A darkness so thick it was suffocating. Everything was nothingness.
Don't answer it...
Everything except the telephone on the desk, crimson under the lamp, red as blood.
"Ring-ring-ring-ring-ring..."
Step by step, I walked toward it through the dark, then watched my own body emerge from the void.
"Don't answer that phone, or you'll regret it!"
That voice sharpened, stabbing through me like a needle, echoing in my skull and in my organs.
I told that voice to go as far away as it could.
Because there was no way I could just sit there and do nothing, letting myself sink into endless suspicion.
Because Andy was my family. To me, he meant everything.
I watched my hand appear in my field of vision.
I picked up the receiver and slowly put it to my ear.
What came through was my own hoarse voice.
"He's missing. And it's all your fault."
(The music ends. Morning ambience.)
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei...?"
(Che Lei) "Mm...?"
I forced my eyes open.
When my eyes adjusted to the light, the first thing I saw was Reddick's tiger face leaning in close.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei, you were shaking nonstop just now, so I woke you up..."
Reddick looked worried. He reached over and touched the back of his paw to my forehead.
(Reddick) "No fever."
(Reddick) "What's wrong?"
(Che Lei) "Just a nightmare. It's nothing."
(Reddick) "You didn't sleep well the night before last either. You kept turning over..."
(Reddick) "Are you really okay?"
I sat up and wiped the sweat beading at my temple.
(Che Lei) "I said it's nothing serious."
Then I cut the topic off.
(Che Lei) "What time is it?"
The corner of Reddick's mouth twitched. He shook his head helplessly.
(Reddick) "A little past nine."
(Che Lei) "Then it's still early."
As I said that, I lay back down on the bed and stared straight up at the ceiling.
(Che Lei) "Where's Hyde?"
(Reddick) "He left in a hurry early this morning."
(Che Lei) "Oh, right. Today's already Monday. He has to go to work."
(Che Lei) "You poured so much alcohol into him yesterday. I'm surprised he could even get up."
Reddick sat beside me, gave a huge yawn, and scratched his ass.
He was still completely naked, which made me glare at him despite myself.
But he only grinned at me and stretched again.
(Che Lei) "It's Monday. Don't you have to go back to team practice?"
(Reddick) "It's not the season right now. I took these few days off."
(Reddick) "Didn't I tell you before?"
(Che Lei) "So you're planning to keep mooching off me and never leave?"
(Reddick) "What? You don't welcome me?"
(Che Lei) "I don't really mind, as long as you reimburse me for food."
(Reddick) "How much could I possibly eat from you?"
(Reddick) "So stingy."
(Reddick) "At noon I'll drive you out for something good. When I went out to buy breakfast yesterday, I happened to see this place..."
Reddick's words suddenly died halfway through.
I turned my head in confusion and found him frowning hard at his phone.
He brought up the keyboard, as if he wanted to reply to a message. But after staring at it for a long time, he finally tossed the phone onto the edge of the bed.
(Reddick) "Sorry, Xiao Lei. I probably can't keep you company today."
(Che Lei) "What happened...?"
Reddick frowned at the floor, as though thinking something over.
(Che Lei) "Team business?"
Reddick shifted his gaze back to me and nodded hard.
(Che Lei) "Then go. It's not a big deal."
(Reddick) "What about you...?"
I shrugged.
(Che Lei) "I'm not a child. I don't need someone with me all the time."
(Reddick) "I mean, what are you planning to do next?"
(Che Lei) "Next..."
(Che Lei) "Maybe have dinner with Hyde tonight and stay around for a few days."
(Reddick) "And after that? Any plans?"
(Che Lei) "Not sure yet."
(Reddick) "If you don't have anything to do, you could go around Snow State for a bit. Wait until I'm done with these two days, and then I'll take you out together..."
I shook my head.
(Che Lei) "I probably have to go back to Meili. I need to find some work."
(Reddick) "Find work?"
(Reddick) "But aren't you on vacation?"
Reddick looked at me, puzzled, and only then did I realize I had let something slip.
(Che Lei) "Uh..."
(Reddick) "Why are you hemming and hawing again?"
(Reddick) "What is it this time that you can't tell me?"
Reddick stared at me while his tail kept lashing against the bedsheet.
If I didn't say something, he definitely wasn't going to let me off easily.
(Che Lei) "Fine. The truth is, I've been suspended."
(Reddick) "What?!"
Reddick's eyes went wide, and he grabbed my arm.
(Reddick) "What happened, Xiao Lei?"
(Reddick) "What did you do?"
(Reddick) "Or did you offend someone?"
Then he shook his head and started answering his own questions.
(Reddick) "You must have offended someone."
(Reddick) "My dad knows people at police headquarters. I'll talk to him. He'll definitely be able to help..."
This was why you were supposed to be honest with your friends.
Because after you told the first lie, you had to keep using more lies to make it hold together.
My head started to ache.
(Che Lei) "This is exactly why I didn't tell you. I knew you'd react like this."
I pretended to sigh, then patted his shoulder to reassure him.
(Che Lei) "You're overthinking it. I've just been working nonstop for too long."
(Che Lei) "They only wanted me to rest for a while. So they forced me to take leave."
(Reddick) "Forced leave...?"
(Reddick) "Then shouldn't you be resting properly at home even more?"
(Che Lei) "It's unpaid. And I've been short on money lately."
(Reddick) "But even if you go back early, you still won't have a salary."
Reddick looked at me dubiously. I could only smile awkwardly.
(Che Lei) "I've saved up some private jobs. This is a good chance to get them done."
"Ring-ring-ring-ring-ring..."
Reddick frowned as if he still wanted to say something, but his phone began to ring.
He picked it up, stared silently at the screen, and his face turned livid.
The ringtone kept going. It made me think of that morning's dream.
An inexplicable irritation rose in my chest.
(Che Lei) "Are you planning to just let it ring forever?"
