Chapter 706
Honey Badger Deployed!
March 7th, Afternoon.
Madam Honey Badger was quietly reading in her residence within the Fifth Ring.
Although she had been pardoned for her crimes by the Pope himself, this did not mean she was granted complete freedom. Her movements were still restricted and she was guarded by two members of the Pope’s Guard. However, all her other requests would be met as much as possible.
Alice had also been informed of Honey Badger’s situation and would act as a messenger to deliver this news, Honey Badger’s personal letter, and the remaining payment Cardinal Loki had promised back to the organization Eagle Eye. She had likely already arrived at Iris Kingdom by now, having delivered the necessary items to the intended recipients.
With nothing else to do, Honey Badger wanted to try walking the Path of Devotion. She thus requested several books from the Pope’s Guard who were watching over her and began her quiet studies.
For an Adapter, enduring loneliness and adapting to solitude were basic skills. Whether it was an Assassin who maintained silence in the darkness, a hunter who stalked the forests, or Prophets and Astrologers who saw the future but could not speak of it to others… the Path of Adaptation always seemed to link its followers with silence.
Without the need to worry about the organization’s financial state or political situation, without having to personally undertake difficult missions with flawed intelligence to earn money, and without having to clean up after foolish young Assassins… she found her mental state had improved significantly.
Until this afternoon – when the two Pope’s Guards watching her suddenly asked her to go somewhere.
Her first reaction was that Eivass had gone back on his word and the Church intended to execute her in secret…
After a while, she realized — this was the Church, not her familiar Iris Kingdom. The Elves were not as perfidious as she had imagined, and it was the new Pope who genuinely needed her for something.
When she arrived at the Twenty-second Ring, she saw Cardinal Eivass in his black robes and the former Eternal Pope wearing the Supreme Holy Crown.
“…Your Majesty the Pope.”
She knelt on one knee and respectfully bowed her head to the two Popes, “Please instruct me.”
Although Honey Badger had never been a personal Assassin, she had lived for so long and seen enough to understand. Facing two Popes, she adopted the demeanor of a privately kept Assassin towards their Master.
“I do have a request for you.”
Eivass said solemnly, “I need you to leave the Church for a while.”
Upon hearing the familiar mission directive, Honey Badger, who had been somewhat hesitant and apprehensive, immediately perked up, and a strong sense of confidence surged within her.
Although she had been a Master Assassin of the Fifth Tier for a long time, she had rarely been involved in high-level affairs. One reason was that she disliked overthinking. Many Adapters were also tricksters and schemers, but she was not one of them.
Compared to gathering around a long table to discuss troublesome personal political stances, factional ideologies, the subtext behind special actions, social impact and public opinion, and the potential chain reactions of various operations… she preferred to take on an assassination contract, complete it, and then return to await the final outcome.
Moreover, usually, by the time she finished her job and returned, those involved had seldom finalized their plans.
“Is it an assassination mission?”
Honey Badger asked skillfully, “Or sabotage? Or data theft? Or escorting an important figure, and rescuing hostages?”
“It’s a form of escort.”
Eivass nodded and asked, “Does your Eagle Eye have a branch in Star Antinomy?”
“We don’t have a branch… are you referring to the team currently on a mission? We do have that.”
“Are there any members you dislike? Or members who you feel cannot integrate into the Church?”
Eivass continued to press.
Upon hearing this, Honey Badger immediately understood. Although she disliked overthinking, it didn’t mean she wasn’t intelligent.
“In other words, you need a batch of Eagle Eye members who can be discarded?”
“Yes.”
“We have them.”
Honey Badger answered without hesitation, not even needing to think.
– Undoubtedly, she had already decided on the candidates.
To eradicate the Child of the Moon, she would betray – or rather, sacrifice – even her comrades in Eagle Eye. The reason these people, living in the gutters as thieves, killers, prostitutes, gamblers, swindlers, and criminals, had gathered together was largely to jointly oppose the Child of the Moon.
Given that the Child of the Moon always sought to infiltrate from the top and constantly evolve into elites, recruiting from the very bottom of society was the safest approach. This would prevent high-ranking members of the organization from being silently converted into the Child of the Moon.
Because even if they wished to betray the organization, the Child of the Moon would look down on them and would not bestow the “gift of eternal youth and immortality,” nor would they share their noble primeval blood with such dregs of dregs. The conversion of the Child of the Moon, in addition to requiring the corpse of an Adapter, also required a portion of life essence from their “parent” converter.
Even if a Child of the Moon were to go to extremes – to find the traces of Eagle Eye and choose to reluctantly accept these traitors – it would ultimately still be a minority.
And this inevitably led to their organization not being pure enough… While there might be some righteous individuals quietly hiding in the darkness, the majority were confused souls clinging to each other for warmth, just trying to survive the day. A hundred percent chance that unscrupulous, mediocre, and mentally weak scoundrels would infiltrate, even into the higher echelons.
And this was unavoidable, nor was it possible to attempt to change their mindset or educate them.
Because a person who suddenly changed would easily reveal flaws in their daily life, attracting attention and being discovered by the ubiquitous Child of the Moon and Blood Slaves – Eagle Eye was not a covert organization; their reputation was quite well-known. Only a group of people rotten to the core, festering in the mud, could perpetually evade the perfectionist Child of the Moon.
But the situation was different now.
Because even Eagle Eye itself knew that it was difficult to completely defeat the Child of the Moon. If they could enlist the help of the Church to target the Child of the Moon, then most of their previous principles, practices, modes of operation… and even formal members, could be abandoned.
Of course, she also had feelings for those disreputable people who banded together for mutual warmth.
But when it was time to let go, she would not hesitate –
– for a greater good.
Honey Badger thought this, and a trace of sunset-like crimson appeared in the depths of her pupils, flashing and disappearing like a cigar lit and extinguished in the darkness.
“Then, listen carefully… Honey Badger.”
Eivass, clad in black robes, commanded, “I require you to take two people to Star Antinomy. Safely deliver the target to the designated location and provide her with information about some Eagle Eye strongholds…”
Before Eivass could finish speaking.
Honey Badger suddenly twitched her nose and frowned.
She smelled a somewhat familiar scent… it was the scent of “Child of the Moon” she had previously smelled on Eivass.
Immediately, Eivass waved his hand.
A curtain of shadow, undetectable by Honey Badger’s senses, was suddenly pulled away. It was the power of High-Tier Divine Art. As an Adapter of the Fifth Tier, Honey Badger had not noticed that curtain at all.
In the corner of the room sat a noble young lady with long black hair, a crow perched on her shoulder. She looked no older than thirteen or fourteen… and what first caught Honey Badger’s attention were her pupils, which shone with a blood-red light.
The crow’s pupils were also this same blood-red.
– It’s a Child of the Moon!
“…Have her ostentatiously kill those Eagle Eye members, and thus find a way to infiltrate the local Child of the Moon circles.”
At this moment, Eivass said.
(End of this chapter)
