Chapter 44: The Hunter Who Hides in the Shadows

A door appeared out of nowhere.

This left not only Ren Ye and the others stunned but even the shadow exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? A door with no detectable Stellar Essence signature?!”

Every profession under the Star Gate legacy shared certain similarities but also had unique adaptability.  

Simply put, every player was one of a kind, making it impossible to predict the supernatural trump cards they might hold.  

Mr. He dragged the little dwarf along, fleeing at high speed.

Creak!  

As the two approached, the door marked with the words Actor Passage suddenly swung open. Inside, a dazzling white light burst forth, completely obscuring where it led.  

“Chaos Shadow—Flaw Marking!”  

The true shadow suddenly stood upright, crossing its arms quickly in an “X” shape in front of its chest.  

At first glance, the motion resembled some kind of ninja technique from obscure regions. However, the gesture was actually a ritualistic killing technique rooted in ancient Chinese martial arts.  

Swish, swish, swish…!  

In an instant, the countless shadows scattered across the stage began to whirl chaotically, but their target remained solely Mr. He.  

Pfft, pfft…!  

While Mr. He darted and dodged, five shadows managed a strike, piercing through his legs, left waist, and one arm.  

Whoosh!  

Boom!  

The five shadows passed through Mr. He’s body as he dragged the little dwarf into the white light. The door promptly shut behind them.  

From the chaotic stage came an abrupt, chilling voice:  

“The performance is over—curtain call!”  

As the cold words echoed, the red stage curtains slowly closed. The surroundings distorted, and in the blink of an eye, everyone found themselves back in the fifth-floor hallway of the apartment building.  

The shadow stood motionless, while the Vigil Keepers eyed it warily.  

Swish!  

Ren Ye was more decisive, dragging his unconscious father to a safe corner without hesitation.  

…

Minhuang Road, Minhuang Grand Theater  

Inside an empty dressing room, a weathered wooden door suddenly appeared on the ceiling.  

Creak!  

The door opened, and Mr. He and the little dwarf tumbled out, landing on the floor with a dull thud.  

The supernatural aura faded, and Mr. He reverted to his original form. His second-stage title, The Opera Demon, granted him a formidable ability. If he preemptively removed the “Curtain Call” door from the stage model and affixed it somewhere beforehand, he could use it to retreat directly to that location.  

However, the distance couldn’t be too far, and the destination had to be a theater with a stable audience. That was why he had chosen to visit Minhuang Road beforehand.  

Mr. He, his clothes torn and his figure disheveled, gritted his teeth in frustration. “I can’t wrap my head around it—why would a mere Ren Ye draw the shadow of the Fraudulent Merchants Association, a ghost of unknown depth, and so many Vigil Keepers? Even if this Star Gate is crucial, it doesn’t warrant such a desperate effort! The Vigil Keepers have repeatedly violated the rules—this is abnormal…”  

From his perspective, Mr. He was unaware that Ren Ye possessed another crucial identity: a Heavenly Pardoned One.  

This critical gap in information led to a fundamental disconnect in their priorities.  

“…They’re all gone. It’s just the two of us now,” the little dwarf muttered, sitting on the ground with a face full of lingering fear. Still, he looked at Mr. He with heartfelt gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. He.”  

Players from the Chaos Faction were notoriously self-serving and unpredictable, rife with betrayal, scheming, and backstabbing. However, this creed wasn’t entirely wrong—acting in one’s own interest wasn’t inherently flawed.  

The belief in pursuing one’s own interests at all costs often came with a heavy price, reflecting its dual-edged nature.  

Thus, Mr. He could have entirely ignored the little dwarf’s survival. After all, Copper Bell members like him were a dime a dozen in the Bell Society, and risking his life for one was wholly unnecessary.  

“Enough talk. That shadow is too troublesome—I can’t beat her,” Mr. He said, gasping as he got to his feet. “Let’s go!”  

…

Apartment, Fifth Floor Hallway  

The shadow stood motionless, as though carefully sensing something.  

Swish, swish…!  

The surrounding Stellar Energy pulsed violently as numerous Vigil Keepers arrived.  

In the shadows, Xu Peng whispered to Gu Nian, “Our people are here. Should we try to capture her?”  

“Are you stupid? How do you catch a shadow? Can you even beat her?” Gu Nian replied, looking serious. “Honestly, I doubt even the second-stage Vigil Keepers who came could defeat her.”  

“Wouldn’t this count as dereliction of duty, then?” Xu Peng asked blankly.  

“Why don’t you go lie down with Ren Ye’s dad?” Gu Nian retorted with a look of disdain for his lack of common sense.  

Step!  

At that moment, the shadow, seemingly done sensing, moved slightly.  

In the Minhuang Grand Theater, just as Mr. He reached out to open a door, he suddenly froze in place.  

“What’s wrong, sir?” the little dwarf asked.  

“Get away from me! Quick, defend yourself!” Mr. He shouted, spinning around in alarm.  

Swish!  

The little dwarf retreated swiftly, instantly sacrificing three venomous insects that wrapped him in a shroud of green mist.  

Back in the apartment’s corridor.

The shadow suddenly swung her slender arm and clenched her right fist. Her voice carried an ecstatic tone. “Found it! Energy flaw—detonate!”  

Several kilometers away, gripping the doorknob, Mr. He abruptly turned to look at the little dwarf. “If I die… you…!”  

Splurt!  

Boom, boom, boom, boom!  