Reddick froze for a second, then stared at me for a while before setting the phone to silent.
(Reddick) "It's my coach. He's rushing me back."
(Reddick) "Annoying as hell."
After saying that, Reddick rolled out of bed. He pulled on his clothes and pants, then hurried outside.
(The door closes.)
I guessed he had gone to the bathroom outside.
I looked in the direction he had gone, shook my head, and started getting dressed too.
Just then, the phone he had left on the bed lit up again.
I stared at the red phone lying quietly on the bed, thought for a moment, then still could not stop my curious gaze from drifting over.
His lock-screen wallpaper was a selfie of himself smiling happily.
"Narcissistic bastard."
I couldn't help laughing to myself.
At that moment, another call came in.
The contact photo was of a black lion, with no name attached.
That face made me feel as though I had seen it somewhere before, but I could not remember where.
Just as I was hesitating over whether I should answer for Reddick, the front door opened again.
(The front door closes.)
Reddick, now washed up, returned to my room.
(Che Lei) "Your coach called again."
(Che Lei) "Won't you get yelled at if you don't answer?"
(Reddick) "Answering is how I get yelled at!"
He hurried over, snatched up the phone, and stuffed it into his pocket.
(Reddick) "I'll go downstairs and bring the car around. Once you're washed up, come down and go to the airport with me."
(Che Lei) "Huh?"
(Che Lei) "You want me to see you off at the airport?"
(Reddick) "Yeah."
(Che Lei) "But after I send you off, how do I get back?"
(Reddick) "I'll leave the car with you. And there's something important I need to tell you..."
(Che Lei) "Can't you tell me now?"
(Reddick) "I... I don't know how to say it right now..."
Reddick's voice wavered.
After a brief silence, he looked straight at me, as if he had made some kind of decision.
(Reddick) "I'll figure out how to say it on the road."
(Reddick) "Can't you just treat it as giving me a ride?"
I looked at him for a long time. In the end, I nodded helplessly.
Only then did Reddick turn and leave the room. I quickly got myself ready as well.
After that, we went out together.
Maybe because it was a workday, the road to the airport was quiet.
For once, Reddick drove very slowly, one hand on the wheel, looking as though he had something heavy on his mind.
That made me uneasy about what exactly he wanted to tell me.
I rolled down the passenger-side window, letting the breeze outside brush lightly over my face, hoping it could blow away my anxiety.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei..."
(Che Lei) "Hm?"
(Reddick) "Do you really have to go back?"
(Reddick) "You said yourself you haven't rested in a long time, but this time you've been back for less than a week total..."
(Che Lei) "There's nothing for me to do if I stay here."
(Reddick) "But once I'm done, I'll still come find you. And as soon as I finish handling this, I'll come right back..."
As Reddick spoke, he secretly glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
But I only smiled and shook my head.
(Che Lei) "And then what? Am I not supposed to eat?"
(Che Lei) "A guy like me, who stops earning the moment his hands stop moving, doesn't have the privilege of letting himself be idle."
(Che Lei) "Besides, sooner or later you still have to go back to team practice."
Reddick stayed silent for a long time. Then he slowly decelerated and finally pulled over to the side of the road.
Just as I was about to ask what he was up to, he spoke first.
(Reddick) "What if I had a job for you?"
(Che Lei) "What did you say?"
I could hardly believe my ears, but Reddick repeated it word by word.
(Reddick) "If I had a job for you, would you not have to leave?"
(Che Lei) "Are you really bringing this up again, Reddick?"
"He is our ticket out of this mud pit."
My father's words echoed in my mind at the worst possible time, making me irritable.
(Che Lei) "I'm not going to work at a company run by your family, and I'm definitely not going to take your money for no reason."
(Che Lei) "I'm not that kind of person, and I absolutely don't want to live that kind of life where I have to watch other people's faces."
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei, can you hear me out first?"
(Che Lei) "Fine. Say it."
Reddick straightened. The expression on his face began to turn serious.
His eyes, however, drifted toward the window.
(Reddick) "After practice last time, I was in a really bad mood, so I went drinking again."
(Reddick) "I went to the nightclub I usually go to, and a guy came over to hit on me."
(Reddick) "He seemed all right. We got along pretty well when we talked."
(Reddick) "We both drank quite a bit, and the conversation got happier and happier..."
(Reddick) "So I decided to find somewhere nearby to spend the night."
Reddick spoke unhurriedly, but he never got to the point.
I felt my patience being worn down little by little.
So I said it directly.
(Che Lei) "So you slept with him."
(Reddick) "Yeah..."
(Che Lei) "Reddick, if you really want me to stay with you, telling me you slept with someone else isn't exactly a good reason."
Reddick lowered his head and stayed silent for a long time before finally lifting his face back toward me.
Now his eyes were full of worry.
(Reddick) "I think he drugged me, Xiao Lei."
(Reddick) "And I think he knew who I was..."
I stared at Reddick in shock.
His paws tightened around the steering wheel, his claws extending unconsciously.
(Reddick) "I know you think I might be overthinking it, but I'm not!"
(Che Lei) "You said yourself you were drinking, Reddick. What do you expect me to think?"
(Reddick) "I had a few drinks that night, but not nearly enough to end up like that!"
(Reddick) "I don't remember anything that happened after we got to the hotel!"
(Che Lei) "Maybe you just blacked out."
(Reddick) "It wasn't just that. While I was half-conscious, I heard someone else come into the room..."
(Che Lei) "Are you sure...?"
Reddick looked me in the eye and nodded.
I frowned. The worst possibilities kept surfacing in my mind.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei, I don't know what he did to me..."
(Reddick) "But I'm afraid he filmed all of it."
(Reddick) "The team can't take something like that happening again..."
(Che Lei) "Can't you ask your dad to step in again...?"
Reddick bit his lip and slowly shook his head.
(Che Lei) "Then why me, of all people?"
(Reddick) "Because you're the only person I can trust..."
