Quicksand.
A middle-aged man with an enchanting, wicked face and flowing silver hair, draped in a deep blue robe, stood on the edge of a cliff, gazing at a slowly unfurling green scroll. He was the leader of Quicksand.
His sleeves fluttered in the wind. The demonic sword at his waist—Shark Tooth—emanated a strange, savage aura. Against the backdrop of the green light, he appeared even more otherworldly.
"The Sword God Ranking? I wonder what my rank will be. I must surpass the Sword Saint this time; only then can I truly challenge him."
His voice was deep and resonant, tinged with a magnetic, weary gravity.
After the Famous Swords Ranking was announced, he had received the Qian Yuan Sword Intent Pill. Upon consuming it, he grasped the Qian Yuan Sword Intent—a sword strike that could shatter the heavens and the earth. With a ceaseless flow of sword intent, his combat power had increased several times over. Yet, even so, he lacked absolute confidence in facing his senior brother, the Sword Saint. His senior brother had mastered a Heaven-grade superior sword technique; his strength would surely have progressed as well. There was bound to be a gap between them.
But now, the Sword God Ranking had appeared. It was the perfect opportunity to narrow that gap. He waited in secret anticipation for his rank and the reward.
*Tap, tap, tap...*
*Tap, tap, tap...*
Just as he was deep in thought, light footsteps sounded behind him.
"Leader, the appearance of the Sword God Ranking is a boon for us. We can use it to bolster Quicksand’s reputation and attract more assassins to our ranks."
Zhang Liang appeared like a phantom, instantly arriving behind the Quicksand leader. His long hair danced in the wind, and his white robes were as pure as snow, yet they could not conceal the chilling sharpness in his words. His gaze was like an icy blade, striking fear into the heart.
"Do not celebrate too soon." The leader turned, a flicker of heaviness in his eyes. "Once the Net makes it onto the ranking, they will receive massive rewards. Those resources will be enough to help them rise rapidly."
"This is by no means good for us."
"Do not be careless. Beyond the Net, there are hidden murderous entities that could very well become lethal assassins. Perhaps, there are forces in this world even more deeply concealed."
The hoarse voice carried the weight of years. His thoughts drifted back to the time before the Qin state unified the land. Back then, the Seven States stood side by side, and the Iron-Blooded Alliance, with its immense financial power, moved through the political landscape like a blade, providing guarantees for various high-stakes wagers. No one dared to slight their power.
Once, a Prince of Wei was beheaded in public by the Iron-Blooded Alliance for breaking a vow; it was an affair that lasted all of three days. Yet, an organization that strong vanished into thin air overnight. Mountains of corpses piled up, each victim killed with a single strike. Even the high-ranking officials and nobles associated with them were not spared; their deaths were bizarre. This event shocked the world and became known as the "Iron-Blooded Incident," one he had witnessed firsthand.
Later, when he founded Quicksand and took on contracts, a mission to escort a Prince of Chu led him to encounter a mysterious figure wearing a crimson Yama mask. Defeated in a single blow, he nearly lost his life. When he regained his senses, the Prince of Chu was dead, and the opponent had vanished without a trace. Years later, Zhang Liang had never seen that person again.
But hearing the leader express concern about the Net making the list, he merely chuckled.
"Leader, do not disparage your own fame. The Net only relies on a few top experts to hold up their facade. Having now lost six of them, their strength must be significantly reduced."
The Quicksand leader said no more, only looked up at the list about to be unveiled.
A moment later, the list unfurled slowly, empty at first. Then, a line of green text quietly surfaced at the very bottom:
"Sword God Ranking, 44th place, Sky Wolf, belonging to Quicksand. Reward: Yellow-grade inferior weapon—Poison Fang Knuckles. Can be worn; infused with toxins that paralyze the nervous system."
"Sword God Ranking, 43rd place, Blood Bat, belonging to Quicksand. Reward: Yellow-grade inferior poison technique—Blood Burst Art. By practicing this method, one can detonate blood slaves, triggering a massive explosion."
"Sword God Ranking, 42nd place, Wushuang, belonging to Quicksand. Reward: Yellow-grade medium weapon—Explosive Hammer. Weighs 1,888 catties; forged from millennial cold iron."
All the major factions were shocked by the sight.
"Huh? What's going on? Why are there only 44 slots? We are assassins too; are we not even qualified to make the list?"
"Brother, stop complaining. We really aren't qualified. That 'Azure Wolf King'—I heard he’s reached the Late Xiantian Realm. He grew up with lone wolves, has a solitary nature, and wiped out an entire sect all by himself."
"True, and there’s that Wushuang Ghost. His kung fu is peerless, and he is impervious to blades and spears. Unless one has overwhelming strength, his defenses are impossible to breach. For someone of his caliber to be at the bottom is hard to accept."
"It's getting interesting. With Wushuang Ghost's strength, he's only 42nd. It seems the hidden assassin experts of this world far exceed our imagination."
...
The list continued to update. Every time a rank was announced, the corresponding green light shone upon the location of the person on the list, the light containing their respective reward.
Deep within a dense forest, a man in black wearing a half-mask of green, Sky Wolf, stared at the 'Poison Fang Knuckles' floating before him. He donned them without hesitation and then gave a tree a light swipe.
*Crack... crack...*
In an instant, the ancient giant tree withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning to black dust and scattering in the wind. Such was the terror of the poison.
Witnessing this, Sky Wolf gave a wicked smile: "A Yellow-grade inferior weapon has this much power; what would Earth-grade or Heaven-grade weapons be like? What a truly anticipated list this is."
