“Chief, we searched his home. No one there.” Bai Zhu came in from outside, drenched in sweat.
Tang Shen handed him a bottle of water. Once the man unscrewed it, Tang Shen snatched it back and took a big gulp. He wiped his sweat and finally spoke.
“We checked his home. There were traces of two people living there recently, but he’s single.
“A cleaver buried under firewood in the utility room was brand new and tested positive for blood. It needs further testing to confirm if it’s human blood.
“A blue three-wheeler with a canopy was parked at the front gate. The neighbor confirmed he borrowed it a few days ago because his own three-wheeler was broken. But I found the vehicle in his courtyard garage perfectly fine, not broken at all. So he likely borrowed the neighbor’s to transport the body and reduce risk.
“That vehicle is just like the ones many people in town use to haul passengers for the temple fair. The neighbor hauls passengers too, but there wasn’t a single skin flake or fingerprint—clearly it had just been washed. Even so, I found traces of human blood and skin flakes in a gap inside a welded steel pipe in the vehicle, specifically on the inner wall of the pipe. We don’t know whose yet.”
“What’s the point of saying all this if we can’t find the guy?” Bai Zhu grabbed a bottle of water for himself and caught his breath. “We already asked the neighbors. The night before last, he said he was going on patrol at the dam, and he hasn’t come back since.”
Indeed, the killer was the dam manager, Wu Lifu.
But the man was missing.
“Time?” Fang Si Ting asked.
“Around 9:30 PM when he left home,” Bai Zhu said. “It’s rainy season lately, so patrols are more frequent: once from 6 to 8 AM, once from 4 to 6 PM, and once from 10 to 11 PM.”
This made it possible for the killer to commit the crime alone.
“What do his colleagues say?”
“He seemed totally normal recently. Unclear if he showed up that night since the unit is small and patrols are solo. The sign-in and sign-out sheet had his name, but that’s basically meaningless.” Bai Zhu continued, “He usually rides his three-wheeler to work, but this time it stayed home, and the guy just vanished without a trace.”
“Even if he skipped work, he needed a vehicle to move the body to the refectory hall,” Tang Shen said. “Looks like Brother Fen drove his vehicle back.”
“I’ll go ask the neighbors later if they saw Xiao Fen driving his vehicle,” Bai Zhu said excitedly. If there was a witness to confirm it, the chance that Xiao Fen had kidnapped the man was very high.
Fang Si Ting held the portrait Peng Xiaoxiao had drawn. It couldn’t serve as direct evidence, but the human skin clearly had Wu Lifu’s fingerprints and other biological evidence. The wooden cabin looked thoroughly cleaned at first glance, but there were bloodstains in the cracks, and his fingerprints were in the basement too.
It was already confirmed without a doubt: it was him.
But the man was missing.
“Where’s Xiao Fen?” Fang Si Ting asked the vice squad officer he’d sent to tail him.
The vice squad officer said, “He’s been acting normal these past few days. The night before last, he went to Ou Yu’s place. After that, I saw him walking with a criminal guest. Once they split, he seemed headed to the inspection office, so I didn’t pay much attention. I went straight to grab that criminal guest. It was just two or three minutes, and Xiao Fen vanished. He didn’t show up again until noon that day when he suddenly appeared at the inspection office.”
“He was lured away,” Bai Zhu said. “You were supposed to tail him. Why waste time on useless stuff?”
“I only looked away for a moment,” the vice squad officer said, aggrieved. “That criminal guest was pretty slippery. We had his description before and still couldn’t find him.”
“Forget it. It’s not your fault.” Bai Zhu sighed.
“I’m going to check on Xiao Fen.” Fang Si Ting stood up and left the meeting room.
The others huddled closer.
“What do you think the chief’s up to?” Tang Shen had a face full of gossip.
“I say, just drag the guy to the interrogation room and grill him,” Bai Zhu said. “Hiding it from us bros? Not cool.”
“With the chief’s whole official business vibe earlier, standing there makes his intent obvious. Little Fen definitely won’t spill,” Peng Xiaoxiao disagreed. “How’s our chief gonna outplay him?”
“Yeah, you should go pry it out of him,” the others said, looking at her. “You’re sly as hell.”
“Is that a compliment?” Peng Xiaoxiao’s mouth twitched.
