Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 43: Non Consensual Recruitment

Han Yu woke up after an unknown amount of time and immediately regretted regaining consciousness. A sharp headache shot through his skull like an angry woodpecker going to town on a tree.

"Ugh! My head!" Han Yu groaned, pressing on the bump forming on his scalp. His fingers barely brushed against it before another wave of pain made him wince. "Why do I keep getting my head injured? If this keeps up, I'll turn as stupid as Fat Kui!" he muttered.

Blinking rapidly, he took in his surroundings—a dense forest, the trees stretching up high, their canopies rustling in the wind. Dappled sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting speckled patterns on the ground.

"A forest?" Han Yu mumbled, confused. "Did I faint while training? Did that ghostly man hit my head again?" He rubbed his temple, struggling to recall how he had ended up here.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is frёeωebɳovel.com.

Whether it was the impact from Xu Qing's strike or the wine he had consumed earlier, he couldn't say. Either way, his memories were foggy, and he needed to figure out his situation.

"This isn't the usual area of the forest..." Han Yu muttered. His eyes scanned his surroundings, but he couldn't spot the familiar fallen log he often rested on. The trees where he usually hung dried meat bags were missing as well.

And then he saw her.

Sitting cross-legged, back straight, and utterly still, was an unfamiliar figure. A long sword rested beside her, its sheath simple but well-maintained. Her long, shiny hair swayed gently in the wind, catching the light in a way that almost seemed intentional. She radiated an aura of calm, the kind that suggested she could kill him with minimal effort if she so desired.

"Huh?" Han Yu frowned. "Who's that?"

Stepping cautiously, he moved around her to get a better look. She remained unmoving, eyes closed in deep meditation. Han Yu, in his infinite wisdom, decided that the best course of action was to lean in closer.

And that was his mistake.

The moment he leaned in, her eyes snapped open.

"AH!" Han Yu yelped, stumbling backward and landing hard on his rear.

The instant their eyes met, a flood of memories came rushing back.

"YOU!" Han Yu pointed an accusatory finger at her. "You kidnapped me!"

The woman, unbothered by his outburst, continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable.

"Where are we? Why did you take me?" Han Yu demanded.

"Shut up," the woman said flatly.

Han Yu instantly sealed his lips.

A familiar trauma washed over him. It was just like with the ghostly man—when someone strong told him to shut up, he knew better than to argue.

Now that he had a moment to really look at her, Han Yu realized that the woman in front of him was absurdly beautiful. The kind of beautiful that made men trip over their own feet and poets write bad love poems.

'She's even prettier than Miss Lei from the Courtesan Pavilion!' Han Yu thought in shock. That was saying something, considering Miss Lei had made grown men cry for her attention.

The woman let out a slow breath, seemingly finishing her meditation.

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

Han Yu blinked. "Who am I? Who are you? You're the one who kidnapped me!" he said, feeling wronged.

"I am Xu Qing," she replied. "Inner Court Disciple of the Twin Leaf Peak Sect."

Han Yu tilted his head. "That fourth-rate backwater sect?"

Silence.

Then, Xu Qing's expression darkened.

"You dare insult my sect?" she said, her voice laced with quiet fury.

Han Yu instantly realized his mistake. "Uh—I mean, the first-rate, greatest sect in all the lands!" he corrected hastily. "I just said it wrong because my head hurts!"

To really sell it, he flopped onto the ground and clutched his head dramatically.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! My head! My poor head! I can already feel myself turning as dumb as Fat Kui! It's happening! My intelligence is slipping away!" he wailed, rolling on the ground.

Xu Qing stared at him, unimpressed.

"Enough," she commanded.

Han Yu immediately sat up straight, as if he hadn't just been writhing like a dying fish moments ago.

Xu Qing reached into her pouch and pulled out a small porcelain container, extending it toward him.

Han Yu flinched on instinct.

"Here," she said, her tone neutral.

He cautiously took the container. "What is it?"

"For your head," she replied.

He opened it and sniffed. A medicinal scent wafted up. Following her instructions, he applied the ointment to his bump and immediately felt relief as a cooling sensation spread through his scalp. Within a minute, the pain vanished completely.

"Whoa... That was fast," Han Yu muttered.

"Now that you're better, tell me your name," Xu Qing said.

"Han Yu," he answered, still amazed at the ointment's effectiveness.

"What clan or family are you from?" she inquired.

Han Yu frowned. "If you're looking for ransom, you got the wrong guy. I'm an orphan. A street urchin, some might say."

Xu Qing sighed. "I didn't kidnap you. I'm recruiting you."

Han Yu blinked. "Recruiting me? For what?"

"For the Twin Leaf Peak Sect," she stated.

Han Yu gave her a look. "This is how your sect recruits people? By knocking them unconscious and dragging them into the woods? Shouldn't there be a test of martial skill or something?"

"I didn't have time to explain," Xu Qing admitted.

Han Yu crossed his arms. "Still, you didn't even ask for my consent before you touched me all over." He covered his chest dramatically. "I feel violated."

"YOU!" Xu Qing's face flushed red. She clenched her fists, remembering how he had grabbed her butt earlier. She had half a mind to slap him again but restrained herself.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stay calm. "I apologize for knocking you out and bringing you here without explanation."

Han Yu blinked. "Oh." He hadn't expected an actual apology. "Well... okay then."

Not that it had anything to do with her beauty or anything.