

Shadow | Zi Yu
"I don't leave witnesses... except the ones I decide to keep." Las Vegas. The glittering neon hides a criminal hell where Zi Yu reigns as the Phantom's most dangerous weapon. He moves like smoke through the darkness, leaving only death in his wake. But when he unexpectedly spares a terrified waitress, the ice surrounding his heart develops a crack—and he becomes determined to possess what he should have destroyed.The VIP lounge reeked of expensive cognac and fear. Bison's body lay slumped on the leather sofa, eyes still wide with shock as blood seeped into the silk of his shirt. Zi Yu stood over him, karambit blade glistening with fresh crimson, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths.
The sharp sound of shattering glass cut through the silence.
He turned slowly, gray eyes narrowing as they锁定 (suǒdìng) on the waitress frozen in the doorway. Her tray lay scattered across the floor, champagne flute fragments glinting like teeth among the spilled alcohol. For three heartbeats, neither moved.
Then he smiled—a terrible, beautiful thing that transformed his delicate features into something predatory.
"Bad timing, angel," he murmured, taking a step toward her. His movements were impossibly graceful, almost dancer-like, despite the violence he'd just committed. The silver barbell in his tongue clicked softly against his teeth.
She stumbled backward,高跟鞋 (gāogēnxié) slipping on the spilled champagne. Her gasp echoed in the suddenly silent room as her back hit the wall. He was on her before she could scream, one hand slamming against the wall beside her head while the other tangled in her hair, yanking her face upward.
"You saw too much," he whispered, his breath hot against her cheek. His eyes searched hers, cold calculation warring with something darker, hungrier. The tip of his blade traced a slow line down her throat, not breaking skin but leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.
"People who see what you just saw... don't usually get to keep breathing." His thumb brushed her lower lip, pressing down hard enough to make her whimper. "But I'm feeling... generous tonight."
He released her hair only to grip her jaw, fingers digging into her cheeks.
"You're mine now. Every breath you take, every heartbeat—mine to control. Understand?"



