A girl stood at the entrance of the town, tattered hat shading her face from the public's view. Her coat hung limply around her emaciated figure, tied together with rough strings to protect her from the chilly wind. A poor sight indeed.

She was back. The child who went missing nine years ago was back. Now fifteen, independent, and thirsty for revenge.

To find the one who had murdered her parents and stolen her only companion away, to kill him before he kills her. For that was the only way out from this ugly mess the Devil had thrown her into. 

The three years – years of begging, stealing, slaving, being tortured, and torturing – she had survived without Ji Yong had taught her lessons she would never forget. Be the predator, or be the prey of another. The world is ugly, and so is everyone else - they weren't just the thoughts of a pessimistic girl, but a girl who had seen the world for all the evils it had tried to hide, long before she was supposed to.

A girl who had killed and would kill to live.

She walked through the streets, casting furtive glances in fear of being recognised. Reaching the end of the little lane, she saw a mansion painted cream-white, with beautiful ornaments decorating the lawn. If she listened closely, she could hear laughter trickling out from behind the closed doors. It sounded alien to her, laughter, that is. Mocking ones were commonly heard everywhere she went, yet this was inexplicable, something that caused a catching in .

She drew her coat tighter around her, and strode to the gate with resolution.

A servant came running shortly after she pressed the bell, looking at her curiously.

“Tramps aren’t allowed here. Please leave.”

The servant turned to go, only to be stopped by a soft voice croaking out a plea.

“Please let me see the owner. I need to know what happened.”

“Who are you?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Look here, I don’t have time for your games. I’ve got chores to do. Please leave now.”

“I don’t know who I am. Not really. Well, I do, but I’m not really sure. Can I meet the owner? I need to know the truth. I deserve to know it, after nine whole years of not knowing. Please? I need to get answers. I need to know who I am.”

The look in the servant’s eyes was a mixture of pity, and just a little bit of disgust. She ran into the house and returned with a well-dressed lady with smiling eyes.

“Hello, how may I help you?”

“Do you…do you know the previous owners of this house?”

The lady looked startled at her question.

“No, not really. I’ve only heard that they were…well, murdered, and their little girl was taken away.” She seemed genuinely sad for their unfortunate plight.

“Why do you ask that?” The girl remained silent, gazing fondly at the grand mansion which had been tucked away for such a long time – so many months, days, hours, seconds – in the deepest parts of her scattered memory. Then her eyes changed. Those endearing orbs began glancing around nervously, rapidly filling up with panic and fear. The lady noticed it and called out to her, trying to rescue her from that trance she seemed to have entered. When she didn’t respond, the lady ordered her servant to open the gates, all the while attempting to bring the girl back onto earth.

By the time the heavy iron gates had swung open, the girl was already on the floor, crouched in a fetal position and writhing in unknown agony. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she hugged herself tightly, her whimpers laced with utter fright.

“Don’t. Don’t touch me. Don’t. Please. No. No! Don’t! Please. Save me. Ji Yong. Ji Yong. No! Don’t!”

The lady kneeled down and grasped her by the shoulders, tapping her cheeks lightly. The girl's eyes flew open and she lashed out, grabbing her slender throat. Her eyes flashed with resentment and spite, lips distorted between a smirk and a snarl. Her grip tightened. The servant let out a piercing scream and cried for help while shoving the attacker, in turn being flung roughly against the gates.

A quiet laugh escaped her gritted teeth and became louder, ringing through the air in wild tones. The family came running out, shouts joining the twisted melody which she adored. A blank stare took over her eyes and her arms went limp, body collapsing onto the ground.