Chapter 35: The Hunter

88 Lianhu Road.  

Ren Ye hurriedly followed Huang Wei down the corridor. Through the window, he glanced at the room where his sister, Ren Qingning, was staying. “We’re pulling people away for this operation—are we sure the security level here won’t drop?”  

“The higher-ups sent over another twenty personnel today, including five second-tier players. Many even gave up on their Star Gate missions just to stay here and guard. Don’t worry; nothing’s going to happen,” Huang Wei replied, glancing back.  

“Alright.” Ren Ye nodded and said no more.  

…

Three minutes later.  

In the courtyard, over twenty Vigil Keepers, each with distinct appearances, gathered around Huang Wei. Half of them had been temporarily transferred from other districts, as Qingfu District’s Vigil Keeper roster only had 35 members. Coordinating their Star Gate mission schedules was a logistical nightmare—if one was inside the gate, another couldn’t join, making it hard to assemble a full team.  

The limited personnel stemmed from the Vigil Keepers’ stringent selection process, which prioritized character over ability. This emphasis on integrity was one reason for their strong sense of honor.  

Once everyone had assembled, Huang Wei began briefing them:  

“Our target is Yin Hai, a plunder-type player. We have reliable intel that he’s harboring criminal players from the university town incident. Yin Hai runs a gaming parlor called Blood Feud on Tongren Road.  

“Based on the intel, his supernatural abilities are average, and his subordinates aren’t particularly strong either. However, he’s a member of the Stray Dogs organization, with backing from higher-ups. Their boss is that cripple, so during the operation, we need to avoid triggering a chain reaction on Tongren Road. Be swift and decisive.  

“When we reach the location, we’ll split into two groups. Qingfu personnel will handle the direct apprehension, while colleagues from Huangjiang provide external support. Everyone, be ready to activate your Wordless Steles to prevent collateral damage if combat breaks out.”  [This Wordless Stele is some kind of isolation barrier.]

“Understood!”  

“Got it!”  

“…!”  

The team responded in unison before dispersing to their vehicles.   

In the car, Ren Ye sat with Huang Wei, frowning. “Did Eggy’s intel confirm that Yin Hai was directly involved in the university town incident?”  

“No,” Huang Wei replied, shaking his head. “He’s only responsible for providing information and helping Bell Society members hide.”  

“I see.”  

Ren Ye nodded and turned to look out the window, mentally preparing for a potential showdown.  

…

Tongren Road, first floor of the Blood Feud mahjong parlor.  

The front door and windows were slightly ajar, and a wind chime tinkled faintly from the awning. Business was slow tonight due to a large-scale event at the neighboring bar. Inside the parlor, Yin Hai and three like-minded subordinates were engrossed in a game of mahjong.  

“The University Town incident caused quite a stir. Has Mr. He left yet?” one of his subordinates asked, puffing on a cigarette as he drew and discarded a tile. “One chicken.”  

Hearing the word “chicken,” Yin Hai felt an inexplicable irritation. “The boss is dealing with him. The rest isn’t our concern.”  

“Got it.”  

The conversation ended, and the game resumed. A few rounds later, the smoker discarded another tile. “Another chicken.”  

Yin Hai glanced at him suspiciously, sensing some kind of veiled jab. A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes. “Two chickens in a row?”  

“Heh, I hate chickens—they’re useless,” the smoker chuckled.  

Yin Hai held back his irritation, silently drawing and discarding his tiles.  

“Hmm, what a coincidence! Another chicken!” The smoker burst into laughter, about to throw the tile.  

Smack!  

Yin Hai slapped him hard across the face, sending his head spinning halfway around. “Chicken, chicken, chicken! Who the hell are you insulting?!”  [Chicken is a slang for prostitute in Chinese.]

The smoker was stunned, his cheek swelling as he looked at Yin Hai with a mix of anger and confusion. “Why’d you hit me?! It’s just a useless tile—I can’t discard it?”  

“Three chickens in a row? You’re mocking me, huh?!”  

