chapter 27 Left Hand Man===

Leaving the base, Alexander Xu drove home. It was now four in the morning. William Xu and his wife had already gone to bed, and Alexander quietly opened the door, not wanting to disturb his family. Just as he was about to step into the room, he sensed something unusual. Although the person was well-concealed, Alexander still detected him. Judging by that man's stealth, he must be a master, and not an ordinary one at that. Alexander withdrew his foot, a cold smile playing on his lips. An intruder at Xu's house at this hour was obviously not a friend, but an enemy! He headed towards the backyard garden, filled with various plants and flowers, indeed a good place to hide. The intruder had chosen their spot and timing well. This hour was when people were in their deepest sleep. Breaking in at this time indicated an experienced old hand. As Alexander approached the garden, the intruder sensed a dangerous aura. It was an instinct honed through countless life-and-death experiences: trust your intuition, not your eyes. "Retreat!" was the only thought in the intruder's mind. Despite the reluctance, he had to prioritize his life. Realizing the Xu family had a strong protector and he had been discovered, he figured his mission was complete. Retreating now wouldn't mean failure. But that was if he could escape. Unfortunately, the moment Alexander detected that man, escape became impossible. The sense of danger intensified, and all the intruder could hear was the whooshing wind. He knew Alexander had made a move. Retreating quickly, his figure crossed the high wall at an incredible speed. "Not bad!" Alexander admired as he watched the shadow vault over the wall. Only a few, like Brandon, could match this intruder in his ranks. But Alexander wouldn't let a valuable enemy escape. As the shadow crossed the wall, he too swiftly followed, determined to catch or kill him. Either use this kind of person for yourself, or kill him and let the tiger go back to the mountain, causing endless trouble! The shadow moved swiftly, but Alexander was faster. In the blink of an eye, he had caught up with his opponent. With a swift palm strike, the figure rolled away just in time, narrowly escaping the attack and countering with a left-hand swing. Alexander pressed forward, their palms colliding and sending an invisible shockwave through the air. The shadow, attempting to use the force to retreat rapidly, underestimated the power of Alexander's palm strike. Staggering back, he nearly fell, his footing unstable. By the time he regained his composure, Alexander stood before him, an amused look on Alexander's face. "So you're the Xu Family's expert?" the shadow said, cornered but calm. "Hired by the Li Family, weren't you?" Alexander, having exchanged just one blow, no longer harbored thoughts of killing. Smiling, he said, "Didn't you know that the Li Family intended to use you as a sacrificial pawn? Left Hand!" "Who are you?" The shadow's regained composure vanished instantly, his eyes widening in terror. "You know me?" Indeed, "Left Hand" was both his code name and his identity, as he no longer remembered his real name, so the alias had become his name. "The ninth-ranked assassin, Left Hand, am I right?" Alexander continued, ignoring Left Hand's terrified expression. "If you still wish to flee, perhaps try using your right hand!" Left Hand was known for using his left hand to kill, a fact few were aware of. His true lethal technique was his right hand, a secret known mostly to those who had died by it. Unfortunately, in his previous life, Azure Dragon had fought Left Hand, forcing him to reveal his hidden technique, which Azure Dragon effortlessly countered. Many, unaware of the truth, wondered how Left Hand ranked among the top ten assassins. By his actual skills, he should only be in the top twenty. Rumors circulated that he was a master of stealth, compared to Jackson Iga, renowned for his ability to conceal his movements. In truth, while Left Hand's skill in evasion was notable, it paled in comparison to Jackson Iga. His ranking owed to his concealed right-hand technique. "Who exactly are you?!" Left Hand was genuinely afraid, unable to fathom how this person knew so much about him. "Really? The ninth-ranked assassin and you didn't research our family before acting?" Alexander chuckled. "Haven't you heard of the dissolute heir of the Xu Family, Alexander Xu?" "Alexander Xu?" Left Hand was startled, then shook his head in disbelief. "Impossible!" In the near-total darkness, he couldn't clearly see the man before him. But the brief exchange was enough for him to dismiss the idea of his opponent being Alexander Xu. The intel he had received portrayed Alexander as nothing