S.C.I. (Volume I) - Case 2: Chapter 1

The Killer Training Camp 01: The Banquet 

I was startled awake by a heavy peal of thunder. Opening my hazy, sleep-filled eyes, I found myself surrounded by thick, billowing smoke. It was only when I looked around that I realized I had arrived at the edge of the Valley of Hell.

In that dark, deep abyss, a thunderous wail echoed incessantly. I fixed my gaze downward, but aside from sensing its unfathomable depth, I could see absolutely nothing.

Startled awake by a sudden burst of wails and tragic shrieks, he opened his eyes to a dim, murky darkness. Those terrifying sounds had already vanished without a trace.

Letting out a long breath, he dragged himself up from the bed, experiencing a brief wave of dizziness.

Swaying unsteadily over to the French windows, he raised his hand and pulled back the heavy curtains... the sunlight was blinding.

He opened the windows, letting the crisp, cold air pour inside to dispel the stale, moldy odor trapped within the room.

Rubbing his aching temples, he turned around. There on the pale walls were splatters of dried blood, blooming as brilliantly as flowers under the illumination of the sun... As expected, no matter how hideous a thing was, the moment it was shrouded in sunlight, it would sprout pure and holy wings.

Grabbing a bottle of strong liquor, he sat before the window, staring blankly at the sunlight until the sun dipped toward the west. The bright white light turned a deep orange, its color gradually intensifying...

Turning his head back once more, he watched those dried splatters under the blood-like crimson setting sun. It was as if they had suddenly regained the vitality they once possessed while pulsing inside a living body... surging like a torrent, breathtakingly vivid.

As the twilight deepened, the bottle reached its bottom.

Di~~~~

The computer screen suddenly flickered as an email flew into the inbox.

He stood up mechanically, walked over to the desk, and extended a slightly trembling hand to grip the mouse, clicking it open.

There was only a single, brief line of text:

The time has come. Wake the demon! From this moment on, you are no longer yourself!

Zhan Zhao rushed out of the auditorium in S City. "I'm doomed, I'm doomed! I'm going to be late!!"

He had just finished listening to a highly critical lecture. It was a presentation on "Human Personality Disorders" delivered by the world-renowned psychologist, Dr. Wilson Brown.

Dr. Wilson truly lived up to his reputation as an authority in the field. The entire lecture had been absolutely riveting. Zhan Zhao had listened with such rapt attention that he completely forgot a major event—tonight, he was supposed to attend the grand opening banquet of the Bai Corporate Group, hosted by Bai Jintang.

The banquet was scheduled for 7:00 PM, and it was already 6:30 PM. He hadn't even changed his clothes yet. "I'm dead~~ Big Brother Bai is definitely going to beat me to a pulp!!"

"Dr. Zhan!"

As luck would have it, the frantically rushing Zhan Zhao was called to a halt. Looking up, he saw a young man in a sharp, tailored suit stepping out from a diagonal path. His features carried a somewhat aloof, cold demeanor—a hooked nose, thin eyebrows framing elongated eyes, a pointed chin, and an exceedingly pale complexion. Shrewdness radiated from him, laced with a touch of malice. Zhan Zhao didn't recognize him at all.

Zhan Zhao froze slightly, but the man smiled. "You must be Dr. Zhan Zhao, correct? I've admired your reputation for a long time!"

He politely extended his hand. "My name is Pang Yu."

"Oh~ Hello." Zhan Zhao reached out to return the handshake, thinking to himself that the name sounded vaguely familiar, but he was certain he didn't know this person... Ignore him!!

Just as he was about to quicken his pace and walk away, Pang Yu blocked his path. "I attended your lecture on the causes of human multiple personalities last time. It was brilliant."

"You flatter me..." Zhan Zhao was screaming internally. I'm completely dead. Why did I have to run into a piece of sticky candy right at this exact moment...

He tried to leave again, but Pang Yu spoke up once more. "Did you also come to listen to Dr. Wilson's lecture?"

Zhan Zhao thought to himself, No kidding! Why else would I be here?? This guy is just making small talk for the sake of it!!

Just as he was about to tell him, "I'm in a rush," a car horn honked from behind. He turned around...

A magnificent silver-gray sports car was parked by the curb. Bai Yutang leaned his head out of the window and shouted toward him, "Cat!!"

"Excuse me, I'm in a terrible rush. Let's chat next time." Zhan Zhao quickly broke away from the persistent Pang Yu, turned on his heel, and sprinted toward the car.

"Look at the time! Big Brother is going to blow his top again!!" Bai Yutang opened the passenger door for him, handing over an indigo-blue suit.

"I completely lost track of time. Why are you so late too?" Zhan Zhao shut the door, shed his outer coat, and began changing into the suit.

"When I saw your clothes were still at the bureau, I knew you'd forgotten." Bai Yutang reached up to tug at his own collar. "These formal clothes are truly unfit for human wear."

