The sound of flesh being torn by teeth and the bloody scene before her eyes sent a violent shock through Tong Yang’s psyche.
Even though she prided herself on having strong mental fortitude, the sight still made her scalp tingle with revulsion.
As if sensing someone behind her, the girl paused mid-action and slowly turned her head.
Under the dim glow of the cafeteria lights, her face was smeared with blood, rivulets of it dripping from the corners of her lips. A mangled chunk of flesh dangled from her mouth.
“Want some?” The girl tilted her head and extended the half-eaten, unrecognizable arm toward her.
Suppressing the nausea rising in her chest, Tong Yang noted with some confusion that neither the man in the cafeteria nor this girl seemed to realize she was from the real world—they treated her as one of their own.
“No thanks,” Tong Yang replied, turning her face away in disgust.
“Oh.” The girl lowered her head again and resumed gnawing on the raw flesh.
Suddenly, she looked up once more, her lips curling into a dazed, unsettling grin. “You look delicious. I love eating eyes. Can I have one of yours?”
Tong Yang stared down at her, tightening her grip on the fruit knife in her hand. “Sure.”
She seized the girl by her hair, exposing her blood-smeared neck, and drove the blade straight through the side.
A moment later, she yanked the knife free, wiped it clean on the girl’s clothes, and tossed it aside.
This parallel world was far worse than she’d imagined. Judging by the people she’d encountered so far, there were barely any normal ones left.
At least the situation was different now. Since she’d entered this world willingly, they didn’t seem to recognize her true identity.
Returning to the school building, she noticed a few scattered classrooms with their lights on. Tong Yang decided to check each one, hoping to find someone who could tell her where Ye Wen was.
The second lit classroom she entered had a man standing at the podium, clutching a blood-stained piece of chalk as he slowly scrawled something on the blackboard.
Tong Yang paused at the doorway, squinting at the words written in white chalk smeared with fresh red streaks: “All Absent.” The still-wet blood left tear-like trails down the board.
“Excuse me, teacher,” she called, rapping the doorframe with the hilt of her knife to get his attention. “Do you know where student Ye Wen is?”
The man turned stiffly toward her, his expression blank. At a glance, he looked perfectly ordinary.
“Don’t know,” he answered coldly.
“Alright.” Tong Yang shrugged and turned to leave.
She had no idea how many people were in this school. Killing them one by one would be too time-consuming.
And while she could handle them individually, the real danger would be if they all ganged up on her.
“Aren’t you staying for class?” the man suddenly asked.
“Nah, I’ve already graduated.”
She waved dismissively and moved toward the next classroom.
“It’s fine. You can listen to my lecture.”
Tong Yang hesitated, then spun around and strode into the room. In one swift motion, she drove her knife upward through his jaw, piercing his skull.
A thought had struck her—if she didn’t take him out now while he was alone, he might become a bigger problem later.
Right now, these creatures didn’t seem hostile toward her. But if they figured out who she really was, things would get ugly.
With the man dealt with, she left the classroom and flicked off the light on her way out.
The next lit room was completely empty—no desks, no chairs.
“Weird,” Tong Yang muttered.
Her gaze swept over the pristine white walls, marred by streaks of blood that looked like they’d dripped from above.
She stepped closer and noticed patches where the wall’s color didn’t match the rest—slightly yellowed, as if soaked in liquid. Pressing her hand against it, she recoiled at the damp, slimy texture, like rotting tofu.
Realization hit her like a punch to the gut.
She slashed the wall with her knife, and a thick, pasty substance oozed out—pale, minced meat, resembling ground pork from a grinder.
Tong Yang’s face twisted in disgust. This wasn’t a wall. It was a layer of pulverized human flesh plastered over it. After what she’d seen earlier, she didn’t need to guess whose.
Frantic, she wiped her hand on the curtains, only to freeze at the unnatural texture. Steeling herself, she lifted the fabric with the tip of her knife and spotted faint stitching on the reverse side.
The “curtain” was stitched together from the skins of at least seven or eight children.
