The old photograph in the Scar-Faced Instructor's office, like a sharp knife, completely tore open the last vestiges of peace in Rin's heart. His sister's "death" and the emergence of the "Shadow Team" had caused him to harbor unprecedented doubts about the mysterious organization, the academy, and even the truth of his own "rebirth." He knew a greater storm was quietly brewing.
Sure enough, two days later, the academy's atmosphere abruptly became unusually tense. Three unfamiliar "instructors" were airlifted to the academy, claiming to be "exchange instructors" from a never-before-heard-of "United Military Academy." However, the moment Rin saw them, an alarm blared in his mind.
These three—two men and one woman—were all lean and formidable, their eyes as sharp as blades. Though they were impeccably disguised, Rin could sense an aura emanating from them similar to the "Central Adjudicator"—the cold and pure killing intent unique to his past life's assassin organization.
They were not ordinary instructors; they were A-rank hunters dispatched to execute a special mission!
Rin subtly observed the three "exchange instructors." They barely participated in regular teaching, instead frequently appearing at training grounds, simulated battle rooms, and even the mess hall, under the guise of "inspecting training." Their gazes always deliberately or inadvertently settled on Rin and Ye Xue, carrying an undisguised air of scrutiny and assessment.
Rin knew their arrival had a clear objective—to test if Rin had truly awakened, and to evaluate whether to "retrieve" or "eliminate" him.
"Retrieval" likely meant bringing him back under the organization's control, just as they had done with Ye Xue, and undergoing "thought re-molding" again; "elimination," on the other hand, meant completely purging him, the "Risk Taker X." Neither outcome was acceptable to Rin.
Rin felt an invisible pressure closing in from all directions, a fatal threat from his own kind that only top assassins could perceive. He could distinctly sense that the killing intent emanating from these three hunters was like three sharp swords hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment.
However, he chose to endure.
Exposing his full strength now would only make the opponents more vigilant, possibly even triggering the "Hunt Protocol" prematurely. He needed time, a more opportune moment to counterattack.
Rin began to subtly lay out his plan. Using his familiarity with the academy's layout and his precise understanding of a killer's psychology, he quietly devised a counter-hunt plan in his mind.
He started adjusting his training intensity, no longer deliberately showcasing signature skills like the "Absolute Kill Domain," but rather disguising his power as "immense potential not yet fully controlled." He even displayed some "recklessness" and "errors" in public, attempting to lull these hunters into a false sense of security.
At the same time, he secretly observed Ye Xue. Although Ye Xue didn't possess Rin's sharp perception, she instinctively recoiled from these three "exchange instructors." She would subconsciously avoid their gaze and displayed heightened vigilance during training. Rin knew her "Supreme Executor" instincts were warning her that danger was near.
Rin covertly conveyed the information he gathered about the three hunters to Ye Xue. He couldn't directly tell her the truth, but her powerful subconscious always seemed to catch the "signals" he sent.
Ye Xue, in turn, silently responded to Rin's "plan." Her "discomfort" and "loss of control" during training became more covert and elusive. After each mission, she began secretly clearing all unnecessary traces, making her whereabouts vague.
The air in the academy was filled with an oppressive calm, like the quiet before a storm. Three A-rank hunters, disguised as instructors, moved stealthily through the academy with their bloody objective; and Rin and Ye Xue, like two panthers lurking in the shadows, patiently waited for the moment to counterattack.
A cold, eerie light flickered in Rin's eyes. The hunt had begun. But this time, who was the prey and who was the hunter remained to be seen. He would make them understand that some things, once awakened, could no longer be "retrieved" or "eliminated"!