792 Deception

All of a sudden!

Ten turned his sharp gaze on the rest of the team.

“What did you say?!”

“N- nothing…”

“Pits, tunnels, and water?” Ten gave them a stern look. “How can there be water underground?!”

Everyone was astonished and enlightened.

That was right. On a stormy night like this, the temperature had dropped so dramatically. All water should have frozen!

“Where?!” Ten bellowed.

The other team members jumped at his voice, but then realized what was wrong.

Without hesitation, Seven led him to the spot.

“Here!”

They searched in unison and found a small opening underneath.

After some digging, they found what they had been searching for.

The opening of the tunnel had smooth edges and was wide enough for just one person. The water had already frozen into ice.

But Ten frowned after touching the ice. “It hasn’t been frozen for long! Feng Wu’s scent is here and very fresh!”

The others exchanged looks of embarrassment.

“This is the spot where I detected water.”

“This is the spot where I detected water.”

–

Several team members spoke in turn.

The team leader’s face went livid!

Because if they were to draw a line through all the spots where they had detected water, they would find a long tunnel running from south to north.

Still unconvinced, the team leader went up to one of the spots and dug down.

And there really was a tunnel!

“Feng Wu was right here.” Ten stared at the snowdrift in the center of the area.

And they had been talking by it.

That was to say, Feng Wu had heard everything they said!

“We must find her and take her out! Otherwise, our employer will be exposed!” The team leader’s eyes glinted. “If we can’t kill her in Proud Snowfield, we’ll be facing damages too high for us to pay!”

He stared at Ten as he spoke.

For Ten really had the ability to locate Feng Wu.

Ten narrowed his eyes. “She hasn’t gone too far.”

Move!

The team set off as soon as they could.

With the tunnel made from her fire and ice energy, Feng Wu was able to get away from the area. Once she was over a kilometer away, she jumped out of the snow and began to run.

Luckily, under the cover of night and the snowstorm, visibility was very poor. One couldn’t see a thing a kilometer away.

Once she was out of the tunnel, Feng Wu quickly erased all her tracks before running in the direction of Zone 1.

She had no idea who sent those men in black, but she was alarmed by their skills in searching and tracking.

Feng Wu pulled out a sledge and quickly slid away across the snow without leaving a trace.

The team known as “Blade” arrived at the scene shortly afterward!

Ten led the team and he pointed at the hole. “Here is where the target went off-grid again.”

The others exchanged looks of bewilderment.

“The target was able to escape from us when we came at her from all directions, which says a lot about her capability and intelligence. We need to be more careful,” the team leader said in a stern and alarmed voice. He then turned to Ten. “Which direction?”

Ten specialized in tracking. He went down on all fours and snuffed around, then lifted his head, looking confused.

Everyone looked at him in bewilderment.

The team leader frowned. “Can you not find her?”

Ten shook his head. “I can detect her scent in three directions.”

The team leader said, “There are only four directions in total and you can smell her in three?”

Ten looked as displeased as his leader. “The target has realized we’re tracking her. She has excellent counter-reconnaissance abilities and she’s trying to throw us off-track with deceptive tricks.”

793 Ambush

Feng Wu moved swiftly in the snowstorm and headed directly for Zone 1.

She had indeed split her tracks into three.

Little Phoenix, the cub, and she herself were running in three different directions.

Both pets had been smeared with her blood, making sure that Ten could smell her scent.

She was right —

The team leader stared at Ten. “Which one?”

Ten closed his eyes to heighten his senses, but shook his head in the end. “I can’t say for sure.”

“Which direction is the most likely, then?”

“North.”

“Good.” The team leader narrowed his eyes and made a decision. “Two, Five, Ten, you three follow me to the north.”

“Three, Six, Nine, to the south.”

“Four, Seven, Eight, to the west.”

Once the tasks were assigned, Blade moved out.

They ran into the snowstorm after their targets.

Ten grew more certain as they moved on. “The target is in this direction!”

The team leader was elated. Good.

The night was dark and the wind howled.

It was the darkest hour before dawn.

Standing on a mountain peak, Feng Wu could see the enemy that was chasing her. However, the blue dots representing magical beasts were still a long distance away.