Zhan Zhao looked him up and down. Dressed in a pristine, pure white suit paired with a silver tie, Bai Yutang looked every bit the elegant, dashing young master. He was as textbook a prince on a white horse as one could get... This rat's personality simply didn't match his looks!!

The two of them arrived in a frantic rush at the most expensive five-star hotel in S City just before 7:00 PM.

The entrance was already tightly packed with luxury sedans. A grand red carpet stretched out for several miles, lined on both sides by a dense crowd of reporters, making the scene look exactly like the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The two stepped out of the car, instantly deciding to look for a more secluded, less conspicuous route to slip inside.

"Why did they make it look like this?" Zhan Zhao knit his brows. It felt so incredibly tacky. "What exactly does your big brother's company do anyway??"

"I think it's hospitality and hotels." Bai Yutang scratched his head, scanning the surroundings. "Where do we get in from?"

"Ah~~~~~~" A sudden commotion erupted from the crowd not far away, followed by the piercing shrieks of women.

Instinctively, Bai Yutang reached for his firearm. Turning his head to check, he saw a blonde, blue-eyed foreign man dressed in a black tuxedo walking down the "Walk of Fame."

"Who is that?" Bai Yutang asked Zhan Zhao in a low whisper.

"Uh..." Zhan Zhao shook his head, looking at the shrieking crowd of female creatures with a touch of concern.

"Jon King, a popular Hollywood star." A voice drifted down from behind them—two identical voices speaking in perfect, synchronized harmony.

"Big Ding, Small Ding?" Bai Yutang turned his head to find the twins standing right behind them, wearing expressions of sheer disdain.

"We figured you two would definitely be late!!" The twins shrugged. "Come on, Big Brother sent us to bring you two in through the back!"

...

Following the twins toward the rear entrance, Bai Yutang asked, rather perplexed, "Isn't my brother running a hotel business? Why did he bring out a bunch of celebrities?"

Big Ding and Small Ding turned around simultaneously, letting out a heavy sigh as if exasperated by their lack of awareness. "Sigh~~ The Bai Corporate Group primarily deals in hotels, catering, and entertainment media. Today features a formal signing ceremony for the film company. That Jon King is an actor signed under the Bai Corporation."

"Oh~~" Bai Yutang nodded, earning a synchronized eye-roll from the twins. "The boss is your biological brother after all. How can you be so completely oblivious to his business ventures??"

"So Big Brother isn't actually running a mafia syndicate?" Zhan Zhao leaned in closer, whispering to Bai Yutang.

Bai Yutang instantly slapped a hand over his mouth. "Dead cat, are you trying to get me killed?!" He then looked around nervously in all directions.

"Is that actor very famous?" Zhan Zhao asked the twins out of curiosity. Why had he never heard of him before??

The twins pressed the button for the top floor, looking at the two out of the corners of their eyes. "Do you two literally never watch television or read magazines?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang thought about it for a moment, then quietly looked up at the sky...

The elevator doors slid open outside the ultra-luxurious grand ballroom on the top floor of the hotel. The hall was already densely packed with glamorous social elites. Although Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang didn't recognize a single soul, they could tell these were high-society individuals... everyone was covered in literal glitz and glamour.

As the four stepped out of the elevator, they drew the attention of quite a few guests. Bai Yutang's features, which shared a thirty-percent resemblance to Bai Jintang's, caused a minor stir through the crowd.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable under the heavy gazes, Bai Yutang turned his head to ask the twins, "Where is my brother? The Cat and I will just say hello and head right back."

Zhan Zhao knew that Bai Yutang despised this sort of tedious, superficial socializing the most, so he nodded along in agreement. He still had to organize his books tonight; he was incredibly busy!

"You dare?!" A fierce voice growled from right beside them. Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao instinctively pulled their necks in. Turning around, they saw that Bai Jintang had somehow materialized at their side.

Tonight, Bai Jintang was dressed in a magnificent black tuxedo, radiating pure elite professionalism and aristocratic luxury. Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang sighed simultaneously in their hearts. See that? That is a true eligible bachelor! He is as high-carat as a diamond can get!!

However, this particular bachelor was currently accompanied by a stunning woman with a scorching figure. Holding a glass of champagne, she was curiously sizing up Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao.

"Even if you just stand there, you will remain standing until this event concludes!" Bai Jintang glared at them.

Not daring to defy him, Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao nodded submissively.

"Which one is your younger brother?" the stunning woman beside him suddenly inquired.

"Both of them." Bai Jintang offered a rather curt reply. He turned away to greet a few oncoming guests, though his eyes uncontrollably drifted toward a corner of the grand hall.

Zhan Zhao blinked at Bai Yutang, his eyes conveying: What's wrong with your brother? Is he in a foul mood??

Bai Yutang shook his head, looking toward the twins beside them in confusion.

