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Chapter 31 — Reflexes of a Predator
Floating Cloud City was restless.
Whispers had begun to crawl through the alleys and tea shops:
The Xiao Clan was growing bolder.
Yun Clan members had been spotted traveling under heavy guard.
Outsiders were asking too many questions.
I'd learned to keep my head down in these moments, blending into the crowd while listening to the currents shift.
But that night, trouble found me anyway.
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The Alley
It was late when I left the apothecary, herbs bundled under one arm.
The streets were quiet — too quiet — and the moonlight stretched long shadows across the narrow lane leading to my rented room.
Then I heard it.
A sharp, panicked cry.
"Let me go!"
My body moved before my mind caught up, instincts honed by two simulated weeks of constant training.
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The Scene
Down the alley, three figures had a girl cornered — a maid from the Yun estate, if her outfit was anything to judge by.
One man gripped her wrist tightly, another blocked her escape, while the third kept watch.
I recognized the crest on their sashes.
Xiao Clan.
Perfect.
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The Shift
Before the simulation, I would have hesitated.
Calculated.
Overthought.
Now?
There was no hesitation.
Only movement.
My feet were silent on the cobblestones as I closed the distance, muscles coiled like springs.
The first man never saw me coming.
A quick sweep of my leg took his balance, and the edge of my bundled herbs slammed into his gut, knocking the wind from him.
The second turned too late.
A sharp jab to the throat — controlled, not lethal — dropped him to his knees, choking.
The third reached for a blade.
Bad move.
My hand clamped around his wrist, twisting it sharply until the dagger clattered to the ground.
A sharp kick to the side of his knee left him groaning on the dirt.
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The Aftermath
The girl stared at me, wide-eyed, too shocked to speak.
I kept my hood low, voice even.
"Go. Now."
She didn't hesitate.
By the time the Xiao lackeys groaned their way back to their feet, she was gone, her footsteps fading into the night.
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System Notification
> [Reflex Enhancement Triggered.]
[Combat Assessment: Efficiency +12%. Lethality Restrained.]
[Timeline Divergence: Minimal — Identities Concealed.]
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The Weight
As I melted back into the shadows, a single thought kept circling in my mind.
This city was getting sharper, more dangerous with every passing day.
And if I wanted to keep ahead of the storm, I'd need more than instincts.
I'd need power — and control — before the plot truly erupted.
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