Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 654: Frost Hill Wolves

"Two hundred wisps," he murmured, sensing the influx of emotion. "A decent harvest."

He crouched and searched their bodies without much hope. As expected, they carried only a few silvers, a couple of mid grade spirit stones which was probably all their savings, a knife, some stale jerky, and a dirty bottle of wine.

"Run of the mill trash," Han Yu sighed. "Not even worth the effort."

More importantly, he could tell from their clothing, accents, and equipment that they were not connected to Zhao Liumen, nor to any sect. They were simply a group of desperate hunters who robbed travelers to survive. No higher conspiracy was involved.

Han Yu dragged their bodies off the road and tossed them into the underbrush. Animals would feast on them soon. Nobody in the town would question their disappearance either. Bandits like them often died without anyone caring.

He returned to his horse, untied the reins, and continued his journey.

For the next seven hours, Han Yu traveled without stopping.

The forest gradually thinned, revealing glimpses of sharp grey stone rising ahead. The Harrow Mountains loomed like a monstrous wall that stretched endlessly in every direction. The closer he came, the more he realized just how enormous they actually were.

From afar, the mountains had looked distant and shrouded by mist, with only a few peaks visible. But up close, Han Yu saw dozens upon dozens of ridges, cliffs, frozen valleys, and narrow passes extending so far that the ends vanished over the horizon.

"Truly endless," Han Yu murmured. "The perfect place for beasts, treasures, and trouble." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Another hour later, he encountered his next challenge.

A low growl echoed through the trees.

Han Yu halted the horse and looked up. Pale shapes moved between the rocks.

Frost Hill Wolves. Their white fur glimmered like ice while their breaths steamed in the cold air.

A pack of nearly twenty.

They emerged from the underbrush, snarling, their eyes glowing with a faint blue tint. These wolves were common in this region and were valued for their hides, which kept cold wind away. Hunters often chased them for profit.

Han Yu did not even bother dismounting.

The wolves lunged.

Han Yu swept his arm, sending a wave of Moon Blood Qi outward using the Moon Slaughter Arts. Three wolves exploded mid air, their bodies torn apart by invisible force. The rest scattered, snarling, circling him.

The horse panicked. Han Yu flicked a finger, sending spirit Qi to calm it. Then, with his other hand, he drew his halberd and leaped from the saddle.

He landed on the back of a wolf and crushed its spine. Another lunged at his leg. He kicked it aside, breaking its ribs. A third wolf dashed behind him, aiming for his throat. Han Yu spun, slicing its head clean off.

Within ten minutes, the snow tinted ground was littered with bodies.

Han Yu wiped his blade and sheathed it. He grabbed the largest wolf corpse and tied it to the horse.

"Dinner," he muttered. ’The cold should keep it fresh and the scent of blood would not spread.’

The rest he left behind. Selling them would give pocket change compared to his current wealth. Not even worth carrying.

He continued forward as the sky darkened, turning purple with streaks of gold. Night would fall soon, but Han Yu was closing in on the true boundary of the Harrow Mountains.

Tomorrow, he would enter the outer ring.

And whatever awaited him inside, Han Yu felt ready.

Han Yu rested beside a fallen tree whose thick trunk shielded him from the worst of the mountain winds. The cold breeze whistled through the gaps in the branches above, but the massive tree carcass blocked most of it, turning the small pit behind it into a natural shelter.

He built a modest fire with dry branches he had collected earlier, letting the flames crackle quietly in the dim light. The aroma of cooking Frost Hill Wolf meat filled the air. It sizzled over the fire on sharpened sticks, the fat dripping into the flames and creating brief sparks that danced upward.

The taste was strong and slightly gamey, but Han Yu had eaten far worse during his journey as a disciple of the Twin Leaf Peak Sect. To him, this was considered above average. At least the meat was fresh.

His horse grazed a short distance away.

Though the terrain around them grew colder, patches of grass still clung to the rocky earth. The horse pulled at them eagerly, its breath steaming in the night air. Han Yu glanced at it from time to time, making sure no beasts had slipped close while he was resting.

The sky above was clear, a glittering expanse of stars stretching endlessly across the heavens. Between two distant peaks, the moon glowed faintly, partially veiled by drifting clouds.

Han Yu chewed thoughtfully and looked toward the mountains, sensing the quiet heaviness of the night air.

"Tomorrow," he murmured, "the road becomes harder."

After finishing his meal, he threw dirt on the fire, letting the embers dim to faint red glows. He wrapped himself lightly in his spirit robe, which regulated heat, and settled against the fallen tree. His eyes closed slowly, and within moments, his breathing steadied into the calm rhythm of meditation rather than sleep.

He did not dare sleep deeply in unknown terrain.

Morning arrived quietly.

Han Yu opened his eyes at the first hint of pale gold on the horizon. A thin layer of frost coated the ground, shimmering faintly in the early light. The horse snorted softly, impatient to move.

Han Yu packed his things, mounted the horse, and continued forward.

He set a brisk pace, wanting to cover as much distance as possible before noon. But the easy roads of the previous days soon changed.

After a couple of hours, the terrain shifted from gentle slopes to uneven, rocky pathways.

The once wide dirt trails narrowed into jagged passages framed by boulders and ridges. At certain points the path became so narrow that Han Yu had to dismount and guide the horse by its reins.