In the depths of a lesser-known street market, a runaway taxi crashes at the dead end of an alley, its front end completely crumpled, smoke billowing.
On one side of the street is an apartment building, while on the other side is an over ten-meter vertical wall, with only one way out behind.
The driver is already dead, though his death pose is somewhat strange.
His pants halfway off, it looks like he was trying to climb from the driver’s seat to the back, but his head was smashed in.
Since the car door couldn’t be opened, the woman in the back seat can only smash the window and crawl out. Barefoot, she had to step on the glass shards, which pierced right through the soles of her feet.
Blood mixes with rainwater and flows into the drain by the roadside.
Yet the woman doesn’t pause at all due to the pain or bleeding; she only wants to leave quickly.
She curses continuously, originally thinking riding in the car would have successfully gotten her out of this city, only to encounter such a situation.
As a "Pseudo-Person," although she has killed four people and had about a year’s lifespan left.
But her "Fear Embodiment" doesn’t bring much enhancement in reality; it’s mostly used for releasing curses and distant dream manipulation.
In reality, her physical abilities are only slightly better than an average person.
If she carelessly encounters an extremely violent group of criminals, there’s a risk to her life, let alone facing someone dangerous like Luo Di.
The loud crash from the accident attracts more people, and already quite a few are gathering at the exit of this alley.
Including sanitation workers on night duty, nightlife-goers just back from a bar, and some overworked employees just off work.
A variety of colorful umbrellas cluster around the only exit of this one-way alley, blocking the view outside.
"I must leave here quickly... just hijack a car."
The woman intended to ignore the spectators, but her relatively keen intuition senses something, and her gaze shifts to the back of the crowd, where it seems a raincoated man with an unclear face is standing.
A whispering warning emanates from the depths of Thought Corner,
As the woman sees the man in the raincoat, she again feels a heatwave similar to the one in the dream, unusually dry despite the rainy weather.
Being trapped in this exit-less alley, there’s absolutely no escape.
She suddenly lunges forward towards the crowd, grabbing a middle-aged woman still carrying a briefcase.
Five fingers directly plunge into the woman’s neck, but not touching the windpipe or arteries.
"Give me a car! I’ll let this woman go... Hurry up!"
Blood drips down the fingers plunged into the neck, and the spectating crowd recoils in fear, only the mysterious person in the black raincoat still stands in place.
The woman focuses on the dark hood of the other, with only a mouth visible under the light of the street lamp.
That mouth slight opens,
as if you can see a tongue twitching inside,
Tick~ the sound of the tongue click spreads in the current area,
The raincoated man takes heavy steps forward, his body also starting to lean forward...
His feet, stepping through puddles, show no intention of pausing; it seems he doesn’t care at all about the hostage’s wellbeing, perhaps knowing that she only has this single bargaining chip and that once killed, it’s a dead end for her.
"I told you not to come any closer, why push it to this extent..."
The woman gets increasingly agitated, her fingers digging deeper, almost tearing the windpipe when.
Due to the decreasing distance,
hidden under the sleeve,
something is swiftly thrown,
A short distance of less than five meters, precise and effective,
The spinning Zombie Blade completely severs the woman’s hand used for hostage-taking, and also deeply plunges into her chest.
The force contained within the blade further pushes the woman backward, even causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
A large splash of water is kicked up,
The Zombie Blade stuck deep in her chest continues to release Corpse Poison, causing systemic infection and pain.
Just as the woman is about to pull the blade out, a strong and firm hand suddenly grabs it, gripping the handle, pulling the Zombie Blade out for her.
But, the man in the black raincoat with a scorching body also simultaneously presses down on her.
Somewhat reminiscent of the scene on the dream’s rooftop, the positions are similarly top and bottom, but what’s about to happen next is entirely different.
Complete despair causes the woman to stop struggling, even revealing a smile, a kind of relieved smile.
