The roar of the black Impala's engine mingled with AC/DC's rock music, making the windows tremble. A faint scent of mugwort drifted through the car. Bai Haorui sat in the back seat, carefully wiping the blade of his peachwood sword with a soft cloth. The Five Emperor Coins strung around its hilt jingled with every bump, as though quietly chanting an incantation no one could understand.
"This San Francisco case is interesting." Sam looked down, his fingers swiping rapidly across his phone screen, his brow furrowing deeper. He turned the autopsy report toward Dean in the driver's seat. "Two hearts ripped out in six months. The incisions in the victims' chests were unbelievably clean, sharper than a surgeon's scalpel, and both bodies had barbed bite marks."
Dean glanced at the photographs in the report and whistled, a note of recognition in his voice. "Full moons and missing hearts. Nothing but a werewolf could've done this. But the work's way too precise. Ordinary werewolves are pretty rough about squeezing all the organs out first."
Bai Haorui suddenly stopped wiping his sword. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the trees racing past outside, his fingers gently rubbing the warm Five Emperor Coins. His voice was level, but carried an almost imperceptible gravity. "Looks like we've got work to do again."
Dean grinned, turned the wheel, and slammed down the accelerator. The rock music instantly grew louder. "Then let's show San Francisco's werewolf boys what we can do. We'll hit the crime scene first when we get there and see what this werewolf's playing at."
Bright yellow police tape stretched across the entrance to the law firm. Several officers stood guard, exhaustion written all over their faces. Dean led the way straight over and flashed his fake FBI credentials. He clapped one of the officers on the shoulder, speaking as familiarly as an old friend. "Buddy, help us out. The evidence inside is crucial to our investigation."
The officer glanced down at the credentials, then looked up at the three young men in trench coats and waved impatiently. "Get in there, then. Don't touch anything at the scene. The medical examiner's still waiting inside."
The firm was a mess. Documents lay scattered everywhere, and desks and chairs stood askew, as though a fierce struggle had taken place. Sam crouched to examine the scratches on the floor, while Dean strolled over to the desk. His gaze settled on a whiskey glass still half full of liquor. A vivid lipstick mark stained its rim, its glaring red looking out of place amid the surrounding wreckage.
Bai Haorui did not join their search. He walked straight to the spot where Nate had fallen and crouched down, using the tip of a fallen pen to gently pick up a little dark red liquid. It was sticky and carried a faint, foul, fishy smell. He took the Five Emperor Coins from his pocket and placed them beside the puddle. Within seconds, the copper coins began to heat up, even giving off a faint red glow.
"Werewolf saliva. Pretty corrosive, too." Bai Haorui retrieved the coins and took out a small glass vial, carefully scraping the liquid into it. He looked up at Dean. "I'll use this to draw a Tracking Talisman and see if it can help us find the werewolf's den."
Just then, a medical examiner in a white coat approached and lowered his voice. "The victim's heart was removed intact. The incision was absurdly smooth, and the barbs along the bite marks definitely weren't left by a stray dog. The previous victim was a prostitute from Hunters Point. Her body was mostly decomposed when it washed ashore, but her heart was missing too."
Sam immediately asked, "Was there any connection between the victims? People they both knew, or places they'd both visited?"
The medical examiner shook his head. "We haven't found anything yet. But Nate's secretary said he'd been harassing his female subordinates lately. He'd made plenty of enemies."
Sam nodded and turned to search the drawers for clues. Soon, his fingers touched a photograph. It was a work portrait of a woman in business clothes, her long hair falling over her shoulders, her features delicate, though a nearly imperceptible trace of panic lingered in her eyes. The corners had been folded repeatedly, and the edges had turned white. Clearly, its owner often took it out to look at it.
Dean leaned over, glanced at the photograph, and gave a wicked grin. He nudged Sam's shoulder with his elbow. "Hey, kid, that secretary's pretty cute. You're staring awfully hard at her picture. Don't tell me you've got a crush."
Sam's cheeks reddened slightly. He hastily stuffed the photograph into his pocket and insisted, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just looking for clues."
Bai Haorui leaned over for a look as well. He raised an eyebrow and spoke casually. "She is pretty. But judging by her face, it looks like something's attached itself to her."
Dean scraped away the werewolf saliva on the floor with his shoe. His lips twisted as he speculated, "Looks like we've got more than one werewolf. Could be a master and apprentice, or a whole pack?" He patted Sam's shoulder. "Come on. Let's talk to this secretary, Madison, first. She worked for Nate. She must know something."
