Pei Cangyu asked for leave during the long break between classes. The next two periods were physics, and the teacher would just be going over the test papers anyway. Speaking of the test, Pei Cangyu was quite satisfied with his performance. He had scored an 89 out of 110—a massive improvement. The main reason was that he had answered everything he knew, skipped everything he didn't at a glance, and attempted about a third of the questions that required actual thinking. There was no point in staring at the rest; if he were going to learn it, he would have learned it years ago instead of rotting away in his sixth year of high school. Pei Cangyu understood that for some, "basic points" meant a score of around 90, but after years of battling the Comprehensive Science exams, he knew exactly what kind of caliber he was. His heart was more resilient than a top student's and more proactive than a slacker's.
Regardless, Pei Cangyu’s reason for going home was to take advantage of Bai Shi’s absence and see what exactly was in that basement.
The teacher didn't raise any objections. Pei Cangyu noticed that ever since his blood test results were sent to the school and the police had vouched for him, the teachers hadn't been paying him much mind. They likely felt that Pei Cangyu was no longer running in the same direction as the other students; a teacher always had to prioritize the majority, after all.
To save time, Pei Cangyu hailed a taxi. To ensure he could return quickly after his investigation, he told the driver to wait at the gate. He peered around the entrance for a moment and confirmed that no one was there. He suspected the gate guards might report his return to Bai Shi, so he didn't have much time. He needed to settle this quickly. As long as he wasn't caught red-handed by Bai Shi, the two of them could continue their "you lie to me, I lie to you" charade of ignorance. But if they actually came to blows...
Lost in thought, Pei Cangyu went upstairs first and turned on the recording pen Tu Ziyun had given him. This thing was high-tech; once activated, it would automatically send snippets of audio at set intervals. Pei Cangyu had once tried to practice a song with it, only to be lectured by Tu Ziyun for ages.
But the most important thing was evidence.
Pei Cangyu did a quick sweep of the house, confirming no one was inside. All that remained was the basement.
As his hand touched the handle, he suddenly remembered the day Madara had bolted out of here. He had been standing just like this, trying to pull the door open. He hadn't succeeded then, only to receive a phone call from Bai Shi immediately after. Looking back, it was too damn coincidental.
This time, when Pei Cangyu pulled, the door swung open easily. Right, it seemed the lock really was on the inside.
The moment he pulled the door open, he heard a dog barking from within the pitch-black darkness.
"Madara?"
Pei Cangyu switched on his phone's flashlight and aimed it toward the sound. Sure enough, he saw Madara lying on the ground, wagging its tail, covered in mud.
Pei Cangyu walked over slowly. Madara stopped barking, lolling its tongue and panting heavily. As Pei Cangyu got closer, he realized the mud on the dog didn't look like something it could have picked up inside the house. He hadn't seen the dog for a few days—had it been outside?
Pei Cangyu remained cautious around Madara. After all, the dog had given him a nasty bite during their first meeting. He still wasn't sure if it was Bai Shi’s dog or his own.
Pei Cangyu crouched down and reached out a hand. "Hey, dog. If you have a conscience, don't bite me."
Madara’s tail wagged faster. With a sudden movement, it lunged at Pei Cangyu, licking his hand and then taking it into its mouth, but it did nothing more.
Pei Cangyu finally relaxed and patted Madara’s head. But in the darkness, something moved, accompanied by the rattling of shackles.
Startled, Pei Cangyu swung his flashlight toward the sound. He saw a man curled into a ball on the ground, buried under a pile of dry straw. Facing the wall, only his emaciated frame was visible, expanding and contracting with agonizing slowness as he breathed.
It was a living person.
Pei Cangyu stayed low, inching forward. The phone light stayed fixed on the figure while Madara sat upright nearby. Finally reaching him, Pei Cangyu reached out and turned the man over to look at his face. The cheeks were sunken, the eye sockets protruded, and the eyeballs seemed to have doubled in size. His clothes were caked in dirt and mud of various colors. He was a shivering, dehydrated wreck of a man...
"Skinny?" Pei Cangyu gasped in shock.
Skinny’s massive eyeballs shifted stiffly, locking onto Pei Cangyu’s face. His mouth fell open, and he began to wail, though the words were unintelligible. The cries grew louder until they became a full-blown scream. His frail arms flailed wildly, hitting the wall with a dull thud that he didn't seem to feel, his movements purely neurotic.
