Night fell over Sector 9. The ruins turned into a landscape of jagged shadows.
Camp was set up on the second floor of a crumbled department store. Cain and Borg sat by the portable heater, eating military rations. "60 points," Cain grumbled, chewing loudly. "We only got 60 points today. That wolf was barely worth the effort."
He glared at Lin, who was crouching in the corner, boiling water over a chemical stove. "If the baggage hadn't screwed up the lure, we could have killed it faster. We missed the patrol route because of you."
"Sorry," Lin said automatically. He didn't look up. He was stirring the pot.
Yuna sat apart from them, cleaning the mud off her boots with a wet wipe. Her hands were shaking slightly. She kept glancing at Lin. The fear from the afternoon had turned into cold, venomous anger. He made me look like a fool. He almost got me killed.
She reached into her medical pouch. Her fingers brushed against a small, unmarked vial. Ghost Nettle Extract. A neurotoxin. It wouldn't kill—school regulations were strict—but it would cause severe muscle cramps, paralysis, and uncontrollable vomiting for 12 hours. If he's sick tomorrow, we have an excuse to leave him behind. 'Medical emergency'.
Yuna stood up. She put on her best smile. It was sweet, practiced, and completely fake.
"Lin," she called out softly.
She walked over to him, holding two bottles of water. She had already spiked one. "Here. You carried the bags all day. You must be dehydrated."
Lin stopped stirring. He looked at the bottle in her hand. Through the plastic, the water looked slightly cloudy.
[Item: Purified Water (Laced)] [Contaminant: Neurotoxin Type-B] [Effect: Paralysis (12 hours). Pain Level: High.]
Lin looked up at Yuna. She was smiling, but her pulse was elevated. 110 BPM. She was waiting for him to take it. To drink it. To suffer.
"Thank you, Yuna," Lin said. His voice was grateful. "You're too kind."
He took the bottle. He uncapped it.
Yuna held her breath. Drink it. Drink it and drop.
Lin didn't hesitate. He tilted his head back and drained the entire bottle in three big gulps. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
He wiped his mouth. "Ah."
Yuna took a step back, counting down in her head. 3... 2... 1... The cramps should start now. He should be clutching his stomach, foaming at the mouth.
[System Alert: Neurotoxin Detected.] [Passive Skill: Toxin Resistance (Lv. 1) Activated.] [Neutralizing...] [Neutralization Complete. Immunity Built +1.]
Lin stood up. He stretched his arms, his joints popping satisfyingly. He looked at Yuna. His eyes were clear. Focused. Not a hint of pain.
"Wow," Lin said, smiling. "That really hit the spot. I feel energized."
Yuna's smile froze. Her eyes widened. What? That dose could drop a Rank-E Tank. How is he standing?
"Is something wrong, Yuna?" Lin asked, taking a step closer. He leaned in. The firelight cast long shadows across his face, making his eyes look like deep, dark pits. "You look pale. Maybe you should drink some water too?"
He held out the empty bottle. It was a simple gesture. But to Yuna, it felt like a threat. Does he know? No, he can't know. Did I mix it wrong?
"I... I'm fine," Yuna stammered, backing away until she hit the wall. "I'm going to sleep."
She scrambled into her sleeping bag, zipping it up all the way to her chin. She lay there, trembling, watching Lin through the mesh. Lin was just standing there, looking at the fire. He wasn't human. F-Rankers don't drink poison like soda.
"Weirdo," Cain muttered from across the room. "Hey, trash, take the first watch. Wake me up at midnight."
"Understood," Lin said.
Midnight. The ruins were silent, save for the distant howl of mutated beasts. Cain was snoring. Borg was asleep, clutching his shield. Yuna was tossing and turning, haunted by nightmares.
Lin sat by the dying fire. He wasn't watching the perimeter. He didn't need to.
"Come out," Lin whispered.
Three shadows peeled themselves off the walls. The Clones. They stood silently around Lin.
"One on the roof. One at the stairs. One watching them," Lin pointed a thumb at his sleeping teammates.
The clones nodded and dispersed. Lin took out a piece of dried meat (not goblin meat this time, he bought real beef jerky with his money) and chewed it slowly.
He looked at Yuna's tent. "Paralysis poison," Lin mused. "She didn't want to kill me. She just wanted to leave me for the monsters."
He took a sip of clean water. "Mercy is a currency I can't afford. But cruelty... cruelty I can repay."
He opened his inventory. He still had the [Monster Bait] (pheromone vial). He hadn't used it all in the dungeon. There were a few drops left.
Lin looked at the vent of Yuna's tent. If he put a drop of bait on her boot... just a tiny drop... Every monster within 100 meters would prioritize her tomorrow.
"No," Lin decided. "Not yet. Zhao Hu is coming tomorrow. I need live bait for him."
He leaned back against the pillar, closing his eyes. But his [Darkvision] remained active, scanning the darkness. Even in sleep, the Hunter was hunting.
[Time to Sunrise: 6 Hours.] [Target: Zhao Hu approaching... ETA: 10 Hours.]
The real exam was about to begin.
（"Enjoying the massacre? Drop a Power Stone to feed the Clone Army!"）