Author: Momo Chan

When I was bullied and pushed off the school rooftop, Julian, the fox-beastman I had adopted, was kneeling before my tormentor, Valerie Blackwood, devoutly kissing her hand: “Valerie, please, let me come back to you, okay?” But back then, it was *me* who’d risked half my life, fighting tooth and nail, to rescue a half-dead Julian from Valerie’s cruel beast-fighting arena. That was the moment I finally understood: Julian had always been deeply in love with Valerie. He hated my so-called rescue, hated me for taking him away from her side. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day we first met. Julian was curled in a corner, bruised, battered, and barely clinging to life. I smiled, clapped my hands, and pointed at the snarling little wolf that had injured him so badly. “What a fierce little pup. I want him.” Memories from just a few minutes ago were still replaying in my mind. Valerie, with a pack of beast-men, cornered me on the rooftop, beating me until my head bled. Just as I gritted my teeth, pulling out the small knife hidden at my lower back to stab her, Julian appeared. But not to save me. He shifted into his beast form, leaping swiftly, snatching the knife from my hand. He tackled me, throwing me off balance. My foot slipped, and I tumbled backward. In that instant, I watched him carefully help a startled Valerie to her feet. He knelt on the ground, bowing his head to devoutly kiss her hand. “Valerie, you are my only true master. “I’ve grown strong enough now, strong enough to protect you. “Please, let me return to your side, okay?” Turns out, the fox I’d nurtured for five years had never once acknowledged me as his owner. Every day I cared for him, he was just biding his time, waiting for a chance to bite through my throat and return to Valerie’s side. Hatred burned away my reason. I closed my eyes as I fell. The sudden, dizzying sense of freefall swallowed me whole.

When I opened my eyes again, the sky was bright, and the arena roared with thunderous applause and shouts. I froze for a moment, then my gaze landed on the blood-soaked fox in the fighting ring. That was Julian’s beast form. He was losing ground rapidly under the relentless, vicious attacks of the wolf-beast opposite him, whimpering lowly in the corner, too terrified to move. It hit me then— I had been reborn, back to the year I first met Julian. Valerie Blackwood was naturally spoiled and cruel, finding pleasure in tormenting beast-men. This arena was her personal playground, but for the beast-men, it was hell on earth. Only the victors earned the right to live. But even then, their fate was merely to be bought by spectators and kept as playthings. In my previous life, Julian’s helpless, pathetic form in the corner had moved me. I had offered to buy him. But Valerie refused to let him go. She’d said: “The law of the jungle is the truth of this world. If he loses, he deserves to die. Ms. Sterling, don’t spoil the rules of my arena.” But I was stubbornly set on Julian. I risked life and limb, fighting my way out of the arena with him. Once free, I scoured the lands for rare herbs and potent elixirs to heal and strengthen Julian. Everything I owned, I shared with him, never once discriminating against him for being a beast-man. What a joke. All that heartfelt effort? Just me deluding myself. From the very beginning, Julian’s heart belonged to Valerie, even though she never gave him a second thought. He was pathologically, madly obsessed with her, willing to abandon a life of luxury just to grovel at her feet. Living this life again, I finally realized— Some creatures are just born rotten to the core.

The wolf-beast on the platform slowly closed in on Julian. The applause was deafening, almost tearing the roof off the arena. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the moment Julian’s throat would be ripped out, his last breath choked. Especially Valerie. Her eyes practically glowed with anticipation. But how could I let Julian die so easily? This time, I wanted Julian to get what he truly wished for: to stay with Valerie, to be tormented to death by his darling mistress. The next second, I smiled and clapped, pointing to the small wolf on the platform. “What a fierce little pup. I want him. “Ms. Blackwood, you wouldn’t mind parting with him, would you?” Valerie was clearly annoyed she didn’t get to see Julian die on the platform. But she still forced a smile at me. “Of course. Ms. Sterling, please, help yourself.” The wolf-beast was led off the stage, cleaned, and then brought back to me. Julian, however, was immediately forced into his next fight. When another wolf-beast was brought onto the platform, Julian visibly started to break down. I leisurely sipped my drink, savoring Julian’s panicked expression. This wolf-beast was clearly not as strong as the last, and Julian managed to hold his own, fighting back and forth. His old wounds tore open again, bleeding profusely. He whimpered and cried, but it only made the audience even more excited. To maximize their attacking power, beast-men usually shift into their animal forms during fights. But just as the wolf-beast clamped its jaws around his neck, Julian suddenly shifted into his human form. A handsome, fair face emerged. Julian, eyes hazy with tears, looked desperate and broken, reaching out to Valerie. “Valerie, save me.”

People turned to look at Valerie. Her face was grim. She raised her hand and slammed her teacup to the ground. “How are my staff teaching these beast-men?! “This low-level creature dares to call me by my name?” Seeing Valerie angered, some onlookers got other ideas. “If Ms. Blackwood doesn’t want him, why not sell this fox to me?” “No wonder they call him a fox; he’s got that charming, manipulative look. I like it too.” A few fleshy-faced older men exchanged knowing glances. But Valerie’s face was cold as she enunciated each word: “The law of the jungle. The loser dies. Don’t any of you dare break the rules.” Julian, pinned to the ground on the platform, his neck bleeding, was moments from death. The next second, he somehow produced a small dagger and stabbed the wolf-beast on top of him. The wolf-beast struggled weakly a few times, then went still. Julian had turned the tables at the last moment. This was a scene I’d never witnessed in my previous life. The arena fell silent. Everyone stared, stunned, at the platform. No beast-man had ever managed to evade a search and bring a weapon into the ring. But precisely because of that, there were no explicit rules against it. Julian scrambled to his feet, ignoring the blood on his face, and grinned brilliantly at Valerie. “Valerie, I won. I…” Valerie coldly cut him off: “Who was it just now who wanted this fox? “Let the bidding begin.” Julian’s face went utterly white.

Julian did indeed have a beautiful face. The auction price climbed higher and higher. I boredomly set down my drink. The wolf-beast I’d bought earlier, his wounds bandaged, was brought to my side. Only then did I notice that his human form was just as striking as Julian’s. His deep-set features held a primal intensity, and a few shallow scars still marked his face. His glowing emerald eyes had been fixed on me for a while, yet his grey wolf ears were softly drooped. Both docile and wild. For some reason, I felt like I’d seen those untamed eyes before. I took a sip of tea and asked, “What’s your name?” “Caleb.” “Have… have we met before?” His vertical pupils brightened. Caleb was about to speak when suddenly, gasps rippled through the entire arena. Julian, who knows where he found the strength, had broken free from the guards. Under the collective gaze of the crowd, he lunged towards Valerie. Before Valerie could react, he dropped to his knees without hesitation. He took her hand, kissing it with a trembling, controlled tenderness, his voice full of sorrow. “Valerie, I promise I’ll become the strongest beast-man. “I’m willing to be the sharpest blade in your hand. Please, keep me, okay?” *Slap!* A crisp, resounding slap echoed through the entire arena. Julian’s proudly beautiful face was whipped to the side, rapidly swelling red. Valerie disgustedly wiped the back of her hand, as if she’d touched something foul. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Such pathetic groveling is truly disgusting.”

