Just as he was about to snatch the feather, it moved three or four steps forward, stopping exactly an arm's length away. The feather's allure, coupled with the corridor's time limit, meant he could only make one choice.
The Outer Tower contestant hiding in the corridor used the back of Huiqi's younger brother as cover, slipped quietly into the main hall, and reached for the trembling feather before him.
At the same time, a hand stealthily descended from the air above his head.
The saying of the Chang'an people, "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind," is quite apt. It just leaves one thing out: when the mantis realizes what's happening, it lets out a startled cry—"Wh-What is that? Who's there?"
