Chapter 1

There was still half an hour until the New Year's countdown when I received a message from the pet-sitting family.

I opened the chat and saw a cozy photo.

The dining table was filled with various dishes, with a steaming hot pot in the center, surrounded by bones of different sizes.

I was about to wish them a Happy New Year when they sent another ten-second voice message.

The moment I heard its content, I felt as if I'd been plunged into an icy abyss, my whole body trembling.

"Your dog is in the pot. Do you want the bones back?"

Fluffy was a stray puppy I rescued from near a dumpster during my first year of work. He was less than a month old.

I couldn't bear to leave him, as he was the only Corgi in the litter without a docked tail.

For three years, I never left him alone at home for more than a day.

This year, my brother was bringing his fiancée home for the first time. The young woman was severely allergic to dog hair, so I had no choice but to entrust Fluffy to someone else.

Worried that Fluffy wouldn't adapt to a strange environment, I carefully selected my downstairs neighbor as the pet-sitting family.

Little did I know that my poor judgment would make me an accomplice in Fluffy's death.

To seek justice for Fluffy, I gave up my family reunion and drove nine hours back to my apartment complex.

"Mom, don't worry. I just want to retrieve Fluffy's remains. I'll be careful," I said while going up the stairs, updating my family. "I'm at the building now. I'll talk to you later."

Fluffy was as important to me as my family. I couldn't let this go.

I had no reason to make them pay with their lives, but I would at least make them face consequences.

Planning silently in my mind, I stood in front of my neighbor's door.

"Is anyone home?"

I knocked on the door, and soon there was movement inside.

"Who is it? It's New Year's Eve, for crying out loud!"

The door opened, revealing the man's impatient face.

I took a deep breath and managed a smile. "You ate my dog. Don't you think you should return his remains and compensate me?"

The man was surprised to see me back so soon. He paused, then started laughing.

While laughing, he turned to speak to someone inside. "She actually came back for a stupid animal on New Year's Eve, leaving her parents behind?"

Shrill laughter from a woman and a child echoed from inside.

Soon, the wife and their daughter appeared before me.

The girl clapped her hands and sang a song she had made up: "Little fat dog, chopped in pieces, cooked in hot pot for New Year's feast!"

"Give me back my dog," I frowned, repeating my request.

The woman covered her mouth, looking at me with contempt. "You want your dog back?"

She kicked a black garbage bag by the entrance, which hit my feet.

"Here, take it if you want!"

The garbage bag opened, spilling oily hot pot broth and revealing dog bones wrapped in leftover food.

I tried hard to control my emotions, but when I touched the furry skull, I couldn't help but sob.

This was my little dog.

When he first came home, he wasn't even as big as my palm. I raised him from scratch, putting in as much love and money as I would for a child.

Now, he was in pieces, stuffed into a garbage bag, spending the night with filthy trash.

My Fluffy must have been so scared.

I wondered if this silly dog was still wagging his tail, trying to please people, even as these monsters were sharpening their knives.

"It's New Year's Eve. Don't cry at my doorstep. Get lost!"

A foot reeking of sour odor kicked towards my shoulder. I fell on my bottom and finally burst into tears.

"Are you even human? If you hated him so much, why did you bring him home?"

The woman snickered and kicked the garbage bag.

"It's just a smelly dog. We felt like eating it, so we did. It's so cold in winter, dog meat warms you up!"

I stared intently at the woman's hands and legs, seeing no red marks, let alone bite wounds!

"You all conspired to deceive me. Fluffy never bit anyone!"

The little girl said with a grin, "The fat dog was punished by my dad every day. He didn't even dare to leave the bathroom, let alone bite my mom!"

"Lily!" The woman frowned and pulled the girl back inside.

"How dare you beat my dog? This is animal abuse!"

I scrambled to my feet, my hand shaking as I took out my phone.

"I won't let you get away with this. I'm calling the police!"

The call connected quickly. Seeing that I was serious, the man immediately tried to close the door.

I was quick to grab the door panel and forced my way in.

"Are you crazy?" The man couldn't act rashly with the door blocked and the police on their way.

"Go ahead and call the police. It's just a dog. I dare you to have them shoot me!"