Chapter 0003: I'll Come to Your Place Tonight

Ning Fan clutched his stomach, brow furrowing slightly.

Huizi's words had shaken him more than he expected.

Not once had Ning Fan ever thought of Huizi as an enemy — let alone someone he wanted dead.

Lin Chuan had said all he needed to do was draw a little blood.

So in Ning Fan's mind, this was nothing more than a test.

Minimize the damage. Pass the trial. That was enough.

But Huizi was teaching him something else entirely.

"Then you could kill me too — so why don't you?"

Ning Fan's stomach churned with a violent, twisting pain, yet he stubbornly pushed back with the question.

That kick had been heavy.

But not lethal.

"Oh? So you can actually think for yourself? Fine, hotshot — you've got five days. Spend them figuring out why I didn't kill you. I'll give you one hint..."

Huizi stood up slowly, lowering his gaze. The amusement in his eyes faded, replaced by a cold, razor-edged calm. "I didn't kill you. But it has absolutely nothing to do with mercy."

That look sent a chill through Ning Fan.

He believed it. Huizi had genuinely considered it.

But why?

Why would he so easily think about killing someone he'd never even met before?

Ning Fan stared at him for a long moment, then forced his aching body upright. He picked up the Black Sword that had been knocked away during the kick, slung it back on, and turned to walk into a nearby alley.

"Already giving up? Kids these days — not a shred of backbone!"

Huizi muttered with contempt.

But Lin Chuan narrowed his eyes, watching Ning Fan's retreating figure. "He'll be back."

Huizi blinked, then pursed his lips. "Come on, Brother Chuan — even if he does come back, you actually want to take him in?"

"How'd you figure that?"

"Obviously — why else would you make him come at me? Just for fun?"

"Little brat, is that how you talk to your senior? You asking for it?"

"I didn't do anything! I'm perfectly well-behaved!"

They traded a few more jabs before Lin Chuan suddenly smiled. "You think that kid can actually pull it off?"

"Bro, I feel like you're insulting me."

Huizi scoffed. "Spent a lifetime taming eagles — and now I'm gonna get pecked by a little chick?"

"I think he can."

Lin Chuan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Want to bet something?"

Huizi's expression turned serious.

He knew Lin Chuan wasn't joking.

Does Brother Chuan really think that exam-obsessed kid can actually hurt me?

"I'll bet my pay from the next mission."

"Deal."

Lin Chuan patted him on the shoulder. "Five thousand Sola then — leaving you enough to eat on."

As Lin Chuan turned to leave, Huizi grabbed his arm.

"Wait — Brother Chuan, what makes you so sure I'm going to lose?"

"Because his grades are better than yours."

"Fuck!"

Huizi was thoroughly unsatisfied with that answer.

But at the same time, Lin Chuan's words made him take it seriously.

He raised his alert level to the same intensity he'd use outside the zone.

***

And yet, for an entire day, Ning Fan was nowhere to be seen — as if he truly had given up.

But the next morning, just as Huizi propped up the weathered wooden board of the Hound Shelter, he spotted Ning Fan.

The boy was sitting at the base of a wall about a hundred meters away.

What unsettled Huizi was that the kid was staring at him — dead-eyed and unblinking — without making any move at all.

At noon, Huizi watched as Ning Fan pulled a greasy lump of food from his pocket and ate it while maintaining that same unwavering stare.

It was the cheapest food in the Lower City — Shadow Hound Meat.

The smell was beyond description: sour, rancid, the texture dry and stringy. No matter how long you chewed, swallowing it felt like dragging a blade down your throat.

And its Miasma content was extremely high.

If the stuff had any redeeming quality, it was that it was cheap and filling.

The small piece in Ning Fan's hand cost only five Sola — and it could last three days.

He ate a few bland, expressionless bites, then tucked the rest back into his pocket.

Throughout the entire process, his eyes never once left Huizi.

Huizi felt a creeping unease.

At first he could brush it off — but ask yourself: if someone stared at you from sunrise to sundown without blinking, how would that make you feel?

