Chapter 22: Black Water

At this moment, the "fly" in Wang Hou's hand filled me with a nausea and astonishment I could hardly describe. The thing was about the size of a human calf, and its shape was nearly human as well, with four limbs and a face, though the eyes were grotesquely large. Those eyes resembled a pair of crimson goggles or lanterns. Its mouth gaped open, bristling with fangs, black drool and saliva oozing out in thick, inky streams. Drops of that black fluid dripped onto its own neck and onto the arm with which Wang Hou restrained it, making it almost unbearable for me to look.

This "creature" looked eerily like something I often saw in the cold storage room—a wingless fly that laid eggs in mutton.

"A fly this big? That's disgusting!" I squeezed my eyes shut and said to Wang Hou, "Just kill it! Crush this pest for me!"

But at that moment, Wang Hou gave a cold laugh. "This isn't a fly. This is a person!"

"What?!" I blurted out, staring at the thing again with renewed shock. My surprise, however, was less at Wang Hou's words and more at how he could even laugh while facing something so revolting. Was he crazy? Or did he just have a taste for the grotesque? That didn't seem likely.

Just then, Wang Hou reached out with his other hand and abruptly tore off the creature's "eyes."

The monster's true face was revealed. Wang Hou grinned like someone unveiling a riddle. "Look who's here! Isn't this our old friend?"

A terrified, savage, but unmistakably familiar human face appeared before me.

As I stared at the creature, its mask removed, my astonishment turned to burning hatred. The person was none other than the dwarf Ah Si, whom we had seen earlier at the entrance to the shady establishment.

I called out, "Ah Si, the doorman?!"

Ah Si responded with nothing but a wild, frantic struggle.

Looking at his twisted, tormented face, I understood everything. Ah Si had been sent by Boss Bai to deal with me and Wang Hou. That strange expression on Boss Bai’s face as he left—so that was what it meant...

Wang Hou sneered and, holding up the red "eyes" he had ripped from Ah Si's head, smashed them to the ground. "This goggle-like thing is an infrared night-vision device. Just a cheap knockoff, with a red ghostly glow. You fools... Did you really think playing tricks would be enough to take out a special forces soldier like me?!"

As he spoke, Wang Hou suddenly hoisted the little Ah Si up into the air and, as if bouncing a ball, slammed him onto the ground.

The pitiful creature hit the floor with a loud