The night was deep and dark, like an unfathomable black abyss. Among the six people they had encountered along the way, some had fallen in the woods, some were locked in the car, and one lay at You Mingxu’s feet. All of them, whether in front of or behind Gu Tiancheng, had lost the ability to move and were now at his mercy.
You Mingxu glanced at him again—still the same handsome face, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, exuding a rugged masculinity. But she knew he was no longer the person she had thought he was.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Gu Tiancheng suddenly asked.
You Mingxu didn’t want to look into his eyes, which were no longer clear and profound, and turned her gaze elsewhere. She smiled faintly and said, “Don’t you like me? And you’re reluctant to let me go again. Why should I be afraid?”
He chuckled abruptly, took another drag of his cigarette, and said, “You’re actually a bit hard to figure out.”
You Mingxu replied calmly, “There are many people and things in this world that are hard to understand. Being too fixated isn’t good—it hurts others and yourself.” Her words seemed to carry a hidden meaning. Gu Tiancheng smoked, staring at her without responding.
“Are you the serial killer Mingtao mentioned? Did you kill the two people in Hunan and the two along the Tibet highway?” You Mingxu asked.
He lowered his head and smiled. “It’s six.” He glanced at the fool lying on the ground, still groaning and bleeding, and added, “The police only linked four of them. The fool said there was one extra.”
You Mingxu also looked at the fool and asked, “Who is he?”
Gu Tiancheng replied, “I really don’t know. Yesterday, I thought I needed to change cars to avoid the search net. I happened to run into this fool resting by the roadside. I took the chance to hit him with the car when he wasn’t paying attention and stole his vehicle.”
You Mingxu’s heart tightened, and she immediately formed a suspicion. The number of victims this person mentioned was only one short of what Gu Tiancheng had admitted to, clearly indicating he knew something. Could he be from the police force? He had been able to drive independently before—was he still normal then, only to end up like this after being hit?
Her chest felt heavy. He was a police officer. A perfectly good officer, reduced to this state. She looked at the man on the ground again. He was awake, his eyes wide open, his face contorted with pain as he let out low groans. Even with such a twisted expression, he wasn’t unpleasant to look at—just pitiful and aggrieved.
“What, feeling sorry for him?” Gu Tiancheng teased, noticing her gaze.
You Mingxu knew the fool hadn’t been injured in a vital area and wouldn’t be in immediate danger. She quickly gave him a reassuring glance, unsure if he could understand it, and then asked, “So, after he was hit, you kept him locked in the trunk. Those two large suitcases never existed. A man like you traveling alone wouldn’t carry so much luggage. His first escape was unexpected, wasn’t it?”
Gu Tiancheng raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes fixed on her as a smile tugged at his lips. “You’re very clever.”
You Mingxu continued, “You punctured the tires to trap everyone here. After discovering he had escaped, you pinned the blame on him. I’m guessing you left the car door unlocked when you punctured the tires and forgot to close it, which is how he managed to crawl out, right?”
Gu Tiancheng raised his hand and lightly clapped twice. “That’s what I suspected too.”Even the fool on the ground kept his head raised, listening with unusual attentiveness, his face no longer scrunched up, having regained its handsome appearance. He nodded vigorously at You Mingxu, revealing a happy smile, then quickly glanced at Gu Tiancheng and muttered, "Bad guy... the bad guy who locked me up..."
You Mingxu thought: At least he’s not completely foolish.
What followed then unfolded naturally.
You Mingxu asked, "How did you lure Song Lan and Zou Furong out of their rooms and take them away?"
Gu Tiancheng smiled coldly, lit another cigarette, took a light sip, and said, "Zou Furong was always a restless woman. Didn’t you see the look in her eyes when she glanced at me? So lewd. Song Lan was a bit harder to handle, but unlike you, she wasn’t very bright. Not long after everyone went to sleep, Zou Furong said she needed to use the restroom. I accompanied her into the woods. After dealing with her, I returned and told Song Lan that Zou Furong wasn’t feeling well and asked her to check on her, saying it wasn’t appropriate for me to go. But even if they hadn’t come out on their own, I had ways to make them come out."
