Insights Chapter 57: Five Years Ago

Chapter 57: Five Years Ago

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

In the darkness, Shen Junci was still fighting with two people. The two black-clothed men in front of him were both injured, bleeding and injuries limiting their movements, temporarily giving him the upper hand. Shen Junci’s eyes were sharp, his moves were swift, and he showed no mercy.

He had always been good at fighting, and in recent years, he had learned some grappling techniques. Although the dissecting knife in his hand was small, it was extremely sharp, and the cuts he made were precise. He also had a significant advantage: he knew which parts to target for the most effective attacks.

It was just a pity that, due to old injuries, his stamina was lacking, and he might not be able to hold out for too long. He was entangled by two people. After a few moves, the long-haired man in black rushed at him again. Shen Junci kicked him in the ribs, exerting some force. The man grunted and took two steps back, then dropped to one knee.

“Useless! I shouldn’t have brought you along!” The man who had been shot earlier saw his unreliable companion. He held his shoulder with one hand and brandished his knife, attacking again.

Shen Junci quickly assessed the situation. The long-haired man seemed to be a novice and not skilled in close combat. The one with higher combat ability among the two was the short-haired man. Fortunately, he had been injured by Gu Yanchen’s gunshot earlier and was not moving easily.

As the man lunged at him, Shen Junci sidestepped the first blow and used his elbow to block the man’s arm. After they separated, the man’s second strike quickly followed, the blade aimed at Shen Junci’s chest. This time, Shen Junci unexpectedly charged forward without dodging or defending. His chest was wide open, letting the opponent attack, but the dissecting knife in his hand slashed towards the man’s ribs.

It was a reckless attack, gambling on the man’s shoulder injury and lack of strength, betting that he couldn’t pierce through his ribs. It was a move of desperation. If he won the gamble, he could end the fight quickly. If he lost, both would be injured. The man didn’t expect him to make no attempt to dodge, and by the time he wanted to change his move, it was too late.

In the blink of an eye, they passed each other. The knife in the man’s hand grazed Shen Junci’s chest, tearing his clothes and leaving a shallow mark. Shen Junci’s dissecting knife cut accurately under the man’s ribs, slicing through muscles and cutting blood vessels. The man staggered, almost falling, as he panicked and released his shoulder, covering his side. Blood continued to flow from between his fingers.

The wound wasn’t deep, but without timely treatment, it would quickly become life-threatening. The outcome was decided.

Seeing that Gu Yanchen had resolved the crisis and was running over, the heavily injured man didn’t linger in battle. Holding his wound, he shouted, “Retreat!”

They had been backing off while fighting, and now they had reached the back door of the factory. Upon hearing the retreat order, the previously useless long-haired man struggled to his feet, agile as a rabbit. He turned and opened the latch on the back door, then dashed out first. Outside the door, the night was even darker.

Beyond lay the canteen and employee dormitories of the old steel plant, all abandoned buildings. The two men in black ran into the waist-high tall grass and disappeared into it. Instinctively, Shen Junci moved to pursue them. Gu Yanchen also ran out of the main factory building.

Outside, a light rain was falling, making it much darker than inside the factory. There were no stars in the sky, as if it had been painted over with thick ink. Only some light was cast from distant buildings. For a moment, the only sounds were heavy breathing and the rustling of movement. At that moment, there was suddenly the sound of a siren outside the factory.

It was the police backup finally arriving. It seemed the situation was under control. Just as Shen Junci was about to catch up with the short-haired man who was running ahead.

The black-clothed man suddenly looked up and shouted towards the building, “Shoot!!”

Gu Yanchen looked up and saw a red dot flashing in the darkness. It was the sight of a sniper rifle!

There were more than two opponents; a third person had already been lying in ambush within the factory area to assist them. Moreover, the sniper rifle probably had infrared equipment, allowing them to clearly see the movements of several people in this dark night.

Gu Yanchen grabbed Shen Junci in front of him, “Watch out!”

Everything happened too fast for Gu Yanchen to think much. He held Shen Junci tightly, using his back to shield the direction of the sniper. Almost simultaneously, the gunshots rang out, and the bullets swiftly tore through the night. In the darkness, everything around was pitch black.

Shen Junci didn’t expect there was another person hiding in the abandoned building. He heard the shout of the short-haired man in black and realized it was almost too late to dodge. At that moment, his hand was grabbed, his body paused, and then he was pulled back and tightly held. A familiar sensation came over him, causing Shen Junci’s eyelashes to tremble. He realized it was Gu Yanchen.

