Chapter 2: Stealing Life.

The Pioneer Camp was a small base deep within the monster activity zone. Such camps were scattered throughout the remote mountains and wild forests, providing adventurers with supplies and a place to rest.

Although it was still called a camp, its scale had already grown quite large.

Shu Yue clutched the hem of her robe tightly, wrapping it around her body as she hurried through the camp gates. The few guards at the entrance recognized her. They did not stop her, but one of them called out with a lewd remark.

“Hey, little Luna has gotten even prettier. Where did you run off to have some fun this time?”

Luna was naturally her disguised identity…

Shu Yue couldn’t be bothered to respond to them. Whether she issued a righteous warning or a fierce threat, it would have no effect on these guys. Instead, it would only further ignite their filthy desires.

Adventurers were not repressed at all. Even in this camp, quite a few women worked as hidden prostitutes to earn money. Some female adventurers moonlighted in the same trade. But they had experienced too much and lacked Shu Yue’s grace and refinement. They certainly didn’t have her delicate, fair skin and tender flesh. Shu Yue had even been envied and resented by such people before.

‘I am a boy… well, at least I used to be!’

She ran back to her cramped living quarters. Just as she was about to put on her clothes, a hand suddenly grabbed her ear.

“Ow!”

Shu Yue frowned in pain and looked toward the woman standing beside her.

The woman wore gray-black clothing and light leather armor. Her wine-red hair was tied in a ponytail that stuck up behind her head. Her wheat-colored skin looked somewhat rough, and her appearance was quite ordinary. If she changed into plain clothes, she would look no different from a village girl. She was currently glaring at Shu Yue with displeasure while Shu Yue wore a pitiful, aggrieved expression.

“Where did you run off to in the middle of the night?”

“…”

Shu Yue didn’t want to run out either. Ever since she had absorbed the first drop of dragon blood, the power of her bloodline would automatically activate on every full moon night. She had no choice but to flee the camp and hide until the bloodline power was mostly exhausted and she returned to her original form before she could come back. She had never told the woman about this.

The girl pursed her thin lips and said softly,

“Sister Anna, I just went out for a walk.”

“A walk, and you didn’t return all night?”

“…”

“If I didn’t know you were a boy, I would have thought you…”

“I would never sell my body!” Shu Yue declared righteously while hugging herself tightly.

Anna listened to Shu Yue’s voice and frowned.

“Wait, what’s wrong with your voice?”

“I… caught a chill from the wind. My throat feels a bit uncomfortable.”

“…”

“…”

The two fell silent for a moment. Anna let out a soft sigh, released the hand pinching her ear, and gently rubbed the top of Shu Yue’s head.

“I believe you won’t do anything foolish. You have your own thoughts, but you must be careful. This is the Pioneer Camp, a place without laws or constraints.”

“Mm.”

Shu Yue nodded. She didn’t know how to explain things to Anna. Her younger brother, whom she had lived with for several years, had turned into a younger sister. For now, it was better not to say anything until a better opportunity arose.

Anna suddenly changed the subject, her expression turning serious.

“Change your clothes and come with me.”

“Ah? Okay.”

Shu Yue was somewhat puzzled about what this was for, but she trusted that Anna had no intention of harming her. After all, they had lived together for so many years. She felt their bond was as close as real siblings.

Back in her small room, she tightly wrapped her chest with bandages to flatten it, then changed into her usual male clothing. She kept the robe on as well, since it helped conceal her overly slender and graceful figure.

After leaving the room, the tall Anna wrapped an arm around Shu Yue’s neck and leaned close to her ear.

“We’re sneaking out. Don’t let anyone notice.”

Shu Yue nodded. The two then took a hidden route, concealing their presence as they stealthily left the camp. Afterward, Anna led Shu Yue at a brisk pace through the mountain forest for nearly two hours.

Along the way, Shu Yue was curious about their destination, but Anna told her to wait until they arrived.

When they reached their destination, Shu Yue saw a sturdy man waving at them. It was their companion, Mundo. He was tall and powerfully built, but his face looked a bit simple and foolish.

The three of them walked out of the forest together and arrived at the base of a steep cliff.

Shu Yue smelled the thick scent of blood in the air. She instantly became alert and soon spotted the source. It was a carriage that had rolled off the cliff, its wood shattered across the ground. There were pools of blood and chunks of flesh scattered everywhere. When they arrived, scavenger birds were happily pecking at two horse corpses, completely ignoring the approach of the three people.

Anna led Shu Yue to the corpse of a young man. Shu Yue looked confused and glanced up at Anna.

“Take a look at this.”

As Anna spoke, she handed over an opened letter.

Shu Yue took it, pulled out the letter paper, and scanned its contents. Her eyes narrowed.

In short, the letter instructed this illegitimate son, who had been raised in a rural town, Lia White, to go to Grey Pine City to receive his noble title and claim the status, power, and wealth he deserved.

The dead person before them should be that very Lia White.

