Capítulo 81: Chapter 81
White daylight poured in from the countless windows along the corridor, falling on two tall men with similar builds.
The two were handcuffed together but kept a distance apart, their expressions calm as water, walking slowly through the mottled sunlight streaming in from the windows. They didn't speak a word.
When they reached the hall, they saw 13 hollow corridors and 11 lifeless wax figures. Currently standing, only Yan Su, Zhen Ai, the writer, the kindergarten teacher, and the actress remained.
The wax figures were askew, looking eerie. Yet neither of them felt anything unusual.
As they approached the main door, Arthur kicked the wax figure of the actress, sending it rigidly tumbling down.
Yan Su cast him a glance but said nothing, instead pulling open the castle's grand door.
The morning sea breeze brought with it the salty scent of the aftermath of a storm, hitting them directly. Before them was a vast expanse of blue sea and sky, devoid of any other colors apart from blue.
Standing at the top of the thousand-step staircase, Yan Su gazed out, the sea surface calm like a gemstone, without the shadow of passing boats. His gaze fell down to the steep steps, where a white small boat had drifted away from the shore and was anchored nearby, perhaps waiting for him and Zhen Ai.
The person beside him moved the handcuff slightly, and he turned to look at Arthur, who pointed at the stone steps: "Do you mind if I sit down?" He cast a glance at Yan Su's left chest, feeling quite pleased, "For your sake."
Yan Su knew he couldn't hide the fact that he was injured, so he sat down with him: "Thank you."
His movements were a bit difficult but still graceful, and after a while, he asked, "Was that arrow yours?"
Arthur's gaze flickered: "No one else has such good archery skills."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Exchanging a few words, Yan Su surprisingly smiled, slowly inhaling the sea breeze, and asked, "How long have you been in this castle?"
"Are you referring to her castle?" Arthur tilted the topic meaningfully, asking himself and answering, "A lifetime."
Yan Su said nothing.
Arthur sat on the stone steps, enjoying the breeze, and suddenly asked, "How was my acting this time?"
Yan Su replied, "Perfect score." He added, "From head to toe, flawless, with no signs of a slip-up."
Arthur raised an eyebrow: "But you still figured it out." This time he had put in a lot of effort and hadn't expected Yan Su to discover it, which ruined his plan.
"The ice cellar," was Yan Su's brief reply.
"Because I took you to save her?"
"Not really." Yan Su turned back, calmly looking at him, "I carried her out of the ice cellar, and when you and the maid closed the door, it didn't make a sound."
Arthur paused for a moment, reluctantly acknowledging the point, and moved the corners of his lips: "Ha, at that critical moment, you actually noticed that detail."
Yan Su gazed at the distant sea, the evening breeze tousling his black hair: "There was simply no sound of the door closing, yet you claimed to have heard it. Because you knew there was an ice cellar nearby, and seeing her disappear, you…" He hesitated but continued, "You habitually worried whether something had happened to her, whether she had been locked in by the murderer."
Arthur's expression cooled slightly: "Just based on that?"
"Yes, just based on that. Your behavior wasn't a command from above, but rather an unconscious worry, infused with personal emotions. Later, the model's death further confirmed this point. He turned into ice shavings the moment he was locked in the ice cellar. This was not just clearing the scene but also a strong hatred. It wasn't something someone merely executing orders would randomly display; it was personal."
Arthur leaned his elbows on his knees, lowering his head to rub his nose: "B said that I always mess things up because of her, and I'd end up ruined due to my feelings for her. Seems so."
He shook his head and smiled lightly.
The sun came out.
A thin golden light spilled from the east, enveloping the two men's hair and profiles, equally stunning.
Yan Su's idle left hand rested on his knee, the soft golden sunlight dancing on the back of his hand. Suddenly flipping his palm, his fingertips moved, and he remembered Zhen Ai standing at the ship's railing, joyfully reaching out her slender fingers to catch the wind. He truly loved the carefree smile on her face at that moment.
He stared at the sunlight in his palm and asked, "Did you come here just to tell her about her lineage and Chace's death?"
"Yes."
Arthur's gaze darkened slightly, his heart pained. He hadn't expected Zhen Ai to trust Yan Su so much and reconcile with him so quickly.
When Chace had died, he had kept it a secret from her, yet she still found out and went mad, kicking and hitting him, shouting, "I want to kill you, I want to kill you."
He had really given her a dagger, and she had plunged it into his chest.
He couldn't understand how she could forgive Yan Su after her beloved brother died.
But he also knew that Chace had committed suicide using Yan Su's hand. Compared to Yan Su, Zhen Ai might blame Chace's death more on him. But he never intended to force Chace to death. After her mother died, their relationship had hit rock bottom. Even though he knew Chace wanted to take Zhen Ai away, and even though he wished to tear him to pieces, he never considered killing him, simply because he was her beloved brother.
