Los ojos de Asura

Capítulo 28

Mu Jianyun couldn't understand the logic behind the other person's words, so she frowned and asked, "Why?"

Du Mingqiang tossed the phone, now packed away, back to Mu Jianyun, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Looks like you're not a qualified psychology expert. There's at least one person whose thoughts you failed to see through."

"Who?" Mu Jianyun asked aloud, but her mind reflexively recalled a certain person. At the same time, her emotions stirred slightly.

Du Mingqiang readily uttered the name: "Luo Fei."

Yes, Luo Fei. This was the very same Luo Fei who had made Mu Jianyun feel uneasy. She recalled their first meeting; when she looked into the man's eyes, his gaze reflected back at her, as if trying to see right through her.

That guy… yes, she truly couldn't see through his thoughts. But how did Du Mingqiang know this? And why did he bring up Luo Fei at this time and place?

"What do you mean?" Mu Jianyun asked tentatively.

"Luo Fei won't agree to your suggestion," Du Mingqiang replied bluntly. "Giving me freedom to act as bait to hunt Eumenides is part of his plan. So trying to persuade me to change the plan is a waste of time."

Mu Jianyun was stunned. Was that really the case? She felt like she had been fooled.

"If that's the case, why did he agree to let me persuade you?" She was indignant and somewhat unwilling to accept it.

"Because he knows you can't persuade me. We reached a consensus in my previous meeting with Luo Fei. I can sense his thoughts, and he can sense mine. I long for a meeting with Eumenides, while Luo Fei hopes to find clues about Eumenides through me." Du Mingqiang paused slightly, then lowered his voice mysteriously, "Of course, he has another wish, though he hasn't explicitly stated it, I can sense it too…"

"What?" Mu Jianyun was quite helpless; it seemed that all she could do now was ask questions. Luo Fei was already giving her a headache, let alone the equally troublesome Du Mingqiang.

"He wants me to die at the hands of Eumenides," Du Mingqiang said quietly, a strange expression on his face: his brows were furrowed, but the corners of his mouth were smiling.

Mu Jianyun sighed deeply; she now fully understood Du Mingqiang's meaning. Yes, when Luo Fei harbored those thoughts, how could he possibly confine Du Mingqiang to an absolutely safe environment? But…

"He can't do that!" Mu Jianyun shook his head, his attitude resolute.

"But he's already decided to do it," Du Mingqiang said, grinning. "And he's the head of the task force, isn't he?"

Mu Jianyun said nothing more. After a two-second silence, she suddenly stood up, picked up her phone, and left the interrogation room.

Du Mingqiang watched Mu Jianyun's retreating figure, his mind seemingly still wandering. Only after Mu Jianyun disappeared from his sight did he suddenly realize there was still someone else in the room. He turned to Liu Song, a half-smile playing on his lips, and asked, "What, you came together? Shouldn't you leave together?"

After entering the interrogation room, Liu Song remained silent, merely coldly observing Du Mingqiang. He wasn't actually a taciturn person; his silence stemmed entirely from his dislike of Du Mingqiang. Now that the other party had spoken, he simply replied, "I'm under orders to protect your safety."

"Oh?" Du Mingqiang focused his attention, sizing up Liu Song. He saw that the young man seemed to be about his age, not particularly muscular, but very capable. Considering his safety would now be in the other man's hands, he eagerly stood up, extending his right hand in greeting, "Hello. Should I call you... Officer Liu?"

Liu Song stood up and shook hands with Du Mingqiang, but this gesture was merely a perfunctory formality. Their hands hadn't even touched before he withdrew his. His self-introduction was extremely brief: "Special Police Team, Liu Song."

He didn't want to say another word. In his opinion, the guy opposite him had a handsome appearance, but his despicable words and deeds were completely unworthy of his enthusiasm.

Du Mingqiang didn't care. He casually invited, "Let's sit down and talk." He acted as if this was his home turf.

Liu Song sat down stiffly, coldly observing what tricks the other party was up to.

"I can tell you hate me?" Du Mingqiang grinned. "A lot of people hate me, but I don't care—because more people enjoy reading my reports, and that's what matters most to me."

Liu Song scoffed, "What's the point of telling me all this? I'm only protecting your personal safety; I don't care about your morals."

Du Mingqiang shrugged: "I'm not trying to strike up a conversation with you—but since we're going to cooperate, it's good that we get to know each other a little."

