The tea room was eerily quiet.

The air seemed to solidify, and Gao Yang could hear his own heartbeat racing: it was over, they were definitely discovered.

Gao Yang cast a fleeting glance at Qing Ling, who was frozen in thought.

If Officer Huang was a Wrath Beast, she had no chance of winning.

Killing a Wrath Beast wasn’t hard for her, but there were over a hundred "people" outside the tea room. If she exposed her identity as an awakened being, she would certainly die.

Escape?

It was meaningless. Even if she escaped now, her identity was exposed, and she wouldn't survive for more than a few days.

Her previous companion was stronger than her but still died after accidentally revealing their identity.

She had no choice but to bet on one last possibility.

"Officer Huang, why are you here?" Qing Ling asked after three seconds.

Officer Huang slowly walked to the water dispenser, bent down to fill a cup with cold water, exposing his back completely to Qing Ling and Gao Yang.

After filling the cup, he turned around and leaned against the table holding the water dispenser. "Still investigating Li Weiwei’s case. I thought I’d start by questioning the people around her, so I came to the farewell ceremony."

"Have you found anything?" Gao Yang tried to look concerned about the case's progress.

"I asked around and found some leads. But I can’t tell you," Officer Huang smiled after sipping his water. "By the way, what were you guys talking about earlier? It sounded interesting. Something about beasts and rules?"

Gao Yang's heart sank deeply. They couldn’t bluff their way out of this.

In that case, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"A survival game we’ve been playing recently. It’s really popular," Gao Yang glanced at Qing Ling. "We were talking about the game."

"Really?" Officer Huang nodded thoughtfully. "What’s the name of this game?"

"It’s called... ‘Monster Human Family Fun.’"

"The name sounds interesting," Officer Huang sighed enviously. "Young people have it good. We working folks have no time for entertainment."

Officer Huang finished his water, placed the disposable cup on the water dispenser, and leisurely walked out of the tea room.

In just one minute, Gao Yang had broken into a cold sweat, his back soaked.

He asked Qing Ling, "What do we do now?"

Qing Ling frowned slightly. "Two possibilities. One, he’s a Wrath Beast and already suspects us, and he’s testing us on purpose. Two, he’s a Fool Beast."

"A Fool Beast?"

"Fool Beasts are special, also known as ‘The Lost.’ They believe themselves to be human and have deceived themselves. Even if an awakened being appears before them, they won’t harm them. They usually ignore critical information and automatically adjust their logic and memory."

"If Officer Huang is a Fool Beast, we’re safe," Gao Yang concluded.

"Yes, but I won’t bet on those odds." Qing Ling walked to the door, looking at Officer Huang in the hall through the crack. "Wrath Beasts have an intense desire for prey. They wouldn't share an awakened being with their kind."

Gao Yang recalled Li Weiwei's appearance during her attempted murder. "I have witnessed it."

"The hall is filled with more than a hundred people. The Wrath Beast must exist in multiples. Officer Huang most likely refrained from attacking us for that reason.

Gao Yang drew a long breath and said, "He wants to eat alone."

"Very likely," Qing Ling looked at Gao Yang, her gaze cold. "We still have a chance. First, we need to silence him."

...

10 p.m., Shanqing District, police station.

After the farewell ceremony, Officer Huang drove straight to the police station.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang followed in a taxi. After getting out, they went to a café opposite the police station, choosing a window seat for better observation.

After placing an order for some food and beverages, they pulled out their textbooks and homework and pretended to be studying to kill time.

Initially, Gao Yang was against Qing Ling’s plan to kill Officer Huang. But on second thought, it was a matter of survival. If Qing Ling failed, he would eventually die too.

He might as well have died standing if that was how he was going to go.

That way it would appear more dignified, at least.

"I have a lot of questions for you," Gao Yang said, sipping his orange juice.

"Go ahead," Qing Ling was focused on her mango pancake, cutting it into eight pieces with a knife and fork, as if dealing with an enemy.

"Do you have any other companions besides me?"

"I told you before, I knew two others. They’re both dead."

"So, you’ve always been alone?" Gao Yang found it hard to believe.

"Two," Qing Ling’s eyes glinted. "My sister and me."

Gao Yang realized she was referring to her second personality, Qing Yu.

"You two sisters... have it tough."

"Worry about yourself first." Qing Ling put down her fork. "If the action fails later, I’ll run and hide."

"What about me?" Gao Yang asked.

"I don’t know," Qing Ling’s gaze was icy. "I won’t take care of dead weight."

Gao Yang was hurt.

He wasn’t dead weight. He had talents too!

On second thought, he decided not to humiliate himself in front of a beautiful woman.

They waited until late at night, and Officer Huang finally left the police station.

He walked to his police car. As he took out his car keys, he noticed something and stopped. He looked down and saw the front tire was punctured—a result of Qing Ling remotely controlling her knife.

Officer Huang didn’t show much annoyance. He took out his phone and made a call, laughing and chatting. Then he crossed the street to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang kept a distance of about fifty meters, following cautiously.

Officer Huang smoked while talking on the phone. As he walked through a park, he seemed to be taking a shortcut.

"Here’s our chance," Qing Ling quickened her pace.

"Could it be a trap?" Gao Yang was highly suspicious.

Qing Ling’s eyes sharpened. "Then we’ll see who the prey really is."

Late at night, the park was dense with trees, no visitors around. Officer Huang walked alone, his solitary figure seeming more dangerous to Gao Yang.

Qing Ling and Gao Yang put on masks and sunglasses, following Officer Huang to the park’s center, hiding behind well-trimmed bushes.

Qing Ling extended her hands towards the surveillance camera on the streetlamp above.

She focused, seeming to control something. After two seconds, she clenched her fist lightly, and the camera made a slight sound as the "red dot" disappeared.

"You go out and call him, say something to distract him," Qing Ling whispered. "Leave the rest to me."

Gao Yang was very nervous. "Okay."

Taking a deep breath, Gao Yang stepped out of the bushes and quickly caught up. "Officer Huang."

Officer Huang stopped and turned around. "Who are you?"

Gao Yang removed his mask. "Oh, it’s me."

"Gao Yang? What are you doing here so late?" Officer Huang smiled.

Gao Yang continued his act. "I suddenly remembered a clue about Li Weiwei and wanted to tell you."

"Really?" Officer Huang smiled, walking toward Gao Yang with slightly eager movements. "Great, tell me..."

Suddenly, Officer Huang’s smile vanished.

He turned quickly, drawing his gun from his waist.