Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time

The elders gathered in a large tent reinforced with layered barriers, the air heavy with the lingering tension of the earlier battle. Outside, the camp still buzzed with activity—disciples tending to the wounded, logistics divisions replenishing supplies, and guard rotations ensuring no further surprise from the beasts. Inside, however, the tone was far more grim.

"We've all read the old reports," Elder Ming Xiu said, arms crossed as his eyes swept over the others. "Beast tides do occur in the Southern Marshes. But this… this was no tide. This was a concerted strike."

Elder Zhen Rong gave a slow nod, his expression taut. "The outer ring beasts never coordinated like this before. Different species working together? That alone tells me something else is pulling the strings. And the middle ring beasts appearing in such numbers—hundreds, some even at the peak of Core Condensation—it's far from natural."

"I don't like the timing," Elder Fei Yun added, her voice low. "We're here for the tomb, and suddenly the middle ring turns into a battlefield. The last time a tide this size was recorded was over a century ago, and that was triggered by a Swamp Beast king's death. Now? It feels too… deliberate."

This was a common pattern for a lot of beast tides. They usually happened due to a change in the power dynamic of a territory. Either a new beast had reached a cultivation level strong enough to become a Beast King, or one of the Beast Kings had died.

This often led to the migration of beasts for various cascading reasons. But the current case was different.

A silence fell.

They all understood the unspoken implication—if the tomb's awakening was influencing the beasts, then the dangers ahead would be far greater than their initial estimates.

"Losses," Elder Ming Xiu finally broke the silence, tapping the table with his knuckle. "We've been lucky so far, but today's clash cost us more than I'd like. If this continues, we may not have enough force to secure the tomb when we reach it."

Several elders exchanged concerned looks. No one spoke for a moment, until Elder Fei Yun sighed. "We'll just have to tighten our formations. Core disciples and experienced fighters will take the lead whenever we scout new territory. The younger ones—especially those with less combat experience—will stay back and support."

That plan drew nods, but Elder Zhen Rong raised another point. "Speaking of experienced fighters… let's talk about the ones who stood out today."

The tension lightened just slightly as they went over names.

"Wu Shuan fought like a madman," one elder commented with a faint smile. "That Sword of his severed at least three mid-stage Qi Refining beasts clean through."

"And Yu Anrin's arrows," another added, "picked off two Late-stage Refining realm serpents before they could strike at the rear formation. Her aim hasn't dulled one bit."

The names continued—familiar talents, promising fighters, those who had already built reputations in the sect. But then, in a quieter voice, Elder Liu Hu spoke:

"And… Han Yu."

Two junior elders immediately perked up. "Ah, yes," one of them said with a small smile. "I saw him during the fight. Brave, decisive, and his technique was sharp. He didn't just defend—he made calculated kills. That early Core Condensation beast he dropped? That wasn't luck."

The other nodded. "I witnessed it too. The disciple it was about to kill would be a corpse right now if Han Yu hadn't intervened. And the way he executed the strike… Bolt God Fist, was it? He blew the thing's head off clean. For someone his age and realm, that's no small feat."

A few elders frowned thoughtfully, exchanging looks. Elder Fei Yun reached for a thin jade slip from the records pouch and activated it, scanning through the stored information.

"Han Yu… let's see. Joined as a servant before being promoted to the Outer Court… rapid progression… hm... His talent is Blue Ranked too. Several missions completed outside of his supposed capacity. Here's one—assigned to infiltration while still in the lower Refining stages. Survived. And—" her brows lifted slightly—"entered the Slumbering Caldera, Hollow Eye Sect territory, and returned with intelligence that even our scouts hadn't managed to secure."

That caused a stir.

"I remember that report," Elder Ming Xiu said slowly. "It was thought at the time that the one who took it had simply been lucky… but now, knowing it was Han Yu? Perhaps not."

"His record shows multiple near-death encounters," Elder Liu Hu noted. "And each time, he's come back stronger. Not just in cultivation, but in adaptability."

"It's one thing to survive danger," Elder Zhen Rong remarked, "and another entirely to grow from it. That boy's got grit. I wouldn't be surprised if this trip through the marshes tempers him further."

One elder chuckled faintly. "Careful, Zhen Rong. If you praise him too much, you'll want to take him as a disciple before we're through."

Zhen Rong smirked but didn't deny it. "He is a blue ranked talent, he's easily worth it." he added after a second.

Still, the mood didn't stay light for long.

Elder Fei Yun set the jade slip down and leaned forward. "All right. Promising talents aside, we can't let the next few encounters catch us off-guard. If these beasts were coordinated once, they might try again. And if something truly intelligent is behind them… then the further we go, the worse it will get."

Her words drew solemn nods. Outside, the marshes stretched endlessly into mist and shadow, and somewhere in that middle ring, unseen eyes watched their every move.

Inside the tent, the elders silently acknowledged the reality—this expedition was no longer just a test of strength to claim a treasure. It was quickly becoming a trial of survival. And though they had strong fighters, one wrong step could cost them far more than they were ready to lose.

The meeting ended with new orders—scouts to be doubled, rest rotations tightened, and supply lines reinforced. Han Yu's name lingered in the minds of several elders, and more than one pair of eyes would be watching him closely in the days to come.

Because in a place like the Southern Marshes, talents were revealed under pressure… and sometimes, those who looked ordinary in the halls of the sect became something entirely different when the mud, blood, and mist closed in around them.