The Hunters and the Hunted
Gerard knows he's being watched. The question is—by whom? With his new system ability, he prepares to throw off his pursuers while setting a trap of his own. Meanwhile, Wei Meiying is closing in on a truth she may not be ready to accept, and the unknown force observing him is ready to act. The game of deception is no longer one-sided. Now, it's a war.
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00:30 – Safehouse – The Spoofing Begins
Gerard sat at the desk, fingers poised above his system interface.
The blue screen flickered, awaiting his command.
[Ding! System Ability Activated – Digital Spoofing]
- Erasing recent tracking data…
- Redirecting surveillance feeds…
- Generating false activity logs…
A progress bar appeared, loading steadily.
Jian whistled, watching over his shoulder. "That's freaky. It's like you're wiping yourself off the grid."
Gerard's expression remained unreadable. "That's the point."
The assassin leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "And what if they're not just using digital surveillance? What if they have eyes on you physically?"
Gerard smirked. "Then we'll give them something to look at."
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01:00 – The Decoy is Set
A black sedan pulled out of the safehouse garage, taking a calculated route through the city.
Inside, a hired driver sat behind the wheel, dressed identically to Gerard—same coat, same build, same movements.
The car was rigged—its onboard systems feeding a looped tracking signal that made it appear as if Gerard was inside.
Jian watched from the safehouse monitors, arms folded. "If they take the bait, we'll know soon enough."
Gerard checked his weapons. "Then let's be ready when they do."
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01:30 – The First Move is Made
A highway outside the city.
The black sedan moved steadily along the road, its speed controlled, its route pre-determined.
A motorcycle merged behind it, following at a careful distance.
Then—a second vehicle.
A tinted SUV.
Inside, masked figures watched the target, their radios crackling.
"Primary target located. Confirming presence."
A pause.
Then, a voice from their comms.
"Proceed with extraction."
The SUV picked up speed.
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[Ding! The Hunters Have Taken the Bait]
- The unknown force has targeted the decoy.
- Their objective: Capture Gerard.
- Next Move: Intercept before they realize the truth.
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01:45 – The Ambush Begins
Gerard stood on a rooftop overlooking the highway, watching through binoculars.
The SUV moved in, blocking the sedan's path.
Jian's voice came through the earpiece. "They're going for a hard stop. If they breach the car, they'll realize it's empty."
The assassin rolled his shoulders. "Then let's make sure they don't get that far."
Gerard smirked. "Agreed."
He pulled his silenced pistol from its holster.
Time to greet his hunters properly.
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Meanwhile – Wei Meiying's Breakthrough
Back at the Wei estate, Wei Meiying sat at her desk, papers and files scattered before her.
She had cross-referenced every lead, every inconsistency.
And the picture they painted was… impossible.
Her brother had always been fragile.
Weak. Timid. Passive.
But this Li Xian was… someone else.
Stronger. Smarter. Sharper.
And the more she looked, the more cracks she found.
A single thought ran through her mind.
"If this isn't my brother… then who is he?"
She exhaled, fingers tightening around her pen.
It was time to find out.
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[Ding! Meiying's Investigation Progresses]
- She has identified key inconsistencies in Li Xian's behavior.
- Her next move: A direct confrontation.
- Suspicion Level: Critical.
---
02:00 – The Battle Begins
The masked operatives breached the black sedan, weapons drawn—
And found nothing inside.
A second of confusion.
Then—gunfire.
Gerard fired from the rooftop, his shots precise, hitting tires, disabling their escape.
The assassin moved through the shadows, striking from behind.
Jian fired from the alley below, pinning them down.
The ambush had become a trap.
One of the masked figures scrambled for cover, shouting into their radio.
"It's a setup! The target isn't here!"
Gerard dropped down from the rooftop, landing behind them.
His pistol pressed against the operative's skull.
"Wrong. The target is right here."
The man froze, realizing too late—
He was the hunted now.
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[Ding! Mission Progress: The Shadow War Begins]
- Successfully ambushed the unknown force's extraction team.
- Captured a live operative for interrogation.
- Next Move: Extract information before their backup arrives.
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02:10 – Interrogation Begins
The captured operative was dragged into an abandoned warehouse, his hands tied behind a chair.
Jian leaned against a crate. "I'll start. I've got a real persuasive personality."
Gerard smirked. "No need. I'll handle this."
The assassin chuckled. "Oh, this I have to see."
Gerard crouched before the prisoner, calm but lethal.
"Who sent you?"
The man spat blood, sneering. "You're dead, you know that? They'll find you."
Gerard's expression didn't change. "Who. Sent. You?"
The man's silence lasted three seconds too long.
Gerard's fist cracked against his ribs.
The operative gasped, pain jolting through him.
Gerard's voice remained even, controlled. "One last chance."
The prisoner laughed weakly. "You think this ends with me? You have no idea who you're dealing with."
Gerard's gaze darkened. "Then educate me."
The man leaned forward, smirking despite the pain.
"You're already on borrowed time, Walker."
Gerard froze.
Jian's eyes widened. "Wait—how the hell does he know your real name?"
A long, heavy silence.
Then—the man grinned.
"They've known about you since the beginning."
Gerard's grip tightened.
This wasn't just an attack.
It was a message.
And whoever sent it… wanted him to know.
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[Ding! Major Development Unlocked]
- The unknown force has identified Gerard by his real name.
- They've been tracking him far longer than expected.
- Next Move: Find out who "they" are before they strike again.
---
The Game Has Changed Again
The night wasn't over.
This war wasn't over.
Gerard thought he was setting the trap.
But in reality—he was already in one.
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