Predator’s Gaze

Jin Xiao kept his breathing steady, his gaze low.

The woman with silver hair watched him.

> "I wonder… how long can you keep pretending?"

Her voice was soft, almost teasing. But Jin Xiao knew what she really was. A predator testing her prey.

"Did she see through me? No… she's not certain yet. If she was, I'd already be dead."

His mind sharpened. Analyze. Adapt. Survive.

He had three choices:

1. Run. Impossible. The entire city was under their control. The moment he moved suspiciously, he'd be crushed.

2. Act weak. Too risky. If she was testing him, pretending to be afraid might confirm her suspicions.

3. Turn the hunt around.

He chose the third.

Jin Xiao slowed his pace, let out a soft breath, and forced his muscles to relax.

> "What are you talking about?" He looked up, frowning slightly. His voice was calm, confused—the perfect imitation of a clueless civilian.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

> "Oh?"

She stepped closer. She was beautiful—dangerously so. The kind of beauty that made men forget they were standing before death itself.

> "You're different."

Her golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Jin Xiao sighed. Pretended to be frustrated.

> "Different how?" He looked around. "I didn't get a system. So what? Not everyone is lucky."

The woman tilted her head.

> "…Interesting."

For a moment, silence. Then, she smiled.

> "What's your name?"

Jin Xiao's mind worked instantly. Giving his real name was dangerous, but a fake name was equally risky. If she knew how to detect lies, he would be caught.

So instead, he diverted.

> "Does it matter?" He sighed again. "I'm just unlucky, nothing more. If you're looking for something interesting, you'll be disappointed."

The woman's smile widened.

> "Maybe."

Then, she turned away.

Jin Xiao didn't react.

"She let me go? No… she just marked me. I'm not out of danger yet."

The First Move

Jin Xiao blended back into the crowd, but his mind was racing.

"I have one night. After that, they'll start checking for anomalies more carefully."

He needed to disappear. But not just vanish. If he simply ran, they would track him.

"I need to make them think I died."

He scanned the city. The buildings. The roads. The underground tunnels. Weak points. Escape routes. Potential weapons.

Every city had a backdoor.

And if he couldn't find one, he would make one.