Chapter 21: The Eye of Sin

As night descended, the endless bustle and radiance crashed over Tokyo, a city that never sleeps. Shinjuku, situated slightly west of central Tokyo, was renowned as the most vibrant commercial district in the entire country. Walking through its lively streets, the glaring neon lights from enormous billboards atop skyscrapers illuminated the city as if it were perpetual daylight.

Yet what Su Cheng saw were patches of darkness concealed beneath that white night.

Such thoughts were not the eruption of his adolescent angst, but the result of something amiss with his left eye; since earlier, he had begun to see things that ordinary people could not perceive.

For instance, the middle-aged man who had just passed him—his face was sallow, a noose hung around his neck, and a long, blackened tongue protruded from his mouth, trailing to the ground. His bulging, lifeless eyes threatened to spill from their sockets. The man resembled a hanged ghost, straight from the pages of supernatural tales.

There were also seemingly innocent and pretty young women, carrying several infant spirits on their bodies.

Clearly, these were those whose wombs had witnessed death.

“Could this be the effect of the Eye of Sin?”

Under its influence, the dazzling metropolis before Su Cheng transformed into a city of vice, every person’s deepest sins laid bare before him.

To Su Cheng, this was torment. After all, everyone harbors shadows and guilt; none are entirely free from them. In truth, he was merely a foreign student, neither a policeman nor a crusader against evil; the sins of others had nothing to do with him.

“Can’t the Eye of Sin be temporarily blocked? This is enough to drive someone mad.”

Su Cheng’s expression twisted in frustration. If not for his strong nerves honed by countless horror games, he would have lost control right there on the street.

After a long struggle, he finally discovered how to deactivate the Eye of Sin.

The world returned to normal, and, without realizing it, Su Cheng found himself near Shinjuku Station.

Passing through an underground passage, he suddenly heard a heavenly singing. The voice had an inexplicable magic, instantly calming him.

Following the sound, he saw a girl in jeans, cradling a guitar and singing in the tunnel.

She wasn’t especially beautiful, but her features and aura were striking—a presence one would remember at a glance. Her voice, unlike the sweet, soft tones typical of local girls, was distinctive and memorable.

Many hurried pedestrians passed through the tunnel, yet none but Su Cheng paused to listen to her song; everyone else moved on, preoccupied.

The girl, however, seemed unconcerned. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, she played and sang, immersed in her own world.

When the song ended, she stood and, guitar in hand, thanked Su Cheng, her sole audience.

Snapping back to reality, Su Cheng rummaged through his pockets, searching for his wallet, only to realize awkwardly, “Sorry, I forgot my wallet when I left home.”

Seeing his embarrassment, the girl shook her head, her beautiful eyes curving like a crescent moon. “It’s alright. Thank you for being my listener.”

“Your singing is wonderful. You’re sure to have many fans.”

“Thank you for your encouragement.”

Just as Su Cheng was about to leave, a man in a suit, carrying a black briefcase, jogged over to the girl.

“Miss Izumi, I’m the agent from the music company you spoke with yesterday, Kurozawa.”

The man caught his breath, took out a business card, and handed it over.

Izumi Yoshioka examined the card carefully, confirming he wasn’t a fraud, and politely asked, “Mr. Kurozawa, is there something you need?”

“The company sent me to discuss your contract. My car is parked nearby; let’s go together now,” Kurozawa seemed anxious, pressing her to visit the company immediately.

Izumi hesitated. “But we agreed to meet tomorrow, and it’s already so late…”

“There’s no choice; something came up unexpectedly, so we have to meet tonight. Don’t worry, the company is still open at this hour; there’ll be no trouble.”

Kurozawa’s tone was earnest.

“Well, alright. Let me pack up.” Without suspicion, Izumi gathered her guitar and followed Kurozawa toward a black business vehicle parked nearby.

Su Cheng’s gaze lingered on the agent, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint.

Moments ago, through the Eye of Sin, he saw a ghost clinging to the agent—a female spirit about Izumi’s age.

This agent was trouble.

He didn’t warn the girl; what he saw was too bizarre, and speaking up would only make him seem insane.

So, Su Cheng quietly followed, slipping unnoticed into the van’s trunk.

The vehicle soon left Shinjuku’s lively district, heading toward a desolate area.

Izumi sat in the passenger seat. At first, she felt nothing amiss, but soon the outside grew darker, the surroundings unfamiliar.

“Mr. Kurozawa, this road doesn’t lead to the music company. Are you lost?” Izumi’s unease grew.

“The usual route is too congested. I’m taking a different way—it won’t be long.”

Kurozawa’s lips curled in a sinister smile.

Though Izumi sensed something was wrong, she didn’t realize danger was already upon her.

Twenty minutes later, Kurozawa parked the van in front of an abandoned parking structure.

“Miss Izumi, we’re here.”

“This isn’t the music company. What are you planning?” Izumi’s heart skipped a beat as she secretly dialed the police.

But suddenly, black hands reached from behind, clamping over her mouth.

A sharp chemical odor overwhelmed her senses. Izumi struggled, muffled cries escaping, before she lost consciousness.

“Damn, she was calling the cops.”

Once Izumi passed out, Kurozawa’s demeanor changed; his face twisted with malice as he snatched her phone, smashed it to pieces underfoot.

“Nakado, hurry up and carry her inside. If the boss gets impatient, we’ll end up his food.”

A small, blond man emerged from the van, expertly hoisting the unconscious girl onto his shoulder and following Kurozawa into the abandoned building.

“This time our prey is a singer? The police won’t trace this to us, right?”

“Relax. I checked beforehand. She’s from Fukuoka, has no family or friends in Tokyo. Even if she disappears, no one will notice. The cops won’t connect us.”

The suited man sneered coldly. He was no agent, and the Kurozawa identity was entirely fabricated. Even if someone saw Izumi leave with him, they’d never find him.

“That’s good. Last time, you accidentally killed that girl, and nearly got us devoured by the boss. Don’t mess up again.”

Recalling the recent incident, the man shuddered, fear flickering across his face. “What do you think the boss really is?”

“Who cares, so long as we get paid.”

The blond man laughed, carrying Izumi to a room on the top floor of the abandoned building.

Not far behind, Su Cheng moved like a shadow, silent and swift as a stalking leopard.

The two men knocked on the iron door, but there was no reply.

“We’ve brought the prey, open up!” the blond shouted.

After a moment, the door opened from within. Several tattooed men emerged, shiftily carrying the unconscious Izumi inside.

In that instant, as the door swung wide, Su Cheng glimpsed a fresh human skin hanging in the eerie room…