1 HIS ROUTINE

After a minute of staring at his mess, Hei Bao entered the bathroom to retake a bath. Before entering the shower, he first took off the blood-stained robe and threw it in the trash.

He set the temperature to a comfortable level and turned on the faucet. Feeling the gentle caress of the water, he tilted his head and closed his eyes, letting the water run down his whole body, washing away the things he had done.

Stepping out in his new robe, Hei Bao went to the dimly lit mini kitchen. Holding his towel, he wiped his hair dry and glanced at his wine collection, feeling thirsty.

He flipped the switch beside him, and instantly, the darkness vanished, replaced by bright light filling the entire space. As he stepped closer, his gaze fell on the red wine.

Hei Bao walked over, twisted off the lid, and poured himself a glass of wine halfway. After taking a sip, he suddenly stared ahead with a blank expression, as if something had crossed his mind.

It took a moment before he blinked and entered back his office. He glanced at the scene ten steps away before heading to his black swivel chair.

Sitting down, he held the wine and sipped it occasionally. The heat of the liquid seared from his heart down to his stomach as he swallowed, satisfying him.

The atmosphere was serene but was abruptly interrupted by the loud ring of the telephone on his desk that connected directly to the lobby.

He answered the call and heard Chu Yan, the receptionist, on the other end.

"I apologize for the intrusion, my lord. Sir Cheung Qi is here and requesting to see you." She paused, awaiting his response.

"Tell him to bring at least three cleaners," he replied, then ended the call.

"He said you can go up now and bring three cleaners," Chu Yan said, offering a shy smile.

Cheung Qi thanked her and immediately headed for the elevator. He pressed the button for the 50th floor, where the pack leader's office and waited.

After a minute, the elevator doors opened. Cheung Qi walked down the dimly lit hallway, and when he reached the office door, he pushed it open.

The sight that greeted him made his eyes widen in shock.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!" he half-shouted, cursing, too stunned.

He swore to God that his cousin was ruthlessly shocking beyond words. Cheung Qi slammed the door behind him, his heart pounding as he approached the scene.

With each step closer, his curiosity and anxiety intensified. When he finally saw the full extent of it, he gasped, his breath catching in his throat.

How the hell...?

The door behind him suddenly creaked, making him flinch. It was the three cleaners he'd called. Their faces went pale as they glimpsed the horror inside; they bolted out, their terror so intense they threw up outside.

Hei Bao strode over to the commotion, his expression of irritation and disdain as he glanced at the three young men outside, still shaken and trying to compose themselves.

Cheung Qi's eyes locked on him, who leaned against the doorframe with detached, almost casual indifference. A glass of wine dangled from his fingers as he waited for his reaction.

"You arrived a minute late," Hei Bao said.

Cheung Qi didn't reply; he turned back to the ghastly scene, his face contorted with disbelief. The other watched him intently, unmoved, as he crouched beside Fei Nian's body.

"Want to take her home?" Hei Bao half-joked, sipping on his wine with a sly smirk.

Seeing that his cousin showed no interest, he kept talking. However, Cheung Qi remained silent, staring at the lifeless body, which irritated him.

Despite being ignored, he still pressed on with his speech, inching closer to Cheung Qi. His thoughts grew bolder by the second, and a smirk returned to his face. He stood beside his cousin and patted his shoulder twice.

"She's still fresh. Although her body is cold, her insides are still warm. You can still-"

Cheung Qi couldn't take it anymore and stopped him from saying anything more disgusting.

"Please, blech, you're making me want to puke," he said, covering his mouth with his left hand. After that, he stood up and faced his psychotic cousin. Both had their thoughts, leaving the phrase 'do her till you dry' unsaid.

Now that he had seen the other's reaction, Hei Bao shrugged and walked over to the couch. He was about to sit down when he noticed his blood-stained phone still lying there.

His face quickly turned sickly blue and purple, twisted with disgust, almost making him gag.