Pei Cangyu immediately covered the man's mouth, trying to quiet him. It was only then he noticed that Skinny’s shackles weren't actually attached to anything; they were merely clamped around one of his wrists.
It didn't take much effort for Pei Cangyu to subdue Skinny. Though the kid’s nickname had always been "Skinny," he had shriveled significantly since they last met.
Finally, Skinny stopped struggling. Pei Cangyu waved a hand in front of his eyes and saw no reaction. He used his fingers to peel back the man's eyelids, noting the bloodshot yellow tint. After a moment's thought, he picked the man up in a bridal carry and headed out.
Madara let out a bark. Pei Cangyu turned and hissed, "Quiet." Madara fell silent.
As Pei Cangyu carried him out of the basement, he heard a noise coming from behind the house. Without time to think, he dashed upstairs toward his own room. He threw the door open, laid Skinny on the bed, and quickly turned to lock the door.
Skinny began to cough uncontrollably. Pei Cangyu poured him some water. "Don't cough! Don't cough, hold it in!"
Skinny muffled his coughs with his hands. Pei Cangyu tossed him a pillow, and Skinny buried his face in it.
Pei Cangyu pressed his ear to the door, listening for movement. It didn't seem like anyone was coming this way, but he knew that was bullshit—they would eventually search the rooms.
He threw open his wardrobe and rifled through it, pulling out two pieces of clothing and tossing them to Skinny. "Change! Fast!"
While Skinny stripped, Pei Cangyu listened at the door again. He didn't hear anyone coming upstairs. Had Bai Shi not returned? Because if Bai Shi were back, that guy would definitely come upstairs. These people...
To test his theory, he cracked the door open slightly. He heard the voices of two men, but they were quiet and not within his line of sight. Judging by the sound, they weren't near the basement. Pei Cangyu suddenly understood: Bai Shi was still trying to maintain an illusion for him—the impression that only the two of them lived in this house. These men weren't here for Skinny; they were likely just here to check on Pei Cangyu.
Pei Cangyu turned back to Skinny. "Are you done?"
Skinny had changed into the shirt but hadn't put on the pants yet. Pei Cangyu walked over and helped him. "Why are you so slow!"
Skinny coughed twice more, finally finding his voice. "You... you live here?"
Pei Cangyu stuffed Skinny’s legs into the pants and crouched down to put on his shoes. "Where have you been these past four days?"
Skinny stared blankly, his mind wandering. Pei Cangyu slapped his leg and asked again, "Are you injured?"
Skinny shook his head. "Where's Brother Qian?"
Pei Cangyu didn't answer. He tied the laces, then turned to dig through his wallet.
"In the basement... the whole time."
"That's impossible. When the police came that day, the basement was empty." Pei Cangyu paused and looked back at him.
Skinny was using the bed to pull himself up. "One day, they took us out. We hid in the woods for a while. Actually..." Skinny looked up. "I saw you then..."
Pei Cangyu froze. That day...
"You were hiding right in front of me. Someone was holding me, hiding behind you. You don't know the layout of this place, do you?" Skinny let out a jagged laugh. "The basement leads outside."
Pei Cangyu blinked, suddenly recalling something Bai Shi had said a long time ago: *“In this place, I am omnipotent.”*
This house...
Skinny was standing now. Pei Cangyu had no time to lose. He stuffed the money into Skinny’s hand. "Go downstairs and head east. There's a taxi at the street corner. Once you're away, go find Tu Ziyun in Zone Z."
"Downstairs?" Skinny recoiled in sheer terror. "I'll die... damn it, I'm not going..."
Pei Cangyu grabbed his hand firmly. "You don't understand. They haven't seen me. If you walk down there boldly, they'll avoid you! Move! Before they realize what's happening!"
Skinny clearly didn't get it, and Pei Cangyu didn't have time to explain. "Find Tu Ziyun. Tell him everything that happened these past few days." As he spoke, Pei Cangyu stripped off his own clothes. "I'll call the driver. You just go."
Skinny was reluctant to move, cowering in the corner. Pei Cangyu kicked off his pants until he was down to his underwear, chasing after him. "Hurry! Or do you think you can escape by staying here?"
"Easy for you to say..." Skinny muttered.
