Ah-Mei stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his chest. "Raise your shirt, He Zhihan."
"Whoa." Zhihan immediately wrapped his arms around his torso, throwing her a very scandalized look. "Isn’t that a bit forward? You could at least buy me dinner before demanding I start stripping."
A genuine, amused curve touched Ah-Mei’s blood-red lips, her eyes glinting with unexpected warmth.
The red-haired, however, looked ready to snap a vein. "What the fuck are you talking about? We’re doing something serious here."
"Then explain what you’re checking for without telling me to undress in the middle of the lobby," He Zhihan retorted, his tone so deadpan and serious that Ah-Mei’s lips twitched again.
"I don’t have time for this clown," the man spat, turning on his heel and striding away toward the far wing of the floor.
Zhihan watched him go, his arms slowly unfolding. Good. That was the exact outcome he wanted. Isolating the one with a brain while eliminating the hot-headed distraction.
Yet, as he stared at the red head retreating back, a familiar, cold itch throbbed behind his temples. His knuckles popped as his fingers bit into his own arms.
He wanted to tear the bastard’s throat out.
"You have death in your eyes," Ah-Mei murmured softly, her quiet voice pulling his attention back to her sharp face.
Zhihan raised a dark brow. "Is that a way to put it?"
Ah-Mei smiled, tilting her head. "You really don’t know a damn thing about how the Infinite Endgame operates, do you?"
"I know enough for a newbie."
"I doubt that, considering you were swinging at a nightmare with bare hands and spite," her smile widened, eyes sparkling with sharp intrigue. "Or perhaps... you simply don’t care about the rules?"
Zhihan held her gaze. Then, without a word, he turned and stepped toward the staircase.
"Let’s speak privately, miss." Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Ah-Mei’s smile lingered as she glided after him, her heels making a soft, rhythmic click against the wood.
They ascended the grand stairs, silent shadows moving through the dim corridors of the residential floor. But the second they rounded the corner toward the main hallway, both of them halted.
Sprawled across the floor was a Class-A Abyssal Worm, its bloated, potato-like sack split clean down the middle. Black, foul blood pooled thick and stagnant across the floorboards, spilling into the tiny gaps.
Zhihan sucked his teeth.
Someone had slaughtered it. And judging by the flawless, single strike that opened it up... It hadn’t even been a fight.
"You know... it attacked my roommate and me while we were trying to stay awake, just so we wouldn’t die in our sleep." Ah-Mei said, breaking the heavy silence. "She looked right into one of the eyes on the wall and turned into a shrub. But nothing happened to me. Until... Well, the Abyssal Worm dragged itself right out of my shadow."
She turned her head to He Zhihan. "Is that what happened to you?"
He Zhihan cast a dark, impassive glance at the mutilated corpse of the worm. "Yeah."
He dropped into a low squat beside the dead monster, his dark fringe veiling his eyes as he studied the thick pool of black rot spreading beneath its torn flesh. "Doesn’t it strike you as convenient that they’ve stopped spawning?"
"That is what the warding talismans are for," Ah-Mei answered casually, her tone completely unbothered.
He Zhihan extended a long finger, dipping the tip directly into the cold black blood. "Do you make them yourself?"
"Yes," she replied, watching him intently as he slowly rose back to his full height. "It’s a skill of mine."
"Then maybe you should have pinned those talismans up the moment our mission was logged," He Zhihan drawled. "Before the body count started piling up."
Ah-Mei smiled, the bold red of her lips curving with dangerous charm. "You must be mistaking me for someone else, Zhihan. I’m not a good person."
She smoothly adjusted the embroidered silk sleeve of her qipao, her voice remaining deceptively sweet. "In the Infinite Endgame, every Player eats or gets eaten. You’re doing the exact same thing right now. You’re collecting information from me, comparing it with your own observations, and using it to build your theories. You are selfish, He Zhihan,"
"There isn’t a living creature that isn’t, miss," He Zhihan stated without a shred of hesitation. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Ah-Mei’s smile deepened, a subtle, sultry gleam flashing in her eyes. "You know... I might actually buy you that dinner. Assuming you survive long enough to reach Endgame City."
Zhihan looked at her. "Why would a Demigod waste a meal on a Newbie?"
Ah-Mei let out a soft, melodic chuckle, offering no answer. She simply turned on her heel, her sleek bob swaying as her heels clicked a slow, rhythmic retreat down the dim corridor.
He Zhihan watched her silhouette disappear around the corner until the hallway fell dead silent.
Slowly, he lowered his gaze to his hand.
Using the slick, foul blood of the Abyssal Worm, he deliberately traced the exact pattern of the talismanic seal across his bare palm.
"System," he commanded mentally.
A translucent blue interface materialized before his eyes, casting a cold hue over his pale face.
"Verify this seal. I need to know if it’s truly meant to keep the monsters away."
A faint beam of blue light swept down, scanning the blood-drawn seal on his skin.
[This is a summoning ward, Player He Zhihan.]
"What? You’re telling me this seal isn’t designed to protect anyone?" He stared at the blood on his palm. "It’s summoning the monsters?"
[Affirmative.]
"Hmm.." He ran a hand over his shirt before yanking it up to inspect his torso.
He twisted his neck, checking every angle. Aside from lean muscle, old scars, and tattoos, there was nothing unusual.
He let the fabric drop, his face creasing in annoyance. "What was she expecting to see?"
"Tch!" He pressed a hand to his stomach, his eyes staying locked on the dead monster before he walked over and slammed his boot down on it.