Murim Recurve

The moment he saw it, the Inspector took a step back in shock. Even he himself felt revulsion at the scene, "Just how messed up in the head is the culprit to do this?"

Another car arrived at the scene as two forensic experts exited, frowning as they too noticed everything present in the area. Their reactions were pretty mellow in comparison to the police, quickly using their tools to scout the area.

"Aah!"

The Inspector turned around in reflex as he heard a mild shout from beyond the palace walls. He then looked at the crashed car, watching how the glass had been broken haphazardly while blood had been spilled all over it.

He looked at the forensic experts, leaving six police to say behind and keep watch over the area and protect them. He took the rest with him, found a bike nearby to use as a crutch that they used to jump over the walls.

They didn't use the car to jump over, even if it was the fastest way to go over. After all, the car's metallic surface would have been the only place with fingerprints and other evidence. They didn't wish to destroy them.

Still, they were quick to react, so they hadn't wasted any time using their method. The moment he stepped on the bike seat, the Inspector frowned as he smelled an intense stench emanating from it.

He turned around, shouting towards the forensic expert, "Check this bike once you are done with that."

He then jumped over the wall, followed by the Constables that followed him. They landed on a field of grass that formed a part of the palace, quickly looking around as they searched for the source of the shout from before.

They flashed their torch lights as they searched, splitting into three groups, with each group having three police. Moreover, they ensured to remain within the line of sight of the other two groups, so that they could react the moment something happened.

"Hee…lp…" They heard a faint shout once again, this time able to track it thanks to the silence of the place. The Inspector immediately located the shout as he pointed towards a certain stretch of bushes, rushing forth with the police immediately.

The moment they were two metres from the stretch of bushes, they stopped abruptly, intending to act cautiously in fear the killer might be using this as a trap. They then flashed their torch lights and scanned through the bush.

The bush was a stretch of ornamental plants that borne flowers every morning, enriching the greenery of the scenery and making it a lively tourist attraction. Even though the people only visited to see the grand palace, the presence of these plants painted it with a better picture.

They were just shrubs, barely reaching 20 centimetres in height, covered by flower buds that would bloom during dawn. As their torch lights flashed over them, they noticed torn clothes strewn about, covered in blood.

As they focused on them, they noticed the breathing figure of a woman within. The Inspector looked at her, noticing how there were cut wounds all over her arms and legs, but she was still alive. As he glanced at her face, despite it being covered with blood and grime, he could still recognise her.

After all, she was the lady he had set out to find in the first place. "She's Chaya, the one we have been searching for. Help her immediately, and call for an ambulance."

The Constables immediately helped pick her up as they carefully carried her, inspecting to see what first aid they had to give her. Chaya was frightened, curling up like a scared kitten that had witnessed flashing lightning and raging thunder.

She was unable to see, for the blood had filled her eyes. The Constables didn't do much to her, fearing they would do something that would worsen her condition. All they did was place her on the flat ground. As it was covered by grass, it was soft enough to not injure her.

Besides, it was better than lying atop the bushes.

The Inspector looked at her, asking in a hurry, "Who did this to you? Where is he?"

Chaya lacked the strength to reply as she gasped for air, struggling to garner strength in her voice. In the meantime, one of the Constables shouted, "There's another person here."

Soon, they picked the body of a lady wearing tight-fitting clothes and carried her, shouting, "She's alive too."

They then placed her next to Chaya as the Inspector looked at her, noticing that the lady was conscious, but was unable to move for she had suffered a lot of cuts on her, severing her nerves. She was completely paralysed now.

But, her eyes were open, and they expressed horror. And, the closer they brought her towards Chaya, the greater the fear in her eyes became. She seemed to be conveying something through her eyes as the Inspector became alarmed, looking around to see that there was no one suspicious behind him.

"The killer must be somewhere around here. Stay alert, and form a circle around the injured." Saying so, the Inspector turned around, facing his back to the two ladies as he stood in guard. The other Constables too turned around, alarmed.

They no longer had the attention span to care about the two injured ladies, for their lives too were in danger now. And, if they relaxed for even a moment, their lives could as well be forfeit. They too had their respective families to feed, so they couldn't act recklessly with their lives.

That was why they were cautious. The Inspector took out his gun and entered a shooting stance while the Constables searched around with their torch lights, not missing a single nook and cranny in the field of bushes.

With great difficulty, the lady with the tight-fitting dress struggled to breathe as she slowly gathered strength in her arms as she turned to the side, looking at Chaya, making eye contact.

Chaya's expression changed from one that was terrified of the situation to the same sinistrous expression from before. A blade slipped out from her left sleeve that she grabbed hold of using her left hand and swung it.

"To the ones that made my life a hell, death."

Spurt!