As the number of prey dwindled, there was no longer any point in scattering.
Demetri gathered everyone together. His next target was the highest-value prey on the field: Caius.
According to his unique "mental tracking system," Alec was currently on the opposite side of the forest. If Alec intended to pursue or ambush them, he would almost certainly approach from behind.
The ten ordinary guards and Felix, being slower than the others, naturally formed the rear defensive line.
"Master Caius is hiding in a very remote location. Stay close to me, Sophie."
As they approached the edge of the training grounds, the vegetation gradually changed. Thick undergrowth and unfamiliar trees repeatedly blocked Sophie's vision, and she nearly lost sight of Demetri several times.
At this point, victory already seemed within their grasp. Demetri lowered his guard slightly and kindly suggested taking her along.
"Your ability only works through direct skin contact, right? If I grab you through your sleeve, it should be safe."
Being as cautious as ever, Demetri carefully grasped Sophie's wrist through the fabric of her sleeve. Newborn vampires often lost control of their Gifts, so he wasn't taking any chances.
"For now, yes. It only works through direct skin contact. But Jane said Gifts can be trained. Maybe someday I'll be able to use it through clothing... or even from a distance."
That seemed to reassure Demetri.
"When you master that, make sure you let me know."
Before Sophie could even respond, however, endless darkness swallowed them both.
The pair plummeted from midair, crashing through countless outstretched branches. Yet neither of them felt a thing. Their limbs went limp, their senses were completely numbed, and their bodies refused to obey them.
"Damn..." Demetri immediately realized what had happened. "We've fallen into Alec's trap."
By the time they regained consciousness...
The first round had already ended.
In the end, Alec successfully located Caius, earning fourteen points and securing victory.
"I don't understand!" Demetri sprang to his feet and grabbed Alec by the shoulders, shaking him furiously. "You were obviously all the way on the other side of the forest! How did your numbing mist end up in front of us?"
For the sake of fairness, Alec had long since been forbidden from blanketing enormous areas with his mist.
Alec simply glanced toward Demetri's other hand and reminded him calmly,
"Jane doesn't like people holding on to someone she considers hers."
Sophie woke a little later. It was only the second time she had personally experienced Alec's Gift. As soon as she opened her eyes, she caught the end of their conversation. She instinctively reached out and caught the hand Demetri had just released.
"Alec set up an entire ring of traps," she said. "No matter which direction we chose, we'd eventually run into one. And once we did, we'd reveal exactly where we were."
Alec raised an eyebrow.
She was right.
Sophie nearly burst into tears.
"Demetri... Jane... why didn't either of you tell me Alec's Gift covered such a huge area?!"
The "preparations" Jane had mentioned earlier must have referred to laying those traps.
The reason Alec had caught so few people at the beginning wasn't because he couldn't find them.
It was because catching them hadn't been his objective.
The true deciding factor had always been Caius's forty-five points.
Jane and Alec emerged victorious.
Meanwhile, Sophie, Demetri, and Felix lost the first round.
"So much for your 'guaranteed winning strategy,'" Jane said with an unmistakably smug smile.
During the second round, Jane drew the red lot and became one of the hunters.
Her assigned opponent was one of the ordinary guards under Demetri's command.
For some reason, anything involving Demetri always seemed destined to become a tracking assignment.
As soon as the round began, Alec and Sophie practically walked into Jane's camp of their own accord.
There was never any suspense.
Their opponents managed to catch only five ordinary guards and Felix, who was spectacularly bad at escaping, earning a mere fifteen points.
Once Jane recruited both Alec and Demetri, the combined strength of the three of them left even Caius with nowhere to hide.
Their team amassed seventy-four points and ended the round early.
The third round finally gave Felix the one red lot that none of the captains had drawn before.
He groaned loudly.
At this point, he had already lost twice.
His punishment was all but guaranteed.
Even Caius found him somewhat pitiful. A giant like Felix was naturally disadvantaged whether hiding or fleeing.
So Caius deliberately exempted Jane, Alec, and Demetri from the second draw, ensuring Felix's opponent would definitely be an ordinary guard.
The remaining fifteen participants stepped forward one after another.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black...
Then the lottery tube stopped in front of Sophie.
Red.
"Ha!"
Felix couldn't suppress his laughter.
He had fought Sophie before.
She was weak.
Ridiculously weak.
If he wasn't careful during training, he could tear her apart in seconds.
Caius's interest was immediately piqued.
"Felix, your luck isn't bad."
His eyes drifted toward Sophie. Apparently, he still hadn't forgotten how she'd dared whisper during his briefing without receiving Jane's punishment.
A mischievous idea surfaced.
With obvious delight, he announced,
"Felix, if you defeat Sophie... I'll waive one of your punishments."
Felix, who had resigned himself to his fate only moments ago, instantly came alive with fighting spirit.
Sophie couldn't sit still any longer.
"Referee!" she protested, looking at Chino. "How can you just change the rules halfway through?"
Chino remained completely silent.
Standing with his arms folded, Caius declared,
"This is called clemency."
Apparently deciding that wasn't enough excitement, he deliberately added,
"Jane. This round, you're forbidden from joining your little friend's team."
Sophie instantly realized...
That so-called act of mercy wasn't for Felix.
It was aimed squarely at her.
Jane and Alec were inseparable.
If Jane couldn't be on Sophie's team...
Then Alec certainly wouldn't be either.
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