At the current speed, she would be outrun in ten minutes.

A solemn look flickered in Feng Wu’s eyes. She couldn’t just stand around and wait for her doom. She had to save herself.

Zone 1 was right ahead and she spotted a dilapidated temple.

In this world of ice and snow, even a worn-down temple could bring hope.

Feng Wu entered the temple without hesitation.

The outside of the temple was in disrepair. This lone building in the middle of the snowfield threatened to fall down at the slightest breeze.

However, after she walked in, Feng Wu saw that someone had cleaned it up.

Not only was there a stove and firewood, she also found some rice and flour in a bucket.

If she was guessing right, this place had been used as a temporary hunting lodge.

Feng Wu smiled a little as she examined the makeshift kitchen.

Other candidates couldn’t bring many supplies in with them, but not her. For instance, all her potions were stored in her ring.

After taking a quick tour of the kitchen, Feng Wu left the temple.

But she didn’t go far. Instead, she lay in wait under a snowdrift a few steps away from the temple.

From that angle, Feng Wu could see the window, and she had already poked a hole in the window paper.

She had the best view.

She believed that those people would come after her very soon!

As expected, in less than ten minutes —

Footsteps came from the other side.

“Captain, there’s a house!” one of them cried out in pleasant surprise.

After a three-day chase in the snow without rest, even these capable hitmen wanted a roof over their heads and a fire to warm their food.

Ten frowned. “Five, it’s not time to eat yet.”

Five was disgruntled. “Ten, can we at least continue the pursuit on a full stomach? We’ve been running for three days without rest and had to survive on rock-hard pancakes and snow. I’m not sure if we can survive for long if this goes on.”

Ten sulked, but didn’t say another word.

The team leader asked Ten, “Anything new on the target?”

Ten frowned. “Her scent has grown fainter and it’s getting harder to track her.”

The team leader looked up at the sky, then shook his head. “The snowstorm is getting heavier and we won’t be able to travel in these conditions. We still have four days left. Let’s take a break inside.”

794 A Perfect Plan

The captain had spoken and the rest of them had to obey.

Moreover, everyone except for Ten wanted to get some rest inside.

Hiding in the snow pit, Feng Wu watched as the men entered the temple. Only then did she let out a breath of relief.

She had held her breath in order to avoid being detected by Ten.

Looking at the closed door and the orange flames through the window, Feng Wu smiled a little.

She rejoiced at her good luck.

Luckily, she had cleaned up all her wounds and changed into new clothes, or Ten might actually have caught her scent just then.

Feng Wu was almost sure that her blood was the reason that Ten had been able to track her.

Inside.

They saw the inside of the temple after the fire was lit.

Not only was there a bedroom, the place came with a kitchen as well.

And there was rice, flour, and firewood.

Five cried out in surprise, “I see rice and flour! Gosh, what a blessing in lousy weather like this!”

“Quick, let’s cook some rice.”

Two’s eyes lit up. “I think I saw some cured meat hanging on the wall on our way in.”

“Meat?!”

All eyes widened at the mention of meat, and they reminded one of the eyes of hungry wolves!

Ever since entering this terrain, they had survived on pancakes harder than rocks and colder than ice; they thought they were going to chew their teeth off. The thought of meat was most wonderful!

“I’ll go get it!” Five rose to his feet in excitement.

Ten wanted to go, but Two stopped him. “Let Five do it. He’s looking forward to it.”

Ten frowned. “We’re in the middle of nowhere and there’s firewood and rice in a dilapidated temple? Don’t you find that strange?”

The team leader shook his head. “I’ve checked. The dust here suggests that no one has set foot in here for at least a month. Don’t worry.”

Ten frowned. Something was nagging at him.

He headed out.

“Where are you going?” the team leader shouted after him.

“I’ll take a walk outside. Maybe I’ll find some leads.” Ten then left the temple and headed north.

The team leader shook his head. “That guy is way too careful.”

Two shook his head as well. “It’s one thing to be cautious, but he’s overdoing it.”

