28: Your life has already been priced by me

Everything was ready.

The route map to Black Water Marsh clearly appeared in Lu Yuan's mind, and in his Storage Pouch lay two spiritual items he had just acquired, exhausting his savings.

He only needed to set off.

Three days later, amidst the deadly battle between two Yao Beasts, he would claim his victory.

This should have been a perfect, low-cost arbitrage.

Lu Yuan rose, preparing to leave this temporary Immortal Cave.

Just before he took a step.

A sharp, non-physical stinging sensation pierced his Divine Sense without warning.

It was not an attack.

It was more like something had been subtly stirred.

The Great Dao Options Exchange's light screen forcibly popped up before him, with a line of blood-red text flashing intensely.

"Warning: The risk hedging option you set has been triggered."

"Subject: 'My' identity background is currently being investigated by a 'Blood Fiend Sect' scout."

Lu Yuan's body froze in place.

The breeze sweeping through the Immortal Cave carried a bone-chilling cold.

He immediately realized that he had, after all, left an indelible trace in some part of the process.

Was it the auction in Danyang City?

Or his contact with the City Lord, Chen Changqing?

But pursuing the source now was meaningless.

Trouble had already come knocking.

For a professional Sect, the term "scout" is usually closely associated with tracking, assassination, and relentless pursuit.

If he were targeted by such a phantom, his plan to go to Black Water Marsh would be fraught with fatal variables.

Even whether he could live to the day of Foundation Establishment became unknown.

There was no panic on Lu Yuan's face.

He merely slowly, inch by inch, retracted the foot he had stepped out, sat back down in his original spot, his body sinking into the shadows.

In his deep eyes, there was no fear, only absolute calm.

He did not choose to run away.

In front of professional trackers, any hasty movement would only expose more traces and was the most basic response strategy.

He raised his hand, his fingertips tapping lightly on his knee, producing a subtle yet rhythmic sound.

At the same time, his consciousness sank into the Exchange.

Since the opponent was in the dark, he would drag him out of the dark.

The cost of eliminating this risk must be paid.

"Purchase subject: 'Blood Fiend Sect scout's' movement trajectory map for the next twelve hours."

"Price: 10 karma points."

"Confirm."

Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Yuan paid this necessary intelligence fee.

In an instant, an invisible filter was added to the world before his eyes.

Centered on himself, a translucent, three-dimensional map covering several miles unfolded in his mind.

A tiny, pulsating red dot clearly floated on a certain coordinate on the map.

Outside the Immortal Cave, to the east, one li away.

A huge, long-dead locust tree.

The red dot remained motionless in the shadow of the tree canopy, displaying extreme patience and professionalism.

Lu Yuan looked at the red dot, a cold sneer on his lips.

The roles of prey and hunter had, at this moment, quietly reversed.

He did not go out, nor did he let slip a single trace of his aura.

He merely reopened the Exchange's light screen and began to construct his hunting model.

First step, break the opponent's stealth advantage.

"Purchase event option: Half an hour later, a team of Danyang City Guards will routinely patrol here and conduct a 重點 search of the area."

"Price: 1 karma point."

"Buy in."

Having done all this, Lu Yuan closed his eyes, quietly waiting for market fluctuations.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Outside the Immortal Cave, there was only the sound of the wind.

About half an hour later, a series of messy footsteps and the clanking of armor approached from a distance.

"Be thorough, everyone. The city hasn't been peaceful lately, and the higher-ups have instructed us not to let any suspicious personnel slip by."

"Yes, Captain."

A team of City Guards appeared under the dead locust tree and began a grid search of the surroundings.

On the map in Lu Yuan's mind, the red dot, which had been still for a long time, finally moved.

Like a silent shadow, it slid from the tree canopy, silently moving towards a pile of rubble on the other side.

Now!

Lu Yuan's eyes suddenly opened, gleaming with divine light.

Second step, create a foolproof assassination window.

"Purchase micro-event option: A startled wild rabbit will bump into the target's foot."

"Price: 0.1 karma points."

"Buy in."

In the pile of rubble, the black-clad scout had just steadied himself, cautiously observing the retreating City Guards.

Suddenly, a gray rabbit darted out from the grass, bumping squarely against his ankle.

This did no harm.

But the contact still made the well-trained scout's body stiffen, and he instinctively looked down.

A thousandth of a second of distraction.

For a top trader, this was already enough time for settlement.

Just as the scout looked down, the ground behind him exploded!

A figure burst out of the earth, moving with an unMortal speed!

He did not use a sword, nor did he use a spell.

Lu Yuan shook both arms, and all the offensive Talismans stored in his sleeves poured out at this moment!

Fireball Talismans!

Ice Cone Talismans!

Golden Blade Talismans!

More than a dozen Talismans wove into a dense matrix of death, giving the opponent no time to react before completely engulfing the black shadow.

Boom—

Amidst the violent explosion, shattered rocks and scorched earth splattered.

When everything settled, only a charred crater and a severely damaged corpse remained.

The entire process was clean, swift, and efficient.

Lu Yuan's figure landed on the edge of the pit, and after confirming the target had been liquidated, he quickly moved forward.

He had no time to delay.

A quick search revealed a token engraved with a blood-colored bat, proving the opponent's identity.

In addition, there was a secret order wrapped in special waterproof beast hide.

Lu Yuan unfolded the secret order.

The writing on it was in a secret code used internally by the Blood Fiend Sect.

But he still recognized several keywords he had frequently encountered recently.

"Surveillance... evaluation... Danyang City... 'Heavenly Secret Pavilion'... codenamed 'Azure Bird'... seek opportunity... seize his token..."

Lu Yuan's pupils contracted into a dangerous pinprick.