Chapter Thirteen: A Familiar Scent (Bonus Chapter)

The people inside the temporary camp were different from those in the outside world. They enjoyed watching lively events, but rarely crowded around them—after all, anyone who could make it here had some skills, and who knew if standing too close might bring trouble upon oneself?

Bear rubbed his hands together nervously, his face awkward as he kept saying something to the man in front of him.

Su Xiaoxiao walked forward, displeased. "How can you mess up such a trivial matter? Where’s the vigor you showed when you smashed the door?"

Bear grimaced, lowering his voice to explain, "Sister Su, didn't you say we shouldn't provoke people from the East District? This guy is a tech talent from there."

Su Xiaoxiao pursed her lips, clearly unimpressed.

The man before Bear leaned back and forth deliberately, his actions full of hidden meaning. Now, seeing that the emerald-robed woman had finally stepped forward, his goal was achieved—perhaps even more smoothly than he’d anticipated.

Having met his purpose, he still wore the same arrogant expression he’d shown Bear, raising his chin as if looking down from above. He gestured toward Su Xiaoxiao and declared, "Your lackey is so rude. Do you even know who I am? I’m a renowned particle research expert from the East District. Whether people like you can enter the barrier is up to me. If I’m in a bad mood and decide to leave, you’ll all have plenty to cry about."

Chen Hongxu was dumbfounded to see Su Xiaoxiao, usually fierce, suddenly nodding and bowing, flattering him. "Of course, of course—a person of your stature wouldn’t bother with us rough folk. May I ask your esteemed name, so I might worship your greatness in my midnight dreams?"

The man sized Su Xiaoxiao up and down, his lascivious intent in his eyes barely concealed. Grinning widely, he repeated his approval several times before smirking wickedly, "Greatness, indeed! Why wait for midnight dreams? I’ll show you right now!" With that, he reached out, clearly unable to restrain himself any longer, intending to drag Su Xiaoxiao away.

Su Xiaoxiao giggled sweetly, subtly dodging his hand while coquettishly saying, "How annoying, you still haven’t told me your name!"

The man was stunned, her voice melting him to the bone. Swallowing hard, he tossed his hair back with a flourish and declared, "I never change my name, nor my surname. I am Dai Kai."

He seemed to have read too many martial arts novels, what with all the fuss over announcing his name.

Su Xiaoxiao pursed her lips, pondering for a moment. Among the few figures from the East District she had been warned not to provoke, Dai Kai was not one of them. She shrugged, gave a noncommittal "Oh," and said coldly, "Dai Kai, that’s a good name. You may go die now."

"What?" Dai Kai, thrown off by Su Xiaoxiao’s sudden change in attitude, thought he’d misheard and asked suspiciously.

But he never got another word out, for a shadow had been standing behind him for quite some time, as if awaiting Su Xiaoxiao’s command.

From the moment Su Xiaoxiao’s expression changed, that person grew impatient, pulling a short knife from his calf and playing with it suggestively.

Dai Kai clutched his throat, slowly collapsing, his face filled with disbelief. He hadn’t expected anyone to dare kill someone from the East District—weren’t they afraid of inciting outrage? But whether they were afraid or not no longer mattered to him.

Fan Caobao calmly slid the knife back into its sheath on his calf, expertly knelt and searched Dai Kai’s body, then triumphantly produced a string of black beads and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao, whose hands were on her hips and whose face was far from pleased.

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at the beads, counting them briefly, her displeasure only deepening. Fan Caobao, too used to hardship, quickly guessed what she was angry about. He tore a piece of cloth from his own clothes and carefully wiped the blood splattered from Dai Kai’s neck off Su Xiaoxiao.

Her expression gradually relaxed. She tossed the beads to Bear, who was so terrified by the blood he dared not even wipe his eyes. "Take these and buy as many buns as they’ll get you."

Bear answered obediently, and only after jogging a few steps away from Su Xiaoxiao did he shake his head and head for the bun vendor.

Seeing Su Xiaoxiao’s mood improving, Fan Caobao sidled up, seeking forgiveness. "Sis, that was purely an accident. My skills are lacking—I misjudged the force. Don’t let such a small matter upset you."

Su Xiaoxiao shot him a look, shook her head, and walked over to the always-cold-eyed Chen Hongxu, worry in her voice. "I’m afraid trouble’s coming."

Chen Hongxu was surprised. "Was the man Fan Caobao just dealt with really so powerful?"

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head, thinking deeply before explaining, "People from the East District rarely come here, and they’re never so crude. You should remember I said I avoid killing them unless absolutely necessary. Last time, I wasn’t clear—it's not just in the East District, but anywhere, as long as someone is from there, no one wants to provoke them."

"It’s not that they’re powerful, but because they’re truly worthy of respect. They remain unknown, yet they work on the world’s most cutting-edge technologies. They care nothing for fame or fortune; their eyes are fixed solely on science. Even someone as crazy as me can hardly bring herself to harm such people."

"What are you worried about?" Chen Hongxu was puzzled. "That man was clearly nothing like the East District folk you described."

Su Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, frowning, but seeing Bear and Fan Caobao walking over, she dropped the subject. With a sigh, she said, "Maybe I’m overthinking it. It’s been too long since I was here—perhaps the East District is no longer as I remember."

She said no more. Clearly, her worry wasn’t about the East District—it was never in her nature to feel remorse for killing someone who’d crossed her. What unsettled her was the fleeting confusion in Dai Kai’s dying eyes, and a hint of familiarity in his aura. A woman's silhouette flashed in her mind, though that person was supposed to be dead.

Chen Hongxu saw Su Xiaoxiao still distracted and didn’t know how to comfort her. Luckily, with Fan Caobao around, always coming up with new ways to get himself scolded, Su Xiaoxiao soon laughed again.

The four walked back without a care, never sparing another glance at the corpse behind them. The onlookers around remained oddly calm; though fighting was forbidden in the Southern District, a death or two in the temporary camp was hardly unusual. As for right or wrong in this incident—who could say? Those who should intervene would do so, while strangers wouldn’t bother meddling.

The crowd gradually dispersed. Among them, a man with a bowler hat kept his head down, his eyes full of laughter.

He slowly walked from the Southern District to the Northern District, appearing no different from anyone else. Silently, he reached the steps of a temple within the Northern District and stopped.

He removed his hat and tossed it aside, then knelt without a word, advancing with three bows and nine prostrations.

At the temple's summit, the ever-lazy Su Daji gazed down at the slow-moving man, growing impatient. She leaped down, landed beside him, and gently stroked his lowered head. "What good news have you brought back this time?"

"Number One is dead—killed by several main targets," the man rasped, not daring to lift his head, like a pet dog awaiting its mistress.

"So soon?" Su Daji paused, then bent and kissed his hair. Rising, she burst out laughing and dashed into the temple, exclaiming with excitement, "Binglong, the game is about to begin!"

Hidden Saint 13—Hidden Saint Complete Free Read—Chapter Thirteen: A Familiar Aura (Extra Chapter) Complete!