Chapter thirteen: In the Shadows

"Second brother? Fourth brother?"

The burly man's eyes instantly reddened, and with a dragon-like roar, his sword glimmered in the dark, slashing horizontally with a flash of light.

*Splat!*

The sword sliced across the wild boar beast, leaving a long gash.

What would have been a fatal wound for any human was nothing to the boar demon. Instead, it enraged the beast even more.

*Snort, snort!*

It raised its hooves high and stomped down violently!

*Boom!*

The ground trembled as if struck by an earthquake.

A ring of earth-yellow light radiated outwards, rapidly expanding in all directions.

The third brother was immediately engulfed by the light, with several earthen spikes piercing through his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"Third brother?!"

The burly man knew things had gone horribly wrong. Without hesitation, he reached into the animal hide pouch on his chest and pulled out a bright yellow talisman, tearing it apart with great care.

*Clang!*

A circle of golden light appeared around him, faintly forming the shape of a golden bell.

Several earthen spikes hit the golden bell, producing dull thuds.

With the activation of the precious "Golden Bell Talisman," the burly man wasted no time and turned to flee!

In the darkness, a golden light fled desperately ahead while a massive shadow, blood-red tusks gleaming, chased behind. The scene was strikingly vivid.

After the two figures disappeared into the night, the faint sound of spinning blades broke the silence.

A small, pitch-black drone descended, mechanical claws extending to gather up some scattered items on the ground before vanishing into the night sky.

...

**Temporary Camp**

"A sword aura? That man is definitely of the 'Unpolished Jade' level. And not only that, he's using talismans too? Could this be... immortal cultivation? Daoist arts?"

Fang Xing stared at the surveillance footage, his face showing clear astonishment. Then he glanced up at the sky.

"They're here."

He operated the drone, guiding it to land. Reaching out, he took hold of the gathered items.

"Not bad, these interstellar drones. Cheap, with improved battery life and carrying capacity," he muttered, slipping on a pair of rubber gloves and beginning to sort through the loot.

Among the items, the most eye-catching was naturally a few stalks of 'Zhu Long Grass.' After all, those people had risked their lives for it, so it had to be something valuable.

"Hmm, this area's filled with extraordinary creatures, and it seems that near their lairs, rare herbs grow in abundance."

Fang Xing examined the Zhu Long Grass, rubbing his chin as an idea sparked in his mind.

He could use drones to harvest these rare herbs! It had many advantages, the primary one being its stealthiness.

For many beasts, drones were lifeless objects, hard to detect.

And with the drones' flight capabilities, they could quickly and quietly complete their missions with a high success rate. Of course, if a beast spotted them, the drones would likely be destroyed.

But that led to another benefit—they were cheap! Even if a beast noticed the drone, the loss would be minimal, just one drone.

In Maple Leaf City, these drones were practically children's toys, incredibly inexpensive.

"High risk, high reward," Fang Xing mused as he turned to the other items.

There wasn't much loot—a black dagger, cold and sharp as he drew it from its sheath, clearly deadly.

Then there was a small coin pouch.

Made from some kind of tanned animal hide, it looked dull and unremarkable.

Opening the pouch, Fang Xing found three unusual stones and four tiny crystals, each about the size of a grain of rice.

"This pouch was tied tightly, probably because its owner was afraid these small stones would be lost."

Fang Xing held one of the crystals up to the light, scrutinizing it. The crystal was as clear as jade, with what seemed like a mist swirling inside. Under the light, it shimmered with a mesmerizing, multicolored glow.

"Definitely valuable," he thought, stashing the items away as he turned his attention to the large map displayed on his electronic screen.

Over the past few days of exploration, Fang Xing had gained a general understanding of the area.

"Extraordinary creatures and fierce beasts abound. It's a dangerous place."

"Judging by the route those four took, the human settlement is likely to the east?"

"Time to go back and buy more drones. The next step is to explore the east."

With that decision made, Fang Xing set his drone on autopilot and launched it again.

As he mentally counted to three, a brilliant silver light enveloped him.

The light grew, consuming his entire being. When he regained his senses, he was back in his bedroom.