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A new accord had been struck between Humans and Beastkin. To ensure the harmonious development of both races, every adult female was required to visit the Supervisory Agency and randomly draw a lot to foster a Beastkin partner. After two years, if no bond had been formed, the Beastkin would be allowed to re-integrate into society. In my last life, my best friend was assigned to a Bear-kin who was addicted to abuse, and he ended up beating her to death. As for me, I was assigned to a chillingly possessive and manipulative Serpent-kin, a true master of psychological abuse. He imprisoned me until I lost my mind, and I finally jumped from a tall building. Reborn, I stared at the number card clutched in my hand. Willow and I exchanged a look. We swapped. No hesitation. This time, it was our turn to strike back. 0 When I leaped from the building, I heard a furious, unwilling roar from above: “How dare you! You worthless piece of trash! Only I love you in this world! How dare you die!” I closed my eyes, exhausted, but the pain I expected never came. When I opened them again, I froze. I was back two years ago, at the Supervisory Agency, just as I was about to take that damn Serpent-kin, Seraph, home. It was the beginning of all my tragedies. While I was still reeling, a familiar figure caught my eye. It was Willow, my best friend, who had been beaten to death by Brock. We looked at each other, and the shock in each other’s eyes was undeniable. In a few short seconds of eye contact, we confirmed it: We had both been reborn. In our previous lives, she took home the seemingly honest and harmless Bear-kin, Brock. Who would have thought he was addicted to abuse? In just two short years, he brutalized Willow until she was unrecognizable. In the end, they didn’t even find a full body. And I, I didn’t even get to see her one last time. Seraph had me imprisoned, forbidding me from leaving the house. I fought back frantically, but it was useless. Later, I never imagined he’d drug me while I slept. When I woke up, he had already severed the tendons in my hands and feet. My innate, formidable strength, a power that surprisingly surpassed even that of most Beastkin males, completely vanished from my body. He also cut off all my contact with the outside world, brainwashing me, telling me that the only one who truly loved me in this world was him. I had almost resigned myself to my fate, even considering living out the rest of my humiliated life. But when the news of Willow’s death reached me, I finally despaired completely. With a dining knife, I slowly, agonizingly, severed my own palm, tearing free from the iron restraints that had bound me for years. Amid Seraph’s furious screams, I leaped from the building. I never thought we’d get a second chance. So this time, when the staff asked us to draw our number cards, I quickly walked over to Willow. In her stunned gaze, I swapped cards with her. Then I walked directly towards Brock. Willow’s eyes instantly reddened, and she wanted to say something but ultimately said nothing. Her gaze hardened as she rubbed her eyes, then lifted her head high and walked towards Seraph. I looked at the Beastkin before me, smiling foolishly. Who would have thought such a cruel side lay hidden beneath that harmless facade? Willow and I exchanged a glance, then signed the contracts. From today on, I was Brock’s foster parent. Unless both of us determined we hadn’t formed a bond after two years, we couldn’t separate for any reason. In the last life, this rule had bound Willow and me for two agonizing years. This time, it was their turn to experience that hell – caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to live or die. I brought Brock home. A few peaceful days passed. He was attentive to me in every way, yet secretly gathered all sorts of information about me. When he learned that my parents had passed away years ago and I only had a few friends, he finally revealed his vicious claws. I returned home from work that evening. The moment I stepped through the door, I was hit with a terrible stench of smoke and alcohol. Looking around, Brock was sprawled on my brand-new leather sofa, puffing away, with numerous empty bottles scattered beside him. Seeing me, he flashed a provocative smirk. Then, he pressed his cigarette out on the sofa. My veins instantly throbbed. I walked towards him. “Did you forget the rules? No smoking or drinking inside. If you want to drink, do it outside.” He scoffed, raising his hand to slap me. “I gave you a few good days, and you really think you’re the boss now, huh? What the hell are these stupid rules! *I’m* the rule!” But in the next second, I clamped down on his large hand. In his slightly sobered eyes, I squeezed hard. *Crunch.* A sickening bone-grinding sound came from his palm. Then, a crisp *snap*, followed by his scream. He swore a mouthful of curses, panting, and lunged at me. But I kicked him over. He couldn’t handle my strength. I was born with colossal power. Though not a Beastkin, my strength surpassed even most males. Brock immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing weakly to the floor. I watched him with a hint of mockery. Suddenly, I remembered the first time he got violent with Willow in our past life. One slap had knocked Willow unconscious. One kick had broken four of her ribs. She’d been in the hospital for over ten hours of emergency surgery, barely clinging to life. I wanted to teach him a lesson back then, but he just knelt before Willow, slapping himself and crying. In the end, Willow softened, letting him off the hook. But I never imagined that small mercy would lead to me losing my only friend. My foot moved back and forth, grinding on his injured spot. His sounds went from enraged curses to faint pleas. Only when he was barely clinging to life did I lift my foot. Unhurriedly, I blew on my slightly reddened palm. “Stop whimpering. I let you live, didn’t I? If you keep running your mouth, I’ll end you.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “After all, you’re *my* foster Beastkin now. Whatever I do to you is exempt from punishment.” He instantly trembled, his eyes clearing considerably. I sneered. In our past life, this idiot repeatedly escaped punishment by claiming he was drunk, didn’t know his own strength, or that it was just an accident. So, I was always confused. Did being drunk really give him free rein to attack anyone? Why didn’t he go bother the burly Elephant-kin or Lion-kin on the street when he was drunk? Why did he only dare to lay hands on weak, ordinary humans like Willow? Now I knew. He was just a pathetic fraud who hadn’t been properly disciplined. Just like now, he’d been drinking, but why didn’t he dare fight me? Why was he just whimpering on the floor, not daring to utter a single word? I scoffed, kicking his backside hard again. “Get up. I’m going shopping. You’d better have the house spotless by the time I get back, or else…” I gave him a fleeting, icy glance, which made him shiver. The entire Beastkin hunched into a trembling ball. I grabbed my bag and left, heading straight for Willow’s place. Leaving her alone with that sinister brute made me uneasy. Our homes weren’t far apart, and I soon arrived at her door. But before I could even go inside, I heard arguing from within:

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My cat started talking after she was spayed. “I’m going to kill you!” I thought I’d misheard. Until she lunged at me and said it again. “I’m going to kill you!” My hair stood on end. I immediately called for Liam, my boyfriend. Liam said I was just imagining things because I was so worried about her. He told me to stop overthinking and locked her in her carrier. But late that night, she spoke again: *I’m going to kill you!* I jolted upright, opening my eyes to find her perched on my chest, glaring at me with pure malice. I shot up in bed, and she swiped at my neck. Liam snatched her up, threatening to throw her down the stairs. I quickly stopped him; I mean, I’d had her for two years! Besides, it was just post-op stress, we couldn’t blame her entirely. Only then did Liam put her back in the carrier. He then tied the carrier securely, front and back, with rope before finally relaxing.

But I couldn’t sleep anymore. I ended up scrolling through TikTok to lull myself to sleep. I stumbled upon a paranormal streamer named Rook, who was talking about why pets suddenly start acting weird. I quickly messaged him about my cat talking. The viewers in the chat exploded, saying it was impossible. Some even accused me of trying to get clout in the middle of the night, since my account was full of just cute cat videos. But Rook’s brow furrowed. He asked if I’d recorded anything. I quickly sent him the footage from my home security camera. Rook’s face went white after just one glance. He immediately ended his live stream and sent me a private message. “She’s not saying she wants to kill you, she’s telling you to run!”

My scalp tingled with dread. But I distinctly heard “I’m going to kill you,” didn’t I? Rook said cat-speak isn’t about phonetic similarities; it has its own distinct meaning. “But why would she tell me to run?” “Because someone in your family wants to kill you!” I wanted to curse. It’s just Liam and I living here. He loves me more than anything; how could he possibly want to kill me? I was already stressed enough; encountering some internet charlatan in the dead of night was just infuriating. I quickly shot back: “Your whole family wants to kill you, how about you go die instead?” Then I locked my phone and got ready to sleep. But Rook sent another message. “Is your cat named Grumble?”

