Chapter 7: The Scent of New Prey（第七章：新猎物的气息）

　　观察劳伦·汤普森几周后，一种熟悉的躁动感开始蔓延。我已经摸清了她的作息、她的情绪、她秘密的叹息。衣橱深处藏着的战利品——丝袜、内衣、那件沾着红酒渍的睡袍——都已失去了初得时的刺激。隐形赋予我的权力感，需要新鲜的养料。是时候寻找新面孔了。

　　After observing Lauren Thompson for a few weeks, a familiar restlessness began to creep in. I had learned her routines, her moods, her secret sighs. The trophies hidden deep in the closet—the stockings, the lingerie, the wine-stained robe—had lost the initial thrill. The sense of power granted by invisibility demanded fresh sustenance. It was time for a new face.

　　我的下一个目标是凯莉·陈，"KCHEN"，一位热门游戏主播。与劳伦精心打造的优雅不同，凯莉的魅力在于一种邋遢随性的亲切感。她的直播背景是一间堆满手办和电竞设备的卧室。她属于新一代，是数字时代原住民。追踪她容易得多——她在直播中几乎分享了全部生活。我知道她的公寓大楼，甚至通过一次背景窗景猜出了大致楼层。周六下午，当她直播宣布要点外卖并"瘫一晚"时，我知道机会来了。

　　My next target was Kylie Chen, "KCHEN," a popular gaming streamer. Unlike Lauren's cultivated elegance, Kylie's charm lay in a sloppy, relatable intimacy. Her streaming background was a bedroom filled with figurines and gaming equipment. She belonged to a new generation, a digital native. Tracking her was easier—she shared almost her entire life on stream. I knew her apartment building, even guessed the approximate floor from a background window view. On Saturday afternoon, when she announced on stream that she was ordering takeout and "vegging out," I knew the opportunity had come.

　　进入她的公寓比进入劳伦的更容易。大楼门禁系统老旧，一个外卖员用脚挡住了即将关闭的大门，我顺势滑入。凯莉的公寓在七楼。站在门外，我能听到里面传来游戏音效和她对着麦克风大笑的声音。我深吸一口气，穿过门板。

　　Entering her apartment was easier than entering Lauren's. The building's security system was old; a delivery person blocked the closing door with his foot, and I slipped in. Kylie's apartment was on the seventh floor. Standing outside the door, I could hear game sound effects and her laughter through a microphone. I took a deep breath and passed through the door.

　　热浪、薯条味和某种甜腻的香水味扑面而来。这里与劳伦的极简主义圣所截然不同。这是一个充满活力的混乱世界：能量饮料罐堆在电脑旁，色彩鲜艳的抱枕扔在地毯上，墙上贴满了海报和照片。凯莉背对着门，戴着巨大的耳机，完全沉浸在游戏中。她穿着宽松的T恤和短裤，头发随意地扎成团子头。

　　A wave of heat, the smell of fries, and some sweet perfume hit me. This was a world away from Lauren's minimalist sanctuary. It was a vibrant chaos: energy drink cans piled by the computer, brightly colored cushions thrown on the rug, walls covered in posters and photos. Kylie, with her back to the door, was wearing large headphones, completely immersed in the game. She had on a loose T-shirt and shorts, her hair tied up in a messy bun.

　　我像个幽灵般在公寓里移动。地方不大，一室一厅。我迅速探查了卧室。更乱，但乱得有生气。床上堆着衣服，但其中一件黑色蕾丝内衣格外显眼。我的目光立刻被吸引。这与劳伦的丝绸象牙白完全不同，更大胆，更外放。这暗示着凯莉性格的另一面。

　　I moved through the apartment like a ghost. The space was small, a studio apartment. I quickly scouted the bedroom. It was messier, but full of life. Clothes were piled on the bed, but a black lace bra stood out. My eyes were instantly drawn to it. It was completely different from Lauren's silk ivory—bolder, more outgoing. It hinted at another side of Kylie's personality.

　　我退回客厅，站在她视线死角的安全距离观察。她正在激烈对战，对着麦克风大喊策略，时而大笑，时而懊恼地拍桌子。她充满活力，毫不做作。当她向后靠在椅子上庆祝胜利时，T恤上撩，露出一截光滑紧实的腰腹。一种与面对劳伦时不同的悸动传来——不是敬畏，而是一种更直接、更原始的吸引力。

　　I retreated to the living room, observing from a safe distance in her blind spot. She was in an intense match, shouting strategies into the mic, sometimes laughing, sometimes slapping the table in frustration. She was full of life, utterly unpretentious. When she leaned back in her chair to celebrate a victory, her T-shirt rode up, revealing a smooth, toned waist. A different kind of thrill coursed through me compared to watching Lauren—not awe, but a more direct, primal attraction.

　　几小时后，她结束直播，疲惫地伸了个懒腰。她摘下耳机，揉了揉耳朵。然后，她做了一件让我血脉贲张的事。她直接抓住T恤下摆，当着摄像头的面（已关闭）把它从头上脱了下来，随手扔在地上。她只穿着一件运动背心，身材比在宽松T恤下看起来更加有料。她不是劳伦那种优雅的曲线，而是充满力量感的、经常锻炼的紧致身材。汗水让她额前的发丝贴在皮肤上。

　　Hours later, she ended the stream, stretching wearily. She took off her headphones, rubbing her ears. Then, she did something that made my pulse race. She grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and, right in front of the (now off) camera, pulled it over her head and tossed it on the floor. She was wearing only a sports bra, her figure more impressive than it looked under the loose T-shirt. It wasn't Lauren's elegant curves, but a powerful, well-toned physique from regular exercise. Sweat had stuck strands of hair to her forehead.

　　她走进狭小的厨房拿饮料。冰箱门打开时，冷气涌出。我注意到窗台上放着一个小加湿器，正喷出细细的水雾。一个需要避开的新危险点。她拿着一罐冰镇可乐回来，仰头畅饮，喉咙随着吞咽而蠕动。几滴冷凝水从罐身滑落，滴在她只穿着运动背心的胸口，留下深色的湿痕。她毫不在意地用手抹了抹。

　　She walked into the small kitchen to get a drink. When the refrigerator door opened, cold air poured out. I noticed a small humidifier on the windowsill, emitting a fine mist. A new danger point to avoid. She came back with an iced can of Coke, tilting her head back for a long drink, her throat moving as she swallowed. Drops of condensation slid down the can, dripping onto her chest, leaving dark wet spots on her sports bra. She wiped them away absently.

　　这完全不同。这里的规则更松散，氛围更随意。危险同样存在，但形式不同。这里没有劳伦那种需要小心翼翼维护的完美，而是一种混乱的、充满生命力的真实。我的目光落在卧室里那件黑色蕾丝内衣上。那将是我的第一个目标。凯莉·陈的游戏，才刚刚开始。这一次，狩猎的感觉更加原始，更加直接。

　　This was completely different. The rules here were looser, the atmosphere more casual. The dangers were equally present, but different. There was no perfected facade to carefully maintain like with Lauren, but a chaotic, vibrant authenticity. My eyes fell on the black lace bra in the bedroom. That would be my first target. The game with Kylie Chen had just begun. This time, the feeling of the hunt was more primal, more direct.