"Dawn City" was a shimmering jewel on Valdaron, where towering skyscrapers intertwined with neon-laden clouds, and dazzling holographic displays danced on every corner. Ground and aerial vehicles alike defied the planet's gravity, floating gracefully in the air like cosmic ballerinas, while the voices of the city's bustling inhabitants rose like a celestial orchestra. Dawn City was, without a doubt, one of the few vibrant hubs on this distant planet.
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But behind this deceptive glitter, in the forgotten shadows of the city, lay other districts. Abandoned areas where living ghosts roamed, addicts who had lost their souls in the labyrinthine false ecstasies. Here, the acrid smell of vomit mingled with other foul odors that choked the air. On the ground floor of one of the crumbling buildings in this wretched urban tapestry, a naked body lay sprawled on a cold metal table. It was wrapped tightly in transparent plastic sheeting, a prisoner of its own clear shroud, while the walls and floor around it were also covered in plastic, as if the entire room was preparing for a strange funerary ritual.
In this transparent tomb, silence was suddenly pierced by a sharp screech, a familiar metallic sound that sent shivers down the spine. It was the sound of two steel blades grinding together. If anyone were to witness this scene now, they would see a man standing in the corner of the room, a massive cleaver and a sharp knife gleaming in both his hands. He wore a dark leather apron and a blacksmith's helmet that completely obscured his features.
*It's been a long time...* the man whispered to himself, his voice muffled behind the helmet. *In this technological world, where every corner watches you, killing someone without being caught becomes an almost impossible task. How I miss the simplicity of things on Earth.*
The man sighed, the cleaver in his hand trembling slightly. *Yes... Earth.*
This man was not from this planet. His name was Dexter, and in another life, on a different planet, he was known as the "Bay Harbor Butcher." He wasn't an ordinary killer. Although his motive for killing was a dark need, an inherent desire to take lives, he adhered to a strict set of rules, a twisted moral code that dictated his victims had to be those who deserved to die, those who had escaped legal punishment.
He was never caught in his first life. His victim count exceeded fifty, yet he remained a phantom haunting the darkness. He died peacefully, or so it seemed, after a long life stained with blood. After death, he expected nothingness, eternal silence. But instead, he found himself anew, a conscious entity growing within the body of an infant in this advanced world on Valdaron.
He grew up an orphan, learning to navigate this strange civilization. After high school, he made a fateful decision to study cybersecurity. He knew that disappearing from the eyes of the police, surveillance cameras, and the complex security systems in this technologically advanced world required a deep understanding of these techniques.
Now, after nearly twenty-five years of agonizing waiting, the moment of his first bloodshed in this new life was about to arrive. Dexter quietly approached the body stretched out on the table. From his pocket, he took out a small vial and uncorked it, allowing a pungent odor to penetrate the plastic sheeting. It was smelling salts, an old method for awakening consciousness.
The wrapped body twitched, and two terrified eyes opened. The man tried to move his limbs, but found himself helpless, a prisoner of the plastic. He looked around frantically, then his gaze froze on Dexter standing before him, the cleaver gleaming in the dim light, and on Dexter's face—or what could be seen behind the helmet's opening—a cold smile was etched.
"Who are you? What are you going to do to me?" the man asked in a trembling voice, fear dripping from his words. His eyes pleaded for mercy. *What did I do to deserve this?* his gaze seemed to ask.
Dexter replied calmly, the smile never leaving his hidden lips: "Exactly what you deserve. As for who I am... you can consider me your worst nightmare."