Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
With the coldness of the Forensic Autopsy Room and the scent of disinfectant lingering in the air, I returned to the apartment.
I took off the coat tainted with the essence of death, the faint aroma of Bitter Almond Flavor seemingly clinging to my nostrils.
The darkness and fear from twenty years ago wrapped around me once more like a relentless parasite.
The living room lights were on, their warm yellow glow dispelling some of the chilling sensation.
Lu Li sat on the sofa, as if he had been waiting for me for a long time.
He wore that signature Dark Trench Coat, his tall figure casting a striking silhouette under the light.
Upon hearing the door open, he turned his head, his deep gaze settling on me with a hint of barely perceptible concern.
"You're back? You must be tired."
His voice was low and gentle, as it always was.
I sat down across from him, placing my cold hands around the Mug in an attempt to draw some warmth.
The trembling remnants in my fingertips betrayed my inner turmoil.
"Lu Li, I have something to tell you."
I took a deep breath, striving to make my voice sound steady.
"The female corpse we dissected today... I smelled Bitter Almonds."
Lu Li's brow furrowed slightly but quickly returned to calm.
"Bitter Almond Flavor?"
"Yes, the scent of Cyanide."
My voice came out a bit dry.
"And it smells exactly the same as when I was kidnapped twenty years ago."
I stared intently into his eyes, not missing any subtle changes in his expression.
I revealed that long-buried secret, one that had nearly suffocated me.
"And that ring, the one engraved with '701', is the same as the number on the Nameless Male Corpse."
The air seemed to freeze.
Lu Li fell silent for a few seconds, his face betraying no emotion.
"Cyanide..."
He repeated it, his fingers unconsciously stroking the inside of his trench coat, where something hard seemed to be concealed.
A habitual action he never seemed to abandon.
"That's quite a coincidence, Nian Nian."
He finally spoke, his tone serious, even tinged with concern.
"Maybe it's just a similar scent? Or perhaps there was something else at the scene emitting that odor?"
He attempted to offer a rational explanation, but his gaze flickered, avoiding mine.
"And that ring, '701' could just be a coincidental number or represent some special meaning; it doesn't necessarily relate to that Male Corpse."
His words sounded logical, as if he were trying to soothe me and help me analyze the situation.
But I could sense that beneath his calmness lay a deliberate intent.
It felt as though he was avoiding something or guiding my thoughts away from a dangerous direction.
"Lu Li."
I interrupted him.
"This is not a coincidence."
My intuition, along with the nightmares I've endured for twenty years, was sharply telling me that this was no accident.
"I would never mistake that scent! It is etched into my very bones!"
My emotions were getting the better of me, and my voice rose slightly.
Lu Li looked at me, his gaze complex.
He stood up and walked over to my side, wanting to reach out and embrace me.
"Nian Nian, I know you're hurting. What happened twenty years ago..."
His hand gently rested on my shoulder, trying to offer me comfort.
At that moment, as he leaned in closer, his coat opened slightly.
My gaze inadvertently swept across his waist.
There, beneath the fabric of his shirt, an unnatural bulge faintly showed through, with what appeared to be a light stain of blood seeping out at the edges.
My heart sank suddenly.
Was it a wound?
And judging by its location... it was quite peculiar.
I abruptly lifted my head to look at him.
"Are you hurt?"
My voice trembled slightly, barely noticeable.
Lu Li's body instantly stiffened.
He instinctively covered the spot with his hand, his gaze darting away in panic.
"No, it's just... I accidentally bumped into something during training."
His explanation was weak, even he couldn't convince himself.
As an internal member, I had access to the police training records.
There hadn't been any high-intensity training recently, and there were no records that could account for such an injury.
Unless... it was something outside the files, unregistered... a Gunshot Wound!
A terrifying thought struck me in an instant.
I abruptly stood up and moved closer to him, my eyes fixed on his hand covering the wound.
"Bumped during training? Lu Li, what are you really hiding from me?!"
"What happened to that injury?!"
My voice sharpened with agitation.
All the doubts suddenly connected.
The engagement ring that appeared at the crime scene, yet belonged to him.
His deliberate avoidance and redirection regarding Bitter Almond Flavor.
Now, once again, there is this mysterious Gunshot Wound!
"Nian Nian, please calm down and let me explain..."
Lu Li tried to grasp my hand, his tone urgent and his eyes filled with struggle.
"Explain? How can you explain?!"
I shook off his hand, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Why was that ring found there?! Tell me!"
"And this wound! Is it a Gunshot Wound?! Are you involved in something I don't know about?!"
"Is all of this related to the case from Twenty Years ago?!"
I felt like an enraged lioness, transforming all my doubts and fears into sharp claws that fiercely clawed at him.
The dam of trust completely collapsed in that moment.
I looked at the man I loved deeply, who was about to become my husband, yet he felt so unfamiliar, so… dangerous.
"I..."
Lu Li opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately just closed his eyes in pain.
His face turned exceptionally pale from agitation and restraint.
"Nian Nian, please don’t force me…"
His voice carried a weary plea.
"Force you?!"
I let out a cold laugh, my heart aching as if it were being twisted.
"Lu Li, we are Lu Li's wife! We are about to get married! Yet you have hidden so much from me! How can I trust you?!"
"Do you mean to say that I don't even have the right to know the truth in your heart?!"
Tears surged uncontrollably, blurring my vision.
What I saw was his tightly pressed lips and the deep, unshakeable pain and... despair in his eyes.
"The truth..."
Lu Li suddenly opened his eyes wide, his emotions seemingly on the brink of losing control.
His gaze was bloodshot, his voice hoarse.
"The truth is that damned Bitter Almond Flavor! That cursed rainy night! Do you think you're the only one who remembers it?!"
He almost shouted it out.
Before he finished speaking, his expression changed dramatically.
It was as if he realized he had spoken out of turn, or perhaps he had reached some limit of his body.
He suddenly clutched the wound at his side, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead.
His body trembled violently, as if enduring immense pain.
"Ugh..."
A painful groan escaped from his throat.
His body swayed and then he could no longer support himself, collapsing backward.
Bang!
He crashed heavily onto the floor, curling up into a ball.
In the last second before he lost consciousness, he used his final ounce of strength to look at me.
That gaze...
It was too complex for me to decipher.
There was pain, guilt, a warning, and a hint of... an unfathomable fear I had never seen before.
It seemed to be telling me not to dig any deeper.
If I did, there would be no turning back.
I stood frozen in place, my body icy cold.
I looked at Lu Li lying on the floor, his face pale and his breath faint.
And then there was his uncontrolled roar and that meaningful glance he gave me in his final moments.
My mind went blank.
What had he just said?
That damned rainy night... did he think he was the only one who remembered it?!
He... he was there too?!
(End of chapter)
Comment 0 Comment Count