“Treat it like one.” Tang Shen saw Qin Wensu’s blank yet curious expression and said wryly, “Don’t let Professor Peng’s gentle, easygoing vibe fool you. She holds all the little secrets of everyone in the group. She’s pried words out of me several times. You haven’t seen how deep her schemes run.”
Qin Wensu immediately looked at Peng Xiaoxiao with deep respect.
“Don’t listen to his nonsense. Let’s go.” Peng Xiaoxiao took her arm and left the meeting room.
“Someone that innocent will spill in two shakes,” Tang Shen patted Bai Zhu’s shoulder. “I’ve given the friendly warning as a friend. Not our fault if it happens.”
Bai Zhu said, “Aren’t you curious about Forensic Doctor Qin and the chief’s relationship?”
Tang Shen nodded in agreement. “That’s why we still need Professor Peng to step in.”
【LOL, the whole team eating Fang Yama’s melon.】
【I’m super curious too. Fang Yama makes one call and summons Forensic Doctor Qin from thousands of miles away in H Country. They seem really close.】
【And he knows where her dorm key is. Calls to borrow something and just goes right in.】
【Yeah, super familiar—pulls a string from under the dorm door with the key tied to it. Never seen that hiding method before. No one who hasn’t seen it would think to look that way.】
【Sounds so ambiguous, what’s up with that?】
【Hope there’s nothing between them. It affects Brother Fen’s happiness.】
【Just wait and see how Sister Xiaoxiao pries the words out.】
++
Xiao Fen opened his eyes again at four in the afternoon. He blinked his sleepy eyes and sat up, noticing the suit jacket draped over him.
Fang Si Ting’s body scent still lingered on him.
He combed down the little tuft of hair sticking up on his head, yawned, and turned. He spotted Fang Si Ting behind the desk.
The exhaust fan at the wall vent turned lazily, driven by the outside wind. Fine dust danced and swirled in strands of pale golden sunlight, casting a slanted pillar of light on the old, mottled wall behind him—like the wooden coffin of a medieval vampire, with black crosses embedded in the golden glow.
With the fan’s slow rotation, the light and shadow of the blades cycled endlessly.
Fang Si Ting looked up and saw the tips of Xiao Fen’s hair sparkling as he kept yawning nonstop.
The office lights were off, and the sunlight from the window under the vent was completely blocked by the leaves outside, making the room a bit dim.
Xiao Fen’s skin looked exceptionally pale against the black leather sofa and the suit jacket.
“Why no lights?” His just-woken voice was a bit hoarse, thick with nasal tones.
“Watched you sleep, so didn’t turn them on.”
Fang Si Ting walked to the chair across from his tea table and sat down. He set the thermos on the table.
He crossed his legs and interlaced his fingers on his lap as he looked at the man opposite. “Looks like you slept well.”
“Slept like the dead. Need to perk up.” Xiao Fen grabbed the thermos from his desk and took a sip. The taste felt off.
Where was the tea flavor? The goji berries?
He puffed out his cheeks and looked at him.
“Coffee.”
Xiao Fen swallowed the coffee in his mouth. “Why put coffee in a thermos?”
“Keeps it insulated.”
“It’s cold now.”
“Insulates the cold temperature.” Fang Si Ting said, “Hot day—iced is nice.”
“Didn’t you used to drink tea?”
“So you knew.” A hint of amusement flashed in Fang Si Ting’s eyes.
“But Xu Nuo drinks coffee.”
Fang Si Ting let out an “Mm.”
Xiao Fen capped the thermos and set it back in front of him. His slender index finger tapped the side of the cup. “So, was this prepared for me or Xu Nuo?”
Seeing the man about to answer, he cut in immediately: “Forgot to mention—I don’t like coffee.”
Fang Si Ting’s expression stiffened for a moment.
Xiao Fen slowly revealed a meaningful smile. “Pretty busy today, huh?”
Fang Si Ting’s expression stiffened again. Blandly, he said, “A bit.”
“Pity I slept through it.” Xiao Fen stretched lazily.
“I’ve been mulling over that Empathy Method of yours lately.”
“Any insights?”
“You said to substitute your own emotions into the killer’s perspective and simulate the crime. For Wu Lifu’s case, I still can’t figure out how you spotted it.”