My heart slammed. Two years ago, I found a tiny black kitten in the park near our apartment complex. I only meant to feed her and leave, but she followed me all the way to my door. I was completely won over and adopted her. The kitten would let out little “grr-ows” when she was hungry. Liam said, “Doesn’t she sound like she’s saying ‘Grumble’?” So, we named her Grumble. But how could this streamer, whom I’d never met, know such an unusual name? I thought for a moment, then shot back: “Is that against the law?” Rook then asked: “Did you move because of Grumble?” I jolted again. About six months after Grumble came to live with us, she started standing by the front door in the middle of the night, letting out those eerie “grr-ows.” I initially thought she was in heat and bought her lots of toys. But not long after, a female streamer across the hall suddenly died of cancer. I’d heard before that cats can see things we can’t. Had Grumble seen something? Liam tried to calm me, telling me not to overthink things. “Who still believes in old superstitions these days?” he scoffed. But not long after that, a young professional who had just moved in also suddenly dropped dead from a heart attack. I started to get scared, convinced this building felt… cursed. Liam also thought something was off. So, we decided to move. When we looked at new places, we’d bring Grumble. If she let out even one of those “grr-ows,” no matter how cheap the rent, we’d pass on the place. It took us over a month of searching before we finally settled on our current place. But how did he know all of this too? I directly questioned him: “Who are you, really?” Rook told me not to rush, saying he had just one last question. “Did your boyfriend make you get your cat spayed?” Grumble had been in heat, and her nocturnal serenades were driving us crazy. Liam was under a lot of stress from work. He’d nagged me for ages until I finally agreed. Rook sighed, then said, **”You need to run! I’m certain now; your boyfriend is trying to kill you!”**

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I woke up as a lioness, with three little cubs already nestled in my belly. To raise my kids, I hid the fact that I was married and a mom, then joined a pride. The pride was migrating, and I was utterly exhausted, rushing through the night, clutching my cubs in my jaws. I clung to the group like a lifeline, terrified of falling behind. The Lion King looked like he had something to say, then finally blurted, “You’re moving so fast, aren’t you afraid of losing your cubs?” I prayed the cubs wouldn’t be born too soon. At least not during the dry season. But fate had other plans. I gave birth on the scorching sand, under a blazing sun. Three fluffy little cubs crawled around. All I could see was dry, yellow earth. It hadn’t rained for five months. “Mom, brother scratched me!” “I didn’t scratch her! I just touched her. The rock was hot on my paw, so I shifted.” My cubs bickering was a common occurrence. I lay on the ground, my paws acting as cushions. “Mommy, there’s a mommy over there too.” What was this kid talking about? I followed his gaze and saw a musk ox leading her calf across the plains. “Oh my god, such a big ox! Run, kids!” I shot up instantly, snatched the smallest cub in my jaws, and bolted. I huffed and puffed, charging forward, my cubs struggling to keep up. The more I thought about it, the more something felt off. I slowly started to slow down. I smacked myself on the head. I’m a lion now! I should be hunting that musk ox! By the time I regretted it and looked back, the musk ox mom had already led her calf to safety.

My head was spinning from hunger. My cubs were also wobbly on their feet, lacking milk. The vast, scorching grassland stretched endlessly under the blazing sun. A sudden wave of dread washed over me. If we continued to starve, it would only take one day and night for this land to claim us. I had no choice but to learn to hunt like the lions I’d seen in animal documentaries. I gritted my teeth, enduring the hunger, and trekked dozens of miles. Finally, I caught two voles. They were barely a snack, but at least I had milk now. I rushed back without stopping, eager to feed my cubs, but then I saw three fluffy heads peeking out from behind a dune. “Mommy, look! So many lions.” Kai, the second cub, looked envious. “If we follow them, we’ll definitely get enough to eat.” “Don’t say that!” Finn, the eldest, gave him a small swat with his paw. “We won’t starve with Mom, either.” *Rumble…* Finn’s little belly inconveniently growled. I stood on the dune, gazing into the distance. Across the wide plains, a massive pride was slowly moving. Behind them, the boundless land stretched, and an orange sunset hung in the distant sky. I knew deep down that my cubs had no chance of survival with just me. I clenched my paw and slammed it against the ground. I’m going all in!

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After our werewolf father passed away, my mother couldn’t afford to raise my sister and me alone. She made us choose. “Human or wolf?” In my last life, my younger sister, Chloe, chose to be a wolf. She later died miserably, bullied and brutalized by the pack in a wildlife park. I, on the other hand, stayed with our mother, blending into human society. I briefly tasted luxury, only to die later from rabies, a cruel fate dealt by her own bite during one of my visits. Reborn. Now, Chloe glared at me, her eyes spitting venom, and snatched the first slip. “I want to be human!” I watched her, my gaze dropping, my entire body trembling with a strange relief. My dear sister, the cost of being human is far, far greater than anything a wolf faces. My mother held two slips of paper in her hand, one long, one short. She said whoever drew the long one would be human, and the short one, a wolf. In my last life, I was the older sister; I reached out first. The moment I clutched that slip, a mix of desperate hope and gnawing guilt seeped through my fingertips. —I drew the long one. I became human. This time, Chloe shoved me aside, rushing forward, her voice thick with unconcealed eagerness. “Mom, I’m first!” My mother hesitated, glancing at me. “Maybe… let your sister go first?” My eyelashes fluttered, and that dull ache in my heart resurfaced. She always played favorites with Chloe, knowing what it truly meant to be human. Besides, the cruel truth was, both slips were identical – both long. It was always about who chose first, who would be “human.” Before I could even respond, Chloe had already lunged, her fingers clamping tightly around one slip. She yanked it out with a triumphant cry! The next moment, she burst into my room, overturning all the dresses and jewelry my mother had prepared for me, scattering them everywhere. Amidst the crashing sounds, she proudly declared, “These are all mine now!” I watched her in silence. My ears felt hot, and I composed myself, making the subtle throb in my ear cartilage subside. The closer we got to the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, the more my beastly nature, my wolf form, stirred within me. Either completely excise that wildness and live as human. Or surrender to instinct and become a wolf. This was a tradition of our wolf clan. Chloe glided past me, a sneer twisting her lips. “Sister, you look just like a stray dog right now.” “Don’t look at me like that. You’ll have to rely on me to support you from now on. Without me – even if you roll over and beg in the pack, you’ll never eat your fill. Those animals, they have no feelings, tsk.” It was also a wolf clan tradition: the one who chose to be human would enjoy life, but also bear the responsibility of supporting the entire family.

Chloe’s hatred for me had taken root in our previous lives. Back then, when she was sent to the wildlife park, she couldn’t adapt to life there at all. There was no sweet chocolate, no cold ice cream. In that isolated place, food had to be hunted personally. Though we paid caretakers to look after her regularly, it was still a world away from her former life of ease and luxury. I felt so bad for Chloe back then. Every time Mom allowed me to visit, I tried my best to bring her the finest food. But she wouldn’t even look at it. Her ears would flatten, her nose wrinkle, and she’d glare fiercely at my dresses, my long gloves. Her eyes screamed disgust at my pretense. But she didn’t know that those long gloves and dresses concealed injuries. Every time I’d been there for barely ten minutes, Mom’s call would inevitably come through. “Time’s up, darling. The smell in there will ruin your perfume. Our new clients won’t appreciate that scent. Come out.” Each time Chloe saw me about to leave, she’d bare her teeth, whimpering and snarling. I could only softly comfort her, “Just a little longer, bear with me. After some time, I’ll take you with me.” My only reply was her wolf howl and a rigidly drooping tail. Until I visited her after a surgery. She saw the injuries on my hand and my weakened state. Suddenly, she became remarkably docile. She slowly brought her head closer, resting it in my palm. My heart softened, aching with both tenderness and sorrow. “Being human is truly agonizing.” She lowered her head, licking the bruised wounds on my arm. Then she abruptly looked up and bit me, hard. Immediately after, another scrawny wolf rushed out from the shadows. I was torn, dragged, and injured by them. Later, I contracted rabies. The fear of people grew, along with a new terror of light and water. I died a month later, in the spring. The look in Chloe’s eyes now was exactly the same as when she bit me then. I was absolutely certain: she had been reborn too. Now, she wanted my life. But my dear sister, I knew everything about your past. Are you truly sure you want to step into my life this time?