I fell silent and sank into thought.
Reddick lowered his head and stared hard at his own knees.
After a while, I lightly touched his shoulder.
(Che Lei) "I think I can help you."
(Che Lei) "Though I don't know what the other side is after."
(Che Lei) "But since nobody has come knocking yet, and nothing bad has happened, that means there's still room to turn this around."
Reddick lifted his head again and looked at me. Light returned to his eyes.
(Che Lei) "Can you tell me how long ago this happened?"
(Reddick) "Just a few days ago."
I couldn't help wrinkling my nose.
(Che Lei) "Don't tell me this is why you came to find me."
(Reddick) "What? Of course not!"
(Reddick) "I didn't even know you were a detective before! I came specially to see you because I missed you!"
Reddick looked flustered and hurriedly defended himself.
(Che Lei) "All right, all right. I know."
(Che Lei) "But don't get happy too soon. I don't work for free."
(Reddick) "As long as you're willing to help me, money isn't a problem!"
(Che Lei) "I'm not planning to fleece you."
I smiled and shook my head, then held up five fingers in front of him.
(Che Lei) "But if you want me to work, it has to be at least this number. You need to pay half up front as a deposit and expenses. The rest can wait until I solve the problem."
Reddick nodded so quickly he looked like a chick pecking at grain.
Then he suddenly hugged me hard, squeezing almost all the air out of my chest.
After the hug ended, he began grinning stupidly at my face.
(Che Lei) "Uh, right. What time is your flight?"
(Che Lei) "Aren't you in a hurry to get back...?"
(Reddick) "Ah!"
Reddick shouted as if jolted awake. Then the car's acceleration shoved me back into the seat as the two of us tore off toward the airport...
(Transition.)
After watching Reddick's back disappear through the boarding gate, I boarded a plane to Snow State.
Listening to the cub in my row crying and fussing, I began to regret turning down Reddick's offer at the airport to upgrade my seat.
Fortunately, the whole flight was only an hour.
So I put on my headphones and turned my gaze out the window.
I still remembered the look on my college roommate's face when he heard I had never taken a plane.
Just then, he had been arguing with his friends about where the best place was to go on vacation after finals.
I suppose that was why I had always lacked common topics with them.
It was not until I met Reddick that I took the first flight of my life.
Back then, he wanted to take me to watch a baseball game.
I tried hard to look calm. I even did not dare glance out the window.
But when the plane slowly lifted off the ground, I still nervously grabbed the armrest.
He did not laugh at me.
Instead, he placed his paw over my hand.
Now I had long since grown used to flying back and forth between regions.
But I still liked window seats.
I leaned my head against the cabin wall, watching the sea of clouds churn outside, and sank into thought.
I did not know why I had agreed to do this for Reddick.
Maybe it was out of loyalty to a friend.
Or maybe I simply wanted to give myself a reason to spend a little more time with him.
But now clearly was not the time to dwell on that.
Back when we were still in college, anonymous love letters would appear in Reddick's locker from time to time.
Even after we established our relationship, that never changed.
And that awful guy was always eager to show them off to me.
Those anonymous letters, written in elegant handwriting and never stingy with words of admiration, were always sprayed heavily with suggestive perfume, as if waiting for the other party's nose to lead him to them...
Maybe it was because of some popular movie, but back then many female beastfolk at school were obsessed with confessing their love that way.
Most of them were read aloud by Reddick in a deliberately affected voice, then thrown straight into the trash.
There was only one exception.
That letter had been written in blood instead of ink.
We never found the one who wrote it, but that incident truly taught me just how fanatical those "fans" could be.
After Reddick appeared on-screen and became a public figure, these things only grew more frequent.
He rarely told me about them.
One time when he was drunk, he half-jokingly said his fans liked looking at his ass even more than watching him play baseball, and that they would even send underwear and semen to the team's address.
I did not know whether this time was also some kind of idol-chasing performance staged by a crazed fan.
But there was no doubt this had gone too far.
Once I found that guy, maybe I would give him a proper lesson...
Option 2:
If anyone told me they could threaten Reddick into doing something, I would probably laugh my teeth out.
After all, aside from his father, that kid feared almost nothing in heaven or on earth.
But only after that incident happened did I learn he could be so fragile too.
Those filthy attacks and curses.
It seemed everyone had forgotten that Reddick was the victim in the leaked sex video, and instead made baseless guesses about his character.
But what exactly had he done wrong?
He had been blindfolded.
His hands had been tied.
He had not even known the other person was filming him.
All he had done wrong was trust someone who claimed to love him, just like every one of us has done before.
Nobody cared about the truth.
They could only see what they wanted to see.
I was powerless to change what had already happened.
But I would never let the same thing play out again.
Option 3:
"The Red Lightning of Snow State."
When Reddick first made his name in the professional league, he was given Snow State's title.
Until that video leaked, and he became "the disgrace of Gedi Li."
Reddick's hometown had never fought for that honor, yet after the scandal broke, it bore the greatest share of the abuse alongside him.
After the incident, those tabloid reporters poured into Gedi Li together like vultures smelling blood.
When they discovered there was nothing to dig up, they began fabricating scandals from thin air.
I loathed those filthy bastards who hid in dark corners and slandered others.
If they were still harassing Reddick's life like this, I did not think I would mind using some tougher methods...
(End of options.)
(Chime.)
"Ladies and gentlemen, the plane has landed at Wesley Airport..."
The arrival announcement interrupted my thoughts. I took off my headphones and waited quietly for the plane to finish taxiing.
After leaving the airport, I followed the address Reddick had given me verbally and arrived at the hotel he had visited.
(Che Lei) "At least he wasn't stupid all the way through. He knew to find somewhere out of the way."
Looking at the small hotel in front of me, I muttered to myself and pushed the door open.
There was only one clerk at the hotel's front desk.
A young gray rabbit.
One of his paws was unnaturally hidden under the desk.
