Just as Ji Xun entered the Dark Rain Street black market, a team had already been lurking there for several days.
This was an elite squad of the Black Water Mercenary Group, specialized in tracking.
They had received strict orders to find the two spell card apprentices who had previously cleared space 407.
Such tracking squads were numerous in Sinless City; wherever there were many people, the Cao family from the governor's office had arranged their forces.
However, this was already the fourth day.
The scent was impossible to discern, and the only image they had was of someone wearing a gas mask. The only reliable physical characteristic was height, but that could vary significantly with a change of shoes.
With just these scant clues, finding these two people in the vast crowds of Sinless City was almost impossible.
Inside a small shop in the Dark Rain Street black market, with black curtains and a sign reading "Harley Motorcycle Customization Shop," the atmosphere was somewhat depressing. Five people were discussing something.
There was a strong man from the Courage Sequence [Ace of Hearts - Radiant Knight], a red-haired woman from the Element Sequence [8 of Diamonds - Element Controller], a bespectacled man from the Light Sequence [3 of Hearts - Healer], and a hooded man from the Fallen Sequence [2 of Hearts - Ranger], who was skilled in mechanics and tracking.
A warrior, a mage, a doctor, and a ranger—this was the standard configuration of an elite mercenary squad.
Additionally, there was an old white-haired woman in a black robe, shuffling tarot cards.
They had been staking out the black market for several days.
Believing that the targets might try to sell some rare treasures they obtained in space 407 in the black market, their squad had been assigned to wait here.
Originally, it wouldn't have been their fault if they couldn't find them—it would have been blamed on bad luck.
But this time, the Cao family had given strict orders.
If they failed, many people would die.
"This task is really impossible. They didn't even specify who we're supposed to find or what we're looking for..."
"Yeah. Can't they give us a clearer target? Just saying 'find two people'—how are we supposed to do that?"
"Stop complaining. We better pray we can find them. Otherwise...you know, it's been days since we heard from Deputy Leader Xing. It's said that since the fourth young master of the Cao family returned from the Devil's Cross, he's been in a terrible mood. Several of his personal maids have been executed recently."
"..."
The longer they waited, the more frustrated they became, but they were helpless.
"Captain, do you think it's really good for our Black Water Group to be incorporated into the governor's office? We used to do things for money, but at least we could choose our tasks and live freely. But now? We're just dogs for the Cao family—rewarded when useful, discarded when not."
"Stop complaining. We made our choice, and there's no turning back."
"Yeah. The leader didn't make a wrong choice. Now that the Old Continent has been discovered, even the aristocrats of the Federation are envious of the treasures in the ruins. The major council families will gradually extend their reach. You know their methods and power. Sinless City will eventually fall under Federation control... The leader just wants us to have a legitimate identity when that happens..."
"Sigh..."
With this, everyone in the room fell silent.
At this moment, the warrior captain turned to the old woman who was divining with tarot cards and asked, "Madam Bai, how's the divination going?"
She was their only hope of finding their targets in this mission.
Physical tracking no longer provided any clues; they had to rely on supernatural means.
Hearing this, the old woman also showed a look of helplessness and shook her head.
Her eyes were clear and bright, contrasting sharply with her aged face.
She was a rare spell card master of the Wisdom Sequence [5 of Hearts - Prophet]. The demon mark pointed to the great demon god Lamo, giving her some ability to foresee the future.
Originally a retainer of the Cao family, she was now assigned to help find the two people from space 407.
The old woman continued, "The vaguer the clue for divination, the lower the probability of getting a result."
Pausing, she gestured to the golden cards in her hand and said, "Moreover, the cost of using this level II relic is high. My lifespan can only support me through five more divinations. After that, I won't be able to help you anymore."
"..."
Hearing this, the others fell silent, their faces darkening.
Over the past four days, they had watched the diviner transform from a black-haired girl into the white-haired old woman she was now.
Using the relic had cost her decades of her life.
But even so, she had to continue divining.
They understood that the Cao family must have lost something very important. If they couldn't find it, none of them would survive.
However, the limitations of her divination ability were significant.
Not only did it consume her lifespan, but the relic could only lock onto targets within a one-kilometer radius.
This meant they could only wait in the Dark Rain Street black market.
If the targets didn't come near, they wouldn't be able to find them.
It was like a blind cat waiting for a dead mouse.