After the choice was made, my mother barely paid any attention to me. Now, her eyes were solely on Chloe. She poured all her remaining money and resources into Chloe. The ten servants and the butler in the villa were all replaced according to Chloe’s preferences. Her diet, décor, clothes, entertainment, and even her education were custom-designed by the most exclusive professionals, ensuring everything pleased her. To ensure her skin was perfect during shedding, she wasn’t allowed to hold anything heavier than a single towel. I looked at her seemingly familiar class schedule and couldn’t help but suggest, “Actually, you could add more physical training or self-defense classes.” Chloe scoffed, her eyes full of disdain. “Me? Need those? You’re the one who needs them, aren’t you?” She glanced at the simple vegetables on my plate, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “In such a hurry to eat that?” She dragged out her words. “You’ll have plenty of time to eat these later. If I were you, I’d be thinking about how to deal with those disgusting animals in the wolf pack.” She was talking about the one-eyed Alpha wolf and those several wolf pups. I knew, of course, but I wasn’t worried. In my last life, I had told Chloe about the weaknesses of each of those wolves, urging her to pull herself together, to be brave, to carve out her own place in the wolf clan. But she just thought I was making fun of her. In the end, she refused to grow strong on her own. She only chose a low-ranking wolf that was utterly subservient to her. Then, for harming a young cub in the pack, she was driven out.

Right now, Chloe had her feet propped up, lounging in the sofa, leisurely flipping through a magazine. The male models and pretty boys on the glossy pages were all as exquisite as display figures in a shop window. She smirked casually, her finger tracing across page after page. “This one, this one, and this one… they all look pretty good, no worse than that popular guy, or your class president, whatever… too bad—” She looked up at me, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “My dear sister, you won’t have that chance, will you?” I said nothing. My agonizing experiences from the previous life had already instilled in me a bottomless fear of most people. A beautiful exterior didn’t necessarily hide a human. And beneath those rough, heavy exteriors, lay something even more terrifying. My fingertips unconsciously curled, and I even instinctively touched my neck – it should have had a collar there, but now it was empty. Chloe scoffed again. “Make sure you clean up your room properly. I’m a germaphobe, I hate shedding things.” “What about shedding men?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Heh. Mom said she’d choose the most excellent partner for me. In the future, I’ll live the life of luxury that should rightfully be mine.” She didn’t even look up, opening her mouth, and an attentive deaf servant promptly delivered a small piece of fruit to her lips. A single such aide, with an average monthly salary of eight thousand, and there were ten of them, plus the butler. Monthly property management, pool and garden maintenance, utilities, meal expenses. Car fuel, maintenance, and facility upkeep. This money was a huge expense, and none of it would just fall from the sky. This money had to be earned by the one who chose to be human.

Meanwhile, I suddenly noticed that a small structure was still being built at the very back of the villa’s garden. From the foundation, it looked sealed off and narrow, and the spare materials were steel pipes for a cage. I cautiously asked my mother. “Mom, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is soon, should we go see the Safari Park ahead of time?” This was a tradition of our wolf clan. My mother quickly closed the book in her hand, placing it behind her back, and looked up with a radiant smile. “Why go there? The adoption fees are so expensive. You’ll stay home, free and safe. We can look after you anytime.” My heart turned cold. In the last life, for Chloe, she had gone to great lengths to choose the best ecological wildlife park, ensuring Chloe lived without a care. This time, she intended to trap me in that narrow, dark room. Just then, Chloe urged from behind that she would be late for school. Mom immediately rose to greet her. A business card fluttered from the book. She quickly snatched it up. But I, with my heightened senses, sharply caught a glimpse of the title on it.

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My Mom’s Secret Sugar Baby An hour before my college entrance exam, I stumbled upon my mom’s secret dating Ins account: “Sending my little boyfriend off for his final exams feels so new~~” “Dropped off my boyfriend, now my son. Being a woman is tough, isn’t it?” “Attached: A handsome photo of my boyfriend.” I watched Mom rush toward me, wearing a stunning dress, and my eyes locked on the half-face of my scholarship student roommate in the Ins photo. In that instant, my entire world shattered. “Don’t be nervous. Just relax once you get into the exam hall. If it doesn’t work out, we can always go study abroad. I’ll even sponsor Jason to go with you, so you two can look out for each other.” If I hadn’t seen Mom’s secret dating account, I would have been so touched by her thoughtful generosity. But now, I felt waves of nausea. Jason wasn’t just anyone; he was my scholarship student roommate – the other main character on my mom’s secret dating account. Seeing my troubled expression, Mom looked at me with concern. “What’s wrong? Still feeling stressed?” Dad stood a short distance away, his face etched with worry too. Dad was always busy with work, rarely taking a day off to provide for our family. It was truly rare for him to take time off just to personally send me to my exams. I almost blurted out everything I’d just seen, ready to confront Mom right there and then. But my mouth opened and closed, and still, no words came out. With the exams so close, exposing everything now and causing a scene would not only disrupt a major life event. All the family’s finances were currently in Mom’s hands. If I ripped off the band-aid, Dad and I might even end up on the streets. I forced out a strained smile. “Nothing, just a bit nervous. I’ll head into the exam hall now.” “Alright, son, go get ’em! I believe in you!” I suppressed the shock and disgust churning inside me, walking into the exam hall without looking back. Facing the stacks of test papers, I fought back the chaotic emotions, forcing myself to calm down and answer carefully. For two days straight, I managed to act as if nothing had happened in front of Mom and Dad. After the exams finished, my parents suggested we go out for a celebratory meal. I had survived the college entrance exams and was moving on to a new stage in life. But what I didn’t expect was for Mom to think of her little boyfriend again at that moment. “It’s just the three of us, that’s too quiet. Caleb, why don’t you invite your roommate along?” “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Dad said, a little hesitant. “They probably have their own celebrations. How would it look to invite them?” “Well, what if we just invite Jason then? His family is from a rural area far away and can’t come to be with him. It would be really sad to leave him all alone in the dorm.”

Jason, who was supposedly “all alone in the dorm and quite pitiful,” showed up in the restaurant’s private dining room five minutes after Mom suggested inviting my roommate. It was then I realized they had planned this all along. Watching Dad gleefully order all of Mom’s favorite dishes from the menu, then happily push the menu towards us, my heart ached even more. All these years, he had wronged no one. I still remembered when I was little, he was afraid Mom would be scared alone at home in the dark, so he’d commute for hours every day just to come home and sleep beside her. He was afraid Mom would get too tired looking after me at home, so he’d always take me to his office to watch me, saying Mom deserved to have her own life. For the first eighteen years of my life, I truly believed my parents were the best in the world—a loving couple, a perfect family. But reality slapped me hard across the face. I started wondering, when exactly did Mom and Jason get together? Was it when Mom constantly worried I wasn’t eating well at school and brought me lunch? Or was it that month, a year when our dorm was being renovated, and the fumes were too strong to live in, so I enthusiastically brought Jason home to stay with us? No matter what, it was my fault. I gave Jason the opportunity to destroy my family. I still remembered a conversation we once had in our dorm. Jason’s eyes glowed with an intense heat. “What’s the point of studying in this day and age? Why not just sleep with a rich woman and get everything you want?” At the time, I just thought that his impoverished background made his views overly extreme. But I never imagined that one day, his predatory claws would reach directly into my home. Right in front of my dad, Jason and my mom started exchanging glances and flirting. “Your makeup today is just stunning, Auntie Victoria. If I didn’t know you were Caleb’s mom, I’d think you were his middle school sister!” Mom’s face immediately bloomed into a radiant smile. “Oh, you smooth talker! How old do you think I am? How could I possibly look like a middle schooler?” “I’m telling the truth! Don’t you believe me? Ask Caleb! Caleb, tell us, doesn’t your mom look like a middle schooler?” I chuckled. “Jason, are you just practicing your lines on my mom now?” “Practicing? What are you talking about?” Dad asked curiously. “You guys don’t know, Jason used to tell us his dream was to sweet-talk a bunch of rich women, make them spend money on him, and just live a happy life being a kept man. So, he’s gotta practice those sweet-talk lines, right?”

