Ciaho smart trick

Simon sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on the sniper scope, watching the hotel entrance where his target was supposed to arrive in the coming hours. Despite his apparent calm, his mind was filled with thoughts.

He had lived this scenario before, every step, every decision, even the smallest details etched into his memory. But now he was in a different position, the knowledge he possessed gave him an advantage he didn't have the first time. The question haunted him: would he follow the same steps or would he change the course of events?

He lifted the sniper to his shoulder and looked through the scope, surveying the place carefully. Everything was as he remembered, the security men in their positions, the cameras strategically placed, and the armored cars lined up in front of the main entrance. The previous time, he had succeeded in killing Qiao Chu Xin from a distance, but he had barely escaped the chase that followed. Now, he had a chance to improve his plan, to avoid the mistakes that almost cost him his life.

He closed the bag, and got up calmly. He knew he couldn't carry out the operation the same old way without risking becoming the pursuer instead of the pursued. No, this time he had to be more cunning.

Killing wasn't enough… This time, he wanted to change the rules completely.

Playing with minds instead of bullets

He dressed smartly, then left his room and headed to the hotel lobby. He sat in a far corner, watching the customers and passersby, studying their faces, their body language. He was looking for a specific person…

Then he saw him.

A man in his mid-forties, wearing a black suit, his eyes sharp, holding his phone as he spoke seriously. It was Liang Wei, the leader of Qiao's security team, and the same man who had led him into the trap last time.

Simon took a slow breath, then got up and headed towards the bar, where Liang was sitting. He ordered a cup of coffee, and waited for the right moment. A few minutes later, the man ended his call and looked around, as if to make sure the place was free of threats.

Then Simon spoke in a low but audible voice:

"You should reconsider your security plan. There are obvious loopholes."

Liang turned quickly, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Who are you?"

Simon smiled slightly, took a sip of his coffee and said calmly: "Someone who wants to give you a chance to avoid disaster."

Liang wasn't the type to be easily fooled, but the sudden warning made him suspicious. Before he could respond, Simon got up and said calmly:

"You know I'm right. Watch the back entrance, and you'll see what I mean."

He then left, leaving the man in doubt.

The game begins... But who's playing with whom?

Simon returned to his room, and opened his computer. Over the past few days, he had managed to hack into some of the hotel's security systems, and obtained images from hidden cameras. But he wasn't the only one watching...

He found something strange.

The hotel cameras had recorded Qiao Chu Xin's arrival an hour ago, but there was one small detail that didn't make sense…

There were two of them.

Two people dressed the same, moving the same way, but one entered from the front entrance, and the other from the back.

A substitute.

Simon frowned. Qiao wasn't stupid, and he had used this trick before, but how did he know this time that there would be a threat?

He grabbed his phone, and sent a coded message:

"Are you sure you killed the right man?"

A few moments later, the reply came:

"Are you sure you targeted the right man?"

Simon felt a chill run down his body. Someone knew what he was planning. He was even playing the same game with him.

He looked through his binoculars, tracking the substitute's movements. The man entered the elevator, heading to the top floor. It was impossible to tell which one was the real one.

But Simon wasn't naive enough to assume that this was just bad luck.

This was a perfect trap.

If the killer was planning on the victim... what if the victim was the one planning on killing the killer?

An unexpected blow

Simon decided to take a step back. Instead of killing directly, he wanted to force Qiao to reveal himself.

He sent another message through an encrypted channel:

"You are in danger, do not go to your room. Your security is threatened."

Wait.

Minutes later, the security cameras captured something interesting.

The person who was supposed to be the real Qiao did not go to his room... Instead, he walked out of the hotel, accompanied by only one guard.

Simon smiled slowly. He knew the truth now.

Qiao was never in the hotel.

He had used substitutes to remain hidden, but he was not prepared for another level of deception.

Simon grabbed his gun, and quietly walked out of the hotel, heading to the back alley, where he knew the real Qiao would finally appear...

This time, the goal was not to kill.

It was to expose the entire game.

At one point, as Simon watched from afar, he whispered to himself:

"This time... it wasn't just an assassination. It was a lesson."

But he wasn't sure yet who would emerge victorious.

Because when you play chess with someone who has the same intelligence as you...