Chapter 90: The Mysterious Organization

“Oh, I see!” After hearing these words, Rod finally understood what had happened. So that’s how it was—after all these twists and turns, they actually wanted to lure him in to work for them.
A grand marshal interested in me? At that moment, Rod found it hard to believe. After all, what status did Okaz hold in the empire? With just one word from him, people would rush over eagerly, begging to serve him. Not to mention someone like him, an ordinary Bronze Warrior—there must be many even among the Golden Warriors and even Martial Emperors. Why would he be interested in me? I don’t seem to have any outstanding qualities… New doubts arose in Rod’s mind.
“Master, please be smarter. He has all your information—how could he not know that you’ve gone from an ordinary person to a Bronze Warrior in just half a year, and might soon reach the rank of Silver Warrior? Do you understand what that means? It means he sees you as a genius! What he values isn’t your current strength, but your future potential. Given your current progress, he can surely believe that you’ll become a Martial Saint or even a Martial God in the near future! What do you think?” The helpless voice of the Xuanyuan Sword Spirit made Rod suddenly understand.
“A genius?” Hearing this, a narcissistic smile appeared on Rod’s lips, which even Okaz across from him found puzzling and unsettling. If such a smile had to be described in two words, it would be—shady.
“Enough, stop being narcissistic. You think you’re really a genius? It’s just luck. Do you think you’ve progressed so fast because of some lucky break that unlocked all your meridians and laid a solid foundation for mastering ‘Self-Cultivation,’ allowing you to get ahead from the start and reach this level in such a short time?” Sensing Rod’s mood and thoughts, the Xuanyuan Sword Spirit poured cold water on him, cooling him down instantly.
“Cough, cough… Please don’t be so harsh. Let me be happy sometimes!” Rod complained gloomily.
Of course, he had no idea that at that moment, Xuanyuan was also surprised by Rod’s ability to advance to this level so quickly.

A genius, perhaps—at the very least, the fact that he was able to complete “Self-Cultivation” in such a short time proves just how exceptional his talent is. Moreover, he passed all three stages in one go, which speaks to the difficulty involved; not everyone who tries can succeed. Although luck plays a big role, does that mean geniuses have no luck at all?

I wonder how many so-called geniuses are actually just products of luck, while how many truly talented individuals remain unrecognized their entire lives due to bad luck. I say this only because I don’t want this guy to become arrogant and hinder his future cultivation.

“No need. I don’t think I’ll stay in the Imperial Capital for long. I might leave soon. I prefer a free life, and there are still many things I need to accomplish. Perhaps you know something about them—first and foremost, finding the killers of the old man who raised me. This world is vast and beautiful, and I need to experience it. I also need to keep strengthening my abilities. Many things can’t be done in the Imperial Capital. Thank you for your kindness, but unfortunately, I can’t accept it!”

Under Marshal Okaz’s gaze, after a long silence and a sigh, Rod said with a bitter smile that although the offer was tempting, he couldn’t accept it. He knew that accepting it would make him the center of attention, with a bright future ahead, but he still couldn’t do it.

“Are you really determined? Won’t you think about it any longer?” Apparently unprepared for Rod to reject him so outright, Okaz frowned and pressed further.

“I won’t think about it anymore. The conditions are truly tempting. I’m afraid I might accept them without realizing it. Heh, there’s one thing I hope you can help with. You’re experienced—do you recognize this?” Changing the subject, Rod took out the hidden Golden Eagle emblem from his pocket and handed it to Okaz. If anyone could help him, it might be Okaz. If even he couldn’t help, then there might be very few people in this empire who could.

“The Golden Eagle Medal!” Okaz, who had planned to keep persuading him, saw the medal and his expression changed instantly, a glint appearing in his eyes as his demeanor shifted dramatically.

“Where did you get this?” In the next moment, Okaz asked in a serious tone and with a seriousness Rod had never heard before.

