Chapter 359: A Long-Lost Nightmare
“Ugh!” I stumbled out of the intricate alleyways, my clothes somewhat damp. Turning back towards the direction of the previous fight, I could still faintly see flames.
A sudden, heavy downpour extinguished the fire. That was close; if not for the rain, the flames would have spread to several city blocks, and the number of casualties would have been incalculable.
Even now, the losses and casualties were undoubtedly significant. It was all my fault, but I couldn’t compensate. I thought with guilt.
Simultaneously, I noticed the dense concentration of wooden residential buildings and the scattered water sources, highlighting their poor fire resistance. If not for the timely rain, the fire might have spread to several neighborhoods. Would there be such a coincidental rain next time?
However, this rain was also unusual. I clearly remembered that before coming to the Trade Fair, the sky had only a little fog and no dark clouds. Because it was close to the time of the double moon convergence, I had specifically checked the moon, and indeed, there were no dark clouds.
Then this timely rain fell so abruptly, and it was as quick to leave as it was to arrive. It stopped once the fire was put out, and I only briefly sheltered from the rain.
Before that, I had been tracking the Ghoul’s bloodstain. The trail extended to a narrow opening, a drainage outlet for the rain, which should lead directly to the city’s sewer system.
The Ghoul had crawled in with the corpse. An adult would not fit through that opening, but Parul’s size would. However, I found it too dirty, and I had no idea what the situation was like down there. What if I crawled in and found myself surrounded by a Ghoul nest?
Considering my injuries, I chose to abandon the pursuit. The problem was, who was the attacker? According to the Ghoul, they had also killed that girl.
I thought of the serial murderer I had heard about before, who specialized in killing young women and then taking a part of their bodies.
That poor girl’s chest was also cut open and her internal organs removed. Although I didn’t know which specific organ, I saw severed intestines. And I was attacked too. This matched the serial murderer’s characteristics.
“Ugh!” I forcibly pulled the knife from my hand. It was a very sharp knife, perfect for cutting human bodies, removing organs, and even cutting off bones without difficulty.
The attacker was likely also a girl. From my brief encounter with her, her strength wasn’t great, but her speed and technique were quite exaggerated.
I carefully put the knife away and took out a bottle of Life Elixir from my waist, drinking it down. I had originally intended to sell it or trade it at the Trade Fair, but now I had to use it myself.
The wounds on my neck, palms, and chest healed rapidly. This sudden battle had been quick, but it was one of the most intense I had experienced.
In less than a minute of combat, I sustained three injuries, each targeting vital points: my forehead, carotid artery, and heart. If I had faltered in any of those areas, I would be dead on the spot.
This female attacker was skilled in killing; she was a professional murderer. She was too dangerous. I broke out in a cold sweat thinking about it.
Carefully securing my knife, I had no desire to linger and quickly returned to the apartment building. Veia seemed to still be in a deep sleep, but I could faintly sense her aura growing stronger, as if she were undergoing a breakthrough and rebirth, likely completing her advancement soon.
Usually, when I returned home, Older Brother Jayad would be there to greet me. But not today. As I entered the room and looked at the empty space, I remembered that he was working at the tavern today and wouldn’t be back until very late.
The fatigue from the battle and the blood loss from my injuries left me exhausted. I threw my things down, took off my tuxedo, and collapsed onto the bed, feeling incredibly sleepy and wanting to sleep.
But I felt like something was missing. I tossed and turned, feeling a sense of incompleteness. Despite being so tired, I couldn’t fall asleep easily, and the bed felt uncomfortable. What was missing?
Ah, right! It was the brother-shaped pillow. He usually held me when I slept, and I had become accustomed to it. Now, without Older Brother Jayad beside me, I felt restless.
However, I had indeed expended too much energy. Even though my sleep was restless, I still drifted off into a daze.
Huh? Where am I? Why does it feel like my whole body is shaking? Who is shaking my bed?
I felt uncomfortable, the shaking making me dizzy. I managed to open my eyes, only to find myself no longer in my familiar room.
Ah! I know this situation. It’s a nightmare, a precognitive nightmare, or rather, a nightmare that might bring misfortune.
I need Older Brother Jayad to hold me while I sleep to find a moment of peace. Otherwise, even if I fall asleep, I will have nightmares. My nightmares are vivid, as if they are actually happening to me.
Or, perhaps, this is something that will happen to me in the future.
“Is this… a ship?” I looked around in confusion. This place looked like a cabin. There were bunk beds on both sides, and I was lying on the upper bunk.
The reason I thought it was a ship was because the ship was constantly rocking up and down. Lying there was very uncomfortable, so I was forced to climb down.
A smell entered my nostrils, and I immediately had a bad feeling. I had smelled this scent not long ago, like rust with a hint of sweet and salty, the smell of blood.
I didn’t dare to linger in the cabin and walked out. Outside was an old, damp corridor. The doors to the cabins on both sides were open, but there was no one inside, as if everyone on the ship had died. Besides the sound of the waves, it was silent.
At this moment, I suddenly noticed a discordant color in one of the cabins that caught my eye. It was a red and black color, looking like blood flowing on the ground, the stain left after it had dried.
And this bloodstain was flowing from a cabinet inside the cabin. The room exuded a stench of decay, easily reminding one of a hidden corpse case.
At this point, I could no longer ignore it. I walked into the cabin and, with trembling hands, opened the cabinet, hoping it was just the corpse of some bird or spoiled fish.
But it was not as I had hoped, or perhaps it was as I had expected. The cabinet opened to reveal a human corpse. It looked like a sailor, his once white sailor uniform soaked in black grease. His body was also decaying, blood and grease mixed together, inseparable. His face was disfigured, as if it had been smashed to smithereens with some blunt tool.
“Ugh!” I covered my mouth. I could remain calm when I saw the murdered girl earlier, but this corpse was too disgusting. Coupled with the dizziness from the rocking ship, I immediately felt like vomiting.
“Ah, you found me.” At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind.