“Fuck…” Tong Yang cursed under her breath. What kind of deranged monsters populated this parallel world? “Tong Yang” had been right—they were terrifying.
Thank god Ye Huai and Xu Junyue hadn’t come here. One would’ve had a heart attack from fear, and the other, blind as she was, would’ve been tormented beyond imagination.
Tong Yang wanted out. She’d rather face a mob of these things hunting her in the real world than spend another second in this disgusting nightmare.
A chilly night wind whispered through the halls, carrying with it the screech of nails scraping against a blackboard. The sound grated on her nerves, persistent and maddening, until she finally gave in and followed it to another classroom.
Inside, a woman with disheveled hair stood at the podium. In the third row sat a little girl with twin pigtails.
After her earlier encounters, Tong Yang wasn’t taking any chances. She peered through the window first, relieved to see the girl looked normal—if a bit pale—her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the woman.
The woman’s body was pressed flush against the blackboard, her movements controlled by nearly invisible fishing lines suspended above her. As her nails dragged across the board, the lines quivered in response.
Circling to the second window, Tong Yang saw the truth: the woman had no lower body. She was entirely suspended by those threads, her lifeless, blood-drained skin a sickly gray.
“Big sister, do you want to watch with me?”
The little girl turned toward her, her expression sweetly innocent.
Tong Yang pressed her lips together. “Freaks.”
“No thanks.”
“Can I see your nails? My toy is about to break.”
Tong Yang countered, “Do you know Ye Wen?”
The girl blinked. “You mean the kid they brought in a few days ago?”
A spark of hope flickered in Tong Yang’s chest. “Yes, him.”
“He’s been hidden away.”
“By who? Where?”
“I saw his nails. Too short. I didn’t like them.”
Tong Yang considered this. If Ye Wen was hidden, that might actually be a good thing under the circumstances.
“I can take you to him.”
“You know where he is?”
“Mhm. I just don’t like him.”
“Fine. Take me to him.”
The little girl smiled. “Then you have to be my toy.”
“Deal,” Tong Yang agreed without hesitation.
“Yay!”
The little girl stepped out of the classroom, glanced at Tong Yang’s neatly trimmed nails, and flashed a regretful expression. "Come back when your nails grow longer. Then you can be my toy."
Tong Yang curved her eyes into a smile. "Sure."
The little girl led the way as the two traversed a pitch-black hallway, arriving at the first floor of the cafeteria.
"Who else is here besides you?" Tong Yang asked casually.
The girl walked ahead without answering.
She didn’t stop at the cafeteria, continuing forward instead. As the surroundings grew increasingly unfamiliar, Tong Yang’s breathing quickened, and she halted.
"Where are you taking me?"
The little girl slowly turned around. Under the moonlight, her pallid face looked eerie as she narrowed her pitch-black pupils. "To find Ye Wen."
"Then tell me first—where is he?"
The girl hesitated. "I don’t know."
Tong Yang’s expression darkened. "Are you messing with me?"
The girl’s pupils dilated, her lips curling upward. "Yes."
With that, she pulled a short blade from her sleeve and lunged at Tong Yang.
"Big sister, you promised me."
Tong Yang watched coldly, effortlessly catching her wrist.
"Don’t worry, sister. After you die, I’ll pull the teacher’s nails out for you. Then we can—ugh!"
Tong Yang shoved the knife into her mouth, pressing the blade against her tongue. A shallow cut drew blood. "I’ll ask one more time. Tell the truth—have you seen him?"
Tears welled in the girl’s eyes as she mumbled, "Sister… I’m scared…"
"I’ll count to three. Say yes or no."
Tong Yang’s gaze was steady, showing no mercy just because her opponent was a child.
The girl stopped her useless crying and pleading, biting down on the blade before kicking Tong Yang hard in the knee.
Grimacing, Tong Yang tried to drive the knife deeper, but the girl’s teeth clamped tightly around it. Instead, Tong Yang kicked her square in the chest, sending her flying. The violent motion wrenched the knife free with a screech, scattering seven or eight bloodied teeth and chunks of flesh across the floor.
