“Let’s go boating.” Ethan Shaw spoke to Song Qing in a tone that was almost a command. It annoyed her, but she restrained herself. The moment Ethan appeared, she felt an overwhelming aura emanating from him. He didn’t look particularly handsome or intimidating; he seemed ordinary. Yet, the aura was chilling, and even though boating together was an intimate activity for young men and women who barely knew each other, she agreed without hesitation.

After they rowed about 100 meters, Ethan spoke nonchalantly, “Do you want to know how your brother died?”

Song Qing replied, “I’m all ears.”

Ethan suddenly pointed to a couple about 50 meters ahead. “See those two? That guy is going to die soon, in the same way as your brother.”

A chill ran down Song Qing’s spine. “What…” Countless questions flooded her mind.

Ethan said, “Let’s follow them. Soon, you’ll witness a miracle.”

Suppressing her unease, Song Qing focused intently on the couple ahead. She had a dreadful premonition.

After about five minutes, the man suddenly clutched his nose and stopped rowing. His companion asked anxiously, but he couldn’t muster a reply. Confusion washed over him as he opened his palm to reveal it was drenched in blood. Song Qing heard the woman scream, “You’re bleeding! Let’s go back!”

The woman, who had been acting soft and demure, immediately transformed into a robust caretaker, taking over the rowing and frantically steering the boat back. Ethan followed them leisurely, allowing Song Qing to observe the man’s condition worsen step by step.

It started with a nosebleed and some dizziness, but within five minutes, he was lying down, barely conscious. He mumbled, “Why do I feel so terrible all of a sudden?”

His partner snapped, “Are you sick or something?” She was clearly frustrated, doubting their future together. Who wanted to deal with a sick man?

“No, I’m usually fine…” he stammered, despite his foggy mind, as if the romantic connection was still important to him.

As his companion tried to wipe the blood from his nose, Ethan’s boat passed by, and he casually glanced at them. Song Qing watched in horror as the man’s condition deteriorated. When they were closest to him, he let out a dry heave that startled Song Qing into recoiling.

The woman was on the verge of tears, exclaiming, “I’m calling an ambulance!” She pulled out her phone to dial emergency services.

Ethan took Song Qing back to the shore, where they waited for the couple to return. It only took two minutes. When they reached the shore, the man’s condition had worsened, and he was groaning in pain.

Five minutes later, the ambulance arrived. The medical staff repeatedly asked what had happened, but the couple kept insisting they had no idea. The woman was now tearful, saying she had never faced such a crisis.

Song Qing stood there, stunned by the scene unfolding before her.

Once they were alone, Ethan said, “That’s it. Within three hours, he’ll be dead. Your brother died the same way. You wanted to know, right? This guy cut in line earlier when buying tickets. I advised him against it, but he just glared at me, so I made him relive your brother’s fate.”

Song Qing’s voice trembled, “Are you saying you… you just casually killed him?”

Ethan replied, “Yes, as easily as stepping on an ant. That’s how your brother died, too. So, don’t even think about avenging him. Otherwise… things might not go well for you. Maybe the only reason you’re still alive is because you were once good friends with my girlfriend. Have you heard the hypothetical question? If you were given a billion dollars to press a button that would kill a stranger, would you do it? My answer is: I don’t need the money, but if you cut in line in front of me, I might just press it. Do you understand, Miss Song?”

It took Song Qing five full minutes to recover, and her first response was, “You’re really into your girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Ethan replied, “Of course. That’s obvious.”

Song Qing asked, “Do you know what she’s been up to lately?”

Ethan shrugged, “Are you trying to tell me she’s done something scandalous? Let me tell you, most women aren’t as free as those in the oldest profession. Free women can choose their clients. Can you? Most women lack that freedom—both physically and spiritually. I have no reason not to like a free soul. Freedom is the only meaning in life.”

Song Qing responded, “So you know. Fine. Then I wish you both happiness.” She was burning with anger, but she didn’t know how to bring this killer to justice. His display had been so ruthless that no police officer would believe her story—it was like accusing someone of witchcraft.

Most women would have run after such a fright, but Song Qing didn’t. Ethan knew why and chuckled, “Clenching your fists? Thinking about using your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? Let me tell you, your moves are child’s play to me. Don’t humiliate yourself, or if I get angry… well, you get the idea.”

