scélérat

Chapitre 2

I called out several times, but I could only faintly hear Yang Hongmin making sounds other than panting.

I quickly turned around and saw him looking at me, his lips moving slightly.

Although he had been staring wide-eyed just now, his pupils were lifeless. But now his eyes have regained focus, and he is staring at me eagerly.

Was it a final burst of energy before death? I leaned closer, trying to hear what he was saying.

“…Eagle…Eagle…Old…” He suddenly fell silent, and when you looked at Yang Hongmin’s eyes again, his pupils were completely dilated.

Eagle? Is that the code name of the person who killed him?

The sea breeze chilled me to the bone. I refused to believe that the note that had summoned me was merely a ploy to make me the first to collect Yang Hongmin's body. This murder case, which occurred on a giant ocean liner, had unwittingly dragged me into it.

Footsteps came from behind.

I turned around, and my loud shouts had attracted the attention of two crew members in charge of security.

They quickly realized what had happened and rushed over in a panic.

Just as I was about to explain to them why I was there, I suddenly noticed something strange on my right hand. Looking down, a chill ran down my temples, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Even when I discovered Yang Hongmin had been murdered, I wasn't this panicked.

The dagger that was originally stuck in Yang Hongmin's chest is now in my hand!

As soon as the dagger was pulled from Yang Hongmin's chest, the still-warm blood, which had been flowing, began to gush out, soaking my clothes and leaving half of my body drenched. In that split second, I didn't care about such details; I was just stunned, wondering how this dagger had suddenly ended up in my hands.

There was no one around. Did the dagger grow wings, or did Yang Hongmin come back from the dead and personally pull out the dagger and put it in my hand?

Before being tackled by the two crew members, I glanced at Yang Hongmin one last time. Moments later, he collapsed heavily beside me, clearly dead beyond any doubt.

The dagger had slipped from my grasp and fallen to the ground. I was pinned to the ground, my mind replaying the feeling in my hand just moments before.

Originally, my hands were hanging loosely at my sides. After discovering that Yang Hongmin had been murdered, I clenched them slightly due to nervousness, but I didn't make them into fists; instead, I left them loosely clenched.

In that situation, if someone were standing next to me and seized the opportunity, they could indeed slip the dagger into my hand. In fact, I suddenly felt something in my hand, instinctively gripped it, and only when I looked down did I realize it was a dagger.

But just now, besides Yang Hongmin, where else was there besides me?

Someone handed me a dagger—but all I had around was Yang Hongmin—and Yang Hongmin was dead—there was no one who could have handed me a dagger. My body was pinned down by two crew members, and my thoughts were violently crashing and colliding within this vicious cycle until they finally shut down, leaving my mind completely blank.

This is like a famous trope in Japanese detective manga—a locked-room murder—where the case occurs under seemingly impossible circumstances.

The current situation is that if I can't find the loopholes, then...

Is that note, the one that supposedly changed my fate, referring to this?

Have I offended any powerful figure who would need to set this trap to kill me?

The Pacific Emerald changed its original course and headed north. Around four o'clock the next morning, a small Chinese coastal defense boat appeared beside the cruise ship, and I was taken aboard. Two crew members were with me; these two eyewitnesses insisted they saw me pull a dagger from Yang Hongmin's chest. And of course, there was Yang Hongmin's cold body.

I can understand why these two crew members thought they had caught the murderer red-handed. Initially, with only their flashlights, they couldn't have seen clearly. Then, seeing the murder weapon fall from my blood-soaked hand, they immediately connected it to me as the killer. The human brain sometimes, based on logic, accepts things it didn't actually witness as real; the montage technique in film is based on this instinctive reaction. I believe these two men genuinely thought they saw me pull a dagger from Yang Hongmin's chest, and I'm even more certain that their testimonies will be extremely detrimental to me.

The news of the murder that broke out last night spread quickly, and everyone swarmed out of the banquet hall in no time. They were blocked at the exit of the lobby by a human wall formed by the crew, and the deck was brightly lit by high-powered name lights. The eyes of these celebrities were filled with fear, mixed with a slight curiosity, as they looked at me. Two people who had been companions at the buffet just moments before, after spending a few days together, one was already dead, and the other, covered in blood, had become the murderer.

