Dawn broke.

The sun climbed slowly above the treetops, warm and generous as it bathed the forest in light.

The temperature was perfect. The humidity was perfect. It was an exceptionally fine day.

Bai Youwei said, “Everyone stay at your assigned positions. If anything happens, let me know.”

Yu Chaohui looked at her without speaking.

Since entering the game, Bai Youwei had not once launched a proactive attack. Every strategy she had employed was reactive. He had asked about it. Grown frustrated about it. Raged about it. Anxiously fretted about it. None of it had done any good.

He stopped asking. There was no point—she never gave him an answer anyway.

Bai Youwei turned to A’Shalina and added, “You’ll need to stay at the very edge of the forest. A bow and arrow is useless inside the trees—it can only be effective before they enter the forest.”

“Understood.” A’Shalina slung the bow and arrows over her shoulder.

With everything that needed to be said now said, Bai Youwei had nothing more. She pulled her wheelchair over, sat down, and said evenly, “Go on, all of you. I’ll wait here on the hillside for good news.”

Everyone exchanged a glance, then headed to their respective positions.

Yu Chaohui took the left. A’Long took the right. A’Shalina held the center.

Bai Youwei sat in her wheelchair, gazing out across the open grassland between the two forests. If her read of the situation was correct, Ye Chong would launch his attack very soon. He was a man of fierce pride. After discovering last night that he’d been deceived, he would be seething—desperate to retaliate. He wouldn’t wait long.

As she was thinking this, figures appeared on the grassland ahead.

Bai Youwei narrowed her eyes and raised her wrist communicator. “They’re moving. Three people, looks like they’re heading into the forest from the southeast.”

Yu Chaohui: “Southeast is A’Long’s position. A’Long, do you see anything?”

A’Long: “Yes, but… something seems off…”

Bai Youwei’s brow creased. “What’s off?”

“They’re moving very slowly…” A’Long said with uncertainty. “It’s a bit far—let me watch a little longer.”

If the goal was stealth, faster was better. Strolling along slowly only made it easier to expose yourself.

So why were they moving so slowly?

Was this another tool? Another scheme?

Bai Youwei said tightly, “Yu Chaohui, A’Shalina—go reinforce A’Long. Find out what’s going on. Be careful!”

Both acknowledged.

A moment later, A’Shalina’s voice came through. “We’ve linked up with A’Long. The three figures are indeed Ye Chong and his companions. I’m not sure why they’re moving so slowly. I’m going to try firing an arrow to test their reaction.”

Bai Youwei gave a light sound of acknowledgment. “Be careful. Be ready to adapt.”

At that moment, urgent footsteps sounded from within the trees.

Bai Youwei froze. She spun toward the sound, alert, and quickly spoke into her communicator. “Are you certain those three are Ye Chong and his people?”

“Certain,” A’Shalina confirmed. “They’re moving toward the forest right now…”

Bai Youwei’s gut lurched with dread. “A’Shalina, fall back now. Don’t fire—”

Whoosh! The arrow had already left the bowstring!

A’Shalina’s scream tore through the line.

“A’Shalina?!” Bai Youwei demanded. “What happened?!”

A’Long swore sharply in the background. Then Yu Chaohui’s voice came through. “Those three weren’t real people! They were decoys! Almost certainly another one of White Gloves’ tools—and it can reflect attacks back on the shooter. The arrow hit the dummy in the stomach, and now A’Shalina has a wound in her stomach too! White Gloves used a diversion tactic to draw us away! Find cover, quickly!”

Bai Youwei stared coldly at the three figures descending toward the base of the hillside, then slowly lowered her wrist.

“Too late…”

They were already here.

—