Chapter One, a time when the moon is dark and the wind is high, a time for devouring people

Lin Xin's body was half sprawled against the gray-white wall, her head detached from her neck, lying half a meter away from the corpse. The clothing on the body was disheveled, as if she had been violated, but in fact, the disarray was caused by several large wounds on the corpse, with intestines nearly spilling out from a gaping wound across the abdomen, the grotesque sight of flesh and blood appearing as if the murderer had forcibly pried it open.

Yet this bustling scene does not exude joy; rather, it is shrouded in a thick, inescapable haze of sorrow

Lin Xin is also one of these individuals

Eat

As summer reaches its peak, even in a remote place like Lixin Road, there are usually a few passersby in the evening. However, for some unknown reason tonight, there is only Lin Xin's solitary figure making its way down the entire Lixin Road.

Lin Xin thought, at this moment, she was less than ten meters away from the person walking towards her.

When the word came to mind, Shi Yong couldn't help but feel a chill. For certain reasons, he knew that in this world, besides humans and animals, there were also other "creatures" disguised in human form living in this world, some of which resided in cities just like humans.

Lixin Road can be considered one of the most remote streets in Nanwen City. While Nanwen City is experiencing comprehensive development, the Lixin Road area resembles an aging elder, hiding behind the prosperous scenery and barely surviving like a forgotten book.

It was as if everything had been prearranged; the street where Lin Xin was located had more than a dozen streetlights flickering simultaneously, occasionally emitting a spark of electricity. Lin Xin sensed that something was amiss, and her heartbeat quickened. At that moment, she heard another sound.

Thus, she quickened her pace

That young man is his lifelong buddy, a true libertine, and also a freelance writer for a magazine. More importantly, he has another identity

The next day, Lixin Road became lively

A city, with its prosperous side, inevitably casts a shadow of desolation. The gap between the rich and the poor is intensifying in this era. In contrast to the highly developed central urban area, the Lixin Road area represents the old city of Nanwen City, characterized by low, peeling lofts, rusted and mottled streetlights, and winding, intricate alleys resembling spider webs, all of which truly justify the label of "old" for this district

Surely, one wouldn't run out wearing house slippers

If it is a crime committed by non-humans, then I can only seek help from that kid. Shi Yong stood up and muttered to himself at a volume audible to him.

Although that person claims to be a descendant of the Xuanmen, Shi Yong prefers to call him a part-time charlatan. Undeniably, he knows much more about the other world than Shi Yong does

Her parents worked hard to support Lin Xin's education, and Lin Xin also put in great effort. Although her grades were not outstanding, they were above average. After graduating from high school, she was admitted to a second-tier university in the country. After diligently completing her studies, filled with passion and enthusiasm, Lin Xin stepped out of the campus, vowing to find a good job to repay her parents who had worked tirelessly for many years.

The street has become quieter, as the only passerby has also vanished, leaving behind a pool of blood and intermittent crimson drag marks

Lin Xin's body was discovered in the early hours of the morning by a sanitation department worker. After receiving the report, due to the grim scene at the site, the Nanjun City Public Security Bureau directly dispatched the criminal investigation team. At this moment, the team leader, Shi Yong, was holding a white handkerchief to his mouth, his brows furrowed tightly as he gazed at the body

On Lixin Road in Nanwen City, a white figure is walking along the road

The night is very dark; even with the illumination of the streetlights, Lin Xin still feels as if the black night sky is about to collapse. There is no wind tonight, and even the stars are nowhere to be seen. The moon is probably on holiday, as the entire sky is shrouded in black clouds, and an unsettling scent lingers in the air

The soft sound of footsteps echoed from a distance on the street, and Lin Xin couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Humans, as a species, are inherently afraid of solitude; when others of their kind appear within their line of sight, it significantly alleviates the unease brought about by being alone. Lin Xin was experiencing this very feeling at that moment. Although she could not discern whether the person in the distance was male or female, old or young, the mere presence of another individual brought a touch of vitality to the otherwise desolate street

The streetlight elongated her shadow, the black shadow following her closely like a nightmare

midnight

The police cars and ambulances have blocked this old street to the point of being impassable; in the past decade, Lixin Road has never been as lively as it is today

On the desolate road, only the sound of her cheap high heels, which she had found during a big sale at the shoe store, echoed with a "clack, clack".

