Vol. 4 Chapter 7: Encounter

Chapter 7: Encounter

Despite the thoughts swirling in his mind, Shao Zhang didn't let his conversation with the two women falter. He kept them laughing with witty remarks and half-joking, half-flirtatious banter. The women scolded him for being naughty but stayed close, suggesting that if Shao Zhang pushed a bit harder, he might have both of them "drunk" and accompanying him to a hotel tonight.

However, Shao Zhang felt a growing restlessness as he scanned the ballroom. He was looking for someone. With the mask enhancing his perception, he collected and processed information at a much higher rate. From observing the two women's clothing, makeup, and body language, he deduced they worked as clerks in a small company and were here to fish for rich men.

In the meantime, not far from the city center, Fu Bin had just killed another school bully and was writing in blood on the wall when the shadow assassin appeared beside him, speaking coldly, "You're making yourself too conspicuous. Your identity will be easily discovered."

"They won't find me," Fu Bin replied with a sickly smile, completing the mask symbol on the wall. He turned to the shadow assassin and shifted the topic, "Recently, I've felt my mind becoming much clearer, yet my brain hasn't evolved. So it's related to the mask?"

The shadow assassin nodded. "The seven masks are interconnected. If humans were computers, wearing a mask would be like connecting computers together, amplifying collective intelligence. When one mask bearer uses their mask, the others benefit from the shared wisdom."

"So when all seven mask bearers wear their masks, we each gain the combined intellect of all seven?" Fu Bin nodded, moving swiftly to his next target.

"You mentioned earlier that my actions might expose my identity because my behavior could be profiled by the police. They could trace my pattern and find me," Fu Bin said with a cold smile. "But if I broaden their search parameters, they'll never pinpoint me. I am the divine judge of this world, cleansing it of filth. And there's more than one type of filth."

"For example, that filth over there!" Fu Bin pointed to a street where a provocatively dressed woman was waiting for clients. He blew her a kiss and beckoned her over. After killing her and writing another bloody message on the wall, he added the mask symbol.

"See, now I've added another label to myself as someone who hates prostitutes. But in reality, I have no connection to them. With this new label, the police will widen their search. They'll never find me," Fu Bin said to the shadow assassin as he headed to a cheap apartment building. He had obtained the address from his last victim.

"This building houses a lot of filth, according to the last victim. These people are often hired by corrupt officials or rich kids for parties. We can follow this trail and cleanse even more filth, making it even harder for them to find me," Fu Bin said with a sneer.

At the hotel, the woman dressed to look younger stood at the entrance, putting on her mask. Instantly, she felt different. Before she could process it, a masked man broke away from the women around him and walked toward her.

"It's him!" she thought, frozen in place. Despite his mask, she recognized Shao Zhang immediately—arrogant and fearless, always trying to get her attention. But he stopped a short distance away, turned around, and left as if escaping garbage.

She looked down at herself, realizing that despite her efforts to dress like a young girl, she still gave away too many clues—loose legs, slight cigarette scent. Shao Zhang, with his enhanced perception, would have noticed these details. Holding back tears, she turned and left. She had seen him, and that was enough. But why did it make her want to cry?

She hailed a taxi, eager to return to her apartment and cry her heart out. Removing the mask, she hoped a less clear mind would ease her pain. She didn't notice the eerie atmosphere of the apartment building and walked into what had become a slaughterhouse...

Meanwhile, Shao Zhang went to the bathroom, removed his mask, splashed water on his face, and tried to calm himself down. Staring at his pathetic reflection, he hurriedly put the mask back on. Memories of his relationship with the woman flashed through his mind, settling on one from after graduation. He had been at his lowest, and she had called to borrow money, hanging up when she learned he had none, leaving him feeling resentful.

"She... must have had her difficulties," Shao Zhang told himself, forcing himself to let go of thoughts of her. He left the bathroom, grabbed a drink from a passing waiter, and declared, "Tonight, I'll get drunk!"