Chapter 706: The Call of the Soul

“He ordered me to open the sack, and when I saw a woman’s head inside, I was so scared that I collapsed. The woman was drugged, dazed, and looked like she was sleepwalking. He laughed and said, ‘Are you really scared? He learned the whole process of kidnapping from my novel, including how to use ether. ‘Today, you will surpass yourself,’ he said.

“Sensing his intentions, I shook my head desperately and said, ‘Let her go. You can do whatever you want to me, but killing is out of the question.’ He held my face and asked me how I felt when I vividly described murder scenes in my novels. Didn’t I put myself in the killer’s shoes? He said my recent works were bland, that I needed some ‘growth,’ some intense and lasting mental stimulation. Staring into his eyes, I felt a deep fear—those were the eyes of a murderer.

“He said many things, but I never agreed. He was extremely disappointed and made me witness the entire murder process and record it in the first person. You’ll find those contents in another notebook. I don’t want to recount that brutal process here. Did murder help me? No, not at all. I fell into a state of guilt, shame, and fear because when that woman was killed, her tearful eyes looked at me pleadingly, like a cow being slaughtered. The killer had his back to me, and I could have picked up something to hit him and save her, but I didn’t. I was too scared to resist. I am guilty! I am guilty! I am guilty!

“The next long section describes Xin Bai’s experience of watching the killer murder, a total of six times. It mentioned a fat man found by the police named Xi Xiaohu, who seemed to be in the same profession as Xin Bai.

“The killer’s ‘teaching’ was gradual. Xin Bai was afraid to kill, so he started by cleaning the bathroom, then moved on to dismembering bodies, and finally, he was made to take photos with the organs. Chen Shi thought that in time, under the killer’s control, Xin Bai would gradually lose himself and perhaps even become numb and merciless, killing strangers without hesitation.

“This has nothing to do with his personal character. Human nature is such that we constantly adapt to our environment and become accustomed to it.

“‘There’s no mention of Lan Xiao here,’ Chen Shi said. ‘When I mentioned the name Lan Xiao to Xin Bai, he remained calm. If he had seen him or witnessed his murder, he wouldn’t have reacted so indifferently.’

“‘But Lan Xiao’s ID was indeed with the killer. It was used to rent the place. If Lan Xiao had already ‘disappeared’ at that time, Xin Bai wouldn’t be unaware… Could it be that the killer hasn’t given him this ‘gift’ yet, and Lan Xiao is still alive, imprisoned somewhere?’

“‘Lan Xiao is Xin Bai’s childhood nightmare. I think the killer definitely wants Xin Bai to kill him personally… Oh, that novel has already entered the main plot, where the villain Lan Xiao’s identity is exposed, and he is close to being overthrown.’

“‘Old Chen, look at this passage.’

“Lin Dongxue pointed to a passage of text—

“‘He told me that he did all this to make me great. He saw himself in me but lacked a good education and couldn’t write these amazing stories. He wanted to make me the best writer, to make me immortal. A great writer must have extraordinary experiences, he said. One day, he might be caught by the police and executed, but these experiences would be etched into my bones, unforgettable, and might turn into a bestseller, with an important character being him. In this way, it would be as if he lived forever. To make me great is to make himself great! As he spoke, he cried, and I cried too. But my tears were fake; my heart was already numb. I just hoped this would end soon and that this demon would die!

“‘He mysteriously revealed to me that when the novel reached its final chapters, he had a big gift for me. But to receive this gift, I must be ready… This so-called readiness meant that by then, I would have the courage to kill!

“‘I hope I can hold on to this last bit of self and not fall further. To those who find this text in the future, I may appear numb and indifferent when I am arrested, closing myself off. I know I will eventually become like that, but please don’t abandon me. I’ve seen hell, so please have mercy on this weak and helpless soul and give it a little warmth!

“‘P.S. For my ‘health,’ he forbids me from eating fried chicken. I really want some fried chicken. God’s fried chicken, crispy and juicy, coated with cumin and chili powder. When you bite into it, the juices burst out… If you read this and are willing to help me, please buy me some of God’s fried chicken. Remember to add fries and cola. My heart may be lost, but use other ways to awaken me. Remember, God’s Fried Chicken on Chang’an Alley!’

“The text ended there. Despite the bizarre ending, neither Lin Dongxue nor Chen Shi laughed. They heard the call of a lost soul. Lin Dongxue said, ‘Is that fried chicken place on Chang’an Alley still open?’

“‘I’m not sure. I don’t usually eat that stuff. How about we go first thing tomorrow morning?’

“‘Miss Gu should be here by now.’

“They walked outside, and a delivery guy was parking his motorcycle nearby. A policeman said, ‘Hey, don’t park your bike at the entrance.’

“The delivery guy nodded and moved his bike. He glanced at Chen Shi inadvertently, looking honest, but Chen Shi caught something unusual in his eyes.

“‘Miss Gu is here,’ Lin Dongxue nudged him.

“Gu You’s car appeared. Lin Dongxue walked up to greet her. Tao Yuanyuan got out of the car first, and then Gu You went to park.

“Gu You had changed her clothes. Though she had a slim and tall figure, she wore loose-fitting clothes, as psychologists seem to have this rule of not dressing too provocatively.

“Gu You walked over and asked, ‘What’s the situation?’

“Chen Shi replied, ‘Hmm, PTSD and learned helplessness.’

“Gu You laughed, ‘I asked for his symptoms, and you directly told me the diagnosis? When a doctor asks where it hurts, do you directly say duodenal ulcer?’

“‘Okay, okay, let me describe it again. It’s basically PTSD and learned helplessness symptoms.’

“‘Got it.’

“‘What’s PTSD?’ Lin Dongxue asked.

“Holding her hand, Tao Yuanyuan said, ‘Sister Lin, you don’t know? It’s post-traumatic stress disorder.’

“‘I don’t read as much as you do!’ Lin Dongxue smiled. ‘Yuanyuan, you’re so knowledgeable.’

“‘Well, look whose daughter I am…’ Chen Shi said proudly, then suddenly noticed the delivery guy had walked away, a flash of doubt crossing his mind.”