Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 26: A Wrench In the Plans

Seeing the poster, Han Yu felt like his heart had just dropped.

"No, no, no, no, no!" the boy panicked. "This can't be happening! It's too early!"

He had a complete and utter breakdown in the middle of the crowd, arms flailing, face contorted in despair, looking as if he had just seen a ghost—no, worse, a debt collector.

"What's up with the kid?" someone asked, raising a brow.

"Who knows? Probably just another 'special' kid," another person replied with a shrug.

"Should we do something?" the first person asked with a hint of concern.

"Nah, just look at him. What if he's feral?" the other man replied. "He might bite."

"Yeah, who knows what diseases he's got?"

The people looked at Han Yu as if he were some kind of rabid animal. A particularly paranoid woman even clutched her purse tighter, as if he might suddenly leap forward and snatch it.

Normally, Han Yu would have fought back with a witty retort—or at least some dramatic hand gestures—but at this moment, he was far too busy trying to cope with the existential crisis unfolding before him.

'How are they doing it so early? The last notice said it would be happening at least ten months from now!' Han Yu felt like all his carefully laid plans were crumbling like a stale biscuit.

While waiting for the next recruitment drive was an option, it was about as viable as expecting a chicken to lay a golden egg.

'I'd be past the age of sixteen by then. They might not even consider me,' he thought grimly.

The timing couldn't have been worse. In five months, Han Yu would turn sixteen. If he waited for the next recruitment, which could take a year or more, he'd be too old. Unless one of the recruiters developed an inexplicable soft spot for him, his chances would plummet faster than a drunk uncle at a wedding.

"Shit, I need to get stronger... faster! Faster than ever before!"

But saying it was one thing; doing it was like trying to teach a fish to dance. According to his own expectations, he should be able to reach the Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering realm in the next two to three months, and the Eighth Stage in four to five months after that. This was perfect for the original recruitment timeline. Now, however, he was as screwed as a wooden boat in a typhoon.

Sigh.

"I need a place to think calmly."

Years of experience had taught Han Yu that rushing in headfirst usually ended with a lot of bruises and an embarrassing story. He had survived this long by using his brain (and, occasionally, his fast legs). Thus, he made his way to the canal and plopped down by the water's edge.

Splash.

Dipping his legs into the cold water, he exhaled deeply. The chill seeped into his skin, calming his nerves.

"Is it possible that the notice is fake?" he mused. It was the first thing most people would wonder. "No, that can't be it. The seal on it was authentic, and it belonged to the town head."

Fake notices had been a thing in the past. Some con artists would post recruitment fliers, gather hopefuls, scam them out of their life savings, and vanish faster than Han Yu when someone mentioned unpaid debts.

These scams usually operated under extreme time constraints, giving people no time to verify their legitimacy. However, this notice was different. The recruitment was scheduled for a month from now—plenty of time for the authorities to confirm its authenticity.

'Which means... I'm truly, thoroughly, royally... fucked.'

But as he brooded over his predicament, something caught his attention.

"Wait a second... There were four sects in the notice. I've never seen them do it together before."

Usually, sect recruitments were independent. Each sect came at different times, on their own schedules. This time, though, four sects were recruiting simultaneously.

"Is that why they're doing it so early?" he wondered.

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Another oddity was the presence of an unfamiliar name.

"The Twin Leaf Peak Sect... Who the hell are they?"

Han Yu frowned. He prided himself on knowing about all the major sects, even some of the minor ones. But this? This was new.

"It can't be... Is it some fourth-rate, off-brand sect that just popped up?" he muttered suspiciously.

He knew the other three sects well. The Copper Cauldron Sect, his main target, specialized in alchemy. The Soaring Tiger Saber Sect and the Solitary Edge Sword Sect were both prestigious martial sects, with the latter being the strongest in the region. Compared to them, this "Twin Leaf Peak Sect" sounded like a second-hand store trying to compete with luxury brands.

"Still, this might be a good thing. Since there are four sects recruiting, my chances are technically higher... right?" he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself that things weren't all bad.

Of course, that was like saying his chances of winning a duel increased just because his opponent was missing one finger. Technically true, but not exactly comforting.

Han Yu knew that getting into the Copper Cauldron Sect was still his best shot. The other two sects had much stricter requirements. The Solitary Edge Sword Sect only accepted those with talent in swordsmanship, and Han Yu knew that if swords had feelings, they'd file a restraining order against him.

As for the Soaring Tiger Saber Sect, while they didn't demand pre-existing saber skills, they did require immense physical strength. If Han Yu wanted a shot, he'd need to reach at least the Tenth Stage of the Body Tempering realm.

'Yeah... not happening.'

The last time they came, they hadn't even considered anyone below the Eleventh Stage.

'Dammit. The last recruitment was crazy. Nearly forty kids got taken. What are they feeding those guys? Spirit beast steaks?'

He groaned and let his head fall back against the grassy bank.

"Well... what's the worst that could happen?" he asked the sky.

A single drop of bird poop splattered onto his forehead.

"...I walked right into that one."