The girl opened her bloodied mouth and wailed.
To silence her before the noise drew attention, Tong Yang strode forward and slit her throat.
"What a waste of time."
She kicked the body aside and looked up to see a man and woman standing at the edge of the playground.
"Sui Sui?"
"You… killed Sui Sui?"
Their faces were indistinct, but she could see them slowly advancing toward her.
Tong Yang took two steps back, then turned and bolted.
Against one opponent, she might’ve fought unscathed. But two? That was a different story. Right now, survival was the priority.
From the looks of it, the little girl had deliberately lured her toward the adults.
Returning to the school building, Tong Yang noticed more and more classrooms lighting up, shadows flickering against the walls.
"This is bad," she muttered. If she didn’t find Ye Wen and leave soon, her cover would be blown.
The man and woman chased her into the building. Once on the second floor, Tong Yang darted toward the glass corridor but froze mid-step when she spotted someone sitting inside a classroom.
"Ye Huai?" she whispered.
Ye Huai sat in the front row, his eyes still covered by the blindfold. At the sound of her voice, he tilted his head slightly in her direction.
"Choose whether to trust her," a voice crackled through Tong Yang’s long-silent earpiece.
"If you choose to trust, remove the blindfold."
Footsteps pounded behind her. Tong Yang twisted aside just as the man’s cleaver slammed into the wall.
"Don’t take it off yet!" she shouted in the chaos.
If Ye Huai saw this, she worried he’d drop dead from a heart attack on the spot.
"Sui Sui…"
Dodging their attacks, Tong Yang’s back slammed against a door. Before she could react, the cleaver came down again.
She ducked, the blade slicing through her sleeve before embedding itself in the door with a thud.
Seizing the moment, Tong Yang yanked the door shut, smashing it into the man’s head. The force wedged the cleaver firmly in the wood, leaving him momentarily disarmed.
She slipped under his arm, coming face-to-face with the woman. In one fluid motion, she drove her knife into the woman’s chest—but not before the woman’s own blade slashed across Tong Yang’s abdomen.
Pain flared. Tong Yang gritted her teeth, twisting the knife inside the woman’s flesh. A final wail escaped before the woman collapsed.
As Tong Yang moved to retreat, she caught sight of Ye Huai in the classroom. He had removed the blindfold and was watching her silently.
Damn it. If he had a heart attack now, who would pay her? That old bastard Ye Tianlin would never cough up the money…
"Left," Ye Huai murmured.
Tong Yang barely dodged the incoming strike. She pulled another knife from her pocket, plunging it into the man’s lower abdomen before kicking his cleaver away. Snatching it up, she swung with lightning speed, nearly severing his shoulder.
Flesh split. The man staggered, his head lolling to one side, but he kept coming.
Originally, Tong Yang had held back for Ye Huai’s sake. But if this guy wouldn’t stop until he was dead, so be it.
One final swing. The cleaver struck his neck with a wet crunch. His head tumbled through the air in a perfect arc, landing squarely on Ye Huai’s desk.
Blood splattered across the boy’s pale skin, droplets clinging to his lashes.
"Y-you okay?" Tong Yang asked nervously. "If you have a heart attack here, I can’t save you."
Mostly, she just didn’t want her efforts to go to waste if he died of fright.
Ye Huai blinked, a bead of blood dripping from his lashes. His expression remained blank. "Perhaps you could choose a more aesthetically pleasing method."
Tong Yang shrugged. "I prefer straightforward solutions."
Ye Huai glanced around. "Is this a parallel world?"
"Yeah. How’d you get here? Where’s Xu Junyue?"
"Unclear. Dr. Wu’s instructions brought me."
Tong Yang frowned. "Who is Dr. Wu, really?"
"He claims to be a researcher from Unit 749. Since we’ve successfully entered, his true identity is irrelevant."
Ye Huai stood, studying the sky outside. "How long have you been here?"