Madison's office was much tidier than Nate's. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, scattering patches of light and shadow across the floor. She was looking down, sorting documents, when a pen suddenly slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a sharp clatter. Sam hurried over, bent to pick it up, and held it out to her.
The instant their fingers touched, Madison jerked her hand back as though burned. Her collar slipped slightly at the back of her neck, revealing a faint scar that looked like an animal bite.
The Five Emperor Coins in Bai Haorui's pocket suddenly trembled. He discreetly pressed them still, his expression turning grave. He stepped forward and showed his credentials, his tone gentle but faintly probing. "Miss Madison, we're with the FBI. We'd like to ask you about Mr. Nate."
Madison unconsciously rubbed the scar on the back of her neck, her gaze wavering, her voice hesitant. "He... he wasn't very respectful toward his female employees. He was always saying suggestive things. I turned him down many times. It was also why my ex-boyfriend and I broke up. He'd only started holding back a little recently." When she mentioned her ex-boyfriend Kurt, her voice began to tremble, and her knuckles whitened around the documents. "My ex-boyfriend, Kurt, is very obsessive. Last week, he saw Nate talking to me at a bar and smashed a glass. He said he'd make Nate pay."
Just then, the office door suddenly opened, and a man came in carrying a bag of blueberry muffins. A friendly smile hung on his face, and his voice was warm. "I heard you're investigating Nate's case. I'm Madison's neighbor, Glen." As he spoke, his gaze repeatedly swept over Madison, a nearly imperceptible trace of calculation in his eyes. "I saw Kurt hanging around downstairs last night. The look in his eyes-you could tell he was up to no good."
Bai Haorui sniffed, catching a faint fishy scent of seawater on Glen. He raised an eyebrow, his tone probing. "Sir, were you at Hunters Point last night?"
Glen's expression instantly stiffened. He faltered for a second, then hurriedly waved his hands. "N-no. I was home all night."
Dean's gaze fell on Glen's cuff. A little brown dirt clung to it, clearly the kind found outside the city. He gave a cold laugh, his voice tinged with mockery. "You picked up dirt from the outskirts at home? You're a lousy liar."
Glen went pale, unable to maintain his smile. Claiming he had something else to do, he hurried out of the office.
Watching Glen leave, Bai Haorui turned to the brothers and said quietly, "Something's wrong with him. His yin energy is much heavier than Madison's, and he carries a strong murderous aura. There's definitely more to him."
Dean nodded and drew the silver knife at his waist, his gaze sharp. "We split up. Sam, stay here and keep investigating. Xiao Bai and I will search Kurt's apartment and see if he's a suspect."
Sam had no objection. Looking at Madison's pale face, he felt an inexplicable pang of tenderness.
When Dean and Bai Haorui reached Kurt's apartment, the door was unlocked and standing ajar. They pushed it open, and a heavy smell of alcohol hit them. The room was a mess, with liquor bottles scattered everywhere. Dean found a stack of intimate photographs in the nightstand. In them, Madison's smile was strained, while Kurt's arm clamped tightly around her waist, his eyes filled with a fierce possessiveness.
"This guy's a control freak." Dean tossed the photographs onto the bed. He glanced at the hunting rifle hanging on the wall and shook his head. "But the rifle's legally registered. Doesn't look like he has any connection to supernatural creatures."
Bai Haorui crouched to examine the marks on the floor and shook his head. "There's no werewolf aura here. Kurt's probably clean."
Just then, a piercing scream suddenly came from downstairs.
Dean's expression changed. He grabbed Bai Haorui, who was about to head downstairs. "Stay here and keep looking for clues. I'll check it out!" Before he had finished speaking, he had drawn the silver knife from his boot and charged downstairs.
The alley below was in chaos. A police officer lay on the ground, clutching his thigh and groaning in pain. A figure crouched beside him, blue eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness, sharp claws pressed against his throat. Hearing footsteps, the figure whipped its head around and let out a low growl.
A werewolf!
Dean had no time to think. He twisted aside to dodge its lunging claws, reversing his grip on the silver knife and slashing hard at its arm as he moved. The werewolf screamed in pain, smashed through a nearby window, and leaped inside. Flying glass cut Dean's cheek, leaving a bloody line.
Ignoring the pain, Dean crouched to examine the officer's wound. The bite marks were identical to those on Nate. His gaze fell to the ground, where a loose button lay. Its design was familiar. It was from Madison's coat.
Dean's heart sank. He immediately took out his phone and called Sam, his voice urgent. "Sam! Don't trust Madison! She's the werewolf!"
