Chapter 14: Lullaby

"You said it yourself before. That you owed me."

William's voice trembled.

"But… this is how you repay me? After everything I did to help you?"

His eyes were a mess of confusion and terror.

The predator before him—

It was Avery, the same man he knew, but… something was off.

"Me?"

Avery repeated, his tone devoid of emotion.

William sucked in a shaky breath, forcing himself to speak.

"You… You said you had a reason for joining this organization. That you were looking for someone."

Avery's eyes narrowed.

William flinched at the look but pressed on.

"You told me, plain as day. I have to get into the Night Gallery. I'll do whatever it takes."

"I was looking for someone?"

Avery's voice dropped lower.

William nervously licked his lips.

"Y-Yeah… You said the person who killed your mother was a member of the Night Gallery. That's why you wanted revenge."

He swallowed hard before continuing.

"I just… thought it was an interesting story. That's why I introduced you to the Cleaners. So why— why the hell are you doing this to me?!"

Avery's mind spun.

According to his memory, this body's mother had died in a car accident.

But this conversation—

This was telling an entirely different story.

The original owner of this body—

Had he really joined the organization for revenge?

Avery let out a short breath.

The ordinary life he had wished for.

He had only wanted to live quietly, without incident, just like anyone else…

But reality was dragging him deeper into a labyrinth.

All these secrets, these scattered pieces of truth—

They were mercilessly trampling over the peaceful life he had once dreamed of.

"Who was I looking for?"

Avery shot back in a low voice.

"How the hell should I know?"

William retorted without backing down.

"Weren't you the one investigating your mother's death?"

Avery clenched his fists tightly.

He had been searching for answers, yet all he found were more questions.

With every step forward, this journey only became more tangled.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the storm of emotions boiling inside him.

Then, slowly, he rose from his seat.

William didn't miss that subtle shift.

In Avery's gaze, something cold and unyielding flickered.

Sensing an opportunity, William lowered his voice, as if to mask his fear.

"It's over now, isn't it? So let me go. We'll pretend none of this ever happened."

He glanced down at his severed finger.

A direct confrontation was out of the question.

His strength didn't lie in combat, but in deception.

Luring his target into a single moment of carelessness, striking when they revealed an opening—

That was Shadow Stalker William Hansen's way.

"Let you go?"

Avery's voice rang out like a chilling echo.

That single phrase carried a weight so oppressive, it felt like a boulder pressing down on the chest.

"…Hmph?"

William's flimsy composure wavered.

"You remember the thirteen-year-old boy you killed last cycle, don't you?"

Avery flashed a grin.

But it was nothing more than a fragile mask, barely holding back his fury.

At that moment—

William's expression changed.

That spine-chilling madness, brimming with twisted pride.

"Ah, that kid?"

William leaned back casually, letting out a chuckle.

"Didn't think you'd be interested in something like that."

His face was lit up as if reminiscing about a fond memory.

"That little brat was so naïve. His family was dirt poor. So I told him I'd pay him if he helped out with some housework. The moment I made the offer, he accepted without a second thought."

Clicking his tongue, William continued.

"I spiked his juice with something. And once he was sound asleep, I…"

His voice trembled, filled with cruel excitement.

But then—

Flash.

A sharp glint of metal flickered in Avery's hand.

Before William could even register what was happening—

Shhk.

The blade plunged deep.

The tip of the knife pierced straight through William's leg, bursting out the other side in a crimson arc.

"Trash like you,"

Avery murmured coldly.

"It disgusts me that we even breathe the same air."

William sucked in a sharp, ragged breath.

His eyes widened in pain and shock.

The moment he tried to scream—

Avery slowly pulled the knife out.

Schhkk—

A searing pain tore through him.

William's body trembled instinctively.

And then—

"GAAAAAHHHH!!"

A wretched scream.

His piercing shriek shook the entire house.

"Try to survive as long as you can."

Avery gave a chilling smile.

"Because your screams will be a lullaby for the children who died by your hands."

William's cries echoed against the walls.

But gradually, his voice weakened.

As his screams faded,

It felt as if the resentment of the lives he had crushed was finally being set free.

And at last—

"...."

Silence.

In that moment, the suffocating darkness that had loomed over the house suddenly felt lighter—like a lie unraveled.

Avery stood in that stillness for a while.

He wanted to pay his respects to the victims.

But there wasn't even a single candle to light.

Instead, he pulled out a cigarette.

With a flick, his lighter sparked, a small flame flickering in the dark.

Sssss—

Smoke curled up from the tip of the cigarette.

It looked almost as if—

The trapped souls were finally finding their way to freedom.

But—

Avery furrowed his brows.

William's blood stained the tip of his cigarette.

Disgusted, he threw it to the ground.

Then, he stomped on it mercilessly.

As if erasing William's very existence.

He stood still for a moment.

The truths William had left behind wouldn't leave his mind.

Who was he, really?

How much of his past was truth, and how much was a lie?

Avery muttered under his breath.

"Things just keep getting more tangled."

He took out his phone and dialed Slick's number.

"Slick, did you send the location to Sheriff Davis?"

"Yes, boss. The sheriff and Deputy Jenkins should be there in about twenty minutes. You need to get out of there now."

Slick's rough voice crackled through the receiver.