The team leader and Two used to find cooking a menial job, but they forgot all about that now. One lit the stove while the other put rice into a pot. Both enjoyed what they were doing.

Outside —

Feng Wu had put the meat there as bait.

She was waiting for someone to come and get it.

She was ready to kill.

Feng Wu had planned to kill Ten first before moving on to the rest of the team one at a time. However —

Ten had left and Five was here instead.

Well, Five would do. As long as she could get close to the team.

Five was reaching for the cured meat when —

What happened was quicker than words could describe!

Feng Wu grabbed Five by the ankles and pulled him into the pit!

Before Five could make a sound, Feng Wu hit him in an acupoint, which silenced him right away.

Five glared at Feng Wu until she knocked him out with a strike to the back of his neck.

Without hesitation, Feng Wu stripped the guy and put on his clothes.

Instantly, Feng Wu became the new Five.

Fortunately for her, members of Blade all wore masks. All Feng Wu needed to do was make some changes to her movements and her eyes.

795 Undercover

The disguise wasn’t difficult for Feng Wu at all.

The difficulty lay in the fact that she didn’t have much time — a few minutes at most.

As expected, someone called from inside the temple. “Five? Five!”

By then, Feng Wu had already put on Five’s clothes. She picked up the cured meat and only headed back after straightening her new outfit.

Luckily, everyone wore masks, which made it more difficult for them to see through her cover.

But it didn’t change the fact that it was dangerous.

Feng Wu walked in to find the team leader making noodles and Two working on the stove.

This wasn’t what she pictured a team of hitmen to look like.

Seeing “Five” come back, the team leader took over the meat from “him,” cut it into thin slices with his sword, then tossed the slices into the pot.

“Don’t just stand around. We’re low on water. Go fetch some snow.”

“Sure.” Feng Wu happily did as told.

The team leader and Two started a conversation as Feng Wu melted some snow in a bowl.

The team leader said, “This Feng Wu is an interesting case, I’ll give her that. She was actually able to evade us for three days.”

If the team leader was the head of the team, then Two was the brain. Analysing was his specialty.

As he worked on the fire, Two said, “Feng Wu is an incredible girl. Most of the rumors out there belittle her and call her a good-for-nothing, but they have no idea how level-headed she really is. She’s been able to tolerate all the slander.”

The team leader frowned. “Is she that good?”

Two nodded. “Judging by the traces she left behind, she’s at least a Spiritual Grandmaster.”

The team leader agreed. “An intermediate one, at least.”

Two said, “She’s really an impressive girl. She’ll be a real threat to the Zuo family if they don’t intervene.”

The team leader smirked. “Too bad for her, the Zuo family found out and want her dead.”

–

Feng Wu didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. All she could think of was that last sentence.

The Zuo family had found out and they wanted her dead.

She had taken all possible precautions, but the Zuo family had still found out. Moreover, they had sent a team of hitmen after her.

The Zuo family!

Taking a deep breath, Feng Wu tried her best not to let her emotions show.

Two said, “Captain, we should be even more careful from now on. One slip and we may blow the whole thing.”

“As impressive as this Feng Wu might be, she’s an intermediate Spiritual Grandmaster at most. And we’re still hot on the heels of this smart girl, aren’t we?” The team leader smirked. “Any one of us can take her out by ourselves. There’s no need to worry.”

Two shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”

The team leader grinned. “Ten’s out searching for her, isn’t he? I bet he’ll come back with Feng Wu’s head on a plate.”

He then darted a glance at Feng Wu over his shoulder. “What’s taking you so long? All you need to do is melt some snow. Five, keep working like a sluggard and Ten will replace you in no time.”

Feng Wu was speechless.

The team leader waved his hand impatiently. “I wouldn’t worry about you so much if you were half as capable as Ten. You know what? Stop what you’re doing. Go fetch Ten.”

“Alright…” Feng Wu headed out.

She had been looking for an opportunity to get to Ten, and it just fell into her lap. What great timing.

Feng Wu was well aware that as a scout, Ten had a special ability to track things. It was because of him that she couldn’t throw these people off her trail.

Destroy the leader and the gang would collapse. At the moment, Ten was that “leader”!