Chapter Twenty-Four

A jagged wound on Honda Kōun’s left leg revealed a glimpse of bone. Yu Xingyue retreated step by step, desperately searching for a way out of this predicament. The man before him was clearly not to be trifled with, and the blood-stained baseball bat in his right hand made his intentions chillingly clear: he was there to hunt Yu Xingyue down, and he had no intention of letting him survive.

"You are Honda Kōun. Why are you so intent on killing others?" Yu Xingyue asked, though he held no expectation of an answer. Asking questions of a psychopath was a fool’s errand. Yet, Honda Kōun seemed to process the words, merely tilting his head in silence.

Realizing that dialogue was futile, Yu Xingyue braced himself for a fight. He steeled his resolve to face the inevitable, adopting a defensive stance, his body tense with apprehension. He was terrified, but he knew he had to confront this threat. He had noticed Honda Kōun’s presence even before he had tried to sleep, a realization that had left him utterly unsettled.

Earlier, before he had attempted to rest, Yu Xingyue had looked out the window and seen nothing. It was only by chance that he caught a glimpse of Honda Kōun in a corner mirror. Although he had never seen the man in person, he recognized the tall, hulking figure from the descriptions others had provided. He had known he was being targeted, but facing the reality was far more daunting than he had imagined.

Suddenly, a wooden club struck Honda Kōun’s head. Yu Xingyue looked up to see Xia Qinyumei standing there. *Why is she here?* Before he could process it, Honda Kōun’s attention shifted from Yu Xingyue to his new assailant. Xia Qinyumei immediately produced a can of self-defense spray, aiming it directly into the man’s eyes. Despite his mask, his eyes remained exposed, and the chemical sting blinded him, rendering him temporarily incapacitated.

"Victor, run! This will only last two minutes!" Xia Qinyumei shouted. Yu Xingyue realized then that she had come to save him. The spray was a desperate bid to buy him time to escape. Knowing that Honda Kōun would eventually recover, Yu Xingyue scrambled to his feet and grabbed Xia Qinyumei’s hand.

"Thank you for your concern, but what about you if I run?" Yu Xingyue’s voice softened. Xia Qinyumei was momentarily caught off guard; she had little defense against such gentleness, but now was not the time for sentiment. They had to escape.

The effect of the spray soon faded. By the time Honda Kōun regained his senses, both of them had vanished. Beneath his mask, the distorted features of the man—a soul seemingly possessed by a demon—twisted in rage. He began his search anew, no longer interested in returning to the internet cafe, but intent on hunting Yu Xingyue elsewhere.

The pair sprinted back to the internet cafe, collapsing against the wall inside to catch their breath. It had been a harrowing escape; they had nearly been cornered. Just as they returned, police officers arrived at the door, intending to check the security footage to see if Honda Kōun had been lurking in the vicinity.

Xia Qinyumei opened the door without hesitation. Seeing the two gasping for air, an officer asked, "You both look exhausted. Did you just run back here at high speed? Is that why your legs are shaking?" Yu Xingyue’s legs were indeed trembling from the exertion, and he did not deny the terrifying encounter.

"We were indeed running," Xia Qinyumei confirmed. "This guy encountered Honda Kōun. If I hadn't gone to find him with self-defense spray, he would have been killed."

"You saw Honda Kōun just now? Where is he?" the officers pressed, desperate for a lead. Catching him had always been a mystery; he left no trails, and any small clue usually vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Yu Xingyue grew wary. The officers were questioning them intensely, but he needed proof of their identity. "Could you please show us your badges? I need to be sure you are real police officers."

After verifying their credentials, Yu Xingyue asked, "Now that I know who you are, what exactly are you looking for?"

"We received a report this afternoon that Honda Kōun was spotted near your cafe," one officer explained. "We need to check the security footage to determine his movements. It’s our only lead."

"I see. Qinyumei, take them to the surveillance room. I’ll watch the entrance," Yu Xingyue said, locking the front door to prevent any unauthorized entry before opening hours.

"Follow me, then," Xia Qinyumei said, leading them to the back. The cafe’s footage was remarkably clear, making it easy to identify the suspect. "I’ll leave you to it," she added, still visibly shaken by the encounter. "Be thorough—that demon could return at any moment."

The police meticulously scanned the footage. They found a clip of Honda Kōun lingering outside earlier, providing them with a valuable lead. They also questioned Yu Xingyue about his history with the man, promising him protection since he had now been marked as a target.

"We’ll leave it at that for today. Please contact us immediately if you hear anything," the officer instructed before departing. Yu Xingyue nodded, feeling the absurdity of his earlier thought that he could challenge a man like that in a one-on-one fight.

Once they were alone, Xia Qinyumei grabbed his collar. "Victor, are you insane? You run into a life-threatening situation like that and don't even tell me? Who do you think you are—a god of war? Look at your frame; how were you going to fight him? Do you have any idea how devastated the boss would be if something happened to you?"

Yu Xingyue was stunned. This was the second time he had seen her this angry, and she had spoken more than twenty words in a single breath. He felt uneasy, despite her clear concern.

"Hey, Qinyumei, take it easy! You’re going to tear my shirt," he cautioned. He froze, realizing he had just slipped up by using the last two characters of her name. Xia Qinyumei stiffened, her eyes widening. "What did you just call me? Say it again."

Yu Xingyue cursed his own tongue. He had let it slip, and now explaining it would only make things worse.

"I... I..." He had no answer. Seeing his hesitation, she continued, "If you don't tell me, I’ll talk to the boss. You know my name, but I don't know yours. I have a right to know." She released his collar and walked back into the cafe. Yu Xingyue sat by the door, sighing at his own lack of self-control.

He had ten minutes before his shift started. He could call Lin Zimo, but he didn't want to worry her. In the worst-case scenario, she would try to come back and face this with him, and he refused to let her be dragged into this nightmare. He left his phone untouched.