Super Righteous Player
Chapter 83 - 82 - Annan’s Assassination Art_1

Chapter 83: 82 Chapter Annan’s Assassination Art_1

"The bookroom?"

Upon hearing this command, Justin paused slightly.

Then he promptly agreed, "Of course, my lord. Please follow me..."

Justin remembered that there indeed should be things in the Lord Viscount’s bookroom that shouldn’t be seen by outsiders.

Although he himself was not forbidden from entering the bookroom, Justin had never sneaked in.

This was a display of his wisdom.

——The more you know, the quicker you die.

He was just a hired hand after all, his main purpose being to stay here and enjoy the free meals. Justin was well aware that those who loved to pry into their employer’s secrets often died mysteriously.

Therefore, Justin never asked about other matters.

This way, his reputation would gradually improve. When leaving Barber Viscount’s service, it would also make it convenient for him to use a letter of recommendation to find his next employer...

Oh, right.

This wasn’t Tan Juan Geraint, it was someone from House Winter.

Perhaps they were originally in cahoots, or they had just come to an agreement.

And moreover, on second thought.

Even if Annan Winter truly harbored some ill intentions towards the Lord Viscount... could Justin really charge forward to protect the Lord Viscount?

And then promptly be sold out and blamed by that old man?

Justin was not foolish.

Alvin Barber was not his master, merely his boss. He paid and provided meals, and in return, Justin would kill or chase away any Transcendents that invaded the territory, nothing more.

Those enemies beyond the scope of Justin’s duty were none of his concern.

Even though Annan Winter himself was a Transcendent.

But his status was far above that of an ordinary bronze-tier Transcendent. Usually, what bronze-tier Transcendents could achieve, he could accomplish just by showing his face; yet what he could do with just his presence, those of the same tier might not be able to manage.

Such is fate.

Justin silently lamented.

They soon arrived in front of Alvin’s bookroom.

"This is the Lord Viscount’s bookroom."

He respectfully said to Annan, who was at least two heads shorter than him, "Your Excellency Annan, is there anything else?"

"Can you come in with me, Brother Justin?"

Annan, like a true fourteen-year-old child, looked up at the nearly one hundred and ninety centimeters tall robust man and softly, with a youthful voice, said, "I’m worried, there might be some documents placed too high... I can’t reach them."

He replaced the slightly formal "brother" with a more amiable and intimate term of address.

And Justin didn’t have any guard up against this child with clear eyes.

He hadn’t paid much attention before. But now, looking at him... what a polite child he was.

Even though by his status it was inappropriate to feel pity for a great figure like Annan, and even more wrong to feel sympathy for someone from the enemy nation,

seeing young Annan struggling alone in the outside world, he couldn’t but think that it must not be easy for him.

At least if it were Justin himself at that age... he definitely wouldn’t have managed as well as Annan.

But Annan could be so naive... surely he had never encountered any setbacks.

Heh, truly someone of stature.

How nice...

"Brother Justin?"

Annan asked again, his voice gentle and his eyes clear, his tone slightly troubled, "Is it inconvenient?"

"No problem," Justin came back to his senses, and the smooth shaved head revealed a somewhat clumsy smile, as he tried to speak gently, "I’ll go in with you.

"What I was thinking just now was whether you would stay for dinner today. I have already informed the kitchen to prepare some extra delicious food..."

"I should be,"

Annan pondered for a moment and then replied with a radiant smile, cheerfully saying, "I think, I will stay for dinner."

He was serious.

After all, killing the Viscount wouldn’t require any black fire, and it was unlikely that this manor would be destroyed.

Since the kitchen had already made the food... then after killing Alvin, why not stay here for dinner?

Waste is shameful, after all.

Annan followed Justin into the bookroom. This was to guard against any possible traps.

Justin was well aware of Annan’s intentions. After all, as an experienced Hunter, he couldn’t have been clearer about such simple precautions...

"Thank you, Brother Justin."

After entering the room, Annan once again gave Justin a slight bow.