"What cooperation? Don't use those fancy words," Liu Song interrupted. "The matter is very simple: Eumenides wants to kill you, and I want to protect you. You have the freedom to act as you see fit, but every action you take must be approved by me."

"Do I need your approval to do what I do?" Du Mingqiang said, scoffing. "What kind of freedom is this?"

"You don't have to listen to me. But you need to understand: for me, the worst outcome is simply failing the mission, while you might lose your life," Liu Song said calmly. But Du Mingqiang clearly couldn't ignore the chilling undertone in the latter part of his words. After a brief pause, he nodded somewhat helplessly: "Alright then… I will fully respect your opinion."

"That's for the best."

"Then we've reached a consensus. Although I made some reluctant concessions, it's nothing; good cooperation always begins with arguments." Du Mingqiang started rambling on again. Seeing that Liu Song didn't want to continue, he chuckled dryly and said, "Now I'd like to go home and catch up on some sleep. I wonder if Officer Liu would allow that?"

"Okay. I'll drive you home."

"A private car to pick me up, that's pretty good treatment." Du Mingqiang stretched as he got up. "Let's hurry up and go. I've been dragged here and tossed around all night, I'm exhausted."

Seeing the other person's affected demeanor, Liu Song could only let out a long, resentful sigh. Just as he had foreseen, his task really was like that of this guy's personal "nanny."

After the two left the interrogation room, Liu Song went to the parking lot and drove out a police car. Du Mingqiang didn't stand on ceremony and opened the car door to sit in the passenger seat.

"Saint-De Garden," he casually announced the location, then leaned back comfortably in his chair and began flipping through a morning newspaper—which he had picked up from the magazine rack as he passed through the lobby of the administration building.

Liu Song didn't say anything. He started the police car and slowly drove towards the gate. He no longer had the energy to be angry with Du Mingqiang, because he knew that once the police car left the police station, it meant entering Eumenides' hunting grounds. He had to be extremely careful and be ready to deal with any unexpected situations at any time.

But Du Mingqiang remained idle. Not far from the police station, his incessant chatter resumed, this time as he read aloud a news item from the morning paper: "This morning, the body of a young man was found in the Yudai River in the eastern part of the city. Forensic examination determined the deceased to have drowned, and his blood alcohol content was 213 milligrams per liter, indicating severe intoxication before his death. Police speculate that the man may have been urinating by the river while intoxicated when he accidentally fell in and drowned, likely in the early hours of this morning. Police also remind the public to drink in moderation; excessive drinking not only harms the body but also harbors various unexpected dangers."

"Officer Liu, what are your thoughts on this news?" After reading this passage, Du Mingqiang put down the newspaper, turned to Liu Song, and asked.

Perhaps due to his profession, Liu Song was interested in discussing such news. However, his views sounded somewhat pessimistic.

"These kinds of accidental deaths happen every day," he said dismissively. "If you've ever been a detective, traffic police officer, forensic doctor, or firefighter, you wouldn't find these things surprising."

"But what if this unfortunate guy was murdered?"

Liu Song frowned: "Murder? The reports already said he drowned after falling into the water while drunk."

"Being drunk is certain, drowning is certain. But who can testify that it was an accidental fall?" Du Mingqiang shook his head. "If this guy was pushed into the river while drunk, wouldn't that be a murder case? The police might let the real killer go if they conclude so easily."

This hypothesis seems far-fetched, but it's also difficult to completely refute. Liu Song thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, unless there are eyewitnesses, the police won't be able to obtain forensic evidence."

Du Mingqiang scoffed, "So you're admitting the police are powerless to do anything about this?"

Indeed. Liu Song recalled a mission the SWAT team received last summer: to search for a missing outdoor adventurer in the suburban mountains. They descended into a remote ravine using ropes and searched for three days and three nights. They didn't find the target, but along the way found several long-decomposed, unidentified bodies. Were these people killed accidentally during their adventure or deliberately murdered? Even the most skilled criminal investigators would likely struggle to determine that.

Liu Song sighed softly, which was considered an admission of Du Mingqiang's statement.

"It seems there are truly many dark corners that punishment cannot reach," Du Mingqiang remarked with considerable emotion. "The character of Eumenides certainly has some social significance."

Liu Song couldn't hold back any longer. He turned to look at Du Mingqiang, his eyes filled with surprise. Such a remark might be understandable coming from anyone else, but from Du Mingqiang, it was utterly laughable. After all, wasn't he himself a social outcast on Eumenides' death list?

