The perfect Prey

The moment Noel finished speaking, Jun-Mo smirked.

"You think you can kill me?" His voice carried a hint of amusement. "I know you've changed, but you're still far from being strong enough to defeat me."

Before Noel could react—

SWOOSH!

Jun-Mo vanished.

BAM!

A crushing force slammed into Noel's stomach, sending him crashing into the wall behind him. A sharp pain shot through his ribs as he coughed up blood.

"Tch… Too slow." Jun-Mo stood where Noel had just been, cracking his knuckles.

Noel forced himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth.

"Damn, he's fast… Faster than I expected."

Jun-Mo didn't even bother using a weapon. His sheer brute strength alone was enough to suppress Noel.

SWOOSH!

Another attack came!

Noel barely twisted his body in time, feeling the wind pressure from Jun-Mo's punch graze his cheek. The force alone left a deep cut.

"This bastard… he's a monster!"

Noel didn't hesitate. He leaped back and drew the dagger he had taken from the masked man.

CLANG!

A powerful shockwave exploded as Noel's dagger clashed against Jun-Mo's iron-like fists. Sparks flew.

Noel didn't stop—he spun around, slashing at Jun-Mo's arm.

SHINK!

A deep gash appeared on Jun-Mo's forearm, blood dripping onto the floor.

For the first time, Jun-Mo's expression darkened.

"Not bad… Seems like you're not just a rat after all."

But before Noel could feel any satisfaction—

BOOM!

Jun-Mo's kick landed square on Noel's chest, sending him flying across the room. He crashed into a wooden pillar, nearly breaking his spine from the impact.

"Shit… This guy is on a different level."

Noel gritted his teeth, pushing himself up. His body was screaming in pain, but his mind remained sharp.

"Heh… You're acting tough," Noel spat out some blood. "But that cut on your arm says otherwise."

Jun-Mo's eyes narrowed.

"I'll make you regret that."

He dashed forward at terrifying speed—too fast for Noel to fully react.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

A barrage of punches rained down on Noel. He blocked as many as he could, but each impact felt like being hit by a sledgehammer. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he staggered.

"At this rate, I'll die here…!"

Noel's eyes flickered. He couldn't win this fight, but—

"I can still escape!"

Summoning all his remaining strength, Noel threw his dagger—

SWOOSH!

Jun-Mo tilted his head, dodging it effortlessly.

"Pathetic."

But that was what Noel wanted.

The moment Jun-Mo dodged, Noel lunged forward, using the brief opening to grab his dagger and—

SHINK!

He stabbed Jun-Mo right in the thigh!

Jun-Mo let out a grunt, his body momentarily freezing from the pain.

"NOW!"

Noel didn't hesitate—he turned and bolted toward the nearest window.

CRASH!

Glass shattered as he dived through, landing roughly in the alleyway outside. His body ached, but he forced himself to run.

Jun-Mo's furious roar echoed behind him.

"YOU CAN RUN, BUT I WILL FIND YOU!"

Noel didn't look back. He had lost this battle.

But next time—he would make sure to win.

In a dark alley, Noel barely walked, supporting himself against the walls. His breath was ragged, and his body was covered in wounds.

"Ahh… shit… I underestimated Jun Mo. He's really strong," Noel muttered, gritting his teeth. "This reminds me—I can't afford to be reckless. No matter how powerful I become, there will always be someone stronger out there."

Ding!

A system notification popped up in front of him.

[Mission Failed!]

[Penalty: You must pay 1000 silver coins.]

Noel's heart sank. "This is the worst thing that could happen right now…"

Ding!

[You are now in debt: 590 silver coins]

[Debt must be repaid within a set period, or additional penalties may apply!]

Noel clenched his fists. "Damn it… I need a way to make money fast, or I'm screwed."

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand straight despite the pain. There was no time to rest. If he didn't act quickly, things would only get worse.

After some time…

Noel smirked as he examined the silver badge in his hand. "Ahhh… I didn't think this little thing would be so valuable… 500 silver coins just for a badge?" He had sold the dagger for 50 coins as well, bringing his total to 960 silver. "Now I just need 40 more coins."

A sly grin formed on his lips. "I know exactly what to do next…"

Ever since he transmigrated, Noel noticed something strange—he never felt hungry. At first, he thought it was odd, but then he realized… "It must be because I'm a cultivator. Normal food doesn't matter anymore."

In a Restaurant…

Noel sat in a corner, quietly observing the bustling crowd. His plan required information, and the best way to gather it was simple—eavesdrop. In a place like this, rumors spread faster than wildfire.

Two men sat at a nearby table, speaking in hushed voices.

Noel's ears perked up. This sounds interesting…

The first man Murong leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Hey, Shin, did you hear about the dumb thing the City Lord's daughter did this time?"

Shin raised an eyebrow, sipping his drink. "Hah, what now? Last time, she tried to ride a spirit beast backward, thinking it would move faster that way."

Murong chuckled. "This one's even worse. So, you know how she's obsessed with romance novels, right? She actually thought she was the reincarnation of a legendary empress and that fate would guide her to her true love."

Shin nearly spat out his drink. "No way—what did she do?"

Murong nodded, smirking. "She went to the central plaza, stood on a fountain, and declared to the entire city that the first man who caught her when she jumped would be her destined husband!"

Shin's jaw dropped. "She didn't—"

Murong clapped his hands dramatically. "Oh, she did! And guess what? No one wanted to catch her!"

Shin burst into laughter. "Hah! What happened next?"

Murong wiped a tear from his eye. "Well, she fell face-first into the fountain. But the funniest part? The guards, thinking she was under attack, started arresting random people for 'disrespecting the City Lord's daughter'!"

Shin shook his head. "That girl is a walking disaster. No wonder the City Lord looks ten years older every time I see him."

Murong sighed. "Yep. And now she's offering a huge reward to anyone willing to marry her, but all the young masters in the city are suddenly 'busy with training' or 'going on long journeys.'"

Noel smirked as he listened to the gossip. "This girl is perfect for my plan."

A foolish, rich young lady with a desperate need for attention? She was practically asking to be manipulated. If he played his cards right, he could milk this situation for everything it was worth.

His mind spun with possibilities. If the City Lord's daughter was as naive as they said, convincing her of something absurd wouldn't be difficult. He just had to create the perfect scenario.

"Alright, let's begin the show