S-Class Judge: My ability is parasitism.

Xu Nuo was somewhat lost in thought when she realized she had been a bit rude and coughed awkwardly.

Li Yiran chuckled, said nothing, turned around and went back to her bedroom to change into a pair of loose shorts and a simple short-sleeved shirt. She casually tied her hair up, revealing her fair neck.

She walked barefoot back to the living room, nestled into the sofa, and picked up her phone, swiping names absentmindedly.

The air still held the lingering damp steam from the bathroom, mingled with the faint scent of soap emanating from her. Xu Nuo was about to say something to ease the tension when suddenly—

Knock, knock, knock.

A light knock sounded on the door, exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Xu Nuo was startled and stood up from her chair, lowering her voice to ask:

"Is he one of yours?"

His back tensed instantly, and his heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand—had he finally been outmaneuvered?

The nascent trust in Li Yiran is now crumbling in the face of a growing sense of crisis.

Li Yiran was also taken aback for a moment, put down her phone, and frowned slightly:

"How could that be? I'm trying to avoid them, why would I call for help?"

She looked at Xu Nuo, a hint of nervousness flashing in her eyes as well, "I thought it was for you."

Xu Nuo took a deep breath: "I'll go open the door."

Regardless, he is a man and a tenant here in name only; there is no reason to let Li Yiran face unknown dangers.

The door opened, and a lean young man wearing a floral shirt stood outside.

He had a pair of distinctly triangular eyes, and when he looked at people, his gaze was slanted. He was slightly hunched over, and his whole demeanor exuded the air of a stock market swindler.

Upon seeing Xu Nuo, he was visibly taken aback, and then anger and hostility flashed in his triangular eyes.

"Who are you, kid?" the young man asked in a hoarse voice, giving Xu Nuo a rude once-over. "What are you doing coming out of Yi Ran's house?"

Xu Nuo was displeased, but considering that they might be acquaintances of Li Yiran, she maintained basic politeness: "May I ask who you are looking for?"

"Stop pretending!" The young man suddenly reached out and grabbed Xu Nuo's collar with great force. "I'm asking you why you were at Yi Ran's house!"

Xu Nuo's eyes turned cold, and his fingers tightened slightly, but he restrained himself from immediately retaliating.

He turned his head and raised his voice towards the house: "Li Yiran, she's looking for you."

His vague feelings for Li Yiran were almost completely shattered by reality at this moment.

Is she really as innocent as she claims to be, able to associate with such thugs?

Li Yiran walked quickly to the door, and upon seeing who it was, her face immediately darkened.

"Wang Hu?" Her voice was filled with obvious annoyance and wariness. "How did you find this place, you mad dog? What are you doing here?"

When the young man named Wang Hu saw Li Yiran, he loosened his grip on Xu Nuo's hand, but his gaze remained fixed fiercely on Xu Nuo. However, when he turned to Li Yiran, he forced a hint of ingratiation in his tone:

"Yiran, don't be angry... You know I have a keen sense of smell; I can smell your scent from two streets away. It's just that I like you so much..." The last few words were cloyingly sweet, making one uncomfortable.

Li Yi frowned, stepped forward, forcefully pushed away Wang Hu's hand that was still gripping Xu Nuo's collar, stepped between the two, and turned to Xu Nuo in a low voice:

"I'm sorry, this is trouble I've gotten myself into. I don't know him well, I've only run into him a few times before. I never expected him to follow me here."

Her apology was rushed, and there was genuine remorse in her eyes, along with a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment.

Xu Nuo looked at her back as she stood in front of him, and his doubts eased slightly, but a sense of estrangement had already arisen.

He took a half step back, his tone calm: "Since it's your business, then please handle it properly. I don't want to be unnecessarily misunderstood or dragged into trouble."

Seeing Li Yiran's obvious protective stance towards Xu Nuo, Wang Hu's fawning expression instantly crumbled, replaced by a look of jealousy and rage.

His triangular eyes gleamed with a fierce light as he pointed at Xu Nuo, his voice suddenly rising:

"Yiran! Who exactly is this kid? Huh? What's so good about this fair-skinned pretty boy?"

His chest heaved as he excitedly stepped forward. "Isn't it better to be with me? I can fight, I can get you fresh 'food'! Plants, animals... just ask, and I can hunt it all for you! What can you get by following this weakling?!"

He emphasized the word "blood food" with particular force, his gaze like a poisoned hook, scanning back and forth between Xu Nuo and Li Yiran. In the narrow corridor, the atmosphere suddenly plummeted to freezing point, filled with a dangerous, fishy smell.

Xu Nuo's heart sank suddenly, not because of Wang Hu's insults, but because of those two words—"blood food".

This is not just the catchphrase of an ordinary thug; he is also an awakened beast and has hunted down many judges.

He subtly adjusted his breathing, maintaining a relaxed posture, but every muscle was on high alert.

His gaze swept over Wang Hu's face, which was slightly flushed with excitement, and finally landed on Li Yiran's profile, which tensed up instantly.

Li Yiran's face turned pale when Wang Hu uttered the word "blood food," but it was quickly replaced by anger.

She stood in front of Xu Nuo again, her voice low but as cold and hard as ice:

"Wang Hu, shut up! My affairs are none of your business, and I don't need your disgusting 'care.' Get out of my house right now, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

"You're welcome?" Wang Hu sneered as if he had heard a joke, straightening his hunched back and revealing a beast-like aggression. "Yiran, you're going to fight me for such a pretty boy? Don't forget, your sister is that man's subordinate, and she's very strong." He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was obvious.

Xu Nuo observed quietly.

Wang Hu possesses an undisguised savagery driven by animalistic instincts, unlike Li Yiran's cold, cruel, elegant, and dangerous nature; it is more primal and direct.

It seems that Li Yiran's "organization" is not a monolithic entity, with different social classes and styles among its members.

The dim, yellowish light from the old motion-activated lights in the hallway cast long, distorted shadows of the three people facing each other onto the mottled wall.

The faint sound of traffic in the distance only served to emphasize the silence and tension of the place.

Xu Nuo knew she had to make a choice. Should she continue playing the role of a "harmless roommate" and let things develop between Li Yiran and Wang Hu? Or should she intervene as a member of the "organization," potentially shattering the delicate balance she currently had with Li Yiran?

In the instant he remained silent and weighed his options, Li Yiran reacted.

She suddenly took a step forward, not rushing towards Wang Hu, but seemingly unintentionally stepping on the ground.

As she pressed down slightly with her foot, the motion-activated light above the stairwell, which was already having a poor connection, suddenly went out with a "zzzz" sound—purely a coincidence.

Darkness, like thick ink, poured down instantly, swallowing up all vision.

"Xu Nuo, step back!" Li Yiran's urgent voice rang out in the darkness, carrying an unquestionable determination.

At the same time, Xu Nuo's keen hearing caught the faint, sharp sound of claws slicing through the air in the darkness, and a low growl from Wang Hu's throat, a mixture of anger and excitement.