What bothered Huizi even more was that by the time he had closed up for the evening, Ning Fan was still in the exact same position.

"Hey."

Huizi couldn't take it anymore. He walked over. "What are you playing at? What's the point of staring at me like that?"

Ning Fan looked up. "I'm figuring out how to hurt you."

"And? Have you figured it out?"

"Yes."

"Oh? Ready to make a move?"

"No."

"Then what's the deal?"

"No deal. Lin Chuan said I have five days. Today's only the second day. I'm not in a rush — why are you?"

Ning Fan stood up calmly. "You're leaving?"

"What, are you following me home?"

"No. I just wanted to let you know — don't sleep tonight."

Ning Fan gave a polite smile. "I know where you live."

"Fuck!"

Huizi felt like he was throwing punches at cotton.

What was this kid planning?

As it turned out, Ning Fan had gotten under his skin.

That night, Huizi lay in bed with his eyes wide open until dawn.

He was genuinely afraid of an embarrassing slip-up — he couldn't afford to lose face over something like this.

Fortunately, years of working in the field had conditioned him — going a day or two without sleep was nothing new.

***

On the morning of the third day, Ning Fan was already waiting at the foot of the wall when Huizi arrived.

Huizi shot him an irritated glare.

Same as the day before — even while eating, Ning Fan never once looked away.

"So kid, planning to sneak into my place again tonight?"

"I didn't go last night."

Ning Fan smiled. "After you left, I just found a spot and went to sleep."

Huizi nearly coughed up blood in rage.

"You little—"

"But tonight, I'm definitely going."

Ning Fan said it with complete sincerity.

In truth, there was one way Huizi could guarantee winning his bet with Lin Chuan — simply beat Ning Fan into incapacitation right now, leaving him no chance to strike.

The problem was, doing that would be admitting he was actually afraid of being ambushed by this little runt.

Face.

The vice-captain's face.

"Fine! I'll be waiting!"

Huizi ground his back teeth and glared.

That night, Huizi lay in bed staring at the ceiling until daybreak.

Ning Fan stood him up again.

Huizi had considered that Ning Fan might be bluffing — but the risk of being caught off-guard stopped him from taking the chance.

***

Day four, morning.

Huizi looked terrible.

The moment he spotted Ning Fan again, he didn't even bother setting up the Hound Shelter's sign — he walked straight toward the boy.

"Why didn't you come last night?"

"Fell asleep."

Ning Fan looked apologetic. "I meant to nap for a bit and move in the second half of the night — but I was probably too tired. By the time I opened my eyes, it was already dawn."

"You had the nerve to sleep?!"

Huizi exploded. "It's already the damn fourth day! I'm leaving the zone tomorrow night, and the closer we get to the deadline, the more careful I'll be! Don't you understand that?"

"I do."

Ning Fan nodded attentively. "But I only get one shot. I need to be absolutely certain before I act — otherwise I'd just be handing you an excuse to hurt me."

Huizi raised an eyebrow.

This kid isn't dumb.

"I know what you're doing — you're trying to wear me down, waiting for my mental state to drop before you strike."

Huizi let out a cold snort. "Kid, you're underestimating Walkers. Out in the field, we can go six or seven days without sleep and still fight at full capacity.

With your level of ability, I could beat you with my eyes closed."

"Noted. Thanks for the heads-up — I won't take you lightly."

Ning Fan gave a polite nod.

Huizi stared him down for a long moment, then finally snorted and went back to set up the board.

That evening, Ning Fan told him again — he'd be coming.

He'd been stood up two nights in a row, but this time Huizi believed him.

Because he thought Ning Fan made sense.

"Tonight is my last chance. I'll definitely come."

Huizi waited the whole night through.

***

The next morning, dark circles hanging under his eyes, he spotted Ning Fan once more…

"Son of a bitch! You little punk! Why the hell didn't you show up last night?!"

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Proofreader & Editor: Fat Goose 🪶