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The night breeze carried the scent of damp earth as silence settled between Su Chen and the mysterious young woman.
Neither moved.
Neither lowered their guard.
For several breaths, the only sound was the rustling of leaves overhead.
Su Chen's right hand remained close to the dagger hidden beneath his sleeve.
The System had taught him one lesson above all others—
Never trust anyone who appears at the perfect moment.
Especially someone capable of approaching him unnoticed.
"You've been following me?"
His calm voice broke the silence.
The woman shook her head.
"No."
"Then how did you find me?"
"I followed the traces you intentionally left behind."
Su Chen's pupils contracted slightly.
"I left no traces."
"You didn't."
The woman smiled faintly.
"But your enemies did."
She slowly crouched and placed the broken bronze token on a flat stone before taking two steps back.
"I have no intention of fighting."
Su Chen did not answer.
Instead, he activated the System.
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Ding!
Echo Mark is active.
Scanning nearby targets...
Unknown Female...
Strength: Unable to Determine.
Threat Assessment: Unknown.
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Unable to determine...
It was the first time the System had failed to estimate someone's strength.
That made Su Chen even more cautious.
"You said someone asked you to find me."
"Who?"
The woman's expression became unusually serious.
"My master."
"Where is your master now?"
She lowered her eyes.
"He died three days ago."
Su Chen remained silent.
The answer surprised him.
If her master had died before tonight, how could he have known Su Chen would appear here?
The woman seemed to read the doubt in his eyes.
"My master wasn't predicting the future."
"He only said..."
"If a young man carrying impossible fortune appears in the eastern forest, give him this token."
She pointed toward the broken bronze fragment.
"He also said that if the token shines..."
"Follow him."
Su Chen frowned.
Impossible fortune?
Could the old man have sensed the System?
That shouldn't be possible.
No...
There had to be another explanation.
He slowly picked up the bronze token.
The moment his fingers touched its surface—
Buzz!
A faint golden light flowed across the cracked engraving.
The token trembled once before becoming quiet again.
The young woman's eyes widened.
"It really responded..."
"So Master's guess was correct."
Su Chen carefully examined the token.
Apart from the brief flash of light, nothing unusual happened.
"What exactly is this?"
"A key."
"A key to what?"
"I don't know."
"My master never found the answer."
"He spent twenty years searching."
"Twenty years?"
She nodded.
"He believed there were four identical tokens scattered across the continent."
"If someone gathered them all..."
"They could open an ancient inheritance."
Su Chen's heartbeat quickened.
Ancient inheritances usually meant opportunities.
Opportunities meant strength.
Strength meant survival.
Still...
Nothing in this world came without risk.
"Why tell me all of this?"
The woman looked directly into his eyes.
"Because I can't finish what my master started."
"My cultivation is too weak."
"And because..."
She hesitated.
"The people hunting these tokens have already found me."
Almost as soon as she finished speaking—
Boom!
A violent explosion echoed through the distant forest.
Birds burst into the sky.
Several trees collapsed with loud crashes.
Su Chen instantly extinguished the small campfire hidden beneath the rocks.
Someone was coming.
And they weren't trying to hide.
The woman whispered,
"They're here."
Su Chen closed his eyes for a brief moment.
The clone he had stationed several kilometers away immediately began moving toward the source of the explosion.
Within seconds...
The shared vision appeared before him.
Dozens of figures wearing dark armor advanced through the forest.
Unlike ordinary martial artists, every one of them moved with disciplined precision.
They neither shouted nor spoke.
Even their footsteps were synchronized.
Leading them was a tall man carrying a long black spear.
A silver wolf insignia was engraved across his chest.
Su Chen had never seen that emblem before.
Yet the pressure emitted by the man was enough to make even the surrounding beasts flee.
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Unknown Target Detected.
Strength exceeds current detection limit.
Recommendation:
Avoid direct confrontation.
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Su Chen immediately withdrew the clone before it could be discovered.
His expression grew serious.
"They're not your pursuers."
"No."
"They're after the token."
"How many have chased you?"
The woman answered quietly.
"Since dawn..."
"I've counted thirty-two."
Su Chen almost laughed.
Thirty-two enemies.
For a single broken token.
Whatever secret it held...
It was far more valuable than it appeared.
He looked around.
The forest suddenly seemed much smaller.
Every direction could become a battlefield.
Every shadow could hide an enemy.
Then...
A familiar mechanical voice echoed inside his mind.
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Hidden Mission Triggered.
Mission:
Obtain the complete Bronze Legacy.
Current Progress:
1/4 Fragments.
Reward:
???
Failure:
None.
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Su Chen stared at the glowing panel.
So the System recognized the token.
That alone proved its importance.
He slowly closed the interface.
The mysterious woman waited quietly without interrupting.
Finally...
Su Chen picked up the bronze fragment and placed it inside the System's storage space.
"I'll keep it."
She nodded without objection.
"It belongs with you now."
Before either of them could speak again—
Whoosh!
A black arrow suddenly shot through the darkness, aimed directly at the woman's heart.
Su Chen's expression changed.
Without hesitation, he grabbed her shoulder and threw both of them behind a massive tree.
Bang!
The arrow pierced straight through the thick trunk as though it were paper.
A cold voice echoed across the forest.
"Found them."
More than twenty pairs of icy eyes slowly emerged from the darkness.
The hunt had begun.
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End of Chapter 62