Skinny led Tu Ziyun back to a home as cramped as a snail’s shell.
Ever since he had fallen into gambling, the house he once shared as a neighbor with Feifei had been sold. His father refused to have anything to do with him, treating him as if he were dead. By following Gao Qian, Skinny at least didn't have to worry about food or drink. His greatest asset was providing a meeting place for Gao Qian and his crew. Although Skinny was nothing more than a lowly lackey in front of the Gao brothers, that didn't stop him from exerting a thug’s pressure over a student like Feifei. As for Pei Cangyu, he was the type of person who hated trouble. In short, because those two avoided him, Skinny managed to wedge himself into the middle and live a decent enough life.
Now that Gao Qian was dead, Skinny had been preoccupied with the problem of his next meal.
This old building was tucked deep behind a row of beautiful storefronts; it was invisible from the outside, requiring an expert’s eye to find. The narrow stairwell was piled with mounds of coal, where stray cats crouched to feast on rats. There were no lights in the hallway, so they climbed the steps by the meager afternoon sunlight. Skinny led the way with an air of extreme constraint, while Tu Ziyun followed silently behind.
The apartment was even smaller. It had an iron door that required a forceful twist and a violent shake of the key before it would groan open. Skinny went inside, rubbing his hands together with a hint of embarrassment—or perhaps he was trying to project a sense of misery for the policeman’s benefit. Tu Ziyun had seen it all before; he showed no reaction, walking straight to a chair, dusting it off with a swipe of his hand, and sitting down.
Skinny scratched his nose and followed him over, sitting beside him with his legs pressed together, licking his cracked lips.
"What happened on the 19th when you and Pei Cangyu swapped shifts?" Tu Ziyun clicked on his recording pen.
Skinny gave a narrow, awkward cough and cleared his throat. "I forgot."
Tu Ziyun clicked the recording pen off. "Do I look like I’m here for a joke?"
Skinny shook his head and lowered his gaze.
"I’ll tell you the truth: I’m asking you in order because I’m giving you face. Did Pei Cangyu tell you to come find me?" Tu Ziyun narrowed his eyes at him.
Skinny’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice. "...No..."
Tu Ziyun reached out and gripped the man’s shoulder, pulling the skeletal Skinny closer to him. "Where is Pei Cangyu?"
Skinny shook his head.
Tu Ziyun released his grip, leaned back, and sighed. "Are you scared?"
Skinny said nothing.
"Then let’s go talk at Division Eight." Tu Ziyun lit a cigarette for himself and pulled out the handcuffs from behind his waist. "Have you heard of Division Eight?"
Skinny swallowed hard.
"Gao Qian and Gao Tang are both dead. You were there at the same time and didn't die—you’re going to have to explain that very carefully." Tu Ziyun made a move to stand up.
Skinny looked up in a panic, waving his hands frantically. "It really wasn't me, brother! It’s got nothing to do with me! If you want to blame someone, blame Pei Cangyu..."
Tu Ziyun sat back down. "Was it Bai Shi?"
Skinny froze. He didn't say yes, but his expression betrayed him.
"Was it because of Pei Cangyu?"
Skinny nodded violently several times.
Tu Ziyun handed Skinny a cigarette. "So, generally speaking, it was Pei Cangyu’s fault?"
Skinny took the cigarette and nodded.
"Brother Qian and the others needed something from Pei Cangyu. Actually, they’d been wanting to talk to him for a while, but Pei Cangyu was unwilling. Qian’s people even went to the school to find him, twice..."
"Twice?" Tu Ziyun stared at Skinny through the smoke, quietly clicking the recording pen back on.
"Yeah. Once was in the afternoon; they asked his classmate where Pei Cangyu lived, but didn't get an answer. Another time was at night—no one was around then. They wanted to spook him, threaten him into going, but they didn't catch him." Skinny curled his lip.
"And then came the shift swap on the 19th?"
Skinny took a deep drag of the cigarette, the tip instantly turning to ash. "Right. That day, they used that young master to threaten him. They took some sissy photos or whatever, and even called the young master over. Then Pei Cangyu showed up. Brother Tang said that young master was a coward, not the type to pick a fight, and wouldn't stand up for Pei Cangyu... Do you know about 'hook-swapping'?"