"Aiyah, those cleaners are hopeless," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he shook his head from side to side, a sharp 'tsk' escaping his lips.

Meanwhile, Cheung Qi remained rooted to the spot, staring at Fie Nian's corpse sprawled on the cold floor, surrounded by a pool of her blood.

Hei Bao sensed the absence of movement behind and glanced back, only to find him still standing there.

"What are you standing there for?" His voice was sharp, laced with icy impatience, but Cheung Qi remained motionless, making him frustrated.

Just as he prepared to call out again, a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.

Both men turned their heads in unison, their eyes meeting in a brief moment of shared understanding.

Cheung Qi's face softened with a subtle nod, acknowledging the unspoken command in his cousin's gaze. He walked over to the door and saw.

"Oh, if it isn't the three turtles, sobered up already?" Hei Bao said.

The so-called three turtles are Gou Feng, Shen Jiu, and Huan Zhan, the three young men who have yet to manifest their wolf forms.

"Glad to see you three again. You're all grown men now. Come in," Cheung Qi said, regaining his composure as he took in their appearances, all dressed in black, with one carrying an extra-large plastic bag.

Smiling, he promptly instructs them what to do before striding to his cousin's side.

They watched in silence as Fei Nian's body was placed into the bag by the three young men.

"Why, you..." Cheung Qi suddenly breaks the silence.

"Hm?" Hei Bao, whose eyes were intently observing the three young men at work, responded.

"No, it's nothing," he said, deciding not to dwell on his thoughts further.

After completing their initial task, Gou Feng cleaned the floor and windows while Shen Jiu cleaned the bathroom.

They then cleaned the couch, took the tainted phone, and returned to Huan Zhen, who was holding a black plastic bag with the corpse.

Gou Feng briefly praised the two upon finishing the task neatly with him before turning to face their leader.

The three of them knelt with one knee on the floor as if they were worshiping a God.

"Greetings, our lord," Gou Feng greeted, his voice slightly hoarse. With his head bowed his long, white eyelashes were prominently visible.

Gou Feng is one of Hei Bao's most trusted men in the pact. He is an outstanding gentleman, though he is always serious. Hei Bao saved him when he was a child.

One night, while driving home, he saw a five-year-old child standing alone on a dark street, clothes torn, body covered in bruises, and crying uncontrollably, his face streaked with tears and snot.

Seeing the child's condition, Hei Bao felt a sharp pang in his heart, though he couldn't quite identify the emotions. He stopped the car and rolled down the window.

"Oy, can't you lower your cries? It's annoying," he said in a deep, cold voice, scaring the poor kid. Surprisingly, little Gou Feng stopped crying and wiped his face with his torn clothes. He stared at Hei Bao, who was staring back.

"Why is your hair white? You're still a child, right?" Hei Bao asked. The child did not reply; instead, it continued staring at him with wet blue eyes, which seemed to scream for help through silent sobs.

"Get in," he said, using his threatening tone again.

The child flinched even more. It wasn't intentional; he had been using this harsh approach for so long because of his occupation that he had forgotten how to speak gently and offer comfort instead of instilling fear.

Hei Bao sighed and tried to soften his voice, repeating his words.

"Get in. I won't hurt you. Instead, this Gege will help you."

After years of rigorous training, the once pitiable child had matured into a tall, handsome young man. He had consumed Hei Bao's blood and pledged unwavering loyalty to his savior.

"Rise," Hei Bao commanded. Gou Feng and the two men behind him stood with their heads still bowed. They feared nothing except Hei Bao—a fear instilled in them since childhood that would endure in the future.

Gou Feng tried to straighten his posture and adopted a straight expression while the two young men behind him struggled to keep their composure, their hearts racing.

Hei Bao's gaze shifted from Gou Feng to Shen Jiu, a man with brown eyes and gray hair. Shen Jiu nervously gripped a strand of his clothes tighter. Meanwhile, Huan Zhen, visibly sweating, had perspiration trickling down his neck and soaking into his clothes.

To be continued.