After four days, they had lost hope.
Desperation was spreading among the team.
But suddenly, there was a breakthrough!
The old woman flipped a few new cards, revealing a straight flush of Hearts 10, J, Q, K, and A.
In card divination, this represented a "miracle."
It meant the targets were within a one-kilometer radius.
Seeing this arrangement, the old woman was initially stunned, then overjoyed: "Found them! They're nearby!"
Hearing this, the others in the room instantly perked up and rushed out of the shop.
...
Ji Xun knew that the Cao family's eldest son would never give up looking for him.
So, wherever he was, he remained vigilant.
If they were tracking based on clues, Ji Xun felt he had hidden well enough to be nearly impossible to find.
But this was a world with supernatural abilities.
Ji Xun knew that several sequences among the fifty-two spell card master sequences had esoteric abilities, such as the [5 of Diamonds - Prophet].
Although spell card masters proficient in divination were extremely rare, he thought that with the Cao family's power, they could find a few.
So whenever possible, Ji Xun used the [Joker Mask].
The mask had an exemption ability against esoteric spells.
Because of this caution, he sensed a crisis in advance once again.
Just moments ago, while discussing breathing techniques with the owner of the "Silver Star Mystery Shop," he suddenly saw a prompt for "Esoteric Spell Exemption."
This meant that someone nearby was possibly divining him.
Moreover, they might have already pinpointed his location through some means!
...
The shop owner also keenly noticed a sudden sharpness in his customer's expression and slightly narrowed his eyes, unsure of what had just happened.
To him, it seemed improbable that anyone would be foolish enough to attempt a robbery in the black market.
Ji Xun's first thought was that he might have walked into a pre-set trap, starting from when he encountered that woman... until now.
But he quickly dismissed this thought.
Ji Xun was certain that the mysterious spell just now had nothing to do with the shop owner in front of him.
Glancing at the dim street outside, Ji Xun thought of something. Instead of rushing to flee, he asked, "Boss, do you have any [Annihilation Demon-Breaking Bullets]?"
This was an advanced rune bullet mentioned by hunters, with extremely complex manufacturing processes and a strong demon-breaking effect, capable of causing lethal damage to formal spell card masters.
They cost over ten thousand each.
However, they were rarely available in regular shops.
At least none of the gun shops Ji Xun had visited before had them.
But perhaps this black market shop did.
Hearing this, the shop owner scrutinized Ji Xun for the third time.
He wasn't just a black market owner but a steward of the largest gang in Sinless City, Hong Lou.
Over the years, he had seen countless people. What kind of person hadn't he encountered?
But in that instant, he felt the customer before him had changed, suddenly exuding a chilling killing intent.
The young lady's introduction was intriguing.
The shop owner muttered to himself, then said to Ji Xun, "Yes, I have some."
He didn't know what Ji Xun wanted the bullets for, but the unintentional killing intent just now had indicated something.
That killing intent wasn't aimed at him but at something outside on the street.
He asked with interest, "How many do you need?"
Ji Xun replied, "I need... six."
The shop owner didn't waste words. With a flick of his hand, six pitch-black, special bullets appeared on the table, not even mentioning the price.
Ji Xun examined them; the bullets were inscribed with intricate and mysterious runes, resembling six snake fangs—cold and deadly.
He immediately loaded the bullets into his revolvers, one gun with alternating rounds of regular and annihilation bullets, the other loaded with three annihilation bullets after every two rounds.
The shop owner watched with interest, thinking: someone is going to have a bad day with that loading method.
He didn't say anything, not fearing Ji Xun would take the goods and run.
Six [Annihilation Bullets] cost 120,000, and Ji Xun didn't have cash on him.
Recognizing the shop owner's extraordinary demeanor, Ji Xun said, "I don't have cash with me, can I use these as collateral?"
Saying this, he took out a stack of cards he had brought from space 407.
The shop owner didn't even glance at the cards and readily agreed, "Of course. Actually, just the name you mentioned earlier would have sufficed."
"Thank you."
Without further ado, Ji Xun turned and left the shop.
Knowing he was already exposed, he didn't care about the cards anymore.
Watching Ji Xun leave, the middle-aged man had a contemplative expression.
Sometimes, it wasn't just about assessing a person's strength; the unintentional aura they exuded was the most accurate way to judge someone.
His intuition told him that the young man just now was very different.