When Sam answered, Madison was coming in through the door with a glass of warm water, which she held out to him. He instinctively moved in front of her and growled into the phone, "Impossible! She's been with me the whole time!"
After hanging up, Sam's gaze fell on Madison's arm. There was a shallow wound there, blackened around the edges-the mark silver left when it burned a werewolf.
Sam's body instantly went rigid.
In the motel room, Dean and Sam were locked in a fierce argument.
"The full moon's almost here! She'll transform completely, and then she'll kill more people!" Dean shouted, pointing at the moon slowly rising outside, his eyes bloodshot. "We have to kill her! That's the hunters' rule!"
"She's innocent!" Sam raised his voice too, staring hard at Dean. "Dad's journal said killing the original werewolf could lift the curse! Madison was cursed. She didn't choose this!"
Bai Haorui sat in a nearby chair, cracking sunflower seeds as he watched the brothers square off. He spoke unhurriedly, interrupting their argument. "Stop fighting, you two. How about this: one of you watches Kurt, and the other protects Madison. Play rock-paper-scissors to keep it fair. I'll watch Glen. He's pretty suspicious too."
Dean and Sam exchanged a look. "Fine."
During rock-paper-scissors, Dean threw scissors three times in a row. Sam threw rock twice and won.
"You know I always throw scissors!" Dean complained, but still turned to pack his gear. He took a packet of silver bullets from his bag and tossed it to Sam. "Take these. Call immediately if anything happens. Don't let love go to your head and make you forget you're a hunter."
Bai Haorui tossed Dean a packet of glutinous rice rounds too, a teasing smile curling his lips. "For warding off wolves. Better than silver bullets. Might save you another scratch on that face."
Dean glared at him and stuffed the rounds into his pocket.
When Sam reached Madison's home, she was baking cookies in the kitchen. The rich scent of butter drifted from the oven, and warm light fell over her, softening her pale complexion. A copy of Introduction to Psychology lay on the kitchen counter. Its worn cover suggested it was read often.
Sam stopped in his tracks, feeling as though something had struck his heart hard. In college, this had been Jessica's favorite textbook. He had even accompanied her to the library to borrow it several times.
Hearing footsteps, Madison turned and gave him a faint smile. "You're here? The cookies are almost ready. Want to try one?"
Sam walked over, his gaze settling on Introduction to Psychology, his voice a little hoarse. "You like psychology too?"
Madison nodded and took out the baked cookies, arranging them on a plate. "I used to want to qualify as a counselor. Later, I became a secretary to make money." She offered Sam a cookie, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Have you read this book too?"
Sam took a bite. The cloying sweetness melted in his mouth, but bitterness rose in his heart. He said softly, "My former girlfriend studied it too."
Madison's eyes softened. As though she understood something, she sighed quietly. "She... you're not together anymore?"
Sam nodded silently, his throat feeling so blocked that he could not speak.
Madison did not press him. She sat beside Sam on the couch, turned on the television, and put on a dull soap opera. Outside, the sky gradually darkened. The moon slowly climbed overhead, spilling silvery light across the floor like a thin layer of frost.
Madison yawned, her shoulder casually coming to rest against Sam's.
Sam stayed rigid for three seconds, then slowly relaxed. He turned to look at Madison's profile. Her long lashes drooped slightly, and she looked quiet and fragile. A thought suddenly rose in his mind. If I weren't a hunter, and she weren't a werewolf, could we sit like this as ordinary people and watch soap operas for the rest of our lives?
He crushed the thought as soon as it appeared. He was a Winchester. Hunting demons was his destiny, while she was a werewolf, something he was supposed to hunt.
Madison gradually fell asleep against his shoulder, but her brow remained tightly furrowed, as though she were having a nightmare. Sam reached out, then abruptly withdrew his hand just before his fingertips touched her brow.
His phone vibrated. It was a message from Bai Haorui: The full moon's almost here. Be careful.
Sam stared at the message, his inner struggle growing fiercer. Kill her, or...? He did not know.
Madison suddenly jolted awake. Crying, "No!" she sat bolt upright, her forehead covered in cold sweat.
Sam hurriedly steadied her. "Nightmare?"
Madison panted, her face frighteningly pale. She clutched Sam's arm, her voice trembling. "I dreamed I was running through the dark. There was blood everywhere under my feet, and a voice kept saying in my ear, 'You're just like me. You're a monster.'"
Sam's heart felt as though a needle had pierced it. He took Madison's hand, his voice firm. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. I won't let you turn into a monster."
Just then, Madison's pupils began to glow faintly blue. Her nails slowly lengthened, revealing sharp tips.
