NOVPUBThat blood-red title — it fully conveyed the killer intent of its owner.
Active Devotee of Mutilation, Snowy Jiang.
Those words had all turned a glaring, blood-soaked red.
But it was different from when Lillian Ji’s title had turned red. Though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, the feeling was undeniably different.
Maybe it was because this title was so intensely red — so glaringly red that just staring at it felt like my eyes were being pierced through.
Aside from that, her appearance had changed as well.
Her once gray hair had turned snow white, and her deep blue eyes had become the same blood-red hue as her title.
Her clothes had been slashed in multiple places, her school uniform jacket was in tatters, and the shirt underneath was also ripped apart, exposing patches of snow-white skin through the gaps.
But her exposed skin wasn’t entirely white. Much of it was stained with dark red blood, clinging to her skin like grime. The sight made me furrow my brows.
It was as if someone had splattered filthy paint over a pristine canvas — a complete waste of beauty.
The two knives in her hands were dripping with fresh blood. It was as if she had just pulled them out of a blood-soaked pool, her hands dyed a deep crimson.
The knives weren’t ordinary kitchen knives. One was long, the other short. The longer one resembled a tactical combat knife, like the kind FPS game protagonists often carry. The shorter one was a dagger, barely twenty centimeters in length, entirely black, with a wooden handle.
Both were blades crafted specifically for killing.
Why did she look like this?
Had she just killed someone?
For a split second, the term Dismemberment Killer flashed through my mind. And then I thought of Snowy Jiang’s title.
Active Devotee of Mutilation.
I had never quite understood what the ‘active’ part meant before, but now, it suddenly made sense.
An acrotomophile who actively turns others into amputees.
There could only be one explanation.
No way... Snowy Jiang, is she... the Dismemberment Killer?
No. I have to ask her directly.
“Snow...”
Just as I was about to call her name, Kan Tsukiyo, who was still clinging to me, interrupted first.
“Sweetie?”
Kan Tsukiyo stared at Snowy Jiang with wide, disbelieving eyes. Her voice carried both shock and a hint of confusion.
She used such an intimate nickname... It seemed they knew each other well.
At the very least, they were friends.
But... Snowy Jiang’s title remained as red as ever, unwavering, not returning to blue or green.
An unshakeable red.
“Let him go.”
For the third time, she repeated herself.
Her face was still expressionless, but I could sense her growing impatience.
She walked towards me along the path, blood dripping from her blades with each step.
I could practically see what would happen next. The moment she got close enough, she would definitely swing one of those blades down at me!
The killing intent was palpable.
My heart raced. I wanted to push Kan Tsukiyo off and step forward to speak with Snowy Jiang, but I suddenly found my body unable to move.
Those crimson eyes locked onto me, just like how Kan Tsukiyo’s eyes had done earlier.
Oh no, oh no! Am I really about to get chopped up here with Kan Tsukiyo?!
No way! I came all the way out here just to find you! If you kill me now, that’s way too unfair!
Come on, Kan Tsukiyo, you know her, right? Say something to calm her down!
Just as I mentally cursed her, Kan Tsukiyo spoke up.
“Wait, Sweetie, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» it’s not what you think! I wasn’t planning to eat him!”
Bullshit. You literally said you wanted to taste me just a moment ago. That was absolute nonsense!
“You should know too — a ghoul’s saliva can heal wounds. That’s how your throat was healed. I just wanted to heal him a bit! Or do you not trust me anymore?”
“...Mm.”
Kan Tsukiyo’s words worked instantly. Snowy Jiang’s emotions stabilized rapidly.
The dangerous red finally faded, reverting to a calm, trustworthy blue. At the same time, her eyes and hair returned to their original colors.
“Phew...” x2
I exhaled a deep sigh of relief. Kan Tsukiyo did the same.
I looked down at her, and she looked up at me. Our eyes met, and we exchanged a wordless conversation through our expressions.
Her: How was that? Did I do well? (Raising an eyebrow smugly.)
