Chapter 4

Chapter 4

To avoid leaving excessive footage that might draw police suspicion, Tang Qiu did not repeatedly scout and observe Ji Shulan's walking route.

After returning home, she exercised as usual and repeatedly reviewed all the information about her original identity until night fell, when people gradually came back home and fewer pedestrians were in the neighborhood. Only then did Tang Qiu put down the law books left by her original self and began to change her clothes, ready to go out.

There was a high chance of a fight tonight, and Tang Qiu couldn't afford to have her identity discovered, so she made thorough preparations.

She wore a loose black tracksuit that could completely blend into the darkness, which did not hinder her movements and allowed her to hide better in the dark.

To leave no biological traces at the scene, Tang Qiu specifically wore a wig. She carefully tucked every strand of her shoulder-length hair into a hairnet, making sure nothing was left out, before putting on a black wig, then a hat and a mask. Finally, she put on a pair of cheap sneakers with no brand logo on the soles.

Tang Qiu also brought an extra weapon: a pair of brass knuckles. They could effectively enhance her attacking power. She put on the brass knuckles and then wore rubber gloves over them, which was perfect.

The rubber gloves had excellent elasticity. Tang Qiu clenched her fist and tried swinging a couple of times—there was only a slight tightness, no other effect, and the gloves showed no signs of cracking.

Finally, as usual, Tang Qiu secured the dagger she always carried at the small of her back, then opened the door and silently went downstairs.

Through recent observations, Tang Qiu had thoroughly learned the surveillance camera distribution in the neighborhood and planned several blind-spot routes that allowed her to enter and exit without leaving any footage.

Taking a bit more time, Tang Qiu twisted and turned around the neighborhood, occasionally cutting through green belts. Fortunately, there were small paths trampled by residents taking shortcuts, so she didn't have to worry about leaving footprints.

Finally, she climbed over a section of the neighborhood wall without surveillance, successfully avoiding all people and cameras, and emerged into an alley with no pedestrians or vehicles.

The nearby terrain and roads had long been etched into Tang Qiu's mind through her relentless morning and evening runs. Even without following Ji Shulan's daytime route, Tang Qiu avoided surveillance and arrived early at the alley Ji Shulan passed through every day after work.

With the cover of night, the complete absence of people, and the damaged cameras, Tang Qiu searched and observed this alley much more carefully than she had during the day.

The alley was not long, about 70 meters, and seemed wide enough for a car to pass through. However, both sides were piled with two large construction dumpsters and countless other odds and ends—boxes, furniture, toys, and even a broken wooden scaffold that looked unusable. The remaining space was only enough for people and electric scooters to pass.

During her observation, Tang Qiu also noticed something special: this alley was not originally there; it was artificially created. In the middle section, there should have been a wall, making this alley a dead end. For some reason, the wall had been removed, creating this shortcut. The bricks and rubble still left on both sides were evidence of this.

Tang Qiu also understood why there were dumpsters at both ends of this 70-meter alley near the exits. They had been there before the alley was formed; later, the wall was demolished, but the dumpsters were not moved.

Having fully understood the terrain, Tang Qiu picked up a brick and removed a wooden stick from the discarded scaffolding. She then found a suitable spot to hide and began waiting.

She wasn't waiting for Ji Shulan; she was waiting for today's prey.

In Tang Qiu's view, directly showing up to rescue Ji Shulan when she was in danger was the worst strategy. It would easily expose her identity to Ji Shulan and also alert the prey. The best hunter appears silently and strikes with a single blow when the prey is unaware.

As time passed, the night grew deeper. Initially, Tang Qiu could still hear occasional distant car sounds. After an unknown period, the car sounds gradually faded, but from the direction of the alley entrance came footsteps that were both light and heavy.

Tang Qiu, hidden in the shadows, gently turned her head toward the direction of the footsteps. It was the entrance to the alley—it seemed the prey had finally entered the net. Tang Qiu couldn't help but smile slightly.

Listening to the footsteps and counting the distance, within two minutes, Tang Qiu successfully saw the true face of the prey.

It was a gaunt young man, walking with a swaying gait, a cigarette dangling from his lips, its flickering light revealing a sharp-faced, monkey-like appearance.

Tang Qiu couldn't see his expression clearly but could feel the excitement radiating from him. Most importantly, he stopped in the middle of the alley and began looking toward the direction Ji Shulan might appear, standing in front of the messy, dirty piles of garbage.

