The ‘Scavengers’ stronghold, located in a sheltered spot upstream of Unfrozen Creek.
Three greyish-white triangular tents were pitched close together in a triangular formation in the sheltered area, with a campfire burning in the clearing between them.
A man with a face full of scars, looking somewhat terrifying, sat by the fire, sharpening a military dagger with a stone.
His name was’Scarface’, and he was the leader of this original nine-man squad.
“Any word from Old Seven and his group yet?” Scarface asked without looking up.
A figure crawled out of a tent, wearing the same grey-white camouflage, face smeared with greasepaint, revealing only a pair of Gloomy Eyes.
“No.
They should have been back to hand over the badges by now.
I sent Old Ten to look downstream, but there’s been no word.
I reckon they aren’t coming back.” Scarface’s hand stopped sharpening for a moment, then continued, the blade making a rhythmic rustling sound against the stone.
“The one Old Ten mentioned was fishing?” His voice was low.
“Did they do it?
Have you figured out their background?” “I don’t know, but they definitely aren’t a regular veteran.” Gloomy Eyes spat.
“Old Seven and the others aren’t the best, but they are seasoned hands.
I didn’t expect the three of them to fall at the hands of a single veteran.
The other party is either a high-level combat sergeant or…” “A Fatui internal cleanup squad.” Scarface finished the sentence.
He put down the dagger and looked at his brother before him.
“Those noble lords have overreached; someone up top isn’t happy.” Gloomy Eyes lowered his voice: “Boss, then what about us…” “Keep working.” Scarface picked up the dagger and gestured with it.
“The brothers’ livelihood can’t be cut off, but everyone be careful.” “How’s the harvest been these past few days?” Gloomy Eyes’ expression darkened as he reported the numbers.
“Average.” “We’ve obtained 27 badges in these three days.
10 of them are reserved for those two noble brats.
Of the remaining 17, we keep 60% according to the old rules, and the other 40% goes to the higher-ups.” Scarface nodded: “The trial is ending soon.
Hurry up.
Don’t let the brothers split up recently.
Move in groups of at least three.
If you run into someone tough, don’t try to fight them head-on; come back and report it.” “Understood, Boss.” Gloomy Eyes was about to crawl back into the tent when the sound of a bird whistle from a sentry suddenly came from afar.
“Coo-coo-woo…” Three long, one short.
It was the alarm signal.
Both men became vigilant instantly, Scarface already gripping his dagger tightly.
He made a gesture, and Gloomy Eyes immediately crouched and hid in the shadows of the tent, ready to act at any moment.
A few seconds later, a somewhat small figure came scrambling up from below the snow slope.
It was the sentry responsible for guarding the east side.
His name was ‘Rat’.
“Boss!
Big situation!” “Don’t talk nonsense, speak quickly.” “To the east, about three hundred meters away, a recruit is running!” Rat spoke at lightning speed.
“Female, silver hair.
Judging by her clothes, she’s a recruit from this trial.
She seems to be being hunted; she’s covered in blood and running stumblingly.” Scarface interrupted him.
“How many people are chasing her?” “No, I didn’t see any, but she keeps looking back while running, as if she’s hiding from someone.
And…” A greedy glint flashed in Rat’s eyes.
He licked his lips.
“The badge bag at her waist is bulging, like it’s about to burst!
I took a glance, and I reckon there are at least twenty-some!
Maybe even more.” Twenty badges.
Both Scarface and Gloomy Eyes, who was hiding in the shadows, stopped breathing for a moment.
According to the current black market price, one recruit badge is fifty thousand Mora.
20 of them would be a whole million Mora!
Even if a portion has to be handed over, the remainder would be enough for each of them to get over a hundred thousand.
This was still Rat’s conservative estimate.
That kid had the sharpest eyes; if what he said was true, and that bag really had twenty-plus… “Did you see clearly?
Are you sure she’s alone?” Scarface pressed.
“Absolutely certain!
Boss, she’s alone.
And I reckon she must be injured; she’s covered in blood, and her left arm is hanging in a very unnatural way.” Rat said urgently, “Boss, opportunity knocks!
If we let this fat sheep get away, we’ll regret it to death!” Scarface raised his hand, signaling him to shut up.
He squinted his eyes and looked in the direction Rat had indicated.
He began to consider whether to take this job and chase that fat sheep.
Caution was his capital—it was how he had established a foothold in the black market, survived until now, and managed to keep so many men under his command.
But a lone recruit, heavily injured, carrying a massive amount of badges, suddenly appearing near their campsite?
The more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt.
It was just too coincidental.
“It could be a trap from the other side.” Gloomy Eyes walked out from the shadows.
“Boss, don’t forget how Old Seven and his group disappeared.” Rat was getting anxious.
