"At last, it's over..."
Hu Ma, knife tucked under his arm, watched the kowtowing commoners and the jianghu adventurers who had suddenly become heroes. Saying little, clad in a black cloth robe and a smiling mask, he quietly vanished into the shadows.
A walking ghost Great Sword-Catcher had to maintain that air of mystery. If one was to kill the Earth Snake God, it had to be done swiftly, without a moment's delay. If one was to kill Old Master Yan, all evidence of his crimes had to be laid bare, making the execution justified and clear. Furthermore, one couldn't be obstructed upon arrival, as that would disrupt the murderous aura. And upon departure, one couldn't be seen by all; it was essential to leave the impression of being elusive, as if everywhere at once, to achieve the desired deterrent effect.
