Chapter 109: Daytime Stalking

The air was fresh and clear as Lu Feng walked down the winding stone roads that connected the noble estates of the upper district to the sprawling commercial heart of Crimson Vale. The bustling noise of the city grew louder with every step, a vibrant backdrop of street vendors calling out their wares, blacksmiths hammering at their anvils, and horse-drawn wagons clattering over the cobblestones.

As he strolled along the busy avenue, a sweet, toasted scent caught his attention. He paused near a wooden street stall where an old vendor was turning sticks of candied hawthorn berries and fried dough twists over a small charcoal stove, coating them in a glossy, golden sugar glaze. Feeling a sudden craving, Lu Feng stepped up to the stall.

"How much for two sticks of the candied berries?" Lu Feng asked, pointing at the fresh batch.

"Five copper coins for two sticks, young master!" the vendor answered with a toothy smile.

Lu Feng paused, about to reach into his coin pouch, when Han Lin’s voice involuntarily echoed in his mind. ’Young Master, you can’t just pay the first price they give you in the market! Half of these stall owners double their prices the moment they see fine robes!’

Before he quite realized what he was doing, the words slipped out of his mouth. "Five copper coins? For two hawthorn sticks? Three coppers, old man. They’re already cooling down, and the sugar glaze looks a bit thin on that side."

He even went as far as pointing a side of the stick to show that the glaze was indeed thinned out around that spot.

The vendor gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded. "Three coppers?! Young master, the price of refined sugar in the city has doubled this month! Four coppers, not a single coin less, or I’m losing money!"

Lu Feng stared at the vendor for a second, then suddenly blinked as the absurdity of the situation hit him. He was a rich young master living in a massive estate, yet here he was, actively haggling over a single copper coin on a dirt roadside like a frugal maidservant.

He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head at how easily Han Lin’s daily habits had rubbed off on him. Rather than dragging out the negotiation over pennies, Lu Feng reached into his belt pouch, pulled out a small, gleaming silver coin, and flipped it lightly toward the vendor.

"Keep the change," Lu Feng said with a light laugh, picking up two sticks of the glossy treats.

The vendor’s eyes practically turned into golden coins as he caught the silver piece. He bowed repeatedly, his voice dripping with sudden reverence. "Bless you, noble young master! May your paths be prosperous and your fortunes endless!"

Munching on the crispy, sweet treats, Lu Feng continued his walk down the avenue. The tangy sweetness of the fruit paired perfectly with the warm sugar, making for a pleasant morning snack. As he walked, he found himself lightly humming a soft, rhythmic melody—a tune he couldn’t quite place or remember where he had first heard it, but one that seemed to fit the easygoing pace of his morning walk.

However, as he crossed the threshold into the busier market sector, his heightened senses picked up a subtle anomaly.

It wasn’t a loud noise or an obvious movement, but rather a persistent, calculated presence that stayed exactly twenty paces behind him, moving fluidly through the thick crowd. Whenever Lu Feng slowed his pace to look at a stall, the presence paused behind a fruit wagon or a fabric display. Whenever he sped up, the faint rustle of robes followed suit.

Someone was tailing him.

Lu Feng’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He continued humming his tune, taking another bite of his candied hawthorns while keeping his internal spiritual energy completely relaxed.

Whoever was following him was taking great care to mask their aura, but their choice of target was unfortunate—Lu Feng’s perception was far too sharp to be fooled by basic street tailing.

Instead of turning into a quiet alleyway to confront the stalker, Lu Feng decided to test the person’s patience. He casually veered off the main road and stepped into the Laughing Toad Tavern, the same noisy place her tailed Black Rat to a few days ago.

The thick smell of roasted meat, stale ale, and smoke washed over him as he stepped inside. Lu Feng found a vacant wooden table near the corner of the ground floor, ordered a small pot of light tea, and sat down comfortably.

He stayed in the tavern for about fifteen minutes, slowly sipping his tea and listening to the ambient gossip of the patrons while watching the front entrance out of the corner of his eye. Outside, through the open wooden shutters, he caught a brief glimpse of a hooded silhouette leaning casually against a stone pillar across the street, pretending to examine a basket of braided ropes while keeping a steady gaze on the tavern’s doorway.

’Patience is good, at least,’ Lu Feng thought to himself with a subtle, amused smile. ’He isn’t rushing, which means he’s strictly here to gather intelligence on my routine.’

Having confirmed that the tail was persistent and sole-focused on tracking his movements, Lu Feng finished his tea, set down a few copper coins on the table, and calmly stood up. He stepped out of the tavern and resumed his walk, heading deeper into the district toward the quiet street where Lin Laifu’s personal residence was located.

The hooded shadow immediately fell back into position, maintaining the same disciplined distance as they moved through the quieter residential avenues. Lu Feng didn’t bother to address the tail or alter his path. He simply strolled along, letting the stalker watch every single step he took right up until he reached the heavy, reinforced iron-studded gates of Lin Laifu’s private estate.

Two tall guards dressed in the familiar uniforms of the Lin household stood at the entrance. The moment they recognized Lu Feng walking toward them, their eyes widened, and they immediately stood at full attention, bowing low at the waist.

"Welcome, Young Master Lu!" the head guard greeted respectfully. "Manager Lin is currently inside reviewing the monthly accounts. Please, come right in!"

"Thank you," Lu Feng replied pleasantly, stepping past the threshold into the courtyard.

Before the gates swung shut behind him, Lu Feng casually glanced back over his shoulder through the narrowing gap.

A few hundred yards down the quiet avenue, partially concealed within the deep shadow cast by a tall stone wall, the hooded figure stood motionless. The stalker stared intently at the grand entrance of the Lin estate, clearly surprised by Lu Feng’s high-status destination. Realizing that the target had entered a heavily guarded noble domain, the figure finally turned on his heel and melted back into the alleys, disappearing from sight.

Lu Feng’s lips curved into a quiet, faint smile as the estate gates clicked shut, locking the outside world away. He turned toward the main residence, his eyes sharp and calculated as he walked toward the inner hall to meet Lin Laifu.