Chapter 4: Returning to Familiar Grounds
Hong Kong, Mong Kok, a place full of all kinds of people.
The streets of Mong Kok are always bustling, but after midnight, the scene changes drastically.
Under the dark sky with strong winds, the neon lights on the buildings cast a dim glow, vainly vying for attention like the streetwalkers.
This was once a vibrant place, with nightclubs, massage parlors, and other adult entertainment venues packed every night. But after the financial crisis, the buildings are now empty shells, leaving only remnants of their former glory.
People now have to tighten their belts, so where would they find money for frivolous pleasures?
A streetwalker in her early thirties leaned against a railing, smoking a cigarette and waiting for clients to approach.
This streetwalker was nicknamed "Little Swallow," after the female protagonist of a certain TV drama.
Little Swallow's looks were only half as attractive as the protagonist's.
Her heavy makeup made her look vulgar. Though she had an impressive bust, she also had a disproportionately large bottom.
Knowing she wasn't very attractive, she realized she was no longer fit for this trade. However, ever since she came to Hong Kong alone, she had been selling her looks, and now she lacked the motivation to find another way to make a living.
Back then, her youthful charm attracted men, and the money she earned was enough for her to spend lavishly.
But as she aged, her looks faded, and her value plummeted. Now, she barely made enough to get by.
Lost in thought, Little Swallow didn't realize her cigarette had burned down to the end, scorching her fingers.
"Damn it!" she cursed.
With a flick of her fingers, the cigarette butt, trailing a nicotine tail, was tossed to the ground.
As she watched the faint glow on the ground, her thoughts drifted again.
Suddenly, someone stepped on the cigarette butt, extinguishing it.
Little Swallow looked up and saw a gaunt middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man stared at her, his face shy and bashful.
Seeing a potential client, Little Swallow forced a smile and coquettishly approached, hugging him.
"Hey handsome, looking for some fun? I'm Little Swallow. I'm pretty good, I promise you'll be in ecstasy and forget all your worries." She batted her eyelashes at him and pressed her ample chest against him.
The middle-aged man blushed, remaining silent, only stealing glances at her.
Little Swallow thought he might be a first-time client, unsure of what to do, so she half-pushed, half-pulled him to a hotel.
The man didn't resist along the way, occasionally glancing at her, even taking out money before entering the room.
In the suite, Little Swallow couldn't wait to undress and shower, having stood on the bustling streets all day and feeling covered in grime.
Just as she took off her top, the man quietly walked up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and squeezed her breast with his other hand. He whispered in her ear, "It might get noisy later. Is the soundproofing here good?"
Seeing his newfound boldness, Little Swallow thought he must have felt more confident because they were alone. She turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and cooed, "Of course, it's good. Besides, people here are used to it. No matter how loud we get, they won't care."
With that, she kissed him and reached to unbutton his shirt.
"That's good then."
The man suddenly gave a sinister grin and pulled out a prepared hunting knife, pressing it against Little Swallow's belly.
Little Swallow froze in terror, not daring to move!
She never expected this middle-aged man to have a weapon; his earlier timid demeanor had deceived her.
Now, Little Swallow prayed that, whether he was after money or her body, he wouldn't take her life.
The middle-aged man appeared to know what she was thinking. After slashing deeply into her belly, he smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. I've decided to take your life, but if you obey me, I'll make your death quick."
Little Swallow collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain. The man frowned, bent down, covered her mouth with his left hand, and with a swift motion of his right hand, cut off her left nipple!
"I told you to listen to me. If you make so much noise and get discovered, what then?" Before he finished speaking, he cut off her other nipple.
Little Swallow's eyes rolled back in agony, and she let out heavy groans. She struggled desperately, but the man's strength was astonishing, completely overpowering her.
Seeing Little Swallow in such agony excited the man. He couldn't help but squeeze her breast hard and then began sucking on it!
The intense pain from her wounds nearly caused Little Swallow to faint. The man, with his blood-stained mouth, grinned and said, "Tell me quickly, and I'll end it swiftly with a stab to your chest."
Then, he removed his hand from her mouth.
"Please let me go... I don't know anything. Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you..." Little Swallow begged weakly.
"I can't let you go, but you still need to answer my question." The middle-aged man suddenly became serious. "Where is Daji?"
"Daji... Daji?" Little Swallow looked at the man in disbelief.
"Yes! If you don't tell the truth, I'll cut your flesh piece by piece until you die!"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about... Who is Daji?..." Little Swallow stammered, overwhelmed with sorrow, unable to believe she had encountered a madman who would kill her for no reason.
The middle-aged man flew into a rage, pressing one hand on Little Swallow's mouth while slashing wildly at her lower body with the other hand.
Little Swallow felt waves of pain from her lower body, wanting to scream but unable to make a sound. The physical and mental torment nearly drove her to collapse.
After venting his anger by slashing at her lower body, the man released his hand and calmly said, "Speak, or you won't be able to die anytime soon."
Seeing the man's expression, Little Swallow knew survival was hopeless. She decided to lie to end it quickly and said, "I know... I know where Daji is..."
The man, overjoyed, pressed the knife against her chest and asked, "Quick, tell me! Where is Daji?"
Little Swallow tried to calm herself and slowly said, "Daji... She's in... the Investiture of the Gods..."
"Damn it!"
The man, enraged, slashed off her entire left ear.
Little Swallow pushed the man away with all her might and screamed in agony.
The man immediately delivered a hard punch to her temple. As Little Swallow momentarily blacked out, he pried her mouth open with one hand and sliced her tongue off at the root with the other.
Tongueless, Little Swallow could not make a sound; she could only watch helplessly as the man sliced her body apart.
Each cut was faster than the last, and with each slice, the man grew more excited!
Soon, Little Swallow couldn't endure the torture and fainted.
She never regained consciousness.
However, when her head was severed from her body, her eyes somehow opened.
The malice in her eyes remained after her soul departed; they silently gazed at the blood-soaked, flesh-strewn room.
After an unknown amount of time, a young boy entered the room.
A shiny black cat sat on the boy's shoulder. He walked over and picked up Little Swallow's head.
Then, he stared into Little Swallow's left eye with his right eye from an extremely close distance.
It was a right eye with a bright red pupil.
I shivered, closed my right devil eye, exhaled the foul air from my chest, and finally put down Little Swallow's head, which died with an unclosed eye.
"What did you see?" Rahab asked as he sat on my shoulder.
"Hmm, it was a middle-aged man in his forties, thin, about 165 cm tall. He must be a psychotic killer," I said, stroking my chin. "He disguised himself as a client and tricked her into coming here. As soon as they entered the room, he revealed his true nature. From their conversation, it was unclear who the mastermind was; all I know is that they are also looking for someone named Daji."
As I spoke, I looked around to see if the man had left any evidence.
Unfortunately, the man was clearly an experienced criminal. The scene was just a mess of flesh and blood, with no trace of his presence.