It looked as though he had been fiddling with his phone before I came in.
(Che Lei) "Got any rooms?"
(Clerk) "Ah..."
(Clerk) "Yes, yes. Would you like a king room, or...?"
(Che Lei) "Do I need to register?"
The clerk froze for a second, then pointed at a thick, yellowed notebook on the counter.
I casually picked it up and flipped through it. It was filled with names and ID numbers scrawled in sloppy handwriting.
Most of them were written in the same hand. I even saw one person write "Zhang San" as his name.
Completely worthless as a reference.
I closed the register and scanned the counter.
Most of the area inside the counter was occupied by cubbyholes holding room keys. There were also several walkie-talkies charging, apparently for the cleaners.
But the LCD monitors inside the counter caught my eye.
They looked new.
They were also the only things in this hotel that did not look as if they had traveled here from the last century.
I followed the direction of the wires behind the monitors with my eyes, then raised my head to look at the ceiling.
Sure enough, I saw a surveillance camera with a blinking red light.
It was aimed directly at the guest registration spot.
(Che Lei) "Does this camera work?"
(Clerk) "Of course it works. Someone comes to inspect it every month..."
(Clerk) "Hey! You can't go behind the counter!"
The gray rabbit looked at me in surprise, his eyes wide.
(Che Lei) "Don't be so nervous, friend."
I smiled and put one finger in front of my lips.
(Che Lei) "A friend asked me for a favor."
(Che Lei) "He wants to know whether his wife has been putting a green hat on him."
(Clerk) "But even so, that doesn't..."
(Che Lei) "I only need to take one look at the surveillance footage. All you have to do is step away for a little while..."
As I spoke, I took several red bills from inside my coat and slid them along the edge of the desk inside the counter, right in front of the rabbit.
He looked at the bills and swallowed. After hesitating, he glanced left and right, then stuffed all of them into his pocket.
(Che Lei) "Friend, I think right now you probably feel like getting some fresh air, or taking a piss or something."
(Che Lei) "When you come back, you'll find that nobody was ever here."
The gray rabbit nodded repeatedly.
He swiftly locked the cash register, grabbed a key, and turned toward the bathroom.
After he left, I sat down in the chair behind the bar without the slightest courtesy.
I opened the root directory where that day's surveillance files were stored.
The files seemed to have been automatically created by the surveillance system in chronological order.
I opened the file created at eleven that night and dragged the progress bar forward with the mouse.
In the fast-forwarded footage, I quickly found Reddick's conspicuous red tiger head.
In the surveillance video, he had his arm around a lean coyote, and the two of them were laughing and talking nonstop.
Neither of them left names in the register. They simply took a key directly.
Reddick did indeed look reasonably clear-headed. It was only the bulge between his legs that made itself hard to ignore.
I could not help snorting.
I copied that video file onto the USB drive I carried with me, then continued fast-forwarding.
But after looking through three or four video files, I still did not find anyone else suspicious.
That made me mutter inwardly.
Then footsteps faintly sounded in the hallway.
So I deleted that night's surveillance records along with the segment from when I arrived, then quickly left the counter.
(Clerk) "Ah...?"
Probably surprised that I was still here, the gray rabbit's mouth twitched unnaturally, and he squeezed out a stiff smile.
I could only return the smile.
(Che Lei) "There's one more thing I want to ask you."
(Clerk) "Uh... ask away?"
(Che Lei) "The hotel only has one entrance, right?"
(Clerk) "Mm, there's also a fire exit beside the bathroom..."
(Che Lei) "And the bathroom is this way, right?"
The gray rabbit nodded and pointed in the direction he had just come from.
I asked nothing further and walked straight toward that corridor.
Only when I stood in the corridor did I realize the whole hotel actually had only one floor.
I looked around, but did not see any stairs.
The upper floor seemed to be used for something entirely different, and it was not directly connected to the hotel's first floor.
Then next...
1. Search the room.
The long, narrow corridor was densely lined with rooms on both sides, but strangely, there was not a single window along the passage.
I walked up to one door. The brass plate on it was printed in black letters with "Room 69."
This was the room Reddick had spent the night in. The room number was quite fitting.
I bent down and examined the door lock.
Aside from some scratches left by keys, there were no signs of forced damage on it.
I did not think that proved anything. A crude lock like this could be opened with a noodle.
So much time had already passed. I did not think I could find anything useful in the room.
So I shook my head and retreated back into the hallway.
2. Search the fire exit.
I followed the corridor all the way to the end before I saw the heavy fire door.
I pushed hard against the closed door, but it did not move at all.
Only then did I notice the upper and lower parts of the door were both secured by flush bolts set into the doorframe. There was absolutely no way to open it from outside.
I rubbed my palms together.
They were covered in sticky black grime like oil.
This door probably had not been used in a long time.
I figured there was nothing worth seeing here.
3. Bathroom.
3-1. Observe the bathroom.
The entire bathroom had only one entrance.
That struck me as a little strange.
After I went in, I discovered it was not divided into men's and women's restrooms. It was simply separated by several stalls.
I guessed that was probably because, aside from employees, no guests would need to use this place.
Contrary to the filth and mess I had imagined, the whole bathroom had no strange odor.
Even the washroom mirror had been wiped clean, without the slightest water stain.
It looked as if someone cleaned this place frequently.
Then I looked toward the corner, where mops and other cleaning tools were neatly arranged.
I thought this place had a very hardworking cleaner.
He or she also used it as a utility room.
3-2. Toilet stalls.
There were three stalls here in total.
The one nearest the entrance was a squat toilet. A simple showerhead had even been installed above it, rust-stained from long use.
The other two toilets were both old-fashioned flush toilets with metal water tanks fixed to the wall.
The bowls themselves were clean, but the tops of the water tanks were covered in a thick layer of dust.
Whoever was responsible for cleaning was probably on the small side.
3-3. Trash bin.
Seriously?
