Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

Wearing the [Veil of Shadows], Lynn became one with the night, moving toward the abandoned district. His existence blended into the darkness, the edges of his silhouette barely discernible even to those standing nearby.

In the distance, he could see the flashing red and blue emergency lights illuminating the darkened streets, their reflection on the crumbling facades a silent warning of the heavy law enforcement ahead.

He paused for a moment, his senses sharp. The eyes, enhanced by [Spiritual Vision], pierced through the extensive security that had been mobilized – a formidable blockade manned by police and the bureau personnel.

Armored vehicles were positioned at key positions, their occupants vigilantly scanning the area for any signs of movement. Despite the overwhelming show of force, he felt no nervousness or apprehension.

"They are not in the vicinity," he silently murmured, searching for any hint of the three extraordinary investigators – Amber, Ethan, and their captain, Simon. They were the only individual that could pose any real challenge to his infiltration.

Satisfied with his assessment, Lynn began to move. His footsteps made no sound as he approached the guarded barrier and carefully scanned the perimeter, looking for the weakest point of the cordon.

Although there were multiple patrol groups – against the extraordinary, ordinary people were insignificant and easily ignored. His enhanced senses allowed him to pinpoint the gaps in their vigilance.

Taking a deep breath, he focused his thoughts and summoned his ethereal [Spirit Threading] ability. Delicate strands of energy unfurled from his fingertips, intertwining into intricate patterns that guided his passage.

As he moved, the filaments shifted and adjusted, reacting to the slightest shifts in the surroundings. Carefully timing his steps, he slipped through the security lines, passing unnoticed between the armed sentries.

The [Veil of Shadows] concealed his presence while the [Spirit Threading] navigated him safely around potential obstacles. It was a seamless ballet of stealth and control that allowed him to bypass the blockade easily.

Once inside the abandoned district's boundaries, Lynn stopped, his keen gaze sweeping the desolate landscape. "It's very calm," he noticed. The familiar roads were now shrouded in an eerie hush like the calm before a storm.

The air was thick with tension, and an oppressive silence replaced the usual late-night bustle of shady activity, only broken by the occasional crackle of radio static and the distant rumble of armored engines.

Gripping the cloak tightly around his frame, he started aimlessly wandering. While the temptation to confront Shade and unravel the mystery at the heart of the unfolding crisis was strong, discretion was the wiser path.

The hunting mark placed on this elusive adversary lingered still as a faint beacon that simmered at the edge of his awareness. He could easily track his movements if needed, but he had a different objective in mind for now.

“Let’s make this quick,” he whispered, his voice barely a breath against the backdrop of silence, raising a small rodent that he had caught skittering across the pavement while navigating the narrow, debris-strewn alleys.

Letting a few drops of his crimson essence mingle with its life force, he forged a temporary bond before releasing the creature to roam freely. Lynn repeated the process multiple times, creating a network of eyes that scoured around.

In fact, they already allowed him to realize something intriguing. "Did the Special Investigation Bureau displace residents?" he wondered, perceiving through the shared visions that most buildings in the neighborhood were vacant.

The only signs of life and movement were gang members, holding their ground and conducting shadowy business, unfazed by the looming threat around them. "Truly, these people have nerves of steel," he mused with a wry smile.

A series of muffled cries suddenly reached his ears, cutting through the oppressive stillness. His steps slowed, brow slightly furrowing as he concentrated, instantly homing in on the source of the disturbance.

The voice was unmistakably feminine, laced with a desperate urgency that heightened his senses. Without hesitation, he altered his course and increased his pace, making his way toward the source of the sound.

Accompanied by the faint scuffling of movement, the screams grew more pronounced as he drew closer. Heart pounding, cautiously peering around the corner, he surveyed the scene unfolding with curiosity and suspicion.

In the dim light, the outlines of several figures came into focus, their postures and gestures suggesting a confrontation. At the center of this messy tableau was a woman, her voice rising in a frantic plea, full of fear.

Lynn's eyes narrowed as he took in the situation, a wave of disgust churning in his stomach. Such scenes were all too common in this lawless environment, where the depraved exploited the weak to satisfy their twisted desires.

Yet, what made his blood boil was the distinct familiarity of the victim. He strained to place it, convinced he had heard it before—perhaps during one of his previous ventures into this treacherous district.

Either way, he was determined to intervene. Taking a step forward, the effects of the [Veil of Shadows] instantly dissipated and disappeared, revealing his hidden silhouette from the surrounding darkness. 

Several arrogant-looking youths, their features contorted with drunken laughter, froze in their track and turned to face the intruder, expressions immediately morphing from confidence into alarm.

"Who the hell are you?!" one of them growled, his hand instinctively reaching for a concealed weapon at his waist. The others quickly followed suit, their postures tensing as they prepared for a fight.

"Doctor... help me," a voice weakly pleaded, trembling through the tense silence. Hearing those words, Lynn finally recognized the woman - it was Izzy, the daughter of Boss Reggie from the Whispering Serpent tavern.

Her features were obscured partially by dirt and grime, but there was no mistaking her identity. The pleads cut off abruptly when a yellow-haired gangster roughly grabbed her arm, yanking her from the ground.

"What bastard wants to disrupt my good deeds? Get lost! You have nothing to do here," the thug snarled, his grip tightening around her arm, glaring ferociously at the uninvited guest.

"Hey, hey, you should know that this is the daughter of Boss Reggie. Let her go and spare yourself the trouble," Lynn declared in a deep voice, aiming to defuse the situation and avoid any noise that might draw nearby patrols.

A hint of fear flickered across their faces when they heard this name. It was a well-known fact that the owner of the Whispering Serpent tavern wielded significant influence and connections within the abandoned district.

However, the brief moment of uncertainty was abruptly replaced by an unsettling expression of depraved hunger. A twisted grin spread on the faces as the yellow-haired man increased the force of his grip, eliciting a pained whimper.

"If we kill this man, no one will know," the thug barked to his people, eyes gleaming with malicious intent. The rapid change in emotions was so sudden that it caught Lynn off guard, momentarily freezing him in place.

Pulling out long, jagged daggers, these gangsters fixed him with a fierce, crazed expression. "I don't care who you are or who you know," the guy who seemed to be the leader continued. "This is my place, and I do as I please!"

His brow furrowed as he observed the disturbing change in the demeanors. "There's something wrong with these guys," he thought, perplexed. "They must be under the influence of some kind of drug."

Indeed, as his gaze swept over the group, Lynn detected one of the members clutching a bottle in his hand. The liquid inside sloshed with an unnatural viscosity, and the pungent odor indicated that it was not merely alcohol.

Without warning, the yellow-haired chief rushed forward, his dagger gleaming menacingly. Two of his cohorts flanked the intruder, their movements uncoordinated but driven by a primal bloodlust.

With a resigned sigh, he understood that he had no choice but to fight. "In that case, I’ll just have to deal with them before anyone notices," he decided, sidestepping the blind-charging enemy with honed precision.

A swift kick landed squarely between the legs of the yellow-haired gangster, making him double over with a choked gasp. An agonized wail escaped his lips as he bent over like a cooked shrimp, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The other members of the group were not better off. Their faces twisted in shock and pain as they were sent flying backward, crashing to the ground, unable to endure the ferocity of Lynn’s counterattack.

Taking advantage of the momentary chaos, Izzy quickly ran behind him in panic, shivering and trembling. The fear and relief were discernible in her expression as she sought refuge behind the imposing figure.