Chapter 11 — Whispers in the Wind
Floating Cloud City had always been noisy.
Merchants shouting, children running, gossip flowing like the river. But lately, a different kind of noise had started swirling through the streets — quieter, sharper.
Whispers.
About the "lucky orphan" who'd killed a wild wolf.
About the "reckless boy" who dragged back the carcass of a Stonehide Boar.
About me.
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The Wrong Kind of Attention
I'd hoped to avoid it.
Kept my head down.
Played the fool.
Smiled and shrugged whenever anyone asked.
But Floating Cloud City was too small for secrets, and sooner or later, the wrong people noticed.
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The first sign came from the Xiao Clan.
A group of their outer disciples cornered me in the market, their smiles sharp, their eyes colder than the winter wind.
"Quite the hunter, aren't you?" one of them drawled, his voice dripping with false friendliness. "Killing beasts even our juniors hesitate to fight. Must be nice, having that kind of… luck."
I kept my expression harmless, my tone light.
"Just lucky, like you said," I answered, bowing slightly. "Nothing worth talking about."
They didn't believe me.
I could see it in their narrowed eyes, the way they lingered even after walking away.
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The Xiao Clan's Interest
The system chimed later that night, its tone neutral but the words chilling:
> [Warning: Increased surveillance detected. Xiao Clan operatives monitoring activity.]
Great.
Exactly what I didn't need.
The Xiao Clan ruled Floating Cloud City from the shadows — merchants, guards, even the city lord danced to their tune.
Being noticed by them wasn't an honor.
It was a death sentence waiting to be signed.
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Adjusting the Mask
The next days, I doubled down on my facade.
Worked longer hours.
Acted clumsy on purpose.
Let a merchant berate me for "ruining" a delivery I'd deliberately dropped.
Anything to make myself look like the same harmless, unlucky kid they'd always ignored.
But even as I played the fool, I trained harder than ever.
Every night, out past the walls, I honed my energy flow, practiced precision, and memorized every escape route in and out of the city.
If they came for me, I wouldn't be ready to fight them.
But I'd be ready to vanish.
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The Bigger Picture
Still, the attention gnawed at me.
If a few beast kills were enough to stir whispers, what would happen in two years, when the story truly began?
When Yun Che returned.
When chaos exploded.
The thought kept me up more nights than I cared to admit.
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System Analysis
> [Recommendation: Increase simulation focus on stealth, evasion, and infiltration.]
[Suggested Worlds: Assassin's Creed, Naruto (ANBU Ops), or Metal Gear Solid.]
I stared at the prompt, a grim smile tugging at my lips.
If Floating Cloud City wanted to watch me, fine.
Let them.
Because when the time came, I'd be ready to disappear before they even realized I was gone.
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