Murder

Compared to Tang Qi, a genuine new student, Sally was clearly far more familiar with the place. She led him through the complicated campus in no time, avoiding several troublemaking youths blocking the central promenade and sparing Tang Qi the fate of fighting a bunch of hormone-addled brats.

However, what left Tang Qi somewhat helpless was that the route they had taken was apparently one Sally used to avoid bullying. Reaching its end also meant they had left the campus.

"Creak~"

Hearing the sound, Tang Qi turned around just in time to see a rusty iron gate slam shut with a bang.

This was an inconspicuous side gate of St. Thorn High School. Few students ever left the school through here.

Tang Qi did not need to guess why. The filthy, rundown scene before him explained everything.

It looked like an extremely secluded street, utterly deserted. Stinking garbage heaps sat in the corners, vulgar graffiti covered the walls, and the ground was paved with blackened, cracked bricks. Newspapers fluttered past in the breeze, while a greasy GG Brand sign hung at the street corner.

A look of understanding flashed across Tang Qi's face. He was somewhat surprised that there was such a place near the St. Thorn campus.

After silently recalling the layout of the surrounding area, Tang Qi knew where they were.

Messer City had five major districts. Four of them were Bronx, Lopez, Newton, and Larkin, which surrounded the central Midtown district.

Midtown was naturally the largest and wealthiest district. It gathered countless tycoons and members of high society, enjoying the resources of all Messer City. St. Thorn High School was located there.

Of the other four districts, Bronx was where refugees and the poor gathered; Lopez was the middle class's favorite district; Newton had a long history but little presence; while Larkin District was home to the petty bourgeoisie and some newly wealthy families.

The home of Tang Qi's original body had been in Larkin District.

The street where Tang Qi and Sally now stood, if he had guessed correctly, should have been in the Bronx District.

It bordered Midtown closely. To get here, the two of them must have crossed the entire St. Thorn campus.

Tang Qi was absorbed in recalling these details, but Sally mistook his expression for disgust toward this place.

That was understandable. Although Tang Qi had tried his best to play the role of an ordinary Asian boy, certain details still revealed his unusual family background.

For example, the designer clothes he wore and his courteous, appropriate manner.

Because of what had happened that morning, Sally, a girl who was usually bullied, had developed quite a favorable impression of Tang Qi. That was why she had been willing to risk being bullied again by leading him here.

Unfortunately, her long-standing inferiority complex kept her from even daring to ask the boy in front of her.

Her face merely dimmed as she said softly to Tang Qi, "There's a bus stop around the corner. The next bus will be here in a few minutes. G-goodbye."

After saying that, Sally turned and ran toward the other end of the street. Either because she was too flustered or because her pants were too baggy, she nearly tripped.

She staggered but did not fall. Her face only turned paler, and her eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses seemed ready to spill tears at any moment.

She hurriedly quickened her pace and was about to vanish at the end of the street in a few strides.

The sudden change left Tang Qi stunned again. This girl named Sally was far too sensitive, like a little rabbit constantly on the verge of being startled. Tang Qi could barely keep up with her train of thought.

Shaking his head, Tang Qi turned toward the bus stop, planning to find the girl tomorrow and explain himself.

As for returning to campus, since he was already out, Tang Qi happened to have a few places he wanted to visit, all off campus. He might as well take this chance to look around, then return to his Brick House once he was done. Night had only just begun to fall, so it was not too late yet.

Tang Qi had only taken a few steps when a couple emerged from a bakery ahead. The instant they came out, they hurried toward the bus stop. As they ran, the young man in front muttered, "Peggy, hurry up! It's all because you insisted on that special blueberry pie. We're still in the Bronx District this late at night. We need to get out of here fast. If we stay any longer, all those vicious thugs will come out."

The black-haired girl being pulled along was in the wrong and did not argue. Even in high heels, she huffed and puffed after her boyfriend.

Behind them, the last remaining shop on the street, a bakery named White Truffle, creaked as it closed its doors.

Tang Qi stopped. He first glanced at the bus stop only a few steps away and the faintly visible bus lights in the distance. A helpless look crossed his face before he decisively turned and chased after Sally.

Though they had only met twice, they were classmates after all.

More importantly, Tang Qi had a good impression of the girl.

That reason was enough.

At the other end, Sally had indeed run into serious trouble.

She had been blocked in a dark alley by three white youths with atrocious fashion sense.

One had bleached blond hair and a nose ring. One was bare-chested, showing off his muscular upper body as he played with a knife. The third looked slightly more normal, but his excessive indulgence was written all over his face, and both his arms were covered in needle marks. The words "not a good person" were practically stamped on his forehead.

