Monster

"Kirsty, wake up."

Wu Heng gently shook Kirsty, who was asleep, with a document in his hand.

"Mmm..."

The girl had expressed her reluctance in her own way the night before, and was still sleeping, exhausted, when Wu Heng shook her awake.

Kirsty took the pen Wu Heng handed her and sleepily wrote her name on the document beside her.

"Go back to sleep."

Wu Heng picked up the document and looked it over. It was a deed of transfer that included this four-bedroom villa, the pet shop, and a check for ten million pounds.

Wu Heng hadn't transferred all of the Miranda Family's assets to Kirsty. According to the reward he had received, he would return to this world again, and he wanted to retain the rights attached to his identity as Dean.

Then Wu Heng set the breakfast, the document, and a letter on the table, gently kissed Kirsty, and checked the photograph and crystal ball he was carrying.

Wu Heng had also made a copy of the photograph of Pinhead Spencer and given it to Kirsty. In the original story, she was the one who found it.

With everything done, Wu Heng headed for the airport in Hatton. His flight to Manchester City was at ten.

*

*

Nine o'clock that evening, Manchester City.

Inside the Phil Street subway station.

Wearing a trench coat and carrying a briefcase, Wu Heng checked the map he'd downloaded.

According to the markings, the fat guy should be behind that iron grate where the end of this subway tunnel connects to the sewers.

That place was the Underground Kingdom's territory.

"Sir, spare some change!"

A homeless man in tattered blue clothes sat cross-legged on the ground, a half-blanket covering his legs. He called out to Wu Heng.

"Have you seen this man?"

Wu Heng placed a fifty-pound note in the homeless man's cup and showed him a photograph of the fat man from the story.

"Oh, I've seen him before. He came over here asking me a bunch of questions about the Underground Kingdom."

The homeless man pointed to the left.

Wu Heng nodded and followed the indicated direction down the subway tunnel. After about twenty minutes, he reached the end.

Fifty meters ahead, a subway train sat with its lights out.

It's shut down this early? No wonder they're not getting their blessings.

Wu Heng felt sorry for them.

"Ah!"

A man's scream suddenly came from near the front of the subway train.

Now a blood expert, Wu Heng could smell the strong stench of blood. He stopped and tightened his grip on the black-and-gold briefcase in his hand.

He had had this briefcase custom-made a few days ago. He'd need to take a plane, go through security, and then enter the subway.

Firearms and explosives were too dangerous to carry around.

To make the most of his physical strength, Wu Heng had specifically designed this briefcase with a fixed handle that could even withstand bullets.

There was also a leather strap in the middle of the inside panel. If necessary, he could hold the case by it and use it as a shield.

Sensing something was wrong, Wu Heng slowly backed away toward the passage nearest the subway exit.

Better to avoid trouble. Whatever was up ahead—a serial killer or some kind of monster—had nothing to do with him.

After he'd gone a dozen steps, a faint, rapid pattering came from around the corner, like nails repeatedly tapping the ground.

Wu Heng spun around and raised the briefcase to swing, but stopped himself halfway.

It was only a little white Pomeranian, which ran up beside him.

"Help!"

Another man's scream rang out, accompanied by a growl.

There were also all kinds of noisy dog barks, voices, and rat squeaks.

"Help! Is anyone there?"

A woman with wine-red hair, wearing a floral dress and a white furry vest, ran toward Wu Heng from the rear carriage of the subway.

Her ample chest bounced with every hurried step, as if it might leap ahead of her at any moment.

"Is anyone there?"

Startled by the woman's voice, the little Pomeranian darted past Wu Heng and squeezed through a square, three-foot-high opening in the wall up ahead.

Wu Heng hurried toward the exit.

The red-haired Elina spotted him and desperately called out for help.

"Help! Someone's chasing me. Someone's been attacked!"

Wu Heng couldn't sense any strong aura of darkness. At the very least, he was certain that the Cenobites weren't behind her.

After thinking it over, he decided to stop and ask what had happened. He could always teleport away if things went wrong, and nothing was following the woman at the moment.

"Miss, it looks like you're not having a very good night."

When Elina saw Wu Heng stop, his handsome face made her feel she could trust him.

Good looks could sometimes be mistaken for good character, though the two had nothing to do with each other.

"Help! Sorry, I got trapped in the subway. My friend was attacked, you understand? She tried to force herself on—then the doors opened and she was dragged away. Someone took her. She..."

Elina rambled incoherently.

"Stop! Did you see what it was? A demon, a monster, or some kind of ghost?"

Wu Heng cut off Elina's rambling and asked her.

"I don't know. It was really fast, like a werewolf in a movie."

"There's something wrong down here."

Elina pulled out a cigarette, lit it with trembling hands, and took a drag.

"Is that so? In that case, I'm going to leave. Do you want to come with me?"

Wu Heng asked calmly.

"My friends..." The woman looked worried.

"Go outside and call the police, or turn around and look for your friends. I won't stop you."

Wu Heng continued toward the subway exit without waiting for her.

A gentleman didn't put himself in danger, and he had no intention of sticking his nose into other people's business.

Hearing this, Elina stopped talking about her friends and hurried after Wu Heng.

Suddenly, countless rats squealed from inside the passage walls. Mixed in with them was Elina's own voice, calling for help.

But Elina was right beside Wu Heng. Her own voice coming from inside the walls turned her face deathly pale. She ran faster, dropping her cigarette on the ground.

The little white dog appeared again, staring intently at Wu Heng and Elina as it wagged its tail.

Then a man and a woman dressed like homeless people emerged from a side alcove, holding daggers. They stood beside the dog and blocked Wu Heng and Elina's way.

Wu Heng stopped.

"Leave the case and your money," the thin man shouted, bloodshot eyes giving away his bluff.

The two of them had no idea what was happening. Seeing Wu Heng's fine clothes, they had decided to rob him.

"Ah!"

Elina shrieked in fright, stepped back, and hid behind Wu Heng.

"What use is money to the dead?"

Wu Heng said coldly.

An ordinary man couldn't possibly have made Wu Heng stop.

He could have killed the thin man just by bumping into him as he walked past.

"What do you mean—"

The thin man had barely gotten halfway through his sentence when he cried out in pain. Then his voice abruptly fell silent.