The deadly number 44!

On the card, two black Arabic numerals seared themselves into Lin Yan's retinas like a pair of hideous curses.

44.

Number forty-four.

Boom!

A thunderclap seemed to explode inside Lin Yan's head, breaking his train of thought for an instant.

All the blood in his body seemed to freeze at that moment. A bone-chilling cold shot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, making the fingers holding the card tremble involuntarily.

How could it be... him?

Of the more than two hundred candidates present, the unseen workings of fate had chosen this moment to push him into the deepest abyss of despair.

Lin Yan clutched the thin card fiercely, but his heart raced beyond his control. In the silence, every pounding beat against his chest sounded deafening.

His target was Hisoka.

The deranged magician who, in the original story, had stood near the very pinnacle of combat strength in its early stages.

The monster who had nearly shattered his composure with a single glance in the wetlands.

The madman whose killing intent alone had almost caused his Foundation Establishment to collapse aboard the airship.

At that moment, this was no longer a simple hunt. It was a trial of life and death.

Lin Yan felt as though an immense boulder pressed against his chest, making every breath agonizingly difficult.

The difference in strength between him and Hisoka was not merely a matter of one being stronger than the other. It was a chasm he currently had no hope of crossing.

As though sensing something, he instinctively raised his head and looked through the shifting crowd toward Hisoka.

Drawn by the connection between their auras, Hisoka happened to look at him too.

Their eyes met.

Hisoka's lips stretched into an exaggerated curve brimming with delight and excitement.

His narrow eyes slitted slightly, like a red-eyed fox that had finally seen its chosen prey fall into its trap.

Then he slowly raised his hand and turned over the white number badge hanging against his chest, facing it directly toward Lin Yan.

The black "44" on the badge was clearly visible.

After doing so, Hisoka even gave Lin Yan a playful wink and ran his tongue over his lips, his eyes revealing a greed that made the skin crawl.

"Mmm~ What a tempting little unripe apple... oh~ Holding back is so hard, you know~"

Lin Yan felt as though he could clearly "hear" the words Hisoka silently mouthed.

It was a blatant provocation, and a foretelling of death.

A surge of anger mingled with humiliation and fear flared from the depths of Lin Yan's heart. But he clenched his teeth, and the Dantian Embryo within his Lower Dantian trembled violently.

Humm-

A cool stream of true qi washed through his meridians and across his body, forcibly suppressing his restless, unruly mind.

I mustn't panic.

I absolutely mustn't panic!

Showing any fear or hesitation here would be tantamount to declaring his defeat in this hunting game before it even began.

With a perceptive deviant like Hisoka, a weakling's cowardice would only make him feel that his beloved fruit had become worm-ridden and needed to be plucked early.

He drew a deep breath and did something that surprised everyone secretly watching him.

He neither lowered his head nor averted his gaze. Instead, he worked the stiff muscles of his face and gave Hisoka a faint, ambiguous smile.

True qi circulated, smoothing away every twitch.

In that moment, his gaze became clear and composed, as if to say, If this ordeal cannot be avoided, then I will overcome it myself.

Hisoka's expression froze briefly. Then that deranged smile deepened, even taking on a slight tremor of excitement.

"Mmm~ Such an interesting little apple. I really... can't wait."

Lin Yan withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at him. He lowered his head as countless thoughts surged through his mind, only to be rejected one by one.

Calm down. I have to stay calm!

First, my target is Hisoka. That means I have to get his number 44 badge to earn those crucial three points. My own badge is also worth three points. In other words, as long as I get Hisoka's badge, I pass outright.

Second, I'm someone else's prey too. I don't know who's hunting me. They might be weaker than Hisoka, or they might... be just as much trouble.

Finally, and most importantly-strength.

Lin Yan knew perfectly well that in a head-on confrontation, he could not withstand even a single playing card from Hisoka.

So a direct attack is a dead end.

That leaves only one option: outsmart him.

Stealing? Poison? Traps?

To someone as powerful as Hisoka, any conventional trap or tactic was as laughable as children playing house.

His En could easily detect everything around him, and his beastlike instincts could warn him of any danger in advance.

Steal something from him? It would be harder than reaching the heavens.

No... there has to be a chance.

The initial fear in Lin Yan's eyes slowly transformed into a cold resolve as sharp as a sword's edge.

Taoist cultivation is about defying heaven. If I can't even find my way through a desperate situation like this, how can I speak of the golden core great way?

This is a tribulation, a hurdle I must overcome on my path of cultivation!

I don't need to kill him. I don't even need to defeat him. I only need... to get that badge.

Hisoka is strong, but he has weaknesses too. He's arrogant. He likes to play. He enjoys watching his prey struggle in despair. That's my chance!

He'll give me a chance to "perform." And during that "performance" I put on for him, I have to find the slightest opening left by his arrogance!

I have one week.

Once he understood this, the fear in Lin Yan's heart miraculously receded, replaced by an unprecedented fighting spirit and calm.

The Dantian Embryo within his dantian seemed to sense the transformation in its host's state of mind. Its rotation suddenly accelerated, and a gentle, soothing stream of true qi flowed through his entire body, restoring suppleness and agility to limbs stiffened by tension.

"First group, move out!"

At the examiner's command, the dozens of candidates at the front followed their guides toward their respective landing points.

Soon, it was Gon and Killua's turn.

"Lin Yan, Leorio, Kurapika, see you at the finish!"

Gon turned back and waved vigorously at them.

But just as Gon turned away, Lin Yan keenly caught him lowering his head to glance at his number card. His brow creased slightly, and a flicker of disappointment and confusion crossed his eyes-it clearly was not the number he had hoped for.

Something stirred in Lin Yan's mind, but he had no time to dwell on it.

"Don't go dying on me, you guys." Killua still wore his usual cool expression, but he could not hide the concern in his eyes.

As he watched them disappear into the jungle entrance, Lin Yan quietly adjusted his own condition.

"Next, number 81."

It was his turn.

Lin Yan drew a deep breath and followed his guide toward one of the landing points.

Just as he turned toward the jungle entrance, a pair of sharp eyes in the shadows of the crowd fixed relentlessly on his somewhat slight figure through the throng.

They belonged to a woman dressed in camouflage. She toyed with the card in her hand as she watched Lin Yan leave, the corner of her mouth curling into a contemptuous, cruel sneer.

On the card turning between her fingertips, a black number stood out-81.

"Heh, lucky me. This one looks pretty weak..."

Lin Yan noticed none of this.

Just before stepping into the jungle, he glanced back.

Hisoka was no longer where he had been.

That madman had already entered the hunting grounds ahead of him.

Lin Yan thought no further. He withdrew his gaze and plunged into the primeval jungle, where danger lurked on every side.

The hunt had begun.