The Drug Addict Ghost appeared to be the leader of the three. Standing in front, he tilted his pale face, licked his purple-rimmed lips with a disgusting tongue, and stared at Sally with lecherous eyes.

"Look at that. We hit the jackpot today. We found ourselves a top-quality babe."

"She might look frumpy, but those hot, perfect curves can't fool my eyes. Trust me, she's a real prize. We can take her back and lock her up, have some fun with her for a few days, then sell her after we're done. We'll make a nice little fortune."

"Hehehe~"

Though the Drug Addict Ghost's words sounded unreliable, Sally's frightened, rapid breathing made her chest and stomach rise and fall. The other two thugs' eyes lit up as well, and they revealed equally disgusting expressions.

Sally did not scream, nor did she give any futile warnings. She simply pressed her lips together. Behind her black-rimmed glasses, beneath the deep despair and terror in her eyes, was a trace of determination that was difficult to notice. One hand quietly slipped into her small bag and gripped something.

It was a knife, too short and too dull. Combined with her lack of strength, it would be difficult to use for self-defense. But if she used it to kill herself, it would be fast enough.

Since her home was in the Bronx District, she had no choice but to travel through this dangerous place.

But in the past, she had always perfectly calculated the streets she would take and the time required, reasonably avoiding every dangerous corner. She rarely encountered people like these.

The Bronx District was dangerous because it gathered dangerous figures such as gangs and killers.

But for a female student like her, even if she encountered those people, there was actually no need to worry.

The people who were truly harmful were others.

Like lowlife thugs, drug addicts wandering everywhere, and the occasional dangerous homeless man.

She had avoided them all before, but this time—

Because she had been leading Tang Qi, who was unfamiliar with the roads, and because her misunderstanding of Tang Qi had left her sad and flustered, she had not only stayed out too late but also taken a wrong turn or two. Now, she was out of luck.

Watching the three disgusting thugs close in, the determination in Sally's eyes grew stronger and stronger.

Her hand gripped the knife tightly and slowly pulled it out. The direction of her force was not aimed at the three men in front of her, but at her own stomach.

She was only a female student. Even with a knife, she could not defeat three strong men, especially with a crazed drug addict among them.

But she could make sure these three things got nothing. By the time they caught her, all that would remain would be a corpse.

"Girl, stop resisting. Be good, and we promise to give you a time you'll never forget."

"A girl like you must be the least popular with boys at school, right? No one's ever chased you. Your first kiss and your first time must still be untouched. Relax. Leave them to us. You'll soon understand what it means to be so blissed out you'll want to die."

The Drug Addict Ghost stepped closer and closer, his words striking precisely at Sally's weak spot.

Her determined expression instantly turned into fury, and the knife's point swung toward the white youth in front of her.

Clearly, Sally had been seen through.

Though he was a drug addict, he truly knew how to deal with little girls.

He had even prepared himself to exert force. His feet shifted slightly to the side. The moment Sally made a move, he would quickly circle behind her and grab her. Then everything would be settled.

The dim alley was empty except for the flickering streetlamp. There was not even a ghostly shadow in sight.

Just as a small gap opened in Sally's bag and a gleaming blade flashed out exactly as the three expected, the Drug Addict Ghost burst into laughter and was about to lunge at Sally.

An accident happened.

"Whoosh."

A black shadow slipped silently in from the alley entrance.

Like a ghost, it appeared behind Blondie and Knife Guy. Two pale hands, each shaped like a blade, struck the backs of their necks. Two crisp cracks sounded, and the two rolled their eyes back before collapsing to the ground.

The black shadow did not snatch the knife from Knife Guy's hand. Instead, as the Drug Addict Ghost heard the sound and tried to rush forward to seize Sally as a hostage—

It suddenly accelerated, darting over as two seemingly weak arms locked around the Drug Addict Ghost's neck.

Just as the Drug Addict Ghost felt the other person's arms were weak and rejoiced, a tremendous twisting force came down on him. A human neck was far too fragile to resist such strength. With a crack, his neck broke, and his body immediately went limp.

After dealing with all three, the black shadow staggered as well. One hand braced against the wall, and then it began gulping down breaths, its chest heaving like a bellows.

The weak streetlamp shone over, revealing Tang Qi's face, flushed bright red from the burst of intense exertion.

"Sally, you..."

"Thump."

"Ah~"

Tang Qi had just caught his breath and was about to comfort the girl, who should have been terrified, when he looked up and saw a figure suddenly throw herself into his arms.

Then Tang Qi could not help letting out a miserable cry.