Picking up the pistol, Fang Mu looked at the suddenly comatose Sun Pu. He held the gun to his face.
Fang Mu's chest rapidly rose and fell and his teeth chattered as he struggled within himself, glaring down at the man responsible for so much death, his finger wanting to squeeze the trigger. After a few seconds, he slowly lowered the gun. He bent over, grabbed Sun Pu's collar, and with difficulty, dragged him out of Cell 1.
The way back felt unimaginably long. Now that he had lost consciousness, Sun Pu's body was incredibly heavy. By the time Fang Mu managed to drag him back into Cell 7, he was beyond exhausted.
Tai Wei hung limply from the cross, his eyes half-closed and his wrists bloody and torn. Hearing the sound of movement, he looked up. When he saw Fang Mu walk into the room, covered in filth and dragging the blood-covered Sun Pu behind him, his face registered first surprise and then absolute triumph. With newfound strength, he bellowed something and struggled against his shackles.
After dragging and dropping Sun Pu to the middle of the room, Fang Mu stood upright and panted for breath. He walked over and ripped the tape from Tai Wei's mouth.
Ignoring the pain caused by the tape tearing from his lips, Tai Wei immediately asked, "What happened? Is he dead?"
"Not yet," said Fang Mu weakly. He knelt and used his knife to cut the rope around Tai Wei's feet. When he was done, he forced himself to stand up and looked at Tai Wei's chained, bloody wrists. "Where's the key?"
"It's probably on his body. Go and check."
Fang Mu nodded and walked shakily over to Sun Pu. Kneeling beside him, he went through his pockets.
He could feel that the key was inside the breast pocket of Sun Pu's jacket, but the zipper was broken from the fight and wouldn't budge. Pulling out his knife, Fang Mu prepared to cut it open.
Suddenly, the motionless Sun Pu began to laugh.
Startled, Fang Mu leapt to his feet, grabbed the pistol and aimed it at him.
His face covered in blood and filth, Sun Pu opened his swollen eyes a crack and looked at Fang Mu and Tai Wei. The more he laughed, the more pleased with himself he seemed to become.
The sound of his hoarse laughter reverberated in the empty room, growing so loud that it was impossible to endure.
"Stop laughing!" Fang Mu's hands shook slightly as he held the pistol. He felt like Sun Pu's laughter was beating against his own heart. "I'm telling you — stop laughing!"
"You…you really think you've beaten me?" Sun Pu said, coughing as he laughed.
"Pah!" Tai Wei spat on the floor, looking as if there was nothing he wanted to do more than rush over and kick Sun Pu in the face. "You still won't admit it's over? The only thing left for you is to wait for your own execution!"
"My execution?" Sun Pu suddenly stopped laughing and made a strange face. "I've got a mental disorder! I'm a madman! You really think they're gonna execute me?"
Fang Mu's heart fell. No one knew the finer points of mental illness better than Sun Pu. If he really did try to play mad, he just might be able to get away with it.
Fang Mu turned and looked at Tai Wei. He was also staring dumbstruck at Sun Pu, as if he had never expected the guy would try to play this card.
"Stop dreaming!" yelled Tai Wei. "You think the medical experts at the courthouse are all idiots?" His voice was firm, but it was obvious that he lacked confidence in the words.
Ignoring him, Sun Pu prattled on to himself, sounding just like a madman. "After receiving unjust treatment and with no way to shake his despondent mood, a sensitive criminologist finally lost his mind and made a big mistake. Ha!" An exuberant look on his face, he continued. "Well, you two, what do you think?"
His face pale, Fang Mu stared at Sun Pu.
"You're both welcome to come visit me at the mental institution," Sun Pu said, sounding just as insane. "I'll buy you something to eat! What would you like? How about barbecue? What do you say, shidi?" Propping his head up with his arm, he gave Fang Mu a big smile. "Barbecue, mm…" He chuckled. "I just love that smell…"
With a roar, Fang Mu dove on Sun Pu and pinned him to the floor.
Tossing the knife aside, he clamped his hand over Sun Pu's mouth and pressed the barrel of the gun against his forehead.
Tears fell from Fang Mu's eyes as his whole body trembled with rage.
Jin Qiao, curled up inside the packing box…
Meng Fanzhe, with no hope of being saved…
Professor Qiao, dying in silence…
You can't let him get away…
You can't!
Fang Mu cocked the pistol. This action seemed to excite Sun Pu and he began to yell, his words muffled behind Fang Mu's hand.
"Do it…. Come on… Kill me…"
The muscles in Fang Mu's face twitched as he stared at Sun Pu. The look in the guy's eyes seemed to be taunting him on… It would be so easy…
Just one light pull of the trigger…
And this demon would be sent straight to hell…
"Don't shoot, Fang Mu!" Tai Wei shouted. "That's what he wants you to do! Don't fall for it!"
Fang Mu's body shook. He placed his finger firmly against the trigger.
A shot rang out.
And then another.
Tai Wei sadly looked away. It was over. Fang Mu had gotten his payback. But the price was too high. Suddenly he heard a sharp sound. A moment later something seemed to roll beneath his feet.
He looked down. It was a spent bullet shell.
He quickly looked up.
Sun Pu's head was still whole. His eyes were tightly shut and he seemed to be holding his breath, his face red from the effort.
Less than two inches above the top of his head, two shallow holes had been chipped into the cement.
Fang Mu was still in the same position, his arms outstretched and holding the gun. Smoke rose from the barrel. The clip was empty.
After a long moment, he tore open Sun Pu's pocket and grabbed the keys. Sun Pu finally exhaled.
Looking at Sun Pu's startled face, Fang Mu smirked and stood up. He slowly and clearly said, "Is that how you wanted to die? It won't be that easy. You'll have to wait for the execution ground."
He pulled Professor Qiao's fountain pen from his pocket and waved it in front of Sun Pu's face. "You think this is just an ordinary pen?"
He turned around and walked over to Tai Wei.
Tai Wei sighed with relief. He was about to praise Fang Mu, when he saw the student do something very odd. With one hand, Fang Mu reached inside his collar and seemed to pull something out.
Sun Pu lay where he was on the floor for a few seconds, staring up at the ceiling. Suddenly his eyes went wide.
He struggled to his feet; one of his hands brushed against Fang Mu's knife.
With a surge, he seemed suddenly imbued with supernatural strength. Leaping forward, he grabbed hold of the blade and sprinted toward Fang Mu.
Tai Wei saw the attack coming. He felt his heart seize up. Just as he was about to warn Fang Mu, he was dumbstruck by the look on the student's face.
Fang Mu was gazing casually at Tai Wei, a faint smile playing across his lips.
That's right, it seemed to say. I know exactly what Sun Pu is doing behind my back. And I also know that he has my knife in his hand.
Calmly, in a controlled manner, Fang Mu tore the bullet from his necklace and snapped it in the pistol chamber. He gently cocked the gun. With a click, the hammer fell back into place.
He even had time to raise an eyebrow at Tai Wei.
You still remember this bullet? his look seemed to ask.
He turned and raised the gun. Suddenly the figure before Fang Mu wasn't merely Sun Pu; it was simultaneously — impossibly — Wu Han and Sun Pu, seemingly to merge, both raising the same knife and facing Fang Mu.
It doesn't matter who you are. This case is closed. Fang Mu pulled the trigger.