This guy is truly baffling, his head full of absurd ideas, utterly incomprehensible. Liu Song shook his head inwardly, deciding to ignore him. He gripped the steering wheel firmly, his eyes scanning the surrounding road like a hawk, focusing all his attention on preparing for battle.

9:56 AM. Criminal Investigation Team Leader's Office.

Luo Fei was standing by the window, gazing out. This had been one of Luo Fei's professional habits since his days as a police officer in Nanming Mountain.

When you look into the distance, your mind seems to broaden considerably.

The office is located on a high floor, offering a panoramic view of half the provincial capital. Towering buildings and a constant flow of traffic create a bustling and vibrant scene. But what untold stories lie hidden behind this beautiful cityscape?

In a provincial capital city of this size, the total number of criminal cases each year is between 20,000 and 30,000, averaging 70 to 80 per day. This means that every ten minutes or so, a criminal case will occur somewhere in this city.

Even if you can look down on the entire city, you are powerless to stop these ongoing crimes—for the detective captain, this is undoubtedly a frustrating but unavoidable reality.

It was early morning, and the sun was shining brightly. However, Luo Fei didn't find it dazzling because another tall building to the southeast cast a shadow right in front of his window.

The sun's rays are so vast and bright, yet they can never reach every corner of the world.

Isn't the law, which represents the sword of justice, the same?

What kind of light shines from Eumenides, who is as mysterious as a ghost, when he walks in the darkness to punish evil?

He is the terminator of evil, but like the evil that is ended, he cannot stand the light of day.

As Luo Fei was lost in thought, the door was suddenly pushed open. He immediately turned around and saw Mu Jianyun walking in from outside.

The fact that the other person barged in without knocking struck Luo Fei as slightly odd. In his memory, while Mu Jianyun was outgoing and assertive, he was always impeccably polite. Looking closer, he sensed a hint of displeasure in the other person's expression. So he smiled and asked, "How is it?"

"Why do you ask when you already know the answer?" Mu Jianyun glanced coldly at Luo Fei, then, without waiting for Luo Fei to greet her, she went to sit down on the guest sofa.

"You couldn't persuade Du Mingqiang?" Luo Fei asked cautiously. "Yes, this result was indeed within my expectations."

Mu Jianyun immediately questioned, "Then why did you make me waste my time?"

Luo Fei shrugged and explained, "Since you really want to go, I have no reason not to let you try."

Mu Jianyun didn't accept this explanation. She gave a soft "humph": "Alright. Stop with the high-sounding rhetoric! I'm asking you, if I could persuade Du Mingqiang, would you still let me go?"

Luo Fei was unprepared for such a pointed question, and he was also not good at lying to his colleagues. After a moment of silence, he could only offer an awkward smile as an answer.

"From beginning to end, Du Mingqiang was just bait in your eyes. You didn't care about his safety at all; you even hoped that he could be executed by Eumenides. Because in your eyes, Du Mingqiang was indeed guilty. Am I right?" Mu Jianyun continued to press relentlessly.

Having heard so clearly from the other party, Luo Fei felt a sense of relief. He sighed silently and replied, "Perhaps such a tendency does exist in my subconscious. I cannot deny it, because the current situation confirms your suspicions. I have no reason to lie to you, and I cannot lie to myself."

Seeing Luo Fei's frank attitude, Mu Jianyun's dissatisfaction subsided slightly. She gave a helpless wry smile and said softly, "I know where Eumenides is."

Luo Fei was taken aback and quickly asked, "Where?"

"It's right in your heart." Mu Jianyun looked directly into Luo Fei's eyes.

Luo Fei understood what the other person meant. He turned his head to look out the window again and remained silent.

"That's how it was originally—" Mu Jianyun continued with a sigh, "It was you and Meng Yun who created this character back then. Although more than ten years have passed, and the subsequent users of this character have brought you much bitterness, you still can't escape the allure of the character itself, can you?"

Luo Fei was somewhat bewildered. He recalled the night he and Meng Yun created the character Eumenides. Although it was just a fictional character in a novel, the excitement he felt at the time must have come from some kind of emotional resonance deep within his heart. He also remembered the moment he last met Yuan Zhibang, whose words still seemed to echo in his ears.

