《Town of Death》 Prologue Wissky Town is a small place surrounded by mountains, with access primarily via a single highway. Years ago, when a powerful typhoon hit, several remote county roads were cut off. However, the area still had handmade paper industries left over from the Japanese colonial era, which often attracted many foreign tourists who came by chartered buses for sightseeing. Wissky Town may be off the beaten path, but the locals dont live in the past. Over time, a few high-tech companies set up factories here, slowly transforming the town into a lively mountain hub. Lizi, an outsider, moved to Wissky Town to settle down with her husband. Back when she was a student, she was vocal about feminism, never imagining she would marry before turning thirty and become a housewife who followed her husbands lead. Luckily, she didnt have a traditionalist mother-in-law. The couple only needed to visit occasionally, exchange pleasantries, and keep the elderly parents happy. The only thing that might earn them a few nagging words was their lack of children. However, being newlyweds, the pressure to continue the family line wasnt too heavy for Lizi. Moreover, her busy husband always loved to engage in intimate moments as soon as he came home, and they never actively avoided contraception. The seemingly ordinary life was something Lizi cherished for its sense of stability. Although she had once been mocked by her classmates for her contradictory words and actions, her husband always treated her as a charming woman, passionately seeking her love. Lizi often thought: Even if he had an affair, she would probably forgive him. If she had to compare herself to something, she would say she was like the soil, allowing her husband to comfortably plant his rootsthis was what her husband said. She had once teased him, saying that a chemical engineer would say such poetic things! Without any romantic relationship, she quickly got engaged, and the major event in her life went so smoothly that Lizi herself found it strange. She wasnt the type of woman to overthink. When her husband was transferred to Wissky Town as the department head of a branch company, she briefly worried about whether they would be stuck in a remote town. Thankfully, Wissky Town turned out to be unexpectedly prosperous. While her husband worked, Lizi began to explore her new environment. She happened to buy some exquisite dyed mulberry paper from a local craft shop while shopping, and, already fond of paper sculpture, she quickly grew fond of the lively yet green mountain town. She also met many wealthy housewives who had moved here with their husbands, and compared to them, she was the youngest, with a natural humility and modesty. Her sweet and charming personality quickly helped her integrate into social circles. A year passed in the blink of an eye, and Lizi visited the local obstetrics and gynecology clinic because her period hadnt come. The doctor informed her that she was pregnant. Her husband was ecstatic and immediately called their friends and family to share the news. The elderly parents were also very pleased with their daughter-in-laws healthy pregnancy, believing that the serene environment of Wissky Town was perfect for raising a child. They not only encouraged her to stay put and rest but also sent her a huge amount of expensive supplements.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. This marriage turned out to be a good match. Fortunately, her husband wasnt like most men in romantic relationships, who would run away faster than a jet at the mention of pregnancy. She liked children and hoped her husband was ready to raise a child that belonged to both of them. Lizi thought she was the type of wife who could help her husband advance in his career. He had become busier, often traveling for work and returning late. Lizi poured herself a cup of boiled, sweet spring water and drank it with her head tilted back. Since becoming pregnant, Lizi, who had never liked plain water, suddenly found beverages unhealthy and developed a liking for the mountain spring water sold by local tea farmers. Her husband always found time to drive two hours through the mountains to buy the water. She naturally liked the feeling of being pampered. The phone rang, and the sound was unnervingly loud in the quiet house. Startled, Lizi let go, and the half-filled glass shattered on the floor, making a sharp noise. She cursed a few words and carefully stepped around the shards to answer the phone. It was another silent prank call. Lizi hung up the phone and suddenly felt annoyed. There was a stalker who always called when her husband wasnt home to harass her. Only people from the same company could do that, and the most likely suspect was Zhang from the development department, Lizi had occasionally helped deliver things to her husbands office and always Zhang gave her a lecherous look, even attempting to touch her several times. A cowardly pervert. After confirming the safety of the doors and windows, Lizi curled up on the couch, running a comb through her long hair absentmindedly. She was confident in her fair and full appearance. She always looked lazy and relaxed like this, and her husband would often burn with desire when he saw her. As she combed her hair, the term "self-combing" crossed her mind. She had once used the traditional custom of "self-combing" in Guangdong as a topic for a feminist report. The literal meaning was similar to what she was doing now, but the actual content was vastly different. It was a somewhat cruel and passive custom. Unmarried girls