Gu Yanchen held him around the waist with one hand and cupped the back of his head with the other. After a moment, they fell backward into the grass. Shen Junci knew that it was Gu Yanchen who had pushed him down at the critical moment, his broad shoulders shielding him. In that instant, the gunshot rang out.

The fast bullet pierced through the dark night. In that moment, Gu Yanchen’s muscles tensed, even prepared for the sacrifice of being shot. However, the bullet didn’t hit them but the black-clothed man in front of them. With a bang, the gunshot exploded in the light rain. A shot to the head, causing a spray of blood.

Over Gu Yanchen’s shoulder, Shen Junci looked forward in disbelief. They were very close; the man’s blood splattered, and a few drops even landed on his face. The blood mixed with the rain, making him feel a warmth and smell the strong scent of blood. The short-haired man obviously didn’t expect this scene; his eyes widened in disbelief. Then his body stiffened for a moment before falling straight backward. With a clatter, he collapsed into the lush grass.

Everything happened too fast. After firing the shot, the sniper upstairs fell silent, and even the red dot disappeared. The long-haired man who had been running ahead stopped his steps and stood in the tall grass, seemingly giving up resistance. The light rain continued to fall. The sound of sirens grew louder, and within seconds, police officers opened the back door of the abandoned steel plant, and several police cars drove in, surrounding the area.

Gu Yanchen stood up, took out handcuffs from behind, and handcuffed the long-haired man. Shen Junci walked to the corpse of the short-haired man. He squatted down, turned on the flashlight of his phone, and carefully observed. The man’s eyes were still wide open, his face showing an expression of disbelief. The bullet had entered from the front of his forehead, lifting the occipital bone after exiting, brain matter spilling out, mixing with blood and rainwater.

Shen Junci glanced at it and came to the conclusion that the man was dead. Then he reached out and removed the black mask from the man’s face. With the flashlight shining, as Shen Junci saw the man’s face, he froze. It was a man who appeared to be in his thirties, with a prominent red birthmark on his chin.

.

Even though this place was rarely visited, the police officers still set up a cordon to protect the scene. Gu Yanchen escorted the long-haired man in black onto the police car and sent Zhang Kabei to the ambulance. The sniper upstairs had already left the scene. Gu Yanchen studied the position. It was suitable for sniping, providing a comprehensive view of the area. Considering the accuracy of the shots, the chances of collateral damage were minimal.

But why didn’t the sniper shoot them when they were completely defenseless, instead opting to kill the short-haired man? Could it be because the operation failed, and they wanted to silence him? But that didn’t make sense either, as they left behind the long-haired man.

Gu Yanchen didn’t jump to conclusions and decided to ask before making judgments. After dealing with the scene, seeing Shen Junci still studying the corpse of the short-haired man, Gu Yanchen walked towards him. With the police car’s headlights, he saw Shen Junci’s side profile, pale but stained with some blood. Shen Junci heard footsteps and looked up at Gu Yanchen, his handsome face still expressionless.

Gu Yanchen asked him, “Are you okay?”

Shen Junci shook his head.

Gu Yanchen continued, “Thanks.”

Today, he was grateful for bringing Shen Junci along. If Shen Junci hadn’t been there, he might have already died heroically.

“I should thank you,” Shen Junci said. If the bullet had been aimed at them just now, Gu Yanchen might have saved his life. There was a tacit understanding between the two.

At this point, Shen Junci noticed the bloodstain on Gu Yanchen’s waist. “Captain Gu, you’re injured.”

The wound still hurt a bit but was bearable. Gu Yanchen’s back remained straight. He pressed his hand against the wound and coughed softly, “Just a minor injury.” He felt the rain getting heavier, and Shen Junci’s coat was already soaked. He turned to him, “Why didn’t you borrow an umbrella from them?”

Shen Junci’s voice was hoarse, “I’ll go back to the City Bureau with them later. It’s not necessary for this short period.”

Gu Yanchen reminded, “Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Shen Junci nodded and said, “I want to dissect this corpse myself.”

“Since it’s a case for our team now, it’s up to you,” Gu Yanchen said, sensing something. He probed, “Do you know him? Or is there something wrong with the corpse?”

Shen Junci lowered his head, “He died in front of me after all.”

Gu Yanchen seemed to accept this answer. He suddenly fell silent, as if pondering something.

