Scud took a swig from his flat flask, screwed the cap back on, and checked his watch.
1:35 AM.
He sat in the vintage Ford, staring at the house two hundred meters away.
The car wasn't his; it belonged to the resident of the house next door. Two hours ago, Scud had strolled over with practiced ease, picked the lock in five seconds, and slipped inside.
He had chosen this car for a reason.
One reason was that it was just sitting there, neglected. You see, these wealthy outsiders had a powerful obsession with "building a harmonious community." They even vetted the backgrounds and characters of those moving in, all to select neighbors they deemed acceptable. Consequently, in a community like this, cars were left out in the open; no one would ever imagine a local thug sauntering in and boldly taking a seat inside one.
Another reason was that it was easy to crack. An old car like this—unless it was a prized antique—hardly belonged in this neighborhood. Thinking of this, Scud spat on the steering wheel. He didn't understand rich people. He’d heard these cars were expensive, but if you had that kind of money, why not buy a new one instead of driving something that rumbled like a tractor?
The final reason was that it offered a perfect view of that particular house.
Scud loosened his collar. To avoid drawing attention, he had specifically changed into more formal attire. Though it was just a cleaner set of clothes, for Scud, it was "grand" enough.
He lifted his wrist to check the time again, finished the last of the liquor, tossed the flask aside, and pulled a gun from the small of his back. He ejected the magazine, counted the rounds, and snapped it back into place with a sharp *click*.
Fifteen minutes left.
The streetlights were on, but every house was dark. Even the dogs were asleep. Scud knew that the people in that house spent most of their day having sex; they would be getting ready for bed soon.
He gave a contemptuous smirk and tilted his head back for a drink, only to realize the flask was empty. Cursing under his breath, he propped his feet up on the glove box and stared gloomily at the house.
At exactly two o'clock, Scud shifted, the leather seat creaking beneath him. He climbed out of the car, popped the collar of his trench coat, and hunched his shoulders as he headed toward the house.
He approached from the backyard, avoiding the neighbor's dog. He vaulted over the fence quickly and pressed forward, his boots crunching on fallen leaves. The yard was pitch black, which was unusual; when he’d scouted the place before, they usually left a small, orange light on in the garden.
He glanced at the first-floor bedroom on the east side and let out a low whistle. Those two little birds were probably huddled together naked, enjoying their refined, peaceful slumber.
Scud reached the back door, took a wire from behind his ear, and poked it into the lock. It took only a few seconds to open. He slowed his pace as he stepped inside, touching the gun at his waist to steady his nerves.
He entered the massive house. Not a sound. He turned and locked the door behind him to prevent either of them from escaping. Holding the gun in his hand, he crept further inside. Passing through the hallway, he saw a row of wine racks. Scud paused, scanned the labels, clicked his tongue in admiration, and reluctantly moved on.
He approached the bedroom. It had no door—a large suite connected to a balcony and the yard. On the other side, short steps led down to the back garden, where a small grove of trees grew. The orange light was there.
Scud peered inside warily. He saw the naked body of the shorter, leaner boy, back turned toward him, pale legs stretched forward, hugging something. The rest was obscured by the duvet, but it was clearly the other man.
Scud snorted softly and turned away. He had business to attend to, but there was no need to rush.
He doubled back, strolled leisurely to the wine rack, pulled out a bottle, bit the cork out, and took a long swig, letting out a low whistle. Then, he tucked another bottle under his arm and went to find himself a glass.
Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from the kitchen.
Scud set the bottle down and crept toward the sound, gun raised. From a distance, he spotted a figure.
By the moonlight, he saw Bai Shi’s bare back. The tall, slender silhouette stood near the sink. His hair was down—golden strands, slightly frizzy, hanging by his ears.
Scud glanced toward the bedroom, guessing he had just stepped out.
Scud moved closer, leveling his gun. "Don't move," he said in a low voice.
Bai Shi stiffened slightly.
"Hey, gorgeous. What are you doing up instead of sleeping?" Scud chuckled.
Seeing Bai Shi start to move, his tone turned sharp. "Hands up. Turn around slowly."
Bai Shi raised his hands just to shoulder height and turned around slowly, looking at him with an expressionless face.
