The Return of the God Level Assassin

1190 YUNYUE VS FENGHUANG (XXV)

LOOKING at Shen Ji Yun, Luo Yan felt an almost overwhelming urge to close the distance between them, to wrap his arms around him and press a kiss to his lips. But with their game being broadcast live for all to see, he forced himself to rein it in, keeping his emotions carefully in check.

Although his father hadn't said anything, Luo Yan was certain he was watching the finals of the Arcadia Cup. With both him and Luo Jin participating, there was no way their father would miss it. That was all the more reason to hold back the overwhelming urge to kiss Shen Ji Yun right now.

Then there was the issue of his current form. If he kissed or even hugged Shen Ji Yun while looking like a little girl, it would undoubtedly create the wrong impression. For one, he was certain his boyfriend wouldn't be able to hide how much he wanted him. Shen Ji Yun might appear stoic most of the time, but when it came to his love for Luo Yan, his emotions were always crystal clear. From an outsider's perspective, however, it might look like Shen Ji Yun was enjoying the attention of a child. The last thing Luo Yan wanted was for anyone to misunderstand—or worse, think Shen Ji Yun was some kind of pervert.

Luo Yan shook his head, forcing himself to push those thoughts aside before temptation got the better of him.

"So, after that 'heartfelt' confession you made in front of Mrs. and Miss Thompson, not to mention the good doctor, do you still plan on flirting with other women?" he asked with a playful lilt in his voice.

"As much as I'd prefer not to, I have to," Shen Ji Yun replied dryly. "We can't risk losing too many points by the end of the match. I'm not about to let us lose on a technicality."

"What a responsible captain," Luo Yan teased. "Then, to make sure that won't happen, I guess we just have to work hard not to let the Ripper kill his third victim."

Shen Ji Yun suddenly halted mid-step, causing Luo Yan to stop as well. He glanced up at him, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked the other.

"The system announcement mentioned there would be three victims," Shen Ji Yun said thoughtfully. "One killed each night, with the third on the final night."

"And we have to stop the third murder," Luo Yan added, though he couldn't help but wonder where Shen Ji Yun was going with this. Then he paused, his thoughts briefly racing as the pieces began to fall into place, the realization dawning on him. "Mrs. Winslow didn't die last night. Which means..."

Then, as if on cue, Bai Ze sent a message on their team channel.

White Marsh: [An attendant just found a dead body of a woman in my train car.]

Luo Yan and Shen Ji Yun exchanged a glance, the same understanding reflected in both their eyes.

"It seems our Ripper wasted no time finding another victim after failing to kill Mrs. Winslow," Luo Yan remarked.

It was exactly what they had pieced together moments before Bai Ze's message: three nights, three victims, three murders. They should have realized it the instant Mrs. Winslow survived the attack last night. If they had caught on sooner, they might have intercepted Jack the Ripper in the act and stopped him. That could have been their chance to secure victory in this match.

Bai Ze sent another message.

White Marsh: [My old, nosy ass just went inside the cabin of the murdered woman and it's kind of graphic.]

If not for the situation, Luo Yan would have chuckled a bit after reading that. Old, nosy ass indeed. Quite apt for the role he's playing.

YUN: [How bad is it?] White Marsh: [Slashed throat. Mutilated abdomen. And I'm pretty sure some of her organs were missing. Like I said, graphic.]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [Is the game seriously showing that people?]

Even with just text, Luo Yan could feel the incredulity in Luo Jin's voice. Morganite: [No, they would likely censor this. The gory "special effects" were probably intended exclusively for the players participating in this match.]

YUN: [The way she was killed—it's definitely Jack the Ripper's MO. Bai Ze, can you gather more information about the victim?]

White Marsh: [Sure. Wait a bit. Ah, before the details left my mind... The cabin looked untouched, like she'd been attacked while she was asleep. The bed was a mess, blood soaking the sheets and pillows, but the rest of the room was eerily orderly. There was no sign of a struggle, and the door wasn't forced open—it was closed, almost as if whoever entered the cabin had a key, coming and going without leaving a trace.]

Now that was strange. Then again, Luo Yan realized he didn't know how the person who attacked Mrs. Winslow last night had entered their cabin, either. Could they have used the same method? And then there was the peculiar detail of him falling asleep so suddenly after inhaling that strange scent... wait—had he even mentioned that to anyone yet?

Although he had described the events of last night on their team channel, he realized he had probably left out that particular detail. After all, he had been summarizing everything quickly and might have unintentionally skipped over some parts.

"Brother Ji Yun," he called to Shen Ji Yun, catching his attention before continuing, "Last night, before I fell asleep, I smelled something strange in the air. It was subtle, but... I think it might have been what caused me to pass out. Do you think it could be connected to how the killer is getting into these cabins unnoticed?"

Shen Ji Yun's expression turned thoughtful, his brows furrowing slightly as he considered the implication of Luo Yan's words.

"It's possible," Shen Ji Yun said after a moment. "If the killer has access to some kind of sedative or sleeping agent, it would explain how they're able to enter cabins without resistance. Combined with a key or insider access, it would make them almost impossible to detect."

Sorry for the late update! I was busy the couple of days and could only write a few words here and there. ಥ_ I'll try to do better. ()

Tyramisu

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