would have long braids, and when they married, their mother or an elder woman would style their hair into a bun, signifying their transition from girlhood to womanhood. "Self-combing" referred to a specific ritual in which, in the house of an aunt, the girl would bathe in a fragrant herbal bath made from cypress and yellow-leafed plants, and a close female friend, already with her hair styled, would teach her about the independent life after the "self-combing" ceremony. They would then burn incense to honor the gods and change into new clothes, undo their hair, and style themselves as a woman, announcing their decision to remain single for life. Afterward, the self-combed woman would return home to inform her parents and relatives of her decision, distributing offerings to friends and family. Once the ceremony was completed, even the parents could no longer force her to marry. But it was an irreversible ritual, and it didnt mean full freedom. If the self-combed woman behaved inappropriately, she would still be punished, sometimes severely. If she died, her body couldnt be buried in her familys grave; instead, it would be hastily buried by a close friend or, if no such friend existed, by the villagers, who might even toss the body into the water. At that time, among the women who used sericulture as a means of independence, many escaped human trafficking disguised as marriage through the self-combing ceremony. To think that such a tradition, where a woman''s life could be governed by her hair, was hard to believe for modern women like Lizi. Holding her beautiful, dark hair, mixed with a few strands of barely visible golden light, Lizi remembered how, as a child, she had heard the elders praise "golden silk hair, a prosperous future." She couldnt bear to pull out the few light strands of hair that might turn white. She wasnt superstitious, but she couldnt help feeling a bit proud as she continued combing. If given the chance, what woman wouldnt want to marry a good man and live as a young lady? Zhang, her husband''s subordinate, whose lustful desires remained unfulfilled and who was stuck with a dead-end job and meager salary, appeared to Lizi as nothing more than a dog salivating. Lizi smirked disdainfully at the now-silent phone. She felt an itch on her thigh and scratched it a few times, peeling off some white flakes of skin, leaving red scratch marks. She had been taking good care of her skin, so why was it so dry now? The glass from the broken cup in the kitchen still hadn''t been cleaned up. Feeling anxious, Lizi tried to distract herself by turning on the TV. The news anchors lips moved like those of a fish, but she heard nothing. She was subconsciously focused on the scratch marks on her leg. The itch persisted, teasing her, and she found herself scratching it again, slapping her disobedient hand with her right hand, feeling childish. She pressed the itching spot gently, feeling the skin lose its elasticity. It had already broken. She sighed, thinking, "Ill go to the pharmacy tomorrow and buy some ointment for skin conditions." A week later, the prescription the doctor gave her didnt work. The small itchy area, originally the size of a ten-dollar coin, had spread to the size of a palm, turning a dark red like a birthmark, and itched unbearably. She warned herself not to scratch it, but her hand moved involuntarily, dragging her nails across the red patch, which caused darker lines to appear, giving her a sense of satisfaction, as if she were taking revenge on the itch. Lizi scratched like a drug addict in withdrawal, unable to stop, until her beautiful eyes widened in horror. The skin around the wound began to swell, and greenish pus oozed from the broken, swollen tissue. She screamed in terror. That day, screams echoed through Wissky Town, not just from one place. Chapter 1 鈥揗utation: Part 1 On a day of continuous rain, the streets were unusually quiet, with hardly any pedestrians in sight. However, more women in long skirts began to appear outside the dermatology clinic, and the cars parked along the roadside formed a long line. The receptionist was busy handling the never-ending stream of patients, while the doctor had yet to begin his rounds. No one complained about the clinic''s unusual situation. Normally a quiet place, it was now crowded with patients, but there was no chatter. Everyone kept their lips tightly sealed, their faces drawn, as though they were keeping some kind of secret. Lizi wandered near the dermatology clinic. Seeing the crowded situation, she felt even more reluctant to seek treatment, afraid of running into someone she knew. She had already been to the largest hospital in Wissky Town, but despite the treatment, the itching and sores showed no improvement. That was when she remembered about a less-known dermatology clinic in the town. She came with a mindset of giving it a try, but was surprised to see so many other patients with the same intention. Although her wound was tightly wrapped in gauze, it seemed to be spreading, and she couldn''t let anyone know about her strange illness. The medical resources in Wissky Town were insufficient; she should go to a larger city to find a better doctor! Resolute, she quickly went home to pack her bags, but her physical condition kept interfering with her efforts. The wound on her leg itched terribly, and the muscles under the wound felt numb and weak, making it difficult for her to stand. She had to lean on furniture to rest. These disturbances made Lizi even more frustrated; she wished she could find something to vent her anger on. Is it