American Zombie Detective

The hustle and bustle of the banquet hall, like a warm tide, enveloped every well-dressed guest.

Before the formal program of the party began, people gathered in twos and threes, raising champagne and chatting, complimenting each other, gossiping, exchanging information or making veiled remarks, creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony on the surface.

The number of new guests has gradually decreased, and the party has entered a stable warm-up period.

Amidst this dazzling display of light and shadow, Alessa, clutching a Frankenstein doll, moved with steady steps, seemingly casual yet actually precise, traversing from one group of guests to another, from the center of the hall to the rest area at the edge.

To onlookers, her behavior resembled that of a shy or bored child wandering around aimlessly.

However, there was no trace of childlike confusion or curiosity in her large, gray-blue eyes, only a cold, almost mechanical focus.

The invisible counter in her mind was silently ticking away, counting the number of people she had already investigated:

「…17…23…31…39…46…」

She remembered Qin Jin's instructions very clearly:

"The painted-skin ghost will most likely not continue wearing Kate's skin, so the only option is to get close and sniff around... This thing will definitely be spraying strong perfume or something else on its body, so you have to be extra careful in this situation... In the end, this thing might not necessarily be a woman; it could be a man, an old person, a child, or even a dog..."

Aresa faithfully carried out the instructions, like a slippery little fish, precisely cutting into the gaps in the conversation and naturally approaching her target.

She would pause for a brief moment, her grey-blue eyes seemingly blankly sweeping across the other person's face, while her small nostrils twitched almost imperceptibly, like the most sophisticated olfactory detector, capturing the extremely faint scent in the air, mixed with the aromas of expensive perfumes, cigars, and food—

The stench of death and decay!

So far, Alessa has not found a suitable target. Although some guests have a strange aura, decadent and rotten, the stench of disease, the residue of indulgence, and even a trace of blood, there is never that rotten smell.

55...64...71...

She continued moving, and occasionally, guests would notice the little girl holding the doll approaching, offering a kind smile or even bending down to try and speak to her.

"Hey, sweetheart, are you lost?"

"Your doll is really special!"

"Honey, do you need help?"

Aresa showed no reaction to their enthusiasm, merely raising her empty, gray-blue eyes to glance at them indifferently, as if looking at a lifeless piece of furniture, before walking past them without a word, leaving the adults embarrassed or bewildered.

On a viewing platform on the third floor, decorated with heavy curtains, Howard Winston was irritably loosening his bow tie.

This Hollywood mogul should have been the star of the party tonight, receiving compliments and blessings from everyone, but a lingering gloom hung over his face.

His gaze unconsciously swept across the brightly lit, bustling hall below, as he desperately searched for a solution in his mind.

Just then, a small black figure entered his field of vision.

Alessa was crossing the dining table toward the band playing on the other side. Her quiet demeanor, so out of place with her surroundings, and the way she was focused on moving forward, created a peculiar scene in Winston's eyes.

Winston's gaze suddenly froze, an idea popping into his mind—

His youngest daughter, Michelle, has been sullen ever since her tutor visited yesterday. She has locked herself in her secret hideout filled with dolls and refuses to come out, ignoring everyone's pleas. She has also refused to come downstairs for tonight's birthday dinner.

Unfortunately, he couldn't get through to Kate on the phone, leaving him feeling helpless!

Isn't this little girl in front of me, holding a doll and looking a bit out of place, the perfect antidote?

Perhaps... perhaps a child of the same age could open Michelle's heart?

Winston whispered a few words to the butler standing not far away, his finger pointing precisely at Alessa below.

The butler understood immediately and quickly went downstairs.

Alessa had just finished checking on the band members next to her when a kind-faced old butler in a smart tailcoat stopped her and bowed slightly.

"Good evening, dear lady, my master, Mr. Winston, the host of the banquet, would like to invite you to sit upstairs for a moment."

He gestured "please," pointing to a transport platform hidden behind a curtain that led directly to the upper private area.

