Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 862: Li Long

A sultry summer night. The bustling streets were filled with people enjoying their evening strolls after dinner. Currently, their eyes couldn't help but to be captivated by a stunning, alluring woman as she walked past them.

Some whispered among themselves, trying to figure out if she was a celebrity. Some even went as far as to pull out their flip phones and secretly snap photos of her.

Anna's perfected arched brows furrowed slightly. This wasn't good; she was attracting far too much attention.

The next moment, she grabbed the towel around her neck—the one that a kind older woman had given her to dry her hair—and quickly wrapped it around her beautiful face. She hastened her steps and weaved through the crowd.

Blending into the crowd, Anna swiftly moved from the lively main street into a narrow alley. Now that she was away from the humans, she slowed down. Her mind started to race as she tried to figure out her next steps to get herself out of her current predicament.

Indeed, the surface world was safe. Yet, it was extremely foreign to her.

If she wanted to find a way back to the Subterranean Sea, she would need to adapt and find stability here first. And that meant, a legal identity was her utmost priority. Fortunately, she possessed memories of this world that would play a crucial role in allowing her to blend in.

A loud sizzling sound resonated in the air the moment the squid tentacles hit the grill. As the tentacles with suction cups curled and twisted from the flames, the smell of cooked meat permeated the air, eventually drifting past Anna's nose.

She had just escaped from the police station and she couldn't help but salivate at the delicious smell in the air. Her stomach tightened in hunger as she walked over to an empty table and sat down.

Though she still drew attention since it was rare to see someone covering their faces with a towel, it was still an improvement from before.

Soon enough, Anna's orders of barbecued skewers arrived. Pulling a corner of the towel slightly away from her face, Anna picked up a stick and took her first bite to replenish the nutrients she needed.

The oil on the lamb was still sizzling due to the residual heat from the grill. Coupled with the generously sprinkled cumin and chili powder, it tasted pretty good.

Anna had barely taken a few bites when a figure slid into the seat across from her.

"Hey, gorgeous. You won't mind if I join you, right?"

Anna lifted her gaze from the platter of skewers to the man opposite her. He looked scrawny and his face was dotted with pimples. The dragon tattoo that spanned across his ribcage made him appear rather unfriendly.

Seeing no response from Anna, thes scrawny man continued his self introduction with a greasy smile.

The rusted padlock unlocked with a creak and Li Long pushed open the gate to a cramped yard.

Old, peeling furniture cluttered the inside of the house, and the interior design reminded one of a time long past. The air smelled stale, and dust coated everything, giving the impression that whoever lived here didn't care much for cleanliness.

"Here it is, babe. This is my place. Pretty big, right? Sure, it's a bit worn but don't let that fool you. I've got a buddy who told me that this entire area's set for demolition. When that happens—"

Li Long's voice stopped abruptly as he felt a weird sensation; something hard was pressed against his lower back.

He turned his head stiffly and his gaze locked onto the source of his pain. Pressed against his back were three iron skewers—sharp, greasy, and still reeking of grilled meat. The ends were twisted together into a makeshift brass knuckle. He was certain that the skewers were from the street vendor they had just come from.

"Hey, babe...What are you doing? Do I look like a bad guy or something?"

Anna's right hand shot upward and gripped Li Long's tongue inside his mouth with brutal precision. The next moment, her left hand plunged the skewers deep into his lower back.

Li Long's eyes bulged to a size wider than that of a goldfish's. He couldn't process the illogical scene before him. How could this be happening? How could she dare stab him? This was a society of law and order! People wouldn't get away with murder! And he hadn't even done anything to deserve this!

But before Li Long could make sense of anything, a series of thuds echoed as the skewers plunged into his side again and again.

"Mmff! Mmmff!" Li Long's muffled cries rang out as he struggled to escape. However, his strength soon ran out. By the time he collapsed to the floor, his waist was a torn mess of shredded flesh, and blood oozed out of his gory wounds to pool at his feet.

"No! I don't want to die! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Li Long whimpered, his face covered with tears and snot. The fear of death gripped him. His legs scraped desperately against the ground as he tried to retreat and drag himself away from the young woman.

By this point, his heart was overwhelmed by extreme terror. He had no idea who this woman was, but he was clear of one thing: he had messed with the wrong person. No ordinary person could kill with such cold precision, without even a blink of hesitation.

Anna's face remained cold and indifferent as she took a step forward, her left hand still holding onto the bloodied skewer.

"Relax," she said without a hint of emotion. "I know human anatomy very well. I deliberately avoid any vital organs. After all, if you died, you would be useless."

A chill crawled down Li Long's spine. Before he could ask how she planned to use him, he watched the woman crouched down beside him. Her delicate finger dipped into his pool of warm blood and she began to smear it across the cold cement floor.

The cement floor was rapidly stained a deep crimson by the blood seeping out of Li Long. It didn't take long before a large concentric circle was drawn around him, with intricate and unfamiliar symbols filling the space between.