Qian Wei had been told that her first day as a police officer would probably be uneventful. She would spend most of it becoming familiar with the station, learning where everything was kept and trying not to embarrass herself in front of officers who had been doing the job for longer than she had been alive.
It should have been an easy and relatively safe introduction to her new career.
However, from the moment she stepped into the station that morning, an inexplicable uneasiness had remained in her chest.
It was not exactly fear, and she did not think it was nervousness either. She had graduated from the police academy with excellent results, and although training exercises could never compare to real cases, she trusted what she had learned. She had prepared herself for difficult assignments, uncooperative suspects and dangerous situations.
What she had not prepared for was the strange feeling that something was terribly wrong when nothing had happened yet.
Qian Wei had tried to ignore it while completing her registration, collecting the equipment assigned to her and listening to one introduction after another. Unfortunately, instead of fading as the morning passed, the feeling became stronger.
By the time Officer Liu called her over and gave her the first assignment of her career, her nerves had already tightened.
Officer Liu must have noticed how seriously she was studying the small dispatch slip because he leaned back in his chair and laughed. One arm hung carelessly over the side, making him look less like a police officer and more like one of the overbearing company presidents from the novels Qian Wei sometimes read when she had nothing else to do.
"You should relax before you frighten yourself, Rookie. This is only a noise complaint, not an armed robbery," he told her, sounding amused by the way she stood at attention in front of his desk. "Most new officers spend their first day sorting paperwork or directing traffic under the afternoon sun. You should consider yourself fortunate that you have been given something simple enough to handle alone."
Qian Wei adjusted the cap on her head, brushing her fingers against the stiff fabric. Her uniform still smelled faintly of detergent and factory starch, while her new shoes had already begun rubbing uncomfortably against her heels.
She hoped nobody could tell that her palms were slightly damp.
"I understand that it is only a noise complaint, Officer Liu, but the report says the neighbors have been hearing banging for several hours. If no one has answered the door during that time, there could be someone inside who needs medical assistance."
Officer Liu’s amusement faded enough for him to give the concern proper thought. "That is possible, but you shouldn’t decide what happened before you reach the scene. The occupant might have fallen asleep after drinking, or someone could have left a television playing loudly before going out. Speak to the neighbor who reported it, knock on the door and assess the situation before doing anything else."
Qian Wei nodded. "Understood. I will contact the station if I find anything unusual."
"That is what your radio is for," Officer Liu replied before picking up the dispatch slip and holding it toward her. "The address is on Peace Street, Building Five, third floor, Apartment 3-17. The caller reported repeated banging and shuffling noises, but nobody responded when they knocked."
Qian Wei took the slip and read the details carefully.
Peace Street was only two blocks from the station. She knew the area because she had passed it several times during her academy training, although she had never entered any of the older apartment buildings.
Officer Liu noticed that she was still staring at the address and shook his head. "You are thinking too much again. Knock first and ask the occupant to reduce the noise. If they cooperate, you can write down the warning and return. If they are drunk and start shouting at you, remain calm and contact us instead of trying to prove that you can handle everything alone."
"I’m not planning to prove anything," Qian Wei assured him as she placed the slip in her pocket. "I only want to complete the assignment properly."
"That is what every enthusiastic rookie says on the first morning. Give yourself a few years, and you will learn to appreciate any call that ends without paperwork."
The officers at the nearby desks laughed. Qian Wei tried not to feel embarrassed, especially when Officer Liu called after her as she turned toward the exit.
"Try not to arrest an innocent person before lunch. If you do, the rest of us will never allow you to forget it."
Qian Wei glanced back at him. "If you are worried about that, perhaps you should come with me and supervise the assignment."
Officer Liu stared at her for a moment before the surrounding officers laughed even harder.
"Your rookie has teeth," one of them remarked.
"I was beginning to notice," Officer Liu replied with a helpless shake of his head. "Go on, Officer Qian. Call us if you need assistance."
The lighthearted exchange helped Qian Wei relax as she left the station. Perhaps she really had been allowing her imagination to affect her. This was the first assignment she had received after years of studying and training, so it would be understandable if she felt nervous.
Since the building was nearby, she decided to walk quickly instead of requesting a vehicle. The morning air felt cool against her face, and the familiar sounds of traffic and conversation made the uneasiness seem unreasonable.
