Chapter 70 New Life 03 Auction
After traversing the dense forest for two whole days, Ayana finally made contact with Number 199 through careful observation and her own abilities.
He was standing in an open space, his back to her, facing a bush laden with red berries.
This is a rare opportunity.
Ayana's heart was pounding wildly in her chest.
She took a deep breath and used her special ability [Powerful Amplification] again, increasing her speed to the extreme. She stepped out from behind the tree where she was hiding, her steps light, her eyes fixed on the back of No. 199's head, which was covered with nails.
She wanted to kill him with one blow.
The distance is gradually closing.
Number 199 showed no reaction, as if he hadn't noticed anyone approaching him from behind.
Ayana finally reached behind Number 199, took a deep breath, and was about to throw a punch when Number 199 suddenly started moving without warning.
His entire body moved in a way that defied human nature, like a marionette, sliding away to avoid her attack.
Ayana's pupils suddenly contracted, and her attack froze in mid-air.
Number 199 is looking at her.
But it wasn't the kind of look where he turned around and looked at her.
His head, riddled with nails, suddenly spun at a terrifying 180-degree angle, his empty, lifeless eyes staring straight at Ayana, while his body remained completely still.
This is a scene straight out of a horror movie.
Ayana almost couldn't catch her breath.
"Click-clack-click-clack..."
A sound like a machine in operation came from the mouth of number 199, which was filled with nails. It was incoherent and eerie.
A chill ran up Ayana's feet. Her intuition told her that the person in front of her must have noticed her approaching long ago and deliberately revealed his weakness to lure her over.
A strong sense of crisis made Ayana instinctively retreat, converting all of her special ability [Powerful Amplification] into speed to retreat rapidly.
But it was all too late.
She didn't even see how the other person moved; she only felt a blur before her eyes, and a blurry black shadow pressed against her at an extreme speed.
The next second, a cold hand clamped down on Ayana's wrist, the force so great that she felt her wrist bones were about to shatter.
Immediately afterwards, Number 199's right hand gripped Ayana's throat, forcibly pressing her against the tree.
However, in the blink of an eye, Ayana was completely subdued and unable to move.
She was forced to look up and meet those empty eyes so close to hers.
"Click-clack..." The strange man made that unsettling sound again.
He gazed at Ayana and uttered four words clearly in a flat, monotone voice.
“A, Yi, Ya, Na”.
Number 199 called out her name.
These four words, like icicles, pierced Ayana's ears and reached the depths of her soul.
Her blood seemed to freeze completely at that moment, and even her breathing stopped.
I know her from number 199!
Ayana's voice trembled slightly: "Who are you?!"
Number 199 did not answer; he continued to stare at Ayana with those empty, unsettling eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally released his grip on Ayana's throat and then began to slowly and methodically pull out the horrible nails from his face, one by one.
"puff."
"Pfft, pfft."
A series of chilling sounds rang out.
As the number of nails decreased, the contours of No. 199's face began to change strangely. The stiffness gradually disappeared, and the facial features began to move slowly, as if they had melted and been reshaped.
With the last nail completely pulled out, the strange and stiff appearance disappeared, and what appeared before Ayana was a pale, handsome but lifeless face, like a delicate doll.
His long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and his large, dark, cat-like pupils were fixed intently on Ayana's face.
This face…
Ayana's pupils suddenly dilated, and her heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand, then plummeted downwards.
She remembered that face.
The person in front of her was none other than the eldest son of the Zoldyck family, the one who had repeatedly tried to control her and make her his possession.
"It seems you're doing quite well," Illumi said, his voice calm.
He tilted his head, his dark pupils clearly reflecting Ayana's terrified face, and said, "You seem to have forgotten me?"
“But it doesn’t matter,” he continued. “From now on, I won’t give you another chance to leave.”
As Illumi spoke, he raised his hand again, gathering Nen power at his fingertips, preparing to pierce Ayana's body with the Nen needle.
