Natasha lowered her eyes and slowly shook her head.

Jason was quiet for a moment, then asked: “Have you considered whether it might be someone on the team?”

Natasha’s gaze flickered slightly. She remained silent.

Jason said in a low voice: “I told Yuri a long time ago — a hastily assembled team like this lacks cohesion. Something was bound to go wrong eventually. You can never truly know someone’s heart. Once personal interests are at stake, who knows what they’re capable of.”

Natasha couldn’t help but push back: “They have no reason to do this…”

Jason studied her in silence when he heard that, scrutiny evident in his composed expression.

Natasha lowered her eyes again, unwilling to reveal any more of her thoughts. Only her hands, hidden beneath the blanket, gripped a corner of it tightly.

Jason thought for a moment, then slowly continued: “We’re almost out of here — you’re right, there’s no real reason for them to turn on each other… But don’t forget: the day before this happened, I went to see Yuri. What I said to him — they might have overheard.”

Natasha pressed her lips together and replied: “They were with me in the living room. I don’t think they could have—”

“Are you really certain?” Jason said firmly. “At the time, I told Yuri — the newly joined Shen Mo, and that girl, they broke records right after joining the team. So the credit for those records should belong to the two of them. But that one named Ada — he’s been with the team for just over a month. What has he actually contributed? He’s done nothing more than follow everyone else into a few instances. Does he really deserve a spot?”

“Before Shen Mo joined the team, Ada was our main attacker,” Natasha replied in a hoarse voice. “He’s helped us a lot.”

Jason looked at her calmly, was silent for a moment, then said: “Fine. Let’s say he deserves some credit. But how much credit could it really be?”

Natasha furrowed her brow and said nothing.

Jason continued: “After he joined the team, did he help you clear thirty instances?”

Natasha bit her lip and answered quietly: “No…”

Jason: “I was willing to persuade my teammates to hand over strategies for over thirty instances. In terms of contribution, does he outrank me? And yet Yuri refused me — still stuck in his same stubborn ways! He believed that once someone joined the team, you owed them your whole heart! If he had kicked that Ada out sooner, Yuri might never have died!”

Natasha had thought she had no more tears left. Now, hearing his words, her bloodshot eyes filled again. The grief was too much to hold back…

Yuri.

The Yuri who looked after her like an older brother. The Yuri who had endured two grueling years in the competitive district. The Yuri who had always held to his principles with honesty and integrity… How could he be gone?

Why is it that kind-hearted people never meet a kind end? Not a single hardship had spared him.

Jason handed her a tissue and sighed: “That Ada — he probably held a grudge against Yuri. He was afraid Yuri would kick him out, so he struck first…”

“Yuri died saving me…” Natasha choked out. “He died because he was trying to save me…”

“Perhaps you were both his targets. Otherwise, why would anyone do this?” Jason frowned. “Natasha, think back carefully — in the days leading up to this, who did Ada see? Who did he contact? Is there nothing suspicious about him at all?”

Natasha was taken aback.

Over the past several days, they had all been staying home without going out. Only Ada had gone out once each day to check the rankings at the service station.

Could it really be, as Jason said, that Yuri had been killed by Ada?

Or was it, as Bai Youwei had said, that Jason was trying to sow discord?

“He’s jumped between so many teams — he’s always been cold-blooded and ruthless.” Jason continued. “Someone like him is absolutely capable of this kind of betrayal.”

Natasha’s mind grew muddled, her head heavy and confused.

Who was it…

Who, exactly, had killed Yuri?

—