Nothing looked wrong with the city.
People moved between shops, delivery scooters passed through the narrow spaces between cars, and an elderly man argued with a fruit seller over the price of oranges. It was an ordinary morning filled with ordinary concerns.
Qian Wei reached Peace Street within five minutes.
Building Five stood between a convenience store and a small restaurant whose faded sign had probably been hanging above the entrance for decades. The apartment building was older than she remembered, with discolored exterior walls and rust forming along the balcony rails.
A middle-aged woman stood near the entrance, repeatedly glancing toward the upper floors.
When she saw Qian Wei approaching in uniform, she hurried forward. "Officer, are you here because of the noise in Apartment 3-17?"
"Yes. Were you the person who contacted the station?"
The woman nodded quickly. "My family lives in the apartment below it. The banging started before sunrise and hasn’t stopped for long since then. My husband went upstairs and knocked several times, but nobody answered him."
"Do you know who lives there?"
"A young man, but he keeps to himself, so I don’t know much about him. He usually leaves early in the morning and returns late at night." The woman hesitated before adding, "He came home yesterday evening carrying a large bag. I greeted him, but he didn’t answer. He looked unwell."
"What do you mean by unwell? Did he appear injured or intoxicated?"
"I couldn’t see clearly because the hallway light was flickering, but he was walking strangely. His clothes were dirty, and he kept leaning against the wall as though he might fall." The woman lowered her voice. "Officer, do you think he could have hurt himself? The noise sounds as though he keeps falling against the furniture."
Qian Wei’s earlier uneasiness returned.
"I will check on him, but please remain downstairs. If there is a medical emergency, I will request an ambulance."
The woman agreed and moved away from the staircase.
The hallway smelled faintly of damp concrete, old cooking oil and the various meals being prepared behind closed doors. As Qian Wei climbed the stairs, her footsteps echoed through the narrow space.
The walls were covered with peeling paint, while the overhead lights flickered so badly that some parts of the staircase remained in shadow. She passed several closed apartments, but no one came outside to investigate. The residents had probably grown tired of the noise after hearing it for several hours.
Before Qian Wei reached the third floor, she heard the sound.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The impacts were heavy enough to travel through the walls. After three strikes, silence returned for several seconds before something scraped slowly across the floor.
Qian Wei stopped on the last step and listened.
The noise did not resemble music, construction or a television. It sounded as though someone was repeatedly walking into an object without understanding that they needed to move around it.
She approached Apartment 3-17 and stood to one side of the door.
"Police," she called after knocking firmly. "We received a complaint about repeated noise from this apartment. Could you please open the door so I can confirm that everything is alright?"
The banging stopped.
For a few moments, Qian Wei heard nothing.
Then something moved inside.
The footsteps were slow and unsteady, dragging across the floor before stopping directly behind the door.
Qian Wei waited for the occupant to unlock it, but nothing happened.
"If you can hear me, please answer. Your neighbors are concerned that you might need medical assistance."
A dull thud struck the door from the other side.
Qian Wei instinctively stepped back.
She told herself that the occupant could be drunk, disoriented or ill. Any of those explanations would account for the unusual movements.
Unfortunately, none of them explained the smell that reached her when air passed through the narrow gap beneath the door.
Blood had a distinct metallic scent. Qian Wei had encountered simulated blood during training and small amounts from ordinary injuries, but this smell was much stronger.
It mingled with something sour and rotten.
Her pulse quickened.
She raised her radio. "Control, this is Officer Qian Wei. I am outside Apartment 3-17 on the third floor of Building Five. The occupant is not responding verbally, but I can hear movement inside. There is also a strong smell that may indicate blood. I am requesting permission to force entry and medical support on standby."
Static crackled through the radio before the dispatcher replied, "Permission granted. Proceed carefully, Officer Qian, and report as soon as you assess the situation. A second unit and ambulance will be notified."
Qian Wei drew a slow breath.
Her instructors had repeatedly warned her that knowing the correct procedure did not prevent fear. Courage did not mean feeling nothing; it meant remaining capable of acting despite the fear.
She moved closer to the door. "Police! I am coming inside to check on you. If you can understand me, move away from the entrance."
No response came.
Qian Wei positioned herself beside the lock and struck the door with her shoulder. Pain travelled through her upper arm, but the old wooden frame shook.
She tried again.
