This time, Vida City. The city had returned to its previous bustling state. Billions were on the streets. Many were discussing the peak battle that had just occurred, one that had destroyed five or six buildings and damaged a dozen more, leaving cracks and large holes in their outer walls. Yet, as they talked, they realized hardly anyone had actually witnessed the fight.

Yang Ying inwardly chuckled, wondering what people could see of a battle between two invisible combatants. He strolled to the hotel where the fight had begun. Worengas was already waiting by the entrance and hurried forward upon seeing Yang Ying: "Sir, the rooftop restaurant was completely destroyed by the bomb. Princess Haffen and her retinue are currently in their suites."

"Good," Yang Ying nodded. "Take me there."

They went upstairs to the suite entrance. Worengas rang the bell, and the butler quickly opened the door, ushering them inside.

In the living room, Princess Haffen was waiting. Seeing the two men, her face registered a mixture of surprise and joy. She rose and performed a deep, respectful bow. "Haffen sincerely thanks Master Yang Ying for saving her life. I truly do not know how to express the depth of my gratitude right now. If Master Yang Ying had not intervened, my companions and I would likely have become mere wraiths in that assassination attempt."

Of course, neither Yang Ying nor Worengas understood the Haffen language she spoke; the butler translated via telepathy. Since the Si Fei was being repaired, the butler had taken over translation duties. In truth, the butler mastered over fifty advanced civilization languages, a necessity for his position. And since the Singer language was one of the most widespread in the Orion Arm, he certainly knew that too.

He used telepathy rather than the Singer language because telepathy pierced directly to the heart, transcending linguistic barriers, allowing Princess Haffen, seated beside them, to understand as well. If they had conversed solely in the Singer language, the Princess would have understood nothing and been forced to sit there like a statue.

They settled into the living room, with Yang Ying and his party seated as guests and the others as hosts. Yang Ying sent his thoughts telepathically: "Princess Haffen, there is no need for such formality. That assassin's killing intent was also directed at me. It indicates he meant to kill me as well. I was merely returning a normal counter-attack. In all my cultivation, I have never encountered anyone who would strike me without rhyme or reason; how could I not teach him a lesson?"

The butler relayed telepathically: "From the beginning, Princess Haffen has been worried, feeling deeply apologetic to Master Yang Ying for dragging you and Master Woss into this matter without cause. You must know that the dispositions of assassins are mostly violent and paranoid, and an assassin who can cultivate to the Third Level Apex is only more extreme, thinking in polarized terms, utterly unlike ordinary people. Now that Master Yang Ying and that assassin have clashed, there may be further repercussions."

"Not afraid, not afraid," Yang Ying chuckled, though inwardly he mused: "I currently possess twelve clones capable of unleashing Third Level limit mental power, making thirteen of us in total. To instantly eliminate thirteen 'mes,' perhaps only an existence at the Fourth Level could manage it. If that Third Level Apex assassin retreats now, I won't bother pursuing him. If he dares to trouble me again, I will ensure he leaves his life behind."

Recalling the assassin, Yang Ying took out two severed finger segments and placed them on the table, asking, "Mr. Butler, with your vast knowledge, can you deduce the assassin's species from these two segments?"

"Oh? Let me see." The butler was clearly surprised that Yang Ying managed to bring back two fingers from the assassin. It was common for experts at the Third Level Apex to fight for an hour or two without achieving a clear outcome; if their strength was comparable, three days and nights of fighting was nothing unusual. But then he recalled the purple light anomaly in the Mercenary Guild Hall and thought to himself: "Indeed, worthy of one who has cultivated mental power to the Third Level limit. Defeating that assassin and securing two fingers is not surprising at all."

The butler picked up one segment. He noted the skin was strangely coarse and greenish. The fingertip bore a sharp nail about two centimeters long, its edge gleaming coldly. The butler turned this segment over and over for a while before picking up the other to examine it. His expression gradually grew solemn; he glanced at Yang Ying occasionally, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

While the butler inspected the severed digits, Yang Ying looked around and asked, "By the way, why are only the Princess, you, and that female Master who appeared in the private room here?"

"The Chief Maid is at the hospital in Vida City. One of our people was injured, and she went there to look after them." The butler temporarily set down the finger segments. "To be frank, we owe thanks to Master Woss; if he hadn't brought them out of the fire, we might have lost a compatriot forever."

"I see," Yang Ying nodded. "Mr. Butler, please continue."

The butler lowered his head again, examining the segments closely for a while longer, seemingly having reached a firm conclusion. He sighed, placing both segments back on the table, and sent a thought: "I never expected it to be that individual."

"Is there a result?" Yang Ying leaned slightly forward, his interest utterly unconcealed.