"So now I know... I can freely travel between worlds. It only takes a three-second delay, and there's no energy cost."

"As for the location, it seems based on my current position?"

"And finally, I can bring objects—living ones like the white mouse—back from the other world, and things from there can be brought here."

Fang Xing glanced at his hand, where the small pouch still rested quietly in his palm.

"Valuable as it is, I can't risk taking it for appraisal, let alone selling it."

"Even the supplies I've purchased so far are starting to look suspicious. If I begin buying in bulk…"

Although the Federation valued privacy, allowing citizens the freedom to purchase anything not on the prohibited list, Fang Xing's instinct was to keep a low profile.

"Maybe I should spend more time outdoors, build up a survivalist persona?"

"For now, as long as I'm only buying and not selling, it shouldn't be a big problem."

One thing became clear to Fang Xing—a guiding principle for the future: **Items from the other world must never be sold under his current identity!**

"Looks like... I can't avoid the black market after all."

Fang Xing sighed.

...

**Oakwood Park**

The park stretched out, lush with greenery, endless grasslands, and flowerbeds filled with vibrant blooms along the edges. By night, the lamps cast only a dim glow.

The cobblestone paths, decorated with animal-shaped benches, were sparsely populated with people. The peaceful surroundings and scenic beauty made it a favorite spot for couples in Maple Leaf City.

Liu Wei stood nervously, clutching a bouquet of flowers, when a soft, gentle voice reached his ears, "Ah Wei, I'm here…"

"Lian... Lian Yi."

Startled, Liu Wei tried to hide the flowers behind his back, but his awkward attempt made it all the more obvious.

"What did you want to talk about?" Bai Lian Yi asked. She wasn't wearing her usual training attire but had donned a pure white dress, which gave her an even more graceful aura.

"I… I…" Liu Wei, after what seemed like hours of mental preparation, finally blurted out, "I've thought it through. The one I love isn't Ouyang Qianqian, it's—"

But Bai Lian Yi, with a mix of sadness and amusement in her eyes, raised her finger to stop him. "It's not possible."

"Why? Is it because of what happened at the Glorious River Mansion? I know, I've figured it out. I'm not a fool… I just don't care."

Liu Wei's face flushed deep red, and even his acne seemed to twitch with embarrassment.

"What's there to care about? I just dated a wealthy boyfriend, that's all," Bai Lian Yi responded calmly. "I'm not stupid, and I won't let the girls gossip about me."

Liu Wei fell silent.

This was exactly what he had discovered through his investigations. Bai Lian Yi wasn't as bad as those girls claimed, though there were still some other issues.

For example, her rich boyfriend was much older than her...

It dawned on him, 'To some people, finding a sugar daddy isn't a big deal, especially for their studies. It's even seen as a smart move…'

Liu Wei felt a strange surge of thoughts, then made a promise, "I swear, I'll treat you well. I'll get into university, and I'll—"

But midway through his declaration, he stumbled. Because truthfully, he had nothing. No wealth, no status, and not even a promising future. All he had to offer was hope.

But hope wasn't enough.

This was the bitter reality of a young man's first love.

"I see…" Bai Lian Yi twisted her fingers, "I'll be cheering for you. You and… Ah Xing."

"Ah Xing?"

Liu Wei felt a strange sense of unease. "Why mention him?"

"Because…" A light flickered in Bai Lian Yi's eyes. "He's amazing, you know. He's already mastered the second stage of the Dragon Pillar. He'll definitely get into university."

"I…"

Liu Wei fell silent, a sudden sense of defeat washing over him.

Right now, he was no match for Fang Xing.

Even in the future, he couldn't compare to Fang Xing.

Despite his admiration for the girl before him, despite his willingness to offer her everything, why did it feel like everything was crumbling?

His heart grew heavy, and without saying another word, he staggered away.

...

The cold night wind swept through the silent park.

Above, the surveillance camera clicked, as if experiencing a short circuit.

A shadowy figure appeared behind Bai Lian Yi, having silently observed everything.

"It's done. I've successfully planted the seed of resentment in him. Now, when you approach him with Fang Xing as