Me: Yeah, yeah, you really helped a lot. (Nodding with exaggerated enthusiasm.)
Her: Then can I have a bite now? (Blinking, expectant.)
Me: Go to hell. Not a chance. (Rolling my eyes, pursing my lips.)
“Tch...”
Kan Tsukiyo pouted, releasing her grip on my shirt and turning around to sit back down on my lap.
I shifted slightly, moving us both to the edge of the bench to stay as far away from the pool of blood as possible.
But Snowy Jiang stepped right up to me, bringing that nauseating stench of blood back to the forefront. Ugh... so disgusting...
She spoke to me in that soft, monotone voice.
“Ethan... Are you okay?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah, I’m fine. By the way, you two know each other?”
Snowy Jiang nodded.
Then, without warning, she lifted her skirt. The pure white panties beneath were suddenly on full display.
“Ahh! Snowy! What are you doing?!”
“To sheathe the knife.”
After saying that, Snowy Jiang bit down on her skirt hem. That’s when I noticed the thin strap tied around her upper left thigh. The strap connected to a black pouch on the outside of her thigh — a hidden sheath.
The length of the sheath was just slightly shorter than her thigh, and part of it was concealed by her black thigh-high stockings. Without close inspection, it could easily be mistaken for the garter straps of her stockings.
And since it was hidden under her skirt, no one would normally notice it.
Snowy Jiang flicked her wrist, shaking off the excess blood before sliding the short dagger into the sheath. But some blood droplets splattered onto her panties, landing awkwardly right in the center... Ugh...
But Snowy Jiang didn’t seem to care. She dropped her skirt back down and then lifted her shirt.
Underneath her navel, she had another concealed sheath strapped around her waist like a belt — but without looking closely, you wouldn’t even notice it.
After securing the longer combat knife, Snowy Jiang finally sat down beside me.
The smooth, practiced way she handled those blades sent a chill down my spine.
I never would have guessed she had two weapons hidden on her body this entire time!
“Well then, let’s begin~”
“Huh? Begin what... uh, hey!”
“Sweetie, hold down Ethan for me~”
“Mm.”
A sticky, unpleasant sensation clung to my hand — it was the blood on Snowy’s hands.
Then, I lost my balance and fell sideways, my head landing on Snowy’s lap.
Huh? A lap pillow?
Kan Tsukiyo took the opportunity to lift my legs onto the bench, positioning me so that I was lying across the entire bench.
“Hehehe, didn’t I say it earlier? Time to treat you~”
“Huh?”
With Snowy pinning my hands and Kan Tsukiyo’s small butt pressing down on my thighs, I couldn’t resist. Kan Tsukiyo lifted my shirt without hesitation.
“Hehehe~”
With a mischievous grin, she bit down on the end of the thread embedded in my wound and yanked it out in one swift motion.
A searing pain shot through my abdomen.
“Ahhh!”
I couldn’t hold back the scream. Rather than healing me, it felt more like she was tearing me apart!
Cold sweat broke out across my forehead as the intense pain radiated through my body.
“Pain, pain, fly away.”
The familiar words echoed in my ears, but this time, I felt no embarrassment.
Then, the two little girls leaned in and... spat on me.
Hey, what the hell are you two doing?!
“A ghoul’s saliva can heal wounds, you know,” Kan Tsukiyo said cheerfully.
Wait, is that how Snowy’s throat was healed? Could that be the reason she can’t speak loudly anymore?
Hold on — ghoul saliva can heal wounds, and Snowy’s throat was injured and then healed, which means...
Ugh...
Before I could ask more, Kan Tsukiyo licked her lips and commented.
“I never noticed before, but Ethan, your ‘quality’ is quite exceptional.”
“Q-Quality?”
I felt strangely conflicted.
It was as if I were being evaluated as a piece of meat. To Kan Tsukiyo, was I nothing more than a slab of consumable flesh?
“If I were to grade it, it would be top-tier, Grade 5A.”
