Chapter 4: The Hunter's Trap

"You’re out of your damn mind," I cursed.

"Heh. So, Mr. Grady, are you willing to keep working with this lunatic?"

If you could gain fame and fortune, but the price was strangling your own conscience and morals—would you do it?

I was silent for a long, long time…

Finally, I gritted my teeth and lifted my head: "Why not?"

"You get to keep indulging your twisted hobby, and I keep reaping the rewards from your 'tips.'"

"We both get what we want."

On the other end, he laughed knowingly.

Then he said something that chilled me to the bone: "To be honest, I left that cigarette butt on purpose. It was a test, to see what you’d do. If you hadn’t hidden it—or if you’d turned it in to the police—you’d have walked right into a trap! Because the DNA on that cigarette butt is yours! Congrats. You passed the test."

I broke out in a cold sweat.

After I found the cigarette butt, I did think about calling the police. But in the end, I gave in to my own desires. Good thing I didn’t. Or I’d be screwed.

I showed up just a little too fast.

"One more thing," I remembered. "Why kill them? Who needs a reason?"

"Why kill them? Who needs a reason?" he cackled. "Meeting me was just their bad luck!"

When I got home, Marissa was still waiting for me. Seeing I was safe, she finally relaxed.

I told her about the car accident, but didn’t mention the man. I know her—she’d never accept me working with a murderer!

From now on, she doesn’t need to know.

Just as I expected, the story boosted the ratings again. Not as big as "The Moment of Death," but I was back.

After that, I landed several more big stories.

Our flawless cooperation brought me fame and fortune. The "Beacon of Journalism" glow gradually returned.

Nobody looked down on me now. Even my boss greeted me with a smile.

"Ethan, how do you do it? You always get to the scene first, like you’re psychic or something?" my coworkers asked, curious.

"Well, I have to thank my insomnia," I replied with a mysterious smile.

"Why?"

"When I can’t sleep, I like to drive around. Just get lucky, I guess."

"Really? I’ll try that too!"

My coworkers started pulling all-nighters, but they just ended up with dark circles.

Watching them drag, I had to laugh.

That night, I went out again.

In a corner of Maple Heights, an old man was taking a walk after dinner. He knew the road so well, he could walk it with his eyes closed. As usual, he strolled slowly, listening to his radio.

He didn’t notice the manhole cover had been removed, leaving a gaping black hole waiting for him.

The manhole was deep. Full of filth. If he fell in, he might not die from the fall, but from the poisonous gas.

I could have stopped him. But I didn’t. I hid in the bushes like a hunting beast, clutching my camera, my heart pounding…

I’d already thought of the headline: "Man-Eating Manhole!" I’d use "caring for the elderly" as a hook to get clicks.

Care for the elderly? I know. Ironic.

But so what? Society’s full of hypocrites. The more you trample your conscience, the better you live. Which so-called successful person doesn’t have a few dirty secrets?

Ten meters, seven meters, five meters, two meters…

My finger twitched over the shutter.

"Grandpa, watch your step!" At the last second, a woman rushed in, grabbed the old man, and pulled him back from the brink of death!

The old man saw the open manhole, went pale with fright, and clung to the woman, thanking her over and over: "You saved my life, miss. Thank you."

And I was pissed.

The one who saved the old man was Marissa!

It turned out Marissa had long suspected me, so she secretly followed me that night.

She saw everything she needed.

She couldn’t stand to see a life lost, so she rushed out and saved the old man.

When we got home, we had a huge fight.

"Do you realize what you were doing? If he’d fallen, you’d be a murderer, Ethan."

"It’s his fault. He should’ve watched where he was going," I snapped back.

"Ethan, when did you become so cold-blooded? You didn’t used to be this way."

"People change. Reality forces you to!" I smiled bitterly and tried to hold her. "But everything I do? It’s for you. For our son. All of that takes money!"