Unless you can guarantee there is something useful in the bathroom trash can, I do not want to stick my hand in there.
Anyone could guess what would be stuffed inside...
3-4. Wash hands. (Only appears after completing Option 2.)
I looked at the grime remaining on my palms and frowned, then went to the sink.
I put both hands under the faucet and rinsed them. In the reflection of the washroom mirror, something caught my attention.
It was a half-open ventilation window near the ceiling.
It was not large enough for an adult male to pass through, but for some smaller beastfolk, it would not be difficult.
After shaking my hands dry, I walked closer to it.
I stood on tiptoe and examined the windowsill.
I did not find the claw marks I expected.
But there was no dust here either.
It was too clean.
It did not look like a place that small cleaner would be able to reach.
(After completing Option 3-2 and Option 3-4.)
A small-bodied guy had come in from here, and he had been smart enough to wipe away the traces of his entry.
(End of options.)
Things were really starting to get more and more interesting.
Then next...
I lowered my head and thought for a while, then quickly left the hotel.
(Transition.)
(Vehicles. Noisy street ambience.)
When Wesley is mentioned, people always think first of the dazzlingly prosperous commercial district, and of the successful people in suits and leather shoes on Financial Street.
But beyond that, Wesley is also famous for its rich and colorful nightlife.
For that reason, people affectionately call it "the city that never sleeps."
Come to think of it, I had stayed in Wesley for so long, yet I had never had many chances to experience its nightlife.
I thought now was the time to make up for that regret.
I ignored the few listless call girls scattered along the street and walked straight into a strip bar called "The Wooden House."
(The door opens.)
Dim lights, sticky floors, the lingering smell of smoke...
Everywhere here gave off the smell of cheap alcohol.
I found a seat at the side near the dance floor. The dirty table made me frown.
After I sat there dryly for quite a while, a bartender slowly came over.
He used the blackened rag in his hand to wipe the table at random, then asked what I wanted to drink.
(Che Lei) "Whiskey sour."
It was an old-fashioned cocktail, and also one of the things I drank most often.
The bartender grunted and turned back to the bar.
Probably because night had not fallen yet, the bar was deserted. But for that same reason, my drink came quickly.
I lifted the glass in front of me and shook it under the light.
Seeing it covered in fingerprints and pawprints, I decided it was probably better not to touch it for now.
So I put it back on the table and began looking with interest at the two dancers on stage.
One of them was a voluptuous human woman.
She looked around thirty, with heavy makeup on her face and very little clothing on her body.
She was leaning beside the pole on stage and smoking, apparently resting.
When she saw me watching the stage, she smiled and threw me a flirtatious wink.
I only shook my head at her.
She was beautiful.
But she was not what I wanted.
Then my gaze slowly shifted to the other, younger dancer.
He was a male cougar with white stripes around his nose, and he looked about my age.
He wore khaki overalls and a plaid shirt. His rolled-up sleeves exposed strong black arms, and he was grinning at me with his teeth showing.
This time, I nodded.
So he took a few steps back and pressed a switch on the stage with his footpaw.
(Music.)
As the music began, he climbed nimbly up the pole in front of me.
Then he supported himself with both arms, making his body parallel to the ground like a flag fluttering in the wind.
He roamed over the pole as though walking on flat ground, showing off pose after pose, then leapt down from the air.
After that, he danced hotly around the pole to the rhythm, as if the pole itself were his audience.
In time with the beat, he undid the buttons of his shirt one by one, finally pulling it off and tossing it aside to reveal his powerful body.
His fur glimmered faintly under the light, like black silk.
He seemed to have some kind of magnetism. I could not make my eyes leave his body.
I had seen many males, but never one like him.
I had also never realized that a male as strong as him could be so seductive at the same time...
By the time I came back to myself, the music had stopped, and the cougar had walked over to me.
On the stage, he crouched down in front of me. From below the stage, I could clearly see the outline between his slightly parted thighs.
Trust me, the thing hidden there was not to be underestimated.
He must have deliberately chosen that position to speak to me.
It made my face turn a little red.
But he showed a sly smile.
(Cougar) "Like what you see?"
(Che Lei) "You have talent."
(Che Lei) "Mm... in all kinds of ways."
I awkwardly cleared my throat.
(Che Lei) "Uh, you don't mind being looked at that way by someone of the same sex?"
(Che Lei) "Most beastfolk are pretty uncomfortable with that kind of thing, after all..."
(Cougar) "That's quite an interesting question."
The cougar laughed, then sat down on the edge of the stage.
His legs dangled over the side, and his shape was unmistakable beneath the even tighter pants.
(Cougar) "Male, female, it doesn't matter."
(Cougar) "Most people only prefer one part of it. I choose to enjoy all of it."
The cougar looked at me with bright eyes.
(Cougar) "You look like a very interesting person. I have a feeling we could do some very interesting things together."
He raised an eyebrow and unfastened the buttons on his waistband one after another, suggestively pulling his pants down a little to reveal a faintly visible thong glittering with sequins.
It bulged heavily with what was inside.
I took a green bill from my pocket and tucked it into his thong.
The cougar showed a surprised expression, but in the next instant he had returned to a faint smile.
(Cougar) "You're generous, little guy..."
He grabbed my hand and guided it deeper into his underwear.
I felt something soft and warm gently brush against my fingertips.
The moment I realized what it was, I yanked my hand back.
My face turned bright red.
He breathed a wicked laugh at me.
Then the cougar leapt lightly down from the stage.
He paced unhurriedly in front of me. His long tail followed lazily behind him, but his eyes never left the area around me.
His steps were so light that they made no sound at all.
(Che Lei) "May I know your name?"
Only when he heard me speak first did the cougar finally stop.
He half sprawled over the sofa chair beside me.
(Cougar) "You can call me Black, darling."
(Che Lei) "A stage name that suits you very well."
Black smiled again. His gaze wandered over me, as if appraising me.
Then he brought his face close, until his whiskers brushed my cheek.