I was quickly taken away and temporarily detained in a small storage room that had originally been used to store miscellaneous items. My hands were tied behind my back with extremely thick nylon rope, and I was flanked by four burly crew members.

"I didn't do this, I won't resist." That's what I said when they were tying me up. The guys tying me up tightened the ropes so hard that I gritted my teeth.

"Na Duo!" someone called to me as I passed through the crowd.

It was Li Jian, along with several other colleagues from Shanghai. They stood together, looking at me with disbelief.

I forced a smile, but Li Jian shrank back slightly. I was stunned for a moment before realizing that not only was my body covered in blood, but half of my face was also covered in blood when I fell to the ground. It had already congealed into clumps, and when I smiled, I probably would look like a demon crawling out of hell.

Part 1, The Night That Changed My Fate (4)

"It wasn't me, someone set me up." I only managed to say this much before the escorting crew member behind me poked me in the lower back with a rubber baton, causing me to stagger forward.

As I was locked in the small cabin, I thought about what would happen to my colleagues after they returned to Shanghai. Na Duo had become a murderer; he had killed a great scientist with whom he had a minor argument… Gossip in the media is always plentiful and spreads incredibly fast, and even if I could be exonerated as soon as possible, this shocking news would inevitably turn my work environment upside down.

And my parents, I must find a way to tell them the situation before I hear rumors from others. But now, I have completely lost the right to communicate.

I glanced at the tightly closed door. I knew there was definitely one or two people guarding it. Thinking about how to clean up the mess now seemed premature; this sudden accusation had already pushed me to the brink.

Indeed, compared to Li Jian and his colleagues, I am not an ordinary reporter. I have experienced far more events than they can imagine, some of which were extremely dangerous. But as I realized when I received the note, the difference between me seeking trouble and trouble seeking me out is absolute.

The events I actively participate in can be planned in advance, I can use layers of connections to prepare for the worst, I can find highly capable friends to help me, and I can even withdraw if things go wrong, although I've never done that. But now, I'm in the police station, and I've lost even the most basic freedom of movement. What can I rely on? China's judicial system? But the law is based on evidence. Now I have two witnesses who saw me "kill," and there's a reason for my actions, even if it's a trivial matter, it can still be interpreted as a murder intent. Murders over trivial matters are not uncommon. If I can't find strong evidence, even the best lawyer in court might not be able to get me out.

The thought of that inexplicable dagger in my hand sent another chill down my spine. Every time I close my eyes, replay the events, and try to find clues, I feel a chill run through my body. The cruise ship was adrift at sea, the deck dimly lit, but I was certain there couldn't be a third person nearby, and a second person, whether dead or alive, couldn't have done this. No one was there... was it a ghost?

This was a completely airtight cabin, yet I felt an invisible chill, and involuntarily shrank my neck.

“I didn’t kill anyone. The real culprit is still on the Pacific Emerald. Whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t hurt to be careful. Please keep an eye on your crew and the remaining tourists.” I said to the captain standing in front of me as I was ordered to climb the rope ladder onto the coastal defense boat.

Actually, I vaguely hoped that the dark hand in the night would do something else, so that my suspicion would be greatly reduced.

The coastal defense boat sped toward the Chinese coast, and I was moved to a smaller cabin. My guards were replaced by fully armed coast guards.

I still couldn't make sense of it. I had considered the possibility that the dagger might have been thrown into my hand by a lurking killer with perfect aim, while the one stuck in Yang Hongmin's chest, if it had a transparent string tied to the handle, could have been quickly pulled away when I wasn't looking. This is a technique used in Japanese manga, and it certainly could have been a switcheroo. However, after repeatedly checking the feel of my hand, I didn't feel any foreign object hitting my hand at all; it was as if someone had gently and carefully placed the dagger in my hand. It was placed, not shoved. In my memory, I didn't feel any momentum in my hand.