Seeing that he didn’t intend to dress his wound, Shen Junci hesitated for a moment before speaking up, “Captain Gu, you should go treat your wound.”

The rain had soaked their clothes, making infection more likely. Shen Junci looked up at Gu Yanchen, whose lips were pressed together, clearly enduring. He was somewhat worried about him.

Gu Yanchen said, “I’ll go in a moment.”

“The wound in that location is difficult to heal. If not sutured in time, it can lead to wound infection, suppuration, and various complications, causing difficulty in bending and leading to lumbar disc protrusion…” Shen Junci paused here, seeming a bit hesitant. After licking his lips, he finally said, “It will affect the quality of sexual life in the future.”

Gu Yanchen waved his hand, “I’ll go dress it.”

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. By the time the corpse was transported to the City Bureau, it was already past midnight. Qi Yi’an was also called over. He was on duty tonight and had just taken a short nap in the lounge, his hair still disheveled. Now, he was helping to organize the equipment in the autopsy room while glancing at Shen Junci.

The cold autopsy instruments were stacked together, making a metallic clashing sound. The autopsy room was exceptionally quiet in the early morning. Shen Junci had just changed out of his wet clothes and put on his medical examiner uniform. He lowered his head to look at the corpse. His hair was slightly damp, his complexion pale, and even his lips were much paler.

Seeing him like this, Qi Yi’an felt that he looked even more lifeless than the corpse on the autopsy table. He suggested, “Teacher, why don’t you take a rest first?”

Qi Yi’an knew that Shen Junci had been working continuously for nearly a whole day today, and even participated in the arrest at night. Even an iron man couldn’t bear it. The cause of death of the corpse in front of them was clear, and the autopsy wasn’t too difficult.

Qi Yi’an suggested again, “How about letting me try?”

But Shen Junci looked solemnly at the corpse on the autopsy table and said, “No need. You handle the recording and assistance, let’s begin.”

He reached out and turned on the overhead light, shining it on the man’s face. The corpse’s eyes were still open, and brain matter was still dripping from the wound at the back of his head.

Shen Junci’s voice was low and somewhat hoarse, “Unknown male corpse, approximately 35 years old, height around 1.78 meters, weight 78 kilograms…” With gloves on, he traced the man’s cheek. “There is a prominent red birthmark on the right side of the jaw. There are three obvious injuries on the body, two gunshot wounds and one knife wound. The fatal wound is on the head, and the time of death was 12:13 a.m. today.”

Shen Junci looked down at the birthmark. Such birthmarks were difficult to eliminate, located in a special position and could accompany a person throughout their life. It was by recognizing this birthmark that he identified the man in front of him. But back then, the man had stood in front of him, and he was the one lying down… Now, recalling that night, Shen Junci’s heart beat a little faster, holding the scalpel tightly, he began to cut open the man’s body.

The knife slid down, cutting open a long incision in the flesh and skin. The man’s chest and abdomen revealed muscles and fat, and beneath them were fresh organs. He manipulated the organs with hemostatic forceps. This was a process he was extremely familiar with, but now it made him a bit nervous. Shen Junci’s heart thudded, cold sweat continued to trickle down, and he couldn’t tell where the pain in his body was coming from.

Inevitably, he remembered the night five years ago. It was like a nightmare he couldn’t escape. He would always remember; it was June 19th. That afternoon, they wore black academic gowns and square caps, completed the graduation ceremony, and received their diplomas. The principal addressed them, congratulating them on their graduation, about to enter society and become pillars of society. They took graduation photos and talked about their respective futures.

Sometimes, people might feel that growing up is a long process, but actually, sometimes, growing up just takes a moment. So much had happened in succession during that time. He hurriedly wrote his thesis, feeling no sense of real graduation. Many classmates had already found jobs; some went to work for mobile and telecom companies, while others joined Huawei or Xiaomi. Yet, he hadn’t finalized his job yet.

Gu Yanchen sent him a WeChat message, “To celebrate your graduation, do you want to go out for dinner tonight? I’ll treat you.”

He declined, “I have a classmate gathering tonight.”

Although he wasn’t particularly close to his classmates, it was the last collective activity, and it wouldn’t be good to be absent.

Gu Yanchen replied, “Okay, we’ll celebrate another time. Have fun tonight.”

At dinner that night, with teachers present, everyone felt a bit restrained and reserved. After dinner, when the teachers left, the class monitor said, “We spent over three thousand yuan on the teacher’s dinner, and there’s still fifteen hundred left from our class funds. I know a karaoke bar that’s offering discounts; with this amount, we can get a large private room and drinks.”

