Capítulo 91: Chapter 91
At 3 a.m., Zhen Ai finished her work, tidied up the lab equipment, and prepared to rest in the lab as usual. She took off her lab coat, and as her hand slipped into the pocket, she felt the cool metal of Yan Su's key resting inside.
She wondered if the key to his house gave her a strange sense of belonging. Holding the small metal piece in her hand, she thought for a moment, then put on her coat and headed out.
She felt like returning to Yan Su's castle—that way, they could have breakfast together in the morning.
Zhen Ai emerged from the underground lab, crossing through the abandoned neighborhood that lay in the forest.
The ruins glowed eerily white in the moonlight, giving the place a somewhat frightening atmosphere. But she was used to it by now.
Turning a corner, she stepped into the deep woods filled with fallen leaves. Looking up at the sky, she saw that the summer night was full of brilliant stars, serene and dreamlike. The early morning breeze was cool, and she took a deep breath.
As her gaze lowered, she noticed a car parked next to hers, near the dark trees ahead.
It was Owen.
She had told him earlier that she would be working until the next day or two, assuring him that there was no need to wait for her. But now that she'd decided to leave on a whim, she hadn't expected him to still be outside, waiting.
Feeling a bit guilty, Zhen Ai jogged over to his car and tapped on the window. "Owen."
The window rolled down, revealing Owen's calm face, showing no signs of fatigue.
Leaning down, she said, "Didn't I tell you that you didn't have to wait for me?"
Owen just smiled. "And yet, here you are, heading out unexpectedly."
"Heading to the castle?" he asked.
Zhen Ai's face flushed slightly, and she looked down, murmuring, "Mhm." She brushed her hair back and moved toward the passenger seat.
The two of them rode in silence.
Zhen Ai realized that Owen had become increasingly quiet lately. In the past, it was she who was silent, but now that she'd grown more cheerful, it seemed like Owen had taken on the role of the quiet one—as if they had swapped personalities.
The car left the forest and merged onto the highway, cutting through the night. Zhen Ai, looking for a topic, asked, "Have they caught Suki yet?"
"No." Although it wasn't Owen's responsibility, he was keeping track of the case.
"Well," Zhen Ai muttered, "it's only been two days. These things don't happen that quickly."
Owen squinted slightly at the road illuminated by the headlights. "She's worked as an agent for ten years. She knows exactly how the CIA operates. She won't be easy to catch."
Zhen Ai shifted in her seat to face him. "Owen, in your experience, do you think Suki will kill again?"
"In most cases, yes," Owen replied, glancing at her furrowed brow in the rearview mirror. "Ai, what are you worried about?"
Zhen Ai sat back and shook her head. "Nothing."
Owen paused, then gave a small smile. "Worried about S.A.? Don't be. Someone's keeping an eye on him."
Zhen Ai froze. Keeping an eye on him? Was Yan Su being monitored?
"Owen, do you realize that they're suspecting S.A.?"
"I wouldn't know," Owen said. "But whether they suspect him or not, S.A. couldn't possibly be the mastermind. This is a country that relies on evidence, so you don't need to worry about him."
Suspicion alone meant nothing.
Zhen Ai thought back to the Zhao He case, which reassured her a little. She glanced at Owen's profile—steadfast and composed, always upright and loyal, both to her and to the country.
She turned her gaze out the window, looking at the dark fields passing by in silence.
---
Half an hour later, they arrived at the castle in the mountains. A soft night light glowed inside the building.
A streetlamp at the entrance cast a beam of light, where small summer insects danced in the air.
Owen walked with her to the door. Feeling a bit awkward, she fumbled in her pocket for Yan Su's key. He said nothing, but Zhen Ai, a little embarrassed, invited him, "Owen, it's really late. Why don't you stay here tonight?"
The way she said it only made her sound more like the lady of the house.
Owen politely declined, saying he was relieved just to see her arrive safely.
---
Once inside, Zhen Ai glanced around but saw no signs of surveillance—or perhaps it was just too well hidden for her to notice.
She tiptoed upstairs and saw Isaac, the little bird, nestled in his feathers, fast asleep. Smiling, she walked down the long hallway toward Yan Su's room, imagining him sleeping soundly. But halfway there, she noticed the light on in the study.
He's still awake?
Curious, Zhen Ai gently pushed open the study door to take a peek—but to her surprise, the room was empty.
On the desk lay five photographs: an extinguished candle, an hourglass on a wooden frame, a withered iris flower, a four-colored globe, and a glass of unfinished red wine.
The sight jogged her memory—Suki had mentioned that the families of the kindergarten teacher and the writer had found hourglasses and globes that didn't belong to them. It seemed the other objects had been left in the homes of other victims.