Seeing such a high-status individual treat himself with such respect and friendliness, Justin couldn’t help but sigh.

Somehow, the dissatisfaction that had just risen in his heart dissipated...

"I would like to see the most recent letters."

Annan said softly.

Justin nodded, "Hmm, they should be here..."

—This, of course, was also Annan’s way of handling things.

He was not merely bluffing.

As the saying goes, one should tailor one’s actions to suit different people. Justin was the typical tractable sort, the kind who could be led by gentleness rather than coercion.

And Annan’s needs when interacting with him were different from those with Alvin.

He didn’t need to dominate the conversation or establish authority. All he needed was for Justin to lower his guard around him.

Annan could tell that Justin was not naturally slow-witted. He had quite a sharp insight into human nature, but his style of doing things was too cautious, preferring to think things over before taking action.

That often meant he had lost something important in the past.

He had been alone in a foreign land for a long time... Given his age, it was mostly likely a parent or a spouse.

He was always vigilant when he walked, preferring to watch the road rather than people, and he seemed agitated at all times, which meant he harbored an inferiority complex. The first time he met Annan, he was very eager to greet Annan with the courtesy of the Winter Principality, indicating that he idolized people with high status but low ability.

That also meant that what he desired was status.

And every man—or to be more precise, every person—harbors a desire to become a "hero" in their heart. This is also the core appeal of various teamwork or competitive games throughout history.

Striking down a formidable enemy with strength and grace, that is power;

Sharp judgment and countering the enemy’s strategies, that is wisdom;

Leading teammates to defeat the enemy, that is leadership;

Gently and reliably protecting teammates, that is the ability to guard one’s family...

One of the essences of competitive games is to guide people to become "heroes" and test their capacity as "heroes."

In this process, the games tell players who "I" am, why "I" should take pride, and how "I" define "myself." Thus fulfilling the fundamental desire for self-actualization.

When a person feels they have become a hero, their self-esteem and self-confidence are strengthened. They feel significantly better about themselves, and the world around them becomes friendlier and more approachable... At that moment, the first person they interact with will share in that pleasure. And the "hero’s" opinion of them will notably improve.

That’s one of the reasons why friends feel nicer and more interesting after a victorious group gaming session. This sense of closeness is significantly stronger than the trust gained from achieving a common victory.

Annan’s approach to interacting with Justin was to bypass the entire process and reach directly for his heart.

He skillfully used the strong status of "Annan Winter" to continuously elevate and reinforce the other’s "sense of status"; he portrayed himself as fragile and powerless to reflect the other’s "sense of strength"; he hid his leadership qualities and admired him like a child, thereby strengthening the other’s "self-identity."

Whatever he lacked, Annan would provide.

Whatever he wanted, Annan would give.

Annan briefly made Justin become the "hero" within his own heart.

—And why on earth should he remain vigilant around Annan?

To the average person, good men are easier to use than bad men. But to Annan, bad men are far easier to deceive and trick—that is Annan’s art of assassination.

This is because bad men tend to believe in themselves more than good men do... which often is also their initial motivation for wrong-doing.

...Just like Justin, a curse Hunter who makes a living by killing.

Such people often feel an inexplicable sense of superiority over good people.

Like a wolf looking at sheep.

But the question is, is what’s cloaked in sheepskin really a sheep?

He was polite to Annan, of course not because of Annan’s good looks.

Nor was it because he harbored good intentions towards the young man.

It was simply because Annan could give him what he wanted.

It was because Annan had high status, appeared naive and kind-hearted, seemingly easy to build good relations with.

—Just like those henchmen who are courteous to the son of Boss X, or to Boss X’s daughter.

"Brother Justin, could you please take that photo down for me?"

Annan pointed to a high spot on a bookshelf, "I can’t reach it..."

"Photo? Hmm... which one do you mean, this one or..."

Justin raised his hand with some effort, stepped on a stool, and reached towards the highest shelf.

Meanwhile, Annan silently took a hammer from his pocket, hid it in his sleeve—and struck Justin’s calf.