"About twenty minutes."
"Is Ye Wen here?"
"He should be, but I haven’t found him yet."
Ye Huai nodded. "Understood."
Tong Yang eyed him suspiciously. "You don’t seem surprised."
"Why would I be? You told me parallel worlds exist."
"Just be careful. This place is dangerous."
"Mm."
Tong Yang stepped onto the balcony, scanning both sides. For now, no one else had noticed them.
Ye Huai really was an oddball—how could he remain so calm at a time like this? She had only fully accepted this bizarre situation after dying twice.
But then again, if his mental resilience weren’t strong enough, he would’ve long been beaten to death or driven mad by Ye Tianlin.
"Congratulations to the three of you for successfully entering the parallel world."
Dr. Wu’s voice echoed simultaneously in both their earpieces.
Tong Yang paused for a moment. "Xu Junyue is here too?"
"First, don’t dwell on my identity. I mean you no harm—for now. This is merely an experiment."
"Second, since you entered the parallel world through the 'Elevator Game,' they won’t immediately recognize your true identities. Of course, if you’re discovered, the consequences are self-explanatory."
"Lastly, you’ll need to participate in a game. The prize for winning is Ye Wen."
"The game begins at 2 a.m. and lasts four hours. If you secure the prize within that time, you can return to the real world. Otherwise, Ye Wen will remain in this world forever—until death."
Tong Yang spoke up, "I have a question."
After a brief silence, the earpiece crackled to life. "Go ahead."
"What’s the purpose of this experiment?"
"The purpose is to determine whether you should continue engaging with the parallel world."
"Does Ye Wen’s disappearance have anything to do with you?" Ye Huai asked.
"Who knows? Maybe it’s just a coincidence."
Listening to Dr. Wu’s words, Tong Yang fell into thought.
The experiment was meant to assess their suitability for further contact with the parallel world—sounding more like a test or selection process. Tong Yang wasn’t fond of being forced into such a passive position.
But now that they were already trapped, they had no choice but to play by Dr. Wu’s rules.
After all, Tong Yang’s goal was to rescue Ye Wen.
"You have ninety minutes until 2 a.m. Rest where you are."
Since Ye Wen was the prize, searching for her now would be futile. Better to conserve their energy—though it was unclear where Xu Junyue had gone.
Tong Yang found a spot to sit, lifting her shirt to inspect the wound on her abdomen. Fortunately, it wasn’t deep, and the blood had already clotted, no longer bleeding.
Meanwhile, Ye Huai kept his head lowered, his expression distant and contemplative.
"Were we chosen for this experiment because all three of us have had contact with people or objects from the parallel world?"
He glanced at Tong Yang, only to find her tending to her wound. He quickly averted his gaze.
Tong Yang didn’t mind, continuing to wipe away the dried blood. "What’s on your mind?"
Ye Huai replied, "I’ve met Ye Tianlin from the parallel world. Miss Xu accidentally entered it once. But what about you? If the condition was contact with the parallel world, your brother should’ve been chosen instead."
"My brother isn’t even ten yet," Tong Yang shot him a look. "If that bastard surnamed Wu drags my brother into something like this in the future, I’ll kill him."
She was also slightly wary of Ye Huai—this lunatic.
Seeming to grasp her implication, Ye Huai met her eyes briefly before murmuring, "Just because I want to kill Ye Tianlin doesn’t mean I’ve lost my humanity."
"Who knows?"
Once she’d cleaned her wound, Tong Yang moved to the back of the classroom, pushing a few chairs together to lie down and rest.
Rather than wasting time overthinking, it was better to prepare for the game in ninety minutes.
As for Xu Junyue—she’d made her own choice. Tong Yang had warned her and wouldn’t risk searching for her now.
Ye Huai relocated to the window, staring outside with a troubled expression.
Time passed in silence until Tong Yang, half-asleep, heard the faint sound of a familiar broadcast melody.
She pushed herself up from the chairs, realizing the sound wasn’t coming from the earpiece but from the classroom speakers.