more than a wasteful, idle playboy. "You'll know soon enough!" Alexander smiled. "Since you're already here, why not sit down for a drink and see whether I'm Alexander Xu or not?" "Fine! I'm already in your hands!" Left Hand knew he was no match, and not even his right hand would change that. His life was now in another's control. What harm was there in accepting a drink before death? He didn't want to die, but fear of death wasn't part of his profession. Back at the Xu's residence, the commotion had alerted the bodyguards, proving their vigilance. "Young Master Xu, we..." The bodyguards hung their heads in shame, embarrassed by their failure to detect the intruder. They wanted to punish the blond, blue-eyed man, but knew they were no match for him. Alexander waved them off, saying, "He's a master; no blame on you." They had only trained for a month, improving significantly but still far from Left Hand's level. Even Brandon Li, their chief bodyguard, would lose to Left Hand in ten moves. Sitting in his room with the Left Hand, Alexander poured two glasses of vintage red wine. "Before we get drunk, take a good look at my face. See if I'm Alexander Xu." "Yes!" Left Hand had already confirmed it upon entering. Alexander resembled the man in the intelligence files exactly. Alexander raised his glass, invitingly saying, "Now that you're sure I'm Alexander Xu, shall we discuss other matters?" "As you know me so well, you must realize I won't betray my employer," Left Hand said evenly, adhering to the assassin's code of not revealing employer information. Alexander looked at him as if he were a fool, laughing. "Didn't I already guess it was the Li Family? Do you need to tell me?" It was obvious who the employer was. He had only offended the Li and Song Families, and given the Song Family's status, they wouldn't stoop to hiring assassins. That left only the Li Family, who cleverly sent Left Hand as a scout. "What do you want to talk about?" Left Hand asked, puzzled. What common ground could an assassin and a misunderstood heir have? Talk about life? Talk about ideals? Or, does he want to subjugate me? Although Left Hand only ranked ninth on the killer list, he is at least famous. How can he be subjugated by others? "You disappoint me," Alexander said, looking at him. "I thought your skills would have improved, but after several years, you've made no progress." When Alexander saw Left Hand a few years ago, the strength of his left hand was the same as it is now. Unexpectedly, in the past few years, Left Hand still has not improved. In the assassin profession, if one does not improve, then one is actually retreating! "Are you really Alexander Xu?" Left Hand asked, bitterly amused. This man knew too much about him, yet he knew nothing of this man. "Authentic and genuine," Alexander replied, sipping his wine. "We Xu's are businessmen. Let's talk business." "What business?" Left Hand was curious. Alexander stood, wine in hand, and walked to the window. As he tapped the windowsill, he said, "Become my assistant." "Nonsense! You just want to subjugate me, right?" Left Hand snapped, rising angrily. "You can take my life, but not my allegiance!" As skilled as he was, he could live comfortably under someone's command, but he cherished his freedom. Being someone's assistant, or lackey, meant losing that freedom. Didn't someone say that life is precious, but love is more valuable? If it's for freedom, both can be thrown away! "Why not hear my offer first?" Alexander turned, his expression serious. "No matter what you offer, I..." Left Hand began defiantly, but his gaze fixed on Alexander's hand, and he fell silent. Under the dim light, a transparent wine glass floated in Alexander's hand, unsupported. It wasn't magic. It was real. "God above, the wondrous East!" Left Hand recalled meeting an Eastern master years ago, who effortlessly countered his right-hand technique. He had wanted to learn from that man, who had dismissed him. After years of no progress, remembering that man's strength filled him with regret. If he had learned even a fraction of his skills, he might now be among the top three assassins. "Left Hand, you're too arrogant," Alexander said, focusing his Energy. The glass in his hand, untouched, shattered. The sound of the falling glass fragments broke Left Hand's last defenses. "If you can teach me that, from now on, my life is yours!" Between power and freedom, Left Hand chose power, longing to break his limits for greater strength. "Congratulations, you made the right choice," Alexander smiled. "You won't regret your decision today." Left Hand knew then that the younger man had accepted him. "How should I address you?" "Like everyone else, call me Young Master Xu."