I could feel the hot breath from his nose.
(Black) "I like your eyes. Especially the way you look at things."
(Black) "They tell me you're someone with a story."
(Che Lei) "And then?"
Black laughed softly and sat down lightly beside me.
He placed one paw on my face and traced his fingertips gently across it.
(Black) "It makes me very curious what you would taste like."
He said it slowly, then licked his paw.
I smiled back at him as well.
(Che Lei) "So does that mean tonight is my lucky night?"
(Black) "Maybe."
(Che Lei) "Then, if I'm lucky tonight, what can you do?"
Black gave a soft laugh.
(Black) "This is Wesley, little guy."
He took my drink in front of himself and slid one clawtip around the rim of the glass.
He breathed hot air beside my ear, then whispered softly to me.
(Black) "Everything you can imagine, darling."
I laughed, took another green bill from my pocket, and tucked it into Black's shorts.
(Che Lei) "That suits me perfectly."
Black looked at me. His fingertip stopped moving on the glass.
Then he picked up the drink and drained it in one gulp. He straddled my lap and leaned his body toward me.
(Black) "You know how to make people like you, little guy."
(Black) "It almost makes me want to make an exception for you..."
(Che Lei) "That won't be necessary. I have plenty more bills like that."
Black's tail wound flexibly around my body and lightly teased my cheek.
He brought his face close to mine, licked my cheek, and left behind the taste of whiskey and lemon.
Then he whispered in my ear again.
(Black) "Then... what do I need to do to get them...?"
(Che Lei) "Simple."
(Che Lei) "You only have to do exactly as I say."
(The scene fades.)
(Transition.)
Night had grown deep.
The city streets had become quiet.
But for Wesley's bar street, the revelry was only just beginning.
A tipsy coyote had his arm around the waist of another strong male. From time to time, his paw wandered over the other party's ass.
For him, this must have been an extraordinarily lucky night.
Laughing, he led that cougar toward the end of the alley, and their backs finally disappeared into the night.
It was about time.
I tossed the cigarette in my hand, nearly burned down to the filter, onto the ground and crushed it underfoot. Then I walked straight into a motel in the back alley.
The guy sitting at the front desk only kept his head lowered, playing with his phone, as if he had not noticed me at all.
I followed the stairs up to the second floor and soon arrived at the innermost room.
I took a keycard from inside my coat, opened the door, and strode inside.
A lean coyote was lying naked on the bed.
His paws were raised above his head, locked firmly to the headboard rail by handcuffs.
A metal rod as thick as a little finger had been inserted deep into his penis, yet he was still hard and erect, as though he did not mind at all.
Because at that moment, both of his legs were being held high on the shoulders of a pure-black cougar.
The cougar was thrusting his hips again and again, driving his own organ deep into him.
The coyote moaned loudly, his face full of pleasure.
Drunk on it, he used his rear to meet each impact. He was so immersed that he only noticed when I brought my phone close to his face to take a close-up.
(Coyote) "Fuck! What the hell?!"
I ignored the coyote. Instead, I smiled and nodded at the cougar.
(Che Lei) "You did well."
Black withdrew from the coyote's body and jumped elegantly down from the bed.
He tucked his stiff, massive thing back into his pants, then casually draped his shirt over his shoulder.
(Che Lei) "You can go now, my friend."
Black gave me a smile.
But when he passed by me, he suddenly leaned close.
He cupped my face, and before I could react, he skillfully slid his tongue in.
His barbed tongue chased mine, leaving a burning sensation on it.
I shoved Black away sharply.
(Black) "That was what I deserved, interesting little guy."
He wiped his mouth, a smug smile rising at the corner of his lips.
(Black) "You taste good. I like it."
I glared at Black in anger.
But he only shrugged at me, then turned and left with careless grace.
His long tail brushed lightly past my elbow as he went, and a strange feeling came from my pants pocket.
As if something had been added.
So I hurriedly took it out.
It was a rather crude business card, with a phone number written on it in decorative script.
I flipped it to the front.
Printed on it was Black's photo, in which he was blowing a kiss.
That guy...
(Chains rattle.)
The coyote shook the handcuffs in protest, making them clank.
He struggled hard, trying to free his paws, but soon realized it was useless.
Then he tried to sit up. I moved first and pressed my weight onto his legs.
(Che Lei) "In such a hurry to leave?"
The coyote swallowed, staring at me warily.
(Coyote) "What... what do you want?"
(Coyote) "Are you trying to blackmail me?!"
(Che Lei) "He has good taste. Your equipment really is not small."
I did not answer the coyote's question. Instead, I placed my hand on his crotch and took hold of his already-wet shaft.
That made him suck in a sharp breath.
Using his own slickness, I stroked him gently up and down.
He twisted his hips in resistance, yet could not help letting out soft gasps.
(Che Lei) "You like being treated like this, don't you? The feeling of being controlled."
I tightened my grip a little and sped up the motion.
The coyote's breathing grew heavier. He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes in pleasure.
He unconsciously rocked his hips, from time to time letting out a low whimper in his throat.
But just as he was about to release, I used my other hand to abruptly push the metal rod in his penis even deeper, until the whole thing disappeared inside.
The coyote immediately screamed.
He almost leapt off the bed.
His whole body trembled, and he panted in huge gulps.
Only after quite a while did he speak to me in a voice that sounded close to sobbing.
(Coyote) "Bro... I don't understand. What the hell do you want?"
(Che Lei) "You say you don't understand?"
I shook my head at the coyote.
(Che Lei) "But I don't think that's true."
(Coyote) "I... I haven't offended anyone! And I don't even know you!"
(Che Lei) "Then your memory really isn't very good."
I wiped the sticky fluid left on my hand into the fur on his abdomen.
(Che Lei) "Let me give you a hint."
(Che Lei) "Reddick. Does that name sound familiar?"
At the name, the coyote's body jolted as if electrified.
Then he shook his head violently.