Mom, who had been smiling so brightly, instantly lost all cheer. Jason’s face turned awkward. “You… what are you talking about? I just said that casually, you’re not taking it seriously, are you?” I looked innocent. “Casually? No way. You said it more than once. You said your life’s goal was to manipulate naive rich women, making them think you truly loved them, when in reality, it was just for their money.” Jason’s face turned pale. He nervously glanced at Mom’s expression. “That’s all nonsense, all nonsense! Don’t take it seriously! Why isn’t the food here yet? I’ll go check on it!” He didn’t return to the private room until Dad looked at me with a complicated expression. “What’s up with your roommate? His values are messed up. Stay away from people like that in the future.” I said, pointedly, “He and I are just roommates. We won’t have much to do with each other after this. It’s those rich women he’s deceiving who are truly pitiful.” Dad scoffed. “I can’t control others, but you’re my son. I can control you. Stay far away from people like that from now on.” I looked up at Mom. “Mom, you’re a real rich woman. Why don’t you offer your opinion?” Mom flinched. “Opinion? Oh, opinion. I don’t have an opinion. Maybe he’s just a kid, talking nonsense.” Dad frowned, about to say something else. But at that moment, Jason pushed the door open and returned to the private room. “There’s a small jewelry vendor outside. Auntie Victoria, do you need anything? I can go with you to take a look.” I sneered, “Why would you go with her? My dad’s right here. Let my dad go.” Jason looked annoyed. “I just thought Uncle David might be bored.” “You don’t feel bored accompanying someone else’s wife, but my dad would be bored accompanying his own wife?” Mom couldn’t listen anymore. “Alright, Caleb, watch your tone! I’m not in the mood for jewelry. Let’s just eat, let’s just eat.”

After dinner, we all walked out of the private room. Dad went to pay the bill. The moment I turned my head, I realized Jason and my mom had disappeared. Dad came directly up to me after paying. “Let’s go first. Your mom said your roommate looked pitiful and wanted to take him to buy some clothes.” I looked at Dad in disbelief. “And you agreed to that?” Dad looked bewildered. “What’s wrong with buying a few clothes? You don’t think your mom and that young classmate of yours would have anything going on, do you? No way. Your mom and I have such a strong bond. She would never betray me.” Seeing Dad’s confident expression, I found it even harder to reveal the cruel truth. I even hoped Mom and Jason would just end things then and there. My parents could go back to living their lives happily at home, and this whole thing could be forgotten. But I was disappointed. Not long after, Mom’s secret dating account updated. “How could life be the same with anyone? It was only when I met you that I felt my heart truly stir. Only when I met you did I know what love was.” The attached picture showed her and Jason sweetly embracing and kissing, each holding a bubble tea. Even though she had blurred herself out, how could I not recognize my own mother? Back home, I paced restlessly in my bedroom. Mom was completely fixated on Jason now. How could I make her choose to return to her own family? A commotion erupted outside my door. I went out to see. Mom was back. And Jason was following right behind her! Seeing my astonished gaze, Jason actually gave me a challenging smirk. “Sorry, Caleb, I told Auntie Vicky the school dorms aren’t allowing residents right now, so she just let me stay at your place.” Seeing my shocked expression, Mom seemed a little nervous. “After all, you’re classmates; you should look out for each other. Maybe you’ll even go abroad together someday.”

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My brother and I both had high fevers at the same time. My parents gave me the last three fever reducers, and he turned into a slow, unresponsive kid. When he was bullied, he retaliated against his classmates. When he was ignored, he hurt our parents. Reborn, I shoved all the fever reducers into his mouth. The thick stench of blood clung to my nostrils. In the dim living room, two cold bodies lay still. It was my mom and dad! They had been murdered! They lay on the floor, eyes wide open in death, a sight that sent shivers down my spine. But I was pinned down on the bed, held tight. My hands and feet were tied, leaving me completely immobile. A large, grayish-blue hand gripped my throat, making it hard to breathe. A sharp dagger dripped with blood, wet and cold against the pulse point in my neck. “Sis… Sis…” The person on top of me let out a low, pained sound. Stuttering, broken. This person was my younger brother. Ten years ago, he and I both had persistent high fevers, our temperatures soaring past 104°F. Medicine was scarce back then, almost impossible to find on the market. Our family only had three fever reducers left. After much agonizing, my parents decided to give them to me. My thirteen-year-old brother, after that fever, became what everyone called an “idiot.” He became a target for bullying at school and a transparent, ignored presence at home. And that led to this grim outcome… He’d killed Mom and Dad, and now, he was coming for me. Why was he looking so hurt right now? The man’s hand tightened, and I slowly lost my breath, unable to respond. “Sister,” he called me again, slowly. Perhaps from years of not speaking, he could barely form full words anymore. His voice sounded like it was squeezed from his throat, tinged with a manic eeriness. “Everyone who bullied me at school… I killed them all.” He slowly lowered his head, his warm breath ghosting over my face, raising goosebumps all over my skin. Meeting his bloodshot eyes, I painfully squeezed mine shut. “These two people, I killed them too.” He continued to utter chilling words. I knew he was talking about Mom and Dad. Suddenly, the large hand on my neck loosened slightly. He pressed the knife deeper into my skin. A jolt of pain shot through my neck. With every breath, an icy chill pierced me. He had slit my throat.

He gently rubbed his face against mine, whimpering, “I gave you all the fever reducers. Why did you have to get married?” So, he still remembered what happened ten years ago. Because of a high fever, the clever and lively boy he once was became clumsy and blank. He had lost his promising life. I owed him for that. But he shouldn’t… he shouldn’t have… killed so many people, and he definitely shouldn’t have acted like a monster and murdered our parents. I didn’t quite understand the second part of his sentence. After graduating from college, because of his condition, I worried he wouldn’t be able to take care of our parents in the future. So, I chose to stay by Mom and Dad, marry a gentle man, and together, we’d take care of them and him. I had planned out our whole family’s future… I’d met a decent guy through a setup, and we were getting married next week. “Sister, after you die, I’ll kill him and then come join you.” “Don’t worry.” At this moment, he spoke more than usual, no longer like the silent, slow kid he used to be. I knew he was talking about my fiancé. Tears blurred my vision, and I could only shake my head in agony. As my consciousness faded, I could feel him holding me tightly. And his pained whimpers, like a trapped beast. He must be in pain too, right? Unable to control himself? It shouldn’t have, shouldn’t have ended like this. I seemed to see glimpses of our happy family of four from when I was little. If only, back then, I had given him the fever reducers. If only, back then, I had known his classmates were bullying him, and I had helped him. If only, back then, I had shown him more care at home. Would things not have turned out like this? But alas, it was too late. He killed everyone. And I died too.

It hurt. My head hurt. My whole body ached. My eyes refused to open. In a hazy state, I couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality. It felt like I was being cooked in hot water, excruciatingly uncomfortable. A cool hand pressed against my forehead, followed by the cold beep of a device. Then, a woman’s anxious cry: “What are we going to do? Avery’s temperature is already 104°F!” Hurried footsteps echoed in the room. “Leo’s at 104°F too! We can’t buy medicine, and the neighbors don’t have any to lend. This won’t do!” “Let’s go to the hospital!” “It’s on lockdown! How long will it take to get approval? Plus, with the special circumstances, there might not even be beds at the hospital!” “Why do my children have such a hard life…” A familiar male voice declared decisively, “There are only three fever reducers left. Give them to Avery? She can’t be harmed! Otherwise, we’d never forgive ourselves…” These words felt like they came from another lifetime, instantly clearing my hazy mind. Like someone struggling for survival, I burst out of a steaming cauldron. I opened my eyes! Startling the man and woman in the room, who then erupted in joyful surprise. “Oh, my sweet Avery, you’re finally awake! You scared Mom half to death!” Two much younger faces leaned over me, two living, breathing people, bringing tears to my eyes. My hands trembling, I touched my neck. It was perfectly fine! I shot up, ignoring the damp sweat on the bedsheets. Due to the high fever, my voice was hoarse. “What year is it?” Mom and Dad exchanged glances, their worry evident. “Oh no, the fever made her confused.” “It’s 2022. You and Leo are on winter break. Avery, just take the medicine…” I suppressed my pounding heart, snatched the three fever reducers from Mom’s hand, and jumped out of bed, rushing towards Leo’s room.