Just as Zhen Ai picked up the photos, the door behind her opened.
In the next moment, Yan Su appeared at the door, dressed in a robe and carrying a tray with a small plate of sandwiches, a cup of oatmeal, and a bowl of fruit. He had gone to the kitchen to make a midnight snack.
Seeing her there, Yan Su smiled. "Up so late—aren't you tired?"
Zhen Ai shook her head, touching the key in her pocket. She felt full of energy. Yan Su had handed her the key when they left the police station a couple of days ago, so now she could come and go as she pleased, without needing Marie to let her in.
It felt like this was her own home. Here she was, in the middle of the night, coming over whenever she wanted, just like coming home.
---
The warm glow from the study lamp made the room feel cozy and inviting.
"Got some free time today? No work?" Yan Su asked, placing the tray on the desk.
"Not really. I'll leave in the morning," Zhen Ai replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. There were only a few hours left until sunrise, and she had come all the way just to see him. How silly...
Yan Su looked at her for a moment, then walked around the desk and pulled her onto his lap. Zhen Ai had never been held like this before—it felt like she was being cradled like a child. Embarrassed but also feeling close to him, she leaned into his chest.
As she shifted, her hand brushed against his robe, revealing a bit of his warm, bare chest. A slight tremor ran through her, but she pretended not to notice, turning her face toward the photos on the desk. "Why are you still looking at these? Do they mean something special?"
Yan Su wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. "They might be a sequence."
"A sequence?" She became curious, holding up the photos.
Yan Su had already arranged them in the correct order.
With his long arms, he scooped up some oatmeal and held a spoonful to her lips. She took a bite, mumbling, "Hmm? Could the candle be number 1?" She immediately laughed at herself. "That's too simple, isn't it?"
Yan Su smiled. "I think it's 1 too."
Zhen Ai raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Okay, don't tell me the rest, let me figure it out. Hmm, the hourglass has two sections, so it's 2; the iris flower has three petals; the globe follows the four-color theorem; and the wine..."
Yan Su offered her a blueberry. "It looks like there are 5 milliliters of wine."
Zhen Ai bit into the blueberry, her teeth lightly grazing his finger. "Dear, do you think there will be a 6, 7, 8, and 9 too?"
Yan Su remained impassive and didn't answer.
Thinking about this, Zhen Ai suddenly recalled what Owen had said earlier. Had Yan Su noticed that someone was watching him?
"Dear, I think Laise and the others are starting to suspect you," she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder. "Don't you feel wronged or upset about it?"
"Not at all." He chuckled at her sudden childishness. "Ai, I'm fine. And Officer Laise's suspicion is necessary and justified. In their line of work, they can't let emotions get in the way. Even though others may believe in me, Laise is following the evidence to question me—and I think that's both fair and honorable."
Zhen Ai closed her eyes, speechless. She had never met a man like him before. People were accusing him of being a sadistic, sexually deviant serial killer, and yet here he was, feeling grateful for their professionalism. What an idiot!
She wasn't really worried that he would get arrested—what bothered her was how it might affect his reputation and emotions. But clearly, she was overthinking it. His heart was so open and untroubled—why would he care?
Yan Su suddenly thought of something and asked, "How late will you be working today?" Glancing at the clock on the desk, he added, "It's 4 a.m. now. Am I going to see you again tomorrow at this same hour?"
Zhen Ai shook her head. "I'm not sure. Why?"
"I want to have dinner with you." His voice softened unexpectedly, warming her ears. It seemed like it had been a long time since they had sat down to enjoy a proper meal together amidst all the chaos.
She nodded. "Okay, that sounds nice."
Hearing her answer, Yan Su let out a light, almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
Zhen Ai didn't notice, as she slowly ate some grapes. With her free hand, she absently tugged on the wooden ring of a desk drawer. By accident, she pulled it open.
Startled, she tried to push it back, but something inside caught her eye. "Huh? The Pipa and the Nautilus? You still kept it?"
She picked up the tiny nautilus shell from the drawer, cradling it in her hand. "When you took this out of my hat before, I thought it was a snail. But why does the nautilus look more like a disk-shaped snail rather than a spiral-shaped shell?"
"Maybe because it lives in the ocean," Yan Su said absentmindedly. "It's one of the oldest sea creatures and symbolizes perfection."
His gaze fell on the miniature pipa inside the drawer, his expression darkening. Only seven people would die.
Who would be the sixth victim?
Zhen Ai studied the shell for a while before placing it back in the drawer. She picked up a small glass bowl of cherries and began to eat.