"Got it. But there's one more thing I need to do first."

Avery gave a short reply and ended the call.

He slowly walked outside.

And there, leaning against the shed, he spotted a massive hammer.

He gripped it, feeling its heavy weight in his hands, then headed back into the house.

In the silent kitchen, Avery took a deep breath.

And then—

THUD!

The hammer crashed into the floor.

A deep vibration rippled through the room.

THUD!

He struck again.

The wooden planks shattered into pieces.

Between the broken fragments, the earth beneath the floor was exposed.

And within it—

A faint piece of cloth stuck out.

Avery's heart clenched tightly.

William hadn't even bothered to bury the bodies properly.

He had merely covered them with a thin layer of dirt.

Just discarded them like trash.

A stench of decay lingered in the air.

It was undeniable.

Avery grabbed the cloth and pulled.

And beneath it, a shallow grave was revealed.

His breath caught in his throat.

Beneath the floor, William's victims lay tangled in a pitiful heap.

Avery furrowed his brows, a storm of rage and sorrow swelling within him.

Monsters like William—protected by the organization—were still hiding somewhere in this world.

They were hunting the weak, unnoticed by anyone.

Avery gritted his teeth.

"How many more of these bastards are still out there?"

He was no saint himself.

Avery, rather Yeomra, had killed countless people in the past.

But they had all met the fate they deserved.

They were the worst kind of parasites, feeding off society.

But—

As he stared at the pitiful remains before him,

A deep sorrow welled up inside his chest.

A child's small hands, still bound.

A tiny body curled up, having died in that helpless position.

This child...

Had never even been given a chance to survive.

Avery slowly reached out.

Gently, he untied the rope wrapped around the small hands.

It wasn't a grand gesture.

But,

He thought of it as preserving the child's last shred of dignity.

Silently, he rose to his feet.

After taking one last look around the dimly lit kitchen,

He stepped into the darkness.

The next morning.

"Boss! The voice modulation app is installed!"

Twitch shouted, unable to contain his excitement.

"Try it out! I tweaked the settings a bit, so it should sound exactly like the original owner of that phone!"

Avery gave a slight nod.

"Good work, Twitch."

The inside of the warehouse had changed quite a bit recently.

Gone were the days of hard wooden crates and creaky chairs.

Now, it had a plush sofa and even a decent TV.

On top of that,

There was unlimited coffee.

In this kind of life, that was practically a luxury.

Avery sank deep into the sofa.

His gaze stayed fixed on the TV screen,

Letting the morning news play in the background.

Until the moment he was waiting for arrived.

And then—

That moment came.

Breaking News 

[Emergency Report]

The TV screen flashed red.

A news anchor with a stern expression appeared,

Speaking in a grave tone.

"Last night, a serial murder suspect was found dead in his own home. Police suspect he was killed by an unidentified intruder."

"Items found at the scene included fake identification, a handgun, and Valium, all believed to have been used by the suspect, William Hansen, to subdue and torture his victims."

"Police rescued an unconscious college student from Hansen's bathroom, and in the kitchen, they discovered Hansen's own mutilated body."

"According to the current investigation, there is a possibility that at least 30 unidentified bodies may be discovered in the basement of his house."

📺 Live Interview: Sheriff Davis

The news screen changed, switching to a live interview with Sheriff Davis at the scene.

"Hey, doesn't my side profile look amazing on TV?"

Sheriff Davis, who had been watching the screen with a serious expression, subtly struck a pose and smiled in satisfaction.

She looked completely pleased as she watched herself on the interview footage.

"Look at this angle... Isn't it perfect?"

Her lips curled into an even bigger grin.

She was the lead investigator in a high-risk serial murder case—

Right in the center of the spotlight.

Sure, by the time she arrived at the crime scene, everything was already over...

But so what?

What mattered was the face being broadcast on TV right now.

"Haah~"

Davis leaned back in her chair and let out a satisfied sigh.

It had been so long since she'd gotten this much attention.

Her cheerful laughter echoed through the office.

Meanwhile, Deputy Jenkins, who had been watching from the side,

Twitched the corner of his mouth, his expression a mix of disbelief and relief.

It had been a while since he'd seen Sheriff Davis this excited.

When was the last time she'd looked this satisfied…?

"Hmm~"

Davis crossed her arms and tilted her head back slightly.

"I think I'm about to get transferred to the city soon."

She gave a knowing smirk as she watched herself on the TV screen.

"Twig, you'd better be ready to take my place. I've got a feeling I won't be here much longer~"

"Yes, Sheriff!"

Jenkins playfully saluted.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he quickly added,

"Oh, right! Sheriff, I almost forgot!"

A slight tension flickered across his face.

"A new piece of mail has arrived."

He quickly stepped out of the office and returned a few seconds later, holding a thick file folder.

Sheriff Davis raised an eyebrow.

Her eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Who sent it?"

She asked Jenkins as she slowly flipped through the folder in her hands.

"I have no idea, Sheriff. When I got to work this morning, it was just sitting on my desk."

Jenkins shrugged as he answered.

Davis carefully turned the first page.

Her gaze swept rapidly over the documents.

Inside, multiple individual profiles were neatly arranged—

And on each profile page,

A bold, striking red stamp was imprinted.

[ASSIGNED]