His tone shifted abruptly: "Still, this cursed list! Putting me at the bottom—how will the world mock me?"
"Once I wipe out the Viper Sect, I’ll challenge other assassins and climb the rankings."
His voice was sharp and low, like the howl of a wolf. *Awoo...* Once finished, he threw his head back and let out a long howl. In the dozens of miles surrounding him, the howls of wolves echoed one after another. Under the deep green light, hundreds of wild wolves could be seen rapidly converging upon him.
...
As the list was announced, every assassin on it was enveloped in green light and received their corresponding rewards. However, this brought hidden dangers. While the list granted rewards, it also flushed out the spies lurking within the major factions.
[Sword God Ranking, 35th place, Hall Master of the Puppet Hall, belonging to the Net. Reward: Mysterious-grade medium finger technique—Seven Emotions Soul-Severing Finger. Those struck by this finger will suffer the agony of the Seven Emotions perishing, and die in torment.]
*Boom!*
A green pillar of light shot directly into the Peasant Family stronghold in Daze Mountain. This sight fell into the eyes of all, sparking suspicion and shock, while many others looked on with schadenfreude.
"Eh? The Puppet Hall Master? That sultry woman, exuding such a bizarre aura—she's an assassin of the Net? What a surprise."
"Haha, the Peasant Family Hall Master was a plant for the Net. Now that the list has exposed her, the Peasant Family will surely tear her limb from limb."
"This is only the beginning. Don't forget, the Net claims to be 'omnipresent' and has long since infiltrated every faction. Tonight is the night they are all exposed."
"Tonight, the leader of the Net will likely be vomiting blood. A century of planning, destroyed in a single stroke."
...
In the Daze Mountain stronghold of the Peasant Family, the Puppet Hall Master—a woman with a seductive figure and tattoos on her long legs—was surrounded by tens of thousands of Peasant Family disciples. If looks could kill, she would have died a thousand times over.
She suppressed her nervousness, her slender fingers gripping a smoking pipe as she took a sharp drag.
"Everyone, we have worked together all this time. Why must we turn our blades on each other?" As she spoke, she stepped backward quietly.
Inside, she was cursing up a storm. *This cursed list! What is it playing at? Rewards are fine, but it exposed my identity!* For years, she had hidden within the Peasant Family, clawing her way up to the position of Hall Master through immense hardship, only to be unmasked by the list.
"Hmph." A cold sneer followed. "Turn our blades on each other? Had the list not revealed you, the Peasant Family would likely have been thrown into chaos by now, perhaps even destroyed by your hand."
A burly man with thick eyebrows, the Hall Master of the Lie Mountain Hall, walked up holding a heavy crescent halberd. The tip of the weapon scraped across the ground, creating a grating, harsh sound. Standing before the Puppet Hall Master, he gave a casual flick, and the halberd plunged into the ground.
*Boom!* The ground collapsed.
"Out of respect for your position as Hall Master of the Puppet Hall and your past service to the Peasant Family, take your own life. Give yourself a decent end."
"Otherwise, if I do it myself, I will ensure you are extinguished, body and soul."
His voice was deep and powerful, every word dripping with murderous intent. As soon as he spoke, the tens of thousands of Peasant Family disciples raised their weapons in unison.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The sound rose and fell like a surging wave.
The Puppet Hall Master looked at the scene before her, her face deathly pale. She looked up and glared at the list, her eyes filled with resentment, and she barked, "Damn it! If not for you, how would I have been exposed? How would I have fallen into such a state?"
Her once-delicate face was twisted and distorted. She knew clearly... in this desperate situation, there was no escape. And as a woman who cherished her beauty, she couldn't bear the thought of her corpse being desecrated! Her only choice now was suicide.
In the next instant, she took her smoking pipe in a backhand grip and slammed it against her own skull.
*Bang.*
The life left her. Her lithe, curvaceous body—which had set men’s blood boiling—fell stiffly to the ground.
Peasant Family Hall Master? Net spy? Fallen!
Clutched to her chest was a manual—the reward granted to those on the list.
As the list was announced one by one, similar events occurred throughout various factions.
Confucian School: A Net spy revealed! Kill without mercy!
The Yin-Yang School, Mohist School, Taoist School, and the remnants of the other Six States were all the same. Net spies? Eliminated immediately. No reasons asked!
As for those assassins of the Net whose strength was insufficient to make the list, they were the lucky ones who escaped the catastrophe.
...
Xianyang City.
The residence of the Palace Carriage Magistrate.
Zhao Gao’s face turned an ashen green as he watched the list reveal the members of the Net one by one. It shifted through shades of blue and purple like a chameleon, appearing truly grotesque. Finally, his rage surged, and he vomited a mouthful of blood once more.
"Hateful... truly hateful! Years of painstaking effort, ruined by this list!" His voice was hoarse and grating.
"Someone come!"
No sooner had the words left his lips than a Net member dressed in black and wearing a red mask knelt before him.
"Leader, what are your orders?"
Zhao Gao clutched his chest and commanded in a low voice: "Send the word immediately. Tell every Net member hiding in the various factions that they must guard their identities at all costs until the list is finished."
"They are absolutely forbidden from acting on their own. Otherwise, the family law will be enforced."
When the Net member heard the words "family law," his expression remained cold, yet a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes—as if he had seen something more terrifying than death itself.
"Yes, Leader," he answered, bowing his head in a hurry.
In the next moment, his form vanished like a ghost. Once he had left, Zhao Gao glared at the list, gritting his teeth.
"Damn this list! It has destroyed my heart's blood; I cannot let you be!"
The Net? They were known as "omnipresent."