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墨書 Inktalez
Anna soared through the night sky above the city, as light and graceful as a nocturnal sprite. Her figure darted between rooftops, silently weaving through chimneys and leaping over clotheslines, treading lightly on the weathered tiles. Each movement flowed like water; with every landing, the tiles barely trembled before settling back into stillness. She ran with an elegance and poise that was impeccable, a natural dancer in the embrace of the night.
The moonlight seemed to dance to her rhythm, softly illuminating her face, flickering in and out as she moved, casting a hazy glow around her. Each of her actions was wrapped in the night, making her silhouette sometimes sharp and sometimes blurred, merging seamlessly with the darkness of the city. From a distance, she resembled a fox darting through a vast forest of steel, at ease yet undeniably agile.
In a moment of effortless leap, she twisted her wrist to deftly reattach an earring to her earlobe. The instant the clasp clicked into place, a low voice crackled through her earpiece, laced with suppressed anger. Lie Hai spoke coldly, "Are you having fun, Anna?" His tone was frigid, tinged with an unmistakable irritation at her disregard for their plans and her decision to act independently.
Hearing Lie Hai's reproach, Anna showed no sign of remorse; instead, a playful smile crept onto her lips. She laughed lightly as she ran, buoyant and carefree, seemingly ignoring his admonishment. With a graceful jump, she landed on the edge of a towering water tower, balancing confidently on the narrow ledge while the lights of Shadow City twinkled behind her.
"Lie Hai, I have to find some fun in this," she tilted her head slightly back, her voice teasing and provocative as if soothing an angry child with playful ease. "This mission is so dull; I need to make it lively or it would be utterly boring."
Lie Hai fell silent for a moment; even the static in the earpiece seemed to carry his suppressed frustration. Finally, he lowered his voice and replied, "Anna, your reckless freedom could very well jeopardize the mission." His words were like icy blades, but to Anna, they were merely background noise. She smiled and gazed out at the sprawling nightscape.
Standing at the edge of the rooftop, she appeared tall and composed, her eyes glinting with reflected moonlight as she surveyed the familiar yet enigmatic city. The night breeze tousled her hair as if it too had been stirred by her defiance. With a confident smile playing on her lips and a tone filled with challenge, it seemed that this city—and even Lie Hai's commands—were merely parts of a game to her.
In that moment, Lie Hai's voice faded into the background, becoming distant and indistinct as if left behind in her wake. She felt both challenged and curious about this city; every rooftop and shadow appeared as scenes for her hunting ground. Her laughter echoed in the night wind like a fearless declaration of freedom and indulgence.
Lie Hai's voice came through the earpiece again, tinged with resignation as he mixed his habitual tolerance for Anna's recklessness with exasperation. "Anna, Andaro's recording has already been delivered to our employer; the money has come through—five million. As per our usual split: eighty-twenty."
Anna did not respond immediately; instead, she stood firmly at the highest point of the water tower. The night wind brushed against her hair as she quietly gazed down at the city below. The lights below intertwined like brilliant rivers flowing through its streets; vibrant neon signs flickered like jewels adorning Shadow City in a dazzling sea of light. Her gaze held an air of longing within this nightscape—a sense of audacity and fearlessness—as if this city were merely a stage for her game while she was its master strategist.
Lie Hai seemed to sense her silence and sighed again in resignation before softening his tone slightly; hidden admiration crept into his words. "Regardless of everything else, Crimson Princess, your flawless record just gained another entry. Congratulations."
The title "Crimson Princess" echoed in her ears as Anna smiled knowingly. Her gaze drifted across the cityscape as if responding to its significance. She was indeed Shadow City's Crimson Princess—a phantom gliding through darkness amidst power struggles, wealth, and deceit—capturing everything she needed with effortless grace. Once again, she had successfully completed what seemed like an impeccable hunt, adding another achievement to her record while silently crowning herself in legend.
"Perfect record..." she murmured softly, seemingly unimpressed by the praise, yet her lips curled into an unmistakable smile of confidence. She didn’t rush to descend; instead, she closed her eyes, letting the night breeze caress her cheeks, savoring the moment of tranquility and the sense of freedom that came with the height.
From this vantage point overlooking the city, she felt a rush of control, standing alone at the pinnacle of darkness, enveloped in a familiar shadow where no one could reach her. This was her world, her game, and she had always been the Crimson Princess, forever at the top of the story.
Anna slowly closed her eyes again, sitting atop the highest point of the water tower, leaning against the cold metal structure with her head tilted back slightly. The night wind was like a gentle hand, softly brushing against her face, carrying with it the scents of the city’s vibrant nightlife and an indescribable blend of chaos and calm. Her hair danced lightly in the breeze, creating an image that was both serene and powerful, a stark contrast to the city’s clamor.
“Lie Hai,” Anna’s voice floated through the night air, soft yet laced with a hint of nonchalance, “who exactly is this employer?”
A raspy cough came through her earpiece, followed by Lie Hai's deep voice that seemed to weigh his words carefully. There was a trace of frustration and confusion in his tone. “I don’t know either…” He paused as if gathering his thoughts before continuing. “I’ve searched for a long time, traced back all available information, but this person is like… like an empty shell.”
“Empty shell?” Anna opened one eye slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips while her gaze flickered with undeniable suspicion and alertness.
“Yes, an empty shell,” Lie Hai's tone grew more somber, tinged with an unnoticeable apprehension. “There are no clues, no background—nothing at all. Perfect to the point of being terrifying. It’s as if this person appeared from nowhere in our world—no past and no traces.”
Hearing this made Anna raise an eyebrow slightly; her lazy smile began to fade as a subtle unease washed over her. She closed her eyes again, recalling every detail of this mission—from the moment the lights in the banquet hall went out to Andaro's furious expression and Pox's bewildered look… Everything seemed smooth yet concealed some indescribable oddity.
“Perfect to the point of being terrifying…” Anna whispered softly, her smile cooling as thoughts began to swirl in her mind. The night wind continued to blow gently around her, as if whispering secrets or hinting at something lurking within the city. She sat quietly, almost like a statue lost in profound contemplation.
Lie Hai’s voice broke through again: “Anna, this isn’t the first time we’ve dealt with an unnamed employer, but this time… I have a bad feeling about it.” His tone was grave as he tried to mask his own unease.
“A bad feeling?” Anna opened her eyes and gazed at the distant twinkling lights, a smirk returning to her lips. “Lie Hai, when did you become so paranoid?”
“This isn’t paranoia,” Lie Hai replied coldly, his tone carrying a note of warning. “It’s experience. Anna, this employer is not simple; you’d better be careful.”
"Be careful?" Anna chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone laced with disdain and provocation. "Lie Hai, the most dangerous thing in the world is the unknown, and the unknown is precisely what I love the most."
Her voice carried an air of fearless confidence, yet a flicker of unease lingered in her heart. She lifted her gaze to the vast night sky, understanding that this game had only just begun, and there was no turning back for her now.
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