"In other words, Gao Qian and Gao Tang used photos of Pei Cangyu and a 'young master' to blackmail him into performing a hook-swap transaction."
"Yes."
"Was that young master Bai Shi of the Bai Corporation?"
"...Yes. You already knew, so why ask?"
"And then?"
"And then?..." Skinny suddenly flailed an arm, his eyes bulging as his voice rose. "That young master went crazy! He was so fucking strong, he knew how to fight! No, no, no—he kills! He kills people!"
"Who did he kill?"
"Old Qi. Old Qi hit him with a wine bottle, and the guy didn't even flinch. He grabbed the bottle and used the shards to slit Old Qi’s throat... Fuck! Dammit, you didn't see it... Scared the shit out of me!" Skinny swayed as he waved his arms, ash fluttering to the floor.
"Then other people came. Those people grabbed us. That young master said he was going to find Pei Cangyu, and said he wouldn't let us off because of Pei Cangyu." Skinny spat in disgust. "Stupid faggot, you know... whatever is between those two, what’s it got to do with us?"
"Where were you taken afterward?"
"I don't know." Skinny’s face suddenly turned pale as he remembered something unpleasant. "We were tied up and moved around. But I know they’re all dead. I heard the sounds. Sometimes I could even hear someone walking around upstairs. I’m telling you, once I even heard Pei Cangyu laughing outside. Dammit, really..."
Tu Ziyun asked, "Were you in the Bai family’s basement?"
"I think so. Dammit, I’m truly lucky to be alive. I felt like everyone around me was dead, I don't know where they were dragged off to. They kill people in batches, you know? I only escaped because I didn't say a word. I just kept my mouth shut." A hint of smugness appeared on Skinny’s face.
"How did I find out? One day, someone suddenly took us out. I was scared to death at first, thinking it was my turn to die, but no! They just dragged us outside. I could smell the air, you know? The air—you know you're outside the moment you smell it..."
Tu Ziyun interrupted him. "Were you all blindfolded?"
"Oh, yeah. Did I not mention that? All blindfolded, and locked up. No shoes, either. I don't know why they took our shoes off."
Tu Ziyun crushed his cigarette in the ashtray. "Keep going. What happened after you got outside?"
"After we got outside, my blindfold slipped a bit. I saw that we were in some bushes. Everyone else was gone except me. I thought I was done for, but they didn't kill me. We just crouched there together. My mouth was stuffed with something so I couldn't make a sound, and they’d injected me with something, I didn't have any fucking strength... Anyway, while we were waiting, I saw Pei Cangyu crouching in front of me. He was pretty far away. I don't know what he was hiding from, but he didn't move. Later, when everyone left, we went back..."
Tu Ziyun looked at him. "How did you escape?"
"Pei Cangyu found me and told me to run." Skinny scratched his head. "I just walked out."
"What about him?"
"Don't know." Skinny curled his lip. "Could that young master really kill him? Don't worry about him."
"So he told you to come find me, and you didn't?"
Skinny scratched his hair in annoyance. "None of my business... whatever... who cares, I don't care..."
Tu Ziyun nodded and pulled out his recording pen. "With this, I can get Division Eight to investigate Bai Shi."
The moment he saw the recording pen, Skinny panicked and tried to lung forward to grab it. "You motherfucker—"
With a single block, Tu Ziyun pinned him facedown on the table. "Zhao Like, if Pei Cangyu dies, will you feel any guilt?"
Skinny craned his neck, blood rushing to his head. "What the fuck does it have to do with me?! I was kind enough to warn him once! I almost died—who’s going to sympathize with me?"
Tu Ziyun let him go, sat back, and watched him calmly.
Skinny slowly pushed himself up from the table, rubbed his strained neck, and sat back down in silence.
"Pei Cangyu’s situation might not be as optimistic as you think. Bai Shi’s mental state is very unstable..."
Skinny sneered. "...Do you really need to tell me whether he’s crazy or not?"
"Long story short, I want you to testify." Tu Ziyun stared at him.
"Bullshit. I’m not going." Skinny waved his hand irritably.
"If you go, you’ll be under witness protection. If you don't, I’m afraid you won't live past tomorrow."
Skinny froze.
Tu Ziyun explained patiently, "By now, Bai Shi must have discovered that you escaped. Even if he’s not in the city, he’ll be back today, and your escape will come to light sooner or later. What do you think he’ll do to the only person who made it out alive?"
