Even though he was very likely the horror-movie version of the Phantom, not someone who would yield so easily, she still wanted to try—what would happen if she kissed him?

—Do something the original host would never do.

Lily Bennett looked at him and took a step forward.

Eric Carter looked at her, tilting his head slightly—not as if questioning, but more like a beast locking onto its prey, adjusting its view or pinpointing a sound source by tilting its head.

Thinking that he might pull out a dagger and stab her in the throat at any moment, Lily Bennett's legs went weak, and her stomach felt as if it were filled with stones, cold and heavy.

She forced herself to stay strong and kept moving forward.

One step, then another—

When she reached him, even the air seemed to thicken, sticky and stagnant, unable to flow, making it hard to breathe.

Eric Carter stared straight at her, his gaze gradually taking on a hint of wariness.

His gaze was like a hand, seizing her.

Under his stare, her whole body stiffened, almost unable to move, and her voice trembled a little: "Are you feeling any better?"

Eric Carter didn't speak, his eyes still cold and wary.

Lily Bennett thought, if only he really were a beast—at least then she could reach out a finger and let him get used to her scent, instead of just standing there stupidly, letting him scrutinize her over and over.

The band was playing loudly, and people had already started waltzing. There were more men than women in the circus, so some men, unable to find a partner, had to pair up with bearded guards.

Everyone was laughing together, as if they were in another world.

Lily Bennett gave herself another pep talk, finally mustering the courage to speak: "Guess what I saw in the storeroom today?"

No response.

"—A specimen of Emily Foster's child."

Still no response.

Eric Carter's expression didn't change at all, as if he were completely indifferent.

He had no interest whatsoever in the life or death of Emily Foster's child.

Lily Bennett knew this very well; she only brought it up to lead to—

"The manager, for a bit of petty profit, even committed the serious crime of abortion. Do you think, with his character, he would really let Emily Foster go, or let any of us go?"

Eric Carter remained unmoved.

Lily Bennett didn't give up. She pressed her lips together and raised the stakes.

"If I'm not mistaken, Emily Foster's brother is very likely a 'freak hunter,' a middleman who specializes in trafficking people like us."

The words "freak" finally caused a slight change in his gaze.

His eyes dropped, as if a cold, rough stone was pressing against her face, rubbing up and down—

Lily Bennett felt her scalp tingle under his stare, her cheeks burning with pain, but she forced herself to stay calm and continued:

"The manager turned Emily Foster's fetus into a specimen. Maybe he got a taste for it and wants to turn Emily Foster herself into a specimen too."

"Have you ever thought, if he finds out that Emily Foster's specimen is worth more than she is alive, what would happen?"

Lily Bennett took a deep breath, lifted her head, and looked straight into his eyes without flinching: "—You and I will both become specimens, specimens in the exhibition hall."

For a moment, his gaze was so cold it felt like it could tear her skin apart.

She was about to convince him.

It was a risky move, but luckily, she had more than one card to play.

Lily Bennett could hear her own breathing quicken, blood rushing to her cheeks and buzzing in her ears.

She couldn't tell if it was fear or excitement—the thrill of about to risk everything.

"Just imagine, your mask is taken off—"

Before she could finish, a shadow fell over her.

Eric Carter bent down, and the look in his eyes behind the mask was no longer cold and vacant, but seething with terrifying anger.

Inside the white mask, his breathing was muffled and heavy, hissing like a threatened snake.

He gripped her throat, forbidding her to continue.

Lily Bennett's heart pounded even faster. A strong sense of danger swept over her, making her vision go black and cold sweat run down her back.

But she had to keep talking: "Just imagine, your mask is taken off—your head preserved in a specimen jar, displayed in the exhibition hall—everyone looking at you, at your face without the mask—"

Before she finished, his grip on her neck suddenly tightened.

Lily Bennett could almost hear the brittle crack of her neck under the strain.

His breathing grew even heavier, like a furious storm pounding against the white mask.

"I know you don't want to see that happen—" Oxygen was running out, but Lily Bennett struggled to breathe, keeping her voice clear, "I don't want to see that happen either. You're the most talented person I've ever met... I've never been jealous of anyone's talent before, but you're the first to make me feel that way..."

"I don't want to see you become a specimen. I want people to hear your talent..."

But Eric Carter didn't let go of her neck.

He stared at her coldly, not believing a word she said.

Even knowing he wasn't so easily fooled, she still felt chilled to the bone under his gaze.

Lily Bennett had no doubt that if she kept describing the scene of him being exhibited, he would break her neck without hesitation.

Fortunately, she still had two cards left to play.