“How would I know what’s going on with you and Mr. He? What am I mocking?” the smoker shot back, his blunt honesty and cluelessness making him seem even more idiotic.  

“Say that again!” Yin Hai glared at him, his expression unhinged and filled with paranoia.  

Chaos Faction players often had a few screws loose. The flaws in their personalities tended to be magnified—a key reason why smart players from the Fraudulent Merchants Association usually avoided associating with them.  

Across the table, a middle-aged man picked up his teacup and spoke leisurely:  

“Playing cards is about winning money. Why argue?”  

“How does this even escalate into an argument? A bunch of lunatics. I’m out.” The only female player rolled her eyes, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number. “I’m running low on my meds. Bring some over… Yes, to my place.”  

Just as the friendly card game seemed on the verge of disbanding, the sound of wind chimes rang out violently from the door.  

The four turned to look and saw a figure cloaked entirely in black quietly entering.  

Judging by the figure’s outline, it appeared to be a woman. The robe she wore was oversized, covering her entire body and even her head with its hood.  

To an average person, this outfit might suggest a cosplayer who had wandered off from a convention. But one glance was all it took for Old Yin to rush forward, nodding and bowing. “Miss Bao, what business brings you here? Shall we move upstairs to discuss?”  

On Tongren Road, a hub for various players of all types, such an outfit wasn’t particularly unusual.  

“No need; we can talk here,” the woman replied softly.  

She stepped lightly to the card table, pausing beside it, and slowly raised her head.  

Under the light, her face came into view—a face concealed by a bronze mask.  

The mask was ancient, weathered, and heavily tarnished. Carved into its surface was the visage of a classical woman with exquisitely detailed features and a radiant, enchanting smile. It exuded a strangely comforting charm.  

“Alright, let’s discuss here, then.” Old Yin returned to the table. “What can I do for you, Miss Bao?”  

Though her body was entirely hidden beneath the robe, her movements exuded a delicate fragility. Her gloved right hand slipped into the left sleeve and pulled out two blood-stained bells. In a voice that was ethereal and reverberating, she said, “I’m looking for someone—someone associated with these bells.”  

Ding-ding!  

The bells clinked as they landed on the table.  

The masked woman turned to Old Yin and asked politely, “Can you help me find them?”  

Old Yin’s pupils contracted sharply, and a peculiar grin crept across his face. “You sure you’re looking in the right place?”  

“Their leader seems to be someone with a penchant for opera singing. Can you locate them? I’m willing to pay—name your price,” she asked gently.  

“Heh.”  

Scratching his head, Old Yin replied with a faintly deranged tone, “Why do I get the feeling you’re here to accuse me of something?”  

“Am I?” the masked woman asked with a faint smile.  

“Forget it. I might as well hand you over to the opera singer,” Old Yin said, shaking his sparse hair before suddenly thrusting his neck forward and opening his mouth wide.  

“Awooo!”  

A sound somewhere between a human scream and a beast’s howl reverberated through the room.  

In an instant, Old Yin’s mouth expanded to the size of a basin. His head twisted and swelled grotesquely, his cheeks bulging like a toad’s venom sacs, exuding a foul stench.  

“Chomp!”  

His gaping maw clamped down from above, swallowing the upper half of the black-robed woman in one fell swoop. Sticky saliva dripped from his mouth, and his teeth extended into razor-sharp spikes over a foot long, tearing viciously.  

The cigarette-smoking youth by the table reacted quickly, closing his eyes and emitting a sharp, piercing sound from his mouth to alert nearby comrades.  

“Whoosh!”  

The black-robed woman took a step back, her body phasing through Old Yin’s mouth as though she were an illusion. She emerged unscathed and landed lightly on the floor.  

Her bronze mask still wore its eerie smile, but her left sleeve had been ripped away, revealing a slender, jet-black arm.  

Under the flickering light, the shadowed arm seemed to ripple like liquid.  

Old Yin’s bulging eyes glowed an eerie green as he stared at the shadow-like limb beneath the robe. His voice trembled with disbelief as he muttered, “You… you’re the Hunter from the Fraudulent Merchants Association in Shanghai?! We have no quarrel with you! This is crossing the line.”  