“Kobe beef?!”
“Even your blood is exceptionally delicious. Since I’m a ghoul, I’m not particularly obsessed with blood, but if a vampire were to taste your blood, they’d get addicted instantly.”
That terrifying? So my blood is basically the supernatural equivalent of an addictive energy drink?
“But you sure are being looked after by a lot of people, aren’t you...”
“Huh? Me?”
A lot of people looking after me? Hmm... I couldn’t recall anyone in particular besides Lily Yang and Ms. Jane. Oh, and now Shirley too, I suppose.
“I just licked your blood, and my tongue got burned,” Kan Tsukiyo said, sticking out her tongue in front of my face.
Sure enough, her tongue was blistered, as if it had been scalded. Part of it was even ulcerated.
What was more unbelievable was that the damaged tongue was regenerating at a visible rate...
“Just drinking your blood isn’t enough... I really want to taste you directly... How about selling me your corpse after you die? I can pay your family a hefty sum.”
“Well, too bad for you. My body is already reserved by someone else.”
That psychotic woman Lillian Ji had already claimed dibs on my corpse.
And honestly, in terms of usage, it’d be better to give it to her than to Kan Tsukiyo.
At least Lillian Ji would preserve my body carefully. If it were given to Kan Tsukiyo, she’d probably devour it and digest me within hours.
“Ohhh, what a pity then,” Kan Tsukiyo said, turning to Snowy.
“Sweetie, did you catch up to them?”
“Mm.”
“I see. Where’s the other one?”
“At the end of Seaside Road,” Snowy said after tilting her head to think.
“The second-to-last alley.”
“Got it~ Then I’ll go deal with the other one~”
Wait, what? Deal with the other one...?
What the hell are these two little girls? Accomplices?
“Wait.”
Snowy suddenly grabbed Kan Tsukiyo’s wrist, her voice cold.
“The price.”
Kan Tsukiyo’s expression immediately turned pitiful.
“No way, you want a price for this too? I only drank a little bit of blood!”
“Pay the price.”
Snowy’s reply was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Kan Tsukiyo pouted and glared at Snowy resentfully, then stuck her index finger into her mouth.
Crunch!
Warm blood splattered onto my face.
“Pleh! Ugh, here you go... This should be enough, right?!”
Kan Tsukiyo spat out her severed finger and tossed it into Snowy’s hand.
She actually bit off her own finger without hesitation!
“Tsk... Sweetie, you’re so heartless! We’re partners, aren’t we? Is Ethan more important than me?”
“Mm.”
“Wha?! You didn’t even hesitate to say that! I’m really gonna cry! Ughhhh... wahhhh!”
You’re already crying. And those tears look so fake.
After noticing that neither Snowy nor I paid her any attention, Kan Tsukiyo quickly wiped away her fake tears and said,
“Well then, I’m off. Ethan, I’m taking your jacket. Unless you want me to walk back naked?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah, go ahead...”
I mumbled absentmindedly, my eyes fixed on Kan Tsukiyo’s hand. The blood had already stopped flowing, and a new finger was visibly growing back.
But even if it could regenerate, who just bites off their own finger like that?
And why did she do it just because Snowy demanded a price?
What kind of relationship do these two have?
Terrifying...
“Hehehe, Ethan’s jacket is so big~ Thanks, Ethan. I’ll wash it and return it to you after the school term starts, okay?”
“Uh, sure. Whenever...”
You’re going to wear my jacket while you go eat a corpse... Can that even be washed clean?
“Well then, bye-bye! And Sweetie, you should go home and rest early too~”
Kan Tsukiyo waved at us cheerfully, skipping away down the alley.
After watching her leave, Snowy stood up and said to me,
“Let’s go back.”
“Huh? Go back where?”
That was a stupid question.
But I got an unexpected answer.
Snowy spoke in that flat, emotionless tone that left no room for refusal.
“To my house.”
And just like that, I was taken home by a little girl.
