The Urban Abyss

The Punishment of the Night Wanderer

Vivienne returned home, chilled to the bone. She couldn't believe a six-year-old child would possess such a terrifying imagination; it must have come from someone she spent all her time with—Sophia. She couldn't understand how the kind and delicate Sophia would tell such a story to a child, especially one that linked back to the child's murdered mother.

Back home, Vivienne searched "Night Wanderer" on an ancient book and stumbled upon a mythological archive called "The Bai Ze Diagram," which contained a passage about the Night Wanderer: "Legend has it that a daughter of the Heavenly Emperor had the ability to transform into a bird. She would fly out every night, silent and elusive, committing nefarious deeds while fearing the light, always returning to her nest before sunrise, thus named the 'Night Wanderer.' For her multitude of sins, she ultimately enraged the heavenly might, prompting the Heavenly Emperor to dispatch a celestial hound to punish her. She was eventually killed by a fierce bite to the neck from the celestial hound."

Vivienne's gaze froze on the last few words, "killed by a bite to the neck," sending shivers down her spine. She remembered the identical needle marks found on the necks of the victims in the series of cases. She also recalled Sophia's online handle, "Celestial Hound," and found herself holding her breath: The deaths of six people might be closely related to this legend! And what could Sophia's connection to this legend be?!

The next day, while Sophia was out handling adoption procedures for Cathy, Vivienne stealthily entered Sophia's home. Amidst the array of perfume bottles on Sophia's vanity, she discovered a DIOR "True Love" perfume bottle that, to her trained nose, didn't contain the familiar fragrance.

She brought it to the technical department at the station, handing it over to Jonathan. In less than ten minutes, Jonathan emerged with the results: "The liquid inside is cyanide!" His surprise was mirrored by Vivienne's eyes, now brimming with tears.

Vivienne arranged to meet Sophia at a nearby tea house. They found a quiet corner, and through the glass window, they watched Cathy playing on the lawn with other children, now officially Sophia's adopted daughter.

Vivienne watched Cathy for a long moment before slowly asking Sophia, "Sophie, why did you kill Cathy's mother, Elizabeth?"

Sophia took a sip of her tea, raised her head, brushed her hair aside, and looked at Vivienne calmly, "Vivienne, I don't know what you're talking about."

Vivienne produced a sealed plastic bag containing the perfume bottle: "I found this in your home yesterday. It's been tested—it's cyanide."

Sophia's face turned pale instantly. After a long pause, she managed a weak smile, "What does that prove? I had no quarrel with Elizabeth; why would I kill her?"

Vivienne locked eyes with her, "Perhaps because she was a 'Night Wanderer,' just like your mother."

Sophia's face drained of color, and she slumped back in her seat. After a while, she smiled faintly, "Cousin, have you always wanted to hear my story? How long have you been a cop without any notable achievements? Well, let your first big case start with your cousin."

Sophia's tone was detached as if she was recounting a story unrelated to herself: "I've known about my family's brokenness since I was very young. For a long time, I didn't even know who my father was. The only person I could rely on, my mother, worked in a profession despised by many. I've always felt insecure and sensitive."

"My mother would leave every night and return at dawn, leaving me alone at home. Once I read about the legend of the Night Wanderer, I became convinced my mother was one of these 'wanderers,' doing evil at night. I felt disgust and fear towards her. One night, she even brought a man home. Through the thin door, I heard their laughter, filling me with deep revulsion and hatred."

"In my second year of high school, the day Zachary visited—I already knew he was my biological father, as my mother had told me about her romantic exploits. I hated him, nearly as much as I hated my mother. After he left, I saw my mother acting as if nothing happened, continuing to arrange her nocturnal rendezvous. Suddenly, I felt a fire ignite within me, driving me to madness."

"That night, while my mother slept, I cut the gas hose, intending to die alongside her. However, I was saved the next day, and everyone thought it was an accident, offering me condolences for my loss. After my mother's death, unable to sustain myself, I ironically followed in her footsteps, becoming the youngest prostitute."

Sophia laughed coldly, "Fate is cruel, isn't it? Hating the profession and those in it, yet I became a prostitute. Cousin, were you enjoying your youth in college at that time? Three years later, I left that mire behind and became a bartender. But the story of the Night Wanderer burned brighter in my heart, and I adopted the online handle 'Celestial Hound,' tracking down the most shameless and debauched prostitutes in the city to teach them lessons and punish them."

"Yes, I killed Cathy's mother, Elizabeth, whom I later learned the name of. I should thank her for giving me Cathy—a girl who reminds me so much of my own childhood. I pity her, just as I would pity my younger self, and I couldn't help but share things with her I'd never tell others, like the Night Wanderer. I couldn't restrain myself; I wanted to instill in Cathy a hatred for her own mother... In hindsight, Cathy's arrival wasn't a blessing from the heavens but a disaster."

Sophia finally shed tears, "Vivienne, why is fate so unfair? We both sought to punish evil, yet why are you considered just while I'm deemed a criminal?"

Vivienne's eyes also shimmered with tears, "Sophie, giving yourself the name 'Celestial Hound' doesn't grant you the right to take lives. Lurking in the darkness, preying on victims, casting a shadow of terror over this city—you! are the true 'Night Wanderer'!"

That concludes the first short story, "Night Wanderer." The next story, "Water Tank," will gradually unfold, continuing on this timeline. While each story stands alone, they also interconnect, slowly unraveling the dark secrets behind the city. 

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Stay tuned to Jay for more captivating stories to come!