Chapter 1: Eyes That See No Human

Thunder cracked across the sky, and a fine mist of rain made the night feel even more treacherous. Towering buildings loomed, blurry from a distance. No one truly knew what creatures lurked behind the shadows, watching humanity with cold, unblinking eyes.

Wantar and Yeri, two policewomen, walked side by side toward the holding cell where Ming was kept. It was close to midnight, and their duty was far from over.

“A year in this place and I still wonder what the point is in speaking to a killer,” Wantar muttered, her voice laced with thick skepticism. She never held back her thoughts.

“I believe only someone with a rare gift can see the potential for murder in another person,” she added, her tone even colder.

Yeri remained silent. Her thoughts were not ones she was ready to voice.

Moments later, they stood before a temporary cell. Inside sat Ming, toying with her fingernails, lost in a haze of dark contemplation. She was satisfied with the darkness she had unleashed. Terror gripped every corner of the city. The media couldn’t stop talking about the savagery—two men’s throats slit cleanly. Rumors swirled about her being part of some occult sect. The police were desperate to uncover her motive.

A single dim yellow light illuminated her cell. From up close, Yeri’s gut told her Ming didn’t look like someone capable of taking a life. And yet, she recalled the story of Gollum—a creature frail in body but monstrous in mind. For something it loved, Gollum could kill with a smile, believing its actions were righteous.

“You’re right. How could someone like her do it?” Yeri finally whispered. Bathed in the pale light, Ming no longer seemed human—but a thing that walked the earth to steal souls with cold hands.

Both women observed her. Ming, slender and small, seemed to sense their presence. She stopped playing with her nails and turned, meeting their gaze with eyes like ice.

Yeri opened the cell door. Wantar stepped inside and commanded Ming to stand. Yeri remained just outside, watching. As they stood face to face, Ming looked even smaller than Wantar.

“Hands out!” Wantar ordered.

Yeri watched as Wantar cuffed Ming. The air felt unnaturally cold—colder than the room itself. She suspected the temperature had dropped below zero. Without needing words, she knew Wantar felt it too.

Ming’s arms appeared so fragile the cuffs looked as if they might shatter her wrists. Her fingers were bony, her body almost skeletal. Together, Wantar and Yeri led her to the interrogation room, which was split in two: one side for control, the other for questioning.

Inside, their colleagues awaited them—Max, Teguh, and Captain Jason—watching from the control room. They observed as Wantar and Yeri brought Ming into the other half of the room. Through the one-way glass, they saw her sit down, hands cuffed. A camera pointed directly at her, while CCTV monitored every corner. Every movement was displayed on a screen in the control room. Teguh squinted at it.

“So, what’s the captain’s plan now?” Yeri asked.

Jason placed a firm hand on Max’s shoulder. “Ask her why she did it, and where she hid the murder weapon,” he ordered. Then paused. “But first…”

Just as Max was about to move, Jason stopped him. He turned to Teguh. “Lower the room temperature. Below freezing.”

Teguh obeyed. Wantar and Yeri exchanged tense glances. The holding cell had already been freezing. Now, it would be even worse. Here, Ming thrived in the cold.

Jason’s intent was clear—to break her psychologically. They hoped the pressure would force her to reveal her motive. Five minutes after the drop in temperature, Max entered the room with a printed file on Ming’s background, an earpiece for live communication, and a laptop to log her words.

Before entering, Max took a deep breath. He wasn’t afraid of Ming. He was trying to rein in his rage. In his eyes, men and women were the same if they chose to become monsters. They deserved the same fate. As an officer, Max saw himself as a vessel of justice—and sometimes, that belief gave him license to go beyond the rules. He hated criminals. To him, they were demons cloaked in human skin.

Jason watched the screen closely. He knew Max’s temper, but also trusted his instincts.

Max greeted Ming with forced civility. Wantar and Yeri now stood beside Jason, awaiting a breakthrough.

Jason watched the close-up of Ming’s face on the monitor. Her expression was unreadable. Yet Jason sensed something unsettling—Ming carried a deep, unwavering conviction. It disturbed him.

“This won’t be easy,” Jason muttered.

“Why not?” Yeri asked.

Jason stared ahead. “Because she doesn’t think we’re human.”

None of them—Wantar, Yeri, or Teguh—could argue with that. They felt it too. A silent insult in her presence. They glared at Ming, praying Max could extract the evidence they needed. Without a weapon or solid proof, the case would crumble. In court, evidence ruled—not just facts. Now, it was up to Max.

Inside the interrogation room, Max sat across from Ming, straining not to lash out. Her presence alone ignited his blood.

“Hello, I’m Max. I hope we can cooperate,” he began.

Ming offered a faint smile. Cold. Dismissive.

“Let’s get to the point. Why did you do it, and where did you hide the murder weapon?”

Jason held his breath.

Ming leaned forward, nearly touching the table’s edge. Her stare pierced Max. “Isn’t that your job? To find the evidence?” she said, a twisted smirk playing on her lips.

Max’s eyes narrowed.

“Why did you do it?” he pressed.

Another smile. “Find the weapon, and you’ll know the motive,” she whispered, as if her heart no longer beat.

Max struggled to contain himself. This woman exuded something dark and ancient. A wild thought crossed his mind. She’s a demon.

His mind flashed back to three hours ago. They had caught her red-handed, dragging a bloody corpse from a villa. A week-long hunt had ended in carnage. Amidst blood, rain, and the dim glow of garden lights, she had smiled.

“What were you about to do?” Max asked, trying to bring her back to that moment.

Ming burst into eerie laughter. No trigger. Just madness. Her laughter confirmed everything Max feared.

She then slammed her cuffs against the table again and again, laughing maniacally. Max tried to restrain her, but her frail frame harbored a strength he couldn’t understand.

Wantar and Yeri rushed in to help. Teguh followed. Jason stayed behind, watching through the glass, massaging his temples in frustration. His phone rang. His superior. He ignored it.

Four officers managed to subdue Ming. Or rather, she allowed herself to be subdued. She smiled, breathless. What was going through her mind? No one knew.

Her wrists bled. Yeri and Wantar escorted her to the medical unit.

Throughout the treatment, Ming remained utterly blank. Her sudden shift in demeanor unnerved everyone. Moments ago, they weren’t sure if she was human or something else. Now, she looked like nothing more than a fragile woman.