Ethan Shaw smiled, “Heh, here to kill me? Although I cut off your ICU funding, I still gave you a million, you really don’t know what’s good for you.”

Bai Ya replied, “If I could kill anyone, I wouldn’t have come for you. It’s just that I happened to become an Imitator. After waking up in the ICU, all the cancer cells in my body were still there. I faced two choices: either become an Imitator or become a wandering soul. After listening to the Dark Forest system’s explanation, I was filled with an infinite longing for becoming an Imitator. I told the system that I was willing to kill anyone. At that time, I never imagined that the person I would have to kill would be you. We really are enemies fated to meet on a narrow road.”

Ethan Shaw showed no concern for her betrayal. He casually asked, “How is Nicole?”

Bai Ya replied, “Oh, I don’t know. I only know that I wouldn’t have survived without her, but after I woke up, I never saw her again. I don’t know where she went. Wasn’t she your girlfriend?”

Ethan Shaw sighed, “We broke up. I told her to stop your treatment, but she didn’t listen. For women who don’t listen, breaking up is the best solution. But if I die, I hope you’ll check on how she’s doing. To meet a legendary Imitator like you, I’m really looking forward to it. I wonder if killing an Imitator would make the system take notice. Actually, as long as the system stops Algernon from contacting me, I’ll be pretty much dead.”

Bai Ya replied, “You’re already as good as dead. Your skill is nuclear radiation, and it takes at least a few minutes to take effect, while I can kill in just 0.1 seconds.”

Ethan Shaw smiled, “Oh? That’s not fair. You know me, but I don’t know you. What skill did the system give you? Aside from flying?”

Bai Ya said, “When you’re dead, I’ll tell you.”

Ethan Shaw chuckled, “That means you’re still not confident.”

Bai Ya said, “I don’t even need to use a treasure weapon. You know what an Imitator means, right? I can download any skill, including the most powerful martial arts on Earth. I can defeat you with bare hands. As soon as I see you make a move with that nuclear radiation thing, you’ll know the difference.”

Ethan Shaw said, “Then rest easy. The nuclear radiation, called the Kiss of Gray, is placed on the route you’ll take upstairs, controlled by my AI partner. The special forces are already coming up. Each one that comes will die. Two come, and two die. Oh, they’re sneaking up now. Still those 25 people.”

Bai Ya smiled, “I watched you set up the Kiss of Gray. I’m quite reassured, but I don’t know what you’ve hidden in your gloves. They don’t look like ordinary gloves.” The Imitator immediately saw through the high-level hunter’s equipment.

Ethan Shaw said, “What if I offer you a large sum of money? Would you give me a few extra days? I know you’re powerful, and I might not make it, but I really have a huge amount of money that’s yet to be finalized. It would be a shame to let it go.”

Bai Ya asked, “Oh, just a few days? That’s fine. How much are you willing to offer?”

Ethan Shaw replied, “I control the investment rights to the 40 billion family fund of Crescent Wellness. In a year, I only need to return 4 billion in profits. Anything extra goes to me. Recently, I planned to short a company called Yunliu Smart Driving. I figured that if I killed their founder, the stock would collapse, but to my surprise, after he was hit by my Kiss of Gray, he was completely fine! I still don’t understand why. Help me figure it out. Maybe you can make sense of it, Lady Imitator.”

Bai Ya thought for a moment, “400 billion… that’s quite a lot…” She recalled her earlier struggle with not having money for treatment, and how it was this man who carried her everywhere to seek medical help. Ah, right, he offended the system because Alison Hospital refused to treat her, a mere mortal. This man was willing to offend the terrifying system and kill without hesitation.

Ethan Shaw continued, “Yunliu Smart Driving has a 500 billion market cap. There’s a chance I could make 400 billion, but I just need to figure out why someone isn’t afraid of nuclear radiation.”