Seeing this change, Rod was pleased. From Okaz’s expression, it was clear he must have some knowledge of the Golden Eagle Medal, and the fact that he could recognize it at a glance and name it showed he certainly knew about it.
“It seems you really do know. I obtained these items from those men in black who were chasing Lucia. Could you tell me their origin?” Rod took the opportunity to ask further.
“What? Those who were chasing Lucia were them? Impossible, absolutely impossible! They disappeared for ten whole years, showing no signs of activity at all. How… how could this be! How could they appear suddenly?” Hearing Rod’s words, Okaz’s expression changed drastically as he muttered in disbelief.
The next moment, he suddenly stood up from his chair, walked two steps toward Rod, grabbed his shoulders, and asked with extreme seriousness, “Are you sure you got these from those men in black? Are you not lying to me?”
“It hurts! Let go!” The intense pain made Rod shout. After Okaz released him, he gasped for breath, swallowed hard, and felt uncomfortable under that piercing gaze. Avoiding that stare, he said with a bitter smile, “Why would I lie to you? It’s true, absolutely true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Aida. He also got one—both were taken from those men in black. Who exactly are they? Can you tell me?”
“It seems it’s true after all. I never expected that after ten years, that secret organization would reappear! What kind of chaos will they bring this time? Lucia is their target—this is troublesome. If it really is them, Lucia won’t be safe no matter where she hides. Even inside the palace, those people can find a way to kill her!”
After getting Rod’s confirmation, Okaz stepped back, returned to his seat, and sat down. His expression changed repeatedly, showing great complexity. After a while, he sighed and muttered to himself in resignation.
“You want to know their origin? Heh, though I don’t know your motives, it doesn’t hurt to tell you—as long as you don’t spread it around.”
After a moment, he gave a bitter smile, then looked at Rod and said slowly after sighing, “The Golden Eagle symbol appeared hundreds of years ago. Their emergence caused severe turmoil. In fact, that name and symbol became famous across the entire continent overnight.”

“When they first appeared, the Mercenary Association had something similar to a blacklist, but it was rarely used. It contained some high-value missions, such as assassinating Martial Saints or high-ranking nobles, yet no one or organization had the capability to take them on. However, the emergence of this organization changed that situation.

They became famous overnight after killing eleven renowned Martial Saints and thirty-seven Martial Emperors across the continent. It was those mass assassinations that made them instantly famous throughout the land. Their arrival also brought attention to the previously ignored blacklist of the Mercenary Association, which was then renamed the current ‘Blacklist.’”

“How… how is that possible…” Okaz’s first words made Rod widen his eyes in disbelief. The news seemed too shocking.

“That’s true. It was their first operation back then. There were far more Martial Saints and Martial Emperors on the continent than there are now, but after that incident, their numbers began to decline drastically. Today, they are extremely rare. This organization is called ‘Dark’—a simple word, yet it fills countless people with fear. Over hundreds of years, they have achieved glorious victories. After becoming famous in just one battle, they have since assassinated 117 Martial Saints, 975 Martial Emperors, 5 princes, 7 dukes, even a king of a kingdom, along with countless nobles, warriors, and unnamed experts. One bloody campaign after another has brought endless disasters, and even the kingdom whose king was killed eventually perished due to their actions! These are just the surface figures; there are countless unknown numbers inside that are even more astonishing.

This is such an organization, such a five-star mercenary team, the only one to have produced three seven-star Dark Mercenaries. As the sole five-star Dark Mercenary team, they enjoy great fame, yet no one knows their true identities or strength. All that is known is that there is no task they cannot complete, only tasks they refuse to take on.

Ten years ago, for some unknown reason, the Dark Organization suddenly disappeared. Their announcement of retirement shocked many. Over these ten years, their absence has indeed allowed the continent to enjoy some peace. How… how is it that they have reappeared now?”

With a somewhat confused and empty gaze, every word spoken by Okaz struck Rod like thunder, leaving him stunned with his mouth agape and his breathing heavy. He felt unable to process anything for a moment; his mind went blank, filled only with shock, again and again. What terrifying statistics, what astonishing record! This organization exceeded his imagination—far beyond it, beyond even conceivable limits.