Cthulhu: I Created the Monster Sequence

Inside Chen Ye's café, Yang Yan and another officer shook off their umbrellas. "This damn rain—field teams are miserable these days," the bearded cop grumbled.

Yang scanned the sparse crowd: a raincoat-clad college student with a black-dressed girl (likely a couple), a man in the corner, and a suited figure at the bar. His eyes narrowed.

Wang Haonan?

The prime suspect in the "Invisible Killer" case waved. "Officer Yang! Any leads?"

"Not yet, but we're close. Heard you quit your job?"

Wang chuckled. "Too old for AC repairs. Retiring to fish in my hometown."

The fishman at the next table glanced up. "Old men shouldn't fish. Might get dragged underwater."

"Depends on the fish," Wang replied.

Yang sniffed. "Speaking of fish… I smell something fishy."

Wang lifted a grocery bag. "Sharp nose! Fresh from the market."

At the bar, the bearded cop blinked at the suited barista grinding beans. "Where's the owner?"

"Resting. I'm new—hope my coffee suffices," the Wallfacer replied, pouring their drinks.

Yang's gaze drifted to the golden-haired woman in black gloves—Queen Bee. Her beauty was hypnotic.

"Sir, staring's rude~" she purred.

Yang snapped back, uneasy. Why did her glance feel like a spell?

As they sipped coffee, an unseen weight pressed on Yang's back—predatory eyes, yet no one watched.

The fishman stood. "Let's go." His raven-haired companion followed.

Wang rose too. "See you, Officer Yang."

"Wait—let me see that fish."

Wang hesitated. "It's… not pretty." The bag revealed an ugly deep-sea creature.

"Ever seen a black forktooth fish sold here?" Yang asked the bearded cop later.

"Never. Tastes awful—who'd buy it?"

"Exactly." Yang frowned. "Wang's 'gift' reeks of lies."

Outside, Wang tossed the fish to the fishman. "Will Os-sama want this?"

"Dunno. Took two days to dredge it up."

"That cop's onto you."

"Let him dig. Killing him'd raise more flags."

Upstairs, Chen Ye watered a bizarre plant—a sunflower with eyeball-filled petals and vine-like leaves that snapped at mosquitoes.

"Anti-bug upgrade. Now, what 'gift' did Queen Bee prepare? South Weir… ugh, hassle."

Unaware, the café below had just hosted a dance between hunters and monsters—and two cops narrowly escaped a den of horrors.