Shadows in the Night: The Werewolf's Journal

Late at night, Li Pango staggered into the residential compound, heading towards his home. His mind was still somewhat befuddled at this moment, a clear indication that he had indeed consumed a considerable amount of alcohol earlier in the day. Li was well aware of the drawbacks of alcohol consumption—common knowledge, but the thought of the exquisite and sweet sensation at the entrance of the four-star "Liu Yang River" lingered in his mind, leaving him in a state of bliss.

Ah, and there was that alluring waitress, though a bit reserved. She wouldn't even allow a touch, but Li Pango found such restraint intriguing. After all, isn't it more interesting to engage with a woman who plays hard to get? Li Pango couldn't help but chuckle, contemplating a visit to the hotel for lunch or dinner tomorrow. He was determined to find a way to win over that young lady. In his view, as long as there was money, there was nothing unattainable.

"Money talks" were his guiding principles, if only he understood the concept of a guiding principle.

Upon reaching his building, Li Pango entered the password on the anti-theft door while humming a popular internet song, "It was you who wanted to part ways, part ways..." The shabby song sounded even more ludicrous coming from his lips.

As he opened the corridor door, Li Pango was suddenly startled by the rapid footsteps behind him, sounding more like the delicate footsteps of a four-legged creature than a person. "Dada" echoed on the ground. Unable to resist, he turned around to check, but there was neither a dog nor any other animal behind him, only himself.

Li Pango mumbled something strange and turned into the corridor. Closing the door behind him, he glimpsed through the crack of the anti-theft door. The moon tonight was bright, and tomorrow was likely to be another sunny day. Just not too hot, he thought. This way, he could spend a pleasant afternoon fishing with the local urban management team leader. Of course, his interest wasn't really in the fish.

A warm shower washed away the scent of alcohol. Li Pango, wrapped in a towel, entered the bedroom, feeling good as he lay on the Simmons bed. He wished there was a beautiful woman in his arms right now. Yes, the same waitress. The thought of that inexperienced girl undressing and lying naked beside him excited Li Pango. However, just as he immersed himself in this dirty fantasy, a crisp knocking sound suddenly came from outside the living room. Li Pango was startled. Could it be that the waitress had actually come to his door?

Of course, that was impossible. Though Li Pango was obtuse, he still possessed some level of intelligence. So, he got up and, while walking towards the living room, loudly asked, "Who is it?"

About five minutes later, a couple living downstairs heard a scream reminiscent of a pig being slaughtered coming from upstairs. The husband immediately sat up in bed, bewildered, and said, "It's Li Pango. What happened?"

"It's none of your business," his wife replied. "That scumbag deserves to die. Have you forgotten about him harassing my sister last time? Go to sleep!"

The husband lay back down, but he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning. Finally, he patted his wife and said, "He's our neighbor, after all. I'll go upstairs and check. What do you think?"

"I don't care about you." His wife turned over and added, "Just be careful!"

The husband said, "Got it," and got out of bed. He found a flashlight and opened the door before walking out.

The corridor was pitch black. He turned on the flashlight and cautiously ascended the stairs, yelling loudly, "Old Li, what's wrong?"

No response.

The man climbed several flights of stairs, shining the flashlight upwards. Upon reaching Li Pango's door, he smelled a nauseating odor. Before his brain could identify the scent, he saw a fat body lying face up in the middle of the marble floor in the living room—it was Li Pango! However, at this moment, he was a bloodied man. Not only was he covered in blood, but the floor beneath him was also stained. The man suddenly felt his legs go weak but briskly walked over.

"Old Li, what happened? How are you?"

Li Pango was not dead yet, but he looked close to it. He struggled to lift one arm, as if trying to grab something, fingers spread open. However, the arm only lifted halfway before dropping.

"Wolf... wolf..."

With great difficulty, he uttered several "wolf" words in succession, then tilted his head and died.

No alarm clock, no one to greet him, yet Jiang Xiaolou still woke up punctually at 6:40 in the morning. This had become a habit cultivated over two years as a police officer. Despite currently having no pressing reasons to rise early, he found no fault in maintaining this routine. Though he had essentially become an idle person after quitting his job almost two months ago, the habit of waking up early persisted, even though it wasn't a deliberate effort.

He had resigned from his position almost two months ago, submitting his resignation to the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the Xuyou City Police Sub-Bureau. These days, he had been waiting for the approval of his resignation report, eagerly anticipating the moment when he could move on to other things. He had plans to revive his old profession, intending to establish a computer company, where he would work as a designer, a busy yet fulfilling occupation. Most importantly, he could escape the daily dealings with words