The lock resisted through four more attempts before the damaged wood finally cracked. The door flew inward and collided with the wall.
The smell hit her immediately.
It was so heavy that Qian Wei’s stomach tightened. She covered her mouth briefly before forcing herself to lower her hand and focus.
The curtains were closed, leaving the apartment dim despite the morning light outside. Overturned furniture filled the living room. A chair lay on its side near the entrance, while dark stains covered part of the floor and continued toward the wall.
Qian Wei’s hand moved toward the gun at her waist.
A figure stood in the middle of the room with its back to her.
It appeared to be a man, but he remained so unnaturally still that Qian Wei could not even see the movement of breathing.
She drew her gun and held it with both hands. Although she tried to keep them steady, a slight tremor passed through her fingers.
"Police! Keep your hands where I can see them and turn around slowly."
The figure did not react.
Qian Wei adjusted her stance and called again, "Sir, I need you to show me your hands. If you are injured, I can arrange medical assistance, but you must respond so I know that you understand me."
His shoulder jerked.
It was not a normal movement. His upper body snapped sideways before returning to its previous position, as though his muscles no longer worked together.
Qian Wei’s grip tightened.
Perhaps he was having a seizure or suffering from some type of neurological condition. If that was the case, holding a gun on him would not help.
She lowered the weapon but did not return it to the holster.
"Sir, can you tell me your name? I am going to come closer, but I need you to remain where you are."
The figure’s neck turned first.
It twisted too quickly and continued farther than it should have been physically possible. A second later, the rest of his body followed with a stiff, staggering movement.
Qian Wei froze.
His skin was grey and stretched tightly across his face. Cloudy eyes stared in her direction without truly focusing, while dried blood covered his chin and the front of his clothes.
Pieces of flesh remained caught between his teeth.
For one terrible moment, her mind refused to understand what she was seeing.
The man opened his mouth and released a low, broken snarl.
Then he rushed toward her.
He moved so quickly that Qian Wei barely managed to raise her arm before he slammed into her. The impact threw her onto the floor, knocking the air from her lungs and sending pain through her back.
The gun slipped from her hand and disappeared beneath an overturned table.
"Get off me!" she shouted as she pressed both hands against his chest.
His body was cold.
Not cool from illness or exposure, but as cold as a corpse.
The creature snapped its teeth inches from her face. Rotting breath and the smell of blood overwhelmed her senses as she struggled to keep its mouth away from her throat.
Qian Wei drove her knee into its stomach.
The impact would have disabled an ordinary attacker, but the creature barely reacted. Its fingers tightened around her shoulders while its teeth continued snapping.
"What are you?" she gasped.
It gave no answer.
Qian Wei twisted beneath it and tried to reach the baton at her waist. Her fingers brushed the handle, but before she could pull it free, the creature jerked its head toward her raised arm.
Pain tore through her flesh.
Its teeth sank deep into her forearm.
Qian Wei screamed.
Warm blood spread across her sleeve, and the creature bit down harder. She struck its head repeatedly with her free hand, but her strength began disappearing with frightening speed.
"No...let go of me!"
Her voice sounded distant to her own ears.
Numbness spread outward from the wound, travelling through her shoulder and into her chest. The apartment blurred around her, and the creature’s movements seemed to slow.
Or perhaps she was the one who could no longer keep up.
She thought of the station only two blocks away. Officer Liu had told her to call if she needed assistance, but her radio had fallen somewhere beyond her reach.
Was this how her first assignment would end?
The thought should have frightened her, yet even fear became difficult to hold as an unnatural coldness spread through her body.
Her eyelids grew heavy.
The last thing Qian Wei saw was the creature raising its blood-covered mouth from her arm.
Then silence swallowed everything.
She did not know whether seconds, hours or years passed inside the darkness.
There was no pain and no sense of her own body. She floated in a cold, empty void until even the memory of the apartment began slipping away.
Just as the last trace of her consciousness was about to disappear, a sound broke through the silence.
Ding!
The mechanical chime was soft, but within the endless darkness, it sounded as clear as a bell.
A strange voice followed it.
[Compatible Host detected.]
Qian Wei’s fading consciousness flickered.
[Biological death confirmed.]
[Temporal displacement initiated.]
Her fingers twitched somewhere beyond the void.
[Zombie System awakening.]
Qian Wei’s eyes snapped open.