After leaving the police station, I returned to the bus stop.

Though deep winter had set in, pedestrians wore sweaters against the chill.

But Guanghai City rarely dipped below freezing, nestled near the tropics as it was.

*Whoosh.*

A bone-chilling gust swept past.

I crossed my arms, shivering slightly, then slowly lifted my gaze to the bright, sunny sky.

*What feels off?*

My thoughts drifted with my stare, circling back to the missing persons case.

Before I could ponder further—*vroom-vroom-vroom!*—an engine’s roar jolted me back to reality.

I dipped my head toward the sound.

Not this bus.

I glanced at the route number on the arriving bus, then stepped aside quietly for others to board.

This central hub teemed with routes from every corner of the city.

After a long wait, my bus finally arrived.

“?”

Just as I moved to board, a petite figure barreled into me like her life depended on it, darting ahead onto the bus.

“Kids these days…” I muttered, watching her vanish before chuckling awkwardly.

This bus wouldn’t be crowded. It was past ten—office workers had long reached their desks.

Only the working class or idle heirs remained. And heirs wouldn’t be caught dead on a bus.

Predictably, the interior was nearly empty.

I scanned the cabin and spotted her—the girl who’d bumped into me.

Around eighteen, she had jet-black hair cascading like silk down her back.

Her plain white winter dress drew the eye.

Pretty, but not my type.

I looked away and settled into a quiet window seat.

…

An hour later, I stepped off near my family’s home.

I stood at the “Fukang Road” bus stop.

Cross Fukang Road, turn onto Huacheng Road, enter Fule Avenue, then two more blocks—

that was home. Where my brother lived now.

But as I neared the fork between Park Front Road and Huacheng Road…

I inexplicably chose Park Front Road.

It led home too, but added extra blocks. Huacheng Road was faster.

*Why did I…?*

I snapped back to awareness—already deep in Park Front Road.

Glancing back at Fukang Road, then ahead at my path, a flicker of unease stirred within me.

A voice in my core urged me onward. *Something waits here. Something from my past.*

I remembered being saved here… by a silver-haired…

girl? The memory itself was gone.

*What happened that day?*

No matter how hard I strained, the details refused to surface.

Unconsciously, I’d wandered back to the attack site.

“This shouldn’t be intact…”

I scanned the area. Something felt wrong.

It should’ve been cratered, shattered—*destroyed*.

“You noticed?”

A voice I knew too well cut through my thoughts from behind.

Slowly, I turned.

“Teacher Yang? What are you doing here?”

Yang Hailiu stood there—the suspect we’d cleared.

She wore an eerie smile I couldn’t decipher.

“Why’s *my* presence strange? It’s *you*, Officer Chu, who shouldn’t be here~~”

She dodged my question, her tone dripping with implication.

“I’m just checking the area. I’ll leave soon.”

Her odd tone pricked my nerves, but I dismissed it as curiosity.

No secret here—I answered plainly.

“Stay. Don’t you want the truth about the disappearances?”

Her words froze me mid-turn.

My hand slid to my gun’s grip.

“Explain.”

Her grin widened, unnatural. Her aged features began melting away—

revealing the face of a woman in her twenties.

“!”

My jaw dropped.

This defied reality. Youth couldn’t be reclaimed like this.

“Shocked? Of course. Mortals like you couldn’t comprehend it~”

Yang Hailiu covered her mouth, eyes crinkling with cruel amusement.

“Explain. *Now*.”

Shock lasted a heartbeat. I was still a cop.

A seasoned detective. I tightened my grip on the gun, eyes locked on her.

“No need~ Because…”

She ignored my demand, smirking down like a victor.

“Enough!”

I drew my gun in one fluid motion, aiming dead center.

“Your little toy won’t work on me~~”

She didn’t flinch. Strolled closer.

My battle-hardened body trembled. Sweat slicked my palm.

*Instinct screamed: RUN.*

“Try it. I’ve tried killing you before, Officer Chu. Failed every time~~”

She kept advancing, ignoring my warning.

“You asked for it!”

I fired.

“Foolish. Mortal weapons can’t pierce a body ascending to godhood!”

She raised her left palm—a shield of invisible force caught the bullet mid-air.

It hung, frozen, one centimeter from her skin.

“Wha—?!”

I rubbed my eyes. No illusion. This was real.

“My turn now, nuisance. Today ends your story.”

Yang Hailiu plucked the bullet from the air, still smiling.

A colossal shadow erupted behind her—

“Wu. Drag him into that world.”

The shadow solidified into a nightmare:

A creature covered in eyes—*one glance could shatter sanity*.

Twisted wings of liquid darkness. A bloated torso.

And on its spine—a gaping, blood-dripping maw.

“As you command, Master…”

Its voice grated like ice.

The world bled color. Golden sunlight faded to ashen gray.

“What… is this?!”

I staggered, heart pounding. This place felt *wrong*.

“You don’t remember? You’ve visited often. But this time—”

“WITCH! I’ve found you at last!”

A silvery laugh rang out behind Yang Hailiu—

a knight’s lance shot past her head, embedding itself two meters ahead.

A girl in crimson-gold qipao landed lightly on the spear shaft, grinning down at the stunned Yang Hailiu.