Upon returning to Libertãnhya, the city was almost empty. Just a few teenagers with their partners, or alone. Or adults returning home after a hard day's work.
On an abandoned street, under construction, stood a building, shining with multicolored colors.
Upon entering the place, the smell of alcohol wafted into Slady's nose. She felt a little disgusted, but remained neutral, looking around.
It was a cabaret, where men were gambling, men drinking until they fell to the floor, and there was also a "VIP" entertainment area, where men paid prostitutes for "a moment."
Her gaze fell on a couple, a man and a woman. They weren't enjoying themselves, they seemed to be observing. Then Slady understood: it was a pair of Criminal Investigators from Libertãnhya.
Rin Yuang - the woman, had a serious look in her eyes, watching the men with apprehension, as if she felt sorry for the women there.
Roger Trager - the man, who, despite being more relaxed, even while drinking, was completely lucid and prepared for any eventuality.
When Slady entered the place, both men paid attention to him, suspicious of his attire.
Slady sat at a counter, where a bartender approached him. Her clothes were short and tight, the woman trying to force a smile, as if she were being *forced* to wear such vulgar clothes.
"Good evening, dear. Do you want anything? We can offer you VIP access for a price,"
the woman said, and Slady looked at her, emotionless.
"Please, just a wine."
"Okay."
The woman seemed relieved to be treated with respect by Slady, pouring him a glass of wine.
Slady stared at the glass for about two seconds, sipping the liquid, which tasted sweet, just as he desired.
"Thank you." Slady said, placing the already empty wine glass on the counter.
"Oh."
The woman looked surprised; she hadn't seen anyone drink an entire glass of wine and not get drunk.
"Would you like more?" the bartender asked.
Before Slady could answer, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Roger and Rin Yuang with serious looks on their faces.
"Can you come with us, sir?" Roger asked.
Slady sighed, stood up, and placed a quantity of Lynes on the counter, paying for the drink.
"No problem."
The woman took the money with a small smile, but she was still nervous, unsure of who the pair were.
Slady was led to a more secluded part of the place, on the second floor, where there was a more empty area under construction.
"So..." Rin Yuang turned to Slady.
"We're from the Libertânia Criminal Investigation Department," Roger said.
The two show their receipts, then Rin Yuang says in a firm, serious tone,
"We're here to investigate a criminal gang we suspect is operating at this location. We want your identity to prove you're not involved-"
"I'm also here for the same reason, but for something more personal." Slady interrupts, crossing her arms.
The two are surprised, and retort.
"You have no proof that you're *really* here to investigate this location. We want to know why you're here," Roger says.
"I'm here to kill one person, but maybe I'll kill all the criminals here," Slady says with pure sincerity, looking around.
The two are shocked, then draw their weapons: Rin Yuang a pistol and Roger two daggers.
"We can't let him do this-"
They are interrupted by a punch to the face from Slady's bionic hand; it was a weak, deliberate punch.
The fight could be heard from downstairs; the bartender looked very worried, ducking and hiding under the counter.
***
In a more secluded area on the first floor, in a locked room, were the gangsters. Yai Chang stood out.
The room reeked of cigarettes and other drugs. He and his partners in crime were making plans. Some women were in the room, fearful but unsure of how to escape.
Hearing the banging, the criminals look at each other, confused and irritated, thinking some customer was making too much noise "just a moment."
The gangsters grab their weapons, Yai Chang grabs his brass knuckles, putting them on.
"Stay there, you bitches," (he said firmly)
The women cower, huddled together.
The men laugh approvingly. Then, the group heads to the sound...
***
Slady had knocked the pair down, who were on their knees, badly bruised, but not unconscious.
"Damn you..." Rin Yuang looks at Slady in frustration.
"..."
Slady ignores her, cleaning the wounds she had received.
Suddenly, the door opened. It was the group of criminals, who were surprised not to find it in a room, but even more so to see two police officers and a man they didn't know.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yai Chang screams, furious.
The men draw their guns, preparing to shoot the three of them mercilessly. And Yai Chang readies his brass knuckles, grinning maliciously.