"All faculty and students, please assemble in the schoolyard."
Tong Yang and Ye Huai exchanged a glance. Soon after, slow, shuffling footsteps echoed through the silent hallway.
A figure passed by the window, prompting Tong Yang to get up and investigate.
On the balcony, several figures were making their way downstairs. They walked forward in eerie silence, as if the entire world had been muted—save for the sound of footsteps.
And whether teacher or student, each walked alone.
"In 2024, Earth’s resources drastically diminished. To preserve the quality of life for the elite few, ordinary people were forced into games of mutual slaughter—reducing the human burden and redistributing the remaining resources," Dr. Wu’s voice explained through the earpiece.
"These aren’t the real faculty or students of Hailing International School. They’ve entered this way to claim its resources."
Tong Yang watched the scene quietly. The parallel world had become a vast, real-life slaughterhouse game. How many years had it taken to reach this point? How many survivors were left?
"Let’s go," Tong Yang said.
"Right."
The two left the classroom, maintaining a deliberate distance as they moved. Tong Yang scanned the crowd for Xu Junyue but found no trace of her.
Before the game began, the people around them showed no hostility. Even as Tong Yang walked past, they didn’t spare her a glance—utterly indifferent.
Following the crowd into the schoolyard, Tong Yang and Ye Huai positioned themselves at a distance within the formation.
Tong Yang took a quick survey—two to three hundred people had gathered, ranging from gray-haired elders to frail children. They stood in a dense, motionless mass, like statues. If not for having seen them move earlier, one might think them frozen in time.
"The ninth mass assault of Hailing International School will now commence. The targets this time are the fifty individuals on stage."
Suddenly, the stage curtains dropped. Two harsh spotlights illuminated the platform, where fifty people stood in three neat rows, silver chains coiled around their necks, glinting coldly under the light.
Tong Yang’s gaze swept across the stage until she spotted Xu Junyue in the second row, left side—dressed in a white dress.
Unlike the numb expressions around her, her face was etched with fear and tension, tear tracks faintly visible on her cheeks.
How had she ended up there?
Tong Yang frowned.
"Killing one target grants 100 points. Killing an attacker grants 10 points. Points can be stolen from others, but targets may only flee. The game lasts four hours. The highest-scoring attacker receives a prize, while the ten lowest-scoring become the next round’s targets."
"Targets who survive until the end earn their freedom."
The prize for the highest score must be Ye Wen.
Killing one target was worth 100 points—equivalent to killing ten attackers. And with the bottom ten becoming the next targets, the safest strategy was to eliminate at least two targets for 200 points, then find a hiding spot to avoid losing points to others.
Tong Yang's goal was to save Ye Wen, which meant she had to earn the highest points while also avoiding being killed by others.
Tong Yang wasn’t too worried about herself—she had enough confidence and experience to protect herself. But what about Ye Huai and Xu Junyue? One was a sickly weakling, and the other seemed blind and could only run away. How could she ensure they stayed safe while still securing the top score?
She should have come in alone. Damn Dr. Wu for this mess!
"All attackers, leave the field. Tracking of the hunted will resume in twenty minutes."
Tong Yang exchanged a glance with Ye Huai and blended into the dispersing crowd. Instead of returning to the school building, they lingered by the field, waiting until the hunted—marked by chains around their necks—left the stage and scattered to find hiding spots.
Xu Junyue walked slowly at the back of the group, the heavy chain resting against her collarbone. Though trembling with fear, she forced herself to stay composed. Perhaps accustomed to darkness, she could still navigate using sound and scent even without her guide dog.
Meanwhile, many of the attackers lingered by classroom windows, watching the hunted with predatory gazes. The moment the countdown ended, they would charge.
Tong Yang and Ye Huai stayed hidden, biding their time.
As Xu Junyue passed by, she suddenly paused and turned her face toward them.
Once the others were gone, she hesitantly called out, "Tong Yang?"
Tong Yang knew her sense of smell was sharp—she must have caught her scent.
