Foolish Game of the Chapter 916: You're a Hunter Too?

A Beast Tar!

The instant Sun Miao exposed the forest tree-rabbit's disguise, the class leapt straight into Cheng Shi's mind.

'Fits perfectly. Too perfectly.'

Wasn't he himself a hunter who used lies as arrows, roaming the world in pursuit of profit?

And as for who "he" was?

Heh — aside from that childhood playmate, the only teammate who hadn't shown up, who else could it be?

'Right, Little Seven?'

Of course, Cheng Shi didn't overreact to the tree-rabbit's approach. He was certain it had only just crept up. No other creature had drawn near during their half-day journey, which ant Little Seven probably hadn't overheard his exchange with the Mi Master.

And judging by Little Seven's attitude toward him, he didn't seem to know that "Xiao Shi" was the sa Cheng Shi who'd caused a scene at 0221's experint ground.

If that held, the charade could continue.

So Cheng Shi instantly switched expressions — blinking in mild surprise, he stared at the forest tree-rabbit with convincing bewildernt.

"A Gua?

You ca looking for ?

I had no idea you were a Deceit follower!"

Indeed — "A Gua" was a Beast Tar. This rabbit was one of the scouts he'd taken control of back on the cart.

He'd planned to use the clash between those two teammates as cover to slip into the shadows and track everyone via controlled animals. But he hadn't expected that the mont he caught up with Xiao Shi and this Silence follower, the annoyingly well-read woman would expose him like this.

'What the hell is that sound-making thing in your hands, lady?'

'Silence followers are committing cyber-blasphemy against their god now?'

Even with all of Du Qiyu's worldly experience, this particular brand of sacrilege left him montarily speechless.

Fortunately, this Xiao Shi — who apparently didn't even recognize a forest tree-rabbit — gave him a comfortable way out.

So the dull-looking tree-rabbit hopped forward two steps, spat out the chewed grass, and spoke in a human voice.

"Xiao Shi, it's . I finally caught up with you two.

Forest tree-rabbits aren't good runners. I nearly ran my legs off before I even spotted you."

Cheng Shi's gaze drifted to the rabbit's legs. Noticing they didn't even have a speck of mud on them, he nearly broke character. To suppress his laughter, he whipped his head away and pretended to scan the surroundings.

"Where's your real body? Why not co out and join us directly?"

The rabbit's brow furrowed. It lowered its voice.

"That Lin Xi and his opponent are too dangerous. I was worried they'd interfere with the trial. I planned to stay hidden and protect you from the shadows. But since you've found

out, let's split the roles — one in the open, one in the dark — and face the unknown risks together.

Xiao Shi, take

with you. I'll be your eyes from concealnt."

"..."

'Eyes?'

'Heh — are those eyes ant to watch for enemies, or to hunt us?'

The holes in that excuse were so nurous that Cheng Shi genuinely wondered whether the man was actually a Deceit follower.

With his "talent," how could he produce such a sloppy explanation?

Was it because Cheng Shi's performance had been so diocre that it lowered the man's guard?

'His lying skills really haven't improved over the years. His motto seems to be: as long as it counts as a lie, it's fine.'

Just as he was thinking this, the first probe ca.

Du Qiyu seed bothered by how Cheng Shi had identified him. From his perspective, he wasn't the only teammate who'd vanished. Even setting aside the two in combat — who wouldn't have had ti to reach here — there was still a missing Folly follower. So why had Xiao Shi imdiately pegged this tree-rabbit as him?

Could the man be playing dumb?

So Du Qiyu tested: "Xiao Shi, how did you guess it was ?"

Cheng Shi blinked at the idiotic question, scratched his head with a dry laugh, and said:

"Probably... intuition?

I figured if it were that Folly follower, he probably wouldn't control a leaf-eating rabbit into doing sothing as weak... as weakening its biological habits."

"..."

"..."

The phrase "weakening its biological habits" stunned both listeners into silence.

Du Qiyu's Master of Deception confird the statent as true. He couldn't tell whether the man was seizing a chance to mock him or was just blurting things out. Regardless, the irritation and anger within him ratcheted up another notch.

But this ti, his assessnt of Cheng Shi shifted. He began to take this surviving childhood companion seriously.

Granted, a childhood environnt could reshape soone's personality. But a person's innate sharpness was nearly impossible to erase. The young Xiao Shi had been exceptionally clever. So the current version was likely far less simple than he appeared.

Du Qiyu made a ntal note, his rabbit's red eyes studying Cheng Shi as it hopped "amiably" toward him.

"It's getting dark. I think we should set off again.

By the way — aside from the two experts going at it, where did our Folly teammate go?"

Cheng Shi watched the rabbit hop toward his feet. His eyes shifted. He grabbed the rabbit by the ears, hoisted it up, then casually glanced at the Mi Master. His gaze lingered on her for a beat before he smiled.

"No idea. After all, Folly's wise n always see far and plan ahead. Perhaps he's already walking ahead of us?"

Sun Miao's expression didn't change. She spared a single glance at the rabbit dangling from Cheng Shi's hand, seeming to grasp the subtle dynamic between the two n, then turned and sprinted toward Boro Highlands.

Cheng Shi followed without hesitation. And then, the most bizarre sight the hilly terrain had ever witnessed unfolded.

A human female charged ahead in silence, blazing a trail. A human male swung a violently retching forest tree-rabbit by the ears as he kept pace, step for step. This absurd "chase" radiated a farcical energy so potent that every nocturnal beast erging to hunt simply stared — convinced they hadn't woken up yet.

Swinging one's arms did aid running form, sure — but even Du Qiyu, fool that he wasn't, recognized this as Xiao Shi's probe.

'Fine. Still as repulsive as ever!'

But did he really think such a juvenile trick could rattle him?

Du Qiyu scoffed internally and decisively severed the visual link between himself and the tree-rabbit.

At this mont, his real body was trailing in the shadows not far behind, tracking their path. He was a true hunter — agile enough to keep up, and even if a mont of caution made him lose visual contact, he could pick up their trail again from the tracks they left.

So he never worried about losing touch with his teammates. What worried him was whether this Xiao Shi had already seen through his identity and was putting on a show!

After long deliberation, Du Qiyu decided to test him again. During the arm-swinging tornt of his tad beast, he suddenly spoke through the rabbit's mouth to both teammates.

"Though the trial's been going for half a day, our reunion could count as a fresh start.

Shouldn't we introduce ourselves?

Even if Xiao Shi and I know each other, we should at least be transparent with outsiders to build trust, right?

Maybe Deceit followers don't have the best reputation, but I promise — I'm one of the rare ones who treats people sincerely.

So as a gesture of good faith, I'll go first.

Zhao Xiaogua. Beast Tar. Ladder score: 2,677."

Neither sprinting figure slowed. Sun Miao, in the lead, glanced back at Cheng Shi. Seeing his peculiar smile, she deliberated briefly, pulled out her beeper, and typed:

"Sun Miao. Mi Master. Ladder: 2,459."

"What a coincidence — we share a surna." Cheng Shi didn't break stride. "I'm Sun Lin. Pen of Finality. Ladder... 2,201."

'A 2,400-point Silence follower — not much of a threat. But... 2,200?'

'Not even 2,400?'

Hearing a score that Master of Deception confird as true, Du Qiyu frowned.

Though the frown wasn't entirely about the score. It was also because...

"Xiao Shi — you're a hunter too?"

"Sure am. Why can't I be a hunter?" Cheng Shi's smile was radiant.

...