When I burst through the door, the young boy on the bed had his eyes tightly shut, his face flushed red, muttering in pain, “Dad… Mom… Sister…” I finally let out a heavy sigh of relief. There was still time. It was good, I’d been reborn, and I had a chance to choose again. I tore open the medicine packet and immediately threw myself onto Leo’s bed, forcefully prying open his mouth. I cried, muttering, “This time you eat it, you eat it! Just take it down…” Perhaps my frantic actions scared Mom and Dad, they rushed over to pull me away. “Avery…” But I yelled, “Don’t move!” I turned to them, my eyes blurry with tears, my voice firm. “Give the medicine to my brother.” Just then, my hand was gently licked, and I froze. Looking down, I met a pair of dark, weak eyes. As if crossing a long decade, and countless bloody, cruel moments, they converged into this handsome young boy before me. “Sister.” He called me. My body stiffened. I didn’t know what expression to show. The terrifying scene before my death made it impossible for me to face him calmly. This was the future killer… Could I really change everything? Thinking of Mom and Dad behind me, I gritted my teeth, making up my mind. This life, I absolutely couldn’t let him feel hurt or ignored. I had to make him happy, had to soothe him. I forced a strained smile, popped the medicine into his mouth, and said softly, “Good boy, Leo. Take your medicine, and you’ll feel better soon.” Mom and Dad behind me seemed to hesitate, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, they just sighed and said no more. Leo blinked his dark eyes, then suddenly smiled, innocent and harmless, his voice hoarse, “Mommy said there were only three left. Sister, you take them.” I didn’t care about anything else, tears streaming down, I clumsily kept shoving the medicine into his mouth. “You take it, you take it…” If you don’t take it, we’ll all die ten years from now. He frowned, reaching out to stop me, and forcibly pulled out two pills, weakly offering them to me. His gaze was calm, his voice still holding the clear tone of a young boy: “Then I’ll take one, and Sister will take two.” I couldn’t refuse again. Because his eyes were terrifyingly bright. Just like they were when he cut my throat. Even though, in this year, he was only thirteen. Perhaps the fever reducers really worked. I don’t know how long I slept in a daze, but when I finally opened my eyes, I was startled.

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When my wife went to shower, I accidentally saw a message from her weight-loss nutritionist. [My ‘protein boost’ was all for you today. Come back tomorrow, let me check those curves.] I initially thought “protein boost” was just some diet jargon. But the next second, I saw a photo from the nutritionist that shattered my whole world. 0 Chloe and I had been married for three blissful years. Our relationship was incredibly strong. We met in college and got married right after graduation. I started my business, and she became a full-time homemaker, even giving birth to our sweet, lively son, Leo. Earlier this year, Chloe, who’d never really cared much about her figure, suddenly told me she wanted to lose weight. She was a little under 5’3″ and weighed almost 190 pounds, so she was definitely overweight. But she’d put on that weight to nurture our child, and I never held it against her. Still, if she wanted to lose weight, I was all for it. She found a dedicated weight-loss nutritionist and communicated with him daily about her meals. As their contact grew more frequent, I admit, I felt a knot of unease in my stomach. But for Chloe’s health, I forced myself to swallow it. After all, it was working; she’d already dropped about 20 to 30 pounds. Then came that day. Chloe went into the bathroom to shower, and her phone, lying on the table, suddenly lit up. I glanced over, and a message popped up. It was from her weight-loss nutritionist. [My ‘protein boost’ was all for you today. Come back tomorrow, let me check those curves.] I just thought they were talking about some new diet protein, so I picked up Chloe’s phone to reply for her. But to my horror, the nutritionist sent another photo, a sickening one. My wife, her face flushed and her eyes dazed with pleasure. And standing in front of her was another man! My mind exploded. My heart hammered against my ribs, and a wave of nausea washed over me. “Chloe, get out here!” I yelled. “What’s wrong? I’m showering,” she called back. “Get out here right now! What is this?” Chloe clearly hated my tone, muttering as she stormed out of the bathroom. “Are you just looking for a fight tonight, Liam?” I held up her phone, pointing at the photo. “Explain this. What is going on?” Chloe leaned in, and when she saw the image on the screen, her face drained of all color. “Why are you messing with my phone? It’s just some harassment text. Give it back!” “Harassment text? Is that not *you* in the picture?” I hated that she was still trying to lie to me, trying to gloss over it. “Liam, listen to me.” “Listen to you? How do you plan to explain this? I’m not blind!” 0

Chloe burst into a torrent of sobs. “No, it’s… I got drunk a few days ago, and he took advantage, he… he did something to me… And since then, he’s been sending me photos, threatening me. I had no choice but to go along with it. I didn’t want to, Liam, but he said if I didn’t cooperate, he’d send the photos to you… I didn’t want to lose you… sniffle, sniffle…” My heart was still pounding. My head felt like it would split open. “If that’s the case, why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Chloe clung to me, weeping loudly. “I was afraid you’d despise me if you knew. I love you too much, I care about you too much. How could I risk telling you something like that?” But seeing her dissolved in tears and snot, I took several deep breaths, then sighed, feeling tears well up in my own eyes. If Chloe was telling the truth… then she was the victim. After all these years, how could I blame her for being a victim? I offered to go with her to the police. After all, a nutritionist is a profession built on trust, someone clients share very personal details with. If someone like that was allowed to get away with this, more women would surely be harmed. But Chloe adamantly refused. She said if word got out, her reputation would be completely ruined. She absolutely couldn’t bear to let this matter become public. In the end, we both compromised. We reported the unethical nutritionist to the agency he worked for. Chloe also got a refund and left that agency, completely severing ties with him. 0

Even though I had forgiven my wife, I was a man. That photo, that image, haunted me relentlessly. It was constantly there, a bitter taste in my mouth. The seed of suspicion had taken root deep in my heart. I couldn’t help but guess… I knew it was wrong, but I simply couldn’t control myself. Every time my wife answered a call, I unconsciously perked up my ears. If she smiled while chatting on her phone, I immediately felt paranoid, wanting to peek. I knew this was the severe psychological shadow left by what had happened, and it would likely take a very, very long time to overcome. Perhaps it was just my paranoia, but Chloe’s behavior seemed to grow stranger. Our son, Leo, was barely two years old. Usually, two nannies cared for him, with Chloe supervising to make sure they were diligent. But lately, Chloe kept leaving Leo with the nannies and frequently running out. Several times, I came home from work and didn’t see her. She explained that after the last incident, she felt terrible and wanted to make it up to me. So she decided to find a job, earn some money, and buy me a gift as an apology. I was touched. I couldn’t believe my wife, who’d never lifted a finger around the house before, was now working so hard to save our family. Compared to her efforts, my earlier suspicions felt truly pathetic. I had to get rid of this distrustful habit; it wasn’t fair to Chloe. However. Just a few days later, my good friend Jake suddenly texted me: [Bro, is Chloe home right now?] [Why? Do you need my wife for something? Can’t you just tell me?] I asked, curious. Jake took a long time to reply: [I saw a woman outside, and I swear she looked just like Chloe. Bro, maybe you should take a look too?] [Really? Where? Send me a picture. Let’s see how much she looks like her.] Jake quickly sent a slightly blurry photo. It showed a woman passionately kissing a man in front of her. I recognized her instantly. The woman in the photo was none other than my wife, Chloe! The bracelet she wore was the Valentine’s Day gift I’d just given her. The bag on her chair was custom-made by the brand, the only one in the world. My breath hitched, and I nearly blacked out, seeing stars. [Where are you right now? Send me the address.] Jake also realized the seriousness of the situation and didn’t dare delay, immediately sending me the address. It was a coffee shop not far from my house. My legs trembling, I stumbled downstairs. In my state, I couldn’t drive, so I frantically hailed a cab to the destination. 0 My mind was a chaotic mess the whole way there, churning with dread, unsure what I would do or say once I arrived. I never dreamed that Chloe, who told me she was working to save our family, had betrayed me.