Yan Su glanced at her—and in that moment, he forgot whatever dark thoughts had been occupying his mind.
The small, bright-red cherries glistened on her lips, making her look breathtakingly alluring. He tightened his hold around her soft waist, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Ai, from now on, let's live our lives just the two of us. What do you say?"
With a cherry still in her mouth, she mumbled, "Mhm."
It was how things were supposed to be—just the two of them.
No more doubts. Just cherishing the present.
Yan Su smiled slightly, and without any warning, he asked, "Ai, do you want to have intercourse with me?"
Zhen Ai choked, swallowing the large cherry whole.
That topic shift was too... sudden!
She turned her head, staring at him in disbelief.
Yan Su had used "intercourse" in English—a term so academic, so precise. It wasn't the more romantic "make love", nor the casual "have sex", nor the colloquial "do it", nor the slang "hook up", nor the vulgar "f---" or "take".
It was a purely formal and clinical "intercourse."
How... perfectly in character for him.
Zhen Ai forgot to blush and instead focused on analyzing his word choice.
Yan Su rested his hand on her leg, his thumb gently stroking her skin as he reminded her, "Ai, by the time you respond, the light we see now will have traveled out of the solar system."
Zhen Ai put the glass bowl down and looked away. "Why are you asking me that?"
Completely unbothered, Yan Su answered sincerely, "Our minds are already deeply connected—why not let our bodies follow suit and synchronize with that rhythm?"
He said it without the slightest hint of embarrassment, as if it were a perfectly rational proposition. His tone was so serious that he made it seem like not having physical intimacy with him would be unprofessional and unacademic.
Zhen Ai blinked, feeling as if he had made a very good point. She took a few seconds to shake off the absurd notion of cleaning herself up and crawling into his bed.
She fidgeted with her fingers. "Uh... I don't know if it's really necessary..."
Yan Su rubbed his nose thoughtfully. "I used to be indifferent to sex, but I recently did some research," he said with his characteristic thoroughness. "Moderate sexual activity improves mood, promotes physical health, and enhances responsiveness."
After delivering his pitch, he added, "Of course, I don't need these benefits myself—but I think you could use them."
Zhen Ai gave him a deadpan look. "Your self-sacrificing spirit of service is truly admirable."
"That's not my main point," Yan Su clarified. "The point is, if sex can bring us so many benefits, why shouldn't we enjoy it?"
Why shouldn't we enjoy it?!
Zhen Ai: ...
This abstinent logician, how could he say such a thing?!
And to top it off, in his eagerness to express universal joy, he had butchered his grammar, using the phrase "enjoy happily."
Not only "enjoy", but "enjoy happily."
Zhen Ai coughed awkwardly. "Dear, your phrasing is incorrect. 'Enjoy' already implies happiness—you don't need to repeat it."
Yan Su blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her correction. But within half a second, his sharp mind recovered, and he retorted confidently, "It's for two people, so it needs double the happiness."
His shamelessness was... truly unbeatable.
Feeling mischievous, Zhen Ai decided to tease him. "Dear, I think we should rise above worldly desires. I don't care about physical pleasure—our emotional connection is already joyful and profound enough for me."
Yan Su was stunned for a few seconds. Then, after a moment's pause, he let out an "Oh," nodding with an expression of sudden enlightenment, as if he had just reached a state of spiritual transcendence.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her and said softly, "Ai, I respect your thoughts. P.S., I love you so much."
This hug came from the heart, with no trace of lust or desire.
Zhen Ai was overwhelmed once again, but after the shock came a long period of bewilderment.
Did he really give up so easily just because of what she said?
At that moment, she realized something: Yan Su's love for her heart far exceeded any physical desire for her. She had seemingly suggested a relationship based on emotional connection alone, and he had happily accepted it.
Would he now commit to a lifetime of purely platonic love, never again thinking of touching her?
Why did she feel both moved and frustrated by this at the same time? She couldn't very well throw herself at him now, could she?
Leaning against his chest, Zhen Ai closed her eyes with a sense of sorrow.
Zhen Ai spent a peaceful three hours sleeping in Yan Su's bed, wrapped securely in his arms. In the morning, they woke up together, just as she had hoped, and shared breakfast.
He fried eggs while she toasted bread. He made sandwiches, and she warmed the milk.
The morning passed gently, and after exchanging a soft good-morning kiss, Zhen Ai headed out. Yan Su walked her to the door, where Marie was receiving a delivery using Yan Su's signature stamp. The deliveryman was carrying several large rectangular boxes into the house—there must have been at least ten of them.
Zhen Ai asked curiously, "What's all this?"