Following the direction indicated by the butler, Aresa looked through the carved railing of the third-floor platform and saw the man nodding slightly to her.

Without hesitation, she hugged the doll and silently followed the butler onto the transport platform.

The platform rose silently and smoothly, shutting out the noise from downstairs.

The butler led her to the open platform, where Howard Winston greeted Alessa with a friendly smile.

"Good evening, dear young lady," he said, softening his voice as much as possible. "Welcome to my home. May I ask your name? And which distinguished guest have you come with?"

Aresa held the doll, simply watching him quietly, her gray-blue eyes devoid of any emotion, like a bottomless icy lake.

She didn't answer, not even nod or shake her head, but just pursed her lips slightly, like an extremely introverted child.

Howard's smile faltered slightly, but thinking of Michelle upstairs, he patiently persevered.

"Uh... okay, it's alright. It's like this, I have a little daughter, Michelle, she lives in her room upstairs. She's not in a good mood today and doesn't want to come down to play..."

He tried to find the right words, "Maybe...you could play together for a while? Chat? She has lots of pretty dolls in her room."

He observed Aresa's expression, hoping to pique her interest, but her delicate little face remained unchanged.

Just as Howard was about to say something more, Alessa nodded very slightly and hummed in agreement.

Winston breathed a sigh of relief, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "That's wonderful! Thank you, my little angel! Come with me!"

He personally led Alessa in a more private elevator to the fourth floor.

At the end of the long, thickly carpeted corridor was a closed door painted with fairytale patterns.

Winston knocked gently on the door, his voice exceptionally soft:

"Honey? Daddy brought you a little friend. Her name is..." He then realized he didn't know Alessa's name and turned to look at her questioningly.

"Alessa," the tablet's voice announced.

"Oh, right, Alessa! You two could get to know each other and chat, okay?"

As Winston spoke, he carefully turned the doorknob, and the door opened a crack.

The room was dimly lit, with only a small wall lamp on, making it feel like a giant Barbie doll museum.

Barbie dolls of all shapes and sizes occupy every corner of the room. The display shelves are full, and others are placed on the floor, tables, and sofas... a dazzling array.

They come in various shapes and sizes, including princesses, police officers, queens, and superheroes. Standing in different positions, their eyes reflect a faint glow in the dim light, creating a strange and slightly oppressive atmosphere.

In the center of the room, with her back to the door, sat a little girl wearing a white lace nightgown.

Her long, golden hair was loose, and she seemed completely unresponsive to her father's arrival and introduction, her body stiff as a small sculpture.

"Michelle, look, Alessa is here." Winston's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension and anticipation:

"You guys...play for a bit? Dad's outside."

He seemed afraid to linger, and after speaking, he gently pushed Alessa into the room and quickly closed the door.

The heavy door shut out all outside noise.

Alessa stood in the doorway, clutching her Frankenstein doll, her grey-blue eyes calmly scanning the eerie room surrounded by the doll.

Her gaze finally settled on the small white figure with its back to her.

She took a step, silently treading on the soft carpet, and slowly walked towards the center of the room.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Just as Alessa was a few steps away from the white figure, the little girl in the nightgown—

Suddenly, without any warning, he turned around!

Two exquisitely beautiful faces, yet bearing completely different auras, suddenly meet in the dimly lit doll forest!

Aresa stopped in her tracks.

Michelle's big blue eyes, which should have been innocent and carefree, were now like cold glass beads, devoid of any childlike brilliance, filled only with a bottomless, inhuman gloom and wariness.

But Aresa's grey-blue eyes suddenly lit up, like an ice flame suddenly ignited in the darkness!

It wasn't the joy of seeing peers, but the confirmation that a hunter has finally locked onto his prey!

Michelle's small, pink-lipped lips slowly parted, and the sound that came out had a quality that was completely at odds with her age, like sandpaper rubbing against bone:

"Who are you?"

The zipper on Frankenstein's monster was already open, and Alessa's voice, though flat, carried a resolute, declarative quality:

"I've found you."