The most sophisticated hunters often appear as prey.

Gong Zi was wrapped in a thin white shawl, making it hard to see what she was wearing underneath. However, the black lace bodycon skirt she had on perfectly accentuated her S-shaped curves.

At this moment, she had already removed the smoky makeup she wore earlier. The contrast between Gong Zi’s bare face and her made-up look was striking. Without makeup, her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and standing in the night breeze, she exuded a gentle yet alluring charm.

The woman walked toward him.

As she got closer, Zhou Yi noticed a small teardrop mole at the corner of her eye. When she lifted her gaze to meet his, her fox-like eyes appeared both innocent and seductive.

Gong Zi smiled faintly, her voice laced with a hint of temptation.

"Captain, you’re still awake so late? Did I disturb you?"

She leaned in slightly, bringing herself close enough for Zhou Yi to see every detail of her long, upturned lashes—fox-like and utterly captivating.

Leaning against the doorframe, Zhou Yi gave a faint smirk. "No, it’s fine. What do you need?"

His response wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either.

"Captain, do you smoke?"

Zhou Yi wasn’t a nonsmoker—he just didn’t have much of a habit. But if offered, he wouldn’t refuse.

"I do."

A playful smile curled at Gong Zi’s lips as she reached to open the cigarette box with her other hand.

Then, as if by "accident," the shawl draped over her shoulders slipped to the ground, revealing a snug black lace camisole underneath. Only then did Zhou Yi notice the vibrant rose tattooed on her chest—a bloom so vivid it seemed ready to burst.

"Oh dear, my shawl fell," Gong Zi feigned surprise as she turned to pick it up, fully exposing her bare back down to just above her hips, nearly revealing the curve of her buttocks.

Yes, it was an extremely sexy backless lace camisole—revealing just enough to leave the imagination running wild, drawing the gaze irresistibly toward her.

Even the way she bent to retrieve the shawl was deliberate.

As she crouched, she swept her hair to one side, revealing her delicate profile, the graceful arc of her lowered lashes perfectly calculated. When she slightly arched her back to pick up the shawl, the fullness of her hips strained against the tight black skirt, the curves from her nape to her waist creating a visually arresting impact.

Zhou Yi’s eyes darkened. There was no denying it—Gong Zi’s figure was undeniably alluring.

After picking up the shawl, she handed it to Zhou Yi.

"Captain, how about this—I’ll light your cigarette, and you help me put this back on?"

By handing him the shawl, she was testing whether he’d play along with her little game.

Men weren’t stupid. They could always tell when a woman was being deliberate—it just depended on whether they were willing to indulge her.

In other words, it was all part of the flirtation.

Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes but didn’t immediately take the shawl.

Gong Zi’s moves were calculated, one after another—she definitely had skills.

He countered, "Without a lighter, how are you going to light my cigarette? Where exactly are you planning to pull one from?"

Gong Zi lowered her gaze with a coy smile. "Don’t worry about that, Captain. Just say yes, and I’ll produce a lighter for you."

Now genuinely intrigued, Zhou Yi took the shawl, curious to see where she’d pull out a lighter.

But then he caught her wrist. "What are you up to?"

Gong Zi blinked innocently. "Getting the lighter, of course. It’s on you."

"When did you put it in my pocket?"

"When I asked if you smoked."

She retrieved a small, almost weightless lighter from Zhou Yi’s right pocket—so light he hadn’t even noticed it.

Leaning close to his ear, she whispered, "Want to know where I kept this lighter before putting it in your pocket?"

A wave of her fragrance drifted into Zhou Yi’s senses. He leaned in as well, his voice low and deliberate near her ear. "Are you trying to seduce me? Aren’t you afraid of what I might do?"

The warmth of his breath sent her pulse racing. Gong Zi took a step back, pulling a cigarette from the box as she said, "Open your mouth, Captain. I’ll light it for you."

Zhou Yi lowered his head, taking the cigarette from her fingers with his lips.

Damn it… The way he leaned in to take the cigarette had her mesmerized.

She had to admit—she was falling under his spell.

Gong Zi steadied her breathing, flicking the lighter to life and holding it up for him, though she couldn’t quite bring herself to meet his gaze.

"Why won’t you look at me?"

At his words, Gong Zi forced herself to lift her eyes.

In the flickering glow of the flame, the young man’s eyes were deep and magnetic, carrying a cool, detached intensity.

Zhou Yi draped the shawl over her shoulders, then plucked the cigarette from his lips with two fingers, exhaling a slow stream of smoke toward her.

The scent wasn’t unpleasant—a faint, fragrant blend with the sharpness of nicotine.

His face was half-veiled in the haze, his calm yet penetrating gaze making Gong Zi feel as though she were standing completely exposed before him.

It was as if he could see right through her, watching her like a predator toying with its prey, an air of detached amusement in his stance.

She had always been the hunter before.

Now, it seemed the roles had reversed.

Gong Zi had thought herself the pursuer, but the way her eyes lingered on him betrayed the truth.

Zhou Yi wasn’t like the other men she’d encountered—the kind who lost all sense of direction at the slightest beckoning.

The most skilled hunters often appeared as prey.

Gong Zi had believed she was the one setting the trap, only to realize too late that she was the one who had walked into his.

Suddenly, Zhou Yi held the cigarette to her lips. "Open."

Gong Zi swallowed, parting her lips dumbly as she took the cigarette he had just smoked from. Her heart pounded so violently she feared it might leap from her chest.

Zhou Yi gently adjusted the shawl over her shoulders, covering the tantalizing view of her chest completely.

With a faint smile, he said, "You don’t need to use these tricks on me. I don’t like them."

Then, leaving her stunned, he turned and walked back into his room.

Gong Zi’s lips parted slightly, the cigarette dropping to the ground.

She was shocked.

And confused.

So… her plan had failed?

She hadn’t even gotten to use half her usual tactics, yet here she was, reduced to a blushing mess in front of Zhou Yi.

For the first time, the woman who had always been effortlessly victorious felt a pang of defeat.

If Zhou Yi had outright rejected her advances from the start, she might have dismissed it as him not yet understanding her methods.

But she had played her part, and still, he remained unmoved.

Looking down at the cigarette he had smoked, an image of Zhou Yi’s face as he exhaled flashed in her mind.

Damnably attractive.

Gong Zi took a step back as if startled, quickly retreating to her own room.

She barely slept that night.

Opening Zhou Yi’s WeChat moments—set to "last three days visible"—she found nothing. No clues, no openings.

She wanted to message him but felt an odd sense of shame.

In the end, she couldn’t resist.

[Gong Zi: What kind of music do you like? I can play it for you.]

Zhou Yi had just finished indulging in some personal pleasure and stepped out of the shower when he saw her message.

A smirk tugged at his lips.

Trying to tame a prey like him?

She was still far too green for that.

Zhou Yi didn’t reply to her right away, letting Gong Zi’s imagination run wild for a while.

He opened Gong Zi’s social media feed, which was mostly filled with songs she shared, along with posts about the band she had formed and their activities.

Zhou Yi scrolled from top to bottom, getting a sense of her tastes.

Since she liked rock music, he decided he’d head to the system store later and buy a "golden voice" skill.

If he casually sang a few hit rock songs from his own world tomorrow, how would she react?

Gong Zi would lose her mind over it.

Gong Zi