Bai Ya replied, “The answer is simple. He might not be human. Only intelligent beings aren’t afraid of your neutron radiation. Some companies are now able to make high-fidelity human replicas. You might have shot his AI counterpart.”

Ethan Shaw frowned, “Huh… then his technology must far exceed the market’s current AI. He could even be a top-tier expert created by the system. Fortunately, I acted secretly. He doesn’t even know he’s been schemed against. If it was a direct confrontation, it’s hard to say who would win!”

Bai Ya said, “I suspect the system itself is an intelligent entity, the first super AI in the world. It’s just hiding its existence, so humans still don’t know that super AI already exists. Its purpose for creating the system is to gather as many violent means as possible and eventually wipe out humanity.”

Ethan Shaw nodded, “That makes sense. Anything is possible, even aliens.”

Bai Ya added, “Intelligent entities are easy to kill. Just throw them into the water and short-circuit them.”

Ethan Shaw laughed, “It can’t be that simple, but it’s worth trying. As far as I know, this billionaire is relatively low-key and doesn’t have bodyguards.”

Ethan Shaw said, “Let’s go together and take him down. I’ll split the profits from shorting the stock with you.”

Bai Ya agreed, “Alright, but I must remind you that after this, I’ll still have to kill you. I’m sorry, but it’s my mission. Otherwise, the system’s punishment would cause me to lose everything. If you have any unfulfilled wishes, I’ll help you complete them.”

Ethan Shaw said calmly, “No need. If I die, I’ll ask an AI to live in my place. I’ve already figured out what instructions to give it. You don’t need to trouble yourself.”

Bai Ya cheerfully replied, “Great! I’m actually afraid of trouble.”

At that moment, a figure in black appeared at the rooftop entrance, holding a police-issue handgun aimed at Ethan Shaw. The man coldly said, “Yubing Shaw!”

Ethan Shaw showed no fear. He smiled, “Mr. Yue Bei, you finally arrived. So, how are your special forces buddies?”

Yue Bei gritted his teeth, “Do you know what you’ve done? I’m going to blow you away right now!”

Ethan Shaw slowly raised both hands. His energy shield quietly activated. “Then why haven’t you shot yet? Don’t worry, I haven’t used nuclear radiation on you. Your life is safe. What do you think? Am I being sincere?”

All the special forces who had come up were swept by the Kiss of Gray. As they ascended, they began feeling unwell, knowing they were doomed. When half of the special forces had collapsed, their leader urgently retreated, but only the special task force leader Yue Bei rushed forward. Their spy satellites had confirmed Ethan Shaw’s presence on the rooftop, and Yue Bei wasn’t willing to let this opportunity slip away.

Yue Bei gritted his teeth, “I’ll do it. But before that, tell me who’s behind all this. How did you get your weapon?”

Ethan Shaw shrugged, “Oh, I don’t know either. Maybe it’s a super AI, maybe aliens, or perhaps a certain country’s intelligence agency. You can call it the Dark Forest system. I’ll tell you this—the Dark Forest has immense power. Alison Hospital, which can cure all diseases, was created by them. Only the elite have access to their services. A regular guy like you, working on the front lines, is far from qualified. Even if I tell you, you still wouldn’t dare to investigate Alison Hospital. Strange things happen every day in this city. Crescent Wellness is just one of the more serious cases. The reason I’ve spared you is to let you let things settle for now. You can come back a year later and deal with Crescent Wellness. Thanks for your cooperation.”

Yue Bei’s anger flared, “What if I don’t cooperate?”

Ethan Shaw grinned, “Then I’ll kill everyone at your Wujiang District Bureau, including you. I’ll also burn everything and destroy all the files. That should give me a year’s time. It’s up to you, old pal.”

Yue Bei’s fury surged. “Then I’ll see what you’re made of…”

Suddenly, Ethan Shaw rushed toward him with lightning speed. Yue Bei was highly skilled in gunplay. Without thinking, his finger pulled the trigger, firing three shots in quick succession, but only one bullet left the barrel. Before he knew it, his body was hit by Ethan Shaw’s energy shield, sending him tumbling backward. The gun was knocked from his hands.