Yan Su's expression didn't change. "Oh, I'm replacing the bookshelves on the third floor."
Zhen Ai thought nothing of it and stood on tiptoe to plant another kiss on his cheek before leaving.
After leaving the castle and walking down the hill, Zhen Ai got into Owen's car. She pulled a lunchbox from her bag, filled with sandwiches and fruit, and handed it to him.
Owen accepted it with a "Thank you." Unlike his usual cautious demeanor, he began eating while driving—he must have been genuinely hungry.
In a quiet voice, Zhen Ai said, "Owen, I'll be back by six tonight. I won't wander around, I promise. You can rest in the meantime—I swear I won't leave."
Owen's response was brief but clear. "I know." Still, it was obvious that he had no intention of following her suggestion.
Just before they reached her destination, Owen received a phone call. From his side of the conversation, it sounded like his superiors were asking him to leave for another task. However, Owen insisted that he wouldn't leave until at least two other agents came to take over for him.
Listening to this, Zhen Ai frowned. Why was Owen more on edge these days than usual?
She didn't ask, though. She left him to wait for the shift change and headed into the lab.
At 1 p.m., Yan Su had almost finished setting up the room on the third floor. The previously classical hall had been stripped bare, replaced entirely by pure white—the ceiling, walls, and floor were all covered in white drapery.
Standing amidst the pristine whiteness, Yan Su inspected the space, satisfied with his work. Just as he was about to test something, his phone rang—it was Rheid.
"S.A., did you find anything besides the sequence from those five photos?"
Yan Su had already decided to conceal part of the truth. "No, nothing else. But I have a feeling there will be more deaths soon."
Rheid replied quickly. "I think the first round of killings has already ended."
"First round?" Yan Su asked, stepping out of the white room and closing the door behind him. "Why do you say that?"
"S.A.," Rheid explained hurriedly, "I just mapped the victims' addresses on a map, and they form a perfect pentagram. This pattern is stable, which makes me think that the first wave of killings carried out by Suki is over. But the mastermind behind her won't stop. They'll continue pulling the strings and orchestrating more murders. That's why I said the first round is over, but there will be a second and third."
A pentagram?
Suki's original targets were four women, with the writer's death being an unexpected complication. How did the victims' locations end up forming a pentagram? Could it be that the mastermind was using Suki as part of a grander design?
Yan Su stood in the hallway, gazing out at the endless forest.
"Rheid, Suki won't simply obey the mastermind and stop killing. As a CIA agent, she has creativity and independence. The only reason she followed the mastermind's orders to abuse these women is that she already harbored deep-seated rage. This killing spree opened the dark box in her heart. She will continue killing—and this time, she won't need the mastermind's guidance or help. She'll act on her own."
"I know," Rheid said. "Which means we now have two threats: the mastermind may be recruiting a new killer, while Suki, having learned from the mastermind, has transformed into an independent and dangerous murderer. We're now dealing with two waves of killers." He paused for a moment. "The scariest part is that the mastermind's method of teaching killers could continue, creating more killers like Suki."
"Exactly," Yan Su replied in a low voice. "It's a killer training school. The longer we take to catch him, the more students he'll produce—just like a virus replicating."
The grim metaphor hung in the air, and both men fell silent. Still, Yan Su remained hopeful. "Our first priority is to find Suki—alive. She might be the key to uncovering the mastermind's identity."
Rheid agreed. "To find her, we need to predict who she'll target next."
A freshly graduated "student" from this school of killers, picking her first victim on her own—who would she choose?
New graduates often carry the influence of their training, eager to prove themselves and demonstrate their importance.
A spark of insight flashed through Yan Su's mind. "Rheid, is the pentagram perfectly symmetrical?"
"Yes."
"Then the five points must lie on a circle. What's at the center of the circle?"
There was a flurry of pages turning on the other end of the call. "Luckily, the center falls in an uninhabited area—the wilderness of the Prince Mountains."
The final words hit Yan Su like a hammer blow. His ears echoed with Owen's warning from that day at the police station:
"S.A., Ai's lab is beneath the abandoned Prince Genetics Institute's residential area. If anything happens to me, you need to know where to find her."
Yan Su's heart plummeted into an icy abyss.
Suki wasn't part of the organization—she wouldn't hesitate to harm Zhen Ai. If she got her hands on Zhen Ai, she would kill her, likely in a more brutal fashion than her previous victims.
And Zhen Ai—she wouldn't fight back like she had in the Zhao He or King Siella cases. She might even refuse to defend herself, knowing that if she killed Suki, Yan Su—already under suspicion—would become even more entangled.
That foolish girl. Even though he had told her countless times that he didn't care about such things...
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