After receiving Bai Haorui's message, Dean immediately headed to Hunters Point.
This was San Francisco's red-light district. Flashing neon bathed the entire alley in a suggestive yet dangerous atmosphere. Prostitutes stood along the street in revealing clothes, posing seductively for passing men.
Pretending to be a customer looking for a good time, Dean approached a blonde prostitute and offered her a bill, his tone flippant. "Hey, gorgeous. Seen a guy with glasses who looks pretty mild-mannered? He comes here a lot."
The blonde gave him a wary look, accepted the money, and curled her lip. "You mean Glen? He's always here. Looks at people like they're prey. Creepy as hell."
No sooner had she spoken than a scream rang out in the alley.
Dean's expression changed, and he immediately ran toward the scream. In the shadows at the end of the alley, a werewolf had pinned a woman beneath it. Its blue eyes were glaringly bright in the dim light, and its claws had already torn through her clothes.
"Don't move!" Dean shouted. He drew his gun, chambered a silver bullet, and aimed at the werewolf's heart.
Hearing him, the werewolf whipped its head around. It released the woman, a low snarl rising in its throat. The woman seized the chance to scramble away.
Dean did not hesitate. He pulled the trigger.
The silver bullet whistled through the air and struck the werewolf square in the chest.
The werewolf let out an agonized scream and fell, its body gradually shrinking back into human form. It was Glen.
He lay on the ground, blood pouring from his chest. Looking at Dean, he gave a strange smile and rasped, "The curse... won't be lifted... you're... wasting your time..."
Before he could finish, his head slumped to one side, and he stopped breathing.
Dean crouched to examine Glen's body. In his pocket, he found a photograph of Glen and Madison together as neighbors. Madison was smiling happily in it. There was also an ancient wooden box. He opened it to find three bloody hearts inside.
Dean's stomach churned. Forcing down his nausea, he immediately called Sam, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible hope. "Sam! Glen's dead. He was the original werewolf!"
On the other end, Sam's voice trembled, full of hope. "What about Madison? Can she go back to normal?"
The words caught in Dean's throat. Looking at the hearts in the box, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Sam hung up and looked at Madison, his voice excited. "It's okay! Glen's dead! The curse will be lifted! You won't turn into a werewolf!"
Madison sat by the window, her face white as paper. She stared at her hands. Her fingers were slowly lengthening, her nails sharpening, the blue in her pupils deepening. Her body began to tremble, and tears slid down her cheeks. "Sam... something feels wrong... I..."
Before she could finish, her body began convulsing violently. She shoved Sam away, rushed into the bathroom, and slammed and locked the door.
Heart-wrenching sobs came from the bathroom, along with the sound of tearing clothes.
Sam panicked. He pounded desperately on the bathroom door, shouting, "Madison! Open the door! Open it!"
Just then, Bai Haorui arrived. His expression changed at the sight of Sam frantically pounding on the door. He immediately took out his peachwood sword and a Soul-Subduing Talisman, shouting, "Move! I'll try a sealing technique to suppress her transformation temporarily!"
Sam hurried aside. Bai Haorui stuck the Soul-Subduing Talisman to the bathroom door, muttered an obscure incantation, and touched the talisman with his peachwood sword.
The crying in the bathroom stopped briefly, and Sam's eyes lit up.
But soon, even fiercer sounds of struggling came from inside. The door shook under pounding blows. The talisman began to smoke, then quickly burned to ash.
Bai Haorui's expression darkened. He put away his peachwood sword, his voice low and tinged with helplessness. "It's no use! The curse is irreversible! What Glen said before he died was true! Once this curse takes hold, it can never be lifted!"
Sam swayed, then collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly at the bathroom door.
The last shred of hope was utterly destroyed.
After an unknown amount of time, the bathroom door was suddenly smashed open.
A werewolf charged out, blue eyes gleaming viciously, sharp claws flashing coldly. She lunged straight at Sam. He had no time to dodge and could only watch the claws coming toward him.
At the critical moment, Bai Haorui reacted swiftly and flung out a handful of glutinous rice rounds. They burst and clung to the werewolf's body. She screamed, her movements slowing.
Dean arrived too, silver chains in hand. Taking advantage of the werewolf's slowed movements, he rushed forward and wrapped the chains around her. They seared her skin with a sizzling sound, leaving black marks.
The werewolf struggled in pain, gradually returning to human form. It was Madison.
She was drenched in sweat, her torn clothes exposing the burns left by the silver chains. Looking at Sam, she spoke in a hoarse voice filled with despair. "Kill me, Sam. Please."
