050 : The Final Hunt Begins.

Moving through the shadows, Lin Tian was careful with every step. The estate was heavily guarded, but guards had weaknesses.

They followed patterns, repeated routes, left blind spots. Lin Tian studied them, watching, waiting. He didn't rush. He didn't need to. Patience was the weapon of the unseen hunter.

Zhang Rui's voice came through the earpiece Lin Tian had hooked into his phone. "Two guys patrolling the west wall. One by the side entrance. If you move now, you can slip past them." Lin Tian smirked. "You're getting better at this." Zhang Rui scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, just don't die. I'd hate to lose my best source of free food."

Lin Tian didn't bother responding. He was already moving. His steps were silent, his presence like a shadow against the moonlight. Within seconds, he was over the first wall, slipping past the patrol with ease. The estate was vast, lined with stone paths and security lights, but Lin Tian had spent a lifetime breaking into places far more dangerous than this. He reached the side of the main building, pressing himself against the cold stone, listening.

Zhang Rui's voice returned. "Okay, I'm tapping into their internal comms. I can't hear everything, but I picked up something. They have her in a room upstairs, second floor. Two guards outside the door." Lin Tian exhaled slowly. Good. He had a location. Now, he just needed to get there.

Then, suddenly—a voice from inside.

"Boss says to move the girl soon. He's on his way."

Lin Tian's golden eyes narrowed. Zhou Minghai was coming.

A slow smirk crept across his lips.

"Perfect."

Let him come.

By the time he arrived, Lin Tian would have already taken back what was his.

And then—he would make sure Zhou Minghai paid for everything.

The estate loomed ahead, a cold and imposing structure designed to keep intruders out and secrets locked within.

The night was silent except for the faint hum of cicadas, the rhythmic pacing of armed guards, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs beyond.

Lin Tian crouched behind a row of neatly trimmed hedges, his golden eyes scanning the property with calculated precision. Every fortress had its weakness. Every wall had a crack. And tonight, Lin Tian was going to tear this place apart from the inside.

Zhang Rui's voice crackled through the earpiece, low and urgent. "Alright, I've got a full layout of the estate. West side has the least security, but there's a motion detector near the side entrance. If you time it right, you can slip in before it resets."

Lin Tian's lips curled into a smirk. "That's all?"

Zhang Rui let out a sharp breath. "Dude, this isn't a video game. If they catch you, they're not just gonna escort you out. These guys work for Zhou Minghai—they will kill you."

Lin Tian's voice was calm, steady. "Then I won't get caught."

Without another word, he moved. His steps were silent as he slipped through the shadows, his body blending seamlessly into the darkness. He reached the western perimeter wall, pressing himself against the cold stone as he counted the timing of the motion sensor. Every twenty seconds, it flickered off for three seconds—a flaw in the system.

That was all he needed.

As soon as the light dimmed, Lin Tian moved. He scaled the wall in one fluid motion, his body a blur of controlled precision. Landing softly on the other side, he kept low, scanning his surroundings. A lone guard stood by the side entrance, cigarette in hand, his stance relaxed—a mistake.

Lin Tian didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, swift and silent. One precise strike to the pressure point at the base of the guard's neck—and the man collapsed before he could make a sound. Lin Tian caught him before his body hit the ground, dragging him into the shadows. One down. More to go.

The interior of the estate was vast, lined with expensive paintings, marble floors, and crystal chandeliers that cast eerie reflections along the hallway.

It was a place built by a man who believed he was untouchable. A monument to power, control, and wealth stolen through deception. Lin Tian moved swiftly, his senses sharp, his every movement precise. He was no longer thinking as a high school student—he was thinking as a predator.

Zhang Rui's voice came through again. "Alright, second floor, last room down the hall. Two guards outside the door. They haven't moved."

Lin Tian smirked. "Good. That makes it easier."

Zhang Rui let out a dry laugh. "You're enjoying this way too much."

Lin Tian didn't respond. He had already reached the base of the staircase, his eyes locked on the two guards standing by Su Yun's room. Their posture was stiff, professional. Not amateurs. But no amount of training could prepare them for what was about to happen.

Lin Tian didn't wait. He moved.

The first guard barely had time to react before Lin Tian's elbow crashed into his jaw, sending him sprawling against the wall.

The second guard reached for his weapon, but Lin Tian was already there, twisting the man's wrist and slamming him against the floor. A sharp choke, a muffled groan—and then silence.

Both guards lay unconscious at his feet.

Lin Tian exhaled, shaking the tension from his fingers. Too easy.

Now—for Su Yun.

The door was locked. Lin Tian didn't bother searching for a key. He stepped back, focused his strength, and kicked it open. The doorframe splintered as the lock snapped, and Lin Tian stepped inside—ready for anything.

Su Yun sat on a chair in the middle of the room, her hands tied, her face pale. But when she saw him, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Lin Tian?"

His smirk was soft but confident. "Took me long enough, huh?"

Su Yun stared at him, shock giving way to something unreadable—relief, fear, hope. "How—? Why are you—?"

Lin Tian didn't waste time. He moved forward, untying the ropes around her wrists, his touch careful but quick. "No time for questions. We're leaving."

Su Yun hesitated, looking at him. "Lin Tian… it's too dangerous. You shouldn't have come."

Lin Tian met her gaze, his voice steady. "I don't leave people behind."

Something in Su Yun's eyes flickered—an emotion too complicated to name. Then, finally, she nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Lin Tian took her hand, guiding her toward the door. But the moment they stepped into the hallway—

A voice rang out.

"Going somewhere?"

Lin Tian froze. Su Yun stiffened beside him.

And there, standing at the end of the corridor, was Zhou Minghai.

Behind him stood four more guards—and they were armed.

Lin Tian's golden eyes narrowed.

"Perfect timing."

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