(Coyote) "No... never heard it..."
I smiled and raised one finger, wagging it in front of him.
(Che Lei) "Wrong answer."
I picked up another metal rod from the bed and toyed with it in front of the coyote.
(Che Lei) "I've always wondered what people find so pleasurable about this thing. How anyone could actually like playing with it."
(Coyote) "What... what are you going to do?"
Option: Let him taste some pain.
I smiled at the coyote.
His face filled with terror.
He struggled, trying to move his body away, but it was already too late.
I gripped his penis firmly with one hand, aimed the other metal rod at the slit, and roughly pushed it into his urethra.
At first I felt resistance in my hand, but as the coyote screamed, the insertion gradually became smoother.
(Che Lei) "Shh. Keep it down."
I smiled and patted the coyote's lower abdomen.
(Che Lei) "I know the soundproofing in these rooms is pretty good, but if you keep howling like that, people will still hear you."
(Che Lei) "You don't want other people to know what we're doing, do you?"
(Coyote) "Please..."
Option: Spare him.
Spare him?
Now was not the time to go soft.
I had to pry his mouth open...
Option: Keep punishing him.
I increased the force in my hand.
As the metal rod sank in inch by inch, the coyote's howls turned tearful.
(Che Lei) "Hm? You're still hard even like this?"
Surprise crossed my face, then I smiled and shook my head.
(Che Lei) "You really are the genuine article, a real pervert..."
The coyote's slit and urethra were stretched into an exaggerated shape by the two metal rods, yet he was even harder than before.
His penis kept clenching, as if ejaculating.
But nothing came out. It only kept leaking transparent fluid.
(Che Lei) "Hey, don't play dead."
I patted the coyote's face, but he only let out a weak moan.
(Che Lei) "Are you going to tell the truth now? Or do you want me to keep playing with you for a while?"
As I spoke, I picked up another metal rod.
It was different from the previous ones. Its surface was covered with dense bumps, like an almond chocolate stick.
When I made as if to thrust it in, the coyote immediately came back to life.
(Coyote) "Don't!!!"
He shouted, tears springing to the corners of his eyes.
I put away my joking expression and replaced it with an icy one.
(Che Lei) "Then tell me. Did you drug Reddick?"
(Coyote) "I... I..."
The coyote stammered for a long time before finally nodding with difficulty.
(Che Lei) "Did you take photos of him?"
(Coyote) "..."
(Che Lei) "I asked whether you took photos of him!"
(Coyote) "I did... but I didn't..."
(Che Lei) "Were you planning to blackmail Reddick?"
(Coyote) "No! I really wasn't! I swear to heaven!"
The coyote hurriedly defended himself. He was almost crying.
(Coyote) "I just thought he was famous, so I wanted to keep a few photos. Maybe later I'd have a chance to show off to my friends..."
(Che Lei) "Where are the photos?"
My face went cold.
The coyote shivered and tucked in his neck.
(Coyote) "J-just... on my phone. I didn't dare show anyone..."
I got off the bed and found a phone in the coyote's pants on the floor.
(Coyote) "Bro, my phone password is..."
(Che Lei) "No need to trouble yourself."
I aimed the coyote's phone at his confused face. After the screen unlocked, I opened the file manager.
I found the photo in the image folder.
A naked Reddick had his legs pressed up against himself. His mouth was open, his expression hazy.
The fur on his belly had been made a mess by the semen from his own penis.
There was no doubt that what had been inserted into his ass was the coyote's penis.
With a livid face, I pressed delete.
Then I overwrote that whole section of storage with other data to make sure the photo could not be recovered.
(Coyote) "Bro, you played with me, and you deleted the photo."
(Coyote) "I really know I was wrong. I won't ever dare do it again."
(Coyote) "Let me go... I promise I won't tell anyone..."
The coyote's voice trembled. He kept begging me.
I cut him off coldly.
(Che Lei) "No hurry. I still have one last question."
(Coyote) "Bro, ask anything... as long as you let me go after you ask..."
(Che Lei) "Who told you to do this?"
The coyote first gave a shudder.
Then he swallowed hard.
(Coyote) "Nobody told me to. I just did it on impulse..."
(Che Lei) "Listen. My patience is limited."
(Che Lei) "So I'll ask you one last time. Who told you to do this?"
Seeing my face grow darker and darker, the coyote began to stutter.
Finally, he looked at me with a troubled expression.
(Coyote) "I... I can't say..."
I gave a soft laugh.
(Che Lei) "I think you may not understand the situation you're in right now."
(Will) "Bro, you're the one who doesn't understand. If I say it, they definitely won't let me off!"
(Che Lei) "I see."
I showed a kind smile, then patted the coyote's shoulder.
(Che Lei) "Honestly, I hadn't planned to make this so ugly."
I brought his phone in front of the coyote's eyes and opened a video file.
(Che Lei) "Look. This is the video I took when I came in just now. It's already been sent to your phone."
(Che Lei) "How is it? Not bad, right?"
The wanton cries of a male kept coming from the phone.
(Che Lei) "I think it's honestly pretty wonderful. Just looking at your expression, anyone can imagine how big the other guy's dick was."
(Che Lei) "What do you think I should do with it?"
Option: Threaten to send it to his coworkers.
(Che Lei) "You probably wouldn't mind letting your coworkers admire your lovely time, would you?"
(Che Lei) "Oh, right. And your boss."
(Che Lei) "I'm guessing he's never seen you like this, has he?"
(Coyote) "How... how do you know where I work?!"
The coyote's face first filled with fear, then turned to anger.
(Coyote) "Who the hell are you?!"
Option: Threaten to send it to his wife.
(Che Lei) "How could such a beautiful time not be shared with family?"
(Che Lei) "For example, with the wife you've lived with for ten years?"
(Coyote) "How... how do you know I have a wife?!"
The coyote's face first filled with fear, then turned to anger.
(Coyote) "Who the hell are you?!"