Slady recognizes Yai Chang, his expression unchanged, then takes a shell from his overcoat and throws it on the ground, creating a large cloud of smoke.
"Cough-cough!" The men cough.
Roger and Rin Yuang also cough, feeling suffocated by the gas. Slady remains impassive, accustomed to it.
The pair of police officers feel their bodies being enveloped by something *metallic*, making it impossible to see what it was due to the smoke. They try to escape, but are unable to.
**seconds later**
When they open their eyes, the first sight they see is Slady, who has grabbed their guns.
"I don't want you disturbing me, go away and I'll let you know when I come back," he says, his tone very firm, almost threatening.
"If you tell anyone, I'll know. Not only will you pay, but those you love most will pay as well."
The two are shocked; they had no doubt they had gotten involved with someone dangerous.
"Understood," they say in unison.
Then they stand up, supporting each other, jumping off the building and walking away from the scene.
Returning to where they were, the smoke lingered, the men seemingly unable to see and coughing desperately.
Using Roger's two daggers and Rin Yuang's silenced pistol, Slady begins killing all the criminals present, one by one.
But he still hadn't found his main target. Then, the smoke cleared, revealing himself, his eyes red and now furious.
"What have you done?! You bastard!!"
The man advances like a caged animal. Slady took advantage of this, throwing a smoke capsule into the man's mouth, causing the gas to enter Yai Chang's lungs. He fell to the ground, coughing in pure despair, tears streaming from his eyes.
"COUGH-COUGH!!"
He tried to reach out to Slady, who just watched him silently. Until Yai Chang's vision went black and he passed out.
**Minutes later, 3 a.m.**
Yai Chang opened his eyes, looking around, realizing he was in a place he didn't recognize, and to top it all off, naked. His arms and legs were tied to a chair, his mouth covered with tape, unable to scream...
"Are you awake, hm?"
Suddenly, a small lamp opened, revealing Slady, who was sitting in a chair.
Yai Chang tried to scream, but only managed a loud "hmmm."
"No one will listen, all your friends are dead, I've already expelled all the men who were here, and the women you mistreated so much are safe."
Slady leans in, speaking in a low, apathetic tone.
"It'll just be you and me, no one else."
**some time later, at the Libretanhya Criminal Investigation Department...**
Rin Yuang had finished a shower, put on comfortable clothes, and thrown himself onto the bed.
Suddenly, his cell phone vibrated, receiving an anonymous message.
"Return to the location."
She looked at the message, getting up and quickly changing her clothes.
In the hallways, she walked quickly. By chance, she ran into Roger, probably having received the same message.
Minutes later, the pair returned to the place, which was... terrible. The men's bodies were positioned like puppets, as if trying to create another story, another context.
While exploring the building, the pair heard whispers. Upon opening a door, they came across a group of women on a bed. They were young, mostly adults, but unfortunately, there were also some who were minors.
"Who are you?"
One of them asked, it was the bartender.
"We're from Criminal Investigation."
The pair affirmed, showing the receipts.
The women felt relieved; some were crying into each other's chests, relieved.
They both felt a similar feeling. Despite having to be serious and professional, seeing so many innocent people suffer must be heartbreaking.
Roger signaled for Rin Yuang to continue exploring. She complied, leaving the room. Then Roger sat down near the women, asking calmly, "Who put you here?"
"It was the guy I served earlier..." the bartender said.
Roger understood, the memories of what had happened still lingered in his mind...
"I understand. Did he take good care of you?"
"Yes, he asked us not to leave when the 'good people' arrived," one of the women asked.
"I'm very happy about that. Do you know where he is?" Roger asked curiously.
"I think he left. But he was very good to everyone," another woman said happily.
Despite the misunderstanding, Roger had a thought that Slady wasn't so bad... or was he wrong?
**Meanwhile**
Rin Yuang walked around the second floor, finding the stolen weapons, but also heard... crying?
The sound came from a door. Upon opening it, Rin Yuan's eyes widened, starting to gag, but controlling herself from vomiting.
It was Yai Chang, her private parts removed, her eyes hanging from their sockets, and her body was... pitiful.
Worst of all: there was no blood, as if nothing had happened...