Skinny’s lips began to tremble. "Fuck... it’s not like I’d talk..."
"He won't believe that."
Skinny fell silent, his eyes darting restlessly in their sockets.
"Think about it and you’ll understand," Tu Ziyun patted his shoulder. "Bai Shi is a ruthless man. He’s not going to listen to reason."
Skinny clenched his fists.
"You have no other choice."
In the long silence, Tu Ziyun waited patiently, despite his own gnawing anxiety and unbearable irritation. Skinny was trying to figure out how to avoid dying.
"If I follow you, can Bai Shi still kill me?"
Tu Ziyun forced a smile. "You just said things that are damaging to him. I have the recording. If he kills you in front of the police, he’s finished."
This didn't put Skinny at ease, so Tu Ziyun added, "He’s not that stupid."
Skinny lowered his head in silence again. After a while, he said, "I don't know where Pei Cangyu is."
Tu Ziyun nodded. "Only by bringing Bai Shi under control can we ensure Pei Cangyu’s safety."
Skinny finally nodded. "Then what do I need to do?"
Tu Ziyun thought for a moment. "Come back to my place first. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to Division Eight."
"What for?"
"To give a formal statement."
"Don't you already have the recording?"
"That’s just the preliminary. The formal interrogation is different. But don't worry."
Tu Ziyun stood up. Skinny followed, listlessly grabbing his jacket, looking as though he were already under arrest.
Tu Ziyun patted his shoulder and smiled. "Be optimistic. At least you don't have to worry about food and housing."
Skinny sighed and followed Tu Ziyun downstairs.
Once in the car, Tu Ziyun made a call to report his findings. Then he pulled over to the side of the road, sent the recording over, and waited for a reply.
Skinny wanted to smoke and asked if he could. Tu Ziyun, who was talking to the people at Division Eight, signaled that he could and gestured for him to roll down the window. Skinny complied.
There was a dispute within Division Eight. While waiting for their decision, Tu Ziyun took a call from Fei Qisheng, who said he had decided to meet Ding Chuan tomorrow. Tu Ziyun told him he would go along.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Skinny grew increasingly bored. He turned to Tu Ziyun. "Are we done yet? Are we moving or what?"
Tu Ziyun waved him off. "Wait, just wait."
Skinny leaned against the window, watching the passing cars. He took a few puffs of his cigarette and flicked the ash outside. The sun had set by now; it was time for dinner.
Skinny turned to look at the busy, frowning policeman. He wondered what the older man was going to feed him. Since someone else was paying, he might as well have something good. He wanted lamb.
"I want to eat lamb," he said to the busy officer.
The policeman paused, looked up at him, and hesitated for two seconds. "Fine."
"Then let’s go to Roasted Lamb Manor."
This time, the policeman didn't look up. "We can't go out. I’ll cook it for you."
It was Skinny’s turn to be surprised. He scratched his head, a look that was almost a smile appearing on his gaunt face, and turned back to lean against the window.
The roar of a train sounded ahead. The crossing gates rattled down with a clatter. The streetlights along the tracks flickered to life, casting a red glow. Crows perched on the rails took flight in a flurry, vanishing into the orange-hued clouds. The sky looked like a smear of oil paint, blurring and rendering the approaching night ever darker.
The night wind ruffled his hair. The car was dim, lit only by the policeman’s phone, but compared to the pitch-black, unlit wilderness outside, it was warm and bright here.
A car approached from the dark distance, passing them without its headlights on. Skinny only saw it when it was close. As it passed, a sudden beam of intense light flashed toward them. Both Skinny and the policeman squinted.
Then, a gunshot.
The bullet passed straight through the center of Skinny’s brow, fired from a slightly elevated angle, killing him instantly in his seat. On Skinny’s withered, grass-like face, a trace of lingering joy remained frozen. His wide-open pupils were fixed on a single beam of light.
The other car roared away, smashing through the crossing gate and vanishing gallantly before the oncoming train.
Tu Ziyun dropped his phone. He turned Skinny’s head and stared at the hole.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!... Dammit!... Fuck!... Goddammit!"
His eyes were nearly bursting with rage. His hands trembled as he gripped the steering wheel, and with bloodshot eyes, he slammed his foot on the gas.
***