The butler nodded telepathically: "Master Yang Ying is truly formidable. I am utterly impressed that you managed to sever two fingers from even that person."

"Who exactly is that person?" While being admired was pleasant, Yang Ying was more anxious now to know the identity of the individual who had engaged him in such a fierce battle.

"If I recall correctly, these two severed fingers must belong to a Haisen. They are the eighth most powerful race in the Orion Arm, and one of the Top Ten Assassin Kings of the Orion Arm is a Haisen. His name is Taryn; he ranks fourth. He specializes in approaching enemies invisibly; his cloaking technique is said to be peerless."

The butler stated gravely, then suddenly slapped his thigh. "Gone! I should have known! Teleporting a bomb to detonate next to the target is a tactic Taryn has used in several missions."

Yang Ying recalled the invisible man's combat style and asked, "Is he also skilled in using a cannon in his left hand and a sword in his right, and occasionally throwing in a sodium cannon blast against his opponent during lightsaber duels?"

"That... I am not sure." The butler seemed embarrassed that he couldn't answer. He sent a thought: "Those Assassin Kings are mysterious figures. What abilities they possess and what they specialize in are mostly rumors circulated outside, not solidly verified. Even the Royalty only obtains fragmented intelligence. However, Taryn's mastery of invisibility should be quite reliable."

"Then it’s almost certainly Taryn." Yang Ying briefly recounted the course of the battle and then asked, "How were your movements leaked? Did you perhaps mention them to others along the way?"

"This..." The butler looked troubled and shook his head. "We have no clue whatsoever. Besides our immediate group, few people knew our itinerary, but they are all extremely trustworthy individuals. They have implanted thought-protection chips; even mind-affecting spells would at most kill them, not force them to speak."

"Meaning, if they were to betray us, it would only be by their own volition, is that correct?"

"No. Their families have served the Royalty for generations, some for a dozen, some for dozens of generations. Their loyalty to the Royalty is beyond question!"

Through telepathy, Yang Ying could distinctly sense the butler's resolute certainty. If he were not their savior, the butler might have already voiced strong objections.

Yang Ying waved his hand: "Forget it. Since I have decided not to get further involved in this matter, how your movements were leaked is no longer my concern. I hear you plan to leave tonight, which is good. Vida City is no longer safe; every extra moment spent here adds to the danger."

"That's right; that's what we are thinking too," the butler agreed. "We are currently waiting for the injured person to recover at the hospital, and then we will leave Vida Star immediately."

Vida Star's medical facilities were incredibly advanced; rapid healing of internal and external wounds was paramount. Minor injuries could be treated in minutes, and even severe wounds required only a few hours of sleep in a treatment pod. Although the injured bodyguard was significantly hurt, he should recover fully by sunset.

However, there were still two or three hours until sunset, and during this time, the possibility of another attack on their party could not be ruled out.

Yang Ying thought for a moment: "How about this: for the sake of our acquaintance, I will stay here until you depart. If any petty thugs come to harass you again, I will send them all packing."

"Ah! That would be wonderful, thank you so much." The butler was instantly grateful. To have a protection of a Third Level Peak expert until they left Vida Star would mean immense security.

"But... we have already been saved by you once and haven't repaid you yet. How can we dare accept your help again?" Princess Haffen seemed uneasy, yet she couldn't refuse, as this was exactly what they desperately needed. She thought for a moment, then said, "How about this? You are mercenaries; consider this a mission. We will pay a fee, hiring you to protect us until we leave Vida Star. We can't just let you help us for nothing; we already owe you too much."

The butler translated her words. Seeing the urgency in her expression, Yang Ying nodded: "Alright." If he refused, she clearly wouldn't be able to accept his help with a clear conscience.

Princess Haffen was overjoyed when Yang Ying agreed. The parties then chatted casually for a while about minor topics. Neither the Princess nor the butler brought up the assassination attempt on the President of the Flin Republic again.

Princess Haffen was adept at conversation and possessed broad knowledge, always finding new topics to prevent the atmosphere from growing stale. However, due to the language barrier, the communication relied on the butler for translation, which lowered the efficiency.

Yang Ying noticed a slight weariness on the Princess's face, realizing that after the shock, her emotional fluctuations had subsided. Coupled with her lack of mental cultivation and less physical training, her body was relatively frail. He proactively suggested she rest a while before their departure.

After Princess Haffen retired to the inner room, Yang Ying went onto the balcony, leaning against the railing, watching the sun gradually sink below the horizon. Vida Star rotated from west to east, so the sun rose in the east and set in the west.

He maintained this posture for two or three hours until the butler’s voice came from behind him: "Master Yang Ying, the Chief Maid sent a communication. The bodyguard's internal and external injuries have healed, and they are on their way back to the hotel."