“Peace Talisman.” Xiao Fen smiled. “We judged the time the killer got the talisman based on it being brand new and narrowed it down to five suspects. We figured the killer lost his own at the scene, so he couldn’t produce it. But since they all could, I thought: after committing the crime, the killer must have quickly realized his talisman was missing and taken Lu Kaiyu’s. After all, to swap Guo Dongying’s body, he even swapped Lu Kaiyu’s clothes and kept the personal items.”
Fang Si Ting had a sudden realization. “At the scene, one person’s talisman had a different level of newness from the others.”
They had only checked for presence and missed that.
Even though they had realized the talisman was new.
They missed one step, and lost the game.
Truth be told, given another day or two, they could have figured it out too—or Peng Xiaoxiao could have via profiling. But Xiao Fen’s mind turned faster than all of them, so now they were being led around by the nose again.
“While collecting the talismans for Tang Shen, I took a look. Wu Lifu’s talisman was older than the others’.” Xiao Fen smiled.
“So that night, you went to confirm it?”
“You worried I’d run into danger?”
“Yes.” Fang Si Ting admitted frankly. “Investigations require two or more vice squad officers for safety.”
“The action team vice squad officer you sent to tail me—wasn’t he with me? That counts as two people.”
“You ditched him.”
“That night, you went to Wu Lifu alone.” Fang Si Ting said. “Why didn’t you tell me? This isn’t just your business.”
“You worried I’d be in danger?”
“I know you’re skilled, but you shouldn’t handle it alone.”
“But that night, I didn’t go to Wu Lifu.” Xiao Fen said innocently.
He watched Fang Si Ting’s expression and suddenly burst out laughing with a “pfft.”
“Mr. Black Cat, you suck at playing the emotional card.”
All expression drained from Fang Si Ting’s eyes. He stared sternly at Xiao Fen’s smug look.
“What, you think that by me admitting how I identified him as the killer—and assuming I went to see him—that means I must have kidnapped him?”
“You kidnapped him.” Fang Si Ting seized the key point.
“I didn’t admit it—just hypothesized. A law-abiding citizen would never commit murder.”
“What about Lu Jin then?” Fang Si Ting said. “You ‘killed’ him.”
“Nonsense. The killer ‘killed’ him.” Xiao Fen said frankly. “Haven’t you noticed the common thread in these cases yet?”
“Peeling skin and processing the bodies according to the town’s weird rumors.”
“The town has a bunch of other ghost stories besides those few. Why did he pick exactly these ones?”
Fang Si Ting pondered for a moment, then stood and went to the desk to look for files.
“Have you ever invested any emotion into this case?”
His hands slowed.
Xiao Fen stood too and stepped one pace behind him.
“The methods in this case are dead simple—ordinary people can’t come up with anything complex or clever. We usually figure out the scene right after discussing it. And we don’t believe in ghosts or gods, which is an advantage for us. We couldn’t catch him before because he’s meticulous and left no direct evidence. Plus, too many bodies in just a few days—each new one disrupted our case-solving rhythm.”
“We analyzed and discussed a ton. We were just one step away. With a bit more time, we could’ve found the real killer.”
“But how many people would die in the meantime? The killer planned this for a whole year, considered every angle. He won’t stop until he achieves his goal.”
“Have you ever delved into the psyche of the person behind it? Can you predict his motives based on his psychology and prevent new murders?”
Fang Si Ting looked down at the neatly arranged desk. He felt deflated, his breathing quick and ragged.
He wanted to argue back, but he had nothing to say.
【Stop it, Brother Fen. Your housecat’s about to shatter.】
【Whose gong gets scolded by the shou like a total grandson—in his own specialty, no less.】
【Pat pat the kitty. Getting scolded by hubby ain’t no big deal. Step outside this door, and you’re still the mighty gong who shakes the world.】
【Can’t my Brother Fen be a 1?!】
【Eh, right, why do we all default to Brother Fen being a 0?】
【He looks just like a 0, always winking and flirting with people—either baring his shoulders or his waist to seduce them.】
【Maybe it’s because his tone is too gentle right now? He’s still smiling at Fang Yama. Yama even looked aggrieved. No matter how gentle it was, those were still words scolding him.】
【LOL, besides here, where have you ever seen a murderer teach an inspector how to catch someone?】
Xiao Fen laughed. “Mr. Black Cat, the person you’re facing right now is a thoroughly superstitious pervert—possibly even someone mentally unstable. For those of us who’ve received twenty or thirty years of scientific education, there are always aspects of his behavior that are hard to comprehend. Can you sense his pain, his mercy toward the dead, his guilt, his compassion, his selfish nature, and his thirst for life?”