Coincidentally, he chose a position similar to Tang Qiu's, but one was in front and the other behind. He was completely unaware of Tang Qiu hidden in the darkness, so blatantly and openly he began stalking his prey.

Tang Qiu didn't act immediately. Instead, using the faint moonlight and the slight glow from his cigarette, she began observing him.

She focused on places where he might conceal weapons. Good—it seemed he was very confident in his abilities, coming empty-handed.

Perfect, Tang Qiu nodded inwardly. Another weak prey without claws or fangs. One strike would be enough, and she could claim the 1 basic attribute point she had planned.

To eliminate any accidents, Tang Qiu waited patiently for a few more minutes. She listened carefully; besides the prey in front, she heard no other sounds from anyone. Only then did she swiftly emerge from her hiding spot.

The young prey, hearing the noise, turned his head alertly, but Tang Qiu was faster. With a single stride, the brick tightly gripped in her hand slammed heavily onto the back of his head.

As Tang Qiu had calculated, the young prey collapsed without a sound, completely defenseless. Blood soon began to flow from the wound caused by the brick.

At the same time, the system interface that Tang Qiu had been expecting appeared in her mind as anticipated.

You provided assistance to Ji Shulan at 01:49 on March 19. You have significantly influenced Ji Shulan's fate. You gained 1 basic attribute point. You have successfully unlocked a special prize pool.

You drew from the special prize pool. You successfully obtained a prop (Refined): Confusion Mask (Permanent), and a prop (Common): Fate's Prophetic Eye (Single Use).

You have seen Feng Wencheng. Prop: Fate's Prophetic Eye is in use. Use failed.

You have slightly influenced Feng Wencheng's fate. This action yielded no gains.

As the text appeared on the system interface, Tang Qiu's emotions were like a roller coaster. Her excitement lasted only two seconds before cooling down, her gaze fixed for a long time on the last line of text.

Slight influence, no gains—the eight characters made the corner of Tang Qiu's eye twitch slightly. After brief consideration, she shifted her gaze to the prey still lying unconscious on the ground.

She was puzzled. Her actions today had a significant impact on Ji Shulan's fate, so why only a minor impact on the prey? She had stopped his crime, sparing him from police investigation, arrest, and imprisonment.

Soon, Tang Qiu thought of a possibility. Unless today's actions hadn't taught the prey a lesson. After recovering from his injuries, he still continued on his criminal path. He missed Ji Shulan but chose another prey.

Realizing this, Tang Qiu suddenly felt inexplicably irritable. She glared fiercely at the fallen prey, wondering if she had to kill him to obtain that 1 basic attribute point. But that might expose her identity. She wanted to become stronger, but she also wanted to live in the sunlight. She was tired of the post-apocalyptic world where she had to hide and live only in the darkness.

Just as Tang Qiu's expression under the mask was shifting, considering how to obtain the 1 basic attribute point she deserved without killing him, from the far end of the alley came faint and hurried footsteps, as if someone was jogging.

Tang Qiu's expression moved. Without any hesitation, she grabbed one of the fallen prey's legs extremely quickly, and before the footsteps entered the alley, she steadily dragged the young prey into the darkness to hide with her.

Before Tang Qiu saw the newcomer, she first saw a beam of light—the flashlight from a phone. A few seconds later, she saw the person. It was indeed Ji Shulan.

Wrapped in a red coat, Ji Shulan looked panicked, afraid to look around. She fixed her eyes on the exit at the other end of the alley, which represented safety, and ran forward with hurried, chaotic steps.

Tang Qiu watched her figure run away from the darkness in the corner. Only after she completely turned out of the alley and the footsteps faded did Tang Qiu emerge from her hiding place. Staring at the still-unconscious young prey, she slowly but firmly made a decision in her heart.

She had to completely eliminate the possibility of him continuing his crimes. That 1 basic attribute point belonging to Tang Qiu must be obtained.

It took a few more minutes than expected, but Tang Qiu finally walked out of the alley after Ji Shulan.

Behind her, in the pile of debris not far away, lay a young man with blood flowing from his head and his lower body, and one leg twisted at an odd angle. Due to excruciating pain, he struggled violently. But because his eyes were blindfolded and his mouth gagged, he had to struggle first before feeling for the phone that had fallen nearby.

Strong survival instinct made him call an ambulance first. After making the call, when he went to look for his attacker, Tang Qiu had long disappeared.

Just like when she came, Tang Qiu did not take main roads but threaded through various paths as much as possible, avoiding all pedestrians and surveillance cameras. Like a ghost with no visible form, she silently returned home.