Scud whistled. He realized Bai Shi was indeed beautiful, like a handsome man from an oil painting. He knew plenty of men and women who sold their bodies, but he had never seen anyone this good-looking.
"Are you awake, baby? Is your boyfriend still asleep?"
Bai Shi nodded.
"Tell you what. You stay right here and be a good boy. He and I have a little problem to settle. Once I've taken care of him, I might not have to kill you. How's that sound?"
Bai Shi lowered his hands.
Scud gripped his gun tighter and stepped forward, his body coiled like a drawn arrow.
Bai Shi picked up a water glass. "Don't be nervous. I'm just getting a drink."
Scud’s smile vanished. He grew serious.
Bai Shi leaned against the table. "I've seen you before."
"Of course you have." Scud stared at him. His face looked like it was smiling, but his voice held no mirth. "After all, you nearly snapped my neck."
Bai Shi nodded, then jerked his chin toward the gun. "What do you plan to do? Your gun doesn't have a silencer. If you fire it here, people will come quickly."
Scud shrugged with feigned indifference. "I can get away."
Bai Shi turned and pulled a knife from the utensil rack—it looked like a dagger. Scud bristled, immediately flicking off the safety. He narrowed his eyes, aiming at Bai Shi’s head.
Bai Shi turned and walked toward the side, seemingly heading for the dining table. He looked back at Scud. "Aren't you tired of being so tense all the time?"
Scud watched him. Bai Shi sat down at the dining table, set the dagger down, and pushed it toward the center of the table. Then, he took a leisurely sip of water.
Scud kept the safety off and walked over, sitting across from him. The dagger lay between them. Scud kept his gun on the table, the muzzle pointed at Bai Shi.
"I know you," Bai Shi began.
Scud smirked. "I told you, we've met." He reached up to rub his neck. "You've got quite the grip."
Bai Shi shook his head. "I don't mean that. I mean Julio."
Scud froze at the mention of the name.
"A while ago, rumors were going around the community that someone had robbed a resident." Bai Shi set down his glass and crossed his arms on the table. "It was you and Julio, wasn't it?"
Scud’s smile turned strained. "What are you trying to say?"
"It wasn't a robbery." Bai Shi tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. "That wasn't a robbery at all. You see," he gestured broadly, leaning back in his chair with one arm draped over the backrest and the other flat on the table, exuding an air of command, "our dear friend Julio is involved in some shady business. Even though he dresses like a gentleman, wears expensive watches, gives out caviar, and slaughters crocodiles to make his own shoes, he’s a piece of work."
Bai Shi looked at him calmly. "Just as you've been prowling around our house, I've been keeping a close eye on Julio. Do you want to know why?"
Scud didn't, but before he could respond, Bai Shi continued on his own. His calm expression shifted, and his tone gradually rose. Scud frowned; he felt something was wrong.
"Because I was planning to kill him, just like what you're here to do today. But that's not important—" Bai Shi waved a hand dismissively. "Let's talk about what is."
Scud silently adjusted his aim toward Bai Shi’s face, ready to fire at any moment.
"Among our dear friend Julio’s many low-life ventures, providing drugs to 'inferior mongrels' like you is a major part of his work." Bai Shi looked at him and smiled. "What did you buy? 'Ivory'? 'Bricks'?"
Scud tried to speak but was interrupted again. Bai Shi’s statements seemed to require no feedback, delivered with a neurotic sort of dominance.
"Doesn't matter. For some reason, you two had a falling out that day. Even though no one died after the shots were fired and you ran off quickly, he still had to explain things to the police. So, he cooked up the 'home invasion' story." Bai Shi’s eyes gleamed as he stared at him. "When I heard it, I thought it was strange. A home invasion should happen at a time like this, not at nine in the evening. Right... what was your name?"
"Donald Scud," Scud answered.
Bai Shi raised an eyebrow. That wasn't a local name. "You're not from around here?"
Scud pulled his lips back in a grin, revealing a broken tooth. He lifted his gun with a cruel smile. "Stole it."
Bai Shi nodded. "It’s a good name. How did he die?"