Before he could finish, Song Qing moved unpredictably, sliding beside him and locking her elbow around his neck. As an athletic type, she always wore clothes that allowed freedom of movement, even if it sacrificed femininity. Her movements were lightning-fast, barely visible to the naked eye.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu relies on leverage to increase the force of a lock. Song Qing’s strength training only amplified her advantage, and most men would struggle against her chokehold. But to her surprise, Ethan easily resisted her, placing a finger behind her elbow and standing like a steel pillar. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t choke him.

After a minute, Song Qing gave up, only to switch her tactics and use her legs to trap him. With leverage, she twisted her legs in a move that should have overpowered any opponent, but Ethan reacted faster, and his absurd strength rendered her famous hold useless.

They collapsed onto the grass, both breathing heavily. Ethan recovered in three seconds and laughed, “Nice moves, but unfortunately, you met me. I didn’t want to hurt you; otherwise, you wouldn’t have come close to choking me. I let you do it so you’d give up.”

He suddenly seemed lost in thought. Once a weakling, he was amazed that the Red Mushroom had not only taught him to face life and death but had also unlocked his potential. He thought high-level Hunters were merely brave, but Algernon had taken him to a gym, and he had learned the truth.

When he had gone to the gym shirtless, a nearby musclehead had laughed at his scrawny frame. But that had changed when Ethan effortlessly lifted weights that nearly made the guy cry out in awe.

Algernon had told him that a real Hunter should never seem dangerous at first glance. By the time the prey realizes it, it’s already too late.

Lying next to Ethan, Song Qing felt a strange mix of despair and curiosity. “Who are you?”

Ethan murmured, “A month ago, I knew who I was—just an ordinary nobody. Now, I don’t know anymore.”

Song Qing asked, “In this past month, you learned to kill, didn’t you?”

Ethan smiled, “Killing? No, it’s far more than that. I’ve acquired that hypothetical button everyone dreams of.”

Song Qing asked, “So, just one month, and next, are you planning to marry a rich heiress and reach the top?”

Ethan replied, “I haven’t thought about it. Such worldly desires quickly lose meaning. The explosion on Yulong Road was just the beginning.”

Song Qing asked, “Really? Then, does marrying a good man quickly lose meaning for a woman, too?”

Ethan inquired, “Are you thinking about getting married?”

Song Qing said, “My boyfriend is foreign, and this time he didn’t come back with me, which disappointed me. If he proposed, I might not agree.”

Ethan asked, “Were you close to your brother?”

Song Qing replied, “We were okay. Since college, we barely saw each other. He had his girlfriends—always changing—and I had my own life. He really hated that I dated foreigners. We had a huge fight about it, and that was the last time we spoke. Funny, it turned out to be our final interaction.”

Ethan said, “That’s not bad. I… well, I broke things off with all my family. Felt lonely at first, but then I realized it didn’t matter. The past is fake; memories are a road with no return. All the springs that once were can never be regained. Even the most passionate, steadfast love ultimately boils down to a fleeting reality. Only loneliness is eternal.”

Song Qing quoted, “García Márquez.”

Ethan responded, “One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

Song Qing concluded, “You’re a well-read thug.”

Ethan remarked, “You get me. Now I have one more reason not to kill you.”

They stayed lying on the grass, with park visitors occasionally casting envious glances their way, probably mistaking them for a couple. Oddly, neither moved to get up. Rising would mean returning to normal and parting ways. Even with her enemy, Song Qing wasn’t ready to leave. She wanted to know more about him. The most terrifying enemy is the one you don’t understand. Once the mystery is gone, any enemy can be defeated.

But they hadn’t expected that after lying there for quite a while, someone would approach them, looking down with a familiar face.

Song Qing immediately sat up, a bit embarrassed, and called out, “Nicole!”

Ethan Shaw also sat up, though he wasn’t embarrassed at all. He smiled at Nicole and said, “You’re here.”

Nicole’s expression was peculiar as she scanned their faces. She remarked, “Looks like you two were having a good chat?”

As if asserting her territory, Nicole gently brushed away the bits of grass and dirt clinging to Ethan’s clothes. This action unconsciously made Song Qing clean off her own clothes as well. While she wasn’t a refined lady, she didn’t want to walk around covered in dirt either.

There was no friendship between Ethan and Song Qing, but Nicole was different. With her presence, it felt natural for Nicole to invite both of them to grab a meal together. Nicole had no idea that Ethan had just casually eliminated an unlucky guy who liked to cut in line, so her expression remained calm. However, Song Qing assumed that Nicole already knew about Ethan’s capabilities. She thought to herself, “My former best friend has really changed over the years.” She remembered how Nicole had intensely hated Song Ming after they broke up. Suddenly, a bold thought occurred to her: Could Nicole have had something to do with Song Ming’s death?