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Ten years after my college classmate died, I was dragged into a group chat. The group announcement read: Thirty days from now, welcome back to our alma mater for the class reunion. 1. Please attend with a black rose. 2. Anyone who tries to leave this city will die. 3. Anyone who doesn’t come will die. 4. Anyone who loses their rose will die. Thirty days later would be Rosalie’s tenth death anniversary. **1** I picked up my phone, staring at the cryptic group chat. I figured it was some old classmate’s prank and tried to type a question, only to find that all members were muted. I tapped on the black rose profile picture. “Cannot add user as friend.” I tried to leave the group. “Cannot exit.” What… what kind of tech was this? *Ding-dong.* The doorbell rang. I walked out of my study, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the gate of my mansion. Someone was here, this late? I checked the security feed. At the tall iron gate, a single black rose lay on the ground. “Please attend with a black rose.” The group announcement flashed in my mind. *Beep beep~* A private message popped up. I checked it. It was Marcus Green, that old buddy—he was the only one who still kept in touch with me. He was in the group, too. “Alex, what’s going on with that group?” “Did you get that flower too?” “Is it… is she back for revenge?” He sent a string of frantic voice messages, clearly terrified. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Don’t overthink it. It’s probably just a prank.” I didn’t take it too seriously, casually arranging my collectible tea set. “Just chill. Let’s see how it plays out.” After a moment’s thought, I called my housekeeper to bring the rose inside. My busy life continued. My company had several big deals to close, so I didn’t have time to focus excessively on this. The group remained silent. None of the busy “elites” seemed to take it seriously either. **2** Ten days later, Marcus suddenly called me, his voice trembling with terror. “Alex, this is bad! Really bad! Liam White is dead!” I frowned, trying to pull up his name from my mental Rolodex of contacts. “Liam White? How did he die?” “He was on a business trip to another city. On his way to the airport, he was hit head-on by a huge truck and died instantly. They say… his head was severed on impact, flying dozens of feet.” This was the first one. Someone who died for trying to leave the city. “Anyone who tries to leave this city will die.” Maybe it was a coincidence. I tried to reassure Marcus, and myself. I opened the group chat. One person was missing—the count went from 21 to 20. Liam White was gone. **3** The next week showed me this wasn’t just a coincidence. Two more people died in the group. A female classmate, Sarah Miller, whose father was critically ill back home and wanted to see her one last time. She definitely had to go back. But as she was heading to the elevator with her suitcase, the elevator malfunctioned and plunged 28 floors. She died instantly. Another male classmate, Kevin Baker, whose mischievous daughter played with the black rose and then presumably lost it. He was electrocuted in the shower at home. The group count dropped from 21 to 18. My irritation flared. I drove back to my mansion, placed the black rose in a safe, and told my secretary to cancel all my business trips. **4** Marcus came over to my place. He was terrified. He wanted to stay with me for the next two weeks, and I didn’t refuse. “Alex! Wow! I knew you were doing well, but I had no idea you were *this* successful!” He parked his car on my private driveway and gaped in amazement. I humbly replied, “Oh, it’s nothing. Everyone’s doing great.” It was true. Everyone pulled into that group chat was now a successful professional in their respective fields. That evening, we drank red wine and talked about old times. “Alex, maybe we should call the police?” Marcus’s dark eyes stared at me intently. I pondered for a moment, then shook my head. “No. If we call the police, they’ll reopen the investigation into what happened ten years ago.” Marcus took a sip of wine and chuckled. “Right. It would be a hassle, especially since Rosalie’s death is linked to all of us…” “Shut up!” I snapped, completely unlike my usual nice-guy persona, cutting him off. Rosalie. She was our classmate who died ten years ago. She was a girl as bright and beautiful as a rose. **5** For the next few days, no one else disappeared from the group, meaning no one else died. Every time I came back to the mansion after work, I saw Marcus on the phone, seemingly contacting the others in the group. Well, he was always a social butterfly back in college. The next day, I saw a petite figure in my mansion—my ex-girlfriend, Valerie Reed. She was in the group too. But we hadn’t had any contact since graduating college. “Alex, Marcus called me. I saw the group, and people dying, I was so scared… Don’t get the wrong idea.” She looked at me with that pitiable expression, a look both familiar and strange. My mansion had plenty of rooms, and having one more person for a few days was no big deal. I shrugged indifferently. Soon, it was time for the reunion at our alma mater. But before we left, my safe was gone—the safe containing the black rose. **6** We had to leave soon, there was no time to check the security footage. I looked at Marcus’s fawning face and Valerie’s gentle smile, a chill running through me. Someone was setting me up. They wanted me dead. **截断点** “Alex, what’s wrong?” Seeing my grim face, Marcus asked with concern. I glared at them both. “My rose is gone. The one in the safe.” “What? Oh no, what are we going to do?” Valerie also sounded agitated. I gritted my teeth. “Let’s just go.” Going would mean death, but so would not going. Might as well go and find out what was going on. The three of us walked towards the parking area. Suddenly, a massive shadow plunged down… “Ah!” Marcus, who was walking behind us, let out a short, sharp cry of pain, then fell silent. The scent of blood filled the air. I turned my head. A thick lamppost had fallen, landing squarely on Marcus. His head was crushed. He died instantly… The mansion’s security quickly ran over, calling the police. I staggered back two steps. It should have been me who died. “Alex, you should thank me. Last night, Marcus stole your safe. Luckily, I found out in advance and swapped his rose into your safe. So, what he threw into the furnace to burn was his own flower.” Valerie smiled, as if seeking praise, her eyes curving sweetly. She casually pulled two flowers from her large bag and handed one to me. **7** There were 17 people left in the group, including the group admin. Valerie and I returned to our alma mater. It was summer break, so the school was empty. Strangely, the main gate was open, and there were no security guards. Having witnessed Marcus’s death, my mood was heavy. “Those four people who died, they all did something terrible to Rosalie, didn’t they? Alex, who do you think is next?” Valerie asked softly, sending a shiver down my arm. This was a revenge plot. Today was Rosalie’s death anniversary. When we arrived at the classroom, it was already full of people. Marcus’s death had delayed us a bit. Dozens of eyes stared at us from the doorway, filled with fear, exhaustion, surprise, or indifference. *Beep beep beep…* Countless phones suddenly chimed. The black rose profile picture appeared. A group message. “Welcome, 16 classmates, to this year’s class reunion, on time.” “Next, let’s play a game of Truth or Dare.” “Each student must confess a wicked deed they committed against Rosalie during college, and others will vote by raising their hands. The person with the least severe offense will die.” 1. Do not lie. 2. Do not attempt to leave. 3. Do not disrupt the game. This was terrifying! We had to tell the truth, confess our gravest sins, and then be judged by others! The person at the bottom, the one whose mistake was deemed the least severe, would pay with their life! Who among us wasn’t someone important, someone with a reputation?! Now, everyone would be forced to confess their absolute worst sins… This was a test of human nature. Who exactly was behind this black rose profile picture? **8** “I’m not playing! I’m not playing! I’m going home!” A skinny guy, Mitch Evans, suddenly stood up and ran wildly out of the classroom. As soon as he ran out the door, a tortured shriek echoed. His throat seemed to be clutched by something unseen. We rushed to the doorway to look. He was writhing, kneeling in the hallway, his hands desperately clutching his own throat, eyes bulging. He actually strangled himself to death! “Ah!” The more timid female classmates screamed. Valerie clung to my arm, trembling all over. Now, no one dared to leave. There were 16 people left in the group. **9** “Are we just going to leave Mitch there?” Back in the classroom, a man with thick brows, Julian North, questioned us unhappily.

