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Chapter 1
Monsters—beings that devour humans.
But they are neither animals nor humans.
They are—monsters.
How did they end up like that?
Why did they become such beings?
What is the true reason for their existence?
It wasn't God who created the monsters.
Then, who did?
Monsters are creations of humankind.
The world is cruel. But humans are even crueler.
Jealousy, desire, arrogance—these give birth to monsters.
Before I begin the story of vampire-like monsters, I must say—
The true monster is humanity.
People deceive others and pursue power.
And the moment they obtain it, they start killing each other.
But humans do not understand.
Humans are beings created by the one true God.
Then what about the vampire-like monsters?
Who created them, how, and why?
The answer leads to one man.
He wanted to make people realize their sins and mistakes.
What is happening now is retribution for humanity's deeds.
And he no longer cares who is innocent.
To his eyes, even the death of innocents—
—is nothing more than a "release" from this cruel world.
---
This is the story of five individuals.
At first, they didn't know each other.
But due to a certain event, their destinies became intertwined.
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Characters
Kenzo and Luca: University students from Turvya and best friends. Kenzo is cheerful and sociable, while Luca is quiet and introverted.
Ming Liu: A calm and composed businessman from Xianya. He is heading to Turvya with his mother for his brother's funeral.
Akiko: A kind and gentle writer living in Japan.
Sophia: A shy university student from Indora, and a classmate of Kenzo and Luca.
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One sunny day, in the city of Meilun, Xianya—
Ming Liu was gazing out the window of his office. He sat in his chair with a blank expression, deep in thought.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Ming ordered.
His assistant, Weijie, entered with a smile and reported the day's schedule. Several business meetings and important appointments were lined up.
Ming listened quietly, but his mind was elsewhere.
He was thinking about his brother who lived in the city of Dalia, Turvya. His brother had suffered from a heart condition since childhood. Ming always worried about him.
He also thought about their father, who had abandoned him, his mother, and his brother when Ming was sixteen, leaving for another woman.
Ming sighed and dismissed his assistant.
Once alone, he finally checked his smartphone. His mother had sent several messages over an hour ago, reminding him to eat lunch. It was already 2 PM, and he had forgotten again.
He replied briefly, "Got it."
Then he looked back up at the sky.
---
At the same time, in Dalia, Turvya—
9 AM. Luca was waiting in front of Kenzo's house.
Kenzo rushed out in a panic—they were about to be late for university again.
Luca crossed his arms and said, "It's already 9, Kenzo. We're late again because of you."
Kenzo sighed and grabbed Luca's arm as they headed for the car.
Luca reluctantly got in and sighed again. Kenzo stepped on the gas.
"Kenzo, slow down! I'd rather be late than hospitalized in a crash!"
Kenzo laughed. "Don't worry. I won't crash until I find you a wife."
Luca glared at him, but Kenzo kept laughing.
When they arrived at the university and rushed into the classroom, Professor Emil stood with arms crossed, glaring at them.
Kenzo offered an awkward smile, and Luca sighed again. They apologized and took their seats.
Among the students was Sophia, quietly looking out the window. She chuckled at the two of them and quickly refocused on the lecture.
That day was filled with the small happiness of ordinary life.
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Back in Xianya—
Ming Liu's phone buzzed.
"Hello, Mom?"
His mother's voice was shaky and tearful. She had just received a call from her brother's wife—Kai Liu had died of a heart attack.
Ming was shocked. He couldn't believe it.
His one and only brother, who had always protected him—was gone.
He held back his tears and tried to stay calm for his mother's sake.
He said they would leave for Turvya immediately and began the visa process.
After many calls, he finally obtained visas for himself and his mother.
He entrusted his assistant with company duties, requesting contact only in emergencies.
Thirty minutes later, he returned home, where his mother hugged him in tears. Ming gently comforted her.
"Mom, we're leaving for Turvya tonight. Start packing."
She nodded through her tears.
Ming informed the staff that he would be away for several weeks or months and asked them to manage things in his absence.
He packed the essentials and headed for the airport.
In the car, his mother continued crying quietly.
---
Eleven hours later, they arrived in Dalia.
They took a bus from the airport to his brother's home. The city was beautiful at night, but their hearts were heavy.
It was Kai's wife, Sarah, who opened the door. She embraced her mother-in-law in tears.
Nine-year-old Luna and fifteen-year-old Liam—Kai's children—hugged Ming and cried.
Many mourners had already gathered.
Later, Sarah handed him an old journal.
"A few days ago, Kai gave this to me and said, 'If anything happens, give this to Ming.'"
Ming took it in silence, wondering why his brother had entrusted it to him.