He had suppressed countless resentments.
However, Arthur never imagined that Chace would choose to commit suicide, severing the last thread of Zhen Ai's attachment to her past life, drawing a line between him and Zhen Ai, completely pushing him out of her world.
Moreover, Chace had instructed his old subordinates to steal Zhen Ai away from the organization and from him.
Now, every time he thought of Chace, Arthur wished he could blow him to smithereens thousands of times!
Arthur clenched his fist unconsciously at this thought, his nails digging into his palm, causing intense pain.
Hearing his affirmative answer, Yan Su lowered his gaze: "Please let her go; she's already suffering greatly. Don't torment her anymore."
Arthur's expression darkened, dismissively saying, "Five years ago, she never knew what suffering was. It was the outside world that tormented her. The more she wanted, the more she hoped, the more she would suffer. Without the instigation and temptation of people like you, she would still be that innocent girl."
"Zhen Ai has the right to pursue anything she likes, any kind of life!"
"None of you will ever understand what truly suits Cheryl!"
Although the two loved the same girl, their beliefs and methods were completely opposite, and neither could persuade the other.
For a long time, both remained silent. Only the clear sea breeze blew up the stone steps from the gentle waves, causing their short hair to flutter and their clothing to sway.
A striped shape appeared on the distant horizon, slowly enlarging; the police from Weiling Island were coming.
Arthur squinted at that point, seeming to gather himself. After a while, he softened his tone:
"Do you know? She used to cry a lot as a child. Not just as a child, but until she was about three or four years old. When she cried, her face would be covered in tears, and I was most afraid of her crying.
Whenever she cried, it broke my heart, really hurt.
But at that time, she also loved to laugh. When I tickled her, she would roll around on the grass, laughing like a bell, her hair and clothes covered in grass."
Yan Su listened quietly, his amber eyes revealing no emotion.
"Later, as she grew a little older, her mother took her away. Her mother was very strict with her, not allowing her to do many things. She became timid and stopped playing with her friends. Occasionally, she would appear, shyly holding onto Chace's shirt, following him closely like a little shadow. Chace wasn't afraid to fight anyone when he was young; with him around, even Bert wouldn't dare bully her. When Chace wasn't there, she would stay behind me. At one point, I even hoped that Chace would stay away forever and never come back."
But now, for the first time, he hoped Chace could come back to life.
"I would give her candy, and she would eagerly follow me every day, clutching her little rabbit, peeking at me from the doorway. I would hold out the candy, and she would come over to lick it, sometimes licking my palm. Her tongue and lips were very soft. I would lick her face and hands, like an animal instinctively being affectionate."
As Arthur spoke, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"At that time, she was very well-behaved; she wouldn't move around or resist. Unlike with Bert, whenever he touched her, she would scream and run away."
"She didn't have any toys; even her pet was white. Later, her mother confiscated her rabbit for experiments. At the age of five, she had her first big tantrum, breaking numerous experimental instruments and refusing to participate. Her mother locked her in a dark room. All day long, the building echoed with the little girl's screams. Bert enjoyed it, sitting by the door listening. But I felt very sad.
"In the beginning, it took several adults to hold her down by the neck while she cried and yelled, kicking and thrashing, being dragged across the floor for dozens of meters. Later, she stopped crying and yelling, calmly walked over, and closed the door."
When Yan Su heard this last part, his chest hurt as if it were about to break open, and his throat constricted with unspeakable emotions, leaving him unable to say anything.
Before him appeared a six or seven-year-old girl, with a neat ponytail, wearing a small, spotless white lab coat, walking silently down the empty corridor, her small face expressionless and calm, exuding a deadened and subdued aura as she entered the dark room without resistance and closed the door.
He recalled Zhen Ai kicking the gravestone in front of her mother's grave, crying out, "Aren't you powerful? I was just being disobedient! Why don't you jump out of the grave to scold me or hit me, or lock me in a dark room!"
His heart twisted painfully.
Arthur's eyes reflected the bright white light from above, filled with both frustration and a sense of acceptance. "At that time, I wanted to save her, but I was too young. The adults wouldn't allow it; even my mother wouldn't let me, and she told me the story of the circus elephant."
As he said this, he turned his head to look at Yan Su's somewhat pale profile. "You have a deep understanding of human psychology and behavior; you should have heard of the circus elephant story."
Yan Su certainly knew it, a classic yet cruel story about psychological and character development. The circus elephant was chained from birth; it was too weak to break free each time it tried, and when it grew up, it was capable of escaping but had lost its confidence.
His voice was low, with a hint of barely detectable anger. "She is a human being, not an experimental subject!"