You Mingxu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Is it fun to manipulate people like this?"
Gu Tiancheng thought for a moment and replied, "It’s alright. It was very interesting at first, but gradually, it just became routine."
"What about his second escape?" You Mingxu glanced at the man on the ground. "Did you intentionally release him to frame him, or did he escape on his own again?"
A deeper smile appeared in Gu Tiancheng’s eyes. "I let him out. Otherwise, how could I get you to come into the woods alone with me? They were never important—just props to set the stage. Revealing my hand to you was what I looked forward to the most. I’m quite excited."
As he spoke, his gaze grew intense, even brazenly scanning the contours of You Mingxu’s body. It was calm, as if he were examining prey already within his grasp.
You Mingxu gritted her teeth, her mind suddenly flashing back to the scene not long ago when he sat guarding outside the tent while she closed her eyes to rest. A flicker of resentment passed through her. She steadied herself, reminding herself that letting him affect her emotions would be foolish. She continued, "You stole his car and wore his clothes because you both had the same men’s cologne scent—it was from his jacket. You hadn’t had time to deal with him before you met me. You just didn’t expect him to ruin your plans repeatedly. You must have left him with Zou Furong and the others, but he managed to escape, carrying Song Lan out, and I happened to find him. He was actually trying to save someone. Yet I almost mistakenly believed he was the real serial killer."
Gu Tiancheng said disdainfully, "That guy is already a fool. Comparing him to me is giving him too much credit."
"I... I’m not!" the man on the ground suddenly shouted, his voice trembling with grievance. Gu Tiancheng let out a mocking laugh, while You Mingxu remained silent, only casting a firm, gentle look his way. This time, he seemed to understand. He paused, then pressed his lips together tightly and stopped shouting.
"Stop making eyes at each other in front of me!" Gu Tiancheng said coldly.
You Mingxu met his gaze, piercing through the rigid facade as if she could still discern the silence and pain in his eyes. She thought it was strange—even at this point, there were still moments when a single glance could convey mutual understanding."What kind of person are you, really?" You Mingxu asked slowly. "Or rather, what kind of person were you before? Why did you choose this path?"
Gu Tiancheng replied indifferently, "Haven't I told you? Every word I've said to you is true."
"You were a high-level manager in technology," You Mingxu said. "But even after your girlfriend passed away, it shouldn't have led you down this road, should it?"
Gu Tiancheng fell silent for a moment. You Mingxu noticed his expression stiffen, revealing a stubborn tension. He averted his gaze, looking to the side, and said, "She shouldn't have left me."
You Mingxu paused, then asked, "Can I have a cigarette?"
Gu Tiancheng smiled, stood up, and walked over. He didn't get too close but lit a cigarette and placed it between her lips. She opened her mouth to hold it. Gu Tiancheng's finger lightly brushed her cheek in a subtle, silent gesture. She showed no reaction, and he said nothing.
The fool on the floor, blocked by Gu Tiancheng, couldn't see clearly. He could only glance at You Mingxu and glare angrily at Gu Tiancheng.
Gu Tiancheng sat back down and chuckled to himself. "I don't know why, but I'm willing to talk to you about these things. Perhaps..." He lifted his gaze to look at her. "You really are my end."
Suddenly, it dawned on You Mingxu. She recalled his earlier words about not letting her go until he died. She asked, "Are you sick?"
His expression remained calm, as if he had tacitly agreed.
"What illness?"
He replied, "Cancer," his tone detached, as if it had nothing to do with him.
"Did she leave you before or after that?" You Mingxu asked.
A mocking smile appeared on Gu Tiancheng's face. "Before. If it had been after, I might have been able to understand."
