Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 160: Gathering Fear

The next day.

Han Yu stood on the edge of the outer courtyard, peering down the wide stone pathway that led toward the inner sect training fields. The sun was rising, casting long shadows between the towering bamboo groves.

His eyes narrowed as he spotted his next target: Nie Zong, a senior inner sect disciple notorious for his temper and arrogance. The man was a talented martial cultivator in Murong Xie’s group and had once bragged that he could beat ten outer court disciples with one hand tied behind his back.

Just like many, he had joined Murong Xie’s faction with the hopes that he could mooch off the boy in the future when he became a Legacy Disciple.

But more importantly, he had a short fuse.

"Perfect," Han Yu muttered under his breath, adjusting his straw hat and worn robe to maintain the illusion of being a meek, unknown outer court disciple. "Time to gather some fear... and maybe some wrath if I do this right."

He quietly made his way to the supply shed near the training field. A few minutes and a pair of nimble fingers later, he’d rigged the door to collapse at just the right moment.

Then he waited.

Nie Zong soon strutted into view with a few of his lackeys, barking orders and laughing at his own jokes. Just as he reached for the shed—

CRASH!

The wooden roof caved in with a thunderous boom, showering Nie Zong in sawdust, broken tiles, and a few startled squirrels that had made their nest inside.

"AUGH! Who did this!?" Nie Zong howled, covered in filth and with a rodent clinging to his hair. "I swear I’ll skin someone alive!"

Han Yu quickly shuffled around the corner, putting on an innocent expression and carrying a basket full of "herbs."

"Ah! Senior Brother Nie, are you alright?" he asked in a deliberately clumsy voice.

"You!" Nie Zong pointed at him, eyes blazing. "You were skulking around here earlier—this is your doing!"

Han Yu widened his eyes, feigning terror. "N-no! I was just passing by! I don’t even know how to hold a hammer—AHH!" And with that, he "stumbled" backward, tripping over a rock and sending his herbs flying.

Nie Zong stormed forward, fists clenched, his killing intent leaking.

But Han Yu didn’t fight back. He didn’t raise his voice. He just trembled, making his eyes glisten with unshed tears. The trick was to look convincingly pitiful—not enough to be mocked, but enough to draw sympathy from any bystanders and make Nie Zong look like a heartless bully.

Several other disciples had gathered by now, whispering among themselves.

"What’s going on?"

"Is that Nie Zong losing his temper again?"

"Did he really just threaten a scared outer court disciple?"

Nie Zong’s fist paused in mid-air. His expression shifted as he noticed the onlookers. His nose twitched.

"Tch... count yourself lucky," he snarled and turned away with a flurry of his sleeves.

Han Yu let out a long breath, still lying on the ground. As the crowd dispersed, a subtle ripple passed over him—thick crimson threads of Wrath, gray wisps of Surprise, and most importantly... a faint, deep violet wisp of Fear.

It was not Nie Zong’s fear of Han Yu but rather his fear of getting caught and punished. It was the fear of Authority!

Han Yu’s eyes widened. It felt... different from the rest. Sharper. Denser. It poured into his soul like ink into water.

He whispered, "This... this is it. Fear is strong. Way stronger than anger."

But it had come at a cost. As the emotions converted into Soul Qi, he could feel the strain.

"Nnngh... Dammit. I still can’t handle more than a thread or two of this stuff before it takes a toll," Han Yu grunted, staggering back to his courtyard. His body had grown stronger, yes—but his Soul Sea still wasn’t refined enough to absorb powerful emotions at full force.

He collapsed into his favorite straw chair with a groan.

"I need more practice. I can’t overdo it or I’ll burn myself out. Or worse—start leaking Soul Qi where others might sense it..."

He flexed his fingers. His internal Soul Qi reservoir had barely expanded.

"Slow and steady, Han Yu," he muttered. "Can’t climb the mountain in one leap. But I can poke people in the back and make them stumble."

Meanwhile...

In the sect’s central tower, Elder Feiyan stood over a map of recent disturbances.

"One inner sect disciple publicly humiliated, another alchemy lab ’accident,’ and now rumors of haunted squirrels?" She rubbed her temples.

"We still have no suspect?" asked Elder Nie, frowning.

"No. Whoever it is... is annoyingly subtle. And clever. And annoyingly funny," she said through gritted teeth.

They had been investigating it as throughly as possible and even added more elders to the investigation and yet there were no results. It was rare that the elders were unable to do anything even now.

It left them quite frustrated and a bit insulted as well. Whoever was doing this in the sect was clever, smart and most importantly shameless.

Elder Feiyan’s spiritual sense flared briefly... but again, found nothing. No demonic presence. No malicious spirit. No cursed artifact.

Just a string of strange events.

SIGH

"Forget that for now Elder Feiyuan, how’s the other task coming along?" Elder Nie Jing asked.

"I’ve been too busy with this investigation. But I’ll try to get it done soon enough." She replied.

"Very well. I’ll rely on you since I’m quite busy too." Elder Nie Jing stated.

That Evening...

Han Yu sipped tea under the moonlight, one eye swollen from where he’d "accidentally" triggered a trap meant for someone else.

"I need better timing..." he groaned.

But his Soul Qi had grown noticeably stronger. He now had wisps from five of the Eight Emotions stored: Wrath, Joy, Surprise, Sadness, and now, Fear.

"Still missing Love, Disgust, and Anticipation," he mumbled. "Ugh... those sound way harder. Where do I even get Reverence?"

He blinked... and then slowly smiled.

"Guess I’ll just have to make someone worship me."

His eyes gleamed with mischief.

"And I know just where to start."