Hidden Assassin 235

The night was bright at Kennedy International Airport.

Various vehicles crowded and weaved through the throngs of people. People from all walks of life, carrying different baggage, sporting diverse skin tones, and hailing from various countries, came and went. Every so often, an airplane would take off or land, connecting countless lives with this bustling metropolis. As one of the world’s largest air hubs, Kennedy International Airport never seemed deserted. Any day, any moment, it exuded a breathtaking vitality, a product of human-made order and rules.

The lobby was a cacophony of noise. People entered, left, and waited. A large screen displayed the flight numbers and schedules of every aircraft. Standard English prompts continuously flowed from the speakers, penetrating the boisterous lobby. Near the edge of the departure lounge, a group of people were bidding farewell. The ones being sent off were two men in black suits. Judging by their expressions and occasional formal bows, we could tell they were Japanese.

“This trip, we’ve received much support from all of you. Please convey my gratitude to Mr. Castro once again…”

“Mr. Watanabe, you’re too kind. Mr. Castro also asked me to relay a message – it is with sincere apologies that we cannot bring Miss Zhang with you both as per the original plan. We truly apologize for the inconvenience. We hope you understand, we take this mission very seriously. Mr. Jean Amil, who was originally assigned to another task, has been immediately recalled. Regarding the matter of Jian Suyan, we will give headquarters a satisfactory explanation. Please trust our capabilities.”

“I believe your past achievements have already proven that point. I will convey Mr. Castro’s words to Mr. Omamori.”

The Japanese were excessively polite. For every bow they made, the American accompanying them would also bow in response. After some pleasantries, it was almost time for them to board. The Americans accompanying the two men escorted them to the gate and breathed a sigh of relief, exchanging glances with each other.

“I really hate Japanese who lack a sense of humor…”

“I’m starting to have a bit of a soft spot for the French…”

“Why don’t they all just kneel and bow… Arigato, Su-i-ma-sa… ”

After seeing their guests off onto the plane, the task was considered complete. The group exchanged a few lighthearted remarks and prepared to go their separate ways. Inside the airport, the two Japanese men passed through passport control and hadn’t gone far when they were stopped by an airport security guard.

“Excuse me. Gentlemen, please come with me. It seems there might be a small issue with your passports. We need to confirm a few things. Please follow me.”

“A problem?” The two exchanged glances, their hearts suddenly filled with apprehension. Although they belonged to the Japanese branch of Pei Luo Jia, they were not considered official assassins. They were more like internal administrative personnel, relatively clean with no dirty past. This time, despite Pei Luo Jia providing them with fake passports, they were obtained through legitimate Japanese government channels. There shouldn’t be any issues. This sudden turn of events was unexpected.

The guard saw their hesitation but did not seem overly angry. He nodded, “It’s nothing serious. Just a quick confirmation. Please rest assured, it won’t take long.”

Security at the airport was tight. The two men subconsciously looked around, sensing something suspicious about the people nearby, but they couldn’t be sure. They followed the guard along the way, exchanging glances and trying to make sense of the situation. Just as they were caught in a dilemma, a sharp sound suddenly rang out from behind. The two turned around and saw a tall American man with a bullet hole in his head, amidst a throng of people. Silence descended upon those nearby for a second, followed by a woman’s scream, “Ah!” The crowd erupted into a cacophony of panicked cries and scattered in all directions.

The next moment, amidst the chaos, a soft gunshot rang out. The airport security guard behind the two men suddenly had a bloody hole in his forehead. Blood and brains splattered out over a meter away. A piece of glass on the edge of the walkway shattered into a thousand pieces with a loud bang.

At this point, the only ones who could cause such a scene at the airport were Pei Luo Jia assassins, having discovered something amiss and coming to their rescue. They blended into the panicked crowd and raced towards the boarding gate. In a moment, two more people fell in the crowd. Unlike the previous two, these individuals had managed to draw their guns but still met a similar fate. The shooter was precise and stealthy, hiding among the fleeing crowd. No one could pinpoint his exact location.