Arthur withdrew his gaze and looked at the approaching boat on the sea. "But she grew up in that world, living simply for so many years. That kind of life is perfectly fine. She is too weak, too timid; the outside world, your world, is not suitable for her at all. She may be curious, but over time, it will only bring harm."
"No, she is not." Yan Su affirmed surprisingly, "She is not what you say."
He turned to look at Arthur, his eyes steady and calm:
"I told you at the Maple Street Bank that even in a crisis, she is a girl who can take care of herself. She is a smart, wise, brave, and strong girl who often bursts forth with astonishing energy without realizing it. Just like you said earlier, she threw your killer into the sea."
Though he still worried, he continued, "Most importantly, she is happy and joyful because she discovered her strength and bravery. She loves her independent and confident self. Arthur, she is no longer the circus elephant chained by the shackles."
Arthur clenched his jaw and fell into a long, gloomy silence.
This was precisely what he feared the most, yet Yan Su's words exposed it.
He truly hated that he had turned her into what she was now—no longer needing his protection, no longer that little girl hiding behind him. It was as if, without him, she was doing perfectly well.
His heart felt as if it had been cut by a knife; resentment brewed within him, raising an eyebrow:
"Ha, you say she has changed? It's a pity that in front of me, she is still just like she was when she was little." He instinctively clenched his fist. "She cannot escape, cannot break free, and cannot resist."
The provoking words fell, yet Yan Su showed no reaction, continuing to gaze calmly at the sea, where the police boat's outline grew clearer.
It was as if the girl Arthur spoke of meant nothing to him at all.
Noticing Yan Su's unwavering calm, Arthur withdrew his gaze. "Are you going to sit here and wait for the police?"
"Yeah." His reply was short and concise, as if Yan Su no longer wanted to converse with him.
"You might as well not," Arthur turned his wrist, a hint of glee in his tone. "If I were you, I'd go see her."
But Yan Su remained unresponsive to this suggestion, any emotion having vanished from him, leaving him quiet as the still sea.
He didn't look at Arthur and said flatly, "I believe she is safe right now."
"Why?"
Yan Su glanced at him, then looked out at the sea. "You won't hurt her."
"Is that so?" A cold smirk crossed Arthur's face as he also looked toward the shore. "To be honest, the last time I saw her, she was unconscious, lying in the bathtub, completely undressed."
Yan Su slightly clenched his jaw, his gaze flickering faintly, yet his face remained clean, showing no emotion.
"The bathtub was still filling with water. When I left, the water had already covered her body and should have reached her lips by now. Ah, her body and lips," Arthur closed his eyes slightly, a shudder escaping him as he savored the moment, "so soft, so weak, it's intoxicating."
Yan Su turned his head, calm and unyielding, his gaze falling lightly on Arthur's face.
Arthur also turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "You know that feeling. It's a pity you'll never get to experience it again. She's about to drown."
"You're lying." Yan Su stated firmly, avoiding Arthur's intentional provocations, "You won't kill her."
"I don't 'want' to kill her," Arthur corrected his wording, relaxing his expression as he shrugged, "But there's an emotion called impulse. And there's another emotion called love turning to hate! She really doesn't listen, constantly struggles and resists. However, in the end, she is just a girl; it's all in vain."
Yan Su listened quietly, his tea-colored eyes revealing no emotions.
"Later, she grew a bit older and was taken away by her mother. Her mother was very strict with her and forbade her from doing many things. She became very timid and no longer played with her friends. Occasionally, she would show up, shyly clinging to Chace's clothes, following him closely like a little shadow. When Chace was around, he dared to confront anyone; even Bert didn't dare bully her with him there. When Chace wasn't around, she would stick close to me. I even hoped that Chace would stay away forever and never come back."
But now, he desperately wished for Chace to come back to life.
"I would give her candy, and she would eagerly follow me every day, hugging her little bunny and peeking out from behind the door to look at me. I'd hold out the candy, and she would come over and lick it, sometimes licking my palm. Her tongue and lips were very soft. I would lick her face and hands, like animals showing their affection."
As Arthur spoke, a faint smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
"She was very well-behaved back then; she wouldn't move around or resist, unlike with Bert. Every time he touched her, she would scream and hide."
"She didn't have any toys, and even her pet was white. Later, her mother confiscated her bunny for experiments. At five, she cried and threw a fit for the first time, breaking countless experimental instruments and refusing to participate in the experiments. Her mother locked her in a dark room. For an entire day, the whole building was filled with the sound of the little girl's screams. Bert loved it and sat at the door to listen. But I felt very sad.
"At first, it took several adults to hold her down. She cried and shouted, kicking and thrashing, being dragged along the floor for dozens of meters. Later, she stopped crying and shouting; she calmly walked over and closed the door by herself."
