Chapter 273: No Second Chance

The middle‑aged man didn't guess wrong.

After firing a few more shots, Jiang Cheng left.

But he hadn't guessed it.

From beginning to end, Jiang Cheng was throwing the match.

Strictly speaking, getting the first shot to graze Song Gang is harder than a headshot, yet most people would think the latter is just luck, a brush with death, and never realize that it was the shooter's intention all along.

That was the most important part of Jiang Cheng's plan.

On one hand, it tells the members that it's not that he didn't try his best, but that the opponent's luck was god‑defying, and he didn't want the mission to fail.

On the other hand, it also warns Song Gang that someone is after him, so he should be more careful from now on.

He could only get that far.

It's like the Lingyun Gang we met in the Poor District last time; if he had known beforehand that the gang's mastermind was the Rebel Army, killing him wouldn't have mattered.

Because even in hindsight, that incident still involved an element of luck.

If the opponent were a radical of the Rebel Army, the grass on his grave would already be tall.

Song Gang seems to have no background, but he has already been targeted by some people in the Inner City District.

The Inner City District is a deep pool; even the Dawn Society is just a dog in front of those people. For now, it's better for him not to get involved.

The next day, the atmosphere across Nan Cheng District visibly tightened.

Jiang Cheng, even finding a spot to snipe is unrealistic, let alone carrying a sniper rifle.

Let alone, since that night, Song Gang has truly been staying in the Law Enforcement Bureau all day.

When the three days elapsed, the mission, unsurprisingly, failed.

Headquarters.

Office.

Jiang Cheng looked at Bing Li with a guilty expression.

To avoid arousing suspicion, he voluntarily informed him of the matter.

After speaking, the room fell quiet; Bing Li kept tapping the keyboard, apparently gathering intel.

After a while, he looked up at Jiang Cheng.

"With your gunmanship, this shouldn't have happened; you killed a Level 4 Original Force Warrior with a single shot, yet a mere Level Three managed to escape a disaster?"

"Brother Bing Li, it was supposed to be a guaranteed hit, but at the critical moment he hesitated, causing the bullet to skim his face and fly past; then the person beside him grabbed him and fled. It was my first time encountering this, I got a bit flustered, which made the subsequent bullets basically miss,"

"and for the next two days I kept looking for a chance, but the target stayed inside the Law Enforcement Bureau, and patrols kept moving on the streets; I truly couldn't find an opportunity."

Jiang Cheng's face was mournful.

"Is that so?"

Bing Li was half‑believing, half‑doubting this excuse.

His disbelief stemmed from Jiang Cheng's record being right there; there shouldn't have been any mishap.

But if an accident could be foreseen, it wouldn't be called an accident.

He then asked, "Before you acted, two Enforcement Squad members died in Nan Cheng District, their necks twisted—did you do that?"

"Yes."

Jiang Cheng nodded.

"I was scouting the spot and they happened to see me, came to interrogate me. To prevent the plan from leaking, I had to find a place and deal with them."

If he tried to deny this, Bing Li would certainly not believe him.

After all, those people hadn't had any trouble before or after; they only ran into trouble when he received the mission.

So it's better to openly admit it and find a somewhat plausible excuse.

"Is that so?"

Bing Li frowned.

At first listen, Jiang Cheng's explanation indeed had no obvious problem.

But his intuition told him something was off.

After a while, he smiled again and said reassuringly, "Cang Hai, this time your mission failed, and I'm also at fault; I assigned you an enemy beyond your strength, thinking you could settle it with your gunmanship, but an accident still happened. It's okay—according to the regulations, every person who joins our Dawn Society gets one chance to fail a mission without any punishment. "Really?""

Jiang Cheng's eyes showed surprise.

"Yes, that's right, but only this once."

Bing Li's smile faded.

"Brother Bing Li, if— I mean, if I fail a second time, what would happen?"

Jiang Cheng pretended to be cautious as he asked.

"That situation doesn't exist."

Bing Li stared at Jiang Cheng, his tone unruffled.

"If it did, then it would be his final mission."

"I understand, Brother Bing Li, I promise it won't happen again," Jiang Cheng hurriedly said.

"Alright, it's fine, I believe you."

Bing Li smiled faintly.

"I still have great confidence in your potential; this time was just an accident. Go back and cultivate properly; next time, I'll assign you a mission suited to you."

"Alright, thank you, Brother Bing Li."

Jiang Cheng thanked him repeatedly and left the office.

Inside the office.

Bing Li's eyes narrowed to a thin slit.

Cang Hai this guy, could he be deliberately going easy?

Although he doesn't know why the former would do that.

But anyone who dares to defy orders meets no good end.

"Looks like we need to assign him a task to test his loyalty."

Bing Li muttered to himself.

If this mission still fails.

Then he guarantees that this will be the other party's last mission.

Time passed day by day.

The matter of the mission failure seems to have completely passed as well.

On several occasions when seeing Bing Li, he still appeared as usual, wearing a friendly smile on his face.

But Jiang Cheng did not dare to let his guard down.

He knew his performance this time had made Bing Li very unhappy.

Perhaps the next mission will become very tricky, not only in difficulty but also as a test of humanity.

So, if possible, he does not want to take on the next mission.

In two days, it will be the day the Black Market opens; he will go there to buy the remaining elixirs and secret medicines, and before the next mission arrives, breaking through to level seven should be no problem.

Upon reaching level seven, he plans to return to Pingxi Street and kill Xiao Yuanqing, including the Iron Fist Gang, which he will not let off.

Informants are certainly hateful, but the mastermind behind them deserves death even more.

As for whether Bing Li will notice.

Almost no possibility.

Because by then his Shadowless Blade Technique will have reached entry level, and he will appear in the guise of a nameless swordsman.

After killing the members of the Dawn Society, they won't guess that he has already become a level-seven Original Force Warrior.

After settling this grudge, he plans to contact the Rebel Army; with his level-seven strength, passing the level-five trial should not be difficult.

No matter what, first move the family out; that way, even if he later falls out with the Dawn Society, he need not worry about being restrained.

Of course, if possible, Jiang Cheng still hopes to leave the Dawn Society peacefully, although this possibility is minuscule.

(End of chapter)