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I dated my university girlfriend for four years. It wasn’t until graduation day, the day we broke up, that we finally had our first time. In the throes of our passion, I couldn’t hold back my bitter words. “What is this, Scarlett? Is this your pitiful compensation for four years of my life?” Her eyes welled up with tears, and she shook her head frantically. “You’ll marry me, won’t you?” The next day, I was just about to leave with a ring and flowers. But the police came and took me in. In the interrogation room: “Alright, tell us. What was your motive for killing your girlfriend?” I froze, tears instantly streaming down my face. I stared at them in disbelief. “You suspect *me* of murder?” “I was the one who loved her most in this world, I would have given my life for her! And you suspect me?” “Look at these flowers and this ring I’m holding! I was going to propose to her today! How could I possibly kill her?” The more I spoke, the more agitated I became, my interrogation chair shaking as if it would fall apart at any moment. “What are you yelling about? Do you think we’d arrest you without evidence?” With that, Captain Miller slammed a stack of evidence onto the table in front of me. “1. Your girlfriend died in the hotel room you booked. It was a perfect locked-room mystery. No one else entered or exited that room except the two of you.” “2. Your DNA was found inside your girlfriend, your skin tissue under her fingernails, and your fingerprints covered her body.” “3. Her body was covered in bruises and injuries.” “4. Her cause of death was asphyxiation. The towel, used as the murder weapon, was found nearby. It only had your fingerprints and the victim’s DNA.” “If you’re not the killer, how do you explain all of this?” “You did such a brutal thing to her, yet you claim to deeply love her? You’re a monster!” Captain Miller lost his composure too, pounding the table and shouting at me. “I didn’t! I didn’t!” Under his aggressive interrogation, my mind was on the verge of collapsing. “Then why was your phone off the whole time? It only turned back on right before we caught you?” “My phone battery died. I only realized it when I woke up this morning…” My body suddenly stiffened. Holding those files in my hands, as a crime scene investigator myself, I started trembling. Isn’t this a perfect, closed chain of evidence? With all this undeniable evidence stacked against me. I was the one who killed my girlfriend!

But I wasn’t the killer! I had left the hotel much earlier that day. After that, I never went back. Who knows what could have happened during that long period? Today, Scarlett and I had planned for me to go to her stepfather’s house to announce our relationship. And to propose to her right then and there. I left the hotel to first tell my parents about our relationship. Then, I planned to prepare everything for going to her house today. But instead, she died in the hotel. I was filled with regret. If only I hadn’t left that day. Perhaps this tragedy wouldn’t have happened. Scarlett was dead, and I was in agony. But I had to put my grief aside for now. The police had already prejudged me as the killer. If I sank into my sorrow right now… If I couldn’t defend myself. Then I would become the scapegoat for her murder. And the real killer would walk free! So, I forced myself to suppress my pain, reading through the information on the files, word by painful word. According to the crime scene report: Scarlett’s time of death was between 5 PM and 7 PM yesterday, and the location was the apartment-style hotel where she and I had checked in. The police investigated the hotel’s front desk records and the hallway surveillance footage. From 4:30 PM, when we entered the room together, until 5:30 PM, when I left the room alone. No one else had entered or exited the room during that time. It wasn’t until 5 AM today, when Scarlett’s stepfather, seeing she hadn’t returned all night, showed up. He found the hotel, inquired at the front desk, and, accompanied by the front desk attendant, went to the room. He found the door unlocked, and after calling out with no reply, he entered the room. That’s when he discovered my girlfriend, completely naked, dead on the bed in a strange, contorted position. Based on the crime scene investigation and the autopsy report, the police quickly reached a conclusion. Scarlett died from mechanical asphyxiation. She had been sexually assaulted before her death. The fresh bruises on her body were clearly not from a normal lovers’ encounter. Moreover, her body was in a peculiar position, her limbs bound. … Seeing this, My heart skipped a beat. Because the information described in the report. It perfectly matched what Scarlett and I had done that day. But when I left, I had clearly untied her. If no one entered or exited the room afterward, then who bound her again?

I quickly flipped through the crime scene investigation report. I only remembered there was a window in the room, but Scarlett had drawn the curtains as soon as we entered. I was too nervous throughout the whole process. So I hadn’t paid any attention to what the window looked like. Now, looking at the crime scene photos, the window was entirely covered with security bars. Though there was an escape hatch in the bars, it was firmly sealed with a rusted-shut lock. The room had a window-mounted AC unit, so there were no ventilation shafts either. That meant, to enter or exit this room, assuming no forced entry, the only way was through the main door. But a camera was positioned just down the hallway, directly facing my room. After reviewing the camera footage, the police concluded that no one had entered or exited. All of this was far too bizarre. Two words suddenly jumped out at me: Locked-room! A perfect locked-room mystery. Unlike the plots in other crime novels… This locked-room case pointed all the evidence directly at me. I looked up at Captain Miller and the others. “Captain Miller, don’t you think this is highly unusual? If I were really the killer, why would I leave so many clues?” Captain Miller had regained his calm. “You think there’s a problem? Perhaps it was just a crime of passion? You mentioned earlier that it was your first time together.” “But our autopsy found that your girlfriend was not a virgin. You dated for four years, and she always presented herself as pure and untouched before you, yet she wasn’t. So, in a moment of twisted rage, you brutally murdered her.” “But it was your first time killing, and in your panic, you didn’t think to cover your tracks, fleeing the scene in a hurry.” I was speechless for a moment. “Captain Miller, according to your theory, I fled in panic, so why did I just wait at home for you to come and arrest me?” “I’m a crime fiction expert. If I really killed her, I would have committed a perfect crime, not this shoddy, amateurish job, riddled with holes.” “And besides, I already knew my girlfriend wasn’t a virgin. What kind of era is this? Do I really care about that anymore?” “Moreover, you’re prejudging me as the killer based solely on crime scene photos and my girlfriend’s autopsy! Do you even know what truly happened that day?”

My emotions flared up again. But this time, Captain Miller didn’t interrupt me. Instead, he watched me carefully, seeming genuinely ready to listen. I decided to continue. I even took a moment to steady myself, knowing that when emotions run high, it’s easy to say the wrong thing. That day, Scarlett and I had arranged to go back to the university to pick up our diplomas. For a long-awaited reunion, and to put a definitive end to our four-year relationship. After all, from the moment we started dating, our relationship was different from ordinary couples. What she showed me was more a dependence on an older brother figure. Or, to put it more bluntly, she was seeking the comfort of a father’s love from me. In high school, I was obsessed with writing crime fiction and neglected my studies. I failed to get into university for five consecutive years. In the sixth year, my dad smashed my computer and tablet, burned my manuscripts. He swore that if I didn’t get into university this time, he’d send me to a mental hospital. It was only then, after a year of hellish cramming, that I finally got into this average university. So, compared to Scarlett and her peers, being five years older, I was much more mature than them. The first time I saw Scarlett, a sense of familiarity washed over me. My usually calm heart skipped a beat for her. We were drawn to each other and quickly became a couple. Our bond was something sacred, a mix of profound love, a sibling-like connection, and a deep, almost paternal affection. How could such a bond be fixated on mere physical pleasure? We cared more about a high level of spiritual compatibility. But what would happen to our relationship once we left the campus? Society would ultimately define relationships between men and women by those physical acts. How could our sacred and pure bond be defiled by such things? After discussing it many times, we decided that on the day we picked up our diplomas: we would break up. After getting our diplomas, we walked out of school, holding hands one last time. I was waiting for her to say goodbye. Because those two words, coming from me, would hurt her too much. It wasn’t until we walked out of school that she turned around, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked at me steadily. I took a deep breath, waiting for her to deliver the final verdict. But, to my surprise, what she said was… “Jax, could you… could you take me? Just once?” “You were enraged that she defiled your sacred bond, so you killed her afterward, didn’t you?” Captain Miller suddenly interrupted me, a look of insight on his face.

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