(End of options.)
He twisted on the bed, baring his teeth at me threateningly, making the handcuffs clatter.
I watched his pointless struggle, then smiled and patted his face.
(Che Lei) "Relax. I know far more than that."
(Che Lei) "I also know you have a daughter. She's in middle school."
(Che Lei) "In August, you just bought her a phone as a reward after her exams, right?"
(Che Lei) "She said you're the best dad in the world, and that you're the idol in her heart."
I looked at the coyote, smiled, and continued operating his phone.
(Che Lei) "See, this is why I really like the internet age."
(Che Lei) "Because everyone has a smartphone storing everything, and then they share all their own shit on social media..."
(Che Lei) "It really saves me a lot of trouble."
The coyote's expression shifted bit by bit, until his eyes were filled with terror.
(Che Lei) "Honestly, I'm really curious. If your daughter saw you like this, what kind of expression would she have? Would she still see you as her role model?"
As I said that, I slowly brought my finger close to the "Send" button on the phone screen.
Option: Send. (Pressure +3.)
Option: Wait a little longer.
(Will) "Don't! I'll talk!!!"
I put the phone down and roared at the coyote.
(Che Lei) "Who is your accomplice? What's his name?!"
He closed his eyes in terror.
(Coyote) "Pinkman! His name is Pinkman!"
(Che Lei) "Species? What does he look like?"
(Coyote) "A male fox. Red and black fur. I... I can't tell his age, but he smells really special. Makes you feel kind of comfortable."
(Coyote) "And he has a bit of an accent when he talks. Doesn't sound local..."
(Che Lei) "Who is he? How did you meet him?"
(Coyote) "Uh... one night at the Mayflower Bar, he suddenly came over to chat with me and asked if I wanted to earn some extra money..."
(Coyote) "He gave me a lot of money, then gave me a photo. He said the tiger in the photo would come in a while, and told me to go hit on that tiger when the time came."
(Coyote) "He also gave me a pill and told me to find a chance to drop it into the tiger's drink..."
(Coyote) "After that tiger drank it, he got turned on before long. So I said I wanted to sleep with him and took him to the room that had been opened in advance..."
(Coyote) "Not long after we got to the room, he got all woozy, so I stripped him..."
(Coyote) "His body was really too good, and he was so handsome."
(Coyote) "So I couldn't hold back and..."
As the coyote spoke, he carefully glanced at me.
(Che Lei) "That's all?"
I frowned.
(Che Lei) "You don't expect me to believe someone paid money just to hire you to sleep with Reddick, do you?"
(Coyote) "Of course not..."
(Coyote) "Not long after I finished with Reddick, that Pinkman came."
(Coyote) "He gave me a pair of gloves, and some weird little tubes. Then he told me to put on the gloves and jerk the tiger off so he'd come into those tubes."
(Coyote) "But that was way too slow. No matter how I stroked him, he wouldn't come. So Pinkman told me to keep fucking Reddick. Before long, I made Reddick come again."
(Coyote) "So I fucked him while stroking him. He came several times and filled a bunch of tubes. That fox just stood there watching the whole time. Only when he really couldn't come anymore did the fox tell me to stop."
(Coyote) "After watching me finish, he packed all those things into a case..."
What the hell was this?
I could hardly believe my ears.
(Coyote) "I know it sounds strange! But everything I said is true!"
Seeing the expression on my face, the coyote hurriedly began to explain.
(Coyote) "I saw that fox put those things into the case with my own eyes!"
(Coyote) "Before he left, that guy warned me not to tell anyone. If I dared talk, someone would come settle accounts with me..."
The coyote looked at me fearfully and stopped speaking.
I frowned and began to think.
This sounded not just strange, but absurd.
Yet the coyote really did not look like he was lying.
Maybe I should believe him.
So I continued questioning him.
(Che Lei) "Why did he want that stuff? What was he planning to do with it?"
(Coyote) "I don't know... How would I know why he wanted that tiger's stuff?"
The coyote looked at me with a wry, helpless expression.
(Che Lei) "Really?"
(Coyote) "Really! I swear to heaven!"
Damn it.
Reddick's semen?
What the hell was this supposed to be?
I mean, who would want that kind of thing?
And why Reddick, of all people?
Was it some rich guy's bizarre fetish again?
I mean, aside from that, I could not think of any logical answer.
An image surfaced in my mind of some old bastard dressed in fancy clothes, spreading that semen over sushi and savoring it slowly...
That made cold sweat break out on me.
I shook my head and tried hard to drive that horrifying thought away.
Who took the stuff did not matter.
What mattered was that I had found the photos, and made sure they would not get out.
No one could use them to hurt Reddick again.
That was enough, right?
Thinking that, I looked at the coyote again.
(Che Lei) "Right. You said he gave you a lot of money. How did he give it to you? Cash or transfer?"
I showed a smile. He could not help shivering.
(Coyote) "He... he gave me a thick envelope. There were a lot of bills inside."
(Che Lei) "Where's the money?"
(Coyote) "Uh, most of it went to paying off debts..."
(Coyote) "The little bit left unspent, I have on me..."
I rummaged through the coyote's bag and found his wallet. Aside from some scattered small bills, there was also a whole stack of pink banknotes inside.
I roughly estimated there were thirty or forty of them.
Barely enough to cover what I had spent tonight.
So I stuffed them all into my own pocket, then tossed the coyote's wallet onto the floor.
The corners of the coyote's mouth twitched several times, but in the end he did not dare complain.
(Che Lei) "All right. That's all I need to know."
(Che Lei) "Then I won't keep bothering you."
As I said that, I walked toward the door.
(Coyote) "But you haven't unlocked me yet!"
The coyote protested loudly behind me.
(Coyote) "You can't just leave me here!"
(Che Lei) "You're a smart man. I believe you'll find a way yourself."
I smiled, hung the key on the metal rod inserted into the coyote's penis, turned around, and left the room...
