Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time
Chapter 241: No Suspicion

Chapter 241: No Suspicion

Relief slowly settled into Han Yu’s chest.

He had known the risk when he destroyed the outpost and set the place ablaze. The fire had been massive, fueled by the lamp oil and whatever supplies were in there that Han Yu hadn’t taken. He’d hoped the resulting chaos would confuse the Mist Eye Sect. That it would leave no clear evidence behind.

And from the sound of it, it worked.

"Flame beasts are getting bolder," one of the disciples said, his tone bitter. "And the Caldera’s acting up again. More smoke, more tremors. The elders want this outpost fortified before something big happens."

"Like what?" the merchant asked.

"They’re not saying. But there’s been talk. Rumors from the sect. Something about old paths awakening... and pressure building in the Caldera’s heart."

The words sent a ripple of unease through the gathered guards.

But to Han Yu, it meant something else entirely.

’They’re scared,’ he thought. ’And preparing for something bigger. That altar probably isn’t the end... it is only the beginning. The Caldera is stirring.’

Still, this was all good news.

The Mist Eye Sect had blamed the destruction on wild beasts and natural fire events. The presence of actual Magma Back Lizards and increasing volcanic activity only reinforced that illusion. There was no mention of traitors. No suspicion of sabotage. No signs they were looking for a culprit.

Han Yu lowered his gaze and smiled into his bowl.

’Perfect.’

When the meal ended and the fires died down, he crawled into his tent with the calm of a man who had just dodged a guillotine.

The disciples were paranoid about the Caldera, not about him. The sect’s attention was pointed at the beasts, the tremors, the smoke, and the earth’s grumbling heartbeat—not toward a scarred caravan guard named Han Yi.

Still, Han Yu knew better than to get comfortable.

He had entered the lion’s den. One wrong move, and his disguise could shatter like glass. For now, he would lie low, listen, and observe.

He would find out what they were planning... before they finished building whatever trap they were preparing.

Thankfully for him, Han Yu had blended in without issue.

With no suspicion falling on him, he moved through the outpost like any other caravan guard—obedient, quiet, occasionally helpful, and always respectful. He didn’t stand out, and that suited him perfectly. No strange glances, no unnecessary questions. The Mist Eye disciples saw him as just another pair of hands, and he had every intention of keeping it that way.

The caravan was scheduled to depart the next morning. Their goods had been offloaded, their beasts rested, and their tents already half-packed. But fate, as ever, had its own ideas.

Just before sunrise, the earth growled.

A deep, resonant tremor rolled through the plateau, shaking the very bones of the land. The ground quivered underfoot. Stone walls groaned. Some of the ox beasts reared and bucked in panic, nearly breaking loose from their tethers.

Han Yu jerked awake in his tent, the fabric shuddering around him.

Then came the sound of distant rumbling—deep, echoing, like a slumbering giant turning over in its sleep. It came from the Caldera, that vast pit of heat and smoke just beyond the rear edge of the outpost.

He scrambled outside, as did many others. Dust clouds rose into the air. Cracks appeared in the dry ground near the outer edge. And worst of all—roars.

Not just one. Several. Animalistic, guttural, seething with rage.

The fire beasts were awake.

Within the hour, smoke plumes could be seen trailing from the jagged edges of the Caldera’s opening. The Mist Eye disciples were quick to react. Orders were barked. Runners dashed between buildings. Senior disciples gathered near the cliff edge to intercept anything that might emerge.

Han Yu, ever eager to gather information, volunteered when help was requested to reinforce the outer barricades.

But not just any barricades.

He offered to assist on the rear side of the outpost—the very section closest to the Caldera’s maw. The riskiest position, and the most likely to be overrun if the sect’s defense faltered.

But also the place where the main operations of the Mist Eye Sect were concentrated.

Here, large tents stood surrounded by newly-constructed stone structures. Sect supplies, formation tools, and dozens of sealed crates were stored there. More importantly, Han Yu hoped to overhear the higher-ranking disciples who occasionally gathered there to report or receive orders.

Armed with a hammer, metal spikes, and some sharpened wooden stakes, he got to work under the stern supervision of a formation specialist.

He drove the stakes into the hardened rocky soil along the rear edge while sweat glistened on his brow, heat radiating from the Caldera like a forge. Others were assigned to help him, some guards, some hired workers, but most kept their heads down and worked without chatter.

Unfortunately for Han Yu, the sect members around this area were careful. They spoke little, and when they did, they used coded phrases or short commands. There were no casual conversations to eavesdrop on. No whispers of secrets.

But his sharp eyes didn’t miss everything.

Among the gathering of sect members, he recognized two individuals. Faces burned into his memory. They had been present during the investigation at the Caldera—cultivators robed in black and dark green, one with a hawk tattoo on his neck, the other with silver-threaded gloves.

’So, they had returned.’

Han Yu kept his distance, but his heart beat a little faster. ’They’re connected to whatever was going on in that caldera. If they’re here, it wasn’t just a one-off. The Mist Eye Sect is preparing something...’

That evening passed with no further incident, though the air remained heavy, and smoke lingered on the horizon. Even the ox beasts refused to eat from fear of something.

And then came the roar.

It split the silence of dawn like a blade through silk. Thunderous. Primordial. A chorus of beasts crying out in fury, echoing across the rocky plateaus and down into the outpost like a war horn from the depths of the Caldera.

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