The only glimmer of hope was the fingerprints on the dagger. But the more one pondered it, the slimmer that hope became. Could such an intricate and bizarre scheme be solved simply because the killer's fingerprints were on the dagger?

To be honest, inserting a dagger that deep into Yang Hongmin's chest would usually leave fingerprints. But this incident clearly went beyond the "usual" level.

My mind was a jumbled mess, and the more I thought about it, the tighter it became. Sometimes, after a long period of deep thought, absurd ideas involuntarily arise, much like how staring at one spot for too long can cause eye strain. Normal logic couldn't explain my experience, which led me to develop strange imaginings.

Based on my past experiences, these bizarre ideas, though seemingly outlandish, are not entirely impossible. There are many inexplicable things in this world, and the few cases I've encountered are merely the tip of the iceberg.

Is it possible for someone to stand right next to me, and I wouldn't even notice? A Japanese research team has developed an invisibility cloak. While it's still far from true invisibility, it can make a person appear semi-transparent through light refraction, making things that would normally be hidden by the body vaguely visible. In the deck lighting, my attention was completely drawn to Yang Hongmin. If someone were wearing such a cloak, was it possible for me to overlook them?

The possibility is small, but I wouldn't say it's absolutely impossible.

Or perhaps, it wasn't a human who handed me the dagger, but some other being? I know that in the depths of this ocean lives a highly intelligent, soft-bodied life form capable of altering its skin color and body shape; I also know of a life form that doesn't live anywhere in this world, but rather exists within the flow of time. Human understanding of life has been constantly updated over the past fifty years due to new discoveries, a fact that no biologist can ignore.

But why would the strange life form I imagined frame me as a murderer is another headache.

Or perhaps some extraordinary person was hiding at the table at the time, using a skill similar to telekinesis in martial arts novels to pull out the dagger and hand it to me—that's another possibility. Although I've never heard of such a powerful qigong master, the world is so big, who knows?

Furthermore, my friend, Lu Yun, who made me waver and feel somewhat afraid the moment we met, is a practitioner of ancient Chinese illusion techniques and is the most skilled mind control person I have ever met or heard of. If she wanted to control me, she could definitely make me invisible even if she stood right in front of me. Of course, I could still sense the abnormality when she used her secret techniques to create something from nothing. If there were someone in the world ten times stronger than her, they could unknowingly trap me in her clutches.

After a moment of wild thought, I let out a long sigh. Someone ten times stronger than Lu Yun? In my eyes, Lu Yun was almost demonic.

Perhaps the key lies in Yang Hongmin's final mention of the "eagle." Solving this mystery could clear my name. But will the police believe me? If all the evidence is against me, I might soon be imprisoned. Who can help me investigate?

This can't go on; we have to find a solution.

Second, brothers and sisters charge together (1)

"Can I make a phone call?" This is the third time I've made the same request.

"No, how many times have I told you? Can't you understand Chinese?" the police officer at the detention center said to me fiercely.

“Even if I were a murder suspect, I wouldn’t be deprived of the freedom to communicate with the outside world. Besides, I’m innocent,” I protested.

"Wait for the Beijing police to come and take you away, then you can go and make your demands. Before that, we can't afford any mishaps here."

"I won't make any random calls. I just asked a friend to look after my parents so they can have peace of mind," I said hurriedly. Being trapped here, without even a phone to call, I'd be truly helpless. Seeing the young policeman's nonchalant attitude, I tentatively added, "What kind of cigarettes do you smoke? I'll have my family bring you a pack."

The policeman scoffed and said, "What's this? Do you think I'd want your cigarettes?" He looked me up and down, nodded slightly, and said, "Here's what we'll do. Fill out an application form, tell me who you want to call and what you want to say. I'll take a look and decide."

This is in a detention center in Guangzhou.

When I got off the coast guard boat, it was late at night again. I was immediately put into a police car. If I hadn't been specifically asked, I wouldn't have known where I was.