Upon hearing this, Yan Su felt a pain in his chest, as if it were about to split open. He choked on his emotions, unable to say anything.
In his mind, he imagined a six or seven-year-old girl, with a neat ponytail, wearing a tiny, spotless white lab coat, walking silently down an empty corridor, her little face indifferent and calm, exuding an air of dead silence and obedience, walking into a dark room without resistance and closing the door.
He recalled how she had lost control at Zhen Ai's mother's grave, kicking the tombstone and crying, "Aren't you powerful? I'm just being disobedient! Why don't you jump out of the grave and scold me? Hit me? Lock me in the dark room!"
His heart twisted painfully, throbbing mercilessly.
Arthur's eyes reflected the bright sunlight, a mix of frustration and acceptance. "At that time, I wanted to save her, but I was too young. The adults wouldn't allow it, and neither would my mother. She even told me the story of the circus elephant."
At this point, he turned his head, fixing his gaze on Yan Su's somewhat pale profile. "You study human psychology and behavior, so you must have heard the story of the circus elephant."
Yan Su certainly knew it—a classic yet cruel story in the realm of psychological and character development. The circus elephant is chained from birth and cannot break free due to its small size. By the time it grows up, it has grown accustomed to the chain and has lost its confidence, despite having the strength to escape.
His voice lowered, laced with barely perceptible anger. "She's a person, not a test subject!"
Arthur withdrew his gaze, looking at the approaching boats on the sea. "But she grew up in that world, living a simple life for so many years. That kind of life is good for her. She is too fragile, too timid; the outside world, your world, isn't suitable for her at all. She may be curious, but over time, it will only bring harm."
"No, she isn't." Yan Su replied surprisingly firmly. "She isn't what you say."
He turned to look at Arthur, his eyes steady and calm. "At the Maple Street Bank, I told you, even in a crisis, she is a girl who can take care of herself. She is smart, wise, brave, and strong, often exploding with astonishing energy unexpectedly. Just like you said earlier, she threw your assassin into the sea."
Though he still worried, he added, "Most importantly, she is happy and joyful because she has discovered her own strength and resilience. She loves being independent and confident. Arthur, she is no longer the little elephant trapped by chains in the circus."
Arthur clenched his jaw, remaining silent for a long time, brooding in darkness.
This was exactly what he feared and dreaded, and yet Yan Su's words had pierced through it. He hated that he had turned her into the person she was now; she didn't need his protection anymore and was no longer that little girl hiding behind him. It was as if, without him, she was doing just fine.
His heart felt like it was sliced open, and a surge of resentment grew within him. Arthur raised an eyebrow, saying, "Ha, you say she has changed? Unfortunately, in front of me, she is still just like she was when she was young." He instinctively clenched his fist. "She can't break free, can't escape, and can't resist."
Despite the provocative words, Yan Su showed no reaction, continuing to gaze calmly at the sea, where the outlines of the police boats were becoming clearer.
It was as if the girl Arthur spoke of meant nothing to him.
Arthur, seeing his indifference, turned his head. "Are you going to sit here and wait for the police?"
"Yeah." His reply was short and concise, as if Yan Su no longer wished to engage in conversation with him.
"Maybe you shouldn't," Arthur rotated his wrist, a hint of mischief on his face. "If I were you, I'd go check on her."
But Yan Su, upon hearing this, remained unfazed, his emotions seemingly vanished, leaving him utterly still.
He didn't look at Arthur and said softly, "I believe she is safe now."
"Why?"
Yan Su glanced at him and then at the sea. "You won't harm her."
"Really?" A cold smile crossed Arthur's face as he looked towards the shore. "To tell you the truth, the last time I saw her, she was unconscious, completely naked, sleeping in the bathtub."
Yan Su bit his lower lip, his eyes flashing briefly, yet his face remained clean of any emotion.
"The bathtub was still filling with water. When I left, the water had already covered her body, and it should be over her lips now. Ah, her body and lips..." Arthur slightly closed his eyes, letting out a hiss of pleasure. "So soft, so fragile, irresistible."
Yan Su turned his head, calm and unwavering, his gaze settling lightly on Arthur's face.
Arthur turned to look at him as well, raising an eyebrow. "You know what that feels like. It's a pity you'll never taste it again. She's about to drown."
"You're lying." Yan Su asserted confidently, avoiding the part where Arthur was deliberately trying to provoke him. "You wouldn't kill her."
"I don't 'want' to kill her," Arthur corrected his wording, relaxing his expression and shrugging. "But there's a feeling in people called impulse. There's another feeling called love turned to hate! She really doesn't listen, always struggles, always resists. But in the end, she's just a girl; it's all futile."
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