happen.

“Mn.” her short reply and didn't mind the situation. Then continue putting salt on their wound. 

"In the dark world, an assassin who failed to kill his/her targets is called 'Shībài'. This is the reason why this mister who is gentle like grass didn't aim at Securityguard's critical point: the head, the chest, and the stomach; but instead, he hit the limbs which have an 80 percent chance of survival. While that shivering man called Y, his too easy to read and extremely no good in this field more so he seemed kind-hearted. And that madman, I can't felt his bloodthirstiness instead only wrath. He's a good example of all bark but no bite. Hence, they all afraid to kill a person. A failure in this field, a Shībài."

All three of them grow in silence. Zitrey nailed all of their weaknesses. 

Kate, "Ooh, so they're former assassins. That's why the way they fight has a trace of training moreover their skills excel from normal."

"Mn. Furthermore, that mister didn't fight you seriously. He simply restricts you from moving forward as he was afraid to hurt a woman. Yet, it can't hide his skills, the way he shoots was extraordinary. He shot the ground in 0.001 seconds before you could even step forward and it was precisely 12 inches away from you." 

Kate's lips pouted, she was disappointed that her opponent underestimates her skills. Moreover, the way Zitrey speak was somehow complimenting the guy. She glared at the Boss like she was stabbing him. The Boss stares back at her, looking muddly. 

"But even so, I assure you he can't rival your skills," Zitrey added. 

Kate cloudy eyes, sparkling. She was happy and contented on her sister's compliment that even a piece of hatred towards the Boss vanished. "How about these two?" she asked. 

Zitrey faces the twin brother and starts to talk, "This madman was an expert in using knives. One of the basic skills an assassin must possess, yet his abilities are at a higher level. He played and controls it like it was a part of his body. And they can't achieve this kind of level without hellish training. But to Y, I can't sense him as an assassin. He might be just following his brother or this madman just wanted to protect him. "

While Zitrey is saying those words, Kate can't help but smile. She was so proud of her sister's excellent observation skills. She was also fighting at that time yet still manage to observe her surroundings, especially their opponents and their talents. But most of all, she loves to listen to her sister's voice who'd rarely talk. That's why she will make her talk and talk more. 

The masked men knitted their brows and in thought, ''Who is he? Why does he have knowledge about the dark world?'' And in just a short while he already pinpoints their history! 

Zitrey suddenly kicked the Boss's legs, making him kneel in front of her. She hated to talk to someone taller than her. 

"Now, answer me honestly. Who is your Shizun? And where and when did you met that scaredy-cat?" 

The Boss momentarily blank from a sudden kicked coming from this young man. ''Strong.'' He thought.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked staring back at Zitrey's freezing gaze.

"Don't answer me with another question," she said while glaring sharply at him. 

The Boss sighed, he can't read this young man at all. He even admits defeat from his death glare.

 He had paused a bit before he answered.

"I can't answer your first question but to the second one, we met that child not long. We bumped into him a month ago, he was an orphan and on a verge of death, no one wants to help him so I offer my hand to him. "

Zitrey finely draws eyebrows almost knitting. She was quiet for a moment as if she was processing the information she just obtains. Now, after hearing those words, she's 120 percent sure. He was that 'Guy'. 

''He's the same as always, same old tricks." she thought. Then said with a threatening voice. "You let a wolf inside your cabin."

This information perplexed Kate more. "Why, who is he?"

"One of the most dangerous people you wish you would never be met," she answered immediately. 

"That scaredy-cat? You're joking!" X shouted under Kate's feet. He won't believe it. Z was the most feeble and timorous person he ever met. That even an ant would scare him. 

"Don't be fooled by his acting. He was the murderer in the Gas Station case in district 2. He was the reason why your group are in the ran and being chase. Now, you're in his play, and actor in his theater world. He set the setting and plot himself. You've been played. And to him, this. Is. Your. Ending. " 

The Boss gazed at Zitrey as if he was scanning her. "So, that's how it is. It makes sense. Why he has that tattoo, why I'm so wary around him, why I don't fully trust him but to all of this I still fooled by his forlorn eyes. This young man hides a big secret and quite dangerous. Now, I'm curious who he really is. "

X on the other side gritted his teeth. "End? No, this is just a damn beginning. I couldn't kill a person yesterday, but today I might can. " A clanking sound was coming from the handcuff at his back and then a 'click'.

Zitrey suddenly kicked the small stone beside her feet after she had said it. It threw a meter away from them clashing to the other stones on the ground. "That's why the murderer knows how to imitate the Crimson Blade because it was him. Why is he here? What his motive?" she mumbled to herself. Suddenly a flashed of the horrifying idea came to her. She instantly faces her sister. 

"Kate, where is the young man that asked you for help at your station? He quite looks like a lady."

"Hah? What are you talking about? No one asked us for help, except for your text messages. " Kate step closer towards Zitrey. Suddenly, a flash of light illuminates on Zitrey's face. Making her blind temporarily. When she blinks and adjusted to the sudden light, she saw a text message shown on Kate's phone. 

From: My Super Adorable Zeth ฅ'ω'ฅ

"store."

"rob 2 murder here"

"Zeth next time, please make your messages clearer so that I can understand. It's hard for me to encode your messages. But don't worry you're still adorable. "

Hearing this Zitrey stunned, if he didn't call the police then where did that idiot go? And worst that 'guy' followed him. He was in the worst scenario. Without any delay Zitrey runs, saying "I need to go. " towards her sister. 

Without even knowing why Kate permits her to go. She just knew her sister was so determined that even if she will prevent her, she will still go. And seems like, it was something important that made her in a hurry. 

But before Zitrey could even leave, the Boss asked a question that made stops her steps. "Who are you, young man? Why do you know all of this?"

Zitrey turned her back and face him with her usual cold expression, "You don't need to know."

Just then, a child about 3-4 years old suddenly run towards her shouting "Brother Cede! "

At the same moment, Zitrey felt someone was aiming at her. However, if she will avoid the bullet coming at her, it will straightaway go to the child and pierce her skull. Without any delay she shielded the child with her body, embracing her tightly. 

It was then a gunshot suddenly echoed in this dreary night, and at the same time a horrifying scream came out from Kate. "ZETH!!!"