Looking at a photo of his brother, emotions threatened to overflow.
---
A few weeks later—
Ming's phone rang.
"Hello, William?"
"Hey Ming! There's a huge business opportunity in Japan. The CEO of a major company wants to meet you. Can you come within a week?"
Ming was confused. "Japan…? That's a bit sudden…"
He glanced at his mother, hesitating.
"This is really important. Don't let it slip away," William urged.
After a long silence, Ming sighed. "…Alright. I'll think about it."
He explained the situation to his family. Though hesitant at first, his mother and sister-in-law strongly encouraged him to go. Eventually, he agreed.
"…Then I'll leave in a week."
---
Meanwhile—
Kenzo and Luca received an invitation from their friend, Koji, in Japan for his sister Aki's wedding ceremony. Coincidentally, Aki was also Sophia's best friend, and she received an invitation as well. Their friends requested them to come to Japan within a week because the wedding was scheduled for that week.
Kenzo was excited. Luca was not excited, but he was happy.
On the other side, Sophia—she was excited, nervous, and happy all at once.
Meanwhile, Kenzo called his dad, pacing back and forth nervously.
"D-D-Dad, actually… I received an invitation from my friend Koji." He gulped. "It's for his sister's wedding ceremony in Japan. He wants me to come within a week… and Luca's going too. I-I just wanted to ask if I can go… please?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line before his dad replied in a tired tone.
"In Japan? Hmm. Fine, you can go. I'm busy. Bye."
With that, his dad hung up the phone without waiting for Kenzo to say anything else.
Kenzo stared at the phone for a moment before turning to Luca with a wide grin. "Whoa! Dad gave me permission! Now you go home and ask your dad!"
Luca nodded quietly and left.
When Luca got home, he parked his car and entered the house. His father was sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a newspaper.
Luca walked over calmly. "Dad."
His father looked up with a gentle smile.
"Welcome home, my son."
"Dad, actually…" Luca hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I received an invitation from my friend Koji in Japan. It's for his sister's wedding ceremony. He wants me to attend. Can I go?"
His father thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Japan? Hmm… Well, okay, you can go."
Luca smiled softly. "Thanks, Dad. Goodnight."
He headed to his room, feeling relieved and thankful.
Kenzo, Luca, and Sophia were all excited and happy about the upcoming trip.
But wasn't it strange?
A few weeks later, on that very day, Ming Liu, Kenzo, Luca, and Sophia all found themselves on the same flight.
Another weird coincidence.
But wait—was it truly a coincidence, or was it planned?
As they arrived at the airport in Tokyo, Japan, they collected their suitcases and left. A few passengers exited the airport, including Ming Liu, Kenzo, Luca, Sophia, and a few others. As they looked around, everything was beautiful—the city, the buildings, the people, and the kids. The city was bustling with noise, yet there was an underlying peace.
Kenzo was excited, while Luca just smiled, equally happy. Ming Liu, watching Kenzo's reaction, rolled his eyes, finding it childish. Sophia chuckled at his response, and the others found his reaction amusing.
Luca stopped him and said, "Kenzo, stop embarrassing yourself."
Kenzo paused, sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Fine," he muttered.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened.
The airport exploded in a massive blast, caused by a bomb or something else.
As they looked around, everything was destroyed—the once-beautiful city reduced to rubble. There was no one around. It was as though everyone else had been an illusion.
Ming Liu, Kenzo, Luca, and Sophia scanned the area and realized only ten passengers remained. The rest had vanished.
Shocked and terrified, Sophia whispered, "What was that? I can't understand what's happening."
Then, they noticed something unsettling.
The phones of a few passengers began to heat up. Within seconds, the phones exploded in their hands, sending devastating blasts that killed five passengers instantly.
Ming Liu, Kenzo, Luca, Sophia, and the remaining five passengers could feel their own phones growing hot. Reacting quickly, they threw their phones away just in time to avoid the same fate.
But as they did, they noticed something heart-wrenching.
One of the passengers, a mother, lay lifeless on the ground. Her young child was beside her, crying desperately. The boy shook her, tears streaming down his face as he cried out:
"Mom! Mom! Open your eyes, Mom! I'm scared, Mom, please!"
They looked at him with sympathy, their hearts aching for the boy who had just lost his mother.
They tried to calm him down, but their voices were drowned out by the chaos around them.
Suddenly, a mysterious laugh echoed through the air.
The voice, dripping with malice, said, "Ha ha ha!!"
The sound sent chills down their spines.
It was as if the laughter itself was part of the nightmare they had just been thrust into.
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End of Chapter 1