Chapter 1: Fragrance
Xu Huo opened the door to find a woman in a courier uniform standing outside. She tugged at the three-buttoned collar of her shirt and coquettishly said, “Handsome, my colleague went to the restroom. The refrigerator you bought is really heavy. Lend me a hand, and I’ll help you carry it inside.”
Xu Huo took a drag from his cigarette, staring at her, unable to help swallowing hard.
The woman seemed used to this. She bent down and wheeled the cart inside.
After unloading the refrigerator from the cart, she casually sat on the two-seater sofa in the living room.
Xu Huo stubbed out his cigarette and poured her a glass of water. “It’s hot out. Thanks for your hard work.”
His tablet on the coffee table lit up, displaying headlines in bold red:
“Newlyweds Missing in Mountainous Area; Suspected Killer an Elderly Widow. Is This Moral Decay or Human Distortion?”
“Fifty Sows at the Village Entrance Screaming Every Night; The Culprit Is…”
“Tiger Does Not Eat Its Cub: Elderly Man Smothers Seven-Year-Old Grandson for Unbelievable Reasons…”
With a click, the screen went dark. The woman looked up at Xu Huo, her cheeks flushed, breathing quickened.
Her heart throbbed vigorously, pumping fresh blood, a rich fragrance seeping from her pores, making one’s mouth water.
“Let’s watch some TV,” Xu Huo said, avoiding her gaze as he turned on the television. A female host’s voice from the tablet echoed:
“Recently, sudden temperature changes have swept the country. Many cities experiencing over thirty degrees Celsius have reported hail and snow—unusual weather phenomena…”
Xu Huo flipped the channel: “A hiker caught in a tornado deep in the mountains livestreams his final moments before disappearance…”
Another channel: “A black cloud vortex appears over Haishi City; airflow reverses. Experts say it’s a pressure phenomenon caused by storms…”
“Over a dozen children have gone missing in Bin City in the past month…”
“During a crime spike, Tincheng encounters a dismemberment maniac. Victims’ bodies are incomplete… Citizens are warned to travel in groups and avoid going out after dark…”
Boom!
The once clear sky suddenly darkened with thick clouds. Xu Huo’s small one-bedroom apartment dimmed, the oppressive atmosphere heightening his senses. The woman beside him exuded an undeniable, tantalizing scent.
“Glug!” The sound of swallowing was unusually loud, but it wasn’t Xu Huo himself. Turning his head, he saw the woman pressing her face close. Her mouth was agape, no longer sweet or delicate as minutes ago. Suspicious red residue clung between her teeth, and her wide eyes gleamed with greed and hunger!
She opened her mouth and lunged to bite his face!
Xu Huo tilted his head sharply and leapt aside, grabbing a standing fan and smashing it toward the woman!
Bang! The fan’s face dented under the impact. Yet she bounced back to the sofa as if unharmed, crouching in a frog-like stance.
“You smell good,” she drooled.
Xu Huo set down the fan and lit a cigarette. “Smells good, but doesn’t taste good.”
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