“Lights out!”  

“Crash!”  

The woman beside him shouted, and the man who claimed gambling was only about making money widened his eyes. Instantly, all the hanging lamps in the room shattered.  

The first and second floors plunged into complete darkness. In the absence of light, even shadows disappeared. All four Chaos Faction players, including Old Yin, began to reveal their supernatural powers.

A soft wind blew through the open windows and doors, producing a rustling sound.

“You’ve crossed the line. Are you declaring war?” Old Yin wanted to flee but didn’t dare approach the light. His grotesque maw remained agape as he nervously scanned the surroundings. “We have no quarrel with the Fraudulent Merchants Association…”

“Since you helped the criminal players from the university town, we’ve had a grudge—a blood feud!” the woman’s voice echoed from outside.

Bang!

Crash!

Suddenly, a normal-sized window shattered, and a figure darted into the room.

“Stay away from the light and buy us some time!” a sharp voice commanded.

Bang!

Crash, crash!

…!

In the pitch-dark room, the sounds of heavy objects falling, items shattering, anguished screams, and the piercing of flesh by blades erupted and then subsided just as quickly. 

The chaos lasted less than a minute before everything fell silent. A breeze wafted in from outside, carrying a heavy scent of blood into the street.

After the stillness settled, a phone screen illuminated the room.

By the heavy mahjong table sat a woman in a red dress, also wearing a bronze mask. She perched herself on the table, casually picking up Old Yin’s phone.

Her mask bore the same carved features as the shadow woman’s, but the expression differed. The shadow’s mask smiled radiantly, while this one was stern and cold.

Sitting on the table, she scanned Old Yin’s face with the phone. “…Before your friends arrive, I can kill you a hundred times over. What do you think?”

On the floor, Old Yin, his figure obscured, didn’t hesitate to answer, “The boss took Mr. He away. I don’t know where they are.”

“Hmm. So, do you have any value left?” The red-dressed woman’s voice sounded youthful.

“I really don’t know where Mr. He is, I swear! He’s not stupid—after what happened yesterday at the university town, the Vigil Keepers want to grind them into dust…” Old Yin stammered. “Do you think they’d tell me where they’re hiding? I’m telling the truth—it was the boss who took them…”

“The crippled one, right?” the red-dressed woman asked again.

“Yes,” Old Yin nodded repeatedly.

“Oh, how many of them are there?”

“Nine came in total. Two died in the university town, so seven are left. The highest-tier player is Mr. He—he’s second-tier with very powerful supernatural abilities. Their target is a new player named Ren Ye. That kid was pulled out of prison.” Old Yin spilled everything without reservation. “He’s under tight protection from the Vigil Keepers, so Mr. He and the boss plan to target his sister instead.”

“Why not go after Ren Ye’s father?” the woman asked calmly.

“Because they couldn’t find him. His father’s whereabouts are unknown, but Mr. He and the boss are investigating. That’s all I know, really,” Old Yin’s voice trembled. “Please, let me go… I beg you.”

“Oh.”

Squelch!

A flash of cold light, and Old Yin fell silent instantly.

Clap!

The woman in the red dress jumped down from the mahjong table and walked to the window.

Outside, under the gentle moonlight, the shadow sat on the windowsill. Her form teetered between darkness and dim light as she playfully swung her legs.

Swish!

The red-dressed woman stepped onto the windowsill and gently patted the shadow’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Whoosh!

The shadow turned her head, tilted backward, and gradually flattened, morphing into a paper-thin figure before merging back under the feet of the red-dressed woman.

Her dress swayed lightly as she strolled through the verdant paths of the residential area, dialing Mr. He’s number.

“Hello? I’m not free tonight…” Mr. He began bluntly, skipping any pleasantries.

“Hey, let’s play a game,” the red-dressed woman said playfully, with a hint of madness. “You hide, and I’ll seek. But… the loser dies, okay?”