"An American. Came here on a honeymoon with his new wife." Scud shrugged. "I guess he just had too much of an adventurous spirit. Electrocuted. Got caught on the electric fence at the border. No one goes out there, just the crows. Probably nothing left but bones by now."
Bai Shi’s eyes lit up. "Did you pose him like Jesus?"
Scud blinked, frowning. "Don't ask such disgusting questions."
Bai Shi laughed. "To you, the act of murder is less offensive than blasphemous words?"
Scud lost his patience. "Stand up!"
Bai Shi looked at him, his voice sounding eager and strangely excited. "And the wife? What did you do to the wife?"
Scud didn't answer. He raised his voice again. "Dammit... I said stand up!"
Bai Shi frowned in disapproval. "You shouldn't be so loud. He's still sleeping."
But he complied and stood up.
Scud reached behind him for handcuffs. He no longer felt any interest in Bai Shi; he just wanted to restrain him, drag the other one out, kill them both one by one, and flee. If he killed Bai Shi first, the other one would surely run.
Bai Shi watched him pull out the cuffs and continued, "So, after your talk fell through that night, what happened to make you two reconcile? I nearly killed you, and I threatened to kill Julio. He must have noticed me hanging around his house and decided to strike first. But I have a question: did he find you—someone who already had a grudge against me—by coincidence, or was it on purpose?"
Scud gave the handcuffs a cold, rattling shake and stepped closer. "What do you think?"
"On purpose." Bai Shi watched him. "I've seen you at his house three times. You don't seem to like him much; it doesn't look like a real reconciliation. So, he sought you out."
Scud chuckled twice, then his face suddenly froze.
"You... saw me?"
"Yes." Bai Shi reached out and pressed a hand onto Scud’s shoulder, smiling with pure delight. "The lights are off, the wine rack has been moved, and I gave him a sleeping pill... all in preparation for your arrival."
Scud looked at Bai Shi’s face and saw the excited, twisted light in his eyes. He suddenly realized this man was not sane.
"Now," Bai Shi’s grip on his shoulder tightened, "how did he find you?"
Without a word, Scud raised the gun to Bai Shi’s forehead and went to pull the trigger.
It wouldn't budge.
He looked down. Bai Shi’s finger was jammed behind the trigger. No matter how hard Scud squeezed, he couldn't pull it; the trigger guard was digging a bloody mark into Bai Shi’s finger. Bai Shi looked at him with excitement, one hand gripping Scud’s throat. "You haven't answered my question."
Scud made a split-second decision and slammed a fist into Bai Shi’s face. Bai Shi swayed slightly. Scud yanked the gun back with all his might, even hearing the sound of joints popping—the sound of Bai Shi’s bones refusing to let go.
But he still couldn't pull it free.
Bai Shi was like some kind of specter. The slender, swaying figure from moments ago was now like a lithe beast. He pinned Scud’s hand down and slammed his forehead into Scud’s. The impact sent stars dancing before Scud’s eyes. In that moment of disorientation, Bai Shi wrenched the gun away.
Scud collapsed to the floor, scrambling backward on all fours. He expected Bai Shi to blow his brains out.
But Bai Shi didn't. He ejected the bullets one by one, letting them drop to the floor. He struck Scud’s forehead with the butt of the gun, then crouched down and grabbed him by the collar.
"Answer my question."
"I... he and I... he found me... I’d put the word out before that I wanted to kill you. He probably heard and thought the description fit..." Scud stammered, his hand fumbling behind him for a knife. "I sell stuff for him, so I know him. We fell out over the cut that day..."
Bai Shi listened intently, nodding.
Suddenly, a flash of light glinted from the right as a knife was swung. Bai Shi instinctively raised his arm to block. The blade carved a bloody gash into his forearm. Scud took the opportunity to slash several more times before scrambling to his feet and turning to bolt.
Bai Shi reached out with his blood-drenched arm and yanked him back, slamming him face-first into the floor. He stepped on Scud’s head, then crouched down and shoved both thumbs into the man's eyes. Scud let out a piercing scream as his eyes were instantly turned to a bloody mess. Bai Shi’s hands held his head like a vice. His voice sounded like the opening notes of a symphony.
He said, "Next, I'm going to kill you."
***
