The Hunter and the Hunted
The Midnight Ambush
Jiang Chen remained motionless, his cold gaze locked onto the shadowy figure that had slipped into his room. The intruder wore dark robes, their face obscured by a mask, but Jiang Chen could feel their intent—murderous and precise.
Ghost's skeletal form tensed beside him, its empty eye sockets glowing with an eerie light.
A dagger gleamed in the intruder's hand, coated in a faint green sheen—poison.
> They weren't here to negotiate. They came to kill.
Jiang Chen's voice was steady.
> "You made two mistakes."
The masked figure stiffened.
> "First, you thought you could sneak up on me."
Jiang Chen's fingers twitched, and Ghost vanished into the darkness.
> "Second…"
The intruder spun, their instincts screaming at them—
But it was too late.
A shadow loomed behind them.
Ghost had materialized in an instant, its abyssal claws slicing through the air.
> "You thought you were the hunter."
A flash of black energy erupted.
The assassin barely dodged, rolling backward as Ghost's claws shredded through the wooden floor where they had stood moments ago.
> BOOM!
The shockwave from the attack sent furniture flying, but the assassin recovered quickly, launching several poisoned darts toward Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen remained still.
> "Ghost."
The Skull Ghost Ape moved like a blur, intercepting the projectiles midair with its claws. The darts dissolved upon contact, their poison utterly useless against the undead beast.
The assassin cursed under their breath.
They had underestimated Jiang Chen.
And now, they were trapped.
---
A Desperate Escape
The masked figure didn't hesitate—they turned to flee.
> "Not so fast."
Jiang Chen raised a hand.
> "Ghost. Abyssal Bind."
Black mist coiled around the assassin's legs, locking them in place. The moment they tried to move, a corrosive energy seeped into their body, weakening their strength.
A strangled cry escaped their lips as they collapsed to one knee.
Jiang Chen approached, his expression unreadable.
> "Who sent you?"
The assassin gritted their teeth, but before they could speak—
> PFFT!
Their body convulsed. A black liquid seeped from their lips, their eyes widening in shock.
Jiang Chen's expression darkened.
> "A failsafe poison… they were silenced before they could talk."
The assassin collapsed lifelessly to the ground, their body already beginning to decay from the inside.
> Whoever sent them had no intention of letting them return alive.
Jiang Chen's mind raced.
(They're getting bolder.)
(And if they were willing to send an assassin… it won't stop here.)
---
A Brewing Storm
Morning arrived, but the tension hadn't faded.
Word of the assassination attempt had spread like wildfire.
Though the academy's officials had tried to suppress the news, whispers still reached every corner of Blue River City.
> "Someone tried to kill Jiang Chen?"
"Not just kill—steal his beast!"
"Who would be crazy enough to do that?"
"Who wouldn't? His Skull Ghost Ape is too powerful. If it can reach Lord-tier…"
Jiang Chen walked through the academy, ignoring the murmurs. His expression remained calm, but his presence felt sharper than before.
Bai Ye stood near the training grounds, watching him pass. His silver eyes gleamed with intrigue.
> "An assassination attempt? That just confirms it."
Xu Rong, standing beside him, chuckled.
> "Someone's desperate."
Bai Ye smirked.
> "Let's see how Jiang Chen responds."
But Jiang Chen wasn't the only one preparing.
Deep within the academy's hidden chambers, the group behind the attack was already making new plans.
> "The assassin failed."
"That was expected. We needed to test his defenses."
"We'll try again. But this time, we won't be subtle."
A new voice, deep and commanding, spoke.
> "Enough playing around."
"We take Ghost by force."
---
The Predator Becomes the Prey
That night, Jiang Chen sat in his residence once more.
Ghost remained still, its aura blending with the darkness.
But Jiang Chen's eyes remained open.
He was waiting.
They would come again.
And this time—
> He'd be ready.