Chapter 38: The Girl Living in a Nightmare

"Boss, something's off with this dog! My brother-in-law is a cop, and their trained police dogs are like this—they can tear out a person's throat faster than wolves."

"Quit being such a coward! You two go together!"

The gangsters exchanged uneasy glances, not one of them daring to move, as though they were tourists dropped into a lion's den—suddenly cautious and well-behaved.

Just because they didn't dare act recklessly didn't mean I was going to let them off easily. "Scared now, huh? Where was this attitude when you were smashing up my shop?"

I didn't waste time with more talk. Grabbing a beer bottle, I charged forward.

"Do as I say! No matter how fierce a dog is, it's just an animal!" Tattooed Guy was a regular on the streets, and fighting was nothing new for him. He snatched a chair and charged at me, yelling, "Get him! Take him down!"

He didn't get far before the look of ferocity on his face turned to raw terror in less than a second. A flash of yellow shot past me, too quick to track, and in the blink of an eye, the tattooed thug was already pinned to the ground.

Sharp teeth hovered near his eyes, hot breath dripping saliva onto his nose. Two jet-black, unfeeling eyes locked onto the most vulnerable spot on his throat.

Tattooed Guy swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. Looking up at the shaggy mutt—slightly bigger than a typical stray—his lips trembled, unable to utter a word.

"So fast!" I muttered, barely registering it myself. I crouched beside him.

Smash! The beer bottle shattered against the concrete right near his ear. "I've got a few questions for you. Answer well, and I'll let you go. Lie to me, and leaving you with only one ear isn't unreasonable, is it?"

"Fine, I'll take the loss today. But it doesn't seem like we've ever crossed paths before."

"Was it you who trashed the store at 263 Ting Tang Road—the one called Happy Peak?"

"Yeah, I led the crew who did it."

"That's a quick answer. Who's your boss?" The wind cleared the drunken haze from my mind, leaving me sharp and sober.

The tattooed guy hesitated. "You can't afford to mess with them. Half of Jiang City runs on their word."

"Jiang Jin Real Estate, huh? Did Jiang Chen tell you to do it?"

"We're not even qualified to talk to Young Master Jiang. The guy who hired us is Shi Youfu—the head of security at Century Garden." Tattooed Guy lay still on the ground, his voice resigned. "Look, if you want someone to blame, go after him. I heard he's celebrating his birthday today. He booked a party with a few girls at Blue Note Bar."

"Blue Note Bar…" I didn't intend to waste more time on these small fry. I sent Xiaofeng back to the shop and took Bai Qi to Blue Note Bar.

Blue Note Bar sat on Sleepless Street, in the heart of Jiang City—a hub lined with restaurants, KTV lounges, and bars, buzzing with life all night long.

The bar itself featured industrial metal pieces and simple striped wooden décor. Its atmosphere was oppressive, but it drew plenty of young patrons—likely more for its mysterious female owner than the decor.

I ordered a cold beer and settled into a dim corner of the bar, the pounding heavy metal music drilling into my ears. Occasionally, a bright spotlight would sweep over me.

Frowning, I scanned the room. Why do so many people like coming to places like this to let loose?

I looked around for Shi Youfu, whom I'd met once at the Jiang family wedding and could still picture clearly.

"Not here? Or is he in one of the private rooms?" All I saw were wild, restless souls rubbing sparks of passion against one another.

Then something unusual caught my eye.

"Huh?"

At the far end of the bar, a little girl—probably ** years old—was leaning on the counter, quietly doing her homework.

Dressed like a doll, she looked out of place but perfectly at ease. The chaos of the music and dancing crowds seemed irrelevant to her.

"Can you really focus in this noise?"

She didn't even look up.

"What's your name? Have we met before?" As soon as I said this, the bartenders glared at me like I was some kind of pervert.

"Your pickup lines are way outdated, man," sneered a drunk guy stumbling by with his girlfriend. He stared at the girl, his face judgmental. "She's way too young. Let me give you some advice—don't throw your life away over three minutes."

I smiled bitterly. I wasn't being creepy—I really thought I'd seen her somewhere before. My profession requires me to notice every detail about people and my surroundings. This wasn't my imagination.

"No pets allowed in the bar, sir. Keep your dog under control," a waiter snapped, his tone hostile.

"Fine. I'll finish this drink and leave." My goal was to stay low-key until I spotted Shi Youfu, though my curiosity about the girl remained.

Just as I was about to leave, something cold grabbed my hand.

Startled, I turned to find the little girl clutching two of my fingers, her face expressionless.

"This…" I froze in confusion.

"Impressive, man! You're playing the long game—getting her curiosity piqued so she falls right into your trap. I bow to your genius!" slurred the drunk guy, rambling nonsense.

"Not at all, I—"

"No need to explain. Let me remind you: according to our country's laws, with girls under twelve, the minimum sentence starts at three years. Don't chicken out! Life is short—enjoy it!"

"Enjoy your damn sister!" I barked, awkwardly seated with the girl holding my hand.

"Hey, kid, have we met before?"

She still didn't answer, just held on stubbornly.

"You've met her? Why don't I, her mother, know anything about this?" A voice interrupted us.

My wandering gaze snapped back to attention.

How could I describe her? The woman before me seemed born to draw men's eyes. Mature, sultry, and impossibly beautiful. A lit cigarette dangled between two painted red lips, sending shivers down my spine.

Trailing down her pale neck was an alluring blue fox tattoo, beginning at her chest and disappearing into the curve of her thigh.

I'd seen plenty of beautiful women, but none quite like her.

"Cat got your tongue? I asked you a question." She signaled to the bartender, who grabbed a bottle of Royal Salute and mixed a fiery drink.

"This drink isn't sold by the glass. But tonight, it's on me."

Watching the flames dance across the liquor, I couldn't help but feel like the drink mirrored this woman—dangerous, mysterious, and impossible to ignore.

"Who… are you?"

"You're sitting in my bar, holding my daughter's hand, and now you're asking me who I am?"

"Misunderstanding. I just thought your daughter looked familiar, like someone I've seen before."

"Familiar enough to make her grab your hand? My precious girl doesn't let even me touch her."

The woman smiled meaningfully. "Reality might keep you apart, but dreams are a different story, aren't they?"

Turning to the girl, she said, "Sakura, come to my room."

"Sakura?" I nearly dropped my drink.

Back at Xinhu High School, during the livestream incident, a girl had appeared at the last moment, helping me fend off the Yuanchen Spirit. Her name was also Sakura.

"But Sakura was a ghost! This girl is clearly alive!"

I raised her small face with trembling hands. Her expressionless face was exactly the same.

"She's identical… exactly the same!"

Sakura silently grabbed my hand and followed the woman.

Three of us—and the dog—headed toward a private staff room behind the bar. Away from the chaos, with countless jealous eyes following us, the woman shut the door.

She kicked off her heels and elegantly perched on the bed. Every move she made was a test of a man's resolve.

"Relax. Don't be so tense."

Relax? Impossible. My only thought was—thank God I didn't wear sweatpants today.

"Why did you bring me here? We're not exactly friends."

"Don't be so distant. Since Sakura likes you, I like you too. And when I like someone, you can do whatever you want." She arched her back, accentuating her curves. "Need me to give you a hint?"