As they ran out of the boarding gate, they heard a loud bang from a distance, seemingly from the side of the hall. Suddenly, the entire departure lounge descended into chaos. Amidst the frenzied crowd, they could still discern many figures lurking in the shadows around them. At this moment, one of the assassins who had seen them off earlier ran towards them, “Follow me! Someone will distract them. The FBI has us in their sights!”

The thunderous gunshots attracted the attention of most of the undercover agents. All kinds of people were fleeing in all directions amidst the screaming, making it impossible for them to accurately target their prey. Occasionally, someone would be hit by a stray bullet and fall injured, adding to the confusion and fear. The two Japanese men ran, shedding their jackets, tousling their hair, and discarding their suitcases – which contained nothing important anyway. Pei Luo Jia’s internal plans were not shared via files in the air. The three escaped through a side entrance of the airport. As they fled, the two Japanese men pieced together the situation.

“Your files have been leaked to the FBI. How did it happen? Zhang discovered a lead at the airport and figured this out. We need to get out of here now… Don’t worry, those FBI idiots are useless. We’ll be fine…”

By this time, due to the gunfight at the airport, the entire surrounding area was in chaos. Cars sped away one after another. Many people carrying luggage simply ran across the street. There weren’t many people where the three men exited, but a few taxis had already driven off. The assassin in front ran towards the nearest car, raised his pistol with a silencer, and shouted, “Get out!”

Since they were still some distance away, the fat man getting into the car quickly ducked and slammed the door shut in fright. The car roared to life and sped off in an instant. The assassin didn’t fire his gun after all. He noticed the crowd and tucked the gun back into his waistband. His movements were discreet, and no one seemed to notice him. He reached the roadside and cursed under his breath, “Damn!” Immediately, there was a loud bang. The car that had just sped off turned onto the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with a large truck.

Seeing that there were many people around, a taxi that had just arrived pulled over, stopping about two meters away from the three. They ran towards it. The assassin opened the front passenger door, jumped in, and the two Japanese men squeezed into the back. At that moment, a fat woman who had just escaped the airport was frantically waving her hands about ten meters away, “Wait, wait, let me go with you, take me with you, please…”

“What happened at the airport? What’s going on?”

The driver of the taxi, curious about the commotion at the airport, glanced in that direction. The assassin in the passenger seat was observing whether the FBI was in pursuit, his hand waving dismissively, “I don’t know what happened at the airport, but I know today is your lucky day… Drive!”

“Okay,” he said without taking the assassin seriously. The assassin’s eyes were still focused on the airport hall, but the moment the driver spoke, he felt his arm suddenly yanked. His entire body lurched forward towards the driver’s seat. He instinctively pulled the trigger. The bullet shot out of the silenced gun, leaving a hole in the passenger side window. He quickly turned his head, but in the haste, he could only see half the face of the man in the sun hat and the dazzling light reflecting off the long machete that had suddenly been pulled out from under the seat. The sharp blade ruthlessly swung towards his arm.

“… Today is indeed my lucky day.”

“Ah!”

The scream was trapped inside the car. On the roadside, the fat woman who was running towards them finally reached the taxi and banged on the door, “Let me in, let me in, please… ” Suddenly, her hand banging on the window froze in mid-air. Her eyes widened in terror, and she stepped back, falling to the ground with her mouth agape.

“Uh… ah!”

The woman’s screams drew the attention of people near and far. The taxi parked on the side of the road was shaking violently, making a banging noise, “Bang, bang, bang, bang”. Since it was night, it was difficult to see what was happening inside the car from a distance. However, the fat woman who was close by could see clearly. In that enclosed space, the man wielding the machete was repeatedly hacking at the other three. The Japanese men’s faces contorted in pain, imprinted on the windows. They pounded on the doors repeatedly. Blood splattered everywhere inside the car, staining the distorted faces, the transparent windows. From the outside, everything looked blood-red, like hell itself.

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