Chapter 206 - 89: Capturing the "Snake" (Part 2)

'What about the other two?'

'The Cyan Snake and the small figure.'

'Isn't that a little too obvious?'

'Why would information that could be understood at a glance be tattooed on an arm?'

'If that's the case, and the Cyan Snake really means a cyan snake, and the small figure really means the Temple Priestess, aren't they redundant in a way?'

'Do the three tattoos point to three separate things?'

'Or have they been talking about just one person all along?'

'In eight years, had I really never discovered who killed Gu Qiuyan?'

'Or did I know who it was all along?'

'That person had actually been by my side the entire time.'

Zhang Shutong closed his eyes. He had slowed his pace now, so he didn't have to worry about his footing.

He began to recall the last pieces of information he had received.

Three tattoos.

One photo from his phone's gallery, showing the inside of the Temple.

Another photo, sent by the upperclassman, of a long-haired woman captured on a security camera.

"Is your daily life… very tiring?" Zhang Shutong asked, opening his eyes.

He didn't really want to talk about the murder case anymore.

"I'm used to it."

"So that means it's a little tiring?"

"It's alright."

"It can't be easy to get first place in the grade every time."

"It's alright."

"Teacher Song said you quite like school."

"It's very interesting."

"Can I interpret your warning as a form of protection?"

"You can," Lu Qinglian said again. "I've told you before, it's best not to doubt me."

"Sorry." Zhang Shutong sighed.

He saw the third tree.

"Last question. Are many things in life beyond your control?"

"I am the Temple Priestess," she stated once more.

Zhang Shutong was silent for a moment, then chuckled.

"My mom says we have good chemistry. Don't be fooled by how she's always bouncing around and enthusiastic with everyone. She's never actually said that about anyone before."

As he spoke, he turned around and pulled a plastic bag from his pocket. Inside were apple slices that had been soaked in saltwater.

His mom was always so thoughtful about everything. As a result, the apples in the bag hadn't oxidized yet, their flesh as fresh as when they were cut.

"Want some more? I saw you seemed to like them."

Lu Qinglian, however, furrowed her brow.

"Have you been stalling for time this whole while?"

'His mom was always right after all; the two of them really did have some chemistry. Lu Qinglian could always guess his intentions.'

So, Zhang Shutong didn't deny it. There was no point.

He just nodded.

Then—

He turned and bolted—

"You…"

The last thing he saw was Lu Qinglian frowning slightly as she lifted her leg.

He knew how fast Lu Qinglian was; her speed as she vanished in the forbidden zone last night was a clear indicator. If she caught him, he would completely lose the upper hand. He wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it back at all.

So he just ran forward with all his might. His hiking boots came into play now, kicking up flurries of snow. The rubber soles had an incredibly strong grip, each stud digging firmly into the snow's surface. He had even taken off his scarf in advance, afraid it would slow him down.

In contrast, Lu Qinglian's reaction had been a beat too slow. She was also wearing cloth shoes. No matter how fast she was, she couldn't escape the constraints of her physical circumstances. Her cyan robe, which billowed as she ran, wasn't exactly convenient either. Yet despite all that, Zhang Shutong's heart sank as he heard the whistling of the wind behind him grow closer and closer.

The distance between them was closing.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. He had already run a dozen or so steps forward when he took a large leap over a certain spot, stopped, and turned around.

In his peripheral vision was a patch of snow that had been flawlessly concealed.

On the surface of the snow were two crossed branches.

He focused solely on those two branches, held his breath, and felt his heart begin to beat faster involuntarily.

Zhang Shutong counted silently in his head.

One.

Lu Qinglian took another step, the hem of her long robe flying behind her.

She had a pair of long, slender legs, normally hidden by her robe, and she was actually very fast.

Two.

In an instant, the figure in the cyan robe was even closer.

Zhang Shutong had still underestimated Lu Qinglian. She wasn't just strong, as she claimed; her physical capabilities completely surpassed those of other girls her age.

However, no matter what, she was now just a stone's throw from the crossed branches.

Three.

The only thing he cared about now was whether she would mimic him and take a leap. To that end, he had even stopped early, so that Lu Qinglian would instinctively halt the moment she was about to touch him.

'Chances of winning?'

'Hard to say.'

'The probability?'

'I could only guess.'

But sometimes, that's just how it is. To capture a beast more ferocious and yet calmer than any human, you have to gamble.

Even if you have to wager yourself—