“The killer isn’t some emotionless murder machine. He’s not one of those professional assassins or extremists you’ve dealt with before. He’s human—a person with complex emotions.”
Fang Si Ting retorted sharply. “So what about you? Are you that kind of person? A pervert? What was the point of going after Lu Jin over and over? Because of Ou Yu? Or because killing the boss finally gave you an outlet to vent the stifling frustrations of your real life?”
“You know nothing.” Xiao Fen let out a light chuckle.
How could someone like this claim to understand him—insisting he’d investigated him down to the last detail?
Fang Si Ting lowered his head and took a sip of coffee.
He had always disliked that bitter taste.
“What sort of feelings do you harbor toward Xu Nuo, exactly?” An abrupt voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
Fang Si Ting jerked his head up, a flash of shock passing through his eyes.
He didn’t understand why that name had come up right now.
A smug look appeared on Xiao Fen’s face, as if he were proudly showing off one of his creations.
“Xu Nuo—a person I don’t know. Someone even your Pursuit Team wasn’t familiar with before the First Episode.”
“But I know him.”
“He’s gentle and considerate, with a good temper. He’s full of care for his colleagues—like a wise wife and good mother who keeps the household impeccably in order.”
“He’s capable and skilled in combat. He can keep up with anything you throw at him—helping you out in your career while making you feel like you’ve found your soulmate.”
“His position is Action Team’s squad leader, so his real-life status before joining the Program Crew must not have been low.”
“He worships you and admires you—more than enough to satisfy that little vanity deep in the heart of someone in a position of power.”
Xiao Fen watched as he drew slowly closer, his presence more intimidating than ever. He couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt, his footsteps hesitating as he backed away bit by bit. His expression remained calm and composed, however, and his words kept flowing.
“Most importantly, Xu Nuo is effeminate. Because of his androgynous mannerisms and makeup, you often overlooked his gender altogether—instead, you were bewitched by that mysterious, intriguing aura of his.”
“Fang Si Ting, you were born into a traditional family and hold traditional views. The type of wife you like best is the traditional kind.” A self-mocking, bitter smile tugged at Xiao Fen’s lips. “You like women.”
“He’s a persona I crafted specially for you. You like him a lot, don’t you? So much so that when you saw me in the second episode—playing him—you couldn’t bring yourself to strike me down.”
A mocking cold smile curled at his lips. “Fang Si Ting, every time you look my way, what do your eyes see? Me… or that fake Xu Nuo?”
The words had barely left his mouth when his collar tightened.
Fang Si Ting grabbed him by the clothes and lunged forward, shoving him down onto the sofa.
He looked like a trapped beast that had been skinned alive, blood dripping everywhere—his face flushed red all the way to the roots of his neck. His wide eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck and the backs of his hands. His nostrils flared rapidly. He looked like he wanted to tear the man in front of him to shreds.
“Is toying with me like this fun?”
“Of course.” The back of Xiao Fen’s head knocked against the wall behind the sofa. It didn’t hurt, but his chest felt stuffy—like he couldn’t catch his breath.
Fang Si Ting planted one foot to the right of his body. He bent one leg, knee braced against the sofa, completely trapping him beneath his weight. There was no escaping.
Xiao Fen shifted uncomfortably, his hands splayed out on the sofa beside him. He showed no sign of trying to break free.
“I don’t know the real Xu Nuo. But I know you, Fang Si Ting.” Xiao Fen’s tone was casual, his smile vile and unrestrained. His eyes danced with the pleasure of having a person’s heart in his grasp—free to knead, crush, and trample as he pleased. “Every time I see you falling for a fake persona—and even indulging my little tempers because of it—I can’t help but want to laugh.”
Fang Si Ting’s lips trembled. He leaned in close to Xiao Fen’s face, staring intently at his lips, his cheeks, his brows and eyes—every expression that crossed his features.
His eyes were red-rimmed, glistening faintly.
There was a hint of grievance there.
The fan spun lazily overhead. The shadows of its blades swept across Xiao Fen’s eyes, light and darkness flickering in alternation.
“So, Fang Si Ting.” He gazed into Fang Si Ting’s eyes. Tears slowly welled up in his own, shimmering in the sunlight before dimming again. “Do you really understand me?”
The way I understand you—come understand me that way.
