The pantry was deathly silent.
The air seemed to freeze solid. Gao Yang could hear his own heartbeat accelerating wildly. It's over. We're definitely busted.
Gao Yang tilted his head to look at Qing Ling. She was expressionless, her brain processing at high speed:
If Officer Huang is a Wrath Beast, she has no chance of winning.
Killing a single Wrath Beast wouldn't be difficult for her, but there were over a hundred "people" just outside the pantry. Once her identity as an Awakened was exposed, she would die without a doubt.
Run?
Pointless. Even if she escaped now, her identity was blown. She wouldn't survive more than a few days.
Her previous companion was stronger than her, yet he still died because he accidentally exposed his identity.
She had no choice but to gamble on the final possibility.
"Officer Huang, why are you here?" Three seconds later, Qing Ling broke the silence.
Officer Huang walked slowly to the water dispenser. He bent down to fill a cup with cold water, completely exposing his back to Qing Ling and Gao Yang.
Cup filled, he turned around and leaned against the edge of the table supporting the dispenser. "It's still about the Li Weiwei case. I wanted to investigate the people around her, so I came to the viewing ceremony."
"Did you find anything?" Gao Yang tried his best to act concerned about the case.
"I asked around and found some clues. But I can't tell you two." Officer Huang took a sip of water and smiled. "By the way, what were you guys talking about just now? Sounded interesting. What 'Beasts'? What 'rules'?"
Gao Yang's heart sank heavily. As expected, we couldn't bluff our way past it.
Since it's come to this, I'll just have to wing it.
"It's a survival game we've been playing recently. It's really popular." Gao Yang glanced at Qing Ling. "We were discussing the game."
"Is that so?" Officer Huang nodded, looking thoughtful. "What's the game called?"
"It's called... Monster-Human Family Fun."
"Sounds interesting just from the name." Officer Huang sighed with enviable nostalgia. "It's good to be young. Unlike us working stiffs—we ran out of entertainment long ago."
Officer Huang finished his water, placed the disposable cup on top of the water jug, and leisurely walked out of the pantry.
In just one minute, Gao Yang had broken out in a cold sweat. His back was completely soaked.
He asked Qing Ling, "What do we do now?"
Qing Ling frowned slightly. "Two possibilities. One: He is a Wrath Beast. He's already suspicious of us and was deliberately testing us. Two: He is a Delusion Beast (Chi Beast)."
"Delusion Beast?"
"Delusion Beasts are special. They are also known as 'The Lost.' They think they are human; they've even deceived themselves. Even if an Awakened appeared right in front of them, they wouldn't harm them. They usually automatically ignore key information and auto-correct their brain's logic and memories."
"If Officer Huang is a Delusion Beast, then we are safe," Gao Yang concluded.
"Correct. But I won't gamble on that probability." Qing Ling walked to the door and looked through the crack at Officer Huang in the mourning hall. "Wrath Beasts have an extreme craving for their prey. They want to eat the Awakened all by themselves; they will absolutely not share with their own kind."
Gao Yang remembered how Li Weiwei looked when she tried to kill him. "I've seen that..."
"There are over a hundred people in the hall right now. There is definitely more than one Wrath Beast in there. That might be the real reason Officer Huang didn't attack us."
"He wants to keep the meal to himself." Gao Yang sucked in a breath of cold air.
"The probability is high." Qing Ling looked at Gao Yang, her gaze icy. "We still have a chance. We simply have to silence him first."
10:00 PM. Shanqing District. Police Station.
After the viewing ceremony ended, Officer Huang drove directly back to the station.
Qing Ling and Gao Yang followed in a taxi. After getting out, they went to a cafe opposite the police station, finding a booth by the window that offered a good vantage point.
They ordered some food and drinks, then took out textbooks and homework, pretending to study together while killing time.
Gao Yang was initially resistant to the idea of coming with Qing Ling to kill Officer Huang. But on second thought, if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold—if Qing Ling failed, he would die sooner or later anyway.
If I'm going to die, I might as well die on my feet.
That way... at least I'll have some dignity.
"I have a lot of questions I want to ask you." Gao Yang took a sip of orange juice.
"Speak." Qing Ling looked down as she ate a mango crepe. The way she sliced the crepe into eight pieces with her knife and fork looked exactly like she was dissecting an enemy.
"Besides me, do you have any other companions?"
"Didn't I say? I knew two before. They both died."
"So, you've been alone all this time?" Gao Yang found it hard to believe.
"Two." Qing Ling's eyes shifted. "There's also my sister."
Gao Yang realized she was referring to her secondary personality, Qing Ling (Younger).
"You two sisters... haven't had it easy."
"Worry about yourself first." Qing Ling put down her fork. "If the operation fails later, I will run and hide."
"What about me?" Gao Yang asked.
"I don't know." Qing Ling's eyes were cold. "I won't concern myself with a burden."
Gao Yang felt hurt.
I'm not a burden! I have a Talent too!
But on second thought, better not humiliate myself in front of a beauty.
The two waited until late into the night. Finally, Officer Huang walked out of the police station.
He walked to his police car by the roadside. He took out his keys but froze. Looking down, he saw that the front tire was flat—pierced by Qing Ling's remote-controlled dagger.
Officer Huang didn't show much annoyance. He took out his phone, made a call while chatting and laughing, then crossed the street and bought a pack of cigarettes.
Qing Ling and Gao Yang maintained a distance of about fifty meters, carefully tailing him.
Officer Huang smoked and talked on the phone. Passing a street park, he turned into it, seemingly taking a shortcut.
"Here's our chance." Qing Ling quickened her pace.
"Could he be setting a trap for us?" Gao Yang was highly suspicious.
Qing Ling's gaze sharpened. "Then we'll see who the real prey is."
Late at night, the street park was dense with trees and devoid of visitors. Officer Huang walked the dark path alone, a solitary figure. Yet, the more solitary he seemed, the more Gao Yang felt this man was unfathomable and exceptionally dangerous.
Qing Ling and Gao Yang took masks and sunglasses out of their backpacks and put them on. They tracked Officer Huang into the heart of the park, found an opportunity, and sneaked behind a neatly trimmed hedge.
Qing Ling extended both hands, aiming at the surveillance camera on the streetlamp overhead.
She focused intensely, seemingly controlling something. Two seconds later, she clenched her fist gently. The camera made a faint snap, and the red light vanished.
"Go out and call to him. Say anything. Distract him," Qing Ling whispered. "Leave the rest to me."
Gao Yang was incredibly nervous. "Okay."
Taking a deep breath, Gao Yang stepped out from the bushes and quickly caught up. "Officer Huang."
Officer Huang stopped and turned around. "You are...?"
Gao Yang pulled down his mask. "Oh, it's me."
"Gao Yang? Why are you here so late?" Officer Huang smiled.
Gao Yang continued his act. "About Li Weiwei... I suddenly remembered a clue. I wanted to tell you."
"Is that so?" Officer Huang smiled and walked toward Gao Yang, his movements slightly eager. "Great, tell me about it..."
Suddenly, Officer Huang's smile vanished.
He spun around with lightning speed and drew the service pistol from his waist.