Dongbao Cinema Plaza had quietly become a haven for runaway youths a few years ago.
They even had their own special name: Higashi-Yoko Kid.
Most of the children gathered here bore scars from domestic violence or even sexual assault, forced to flee their homes.
Of course, there were also rebellious teens who yearned for this kind of fringe life and joined voluntarily.
With regular aid from charity organizations, they managed to struggle for survival in this swamp of vagrancy.
If it was a girl, it was hard to say whether her situation was better or worse—among the girls gathered in Higashi-Yoko, most could be “politely asked for a price” up front.
Drug use, “rounded corners,” fighting…these had almost become synonyms for Higashi-Yoko.
Damn it, how did the nation’s youth become like this?
“Excuse me, have you seen this person?”
Yuki Asahi pulled up a photo of Saori Saiyonji on his phone—why was there a photo of him?—and questioned the kids who gathered here day after day.
“Buy me a bottle of booze, and I’ll tell you.”
A girl with a “landmine” fashion style tilted her head, sticking out her tongue playfully.
Yuki Asahi turned and rushed into the convenience store, grabbed a can of cold beer, and hurriedly handed it over—Hey! The convenience store sells alcohol to students too? That’s illegal, totally illegal!
The girl tilted her head back, gulped down more than half of it with a gurgling sound, wiped her mouth, and shook her head.
“Don’t know him.”
“How can this be…”
Yuki Asahi felt a pang in his heart.
Suddenly, a barely audible chuckle came from beside him.
He looked up in surprise, catching a fleeting curve at the corner of Jiang Jian Yue’s lips.
She quickly returned to her cold expression and looked at him.
“What is it?”
Yuki Asahi shook his head to show he was fine—Of course, even a senior can laugh. Why was he so surprised?
The two of them questioned several more people, nearly giving up on this pointless effort.
Then, a boy in a mask stared at the photo for a while and spoke in a low voice.
“Try looking on Machihigashi Avenue.”
“Did you see him today?”
Yuki Asahi pressed further.
“Um…no. But…you’ll understand when you get there.”
The boy hesitated, his eyes drifting upward.
“Watch your head.”
Ten minutes later, the two finally understood the meaning of “watch your head.”
On the outer wall of a building, a massive promotional poster was plastered, featuring a familiar shade of light blue hair and pale blue eyes…
Oh dear, isn’t that Saori Saiyonji? Let’s just look at the yakitori shop in the distance, family.
“What…what is going on here?”
Yuki Asahi scratched his head awkwardly.
For students, this was clearly a disreputable business establishment.
Wasn’t this definitely illegal?
Jiang Jian Yue raised her phone to take a photo for evidence, then contacted Morita Ao.
“Kabukicho…got it, there’s someone who can help, Young Lady!”
***
Somewhere in a warehouse.
His head…felt heavy.
The aftereffects of the anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet.
Saori Saiyonji forced his eyelids open, but still couldn’t move his body; even his jaw was out of his control, drool unconsciously sliding from the corner of his mouth.
He was chained to a chair, cold and heavy iron links binding his wrists and ankles.
“So you woke up already.”
The skinny man looked surprised, hurriedly opened a plastic bag, poured a small pile of powder onto a spoon, and moved it near an alcohol lamp to heat.
“Since you won’t cooperate, we’ll have to use some special methods, Saiyonji-kun.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll learn to like this feeling.”
Saori Saiyonji immediately sensed danger.
He struggled to focus, but had no strength to stop the man’s movements.
“Bastard! Scum… I’ll kill you all… grr…”
A cold needle pierced his skin.
An indescribable burning sensation rushed through his body, clearing some of the numbness but bringing with it something even more terrifying.
A twisted look of anticipation crossed the skinny man’s face as he slowly pushed the plunger, injecting all the liquid into Saori Saiyonji’s body.
Saori Saiyonji’s curses were blocked by the strange sensations surging through his body.
He felt an electric current filling him, an uncontrollable excitement taking over—his whole body seemed to float.
Unstoppable euphoria flooded his mind.
His hands, bound by chains, began to tense and tremble involuntarily.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
The skinny man grinned lecherously, reaching out to stroke the boy’s face.
He never expected that in the next instant, his hand would feel as if it touched a red-hot iron, burning his palm black.
“Ah!”
The skinny man stumbled back, clutching his scorched hand.
Hiss—whoom!
Flames exploded around the boy.
The wooden chair beneath him ignited in an instant, crackling as it burned.
The red-hot chains sizzled against his skin.
The gangsters watching behind the railings shrieked and grabbed nearby sticks, but the scorching heatwave kept them from daring to approach.
“Quick! Call Oowada!”
“Damn it!”
Bang—
The flames around Saori Saiyonji suddenly vanished.
He stood up, the half-burned chair collapsing beneath him.
The iron chains wrapped around the chair clattered to the floor.
“Idiots… do you think real life is some kind of AV?”
Saori Saiyonji raised his head, bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely, as if infinite power roared inside him.
He felt a craving…
A craving to kill everyone in sight.
“No… stay away!”
The skinny man grabbed a small knife from the table, his hand trembling.
Smack—
Saori Saiyonji casually waved his hand, sending the knife flying as if brushing away dust.
He then gripped the man’s throat like an iron vice, slamming him onto the table.
“If you like it so much, I’ll let you enjoy it all.”
With a smile, Saori Saiyonji picked up the plastic bag.
Flames flared in his palm, melting it instantly.
“No…no…aaaah!”
Scalding, sticky liquid mixed with molten plastic poured into the skinny man’s mouth and nose.
Agonizing pain made his eyes bulge, nearly fainting.
Bang!
A dull thud.
Suddenly, Saori Saiyonji’s head snapped forward, blood seeping from the back of his skull.
He slowly turned to see a gangster clutching a baseball bat, face twisted in terror.
The smile on Saori Saiyonji’s face grew even more twisted.
“It hurts, you know.”
The gangster swallowed hard in fear.
The next second, a tremendous force struck his abdomen—
Saori Saiyonji kicked him.
The gangster flew backward, crashing heavily into the iron railing.
Even more terrifying, sparks burst from the thick winter coat where he’d been kicked, instantly igniting into roaring flames that swallowed him whole.
“Aaaaaaaahhhh—”
A blood-curdling scream filled the warehouse.
The others exchanged glances, the last trace of fighting spirit vanishing.
They abandoned their burning comrade, scrambling for the warehouse door.
“Did I say you could run?”
Saori Saiyonji was now completely consumed by murderous intent, something writhing chaotically inside him…