The night wind swept across the turbulent Venice Bay, blowing north from the water city, and after just 7 kilometers, it was blocked by the towering Alps in Treviso.
The envoys dispatched by Venice departed amidst flames, vanished into the night, and traveled day and night to various countries to convey the declaration of war and seek aid from friendly nations.
To avoid attracting too much attention and to ensure sufficient manpower, the diplomatic missions dispatched by Donato were as streamlined as possible.
Missions to some smaller countries could barely be called missions, consisting of only one envoy and a few guards.
However, even with such deliberate concealment of their movements, it could only deceive ordinary people and prevent panic, but it still could not escape the eyes of those with ulterior motives.
After rigorous assessment and concise intensive training, the Assassins under Stirile had expanded from the original twenty-odd people to over a hundred, becoming a significant force in the Papal States.
The new Assassins came from two sources: some were originally Enzo's subordinates whom he had been reluctant to hand over to Augustus, and others were excellent soldiers secretly selected from the army who were sufficiently loyal, physically capable, from clean families, and possessed a special skill.
Most of these Assassins had a certain combat foundation and still needed refinement for more delicate Assassin operations, but for this mission, the original twenty-odd experienced Assassins led the teams, so entry and exit were not an issue.
For merely tracking and intercepting messengers, the new Assassins were fully capable.
This was the first mission Augustus truly entrusted to Stirile, and also the first operation for all the new Assassins.
For this mission, Stirile went all out, personally leading his Assassins to infiltrate Venice in batches several days ago.
He quickly established contact with Enzo's intelligence network, which had been operating in Venice for many years, rapidly acquiring crucial intelligence, and surveying the city's defenses and the water and land transportation in and around Venice.
With all preparations complete, Stirile ordered his men to disguise themselves and guard near the Dodge's Palace daily, monitoring everything around them.
The scheduled date for the declaration of war arrived, and Stirile personally led his men to guard outside the Dodge's Palace for an entire day, fearing even the slightest mistake.
Fortunately, the decision-making body of Venice was bloated and complex, with various factions vying for power, making infiltration extremely easy.
After the internal intelligence network transmitted the most crucial news, informing Stirile of the number of diplomatic missions Venice was about to dispatch and their destinations, Stirile quickly adjusted the pre-arranged groupings and redeployed them at various transportation hubs.
Inside a church, looking at the list in his hand, Stirile murmured with some surprise, "The Venetians are truly desperate, sending envoys to so many countries.
It's understandable that Genoa, Venice's century-old rival, is among them, but even the Ottoman Empire! This is good, it will serve as evidence of Venice colluding with the Ottoman Empire.
It seems His Holiness the Pope must have already achieved great success; we cannot drop the ball here."
"Sir, aren't we allies with Venice? Why would His Holiness the Pope send us to hunt down their envoys?" a new Assassin asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"Is that something you should be asking?" Stirile frowned, his eyes sharpening.
At this moment, even though the war had begun, Stirile still strictly adhered to the Pope's confidentiality order when faced with his subordinates' incomprehension.
The Assassin was startled, dropping to his knees with a thud, "Sir, I was wrong, I spoke out of turn.
His Holiness the Pope has his reasons; I will do whatever you tell me to do, I shouldn't have asked."
Stirile did not answer immediately, lowering his gaze to scrutinize the Assassin before him.
Only when beads of sweat appeared on the Assassin's forehead did Stirile look away and say, "It's good that you know.
Don't ask what you shouldn't ask.
If there's a next time, you can go back where you came from!"
After delivering a harsh warning, Stirile stood up and left, leaving the Assassin kneeling on the ground.
Knowing such a secret existence of the Papal States, could he really go back where he came from and still be alive?
Just thinking about it made it clear it was impossible, so if there was a next time, his fate would be but one...
"Sir, I was wrong, I swear there won will be no next time!"
To avoid attracting attention, the Venetian envoys departed in batches, and all of this was observed by the Assassins Stirile had arranged at various transportation hubs.
Stirile's groupings were also for tracking in teams and completing tasks separately.
Fortunately, although the number of diplomatic missions dispatched by Venice was large, it was not too outrageous, and there were just enough experienced Assassins to lead the teams.
To avoid alerting the enemy, Stirile naturally chose not to act within Venice city.
Therefore, they needed to track the Venetian missions outside the city, at sea, or after they landed, track them for a distance before acting, making them disappear silently into the darkness.
"This team should be the mission sent to the Ottoman Empire.
First group, follow me.
The rest, proceed as planned!"
Even though it was concise, Stirile still recognized the mission sent to the Ottoman Empire at a glance due to its distinct ceremonial guard and its size, which was different from the dozens of people in other missions.
This was his target.
He only brought four people, but each was a master.
The other diplomatic missions' corresponding Assassin groups did not have clear divisions of labor; it was entirely up to each group leader to adapt based on the number of people and guards.
As Venice's diplomatic missions were dispatched one by one, the Papal States' Assassins also avoided the Venetian guards, patrols, and city defenses, following them stealthily in the dark.
Thus, over a hundred Assassins from the Papal States, like ghosts, silently tracked their targets out of the heavily guarded capital of Venice.
The night grew deeper, with no starlight or moonlight in the sky.
A mission sailed out of Venice on a ship.
Venice gradually shrunk into a pinpoint of light, finally disappearing.
The sky and the sea were left with only endless darkness, with a faint light on the ship flickering in and out of view in the dark.
"The Doge is truly something, sending us out so late to seek aid.
Couldn't we have left at dawn?
These noble lords, they really don't treat us as people!
This ship is rocking so much I'm going to die; I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight."
A young nobleman, randomly added to the mission to make up numbers, complained bitterly.
The upright deputy envoy, unable to bear it, immediately reprimanded him, "What nonsense are you talking about!
Do you think we are going on a tour?
Our journey concerns the survival of the great Venice Republic.
What kind of attitude is this?
The situation is so critical, and you, you can still sleep?
If the Venice Republic falls, we won't survive either!"
The young nobleman scoffed, "Oh, please, you speak so righteously!
The war between the Papal States and Venice, no matter what, is an internal Catholic war.
With the powerful navy of our Venice Republic, built on centuries of heritage, what do we have to fear from the Papal States?
But now, because of this trivial matter, we actually have to seek aid from the Ottoman Empire, from infidels.
What is this?
Aren't we becoming traitors to Catholicism?
To be slandered for no reason, I don't know which pig-headed fool came up with this idea!"
"You! You scoundrel! The Doge's strategy is not something a short-sighted person like you can fathom!"
...
The Venetian mission to the Ottoman Empire continued their bickering on the ship, unaware that danger was silently approaching.