Sam crouched before her and took her hands. They were burning hot. His tears fell onto them, their heat making her tremble slightly. Choking with sobs, he spoke in a broken voice. "What else can I do? Is there another cure? I'll find it! I know I can!"
Madison shook her head. She raised her hand and used all her strength to wipe away Sam's tears. Her smile was weak, but held a hint of acceptance. "There isn't... Sam, I'm so happy I met you. At least before I became a monster, I knew what it felt like to be cared about."
Sam looked into her eyes. The blue was slowly fading, revealing their original light brown, so much like Jessica's. An invisible hand seemed to clench his heart, hurting so badly he could not breathe.
Madison leaned into his arms and said softly, "I want to know, if... if you weren't a demon hunter, and I weren't a werewolf, could we have had a different ending?"
Sam held her tightly, tears pouring down his face. "Yes... we definitely could... We'd be like ordinary people, baking cookies, watching soap operas, spending our whole lives together..."
Madison smiled and closed her eyes, resting in Sam's arms as though asleep.
Late that night, moonlight streamed through the window, casting a deathly white glow across the floor.
Madison suddenly opened her eyes. The blue in her pupils had completely overtaken them. She abruptly broke free of the silver chains, a low growl rising in her throat.
Dean was a light sleeper. Hearing the movement, he woke immediately. The werewolf was already on him, her sharp claws pressed against his throat.
"Dean!" Sam shouted. He charged forward, only for the werewolf to fling him aside.
The werewolf lowered her head, aiming her sharp teeth at Dean's throat.
Watching this, Sam's gaze fell on the gun lying on the floor. It was loaded with silver bullets.
His hands shook uncontrollably. He picked up the gun and aimed it at the werewolf.
Hearing him, the werewolf whipped her head around, blue eyes fixed on him.
The instant their eyes met, the growling in the werewolf's throat gradually subsided. A flicker of struggle crossed its eyes, and a whimper escaped its throat.
It was Madison's remaining humanity.
Dean shouted, a trace of blood in his voice, "Sam! Do it! She can't control herself!"
Sam's finger rested on the trigger. He looked at the struggle in the werewolf's eyes, at that familiar face, his tears blurring his vision.
He remembered the cookies Madison had baked, the Introduction to Psychology in her hands, the warmth of her leaning against his shoulder.
He closed his eyes.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out.
The silver bullet pierced the werewolf's heart.
The werewolf fell to the floor, her body gradually shrinking back into Madison's form. She lay there, blood pouring from her chest and staining her clothes red.
Sam rushed over and gathered her into his arms. His hands trembled as he tried to staunch the blood flowing from her chest, but nothing he did could stop it.
Madison looked at him, a faint smile touching her lips. Her voice was soft, like a wisp of smoke. "Thank you... Sam... for letting me... stop having nightmares..."
With that, her head fell to one side, and she closed her eyes forever.
Bai Haorui turned away, unable to bear watching. He took out a Salvation Talisman and lit it with a lighter. It burned, becoming a wisp of smoke. He murmured, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Let attachments disperse and the soul find peace."
The room was deathly silent, save for the crackle of the burning talisman.
Sam held Madison's body without moving. Tears slid silently down his face and fell onto hers.
After an unknown amount of time, Dean came over, offered Sam a bottle of beer, and sat beside him.
Sam did not take it. Looking at Madison's pale face, he spoke in a voice hoarse beyond recognition. "Why... why are we always the ones who have to sacrifice everything?"
Dean was silent for a moment. He patted Sam's shoulder, his voice carrying weariness and helplessness. "Because we're Winchesters. This is our fate."
Bai Haorui leaned against the doorframe. The Five Emperor Coins in his hand had returned to their original color and were no longer hot. Looking at the brothers' backs and the body on the floor, he sighed softly.
Taoism taught obedience to heaven and acceptance of fate.
But some fates were far too cruel.
And whoever had written this fate would certainly pay the price!
Outside, the moon gradually disappeared behind the clouds. The night was as thick as ink that would not dissolve.
The black Impala took to the road again, its engine's roar breaking the stillness. There was no AC/DC playing inside, only silence.
Sam sat in the back seat, holding Madison's work photograph. The woman in it wore a strained smile.
Bai Haorui watched the trees racing past outside. The Five Emperor Coins on his peachwood sword jingled, as though singing a mournful elegy for this night.
The car drove farther and farther away, finally disappearing into the darkness, leaving only San Francisco's wind sobbing through the alleys.