She Didn't Play Fair

Food was fuel. Skip a meal, and hunger would make you pay.

Since they had a major fight ahead of them that night, Lin Ze had specially prepared some food to restore their stamina.

After they ate, Steve attached a small device to both him and Paimon.

"This will let me track your locations."

Although he hadn't officially started work yet, Captain America had picked up plenty of modern tracking techniques over the past few months thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D.

One example was this miniature GPS tracker.

Though it was a GPS tracking device, it also had a listening function, allowing Steve to monitor them in real time while they were out of his sight.

"Got it."

Lin Ze straightened his and Paimon's clothes, checked that it was about time, and headed out.

Steve left a little after them. He put on a hat and a vest as a simple disguise, then took a roundabout route to the park.

The journey passed without incident. When Lin Ze and Paimon arrived, they found plenty of adults and children gathered in the park, along with some students who had come to join the fun.

The adults chatted while the children played, and a few girls were dancing.

The organizers had put quite a bit of effort into the fireworks show. They had set up a ring of raised platforms as viewing areas, with the launch site some distance away and a row of railings separating the two.

There were still twenty minutes until the show began, and the platforms were packed. Lin Ze carried Paimon through the crowd, his expression calm as they laughed and chatted along the way.

They even bought two ice creams when they passed a snack stall.

Neither of them showed anything out of the ordinary. They really looked as though they had simply come to watch the show.

When Lin Ze's arms grew tired, he put Paimon down and took her hand instead. As they walked, they heard someone calling.

"Paimon! Paimon! Over here!"

The child named Lucy had indeed shown up, accompanied by a fashionably dressed white woman.

Lin Ze's heart lurched. He had already guessed who the white woman was, and he couldn't help tightening his grip on Paimon's hand.

Lin Ze was squeezing hard enough to hurt, but Paimon said nothing. After catching his meaningful glance, she gave the "mother and daughter" an innocent smile, just as they had agreed beforehand.

"Oh, it's you, Lucy! Is this your mom?"

Paimon played along with the question.

"Hello, Paimon. I'm Lucy's mom, Nicole. Lucy told me she'd made a pretty new friend. You really are adorable." The woman reached out and affectionately stroked the girl's smooth little cheek as she praised her.

The woman's hand was rather cold. As it slid over Paimon's skin, it felt like the flick of a snake's tongue.

"Hello, ma'am! You're really pretty too. This is my big brother, Aether."

Paimon answered, looking perfectly sweet and polite.

"Hello, Aether. Paimon's such a good girl."

Nicole smiled warmly and spoke in a kindly tone, but the glint in her eyes betrayed her true thoughts.

Her smile never changed, but her gaze kept roaming between Paimon's and Aether's faces.

I didn't expect this little one's brother to be so good-looking too. He's a bit too old, though.

"You're here for the fireworks too, right? It's crowded today, and you've arrived a little late."

She spoke with just the right amount of warmth.

"Luckily, my friend saved me a great spot up high. You can sit with us."

Lin Ze had no reason to refuse. He thanked the woman and followed her to a seat at the top of the platform.

Once they sat down, Lucy clamored for cupcakes while they waited, saying she wanted to share them with Paimon.

Unable to resist her pestering, Nicole took several cupcakes out of a paper bag.

"I made these myself at home. We came so early that I was worried she'd get hungry, so I brought a few."

With that, Nicole picked up a cupcake and handed it to Paimon.

Lucy had already started eating. With cream smeared on her face, she said to Paimon,

"Try it, Paimon! My mom makes really yummy cupcakes."

Paimon accepted the cupcake but didn't take a bite. Instead, she looked at Lin Ze.

"Go ahead. Thank the nice lady."

As though he hadn't noticed the calculation in the woman's eyes, Lin Ze made no move to stop her. He did, however, decline Nicole's offer of a cupcake himself, saying he had already eaten.

With Lin Ze's approval, Paimon didn't hesitate. She lifted the cupcake and took a bite.

A rich sweetness filled her mouth. It was delicious, and she took another bite, then kept eating.

The cupcake really did taste very good.

"Wow! It's so sweet!"

After finishing it, Paimon couldn't stop praising it.

"Haha, good, isn't it?"

The woman's laughter was light and cheerful.

At first, Lin Ze had suspected something was wrong with the cupcake. But Paimon showed no reaction even after the fireworks began, leaving him puzzled.

Perhaps the cupcake was simply a tool to lure children.

The show began, and all kinds of fireworks shot into the sky. Nicole and Lucy behaved like an ordinary mother and daughter, doing nothing strange throughout.

Lin Ze began to feel uneasy.

Had they made the wrong call?

Hidden in the crowd, Steve kept a close watch on them too, not daring to lower his guard.

But their targets still hadn't made a move, which puzzled him as well.

Had these people noticed something?

As the fireworks show neared its end, Nicole finally made her move.

"Oh, ow..."

The woman clutched her stomach, her face contorted with pain and embarrassment.

"What's wrong, ma'am?"

The curtain had risen. Lin Ze put on a concerned expression and played along with Nicole.

Nicole kept complaining that her stomach hurt, looking as though she was truly in agony.

"Did you eat something bad? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Ah, I... I'm fine. I just ate a little too quickly earlier, and now I don't feel well."

After speaking, Nicole dry-heaved again.

Her acting really was impressive. Even her face had gone pale.

Looking anxious and embarrassed, she pushed Lucy toward Lin Ze.

"I can't hold it anymore. I need the restroom. Be a dear and watch Lucy for me for a little while. I'll come right back."

Without waiting for Lin Ze's response, Nicole picked up her bag, left her seat, and quickly slipped through the crowd.

Lin Ze was puzzled, but he still acted as though nothing was wrong and stayed there with Lucy and Paimon.

The fireworks show ended, and the crowd gradually dispersed. To his surprise, the woman never returned from her trip to the restroom.

This was the first time he had seen a tactic like this. They were clearly counting on Lin Ze not simply walking off and abandoning Lucy.

There was definitely another move coming.

Sure enough.

Just like any ordinary child whose mother hadn't returned after a long wait, Lucy began to make a fuss.

"I want my mom! Why isn't Nicole back yet? I want Mommy!"

"Wait a little longer. Nicole will be back soon."

"No, no! I want to find her! I want to go find Nicole!"

Seeing that Lin Ze wasn't particularly moved, Lucy simply lay down on the ground and burst into tears, shouting as she cried.

Paimon was badly startled and hurried to comfort her, trying to calm her down.

Nearly everyone had left, and Nicole still hadn't returned. With no other choice, Lin Ze took the children in the direction Lucy pointed to look for her.

After turn after turn, they finally found the restroom.

But the moment he stepped inside, he felt something cold against his neck.

"Ah!"

Lin Ze cried out in pain and tried to see his attacker's face, but his vision only grew darker.