Desperate Little Goddess

The sky had turned completely dark. Su Xiaoqiang hummed a soft tune as she walked home, feeling quite exhausted after playing all day.

The road was quiet tonight, her shoes clicking rhythmically against the solid concrete.

Aside from the occasional sound of a car passing in the distance, there was nothing but the echo of her own footsteps.

Wait!

Listening closely, there seemed to be other footsteps not far behind her. They didn't sound like a normal person walking; it was more like someone deliberately trying to muffle their steps.

"Multiple disappearances have occurred in the city recently. The police advise everyone not to go out alone at night, especially young women."

Su Xiaoqiang recalled the news she had seen lately. Surely it couldn't be such a coincidence.

She feigned a gesture of brushing her hair behind her ear, taking the opportunity to turn slightly and glance behind her from the corner of her eye.

She could see a black shadow trailing her—it looked tall and was wearing a hood.

Su Xiaoqiang stiffened. Even someone like her, who usually acted like a bossy older sister in her daily life, felt a prickle of fear when faced with such a situation.

She couldn't help but quicken her pace, but the footsteps behind her accelerated in response!

In her panic, she turned into a dilapidated alley. She was so focused on escaping that she hadn't paid any attention to her surroundings.

Once inside the alley, Su Xiaoqiang immediately regretted her desperate choice of path.

The footsteps behind her grew faster still.

The rapid patter of feet mingled with Su Xiaoqiang's mounting panic. The person behind her knew she had discovered him, but he merely amplified the sound of his footsteps on purpose, in no hurry to catch up.

It was the teasing of a cat before it pounced on a mouse.

The black shadow behind her felt a surge of pleasure as he watched Su Xiaoqiang fall step by step into the trap of fear he had woven.

Usually, this alley would be crossed in a moment even at a slow walk, but tonight it felt agonizingly long. Su Xiaoqiang felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.

Zhao Hao was an unemployed drifter. He used to be nothing more than a petty thug, always involved in small-time thievery.

But one day, he discovered a hunter website where he could earn money by completing assigned tasks.

He accepted a mission to help someone retrieve an item near the city's overpass—a type of medicine, which they referred to as some kind of "evolution drug."

Later, those mysterious people told him that if he drank the medicine, he would receive extra money.

So, he drank it without hesitation; after all, the money was enough to keep him going for a long time, and it was just a test.

Just like that, after returning home, Zhao Hao discovered that his pupils had turned gold.

Ever since his pupils turned gold, his physique had strengthened significantly. Although some scales had grown on parts of his body, it didn't matter—they were just minor side effects. Compared to that, the superpowers he had gained were what mattered most.

However, after his physical capabilities were greatly enhanced, a bloodthirsty urge began to well up within him.

Consequently, he was no longer content with petty theft.

As his bloodlust grew, Zhao Hao began to frequently stalk young, beautiful women who walked alone at night.

The recent string of high-profile disappearances was his handiwork.

Today, he had found a new prey: a beautiful young girl. Based on his observations throughout the day, she appeared to be a rich girl.

To avoid being discovered, Zhao Hao had forced himself to wait until nightfall.

Now that he finally saw the girl alone, his desire to sate his hunger could no longer be contained.

"Heh heh!"

A laugh like a broken bellows rang out. Su Xiaoqiang could no longer suppress her terror and began to flee in a panic.

The rapid sound of footsteps clicked through the alley as she ran for her life in her simple women's low-heeled shoes.

But the wind blowing against her felt as if it were obstructing her progress, bringing her closer and closer to the person behind her.

She saw the light ahead; the exit was drawing near.

But when the tall, hooded figure appeared at the mouth of the alley, Su Xiaoqiang fell into despair.

She hadn't even noticed how he had managed to get in front of her.

"Why did you stop running?"

Zhao Hao's mocking voice rang out. He pulled back his hood, his golden pupils glowing. On both sides of his neck were blue-gray scales that looked like metal.

There were also scattered scales across his face.

A wave of immense terror washed over her. She knew he was likely the person from the news, but Su Xiaoqiang hadn't expected him to be a monster.

What kind of world was this?!

"Don't come any closer! I'm warning you, my father has a lot of influence in this area. If you dare lay a hand on me, you're dead. If you leave right now, I can pretend I never saw you."

Struggling against her fear, Su Xiaoqiang backed away while speaking these words to him.

"Don't worry. I've already scouted this place—there are no surveillance cameras at all.

Besides, even if the entire city's police force can't catch me, do you think your father can?

Not to mention that with my current abilities, I have no need to fear anyone."

Zhao Hao pressed forward, savoring the expression of terror on his target's face.

Looking at that disgusting face, Su Xiaoqiang felt nothing but a bone-chilling cold in the depths of her heart.

"I've been following you all day. I held back my desire to tear you apart while watching you shop with your classmates earlier, but among all the prey I've encountered, you are the most beautiful. I will savor you carefully!"

Zhao Hao could barely restrain his urge to devour her any longer.

Su Xiaoqiang stumbled backward a few steps; she realized that the monster before her had no intention of letting her go.

She covered her mouth with her hand, forcing down a wave of nausea.

She was just an ordinary high school student who had never seen such a thing before.

Driven by desperation, Su Xiaoqiang turned and ran backward with every ounce of strength she possessed.

But she hadn't made it far before a thud echoed through the air, and she collapsed to the ground.

Her vision blurred, and tears soaked Su Xiaoqiang's delicate face.

Watching the monster that seemed intent on eating her, she pressed her hands against the ground and inched backward.

So terrifying, someone please save me.

As she neared a mental breakdown, the monster with scales embedded in its face reached out toward her, a crazed grin plastered on its features.

"Shing~"

The sound of a blade leaving its sheath rang out.

"This is... a sword?"

"And, my hand?"

Zhao Hao stared blankly at his severed right hand.

"Truly disgusting." Lu Mingfei looked at the monster in its current state, a wave of revulsion rising in his heart.

A familiar voice reached Su Xiaoqiang's ears.

Su Xiaoqiang looked up to see Lu Mingfei, a black scabbard hanging at his left hip and a katana gripped in his right hand.

At this moment, his gaze toward the monster was filled with icy coldness.

"My hand! You actually dared to cut off my hand!" Zhao Hao wailed, snot and tears streaming down his face from the pain.