Pei Cangyu didn't hear him. He turned and pulled on Skinny’s filthy clothes, picking up the shackles that had slipped off Skinny’s skeletal wrist. He pulled his own hat low over Skinny’s head and hauled him up. "You go through the front door. I'll go out the window. Trust me, they won't come after you."
Skinny stared at Pei Cangyu suspiciously, but Madara’s barking suddenly erupted. They had been discovered.
Pei Cangyu pushed Skinny toward the door. "Remember, don't worry about anything else."
He shoved him out, then ducked back into the room to call the driver, telling him a friend was coming out. The driver didn't ask questions, just told him to hurry. Pei Cangyu thought for a moment and decided he should send a text to Tu Ziyun. He had just typed the word "Skinny" when he heard a noise on the stairs. He rushed out to look; Skinny had tripped on the stairs, knocking over a golf club rack.
Pei Cangyu moved further out, circling around. From his vantage point, he saw two men staring at Skinny’s retreating back, hesitating. In the end, they didn't dare approach.
Pei Cangyu shook the shackles in his hand, making them rattle. Madara reacted instantly, looking up and barking at him. Pei Cangyu turned and ran. The two men shifted their focus to his silhouette and sprang into action—one heading up, one heading out—but their movements were subtle, not drawing the attention of the departing Skinny.
Pei Cangyu burst into a room, tossed the shackles aside, and moved to the window, intending to jump. He had climbed these windows before and had some experience. He could only hope that Bai Shi’s organization was so large that not everyone knew everyone else.
He prepared to leap, but suddenly remembered the unfinished text. He pulled out his phone, but the door behind him slammed open. Someone charged in. Pei Cangyu had no time to react; he just managed to hit 'send' before a hand grabbed him by the hair. He lunged toward the ledge outside.
In the struggle, his phone fell. Pei Cangyu gripped the railing, trying desperately to swing himself away.
The man was incredibly strong and seemingly fearless. He stepped onto the windowsill, leaned half his body out, and seized Pei Cangyu, dragging him back inside like a discarded rag. Pei Cangyu’s side slammed against the sill and then the wall. The pain was so sharp he screamed. The man threw him to the floor and, without a word, delivered two back-to-back slaps. The first blow left Pei Cangyu dazed; he had never been in a fight like this. His teeth felt loose. The man was experienced; the second slap hit the same side of his face at the same angle. This blow knocked out two of Pei Cangyu’s molars.
Pei Cangyu gasped, trembling. He suddenly remembered Bai Shi saying he was always willful. He hadn't understood what that meant then, but now he was beginning to. This was a world he should never have stepped into.
The man drew a gun from behind his back and pressed it against Pei Cangyu’s forehead. Staring into the black void of the muzzle, Pei Cangyu nearly burst into tears. Everything else was forgotten. The man's partner came upstairs, took one look, and said, "Don't let him die up here."
The man holstered his gun, grabbed Pei Cangyu by the throat, and dragged him downstairs. Pei Cangyu’s body thudded against every step, his internal organs feeling like they were being turned inside out. The pain was absolute; his old injuries were nothing compared to this relentless battering. He cried out, trying to pry the man's hand away, but it was futile.
He was dragged to the ground floor. Annoyed by the noise, the man slammed Pei Cangyu’s head against the wall. Pei Cangyu blacked out instantly and was tossed into the basement. In his fading consciousness, he heard the sound of a lock. Only then did he realize that it wasn't that the door couldn't be locked from the outside—you just had to hang a large padlock on it. Not every lock was built into the door.
Voices drifted from outside the door. "The boss isn't coming back today. Clean up upstairs. Don't let that kid find out."
"When is he back?"
"Probably after evening self-study. Call a chef; he ordered a late-night snack for the kid."
"Got it. What about the one inside?"
"Finish the cleaning, then dispose of him. Make it quick."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
高六 | Sixth year of high school | Refers to students repeating their final year of high school (Grade 12) multiple times.
理综 | Comprehensive Science | A combined exam of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in the Chinese Gaokao.
瘦子 | Skinny | A nickname for a minor character; literally "Thinny" or "Skinny."
谦哥 | Brother Qian | A character mentioned by Skinny, likely a former associate or boss.
晚自习 | Evening self-study | A common practice in Chinese schools where students stay late to study.