Illumi is a complete control freak.
He still wanted to deprive Ayana of her freedom, even her will, and keep her by his side.
Ayana used her special ability, [Biomanipulation], almost without hesitation.
As expected, we should treat Illumi the same way he treats us.
Illumi's movements froze instantly, his raised hand hovering in mid-air, the Nen power gathered at his fingertips dissipating slightly.
A rare look of bewilderment appeared in his empty black cat eyes, and his face went blank as he awaited Ayana's command.
"Don't move," Ayana commanded.
Illumi's body trembled violently, and his raised arm slowly lowered. His body seemed to be fixed in place, standing straight and stiff.
Ayana didn't dare to delay for a moment. She broke free from Illumi's hand that was binding her and quickly scanned Illumi's simple clothes, locking onto his chest.
She decisively picked up the number plate and left, channeling all the power from the [Powerful Amplification] into her legs. She turned abruptly and plunged into the depths of the dense jungle, running as fast as she could.
She wanted to escape as far away as possible before Illumi broke free of her control and regained his senses, ideally so that Illumi would never be able to find her.
About five minutes later, Illumi's body jolted, and reason quickly returned to his empty cat eyes.
He turned his neck very slowly, making a "click" sound, and looked in the direction Ayana had fled.
But all that remained were trampled grass and swaying branches.
Illumi did not immediately give chase.
He stood quietly in place, raised the hand that had been about to insert the needle, looked down at his chest, and remained expressionless.
"A mind-manipulation type of Nen ability?" He tilted his head and muttered to himself, his flat tone revealing no emotion.
Illumi didn't intend to pursue them; he felt it was unnecessary.
On this island, the girl had nowhere to escape.
She received her number plate, and in order to pass the test, she had to return to the meeting point, where she would inevitably meet Illumi.
Illumi withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at the jungle.
He still has his own exams to complete and must get enough points as soon as possible.
As for Ayana… she can’t escape.
They will surely meet again at the next exam.
*
Meanwhile, Ayana is desperately fleeing through the dense forest.
She dared not stop, pushing the [Powerful Amplification] to its limit.
Ayana didn't know why Illumi didn't immediately chase after her after the control was lifted, but this brief respite was precious.
She just wanted to use the time to get as far away from Illumi as possible and find the most secluded corner to hide in.
In the following days, Ayana was like a frightened bird, extremely careful to hide her whereabouts.
She avoided the activity area of all other candidates, clutching her number 199 tightly, and hid in a tree hollow.
Fortunately, it seems that Illumi has truly given up on capturing her again.
But this did not make Ayana feel relaxed; instead, it gave her a sense of oppressive calm, like the brief stillness before a storm.
Finally, the week-long exam period came to an end.
Following instructions, the surviving candidates gradually returned to the shore where they had landed on the island.
Ayana blended into the crowd, deliberately minimizing her presence.
She saw that Gon and Killua had also returned safely, and both of them seemed to have successfully achieved their target score, their faces beaming with excitement.
She also saw Hisoka.
He was idly playing cards when Ayana appeared, her golden eyes immediately locked onto him, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.
Ayana's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away.
Illumi was the last to appear.
He continued to disguise himself, his face covered in nails, silent and eerie.
Illumi calmly handed over the number plate.
Clearly, he had easily scraped together the required points from other unfortunate candidates during that week.
The examiners verified the scores of each candidate.
When Ayana's name was called and it was confirmed that she had her own 3-point number plate and number 199, totaling 6 points, she finally felt a sense of relief.
She passed the fourth exam.
However, before the joy could even surface, the examiner announced the location of the next exam.
Once aboard the airship, Ayana chose a corner as far away from Illumi and Hisoka as possible to sit down, but she felt no sense of relief.
The airship took the remaining candidates to the Hunter Association headquarters, where the final test was conducted in a one-on-one elimination format.