Ding Zhaohui and Ding Zhaolan jutted their chins toward the exact spot Bai Jintang had been looking at, signaling the two to look over.

Following their gaze, they saw Gongsun sitting elegantly on a sofa with a glass of champagne in hand. He was conversing warmly with a properly attired, dignified woman, a gentle smile gracing his usually melancholy face.

"Why is Gongsun here too?" Bai Yutang asked Zhan Zhao in astonishment.

Zhan Zhao knit his brows and shook his head. "I distinctly saw him rip his invitation to shreds and flush it down the toilet."

Bai Yutang nodded as well. "Yeah, he even said he wouldn't attend an event hosted by a nouveau riche entrepreneur even if it killed him..."

Big Ding and Small Ding drew in a sharp breath. Ahead of them, the turned-away Bai Jintang spun around with a chilling, dark expression. "He truly said that?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang instantly shut their mouths.

"Ah, Cat, would you like something to drink?"

"Sure... I'm feeling a bit thirsty myself."

...The two of them desperately scrambled to change the subject.

With a thoroughly grim face, Bai Jintang turned on his heel and walked into the crowd at the center of the hall.

Ding Zhaolan whispered, "Gongsun was sold out by Director Bao."

"What do you mean?" The two asked, thoroughly confused.

"Because the Boss donated a complete set of the most advanced forensic medical testing equipment and an intelligent temperature-control system to your police bureau. The sole condition was that Director Bao had to dispatch Gongsun to attend the banquet tonight."

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a look, thinking to themselves, Despicable! Utterly despicable!!

"However!" Ding Zhaohui added mysteriously, "The moment Gongsun arrived, he began chatting exceptionally happily with that lady!"

"Furthermore!" Zhaolan supplemented, "It seems they are old acquaintances who haven't seen each other in years."

The two looked at each other, shook their heads, and summarized: Going out to steal a chicken only to lose the rice.

...

"Her name is Fang Jing," the beautiful woman beside them suddenly chimed in. "She's my talent manager, and she is supposedly old classmates with that gentleman named Gongsun."

"Oh~~~" Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang offered a look of deep sympathy as they glanced at Bai Jintang. They watched as his eyes drifted toward that direction yet again...

"That makes twenty-three times tonight." The stunning woman raised her glass, elegantly turning on her heel to walk away.

Big Ding and Small Ding huddled closer. "Her name is Chen Jiayi. She's also a signed actress. Her figure is amazing, right?!"

By this time, almost all the distinguished guests for the banquet had arrived. Zhan Zhao was surprised to discover that Dr. Wilson, who had given the lecture in the grand auditorium that afternoon, was also among the crowd. He was currently chatting with Jon, the celebrity from the Walk of Fame earlier.

Dr. Wilson spotted Zhan Zhao as well, immediately offering a warm nod in his direction.

Out of respect for his elder and academic authority, Zhan Zhao actively stepped forward to greet him and shake his hand. Bai Yutang, not wanting to be left behind, followed suit.

"Ah! Zhan, so wonderful to see you!" Although Dr. Wilson was nearly sixty years old, he still maintained the signature enthusiasm and high energy typical of Americans. It was clear he highly appreciated Zhan Zhao, gripping his hand firmly with a face blooming like a spring breeze.

Just as Zhan Zhao was about to speak, a sharp red laser dot suddenly materialized right on Dr. Wilson's forehead...

...! ...

"Danger!" Standing right beside him, Bai Yutang violently shoved Dr. Wilson away almost the exact millisecond that red dot appeared.

Simultaneously, a bloody hole burst open on the shoulder of a person standing directly behind Dr. Wilson. Crimson blood erupted outward as the individual shrieked in agony, clutching their shoulder as they collapsed to the floor.

"Ahhh~~~~" The entire ballroom instantly fell into absolute chaos. The female guests screamed in sheer terror as the crowd began pushing and trampling over one another to flee.

Bai Yutang watched as that phantom-like red laser dot instantly climbed onto the forehead of Jon, who was standing frozen in shock. However, his distance from Jon was far too great...

"Get down!" Zhaohui flew out from the flank like a launched projectile, tackling Jon flat to the ground.

With another sharp crack, a scorched black hole appeared right on the carpet, emitting a thin wisp of green smoke.

"Everyone get against the walls!" Bai Yutang roared, drawing his firearm as he spun around.

Out past the balcony, amidst the dark shroud of the night sky, a stark red dot was clearly blinking from the rooftop of the building directly opposite them. Visually, the distance looked to be easily over 50 meters...

He raised his pistol, aligning his sights with the red dot, then elevated the muzzle at a 45-degree angle.

With a loud bang, the gunshot rang out... The crisp sound of shattering glass echoed clearly across the distance. A few seconds later, a black sniper rifle tumbled down from the opposite rooftop, bouncing hard against the pavement below as it smashed completely into pieces…