"Seems I’ll die by your hand soon... Although we weren’t wed, we haven’t been acquainted for long, but at least there was some ’skinship,’ right?
We haven’t formally introduced ourselves, can you tell me your name?"
"Mr. Di? My name is..."
Just as the person started to speak, Luo Di pressed a palm against their mouth.
"Prey does not need to disclose its name before death."
The blade fell, faster than a drop of rain.
The pituitary with its crackled surface was already in Luo Di’s grasp, tucked into a small black bag he had prepared earlier, marking the end of the hunt.
At this moment, multiple beams of light shone into the alley of the urban village, and Investigation Bureau personnel arrived.
Intern Investigator Marco was at the forefront, and as he saw the scene deeper into the alley, he was shocked and cold sweat dripped down his forehead. He could directly feel the intense Killing Intent dwelling in the rainy night.
He quickened his pace and approached the man in the raincoat sitting on the Pseudo-Person’s corpse.
Swallowing saliva, he mustered the courage to reach out his palm.
The raincoat-clad man suddenly turned his head, his eyes tinted red as he looked back at Marco.
Although it was indeed Luo Di’s face illuminated by the light, Marco was startled. This feeling was completely different from the young man he had met a few days ago.
Previously, he was a newly-released patient from the Psychiatric Hospital, clad with the label of a ’Connector’, a genius youth who appeared cold and reticent.
Now, what he saw was akin to a horrific existence similar to a Murderer.
"Is this ’Pseudo-Person’," who just celebrated their first year, all the Investigation Bureau uses to verify me?"
"Yes, mainly for evaluating your neural condition. I’m sure you’ve experienced the true dreams constructed through the curse by now.
Since you’ve retained normalcy and swiftly caught the Pseudo-Person, it sufficiently proves your mental condition, and I can issue you a certificate of mental soundness.
we can collaborate further; although it’s less likely for Corners to occur here, we also have some very troublesome and dangerous cases."
"Do I need to go back with you to the Bureau for investigation?"
"Mr. Di, you have completed your ’self-validation’, and this self-validation’s credibility far surpasses quizzes and mechanical testing.
It’s been tough on you. This type of cursed Pseudo-Person is difficult to find, and it would have taken us quite some time and effort if we had to investigate.
For now, you should rest well at your apartment, and when you feel rested and ready, then come to our Bureau. Our rules here are not so rigid.
We’ll handle the disposal of this Pseudo-Person’s body, do you need me to drive you home?"
Marco, accustomed to addressing by the first name, continued to do so without causing any displeasure to Luo Di.
After waving goodbye, the black raincoat quickly disappeared into the night.
Marco’s forehead had already sweated profusely, but fortunately, the rain helped to hide it.
"Even with a severed hand he’s still so terrifying, is this the talent that Jupiter City keeps emphasizing? No wonder they would go to great lengths to protect Mr. Di; really horrifying. I also need to work hard and strive to become an official employee soon."
The heavy rain gradually ceased,
and the first rays of morning sun sprinkled down.
Just as he walked back to Chinese Street, Luo Di tossed his raincoat into a nearby trash can and stopped at a breakfast stall that was just setting up. He bought two tea eggs, two Chinese dough sticks, and two cups of soy milk.
Instead of eating at the stall, he packed everything to take home.
His steps became more hurried on his way home, even more so than during the hunt.
Upon seeing the elevator still stuck above, Luo Di took the nearby safety passage, striding as if flying, showing no signs of fatigue despite the overnight hunt.
Locking the door and closing the blinds.
He picked a white candle from the emergency supplies box in the apartment, lighting it on the coffee table in front of the couch,
turned off all the lights and switched on the smart TV, using an internet membership to start streaming a seemingly decent new horror movie.
Placing a tissue down, he gently placed the pituitary opposite the TV.
Arranging the soy milk, dough sticks, and peeled tea eggs on the coffee table in front.
and Luo Di ate while unconsciously smiling, even though the pituitary by his side showed no response. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novelFɪre.net