The Labyrinth of the Monsters

Chapter 5: Identity Exposed

9 a.m., Office of the Dean.

"Have a seat."

Officer Huang sat on the principal's swivel chair, leaning back slightly with his legs crossed, hands clasped together on his stomach. He appeared relaxed and imposing, as if sitting in his own interrogation room.

Gao Yang sat properly in front of him, remaining silent.

Officer Huang smiled, "Don't be nervous, it's just a few casual questions."

"Um..." Gao Yang muttered to himself: "Shouldn't I be nervous if there's no one else?!"

"Did you get injured on your face?"

"Oh, I was bitten by a bug." Gao Yang pretended to casually touch his face.

"Alright, let's begin." Officer Huang took out his notebook, "Gao Yang, what is your relationship with the deceased Li Weiwei?"

"We've known each other since kindergarten, and we've always had a good relationship. We were childhood sweethearts." Gao Yang answered.

Officer Huang asked while jotting down notes, "Yesterday afternoon, were you with Li Weiwei the whole time?"

"Yes, we watched a movie, had dinner, and played until late at night. We didn't go home until the early hours."

"What time did you part ways with Li Weiwei?"

"It was around 11 o'clock, I think." Gao Yang knew that he couldn't remember the exact time, otherwise it would be more suspicious.

"So late, didn't you accompany her home?"

"I walked part of the way with her, but she said I didn't need to accompany her for the last stretch, so I didn't."

Gao Yang knew that the surveillance footage of that last stretch was destroyed by Qing Ling. He deliberately asked, "Officer Huang, can you check the surveillance footage? The footage can prove it."

Officer Huang pondered for a moment, his eyes flickering slightly, "To be honest, the surveillance footage of that road where you separated is conveniently damaged."

"How is that possible?" Gao Yang feigned surprise.

"There is a high possibility of premeditated crime." Officer Huang calmly observed Gao Yang's face, trying to find any flaws in his expression.

"It could be someone familiar who committed the crime, but it's just a preliminary speculation. Currently, we have no leads. After all, there is no murder weapon or witnesses."

"Don't you have any clues at all?" Gao Yang asked.

Officer Huang uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, "Did Li Weiwei have any classmates she didn't get along with or anyone she offended?"

Gao Yang shook his head, "She was a very nice person, and all her classmates liked her. I can't think of anyone who would hold a grudge against her."

"What about people who might be jealous of her or others?"

Gao Yang pondered for a moment and shook his head, "I have no impression."

Officer Huang nodded, his gaze never leaving Gao Yang's face, "Do you like Li Weiwei?"

Gao Yang paused for a moment, "Yes... I do."

"Due to the investigation, I looked at Li Weiwei's WeChat records. You confessed to her, and she accepted..."

"Yes, yesterday was our first date. I didn't expect it to be the last..." Gao Yang lowered his head, feeling genuinely sad and downcast. It wasn't an act.

Officer Huang stopped questioning. He stood up and said, "Alright, that's it for today." He patted Gao Yang's shoulder and spoke with a somewhat meaningful tone, "Offer condolences."

...

After the questioning ended, Gao Yang breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it was a false alarm.

He left the office and headed towards the classroom.

"Gao Yang!" someone called out to him.

Before Gao Yang could turn around, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, choking him tightly.

Gao Yang could hardly breathe, "Cough... cough..."

"Hahaha, you weakling!"

A boy with golden-dyed hair and a lip piercing released his grip on Gao Yang's neck. It was Wang Zikai.

Wang Zikai was Gao Yang's high school classmate, but he had been expelled a week ago after repeatedly smashing another classmate's head open. The reason for the fight? The other person glanced at him.

Wang Zikai came from a wealthy family and drove a sports car to school every day. Coupled with his good looks, he was the epitome of a rich and handsome guy. However, despite having a good hand, he always played it poorly. In school, he was a bully that everyone feared.

For some reason, this bully had been particularly friendly towards Gao Yang since their freshman year. Wang Zikai had emphasized more than once that Gao Yang was his best and only friend.

This both surprised and puzzled Gao Yang. Yielding to his tyranny, Gao Yang reluctantly became Wang Zikai's friend. However, he soon discovered that Wang Zikai, apart from enjoying fighting and occasionally having a screw loose, was actually a decent person.

Wang Zikai was in a good mood today, probably because he was here to handle his withdrawal procedures.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you've eaten shit." Wang Zikai asked.

"Li Weiwei is dead." Gao Yang said.

"What?!" Wang Zikai was shocked, "How did she die?"

"She was robbed and killed..."

"Damn! That's really unlucky." Wang Zikai smacked his lips, "And to think I helped you confess to her a few days ago. Hey, did she accept? She must have rejected you, right? Hahaha, how could someone like you have a girl who likes you!"

Gao Yang rolled his eyes. This idiot never understood the main point.

"Brother, offer your condolences." Wang Zikai casually patted Gao Yang's shoulder, "Think positively. Now you don't have to worry about someone stealing her away."

"... " Gao Yang resisted the urge to curse at him.