I didn't have a very good impression of Guangzhou. Compared to Shanghai, the public security here is much worse, and the train station is notoriously chaotic. Every time I came to Guangzhou for business, I was on edge. But this time, I didn't have the luxury of being wary of others.

"Here you go." Paper and pen were passed in through the window in the door.

"Think carefully about how to write it." He banged on the iron gate with something, as if he wanted to hit me on the head.

It seems I can only make one phone call at most. I considered calling my parents, but quickly dismissed the idea. I wouldn't be able to explain this to them; it would only increase their worries, and they wouldn't be able to help me solve my current predicament.

After much thought, the only reliable and capable friend I could think of was Liang Yingwu.

I wrote down on a piece of paper the content of my long-standing classmate relationship with Liang Yingwu, his status as a university lecturer, and the general content of the conversation in which I asked him to take care of my parents.

I will naturally not write about Liang Yingwu's other identity. An ordinary policeman could not possibly know what kind of system the X organization he served was.

Since I was ultimately to be escorted to Beijing, they hadn't changed me into prison clothes yet; I was still wearing my old clothes. I took a hundred-yuan bill out of my pocket and stuffed it into the folded application form. I guess that was what the young policeman meant; I just didn't know if this would get him to agree.

My wallet and luggage were confiscated by the police. I forgot which time I won the money from Li Jian while playing cards, and since it wasn't much, I just stuffed it into my pocket.

I handed the paper and pen back to him, and then I heard him unfold the folded paper.

Without making a sound, as if he hadn't seen the RMB note, he slowly walked away silently.

"It's me, it's me, Nado!" The moment the call connected, the harrowing events of the past two days rushed back to him. Being in this predicament, he was overwhelmed with emotions and speechless.

Less than half an hour after I handed over the hundred-yuan note, I was led to the private jet where the suspect made the call. I thought to myself, this call must have been tapped.

"Don't exceed five minutes," the policeman said, stepping aside but not intending to leave.

A telephone line connects two worlds.

I calmed myself down and then told Liang Yingwu on the phone about my current situation.

Even with Liang Yingwu's steely nerves, he was still greatly surprised to hear that I was actually a murder suspect being held in Guangzhou.

I only had five minutes, so I couldn't tell him the details. I just told him who the deceased was and the dagger that suddenly appeared in my hand.

When I spoke rapidly about how someone must have gently slipped the dagger into my hand, but there was no one around, Liang Yingwu simply listened quietly without any overreaction.

The policeman next to me chuckled softly. In his eyes, it was utterly ridiculous for me to use those hard-won five minutes to talk to my friend about a dagger that appeared out of thin air. What I said was clearly different from what I had applied for, but he didn't bother with me at this point.

The X organization where Liang Yingwu works specializes in researching various abnormal phenomena. What I experienced would seem absurd to most people, but he wouldn't think I was talking nonsense; on the contrary, he would take it seriously.

I asked Liang Yingwu to appease my parents and not to rush to Guangzhou or Beijing. He told me to figure out how to talk to them.

As the time drew near, I remembered someone and said to Liang Yingwu, "I have some connections with Guo Dong from the Special Affairs Division of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. Tell him about my situation and see if he can do anything."

At the police's prompting, I hurriedly ended the call. Liang Yingwu's last words were: "Don't worry."

There are certainly no rules or regulations that say I can't make a phone call for more than five minutes, but even Russia's richest man, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, had to obediently sew gloves in prison. No matter what your status is outside, the police have the final say in this local area.

Making that call made me feel a little more relaxed. Liang Yingwu was the strongest ally I could think of. Although the X Organization was an undisclosed official organization, they inevitably had to deal with all sorts of power structures while researching various strange events. As a highly valued researcher, Liang Yingwu's influence in this society was definitely much stronger than that of ordinary government officials.

As for Guo Dong, I worked with him at the end of last year to resolve a huge crisis. He is from the public security system, so it would be easier for him to handle my affairs.

With these two people helping me, I'm sure I'll at least get fair treatment, and the strange and bizarre things I encounter won't be ignored as just my wild imagination.