Chapter 905: Too Slow

Those eyes were dark and profound, appearing even more shadowy in the dim light, yet they carried a strong sense of familiarity.

Chloe Reed’s pupils shrank abruptly. Pinned against the tree trunk, completely unable to resist, she stared directly into his eyes and could feel the razor-sharp, murderous intent within them. A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on her back.

"Let her go!"

Daniel Hayes’s furious shout rang out from nearby, immediately followed by the sound of his rapid, approaching footsteps.

The man pinning Chloe down suddenly loosened his grip. "Too slow," he said in an incredibly hoarse voice. Then, he turned and walked away. His figure disappeared into the hazy night at an astonishing speed, as if everything that had just happened was nothing but an illusion.

Seeing the man run off, Daniel didn’t immediately give chase. Instead, he checked on Chloe’s condition, asking anxiously, "Chloe, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Chloe shook her head. Leaning against the trunk, her tense breathing slowly eased. She raised her eyes toward the direction where the man had vanished.

She thought, "He feels so familiar! I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere before! But where? Why does this sense of familiarity feel so strong?"

Seeing that she was unhurt, Daniel turned to look in the same direction. "Head back first. I’m going after him. This guy moves like a phantom; I have to drag him out into the light."

Chloe didn’t stop him. She wasn’t injured, just a bit startled, which had left her body temporarily stiff. Now that she had recovered, she walked quickly toward Jardinelle.

The streetlights shining down on her provided a slight sense of security.

She wondered, "He said ’too slow.’ Did he mean Daniel was too slow to arrive, or was my reaction too slow? The murderous intent in his eyes didn’t seem fake, yet he didn’t actually harm me. With his skills, he could have easily snapped my neck while he had me pinned against the tree. But he didn’t. Why?"

Harboring these doubts, she returned to Jardinelle. Her expression was solemn, which Fiona Linton immediately noticed.

"Chloe, what happened?" Fiona asked in confusion.

"I met a strange man," Chloe replied.

Hearing this, Fiona’s interest was piqued. "What kind of strange man? Hurry up and give me the details."

Chloe didn’t hide anything and recounted the encounter to her.

Fiona rubbed her chin in thought for a moment before making a bold guess. "Could he have meant that *your* reactions are too slow? That’s why you were so easily subdued? Was he there to help you?"

Confusion clouded Chloe’s delicate face. "But who is he?"

Fiona rubbed her chin again. "That is a great question. Who exactly is he? Acting all mysterious... if he wanted to help, he should just come out and say it. Why hide in the shadows? Besides, from the sound of it, he obviously knows you. Think about it carefully. Do you really not know someone with that kind of skill?"

"I don’t." Chloe shook her head honestly. She didn’t have the slightest impression of such a person.

The only similarity she could draw was that this man—just like the one who had helped her at the Arisdale Club—had stayed hidden in the shadows, making it impossible for her to identify him.

She realized, "No... not just at Soltara, but also in the primeval forest before that. I met someone who helped me then, too! Are they the same person? Just who is he?"

Daniel returned, his expression grim. "I couldn’t catch up to him. His speed is incredible. He’s definitely not some ordinary mercenary."