cancer? Or some kind of bacterial infection? Lizi felt extremely fatigued. After a brief nap, she woke up to find her left leg had lost all sensation, and the strange itch had spread across her entire body. Lizi crawled toward the living room, panic overwhelming her to the extreme. She could no longer keep this secret. She needed to ask her husband for help, although he was often away on business. Her phoneLizi scrambled to get up, but was so weak that she almost fell, seeing stars before her eyes. She realized that during her packing, she had no idea where she had placed her phone. "Dammit! Damn!" she screamed, while unconsciously grabbing at the wound through the gauze with force. Since discovering the infection a week ago, her physical strength, which had been typical for most women, had significantly declined. Crawling like this was almost unbearable. The gauze hadn''t been changed for two days, and Lizi was nearly frantic in avoiding seeing those terrible wounds once more. It started with itching, then redness and swelling, which led to broken skin. She applied ointment but couldn''t stop scratching. Then it got worse... The hole in her thigh was probably rotting down to the bone. Why didn''t it hurt? This question kept fleeting through her mind. For the past few days, Lizi had locked herself in the house, repeatedly stabbing and hitting the abscesses on her body. A faint, moldy green liquid seeped through the surface of the gauze, and when it accidentally touched her fingertips, she rushed to the bathroom, nervously washing her hands over and over again. Even though the rotten wound the size of a palm was pressed against the floor, her leg still showed no reaction. But the rest of her body, where her clothes rubbed against her skin, itched even more. Lizi, her eyes bloodshot, could hardly contain her rageshe wished she could tear the skin off those troublesome areas! Was this really an illness? Or had someone put a curse on her? One of her wealthy friends had once hired a witch to curse her husband''s mistress. She had boasted to Lizi and the other women, making them all stunned. The curse worked so well that the mistress ended up tearing her own face and genitals, then went mad and drowned herself by jumping into the water. But Lizi hadnt done anything wrong. She didnt believe anyone would harm her secretly. At this moment, she was desperate. Calling out to the God brought no response. Lizi slid around the floor, using the last of her strength in her two hands and one leg. Her posture was absurd, like a turtle with its shell pinned down. She was almost able to reach the phone. Just a little more... Her right hand reached for the phone on the couch but then slowly dropped and turned back toward her body... No, not theregrab the phone and call for an ambulance! Lizi had always taken great care of her hands. She was a fan of French crystal nails and had long, beautiful nails thanks to a local nail art shop in Wissky Town. But after just a quick scratch, her skin instantly released a sweet and satisfying stimulation, like a broken faucet leaking waterimpossible to stop. She was mesmerized as she watched her nails fulfill the primal function of a beast, feeling as though there was something important she still hadnt done, yet nothing compared to the temptation of self-inflicted harm, each scratch more alluring than the last.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Let me just scratch a little more! Just a moment longer. Lizi realized that the more she scratched the bleeding spots, the more pain she uncovered. The sense of accomplishment made her so happy that she didnt even hear the ringing phone anymore. She cried and laughed at her absurd behavior, swearing to an imaginary presence in the air. "Let me scratch for five more secondsno, ten secondsIll call an ambulance... Ah, she was just really itchy, wasnt she... In Shanghai, at the Canaan Hotel, Lizis husband, Qiu Shouyi, had just dialed the home phone, but once again, it didnt go through. Although it was only afternoon, it was nearly five o''clock. Lizi should have been at home by now. His lovely wife always said that home was more comfortable than anywhere else. Compared to most women who loved to hustle, Lizi was much more domestic and home-loving. He had been on a business trip to Shanghai for nearly a month. Their relationship was good, and they would always talk on the phone every day. However, for the past week, her voice had sounded distracted. Although he wasnt overly concerned rationally, he still felt a little suspicious. Subconsciously, he had dialed more times, but every time the conversation ended, Lizis tone was always so urgent, asking him to return home quickly, which made Qiu Shouyi believe that she could not possibly be hiding anything from him. Maybe shes really just out somewhere? Qiu Shouyi gave up on waiting for the empty ringing sound and decided to focus on his work. Although he knew nothing about what was happening at home, the smooth and uneventful past made him more energetic when facing challenges at work. He decided to continue working. After all, if he could resolve the issues here quickly, he could return to Taiwan sooner and spend time with his wife. Three days later, in Wissky Town. The house was dead silent. Lizi hadn''t turned on the lights in a long time, and darkness, like tenacious mold, consumed everything. The curtains were tightly drawn, turning what was once a neat and aesthetically pleasing home with a middle-class design into a lair for beastsdamp, dark, and reeking with foul odor. In the pitch-black