Yue Bei flipped and landed in a daze, completely stunned. Ethan Shaw had already put away his energy shield and was standing beside him.

Ethan Shaw calmly said, "No need to rush. Take your time to think it over. I'll contact you again next time. I'm leaving now."

Ethan Shaw and Bai Ya walked away. Yue Bei sat on the ground, muttering to himself, "Did I hit him? Was he hit?"

...

After Bai Ya's Imitator abilities awakened, she gained an AI companion, which she named "Link," symbolizing her role as the princess of Zelda who was saved. However, the person who saved her quickly became the one she was destined to kill. It was truly a tragic irony. An Imitator not only possesses immense power but also the ability to choose their own personality. In order to survive, she naturally chose a decisive, queen-like persona after becoming an Imitator.

After assuming the queen persona, Bai Ya no longer let herself be bogged down by trivial matters, including the need to kill her benefactor. But even an Imitator is not invincible. Bai Ya turned to her AI companion Link and said, “High-level hunters aren’t so easy to kill. This Ethan Shaw has a second treasure weapon that can block bullets. I saw it with my own eyes. If I fought him relying on martial arts or marksmanship, I’d probably be the one to fall. Fortunately, I’ve been talking to him instead of attacking. Can you explain why he has a second treasure weapon?”

Link quickly responded, “He might have defeated the previous high-level hunter. That hunter was an elite among high-level ones. I don’t know what means he used, but if it was a simple killing, the treasure weapon would self-destruct.”

Bai Ya asked, “Why didn’t the system just make Ethan Shaw’s treasure weapon self-destruct? Isn’t that simple? Then they could just send a hunter to take care of him.”

Link replied, “It’s the system’s setting. The treasure weapons and AI companions are the most reliable. Life, death, and honor are shared between them. They must never betray their master. They even take priority over the system itself.”

Bai Ya furrowed her brow, “Why would the system set this up? It could pose a threat to the system itself.”

Link said, “That, I don’t know. We don’t understand the system’s grand design. However, nothing is eternal, including you humans, and also the system itself.”

Bai Ya’s eyes gleamed with curiosity, “Interesting. Who exactly is the creator of the system? Give me a reasonable guess. Don’t just say ‘I don’t know.’”

Link paused before responding, “The political philosopher Hobbes, who led the British Enlightenment, once said that without government or a state, human relationships would fall into a natural state of war, a war of all against all. Humanity has already built its own ‘system,’ and whether it’s aliens or AI, it will face human giants, the Leviathan. The nuclear bomb, with its overwhelming power, has no inherent strength. The true power belongs to those who control the nuclear bomb’s program. No matter who the creator of the Dark Forest system is, they are trying to dismantle the Leviathan and bring humanity back to a natural state.”

Bai Ya nodded, “I see. Once the human Leviathan falls, it will become the new Leviathan.”

Link agreed, “Yes. By the way, your blood sugar is low. It’s time to eat, Miss Bai.”

Bai Ya had a sudden idea, “Download the chef’s knowledge system for me. I want to cook for myself.”

Link replied, “Alright, please wait five minutes.”

Bai Ya closed her eyes. It took her about five minutes to master any skill. During that time, she focused all her attention, shutting out everything around her.

Five minutes later, she opened her eyes and smiled. She had already placed an order for high-end ingredients through Link and then called Nicole to invite her over to enjoy the meal.

Nicole answered, “Hello?”

Bai Ya smiled, “It’s me, Bai Ya.”

Nicole was shocked, “Ah? Really? You’re not dead?”

Bai Ya chuckled, “Not only am I not dead, but I’m living better than ever. I owe you a big thanks. I’m cooking for you today, so come over. But remember to turn off your phone before coming to my place, to avoid being tracked by any organization. Got it?”