Chapter 1I Am Deaf-Mute, And Learned His Scheme Through Smart Glasses

I was born deaf and mute. My entire relationship with my boyfriend existed through typed messages on our phones.

Wanting to surprise him on our anniversary, I secretly bought a pair of high-tech glasses that transcribed ambient speech into real-time text directly onto the lenses.

While waiting for him to get off work, I decided to try them on in the bathroom after my shower just to admire myself.

I never expected two lines of text to flash across the display:

“Bro, when are we moving in?”

“Don't rush. Wait till she comes out. Be careful this time. We can’t end up playing her to death like the last one!”

* * *

At first, I thought the glasses were malfunctioning.

But the next two transcribed sentences sent me plummeting into an icy abyss.

“Man, when she was trying on outfits earlier, I could barely hold myself back!”

“It was just a nurse costume. Get a grip, you pathetic bastard!”

Reading those words, a terrifying chill shot from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head.

Today was my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend.

Besides the glasses, I had bought a seductive nurse outfit, hoping to give him an unforgettable night.

I never dreamed that while I was trying it on, two twisted predators were hiding inside my home.

The fact that they dared to communicate so openly meant they knew I was deaf and mute.

It also meant their presence here was no random act of violence. It was a calculated ambush.

“Bro, you talk big, but you were drooling too...”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Heh. She’s gorgeous and her body is insane. Shame she’s a mute and can’t scream. Still, way better than that kindergarten teacher from a few days ago!”

The kindergarten teacher!

My knees went weak, and I nearly collapsed onto the wet tiles.

A few days ago, a young female teacher in the industrial district was brutally raped and murdered.

Her naked body had been covered in horrific wounds, her fingernails caked with wood splinters. Before being strangled to death, she had endured unspeakable torture.

The killer was still at large, plunging the entire city into panic.

I never imagined these two monsters hadn't fled the city. Worse, they had chosen me as their next target.

I couldn't just sit here and wait to die. I needed to call the police immediately.

Then terror struck me. My phone wasn't in the bathroom. I had left it on the living room table.

“Why is she taking so long? Bro, should I go check on her?”

“Stay put! Idiot, last time you moved too early and almost spooked the target. Wait until she drinks the medicine before we move!”

The medicine?

I suddenly remembered the mug of hot flu medicine I had brewed right before stepping into the shower. It had been too hot to drink, so I left it to cool on the dining table.

They must have spiked it with sleeping pills.

A spark of clarity pierced my panic.

As long as I hadn't consumed that drink, I was safe. They were waiting for the drug to take effect.

Holding my breath, I turned off the shower and dried myself off.

I even took my time tapping toner onto my face, forcing myself to sound normal.

When I reached for my clothes, I realized my nightgown was still sitting on the bed in the adjoining bedroom.

I had no choice but to step out completely bare.

The bedroom was dimly lit by a faint nightlight.

I scanned the room casually. The only place big enough to hide a human body was under the bed.

Even though I forced myself not to look directly down, my peripheral vision caught it anyway.

My blood ran cold.

Under the edge of the bed frame, I saw half a face.

A single eye gleamed with filthy desire, and a bright red tongue was slowly licking a pair of dry lips.

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out.

Walking calmly to the bedside, I grabbed my nightgown and pulled it over my head.

The moment the hem brushed my legs, I felt a wave of skin-crawling warmth near my ankles.

A hand was hovering inches from my bare flesh.

One quick snap of that wrist, and I would be dragged down into an inescapable nightmare.

Fortunately, I pulled the gown down fast. Trembling internally, I walked out of the bedroom and headed toward the dining table.

This spot was out of their direct line of sight.

I snatched my phone and instantly sent a silent text to emergency services.

The reply came quickly: Officers were dispatched, estimated arrival in twenty minutes. I needed to find a safe place to hide.

Twenty minutes.

Surviving twenty minutes in a small apartment with two ruthless murderers was impossible.

I had to escape.

To reach the front door, I would have to walk right past them.

I needed a bulletproof excuse to open that door.

Three seconds later, I grabbed the kitchen trash bag and walked steadily toward the entrance.

Predictably, they noticed.

“Bro, why is she throwing out trash now? Did she see me earlier? Is she trying to run?”

By the time those words flashed on my lenses, I was already at the door.

Just as I reached out, thinking freedom was within my grasp, another line of text popped up:

“What are you scared of? We’ve got someone posted outside. She’s not going anywhere!”