“But what if it isn’t?
What if she’s just escaped?
Don’t forget, there are plenty of recruits in this trial who kill each other for badges!
Boss, I saw that bag with my own eyes; it definitely can’t be fake.
It’s certainly not something else!” Scarface fell silent.
Caution and greed were tearing at each other.
If it really was a trap, to use such a fat lure, the other party must be absolutely certain they could take them out.
The fact that Old Seven and his three men might have been killed by the same veteran was still fresh in his mind.
But what if it really wasn’t a trap?
What if this recruit had just gotten lucky and scavenged the loot, or had counter-killed the person hunting her, and was now weak and rushing to escape?
“Boss!” Two more people crawled out of the tent, clearly having heard the commotion.
Their faces were full of excitement, expressions eager to try.
Scarface looked at the longing in his men’s eyes.
And with his own selfish desire to make more money this time, he finally made up his mind.
“Rat, you keep watching her.
See which direction she’s running and if there are any other accomplices meeting her.” He gave the order quickly.
“Old Five, Old Six, you two flank from the sides.
Don’t rush to act; first confirm if there are any ambushes nearby.” “Old Two, Old Four, and I will chase her from the front.” Scarface grabbed his sharpened dagger and tucked it into his waist.
“If it really is a trap, we’ll drop everything and retreat immediately.
If it isn’t, that bag of badges is ours!” “Yes!” The six men dispersed quickly, like hyenas smelling blood.
They slid silently down the snow slope, blending into the pale snowfield.
Scarface pulled down the hood of his camouflage suit and took one last look at their campsite.
He hoped it was really just him overthinking it.
Three hundred meters away.
Aqina ran staggeringly, her left arm hanging unnaturally at her side.
Every few steps she ran, she would let out a painful grunt, and from time to time, she would look back in panic, as if there were really pursuers behind her.
Her acting was superb; she felt that back in the day, she could have at least been a second-tier actor.
An actor’s self-cultivation couldn’t be better than this.
After all, she was truly dedicated.
To play this scene well, she had paid a high price.
The cold sweat on her forehead was real; it was genuinely, damnably painful.
To make it look realistic, before setting off, she had asked Tatiana to strike her left shoulder hard with the back of a blade.
It wasn’t a fracture, but it was definitely injured; every movement caused a piercing pain.
And the blood on her face was real, too; she had bitten her tongue and smeared it on her face.
The tears in her clothes were specifically scraped and torn by rolling on the ground where there were dead tree branches.
Everything she did was to make herself look more like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, one that had just escaped the tiger’s mouth and was busy fleeing for its life.
Her five senses were keener than others… She had long sensed that a gaze had been fixed on her just a moment ago.
And slowly, more gazes had begun to land on her.
It wasn’t just one; it seemed there was more than one person.
Finally, they were here.
Aqina was laughing in her heart, but she deliberately slipped.
With a thud, she fell into a small snow pit.
The badge bag fell from her waist, and they scattered all over the ground with a jingling sound.
She scrambled to stuff the badges back into the bag.
She had deliberately let these twenty-some metal badges show so the other party could see them.
She didn’t believe they wouldn’t take the bait, and she didn’t believe they wouldn’t be tempted upon seeing so many badges.
After quickly packing them up, she looked in a certain direction with a terrified face and continued to run, scrambling away.
She continued to rush toward the ambush point she and Tatiana had agreed upon in advance, in the direction of the Ice Canyon.
Rat, who was trailing and watching her from behind, had eyes glowing red.
This time he saw it clearly: there were definitely over twenty badges in that bag, maybe even thirty!
He suppressed the urge to rush out immediately and, following the boss’s orders, continued to track her while vigilantly observing his surroundings.
There were no people coming to help, and no signs of an ambush.
This recruit was really all by herself!
And the other party was getting more and more injured; her speed had clearly slowed.
Rat made a safe signal.
Old Five and Old Six, who were flanking, also replied with gestures: No abnormalities.
Seeing the signals, Scarface’s last shred of doubt was completely dispelled.
Greed had completely overwhelmed his original caution.
“Chase!” He gave a low shout and jumped out from his hiding place.
“Take her alive!
We’ll find out where she got these badges.
We’re going to be rich this time!” Six grey-white figures sprinted across the snow like ghostly hyenas.
They pounced toward the big, fat sheep stumbling ahead.
The hunt had begun.
It’s just that this time, the roles of hunter and prey.
Had been reversed from the very beginning.
Aqina heard the rapidly approaching footsteps behind her, and a wicked smile curved on her lips.
The fish had taken the bait.
She no longer hid her speed and dashed toward the Ice Canyon.
The good show was about to begin…