Although the black-clad figure had escaped, Lin Yu didn't feel particularly frustrated.

After all, no matter how enhanced a 'Soldier's' physical abilities were, they still couldn't withstand bullets—he had already confirmed this with Yu Longguo.

And within the 'Psychological Society' organization, there was undoubtedly someone armed with firearms.

While Lin Yu harbored deep resentment toward these people who had dragged him into this Death Game under absurd pretenses after killing him, he hadn't let hatred cloud his judgment.

Revenge was something that needed careful planning.

"Tonight wasn't a complete waste though—at least I learned my killer belongs to the 'Psychological Society' and their general motives," Lin Yu muttered to himself.

Just as Lin Yu was deep in thought...

"Ouch!"

A petite girl bumped into Lin Yu.

The girl wore her hair in a short single ponytail barely longer than a tuft, with a perfectly round head shape.

Despite it being midnight, she wore sunglasses and a mask, dressed in a black windbreaker with a hiking backpack—looking every bit like a Player.

Before Lin Yu could determine if this was an attack, the girl rubbed her head and angrily spoke first.

"Damn your ancestors! Are you blind? How could you just bump into people!"

The girl, who only reached Lin Yu's chest, looked up angrily.

Her accent and attitude clearly marked her as a local of Jiangcheng.

Seeing this tiny but fierce creature, Lin Yu took a step back, ready to apologize.

But then he reconsidered—something wasn't right here.

"Hey! Watch your mouth! I was standing still—you're the one who bumped into me!"

"You're the one not watching where you're going! How dare you turn this around on me?"

The short girl paused, then puffed her cheeks: "Well... well you shouldn't be standing in the middle of the road at night anyway! With all this smoke around, I couldn't see!"

Her tone had weakened considerably but she remained defiant.

Seeming to realize she was in the wrong, she waved her hand dismissively.

"Alright alright fine—my bad, sorry!"

With that hurried apology, the girl pushed past Lin Yu and continued walking.

Shaking his head, Lin Yu turned and followed the same direction.

After just a few steps, the petite girl whirled around, pointing angrily at Lin Yu.

"Why are you following me? I already apologized!"

Lin Yu raised his hands: "I'm not following you—I'm going this way too!"

"Yeah right... wearing a mask at night—you're a Player too, aren't you? Who knows if you're planning to rob me!"

She pulled out a box cutter from her pocket, extending the blade with a threatening flick.

"Stay back! Keep your distance! I'm not someone to mess with! My Class is super strong—I'm a 'Soldier'!"

The girl declared fiercely.

Lin Yu looked at the tiny box cutter matching its owner's stature and sighed.

His 'Soldier' deception was still in effect.

While a dagger might pose some threat, this box cutter...

Probably couldn't even break his skin.

And this girl was definitely no Soldier.

But with her jumpy personality, he didn't want further complications.

"Fine, fine, I'll keep my distance—you go first!"

Lin Yu remained in place, raising his hands in surrender.

The girl glanced back, snorted, then quickened her pace.

Her speed gradually increased until she was practically jogging.

Seeing her figure grow distant, Lin Yu resumed walking.

"Why do so many Death Game Players seem mentally unstable..."

He muttered, reaching the street corner.

As Lin Yu prepared to unlock his bicycle to head home...

He froze—his properly locked bicycle parked by the roadside was gone!

Checking his pocket, the keys were missing too.

Rushing forward, he saw a shared bike parked where his bicycle had been.

A sticky note on the shared bike bore messy yet delicate handwriting:

"Just kidding—I'm not a 'Soldier', I'm a 'Thief', hehe!"

A doodled tongue-sticking-out face completed the note.

Lin Yu immediately recalled the girl who had bumped into him—this was undoubtedly her handiwork!

He immediately sprinted down the street, but found no trace of the girl anywhere.

Lin Yu exhaled sharply.

"I've really been looked down upon!"

That girl's acting had been impeccable—he hadn't detected any performance!

Here he was, a top-performing theater student and the Death Game's designated 'Fraudster', out-acted by some petty thief...

The world truly overflowed with talent!

Standing still, Lin Yu began laughing coldly.

"Very well..."

First a 'Ninja', now a 'Thief'... tonight seemed destined for encounters with vermin!

"Better hope I don't catch you in the Game, you sewer rats."

Lin Yu ground his teeth.

If he encountered Psychological Society members in the Game, he'd kill them given the chance.

As for that bicycle-stealing 'Thief'...

He'd at least give her a thorough beating and make her return his bike!

Thinking this, Lin Yu exhaled slowly.

Though to her credit, the thief had left him a shared bike.

Peeling off the note covering the QR code...

His phone immediately displayed a notification:

"This vehicle is temporarily out of service due to damage!"

Inspection revealed the shared bike's chain had been removed.

The night breeze flipped the sticky note, revealing additional text:

"With your IQ, you should probably give up on bicycles altogether."

Lin Yu took three deep breaths upon reading this.

For a moment, his hatred for that thieving girl surpassed even his resentment toward the 'Psychological Society' member who had killed him—that 'mysterious junior'.

Taking another deep breath, Lin Yu muttered:

"You'd better hope I never catch you..."

Otherwise, he'd personally hang that girl up and whip her with a bicycle chain until her skin split!

"Forget it, I should head home before my sister worries."

With this thought, Lin Yu walked forward...

But just one block away, he found his bicycle perfectly parked by the roadside.

Even his keys sat on the seat alongside another sticky note.

"Just messing with you—here's your bike back."

Another doodled tongue face concluded the note.

Lin Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"What kind of... mental disorder does that Thief have?"

Why return the bike?

Crouching to unlock it, he noticed something amiss.

"This isn't my lock?!"

Lin Yu stared blankly at the unfamiliar lock.

Another sticky note on the lock bore just two characters this time:

"Teehee!"

Lin Yu was utterly speechless.

"'Teehee' my ass."

With a powerful punch fueled by his 'Soldier'-enhanced fivefold strength, the lock shattered with a loud BANG.

Shaking his slightly reddened hand, Lin Yu tossed the broken lock into a nearby trash bin.

"Good thing I'm always one step ahead!"