Chapter 17｜The Hounds Sound the Alarm, the True Master Approaches

Night had just fallen.

The campfire still burned, yet the hunting dogs lifted their heads in unison.

Not a frenzied bark.

A low, throaty growl.

That sound only emerged under one circumstance—

The scent was right, but the target was too dangerous.

Li Xing sprang to his feet, signaling to extinguish the fire.

Zhao Yun had already pressed himself against the shadows of the trees, the Desert Eagle silently cocked.

Li Yu steadied his Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, the muzzle fixed and unmoving.

Zhou Yan shielded his sister behind him, even his breathing softened.

Footsteps not belonging to ordinary men.

The footsteps approached slowly.

They didn't snap dry branches, yet each step landed precisely where it “should” have cracked.

This was deliberate.

The opponent wasn't afraid of being discovered.

The hunting dog retreated half a step.

Not out of fear, but submission to a higher authority.

The system interface flashed to life:

“High-threat unit approaching.”

“Danger Level: Far exceeds current adversary.”

An old man

The first to emerge from the woods was an old man.

His hair was white, he wore a worn cotton coat, and he carried no gun.

Yet he walked with perfect posture, his back straight.

As if—

He were out for a stroll.

“Don't be nervous.”

His voice was soft, yet reached every ear with clarity.

“I'm not here to kill.”

Zhao Yun didn't believe him.

Li Xing didn't relax either.

Truly dangerous men never rush to strike.

He recognized his father

The old man looked at Li Xing.

“Your father used to judge people the same way.”

Those words froze the air completely.

“The year he died, I tried to warn him.”

“Stick too rigidly to the rules, and you won't live long.”

Li Xing's hands slowly tightened.

The outcome of the black market blood exchange

“Those men,” the old man gestured toward the quarry, “didn't know when to stop.”

“The black market has changed hands.”

“Now it's my turn.”

No threat.

Just a statement.

The system prompt refreshed again:

“Core hostile unit confirmed.”

“Recommendation: Avoid direct confrontation.”

The hounds' reaction

The hounds didn't lunge.

They crouched low, tails pressed to the ground.

This was the response to a true hunter.

The old man glanced at them and nodded. “Good dogs.”

“You're starting to learn the whole package.”

A Deal, Not Negotiation

“I'll give you two options.”

The old man held up one finger.

“First, hand over the contacts in the mountains, and I guarantee your family's safety.”

He raised a second finger.

“Second, you continue.”

“I'll treat you as if your father were still alive.”

This statement carried more weight than any threat.

Li Xing's Response

Li Xing did not answer immediately.

He glanced toward the mountain silhouette where his mother lay.

Then he looked at the man beside him.

Finally, he raised his head.

“My father is dead.”

“The rules remain.”

The Elder's Smile

The elder smiled for the first time.

Not mockingly.

But with acknowledgment.

“Good.”

“Then we proceed by the rules.”

He turned and walked away.

Without looking back.

His footsteps faded cleanly into silence.

System Changes

The instant the elder departed, the system interface shifted:

“Detected rule-level opponent.”

“Contract System entering Phase Two.”

Li Yu took a deep breath: “He's more terrifying than the others before.”

Zhao Yun murmured: “But at least—he came head-on.”

Li Xing stroked the hound's head, his voice low:

“The real hunt... has only just begun.”

The Hook at the End

Night.

The hound lifted its head once more.

This time, it wasn't a warning.

It was—

Confirming the target.