Han Yu wasn't just a step ahead anymore.
He was miles ahead.
And the game had only just begun.
Still seated behind the boulder, Han Yu retrieved the high-grade communication jade slip again. He didn't activate it this time—just ran a thumb over its surface, thinking.
He had options now.
He could inform Elder Hei of the mine's status through an alternate identity, leak the coordinates, or simply wait until the sect sniffed out the truth on their own. Either way, he could control the pace.
And the best part?
Nobody suspected a thing.
The explosion he had left behind would be just chaotic enough to cover his tracks, but subtle enough not to scream sabotage. It would take them hours—maybe even days—to realize someone had stolen their sample pouches.
And by then?
Han Yu would be somewhere far away.
Planning his next move.
Or, if luck was with him, lounging in a quiet clearing, meditating on his next Soul Qi technique—cultivating both power and infamy.
