Later, at the clothing section, Jiang Dao ran his fingers over the torn fabric of his current jacket. "Dad, I need a new jacket," he said.
"What happened to this one?" Su Yang asked, his eyes, unaccustomed to assessing fabric damage, scrutinizing the tear.
"Must have caught it on something sharp while we were running through the parking lot," Jiang Dao replied smoothly, keeping his voice casual.
Su Yang nodded, accepting the explanation without further question. "Alright, pick something warm. This storm looks like it's going to last a while."
As Jiang Dao browsed, he selected a sturdy black windbreaker. It was thick enough to conceal any future "incidents" but not so bulky as to restrict his movement if he needed to transform again. The memory of his expanded form was still fresh in his mind, along with the intoxicating rush of power that had come with it.
"This one looks good," he said, holding up his choice.
"Black? I knew you'd pick that one," Su Yang commented, a small smile playing on his lips. He nodded, and they proceeded to purchase it.
After paying for the jacket, they efficiently completed their shopping. Bottled water, canned goods, instant noodles, batteries, flashlights—all the essentials for weathering a storm. But as they loaded their cart, Jiang Dao couldn't shake the feeling that they were preparing for something far worse than just bad weather.
The checkout lines were longer than usual, filled with families displaying varying degrees of anxiety. Some chatted nervously about the storm, while others stared at their phones with worried expressions. The atmosphere felt charged with more than just pre-storm tension.
It was understandable, of course. Most storms in this world were deadly, often bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and widespread flooding. News of people dying or going missing due to various reasons was common whenever a major storm hit. Fortunately, in their region, due to good management and higher elevations, only strong winds and tornadoes were common, minimizing the risk of severe flooding.
"Breaking news," a voice announced from one of the mall's television screens. "Two more people reported missing in the East District. Police are advising all residents to remain indoors and report any suspicious activity..."
Su Yang's attention snapped to the screen. "East District again," he muttered. "That's the fourth incident this week."
Jiang Dao's eyes narrowed. The creature he'd just killed—was it connected to these disappearances? Had there been others like it, hunting through the city while everyone remained oblivious?
"Dad, is that... normal?" Jiang Dao asked, his voice low.
"Missing persons in clusters? No, son. Not normal at all." Su Yang's expression had shifted into his professional mode, the serious look he often wore when discussing complex cases. "Usually, it's domestic disputes, runaways, or accidents. But this pattern..." He trailed off, clearly troubled by the implications.
They completed their purchase in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The rain had intensified even further during their time inside, and the parking lot had become a maze of rushing water and abandoned shopping carts.
"Ready?" Su Yang asked, gripping his umbrella.
"Yeah."
They sprinted back to the car, dodging puddles that had grown into small lakes. The wind howled with such ferocity that Jiang Dao had to brace himself against the vehicle to keep from being knocked over.
Inside the car, they sat for a moment, catching their breath and wiping rain from their faces.
"Getting worse," Su Yang observed, starting the engine. "We should head straight home."
As they drove through the storm-darkened streets, Jiang Dao's phone buzzed with new messages:
Shadow18: Silvia, please reconsider. The news is reporting more missing people.
Silvia: I can't just sit here doing nothing while my cousin is missing. And isn't your brother also missing? Why aren't you worried at all?
Shadow18: I'm also worried, but we must approach this safely and logically.
PixelStatic: What if whatever got them gets you too?
CrimsonLens: Maybe that's what it wants. More people to investigate.
GhostTide: Dude, that's dark.
LostInPages: Has anyone actually contacted the police about this?
Silvia: You think they'd believe us? 'Officer, we think a ghost is eating people.' They'd laugh us out of the station.
Shadow18: Then let's go together. Safety in numbers.
Silvia: Fine. Tomorrow at 2 PM. Willowmere Central Station. But if you're having second thoughts, don't come. I'm going either way.
Jiang Dao stared at the messages. The timing, the location, the determined desperation in Silvia's messages—it all pointed to a catastrophe waiting to happen. "Looking for death" —this phrase couldn't help but appear in his mind.
These people had no idea what they were walking into. Even now, with his new power, he didn't think he would stand a chance against the thing in that building, much less them, unless they brought a gun.
"You're quiet," Su Yang observed, expertly navigating around a fallen tree branch.
"Just thinking about the missing people," Jiang Dao replied.
"Yeah, it's really worrying," Su Yang agreed, slowing the car's speed.
Whoosh!
Beside them, a fast car sped by, its red taillights disappearing into the darkness ahead.
"So careless," Su Yang shook his head. "These folks don't know how to spell 'caution'!"
Jiang Dao didn't reply, simply looking out his window. Somehow, the charged atmosphere made him feel more alive than he should.
Home at Last
"Home sweet home," Su Yang announced as they pulled into their driveway.
Inside, Tang Shiyan was waiting for them on the sofa, drinking tea and watching TV.
Creak!
"Mom!" Jiang Dao's voice rang out, slightly muffled by the heavy rain outside.
"You're back," Tang Shiyan said, putting down her tea and assisting them with bringing the supplies and food inside the house.
They went back and forth twice because of how many boxes there were.
"Phew, these should last at least a month," Su Yang smiled, satisfied despite the tiring effort.
"Mom, I'll go to my room!" Jiang Dao called out.
"Hmm, rest now and don't sleep late, okay?" Tang Shiyan nodded and opened one of the boxes. "How much was this?"
"Well..." Su Yang began, as Jiang Dao, after putting the last box inside and closing the door, took another short shower then went back to his room.