This simplifies matters. Su Xiao can hold his own against Maha Zoldyck, and so in Maha’s eyes, Su Xiao is qualified to stand as an equal. Their interactions are exchanges, not commands, probing and exploiting one another until they reach mutual consensus.

With this foundation, is it hard to trigger a hidden task? The answer is no. Alternatively, the second method to trigger a hidden task is to fight Maha, reaching a level of strength that earns his acknowledgment without causing him concern.

Being powerful brings benefits from all angles, especially when dealing with an assassin family like the Zoldycks. Don’t forget, originally Silva poisoned Su Xiao’s food. It was a game of chance, and if Su Xiao confidently consumed that food, it would have been a delightful surprise for Silva.

Negotiating with such a family requires either great strength or very high Charm Attributes. With Su Xiao’s 8 Charm Attributes, he only ends up with poisoned food—a ’warm’ welcome indeed.

There’s a chance to gain substantial benefits, as Su Xiao and Maha temporarily form a cooperative relationship. Now, they’re waiting for one person to return, or rather, to be brought back.

The commission is completed, and a partnership is established. Maha Zoldyck is in a good mood, that wrinkled old face revealing a smile that exemplifies a smile more grim than a cry.

Maha Zoldyck refers to Yaluga Zoldyck as a freak, but he doesn’t want to eliminate him or the other presence within Yaluga’s body, Naniga; he wishes to sever a certain connection. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

It is worth mentioning that the fourth child of the Zoldyck family, Yaluga Zoldyck, is quite interesting.

In all the family photos of the Zoldyck family, Yaluga is absent. The reason is simple: both Maha and Zeno and Silva regard Yaluga as an ominous entity, darkness.

To say it like this is somewhat one-sided. In fact, Zeno and Silva don’t actually dislike Yaluga; they even have some affection for their descendant. Even though they lock Yaluga away, they satisfy most of Yaluga’s demands, such as providing toys and exquisite food.

What they truly abhor is the other presence within Yaluga, which is Naniga.

Ultimately, Yaluga is just a slightly special child, only 12 years old, the only unusual aspect being he wears girls’ clothes, dressing like a little girl.

Yaluga’s attire isn’t due to personal preference. The young Coate’s cross-dressing is an indulgence and meets some expectation from his mother. Ji Qiu bore four sons and inevitably wished for a daughter, thus the appearance of the cross-dresser Coate, Ji Qiu forcibly molding a ’daughter.’ This is the modus operandi of a Zoldyck daughter-in-law.

Yaluga’s feminine style is because Naniga within him is female.

Naniga, something from the Dark Continent, could be heard in Maha’s words, is what he brought back after being Dead and Reborn on the Dark Continent, and through inheritance, appeared directly within Yaluga’s body.

Naniga’s ability has two aspects: firstly, by fulfilling three of her requests, she grants a wish, commonly known as a wish-granting. However, wishing has significant side effects and risks, and what is obtained through wishing doesn’t appear out of nowhere. Instead, existing items are ’delivered’ to the wish-granter by various means, different from the Holy Grail World’s Great Holy Grail.

Such wishing is not omnipotent, and the side effects can be catastrophic. When fulfilling Naniga’s requests, she demands commensurate ’items’ based on the difficulty, such as the wish-granter’s organs, limbs, or even brain, all possible demands.

If unable to fulfill Naniga’s requests consecutively four times, she will be displeased to the point of tears, and the wish-granter themselves will be twisted by a bizarre ability into a ’pretzel.’ That’s the best-case scenario; the more severe outcome is everyone related to the wish-granter getting twisted into ’pretzels’ and dying on the spot.

This is Naniga’s first ability; the second is healing, healing seemingly incurable injuries, or dispelling some potent negative effects.

In contrast to healing, Naniga is more adept at destruction, as evidenced by the Zoldyck family’s bloody lesson.

As for what Naniga is, Maha hasn’t explained for now. Su Xiao isn’t too curious about this. Given the current situation, Naniga poses no threat to him and might even become an allied force.

Of course, it’s unlikely to count on Naniga for combat. Her destructive power targets only wish-granters, and Naniga is not omnipotent; there are many things she cannot do.

Notably, Maha mentioned earlier, once Naniga enters Kukuru Mountain, she becomes terrified, trembling and hiding within Yaluga continuously.

Su Xiao and Maha return to the Zoldyck family’s ancient castle. Other family members have resumed their respective activities. As soon as Maha returns to the castle, he summons Zeno, Silva, and Ilmi.

Within the council hall of the ancient castle, Maha sits at the head, while Su Xiao sits beside him, legs propped on the conference table, resting after his energy was drained battling Maha.

Soon, Zeno and the others arrive. They notice Su Xiao’s posture and Maha’s expression, and the grandfather and grandsons are utterly surprised. In their impression, Maha Zoldyck is an old-fashioned person.

"Bai Ye, everyone’s here."

"Oh."

Su Xiao yawns and withdraws his legs from the conference table.

"I’ve gathered you for something important. Silva, Ilmi, you both need to bring Killua back."

"This..."

Silva hesitates, as he previously promised Killua.

"This matter concerns the survival of the family. You two have no right to refuse. Bring him back within two days, that’s it."

"Yes."

Silva and Ilmi can only comply. Some things are beyond their refusal. Silva doesn’t wish to bring Killua back as he had promised Killua to let him pursue his desires, while Ilmi, the doting brother, is all too happy to bring Killua back.

Zeno senses something isn’t right. After quickly pondering, he suddenly recalls something.

"Could it be that matter?"

Zeno realizes that Maha’s existence depends on drawing the lifespan from relatives, but he holds no resentment because this extraction isn’t masterminded by Maha. He’s also a victim, the greatest victim.

"That’s right."

"I’ll join and venture inside Kukuru Mountain as well."

Zeno clenches his fists; he also wishes to break the Zoldyck family curse of short lifespans.

"No."

Maha denies it rather bluntly.

"At most, we can protect only one each, making the two slots full. Do you intend to court death or hold us back?"

Maha reprimands Zeno like scolding a grandchild, of which Zeno truly is.

"Had Netero consented, we’d be more assured. Alas."

Maha sighs; he had invited Netero several times, each time facing refusal.

"By the way, let’s have them both join us in entering Kukuru Mountain this time."

Su Xiao indicates A Mu beside him and Bubu Wang seated on a nearby couch, enjoying some ice cream.

"No problem?"

Maha is unaware of the true nature of Bubu and A Mu.

"Of course, if Bubu and A Mu die in there, we wouldn’t escape either."

Su Xiao’s confident tone leaves Maha with little argument.

The team members are set; now they wait for Killua to be brought back. With Silva and Ilmi’s efficiency, it won’t take long.

When Maha proposed bringing Killua back, Su Xiao suspected whether the two father and son would also bring another little kid back. Those two kids have always supported each other, disregarding their safety.

Fortunately, the two Children of Fate in the Hunter World aren’t righteous companions. One, though passionate and straightforward, approaches matters calmly, understanding the times. When facing an invincible enemy, he doesn’t go berserk but flees promptly or simply ’darkens,’ whereas the other is easier to handle, being a little assassin.