The list of opponents and the rules will be decided by President Netero himself.
Ayana remained on edge, focusing on her own match while also keeping a close eye on Illumi and Hisoka's movements. Fortunately, her opponent wasn't one of them, but a relatively average examinee.
However, the course of the exam was completely changed by an unexpected event.
After losing his duel with his brother Illumi, Killua deliberately killed an innocent examinee.
This unexpected event drastically changed the entire atmosphere of the exam.
President Netero examined the remaining candidates and finally made a decision.
All remaining candidates, including Ayana, are considered to have passed the final test and are granted hunter licenses.
Just as the candidates were preparing to leave, some excited and some calm, an association staff member quietly approached Ayana.
“Miss Ayana, Chairman Netero would like to see you alone.”
Ayana was startled and followed the staff to a secluded office.
Chairman Netero, his face etched with the wrinkles of time, sat cross-legged on the sofa, slowly sipping his tea.
He looked up at Ayana and pointed to the cushion in front of him.
"sit."
Ayana sat down as instructed, her mind filled with doubt.
Netero didn't beat around the bush. He put down his teacup and said directly, "Ayana, do you remember me?"
Ayana was shocked and stared at him in disbelief.
Although she had some vague guesses when she heard the name of the person in front of her, she never dared to be sure.
“I was surprised too.” Netero sighed, a complex emotion in his eyes.
He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through Ayana and reaching into the distant past: "Decades ago, we went on an adventure together to the Dark Continent, but you encountered danger there. Everyone thought you were dead, and that your body was never found."
Ayana's heart pounded wildly as an absurd and terrifying thought formed in her mind.
Netero's gaze refocused on her face, his eyes filled with incomprehension: "So when I saw your information and appearance, I could hardly believe my eyes."
"But how can you be so young? Time seems to have stood still for you. I even suspect that you came from the past to the present."
He pointed to his wrinkled face and pale beard: "Look at me. From the time I knew Ayana 'died' until now, several decades have passed, almost a hundred years. This is what a person should look like under normal time."
Netero's words exploded in Ayana's mind like a thunderclap.
The system refers to the game world, quests, and NPCs.
Chrollo, Hisoka, Illumi.
They are actually real people living in this world?!
And she, for some unknown reason, has traversed a long period of time and reappeared here?!
She always thought she was traveling through virtual or parallel worlds, but she never imagined that this was the real world.
And this is her original world, where nearly a hundred years have passed!
The sheer volume of information overwhelmed Ayana's understanding, leaving her pale and barely able to breathe.
Netero watched her shocked and bewildered expression quietly, and said slowly, "It seems you don't know what happened to you, but perhaps that's the interesting thing about fate, my old friend who has come back from the dead."
Ayana looked up at Chairman Netero's aged yet wise face, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Clutching her newly acquired hunter's license, she looked at the guild leader before her—once a close friend of her own age, now frail and elderly—hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Isaac, can you help me?"
Netero's worldly-wise eyes gazed at her calmly, without answering immediately, as if waiting for her to continue.
Ayana continued with difficulty, "There are people here who know me from before. I must leave here immediately and not be found by them."
She couldn't imagine what would happen if Heroka and Illumi cornered her here.
Illumi's cold desire for control and Hisoka's twisted possessiveness became incredibly clear and terrifying after the reality of this world was confirmed.
Nitero slowly sipped his tea, his aged fingers stroking the warm cup.
He paused for a moment before slowly speaking: "As the president of the Hunter Association, I cannot interfere in the private feuds of hunters."
His tone was calm, stating a fact.
Ayana's heart sank.
However, Netero immediately changed the subject and smiled, "But as an old friend, providing a little bit of convenience is not against the rules."
He put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping across the faces around him: "There's a passageway here, not many people know about it, and there's no surveillance. Go out, turn right, walk to the end, and down one floor of stairs there's an inconspicuous little door that's usually not locked."
He didn't say it explicitly, but this was the maximum help he could offer.
