Richard might have sensed something.
Stepping back onto the street, Gu Qinghan couldn’t help but think this.
Clearly, from Richard’s earlier reaction, he had already begun to suspect Gu Qinghan.
The situation was now critically tense.
Walking the empty street, Gu Qinghan’s expression darkened.
Liana’s hypnosis was deepening by the hour, and even Richard was closing in relentlessly.
Only one solution remained: break Liana’s hypnosis.
Yet so far, he had no viable method.
The slightest stimulation would send Liana into an immediate climax.
Ceasing stimulation would only deepen the trance.
Gu Qinghan gazed at the blazing sun. A nameless helplessness coiled around his spine like a serpent, numbing him.
Time slipped away like an ephemeral blossom—here one moment, gone the next.
The sun dipped westward. Evening hues bled across the sky, staining the clouds in blood-like tones.
Gu Qinghan walked in fits and starts, his face growing paler with each step.
This was the Kingdom of Pure Love.
Every soul on the street was a staunch believer in pure love.
Asking about methods of "captivity play"? Nearly impossible.
Not only would he get no answer—merely voicing the question was dangerously reckless.
These citizens were warm-hearted and swift to act.
And the Inspection Brigade’s routine interrogation hour drew steadily nearer.
Gu Qinghan halted, watching the river of people flow past. For the first time, he felt the crushing loneliness of another world.
Crowds surged. Everyone hurried through their own lives.
Who cared if you lived or died?
He turned toward the opposite sidewalk, eyes scanning the crowd.
Suddenly, several figures stood out—his gaze sharpened instantly.
A squad of Inspectors. New recruits patrolling Diet Street today.
No Katarina among them.
An opportunity.
A sharp glint flashed in Gu Qinghan’s eyes. He strode forward.
Wind howled.
Cutting through the noisy alleyways, the market’s clamor seemed to fade. His world narrowed to one target.
“Hello, Inspector.”
The moment he spoke, the wind stilled.
The youth had black hair, stood about 1.7 meters tall, looked sixteen or seventeen—a true greenhorn.
He’d been casually toying with a black bowler hat.
Gu Qinghan offered a gentle smile.
“Inspector, I’m a resident nearby. I have a question, if I may.”
The youth frowned, watching Gu Qinghan with confusion as he settled the hat on his head.
“Please be concise.”
Gu Qinghan nodded faintly and lowered his voice.
“Has something happened recently? Patrols seem far more frequent.”
A calculated move—anchoring the conversation in the Inspector’s domain.
Sure enough, the youth’s eyes sharpened, then softened into a smile.
“I’m impressed. Residents of the City of Devoted Love observe our work so closely.”
He scanned Gu Qinghan up and down, curiosity gleaming like an interrogator’s gaze.
“Rest assured, Inspector. I am a loyal citizen of the City of Devoted Love.”
Gu Qinghan smiled lightly and slipped a gold coin into the youth’s palm.
The youth blinked, then nodded with quiet satisfaction.
“Dear citizen, you’re absolutely right.”
He pocketed the coin with practiced ease, voice turning genial.
“The border wall was breached by the Empire of Indulgence. Many hostile infiltrators slipped through—grave consequences.”
“But dear citizen, you’re mistaken on one point.”
“Patrols haven’t increased. They’ve been halved.”
Gu Qinghan’s brow furrowed. He felt he’d touched the core.
“Halved? But I clearly—”
“That was yesterday’s strategy.”
The youth leaned close, whispering near Gu Qinghan’s ear:
“Starting this morning, the Inspection Brigade cut patrols by half.”
Gu Qinghan’s eyes clouded with confusion.
“Why? This is the most critical moment.”
A knowing smile spread across the youth’s face, pride barely concealed.
“Precisely *because* it’s critical.”
Seeing Gu Qinghan’s doubt, he added with a smirk:
“Let me illustrate. You’ll understand at once.”
Gu Qinghan gave a slight nod.
“Imagine you’re a hunter. Your prey is cornered. Do you press harder?”
Gu Qinghan studied the youth’s smiling face, deep in thought.
After a long silence, he answered softly:
“No.”
“Why?”
“A cornered animal becomes dangerously unpredictable.”
“Exactly. At the crucial moment, you ease pressure—not tighten it.”
The youth nodded approvingly.
“You don’t corner it. You leave a deliberate escape route. Lure it onto the ‘path of life.’ Right?”
A faint light flickered in Gu Qinghan’s eyes. He grasped the implication.
“When the prey believes it’s found salvation and flees in panic—that’s when vigilance fades.”
“A seasoned hunter waits for that exact moment… then strikes.”
“This is our strategy.”
Gu Qinghan stood frozen. Watching the youth wave casually, a storm raged within.
Sixteen. Seventeen at most. Yet this mind…
The Kingdom’s Inspection Brigade was far more formidable than he’d imagined.
Vigilance was no longer optional.
His gaze darkened with resolve.
“Inspector… may I take this to mean—the culprit is nearly caught?”
Gu Qinghan’s voice was sharp, aimed at the youth’s retreating back.
The youth paused mid-step. Turned slowly. Astonishment flickered in his eyes.
“You’re perceptive.”
He narrowed his gaze, eyes sharp as an eagle’s.
After a silent beat, he shook his head, a sly smile curling his lips.
“Diet Street, number 38.”
“We’re closing in. Waiting only for the culprit to slip.”
“I hope *you’re* not the one we’re after, citizen.”
With a meaningful smile, he adjusted his cap and walked away, leaving an enigmatic silhouette.
Gu Qinghan stood motionless, staring after him.
He swallowed hard against the churning in his gut, bile rising, a cold shiver racing down his spine.