Before he could finish his sentence, five bursts of blood erupted from his body. The locations were the same as the spots the shadow had pierced earlier—his legs, left waist, and left arm.  

His bones shattered segment by segment, flesh burst open, and blood splattered across half of the dressing room.  

Both his knees were blown apart, exposing stark white bone. A gaping hole appeared in his left waist, and his left forearm was completely severed. His entire body looked as if explosives had been planted inside him beforehand.  

Previously, even against five first-stage Vigil Keepers, a second-stage Red Dog, and Ren Ye, he had only been left in a miserable state. But now, he was barely alive, his life force rapidly draining away.  

Not far away, the little dwarf, unharmed by the explosion, stared blankly in shock. Trembling all over, he finally stammered, “S-sir?!”  

“I… I’m dying… you… you must contact the person Old Yin introduced… There are still two Qingliang Prefecture Star Gate players unaccounted for… They’re crucial… for the future… for the Bell Society… You must investigate further,” Mr. He said weakly, teetering on the brink of death.  

Swish!  

The little dwarf darted out of the green mist, using his small frame—less than 1.2 meters tall—to hoist Mr. He onto his back. He also picked up Mr. He’s severed left forearm, saying firmly, “You saved me just now. Now I’ll save you!”  

Without waiting, three harmless gu insects crawled into Mr. He’s body. Carrying him, the little dwarf dashed out of the theater, onto the street, and kept running.  

Under the torrential rain, the little dwarf didn’t dare stop for even a moment. As he ran, he fished out a phone and dialed a number.  

“You have to help me save someone. He’s gravely injured and will soon be wanted by the Vigil Keepers. But… I have forty-five Stellar Essence and over ten items. If that’s not enough, I’ll go rob more immediately. Please, just save him no matter what… I’m on my way to you now.”  

…

Apartment, Fifth Floor Hallway  

The shadow felt again, excitement lighting up her expression as she waved her small fist. “Still not dead… interesting, interesting. You’re worthy of a grand death ritual.”  

Those who heard her couldn’t help but feel their hair stand on end.  

Suddenly, the shadow turned to look at Ren Ye, who was hiding in the dark, and made an abrupt throat-slitting gesture. “You better grow up quickly! When the time comes, let’s have a fight.”  

“?!”  

Ren Ye froze, inwardly cursing, “Are you sick?!”  

Before the thought could settle, the shadow abruptly collapsed to the ground, thinning, shrinking, and finally transforming into an irregular line that darted along the wall before disappearing with a whoosh.  

As soon as she was gone, the Red Dog slumped onto the ground, utterly exhausted. He clutched the wound on his side and gasped weakly, “I… I don’t think she means any harm. Ren Ye, you don’t need to be afraid. If you can clear the Qingliang Prefecture Star Gate… you definitely won’t be weaker than her.”  

“She’s not just harmless,” Gu Nian chimed in, pausing thoughtfully. “I even feel like she’s helping us.” Her tone was logical and clear. “Or rather… helping Ren Ye. After all, her first appearance was at the university district.”  

“I’ve heard of the Fraudulent Merchants Association’s Hunter before,” Huang Wei added, catching his breath. “But typically, anyone who’s seen her supernatural powers dies. We have very little information on her. This time, we need to focus on documenting everything.”  

Huang Wei turned to Xu Peng. “Hey, you—phony medicine dealer—give me two pills.”  

Xu Peng didn’t refuse, but instead walked over stiffly. “Five hundred yuan.”  

“…!” Huang Wei stared at him in disbelief. “Are you insane?!”  

“You have two options: kill me, or pay up,” Xu Peng replied stubbornly.  

“Damn you!” Huang Wei erupted, nearly jumping with rage. “…Fine, I’ll pay!”  

Fifteen minutes later, about thirty or forty Vigil Keepers dismantled the Wordless Stele with its spatial isolation capabilities. They left a few people to handle the aftermath before swiftly departing.  

As Ren Ye was helping his father into the car, he suddenly heard a voice shout from the Xinyuan Spa:  

“Love rises with the chime, yet stops not when it ceases. What you owe me… you must repay!”

Startled by the cry, Huang Wei immediately extended his perception but detected nothing unusual.  

“Probably just that soul—it’s already gone,” Huang Wei speculated after a pause. “Hurry up. You all return to office. I need to head to the Shanghai headquarters… Mr. Yan is going to lose his mind.”  

With that, the group quickly left.  

About fifteen minutes later, an elderly man wearing a backward baseball cap, a baggy T-shirt, and work pants strolled out of the Spa.  

“You’re really not charging me?” Little Wolf Warrior turned to look at the dozen female technicians and the plump boss who had lined up to see him off. Frowning, he asked, “I… I’ve never freeloaded before.”  

“Sir, your health is what matters! It’s on the house!” The plump boss inwardly screamed, “Please just leave already! Today’s been a disaster!”  

“I’ll come back next time…” Little Wolf Warrior waved reluctantly as he left.  

The technicians watched him go, silently repeating to themselves, “Ironclad rule! No customers over 65! Do not serve them, do not serve them…!”  

…

In the steady-moving car, rain pattered against the windows.  

Ren Daguo slowly regained consciousness, his gaze unfocused.  

“You’re awake?!” Ren Ye exclaimed in delight.  

“Where am I?” Ren Daguo suddenly turned his head, scanning his surroundings.  

Huang Wei turned sharply to look at him, his expression serious. He enunciated each word:  

“I suspect… you’re a player.”