Ayana instantly understood what he meant.
A wave of gratitude washed over her, and she immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Netero: "Thank you, Isaac."
"Go on." Netero waved his hand, picked up his teacup again, and looked away from her, his gaze seemingly fixed on the distance. "Remember, becoming a hunter is just the beginning. You have to walk your own path from now on, you little one who has come back from the dead."
Ayana didn't linger any longer. She took one last look at her old friend, whose face bore the marks of time, and then quickly left the room.
As Nitero instructed, Ayana indeed had a small door that looked like it had been abandoned.
She took a deep breath, gently pushed open the small door, and the blinding sunlight instantly flooded in.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ayana stepped into the alley, immediately activated [Powerful Amplification] to increase her speed, and sped away in a direction far from where she was without looking back.
She dared not use any public transportation, relying on her physical strength and special abilities to move through secluded paths and complex terrains, trying to erase her tracks as much as possible.
Shortly after she left, Illumi appeared in the hall where the examinees were gathered.
His cat-like eyes scanned the area but found no target.
Hisoka leaned against the corner, the speed at which he flipped the playing cards between his fingers gradually slowing down, a hint of boredom and a growing interest flashing in his golden pupils.
They all noticed the prey's disappearance.
But at this moment, Ayana has vanished from their sight like a drop of water flowing into the ocean.
*
I don't know how many days have passed.
The relentless escape and hiding day and night nearly exhausted Ayana.
Finally, she arrived at a small town known for its trade and black market, and learned some inside information.
Such a valuable treasure naturally requires strong security.
The auction house is publicly recruiting temporary security guards, with a particular preference for strong individuals holding hunter licenses.
Ayana touched her pocket, which was empty except for the brand-new hunter's license.
After several days on the run, she had very little money left.
Ayana took a deep breath and walked into the rather impressive-looking auction house.
The application process went surprisingly smoothly.
Seeing that she had taken out her hunter's license, the manager in charge of recruitment didn't even ask her much about her background. He simply conducted some simple tests on her abilities and then nodded in satisfaction.
“Very good, Miss Ayana, welcome to the security personnel here. Your main task is to check the surrounding environment on the day of the auction to ensure that no suspicious persons enter.”
The manager handed her a simple contract and a small bag of advance payment, and said, "The auction will be held in five days. Please be on standby during this time. Considering the inconvenience for hunters from out of town, we have prepared temporary accommodations for the guards."
He handed the keys to Ayana as well, and she took the keys and the purse, thanking him in a low voice, her tense nerves relaxing slightly.
At least, she now has a place to stay and some source of income.
After settling her almost empty luggage, the small but clean room gave Ayana a long-lost sense of security, and then hunger struck.
She decided to go out and buy some food to take back to her room.
As night fell, the streets of the small town were brightly lit and bustling with people, a stark contrast to the desolation of the escape route.
The noise actually made Ayana somewhat uncomfortable.
She subconsciously pulled up the neckline of her clothes, lowered her head, and quickly weaved through the crowd, wanting only to finish shopping and go home as soon as possible.
Ayana found a bakery that was still open on a relatively quiet street and bought some of the most filling rye bread and a bottle of water.
She tucked the food into her bosom and turned to go back.
But just as she stepped out from the bread, an accident occurred.
Ayana crashed into a hard chest.
She was startled, winced in pain, covered her nose, immediately took a half step back, and instinctively apologized, "I'm sorry..."
Before she finished speaking, she raised her head.
The dim yellow light from the streetlights outlined the man's silhouette.
He wore a simple black overcoat, had soft black hair, and a handsome, scholarly face that even seemed somewhat harmless.
Those dark, deep eyes, like bottomless, icy pools, were quietly fixed on her face.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Ayana's breathing suddenly stopped, and the bread in her arms almost slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.
"It's alright."
The man smiled at her and slowly called out her name.
“Ayana”.
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