"Eumenides were created by you. You yourself are Eumenides, Meng Yun is... and many others even have Eumenides within them, because there is too much evil in this world, and people need the existence of Eumenides."

The harsh, metallic voice assaulted Luo Fei's senses, making his breathing rapid. Just then, the sun passed over the tall building in the southeast corner, its dazzling rays shining down without any obstruction. Luo Fei instinctively closed his eyes.

Everyone praises the sunshine, but who has never had a moment of fear of the sun?

After a long while, Luo Fei opened his eyes, his thoughts returning to the real world. He slowly turned around and found that Mu Jianyun was still looking at him—the other party rarely seized such an opportunity, as if he wanted to see right through him.

This time, Luo Fei did not avoid the question. He met Mu Jianyun's gaze with a calm expression.

"You're right, Eumenides resides within me. Because I hate all evil, and I hope all evil will be punished as it is. But in reality, this wish cannot be fulfilled. Even wearing a police uniform and representing the forces of justice, I can only exercise my power within the bounds of the law. And the law is not perfect; there will always be some guilty people who escape punishment. This is undoubtedly the greatest tragedy for law enforcement officers. So we fantasize about other forces to punish these evils. From this perspective, I believe that every police officer has an Eumenides within them."

Mu Jianyun pondered Luo Fei's words. She then rose and walked to the window, mimicking his earlier gesture of gazing out. After a moment, she said softly, "Eumenides, he should be somewhere in this city right now."

Luo Fei nodded: "Perhaps he's watching us from afar too."

Mu Jianyun turned to look at Luo Fei inside the room: "So how do you view that cold-blooded killer? In your eyes, is he an enemy or a friend?"

"Enemy? Friend?" Luo Fei murmured to himself, unable to give a definite answer. Finally, he shook his head and said, "Not everyone can be categorized into these two roles. If you insist on a definition, perhaps 'opponent' would be more accurate."

"opponent……"

"Yes," Luo Fei further explained, "Evil is our common enemy, but that doesn't make us friends. Because the law divides us into different camps—I'm upholding the law, while he's trampling on it. So we can only be adversaries: though we share the same goal, we can't coexist."

"So..." Mu Jianyun paused for a moment before saying, "You just want to catch that guy, but you're not really interested in stopping him from killing?"

"Why would you think that?" Luo Fei frowned, then replied seriously, "Any action that violates the law, of course I must stop it. Regardless of whether the law itself is perfect or not, from the day I put on this police uniform, I swore to be its most steadfast guardian."

"It's your actions that made me feel this way." Mu Jianyun's expression was equally serious. She listed them one by one, "When Eumenides first publicly revealed his target, you cast the crucial vote in the task force, agreeing to Han Shaohong's operation, indirectly helping Eumenides' assassination; when meeting with Yuan Zhibang, you knew Guo Meiran's life was in imminent danger, yet you still let her leave; now with Du Mingqiang, you practically handed him over as a large lure to Eumenides... These repeated occurrences have made me question the root of your thinking."

Luo Fei gave a wry smile, seemingly finding it difficult to explain himself. However, he still tried his best to defend himself, saying, "Regarding Han Shaohong, I somewhat underestimated Eumenides' abilities, which is why I supported Han Hao's plan to control the area in the square; as for Guo Meiran—when I saw her, she was already completely under Yuan Zhibang's control, and in such a tight timeframe, I really couldn't think of a way to rescue her; as for Du Mingqiang—it was indeed his own choice to contact Eumenides, and I had no right to restrict his freedom."

"Alright, even if all these reasons are valid. But..." Mu Jianyun narrowed his eyes slightly, but hesitated to speak.

Luo Fei wasn't one to accept half-finished sentences, so he immediately pressed, "But what?"

Mu Jianyun bit her lip, finally letting out the biggest knot in her heart: "Where is Deng Hua? How do you explain Deng Hua's assassination attempt?"

"Deng Hua?" Luo Fei's eyes flickered slightly as he retorted, "How can Deng Hua's death be blamed on me? Han Hao was the commander of the operation at the time, and even he became a pawn of Eumenides. How could I have stopped it?"

"No, you could have stopped it," Mu Jianyun said with absolute certainty. "On the afternoon of the incident, you already suspected Han Hao. You even asked me to contact higher-ups, presumably to take action against Han Hao. But then you changed your mind and made us follow Han Hao's orders, ultimately leading to Deng Hua being shot and killed by Han Hao. This outcome should have been within your expectations, right?"