C8 We Are Professional We Won't Laugh We Really Are Professional(1)

"I need to tell you something," Shen Xiang said, swallowing hard as he addressed the duty officer. "Please, don't be alarmed."

"We're police officers; fear isn't in our job description. Go ahead," the officer reassured him.

"I've just been... attacked by a creature with a dog's head," Shen Xiang stated earnestly, leaning back in a tactical retreat.

The officers exchanged a glance. "Who is this dog-headed individual?" one inquired.

"It's not a 'who,'" Shen Xiang corrected, searching his memory for details of the recent event. He raised his hand as if to sketch in the air, "It's literally a dog-headed being, half dog, half human. And hey, don't start sketching with your pen. Make sure you get it right."

Shen Xiang was concerned the officers might dismiss him with a professional nonchalance.

"Could this be related to the other incidents?" one officer murmured to the other, who nodded in agreement. Turning back to Shen Xiang, he explained, "Our city has seen a spate of similar attacks lately. Witnesses and our investigations point to a common thread: the assailants wear cartoon animal masks when they strike."

"It wasn't a mask, it was..."

"They mimic animal hunting behaviors, don't they? Their actions are indistinguishable from the animals they portray."

Shen Xiang let out a sound of agreement and nodded. The officer was correct, but it wasn't a mask. He had clearly seen the transformation from human to dog head. How could it just be a mask?

But... a string of cases? He wasn't the first victim?

This revelation brought him some relief; his biggest fear was that no one would believe his account.

"Mr. Shen, please have a seat. A specialized unit is handling this case, and they will be here shortly," the officer offered, pouring Shen Xiang a glass of water. "Take a moment to calm down and try to remember everything that happened."

"Thank you, thank you so much."

Shen Xiang accepted the water and took a seat, waiting. Although unsure why he had been spared by his attackers, he felt safer within the confines of the police station.

He exhaled deeply and turned his attention back to his phone, resuming his novel.

"Hello, Mr. Shen, we are..."

At the sound of a vaguely familiar voice, Shen Xiang looked up with a furrowed brow and saw a young man in uniform with a buzz cut. After a moment of recollection, he asked with some uncertainty, "Lee Boran?"

"Shen Xiang? Is that really you?"

Upon recognizing Shen Xiang, the man's face registered a flicker of surprise before breaking into a smile. "What a surprise to run into you here."

"You've become a civil servant, a police officer now? I didn't expect our paths to cross either. I heard you had moved to South Capital, right?" Shen Xiang's initial shock morphed into a grin. Lee Boran was his high school classmate; they weren't particularly close but not distant either. They had lost touch after college, yet there was a hint of pleasant surprise in this unexpected reunion.

Truth be told, most people's memories of high school classmates fade, but Lee Boran was memorable for his penchant for discussing bizarre, surreal topics, leaving a lasting impression on nearly all the boys.

"I've only been transferred here recently," Lee Boran replied with a smile. "And you? Where are you working these days? You scored well on the college entrance exams, if I recall correctly. You went to Logia University, right? Into one of the top programs, no doubt. So, where are you making a name for yourself now?"

"Oh, at Apple Kang."

"Huh? Oh, right, there. You're in an office job, that's not too shabby." Lee Boran mused that it sounded like a factory, but he didn't dwell on it and simply continued the conversation.

"No, I'm proudly working as a laborer."

"A laborer?" Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, Lee Boran cleared his throat, his smile fading. Turning to Shen Xiang, he said, "This is my supervisor, Mr. Su. Shen Xiang, there are some matters we need to discuss with you. Let's save the rest for later."

Shen Xiang then shifted his attention to the woman standing beside Lee Boran, exuding an aura of chill.

Too bad she wasn't the ice queen type; she appeared to be at least in her forties. Hmm, isn't this the moment when a stunning police officer usually steps in?

"Alright, tonight's events were bizarre enough. Since you're handling the case, that's for the best. It'll be easier for me to explain."

The police had provided a room for the trio. Shen Xiang followed them inside and recounted the night's events in detail.

"Cynocephali?" Lee Boran's brow furrowed as he pulled out an enlarged, somewhat blurry photograph from his folder. "Is this the creature?"

Shen Xiang peered intently at the photo, clearly a still from a surveillance feed. It depicted a man with a dog's head, clad in a raincoat, skulking about. Yet Shen Xiang shook his head, "No, this isn't it. The dog's head is all wrong—it's black. The one I encountered tonight was yellow, sort of like a mutt."

Lee Boran glanced at the quiet leader before pocketing the photo. "So you're saying, after you went downstairs, you caught this person munching on your takeout, and after you yelled at him, he lashed out at you?"

"That's correct." A sudden thought made Shen Xiang anxious. "The delivery guy's bike was still out front when it happened. Is he alright? He's not hurt, is he?"

"He's in the hospital, but he's fine."

Lee Boran checked his phone; his colleague had just sent over a statement. The assailant had snatched the takeout and then knocked out the delivery guy. The scene was littered with remnants of uneaten beef rice. But this motive...

It didn't sit right with him. These creatures might act on animal instinct, yet they possessed human cunning and restraint. Surely they wouldn't cause such a scene over takeout. Were they that desperate for food?

"That's a relief. I was worried that delivery guy might be too scared to bring me food again."

Shen Xiang exhaled in relief. He knew the few delivery guys who worked the late shift in the area, and the thought of any harm coming to them weighed heavily on him.

"Lee."

"Yes?"

Upon hearing his superior's call, Lee Boran rose to his feet and addressed Shen Xiang, "We've got a general grasp of the situation. It seems we're dealing with a vicious gang that wears hoods. If you encounter anyone similar in the future, feel free to call me directly."

Shen Xiang hesitated, wanting to clarify that the assailant wasn't wearing a mask, but considering how the conversation had repeatedly steered in that direction, he caught on to something and decided not to press the issue. "Okay, I've got it."

"Just hang tight for a moment. We need to handle a few things next door. If all is well, I'll give you a ride back shortly."