Chapter 84: Lamb

"Sizzling… serial killer… lawless…"

The broken radio lay crookedly on the cold ground, emitting a hoarse, grating noise from its rusted throat.

Isaac frowned and struck the ancient iron head hard with his fist.

"Sizzling… MaxTac… sizzling… sizzling…"

"*!" Isaac muttered a low curse and kicked the useless relic away.

The old radio, kicked hard by the man, shattered into decaying fragments, scattering sparsely across the floor.

"Tomorrow I'll have to go out and scavenge again."

Isaac glanced around the alley he was in and muttered to himself.

This narrow alley in Japan Street was crushed between several restaurants; no one but rats, insects, and Isaac ever came here.

No sheets, no blankets, no toilet, not even a roof—this tiny space was Isaac's home now.

He slept out in the open, cushioned by a few tattered magazines and covered with several bloodstained coats stripped from the dead, barely clinging to life.

Like a loathsome cockroach, merely clinging stubbornly to life.

"Gur…"

His long-starved stomach let out weak, pitiful groans.

Isaac licked his lips, skillfully flipped over the wall, and slipped behind a Japanese restaurant's storefront.

Large and small kitchen scraps and several big plastic barrels were haphazardly piled together, emitting a rotting stench.

To Isaac, this smell was the signal of delicious food, one path to survival.

As usual, he patiently lay on the ground until he confirmed no one was nearby, then crept stealthily away with three bags of trash, after which he tiptoed and nimbly flipped back over.

His happiest moment each day was this—he imagined himself a brave explorer or treasure hunter who had discovered crates of unknown treasure on his journey.

He slowly crouched down, gently placing the three bags of trash on the ground, handling them as if they were priceless fragile artifacts.

"Goddess of Luck, grant me a whole piece of sushi!"

Kneeling before the trash bags, Isaac closed his eyes, flailing his hands wildly in front of his chest in crooked gestures, mumbling incantations.

Only after completing his ritual did he open the bags one by one, sticking his head inside to meticulously pick through them, leaving no edible morsel unexamined.

"Yes!"

Isaac punched the air fiercely and shouted with delight.

"Two whole pieces of sushi, three tempura sticks with bite marks, and even half a bottle of still-warm Japanese plum wine!"

He carefully counted each delicacy pulled from the trash bags, a happy smile spreading across his face.

This food would last him comfortably for three full days.

After all, food didn't appear in trash bags every day—most recoverable food was reclaimed by the restaurants; only occasionally did a few scraps slip through to him.

Today, he'd caught a big one!

As Isaac savored the thought, he tore off several pages from the old magazines beneath him and carefully wrapped and hid the two pieces of sushi, saving them for later.

Heaven itself seemed envious, beginning to drip saliva gently onto the earth.

Isaac chuckled at his own metaphor, slowly chewing the cold, dry tempura; the remaining two sticks he shoved into his chest pocket.

First, he had to solve the rain problem.

Fortunately, he'd been foresighted and prepared a large enough piece of plastic tarp.

He draped it over the two corners of the wall, letting the rest hang to the ground, then moved all his belongings beneath the gap—creating a small shelter.

Though cold and damp, at least now he wouldn't be struck directly by merciless raindrops while sleeping.

That was enough.

Isaac exhaled, collapsed onto the ground, one hand tucked under his head as a pillow, the other pulling the remaining tempura from his pocket, savoring it as he chewed slowly.

Half a bottle of Japanese plum wine leaned against the wall, waiting for him to taste it.

◎

"Boss, that serial killer…"

"The reconnaissance unit has found traces he left behind…" Beros tapped the steel desk, speaking in a low tone, "Stand by. The hunt will begin anytime."

"Yes! Sir!"

Three shouts echoed in unison through the small Safe House, startling the old lightbulb, which suddenly flickered.

The cold, flickering light struck Beros's icy facial contours, casting long, slanted shadows.

Melissa frowned; since when had an inexplicable dread wrapped around her heart, slowing its beat?

"Roverna, the New Year's coming the day after tomorrow—want to celebrate together?"

To ease the inexplicable weight pressing on her, she asked the woman beside her with short red hair.

"New Year? You mean Chinese New Year?"

"New Year? Don't leave me out!" Bit's ears were even sharper than a monkey's—Melissa had barely whispered, and before the words were out, he'd already heard, now leaning in, trying to squeeze into their conversation.

"Who the hell are you? We're not that close!" Roverna cursed, shoving his lewd head back with her hand.

"Aww… you hurt my feelings… Nana…"

"Shut the * up!" Roverna hated anyone calling her nickname, especially that scumbag Bit. She immediately roared, slamming him to the floor and pummeling him with one-sided fists.

Melissa stared wide-eyed, still not reacting, when her two colleagues were already wrestling on the floor.

But this time, the thunderous voice that usually stopped their daily brawls never came.

Roverna and Bit turned to look at the man sitting motionless, facing the darkness; they exchanged a glance and silently stopped fighting.

Even their usual tricks had failed to draw the Captain's attention…

Melissa didn't think much—she merely saw Roverna give Bit a glance, and both rose from the floor as if nothing had happened.

"Melissa, come with me." Roverna grabbed Melissa's hand and yanked her out without a word.

Bit remained in the room, the lewd expression on his face suddenly vanishing without a trace.

"What's wrong?"

Only after closing the door did Melissa get a chance to ask Rowena, whose behavior had grown strange.

"Nothing… Melissa…" Rowena hesitated for several seconds, still choosing not to reveal the truth to this rookie who had only just entered the field.