Chapter 06: Silencing

The break room was eerily silent.

The air seemed to freeze, and Gao Yang could hear his own heartbeat accelerating wildly: It's over, I've definitely been discovered.

Gao Yang tilted his head to look at Qing Ling. She remained expressionless, her mind working at high speed:

If Officer Huang is a Wrath Beast, I have no chance.

Killing a Wrath Beast wouldn't be difficult for her, but outside the break room were over a hundred people. If she exposed her identity as an awakened, she would be dead for sure.

Escape?

It was meaningless. Even if she ran now, her identity would already be exposed, and she wouldn't last more than a few days.

Qing Ling's last companion had been stronger than her, yet he still died because he had accidentally exposed his identity.

She had no choice but to bet on the last possible chance.

"Officer Huang, what are you doing here?" After three seconds, Qing Ling spoke up.

Officer Huang slowly walked to the water dispenser, bent over to fill a cup with cold water, and fully exposed his back to Qing Ling and Gao Yang.

After filling the cup, he turned around, leaning against the table where the water dispenser stood. "Still the case with Li Weiwei. I wanted to start with her circle, so I came to attend the funeral."

"Did you find anything?" Gao Yang tried to act concerned about the case's progress.

"I've asked around and found some clues. But I can't tell you guys," Officer Huang took a sip of water and smiled. "By the way, what were you two talking about just now? It sounded interesting, something about beasts? What rules?"

Gao Yang's heart sank, I knew it. There's no way to deceive him.

Since that's the case, he thought, let's bet on it and hope for the best.

"It's a survival game we've been playing recently. It's quite popular," Gao Yang glanced at Qing Ling. "We were talking about the game."

"Is that so?" Officer Huang nodded, deep in thought. "What's the name of the game?"

"Uh… Monster Human Family Fun."

"Sounds interesting," Officer Huang sighed enviously. "Young people have it good. Unlike us working folks, who've long lost any entertainment."

After finishing his water, Officer Huang placed the disposable cup on top of the water dispenser and leisurely walked out of the break room.

In just one minute, Gao Yang was drenched in cold sweat, his back completely wet.

He asked Qing Ling, "What now?"

Qing Ling frowned slightly. "Two possibilities. One, he's a Wrath Beast and has already grown suspicious of us, deliberately testing us. Two, he's a Delusional Beast."

"Delusional Beast?"

"Delusional Beasts are special. They're also known as 'Lost Ones.' They think they're human and deceive themselves. Even when awakened beings appear in front of them, they won't harm them, often ignoring crucial information and auto-correcting their logic and memory."

"If Officer Huang is a Delusional Beast, then we're safe," Gao Yang concluded.

"Yes, but I'm not willing to bet on that probability." Qing Ling walked to the door, peering through the crack at Officer Huang in the mourning hall. "Wrath Beasts crave their prey intensely and will devour an awakened being alone, never sharing with others."

Gao Yang thought back to how Li Weiwei tried to kill him: "I've seen that before..."

"There are over a hundred people in the mourning hall right now. There's definitely more than one Wrath Beast among them. That's probably why Officer Huang hasn't attacked us yet."

"He wants to eat alone," Gao Yang gasped.

"That's very likely," Qing Ling glanced at Gao Yang, her gaze cold. "We still have a chance, but we need to silence him first."

...

At 10 PM, in the Shanquan District, Police Station.

After the funeral ended, Officer Huang drove straight back to the station.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang took a taxi and followed. After getting out of the car, they went to a café across from the police station and sat in a window-side booth that allowed them to observe.

They ordered some food and drinks, then took out their textbooks and assignments, pretending to study together while passing the time.

At first, Gao Yang had refused to go along with Qing Ling's plan to kill Officer Huang. But after a moment of thought, he realized that if Qing Ling failed, he would die anyway.

If I'm going to die, I might as well stand tall while doing it.

At least that way... it would seem more dignified.

"I have a lot of questions for you," Gao Yang took a sip of orange juice.

"Go ahead," Qing Ling lowered her head, eating a mango pancake. The way she cut the pancake into eight pieces with a knife and fork looked like she was dealing with an enemy.

"Besides me, do you have other companions?"

"I told you before, I knew two before, but they're both dead."

"Then... you've been alone all this time?" Gao Yang found it hard to believe.

"Two," Qing Ling's eyes flickered. "I also have my younger sister."

Gao Yang realized she was referring to her second personality, Qing Ling.

"You two sisters... have had it hard."

"Focus on yourself for now." Qing Ling put down her fork. "If the plan fails, I'll run and hide."

"What about me?" Gao Yang asked.

"I don't know." Qing Ling's gaze turned cold. "I won't care for a burden."

Gao Yang was hurt.

I'm not a burden! I have talent!

But then again, it was probably better not to embarrass himself in front of such a beautiful woman.

They waited until late at night. Finally, Officer Huang came out of the police station.

He walked to his patrol car and froze when he took out his car keys, looking down to see that the front tire was flat—caused by Qing Ling remotely controlling a dagger to puncture it.

Officer Huang didn't show much irritation. He took out his phone, chatted casually, then crossed the street to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang kept a distance of about fifty meters, cautiously following him.

Officer Huang smoked while talking on the phone. When he passed a street-side park, he turned in, seemingly trying to take a shortcut.

"Here's our chance," Qing Ling quickened her pace.

"Could he be setting a trap for us?" Gao Yang was very suspicious.

Qing Ling's eyes sharpened. "Then let's see who the real prey is."

In the late night, the park was dense with trees and without any visitors. Officer Huang walked alone on the night path, solitary and isolated. The more this happened, the more Gao Yang felt that this person was deep and extraordinarily dangerous.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang took out masks and sunglasses from their bags and followed Officer Huang into the heart of the park, waiting for the right moment to sneak into the neatly trimmed bushes.

Qing Ling extended both hands, aiming at the surveillance cameras above the street lamps.

She focused intensely, as if controlling something. Two seconds later, she gently clenched her fist, and the slight sound from the camera was heard. The "red dot" disappeared.

"You go out and call out to him. Just say something to distract him," Qing Ling whispered. "Leave the rest to me."

Gao Yang was extremely nervous. "Okay."

He took a deep breath, stepped out from behind the bushes, and quickly caught up to him. "Officer Huang."

Officer Huang stopped and turned around. "Who are you?"

Gao Yang pulled off his mask. "Oh, it's me."

"Gao Yang? What are you doing here so late?" Officer Huang smiled.

Gao Yang continued his act. "I suddenly remembered a clue about Li Weiwei's case and wanted to tell you."

"Really?" Officer Huang smiled and approached Gao Yang, his movements slightly hurried. "Alright, tell me..."

Suddenly, Officer Huang's smile disappeared.

He quickly turned around and drew his gun from his waist