Seeing no one around, Tong Yang pulled her behind cover.
"What are you doing here?" Tong Yang frowned.
Xu Junyue looked helpless, shaking her head. "I don’t know. I just followed Dr. Wu’s instructions, and then…"
Ye Huai leaned against the wall, silently observing them. "Dr. Wu’s intention was for the three of us to complete the game and win the prize. Why did you end up as one of the hunted?"
Tong Yang didn’t answer, studying Xu Junyue’s pale face under the moonlight. She had the same question.
The broadcast had said the bottom ten in rankings would become the next round’s hunted, meaning the current hunted were the previous round’s bottom fifty. So why was Xu Junyue among them?
Xu Junyue pressed her lips together, her expression lost and vulnerable. "I don’t know…"
Her long lashes trembled, evoking pity. "I heard what Dr. Wu said. If you kill me for points, you can save Ye Wen. I’m just a useless person anyway—sooner or later, someone else will kill me. Might as well die by your hands and at least…"
She didn’t finish, but the implication was clear.
Seeing her feigned bravery despite her fear, Tong Yang lowered her gaze.
Ye Huai nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Miss Xu."
Xu Junyue stiffened slightly, her lashes fluttering as she turned to Tong Yang. "Tong Yang, since we’ve known each other, could you take care of Lion for me? He’s like family. If I die, he’s the one I’d worry about most."
Tong Yang sighed and patted her shoulder solemnly. "Then go in peace. I’ll take care of Lion for you."
A tear slipped from Xu Junyue’s eye. "Even though we haven’t known each other long, Tong Yang… I really like you."
"Don’t worry. I’ll remember your death anniversary and burn paper offerings for you every year with Lion."
Xu Junyue: "…"
"Mr. Ye, if possible, I’d like to donate my heart to you before I die."
"Thank you, but no need."
"Then go ahead."
"Alright."
Tong Yang pulled out a sharp fruit knife from her pocket and said earnestly, "Sorry. I’ll make it quick."
Xu Junyue twitched, barely suppressing a smirk.
Tong Yang stepped forward, gripping her neck and pressing the blade against it—
"Wait, you’re actually going through with it?" Xu Junyue burst out laughing, dropping the act. "Are your hearts made of iron? Not even a hint of hesitation?"
"Tch." Tong Yang scowled. "Stay still. I’ll make it painless."
"You bastard! I’m a blind, helpless woman, and you’re this heartless? After everything I said, you still want to kill me? Shouldn’t normal people say, ‘Don’t worry, we’d never abandon you’? Aren’t we comrades who came in together?"
Tong Yang gave her a disgusted look. "You’ve watched too many dramas. In this situation, you should maximize your value so you don’t drag us down."
"What about him, then? This sickly guy? Why not kill him instead?"
"No way." Tong Yang’s reply was firm. "He has to go back alive and pay me."
Xu Junyue pushed the knife away and crossed her arms, dropping the act entirely. "I thought I played my part well. How did you figure me out?"
Tong Yang ignored the question, staring at her eyes. "Can you actually see or not?"
Xu Junyue closed her left eye. "Now I can’t."
Tong Yang rolled her eyes. So she was just blind in one eye.
"You didn’t answer me. How did you know?"
Ye Huai stood to the side, uninterested in their conversation.
Tong Yang said, "Do you think a real blind person would do something like this? And when the lights came on earlier, you instinctively closed your eyes."
Xu Junyue pouted. "Are you a cop or something? Why so observant?"
"So what do you actually want?"
Xu Junyue’s expression turned serious. "I’m looking for someone."
"Someone?"
"I have an older sister. She’s unluckier than me—completely blind. The one who really entered this parallel world wasn’t me, but her."
She glanced at Ye Huai before continuing, "She told me about it many times, but I never believed her. Then one day, she vanished from her bedroom, just a wall away from me. She was out of my sight for only eleven seconds."
Tong Yang said, "Trying to find her in this parallel world is like searching for a needle in a haystack. And besides…"
"And besides, there’s no guarantee she’s even alive."