He was speechless. Wang Zikai would never say anything a normal person would say."See you!" Wang Zikai patted his butt, waved his hand and ran away.

......

At 7 p.m., Shanqing District, Funeral Home.

Gao Yang and more than a dozen classmates, led by their class teacher, attended Li Weiwei's farewell ceremony.

On one hand, Gao Yang had feelings for Li Weiwei. Even though she had turned into a monster last night, he still wanted to send her off on her last journey. On the other hand, he was curious as to why Li Weiwei was not cremated immediately after her death, which was inconsistent with his understanding of this world.

The Spirit Hall was dim and solemn. Li Weiwei's memorial photo was placed on the altar, the girl in the photo had a bright smile. Her body was placed in a transparent glass coffin with a freezing function, surrounded by lush white flowers.

Li Weiwei's parents, dressed in black suits and black dresses, stood next to the coffin, constantly bowing to the mourners.

The wife couldn't stop crying, and the husband was supporting her, his face full of sorrow.

The class teacher led a few students to offer incense to Li Weiwei, then went to shake hands with her parents, walked around the glass coffin, and the farewell ceremony was over.

Gao Yang followed the crowd. When he approached the ice coffin, he took a close look at Li Weiwei's body. She was dressed in a black shroud, her face was made up, and she looked as if she was just asleep, no different from when she was alive.

But the thought that this girl almost crushed his head yesterday, a deep sense of fear rose from the soles of his feet, making his hair stand on end.

As the class teacher went up to talk to Li Weiwei's parents, Gao Yang felt his mouth dry. He avoided the crowd and went to the tea room on the side of the Spirit Hall to drink water.

Pushing the door open, Qing Ling was also there.

Gao Yang didn't dare to look at Qing Ling. He went to pour water by himself, but Qing Ling took the initiative to approach him: "Did the police ask you anything?"

"Nothing much."

"Tell me everything." Qing Ling commanded.

Gao Yang looked around to make sure no one was in the tea room, then he laid his cards on the table: "Why don't you continue your act?"

Qing Ling was slightly taken aback, "Act what?"

"All that stuff during the day, you were acting so well!" Gao Yang was a bit angry.

Qing Ling's eyes flashed, "You've met her?"

"What do you mean?"

"My other personality?"

Gao Yang was taken aback, then he understood: "You mean, you have... dissociative identity disorder?"

"Yes."

Gao Yang didn't say a word.

Qing Ling gently closed the door of the tea room, "To survive in this world, you must have to deceive yourself. Over time, I developed a secondary personality. She is my sister, Qing Ning. Most of the time it's me, but sometimes she disobeys and comes out on her own. Li Weiwei's death has given Qing Ning quite a shock."

Gao Yang looked at her warily: "I don't know which of your words are true and which are false now?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Give me a reason to believe you."

"A reason?" Qing Ling raised an eyebrow, her right hand holding a disposable tea cup moved slightly, and a thin blade suddenly flew out from the pocket on her chest, pressing against Gao Yang's neck.

"If I wanted to kill you, it would be easier than Li Weiwei killing you. Is that reason enough?"

"Enough..."

As long as there are green hills, there's no fear of running out of firewood.

Gao Yang simply repeated his conversation with Officer Huang.

After listening, Qing Ling fell into thought.

"You're quite clever, you didn't make any mistakes."

"Just a cop." Gao Yang said deliberately, "What mistake could I make?"

Qing Ling gave a cold smile: "It seems you don't quite understand your situation. Do you know how many beasts there are in this city?"

"How many?"

"One in ten thousand."

"One beast in every ten thousand people, that's quite high." Gao Yang said.

"No, it's one human in every ten thousand beasts."

"What?!" Gao Yang almost shouted, "You... are you joking?"

"No."

"That's impossible!" Gao Yang couldn't believe it, he felt his scalp tingling, it was too absurd.

"That's the truth, do you understand your situation now?"

"..." Gao Yang's hand was shaking.

"In our school, the fact that there are two humans like you and me is already a small probability event." Qing Ling took a step forward, her eyes cold, "As for your family, your friends, your neighbors, 99.99% of the people you've come into contact with in your life, unless there's an accident, they're all beasts, all kinds of beasts."

Gao Yang stood still, fear wrapped around him like a cold snake.

Grandma, dad, mom, sister, teachers, classmates, friends... everyone might be a beast. And Gao Yang, since he time traveled here, has been living with them for twelve years!

A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.

Gao Yang felt a surge in his stomach, he just wanted to vomit.

"To tell you the truth, you're the third human I've ever met. The first two were stronger than me, but they're both dead."

Gao Yang still held a glimmer of hope: "Impossible, if everyone around me is a beast... I would have died long ago."

"Because you've never noticed their existence before, beasts won't harm unawakened humans. They only kill awakened beings, people like us."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure." Qing Ling shook her head, "They seem to have their own set of rules, and the information I have is very limited..."

"What are you guys talking about?"@@novelbin@@

Gao Yang and Qing Ling were startled.

The door of the tea room was pushed open, and Officer Huang stood outside with a smile on his face.

"What's this beast you guys are talking about?"