Anna placed her hand on Shu Yue’s shoulder. The hand was trembling slightly, whether from excitement or nervousness.

“Shu Yue, this is an opportunity!”

“…”

Shu Yue didn’t understand what she meant.

Anna took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“With my disguise technique, I can make you look exactly like the person in the letter. As long as you take the token with you, you can replace this illegitimate son’s identity. Then, Shu Yue, you’ll be a noble!”

“But…”

“There’s no but, Shu Yue!” Anna interrupted her. “Do you really want to follow me and Mundo as adventurers for the rest of your life? Learning my low-level assassination techniques just to steal and rob?”

“I, Anna, am a thief, and he’s Mundo the fool. But you’re different, Shu Yue. You’re a genius!”

“Being an adventurer or pioneer here, you’ll never get access to those high-level spells. Second-tier combat power is the limit in this place. But once you become a noble, everything will change. You’ll gain access to higher circles, and with your talent, you’ll definitely go much further!”

The more Anna spoke, the more excited she became. Her grip on Shu Yue’s shoulder tightened until it hurt.

As someone born in the new era, Shu Yue not only felt no fondness for this world’s noble system but even harbored deep disgust toward it. Nobles exploited, oppressed, dumbed down, and tamed commoners, calling themselves a noble superior race while branding commoners as inherently lowly and inferior slaves.

Anna saw Shu Yue’s lowered eyelashes and naturally understood her thoughts. She suppressed her excitement and comforted her.

“Shu Yue, I know you dislike nobles, but this is a great chance to change your situation. You can become a noble, and Mundo and I can live a life of luxury with you. No more sleeping outdoors and eating in the wind, no more being so-called adventurers in this godforsaken outer region with our heads hanging from our belts every day. We can live properly and comfortably!”

“I…”

Shu Yue hesitated. She knew she shouldn’t agree with Anna. What if they were discovered?

Anna continued to persuade her.

“You know how good my disguise technique is. Plus, don’t you have that amazing alchemy of yours? You can refine his techniques into your own. You can use that as proof. And once you’re a noble, you’ll get a recommendation letter to attend Warrenmde Academy City. Isn’t that your dream?”

Warrenmde Academy City gathered the most powerful academies in the world. It was a place everyone yearned for. Even commoners who went there to gild themselves would be treated with respect by nobles upon their return.

Shu Yue had thought about going there before, but she was still too young, and the qualifications were almost entirely monopolized by nobles. She didn’t even have the right to participate in the entrance examinations, let alone attend the academy city.

Hearing this, Shu Yue wavered. She knew that without power, one could only become prey. If her secret were exposed and she lacked the strength to protect herself, her fate would be miserable. Her body would be dissected for research, and her soul would be searched for memories over and over again.

Thinking of this, Shu Yue bit her lower lip. She knew Anna was right. This was their opportunity.

“Alright, Sister Anna. We’ll do as you say.”

“Good child,” Anna breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you agreed. And if we’re discovered, we’ll escape immediately, just like the time we secretly sold those alchemical potions.”

“Mm…”

Shu Yue nodded gently and looked at the dead youth.

Impersonating someone was not their first time doing this. The last time, Shu Yue had impersonated an old alchemist to sell the potions she had refined. After being exposed, they were pursued by nobles and fled to this Pioneer Camp. The camp was a mixed bag of people, making it perfect for lying low.

Shu Yue squatted down near the corpse and lowered her eyes to look at the youth who had died with his eyes wide open.

If he hadn’t died, he would have become a noble, enjoying the glory and wealth that came with the title, vast cultivation resources, marrying a noble daughter as his wife, taking countless beauties as concubines, and building a vast family clan. While riding in the carriage, he must have been imagining his upcoming luxurious noble life.

But now he was dead. Everything had turned into nothing but a dream.

Her hand hovered ten centimeters above the youth’s corpse. Her fair, delicate palm seemed to glow faintly under the sunlight, forming a stark contrast with the mangled body below. The moment Shu Yue closed her eyes, a wave of magical power rippled out from her body. She silently chanted the incantation in her heart.

Quenching Star Art…

The corpse cracked inch by inch. Silver-white flames emerged from the fissures and quickly grew into a raging blaze.

Boom!

The silver fire completely engulfed and burned the youth’s corpse. A yellow stream of light slowly formed beneath Shu Yue’s palm, flowed toward her chest, and merged into her body. Shu Yue felt as if her head had been struck hard, but she quickly recovered. Fine sweat beaded on her smooth forehead.

The refined technique placed quite a burden on her soul. She had to give up some basic spells to make room for it before she felt slightly better. She closed her eyes to sense it and confirmed that she had mastered the technique and could use its abilities.

Firefly Rank · Fertile Earth Upon the Body?!

Under her control, several stones floated up. When she silently chanted the Stone Pierce Art in her mind, the stones shot forward and slammed into the cliff wall with a loud explosion. Anna and Mundo widened their eyes.

Shu Yue lowered her head and looked at her palm, murmuring softly,

“Does this count as stealing his life?”