"Exactly."
Xu Junyue shrugged indifferently. "I don’t necessarily have to find her."
"Whether she’s dead or alive doesn’t matter to me. I just want to prove she was telling the truth."
"Well, now you know."
"Yep! Damn it, that woman suddenly talking next to me on the glass walkway nearly scared me to death! Good thing I kept my eyes shut."
Tong Yang nodded. "Then you can die in peace and fulfill your greatest purpose—serving our interests."
"You’re impossible, you know that?" Xu Junyue unhooked the chain from her neck. "I just put this on as a precaution to blend in."
Tong Yang sighed regretfully. "What a waste."
Xu Junyue yanked off her wig, shaking out her short pink hair from the hairnet. She removed the light-colored contact from her left eye, revealing her natural iris.
Her right eye was clouded with a white haze, while her left was an ordinary brown.
Gone was the gentle, girl-next-door impression Tong Yang had initially gotten. Her entire demeanor had changed.
"Hey, do you think we’d go to jail if we killed someone here?"
Before Tong Yang could answer, she chuckled to herself, "A few years in prison wouldn’t be so bad. My dad would have to arrest me himself—now that’d be thrilling."
As she spoke, she slipped the chain back around her neck.
Tong Yang studied the chain thoughtfully and casually asked, "Do you have a grudge against your dad?"
"Not exactly a grudge. I just don’t want him to have peace of mind."
"Can you get another chain?" Tong Yang pointed at the one around her neck.
"Why? There’s only one left. Seems like one of the attackers died, so I took it."
Tong Yang frowned. "If one died, shouldn’t there only be forty-nine attackers left? Why is it still fifty?"
Xu Junyue paused, realization dawning. "You mean…"
"The attackers aren’t just tied to the previous round’s rankings—they’re also connected to the chains?"
"So whoever wears it becomes a target?"
Tong Yang gave her a meaningful look.
"Wait!" Xu Junyue instantly caught on. "While I might be fine with a prison sentence, I’m not exactly eager to die young."
Tong Yang glanced at her. "Can’t you take it off yourself?"
"Whether it works or not, the other attackers didn’t notice you when you wore it earlier."
"So…"
"So we can use it. Wear it to get close to the attackers, let them think we’re one of them, then take it off and strike when they least expect it."
"Now that’s clever!"
Tong Yang smirked. "There’s more. Want to hear it?"
Xu Junyue’s eyes gleamed. "Go on!"
Tong Yang said, "If we capture an attacker, put the chain on them, they become a target. Then we kill them…"
"Damn, Tong Yang! You’re a loophole god! If this works, every kill counts as an attacker—ranking first would be a piece of cake!"
"Assuming it works, of course."
"Time’s almost up. Let’s test it and see."
Tong Yang nodded. "Then let’s find someone to try it on."
"Can you handle a knife?" Tong Yang asked.
Xu Junyue took the fruit knife from her, flipping it to grip the blade outward. "Obviously. This is the deadliest way to hold it."
If not for her white dress, she might’ve looked convincing.
"Trained?"
"My dad taught me."
"What does your dad do?"
"Cop."
"And yours?"
"Drunk driver."
Xu Junyue: "…"
Tong Yang pulled out two more fruit knives, about to hand one to Ye Huai, when she noticed him slumped against the wall, eyes shut, brows furrowed.
Xu Junyue’s eyes lit up. She jingled the chain. "Hey, wanna test it on him?"
Tong Yang eyed Ye Huai warily. Did he have a heart attack? If he’s dead, my payment’s gone.
"Hold on." She motioned for Xu Junyue to wait, then bent over Ye Huai to check his pulse. "If he’s on his last breath, we might as well finish him."
If he was beyond saving, they could at least make use of him…
As Tong Yang reached out a finger, cold eyes snapped open.
"I was just resting."
Xu Junyue sighed in disappointment.
Tong Yang, however, exhaled in relief.
Good. The money’s safe.
