Chapter 402: Can You Really Get Away? (Request for Subscription)
"Big sister, it's already dark. How about we start now?"
"Yes, big sister, Fang Liang and his people might have already started. We can't let them get ahead of us."
"Yesterday, we only managed to get two thousand people. If we act tonight, the number might double!"
In the room, a few black-robed figures were rubbing their palms with eager anticipation.
They had tasted success the night before, and throughout the day, they were restless, waiting for night to fall.
"No rush."
Wang Ru glanced at the darkening sky outside, though tempted, she rejected the idea, saying, "Haste makes waste. If we act too early and those Awakened sense us, it would be bad. Let's wait until it gets as late as yesterday before we act."
The black-robed figures exchanged glances and reluctantly agreed.
Looking at the time, it was just past six, still three or four hours before midnight.
"Did anyone notice anything today?" Wang Ru looked over at them and asked.
"Well..."
They exchanged glances again.
One of them spoke up, "Big sister, today, several more groups arrived in Anshan City."
"More groups came?"
Wang Ru frowned.
The news didn't seem noteworthy.
The others felt the same since the city was already overcrowded.
"Big sister, one of the groups looked quite healthy. I think they would be good targets for tonight," a black-robed figure said, licking his lips as if he were salivating.
"Looked quite healthy?"
"Really? Which village are they from? How many are there?"
Others hurriedly asked.
The person showed a satisfied expression, "About four to five hundred people? People from other villages look malnourished and weak, but this group is different. Especially the young adults, they seem like Martial Artists, holding weapons and looking strong and powerful. Even the children and elderly look well-nourished and not like they are starving."
He continued, "I only took a distant look and didn't dare get too close, fearing discovery. But I know where they're staying. Big sister, let's target them tonight."
Hearing this, everyone felt tempted.
A strong person, whether the energy in their flesh and blood or the quality of their soul, surely surpassed that of a weak person.
Especially Martial Artists, the sustenance one Martial Artist could provide might equal several ordinary people!
Wang Ru's heart was also delighted.
Indeed, targeting Anshan City's original inhabitants would be more suitable.
But she also feared alarming others, so she chose to target outsiders.
When the time is right, they could go after the original inhabitants.
Now, since an appetizer presented itself, how could they let it go?
Just as she was about to agree, an unfamiliar male voice suddenly came from outside.
"Seems I found the right place."
Everyone inside was startled, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
There was someone outside?
Wang Ru placed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.
The room was pitch dark and deathly silent, as if nobody were there.
A look of relief flashed across their faces,
Thankfully, they never had the habit of lighting lamps. Otherwise, they would have been exposed.
Perhaps the voice was a figment of their imagination? Or maybe the person was talking to someone else.
But the next moment, the voice sounded again.
"What? You think not making a sound means I don't know you're in there?"
Wang Ru and the others exchanged worried glances, their hearts pounding with shock.
That person outside was coming for them?
How could this be?
A sigh came from outside.
"Alright then, if you don't want to come out, I'll just come in and find you."
With those words, footsteps approached.
"Tap, tap."
The footsteps got closer and closer.
An overwhelming sense of suffocation filled the room.
"Big sister, what do we do?"
A black-robed figure asked in a panic.
Without a doubt, the person outside was there for them!
But they had believed their traces were well hidden. How could they be found?
Now wasn't the time to think about that because in a few seconds, that person would reach the door!
Fight or flee?
The others also showed fear in their eyes, a growing urge to retreat visible.
At first, it seemed there was only one person outside.
But who could say there weren't more around? Perhaps a net had been cast, leaving no escape.
"Retreat first!"
Wang Ru decisively said.
Since they had been discovered, it meant the place was no longer safe.
They might as well retreat to another location first.
They exchanged glances and began chanting.
In an instant, the few people inside the room vanished from their original spot.
They reappeared in a room several kilometers away.
"You escaped quite fast."
The person outside muttered to himself, "But do you really think you can escape?"
In a small house in the eastern part of the city,
"Huff..."
The few people who had teleported there breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"How strange, who the heck is that guy? How did he find us?" asked a trembling black-robed figure, "Could it be one of you who left some traces?"
"What are you saying? What do you mean we left traces? The one who left traces must be you!"
"Exactly, Zhang, don't slander us and shift the blame. I think this time, it's probably your fault we were exposed."
"Nonsense! I used to stay in mid-sized cities and was never discovered!"
"Hmph, the past is the past. Now is now. Just because you weren't found then doesn't mean you won't be now."
"Enough!"
Seeing them argue, Wang Ru shouted, "Shut up, all of you!"
They immediately bowed their heads obediently.
Still, their eyes showed mutual displeasure.
"Is this the time for internal conflict? Do you not want to complete the task?"
Wang Ru's voice was icy, "It's not necessarily our fault that he found us. Perhaps, someone deliberately leaked our location."
"Deliberately leaked?"
Their eyes widened, realizing something.
"Big sister, you mean, could it be Fang Liang who sold us out?"
"No way, we're all from the same cult?"
"What if? That guy has had issues with us for a long time. Maybe he sold us out to the Awakened here, using a borrowed knife to kill us."
"Bastard! If I ever see them, I'll kill them!"
They cursed through gritted teeth.
This reaction relieved Wang Ru slightly.
Her intention was indeed to divert blame toward Fang Liang. The situation was uncertain, and internal conflicts would only worsen things.
"Big sister, should we continue tonight's operation?"
A black-robed figure asked, realizing something.
"Of course."
Wang Ru didn't hesitate, "What happened was just a small incident. If we're careful, it should be fine."
"Big sister is right. Even if that guy found us, didn't we escape right under his nose?"
"Exactly, if he has the skill, let him chase us again?" a black-robed figure said smugly.
"Do you really want me to chase you?"
At this moment, a familiar voice sounded outside again.
Wang Ru and the others felt their hearts drop to their stomachs.
The voice!
It was the same guy from before!
He, he came again!
"Go!"
Wang Ru gritted her teeth, reciting the incantation once more.
They disappeared from the room again.
"Gone again?"
Chen Fan's lips curled up, showing no urgency or anger.
Compared to last time, he had gained some more insights.
"Run. Let's see where you can go."
In the northern part of the city,
In an empty room, a few black-robed figures appeared.
Compared to before, their faces were paler.
Except for Wang Ru, the others were weaker than the typical C-level Awakened, and the repeated teleportations consumed a lot of energy.
Even Wang Ru herself wasn't feeling well.
"What's with that guy?"
After a brief rest, a black-robed figure asked in a trembling voice, "How did he keep up with us? Has he marked us?"
"No, that can't be?"
A companion tried to stay calm, "We've never met him, don't even know what he looks like. How could he have marked us?"
"Yeah, but how did he keep up? What if he's on his way here right now?"
That thought made the room fall silent.
Including Wang Ru, everyone's heart was in their throat, ears straining to catch any sounds from outside.
Minute by minute passed.
"It seems he didn't follow us this time?"
Someone cautiously asked.
"Sseems so."
"Huff," The former smug black-robed figure heaved a sigh of relief, slumping to the ground, "I think he didn't follow us this time."
"I guess..."
A companion started to speak when the voice sounded from outside again.
"Sorry, did I disappoint you again?"
The one on the ground jumped up instantly, his face turning ashen.
The others were the same.
Once might be a coincidence, but twice or three times?
Even a fool would realize, no matter how many times they teleported, the result would be the same!