With her hands tied behind her back, You Mingxu could only bite the cigarette and take a slow drag. She felt the taste of tobacco gradually spread through her throat and chest, much like the night—silent and full of confusion. Perhaps her awkward posture seemed somewhat comical, as Gu Tiancheng let out a soft laugh and said, "You could crawl over and smoke from the one in my hand. I guarantee it'd be more comfortable."
You Mingxu pretended not to understand his implication. The man on the floor quickly shook his head, muttering, "No, no..." Gu Tiancheng glanced at him and said, "Seems like I didn't hit any vital spots. Cops really do have strong constitutions—bouncing back so quickly."
You Mingxu immediately spoke up, hoping to divert his attention. "Why did she leave you? A man like you, successful in your career, good-looking, and charismatic. Unless she was blind."
This seemed to please Gu Tiancheng. He sighed softly with a smile. "Yeah, unless she was blind." As if lost in memories, his face grew somber for a moment, and a flicker of confusion and sorrow appeared in his eyes. "You probably haven't loved someone for a long time, have you? No matter how good you are, over time, people stop appreciating it. I grew tired of the nine-to-five life, tired of working for others and dealing with their attitudes. I started my own business to build a better future for us. But damn the economic climate—it wasn't my lack of ability. She never understood the pressure a man faces in society. When she saw I'd lost everything, she wanted to break up. And she ran off with my former boss from my old job. That short guy who only knew how to play office politics, had no professional skills, and was jealous of my talent. Tell me, wasn't she shallow and stupid?"You Mingxu thought for a moment and nodded, "Indeed, that's shallow. A man without money is unacceptable, and I would never be with a penniless man. But you're a potential stock—that's different. She should have given you another chance at least."
Gu Tiancheng smiled and said, "You're quite pragmatic."
You Mingxu replied, "Exactly."
He took a drag of his cigarette, watching her through the faint wisps of smoke. "I don't dislike this kind of pragmatism in you."
You Mingxu didn't respond to that and instead asked, "Did you kill her?"
Gu Tiancheng was silent for a moment before answering, "It was an accident. But at the time, I wasn't ready to give up on life or go to prison. I still wanted to strive and prove I could make it. Later, I had no choice but to dismember her and find a way to burn her. The police had no evidence, and in their files, she's still missing."
"So that's when it started?" You Mingxu asked.
The question seemed abrupt, but Gu Tiancheng understood. He smiled and nodded, "Yes. At first, when I did it, my mind was completely blank. But gradually, I realized it felt incredibly satisfying. It was like completely freeing myself. Seeing her turn to ashes, I felt a relief I'd never known before. Later, I ate a little bit of her ashes every day until they were gone. It gave me a deep sense of peace."
He pointed to his chest. "She's here, inside me."
You Mingxu struggled to suppress the faint disgust and horror stirring in her heart and said, "Yes, people always talk about empathy, but it's impossible. The way each person finds fulfillment is something others can't truly understand."
Gu Tiancheng gazed at her with a deep, intimate smile, full of affection. "You know how to please me. Actually, since I met you, you've acted a bit like my kind."
You Mingxu simply smiled and asked, "What happened after that? Weren't you planning to keep striving? Why did you give up later?"
Gu Tiancheng's expression was indifferent, once again showing that detached, cold demeanor toward everything in the world. "Later, I applied to another company, willing to temporarily endure being subordinate and putting up with others' attitudes. For a few months, I pushed the department's performance to new heights, only to have someone else take the credit. By the end of the year, the company wasn't doing well, and I was on the layoff list. Ha, they actually fired me. Tell me, is it my problem or the world's?" Without waiting for her answer, his gaze turned somber as he replied himself, "It's not my problem, and it's not my fault. Otherwise, why would I later be diagnosed with cancer?"
"What happened after that?"
"After that..." He chuckled, "It's strange, but when you're facing death, you start wanting to understand yourself better. I began to miss the feeling of killing. I also read a lot of books on criminal psychology and decided to become a serial killer. Crime psychology experts set the standard at four victims. So, I decided to kill five, or more."
OpenNovel