There were bite marks on the neck, and the wounds on the abdomen were blurred with blood, not resembling injuries from a sharp weapon; rather, they appeared as if something had torn them apart alive. Struggling against a feeling of nausea, Shi Yong examined the corpse and quickly made a judgment: these injuries were identical to those of the victims in the previous three murder cases. More importantly, after forensic examination, it was determined that certain organs in the abdomens of these victims were missing their intestines, as if they had been devoured by a wild beast. He quickly made a judgment: these injuries were identical to those of the victims in the previous three murder cases. More importantly, after forensic examination, it was determined that certain organs in the abdomens of these victims were missing their intestines, as if they had been devoured by a wild beast.

These "creatures" are commonly referred to as monsters

Step ... ... step. ... ... ... step ... ... step ... ...

The panting of large dogs was so vivid that Lin Xin could even imagine the drool slowly dripping from the sharp teeth hidden beneath their lips

Most of those with a bit of wealth have moved to the new district, while those who remain here are predominantly from relatively poor families

A towering black shadow appeared under the distant streetlight. Due to the backlighting, it was difficult to discern its appearance. Although Lin Xin strained her eyes to observe, she felt that the air in front of the shadow seemed somewhat distorted, as if caused by the rising heat at noon creating a visual distortion. Lin Xin found this strange, when suddenly the streetlight blinked its light.

Thus, Lin Xin had no choice but to return to Nanwen City, continuing to reside in the old downtown area on Lixin Road, earning a monthly salary of less than 2,000. However, Lin Xin had not forgotten her initial vow; she was determined to work hard to earn money. Therefore, she worked at the company during the day and took a part-time job at a bar at night, finishing work after midnight every day. To save on taxi fare, she took the subway to Lixin Station in the city center and then had to walk for forty minutes to get home.

The sound was like a hammer, striking Lin Xin's heart repeatedly, causing her otherwise fair face to turn pale.

When the lights became brighter, all that remained in the spot where Lin Xin had just stood was a pool of blood. A black shadow seemed to drag her body quickly into a small alley beside the main road, as if it were a damaged toy.

If that can still be referred to as a corpse

However, as the footsteps and the sound of the book drew closer, Lin Xin detected a hint of strangeness. She could not discern what kind of shoes the other party was wearing; the noise they made while walking was exceedingly faint. If it were not for the current quiet environment, Lin Xin truly would not have been able to hear it.

However, in this society, relying solely on passion and enthusiasm does not guarantee rewards. In the current context of relatively low employment rates, fierce competition and a lack of social experience have made it difficult for Lin Xin to find a satisfactory job. After all, the era when university graduates were in high demand has passed. Nowadays, even those with a doctoral degree may not necessarily secure high-paying jobs, let alone someone like Lin Xin, who is a college graduate.

Hoo... Hoo...

Lin Xin felt a bit regretful. Had she known that Lixin Road would be so quiet today, she should have taken the only taxi still picking up passengers when she came up from the subway station. After paying twenty yuan for the fare, she could have returned early to that warm, albeit dilapidated, home, instead of walking alone on this eerily desolate road as she was now.

His name is Ma Xiaofeng

Then, a gust of wind swept through the street, carrying with it a fishy odor and a foul stench. The lights on the street simultaneously went out, as if an invisible pair of scissors had instantaneously snipped away the light. In the darkness, a scream pierced the air, accompanied by the low growl of a beast.

Undoubtedly, this is an extremely heinous murder case, and similar cases have occurred three times recently