darkness, a figure slowly approached the window. Trembling, it pulled apart the curtains just enough for a faint ray of light to enter. A sudden burst of golden light poured through the gap, revealing that it was only the late afternoon. The creature, hidden in the shadows, quickly recoiled, and the light reflected briefly off the mirror beside the living room before being swallowed up by the return of the darkness. It took a long while for Lizi to open her eyes, still shaken by the remnants of light. She whimpered indistinctly, stumbling towards the mirror. The reflection in the mirror showed a large lizard standing on two feet, its head crowned with dry, yellowish, unkempt hair. The creature extended its arm, which resembled the scaled limb of a reptile. Its hand was covered in dark scabs, with some cracks still leaking pus. The creatures upper body bent forward slowly, like that of a woman dissatisfied with her makeup, searching for imperfections. When its face was almost touching the mirror, it suddenly struck it forcefully, and with two or three blows, the mirror shattered. "Ugh... Ahh..." The creature cried hoarsely, as if fearful of attracting attention, but the sound was only a quiet, broken sob. Lizi, staring at the terrifying reflection that now resembled a monster more than a human, realized that after waking, the scratches on her body had transformed into the same symptoms as the strange disease on her leg. Green pus oozed from deep within her body, seeping intermittently from her wounds no matter how hard she wiped, as if her muscles had liquefied into pus with only a thin layer of skin holding it all in. Lizi watched helplessly as her once-beautiful curves quickly shriveled away. The itching had stopped, and her body had turned numb like stone. She is still fully consciousthis is not a dream. How... How could this happen? "Im not a monster, Im human! Im human!" She rushed into the room, digging through her suitcase to find her wallet. Despite the darkness, she could clearly make out the shapes and positions of everything. She immediately grabbed what she was looking for. Lizi trembled violently as she held her ID card, with a clear photo of her youthful face. For the past three days, she had wanted to open the door and seek help, but whenever she thought of her terrifying appearance, fear gripped her heart. Why had her body rotted, yet she hadnt died from hunger or thirst? Why did she feel even more energetic, even stronger, than she had three days ago when she fainted? It felt like a horror movie. She even banged her head against the wall, hoping this was all just a nightmare. If she were mistaken for a monster and killed, or sent to be dissected for research, who would believe her? And why, in these few days of staying indoors, had no one come to check on her? Could something have happened to her friends? Lizi kept looking at her ID card, slowly regaining some sense of reason. No matter what monstrous form she had become, as long as she still had breath in her body, she had to try to do something. Her movements were stiff from the hard, necrotic sores. The numbness seemed to spread every time she moved. Lizi picked up the phone, hoping to dial any number she could remember, but her now incredibly sensitive ears didnt hear the dial tone, as if the phone in her hand were just a toy. Her cracked, pale lips trembled. The tangled black hair covered her face, and she suddenly let out a sharp, piercing cry: "Shouyi, where are you? Im so scared, please come save me, I beg you..." Curled up with her hands on her head, Lizi was both lost and in pain. Over and over, she called out, but each time, there was no answer. The darkness, like a thick callus, mercilessly bound her, with no compassion. The full moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie, ghostly glow. In the chaotic living room, a shadowy figure hunching its back stumbled between the furniture, moving like a trapped wild beast. Due to her horrifying transformation and her vanity as a woman, Lizi found the psychological impact even harder to bear than the physical changes. The mere thought of anyone seeing her in this state filled her with dread. Admitting that this creature was her meant that her life was essentially ruined. She might as well end it all rather than live like this. The time spent waiting only made Lizi realize the painful truthno matter the cause, she had truly become a monster. No, she couldnt kill herself. Even though the situation was dire, she had an absolute reason not to diethere was a baby growing inside her. The thought of possibly being cut open for research sparked a surge of anger in Lizi. This bizarre disease that caused her body to rot but failed to kill her was terrifying, maddening! It was beyond the scope of any medical treatment currently available. Lizi had read about similar diseases in novels and movies, and if this disease was contagious, even an innocent victim like her would likely be sacrificed. Seeking help was secondaryif there was anyone left who could help her. What she really needed to know was whether the disease had only affected her, or if it had spread to others. In the week she had been holed up at home, how had the town changed? It was only now that she remembered to turn on the TV, but the screen remained black. In her weakened state from the disease, her eyes had become sensitive to light, and she hadnt even realized that the power had been cut off days ago. The situation couldnt possibly get worse. Rather than waiting passively for death, she should take a chance and try something.