Someone asked, “Which karaoke bar? Why is it so cheap?”

Another chimed in, “Probably a new one, taking advantage of the graduation season, low profits but high sales.”

“We’re all graduating; are we really going to wait for the class funds to be refunded? Of course, we should spend it all!”

“Let’s go, let’s sing together.”

Not everyone had fully enjoyed themselves, so finding a cheap place was a good thing. They split up and took taxis there.

On the way, he received a call from a young man, “Hello, do you know Yang Hang?”

He was startled, “What happened?”

Just a few days ago, he met Yang Hang. He had asked Yang Hang about Lin Xianglan’s cause of death, and Yang Hang had promised to turn himself in.

The person on the other end said, “He passed away?!” Suddenly getting this news, he felt bewildered. “How did he die?”

The person replied, “He hung himself, committed suicide.”

After hanging up, his mind raced. At this time, Yang Hang died. It was too coincidental. Could it be that he committed suicide out of fear? Or did something else happen? He suddenly realized his mistake. He shouldn’t have trusted Yang Hang. If Yang Hang could poison Lin Xianglan, how much loyalty could he have towards him? Maybe all that talk about turning himself in was just to appease him. Yang Hang might have sold him out in the end. And Yang Hang himself might have been silenced by those people…

He had a vague sense of foreboding, but couldn’t quite grasp how close the danger was. Before he could sort it out, the car stopped, and his classmates began to get out. Since they had arrived, he couldn’t say anything that might dampen the mood. He followed the crowd inside. At that moment, he thought, with so many people together, he should be safe.

When he got back, he would find Gu Yanchen and tell him everything. That person would definitely help him. Anyway, he had already graduated from university. Even if he had to leave the country, there would be a solution. Thinking of this, his heart settled down again.

The karaoke bar was quite large, with luxurious decoration, and the waiters were very enthusiastic. They led them to a large private room, served drinks to the students, and brought various snacks and fruits. With alcohol in their systems, everyone indulged in singing, wanting to release all their emotions tonight.

In the midst of it, Gu Yanchen sent him another message, “You guys aren’t done yet?”

Since they got acquainted, Gu Yanchen occasionally messaged him to ask about his situation. From finding it annoying at first, to later cooperating obediently, to now, he had gotten used to this care. If he didn’t receive a message for a while, he felt a bit empty. He replied, “Second round, at karaoke bar. A bunch of us are here.” After a moment’s thought, he added, “I have something to tell you tonight.”

“I’ll come pick you up later.” Gu Yanchen asked for the address of the karaoke bar, instructing him to go home early.

He replied, “I know. I won’t stay past midnight.”

With no teachers supervising at the karaoke bar, everyone gradually became wild, toasting each other and playing Truth or Dare. Secrets that couldn’t be spoken of usually, unrequited love, all spilled out tonight as everyone got drunk. They all knew that after today, they didn’t know when they would see each other again. They all wanted to put a period on their college lives, without regrets.

Singing wasn’t the main focus anymore. Some cried after drinking too much, some vomited, and some passed out. In the midst of it, Zhou Chen came over to toast him unexpectedly, making him surprised. He hadn’t expected Zhou Chen to come over to apologize.

Zhou Chen said, “Over the years at university, I’ve caused you trouble because you’re handsome and girls like you. Your grades are also good, and I envy that. I’m not good-looking, and I’m not good at studying. Every time I see you, I feel inferior, like I’m just a loser. Now that we’re graduating, I want to apologize to you. I’ll drink this cup, you can do as you please.”

With things having come to this point, if he didn’t respond, it would be a bit too much. He drank a few sips of beer and said, “It’s all in the past.”

After eleven o’clock, there weren’t many people still sober, but the waiters brought out a third round of drinks. Some classmates were surprised and asked, “Are there so many drinks included in the package?”

The waiter explained, “These are complimentary drinks from the karaoke bar tonight.”

With free drinks delivered, there was no reason not to drink them, so everyone went crazy again. As it got later, he thought about leaving. He picked up his phone and realized there was no signal.

Signal had always been unstable, plus being in a karaoke bar with strong sealing, he didn’t think much of it. Just as he was about to bid farewell to his classmates, the class monitor suddenly tapped his shoulder mysteriously and whispered, “Lin Luo, I need to tell you something.” Then he said, “Let’s go outside; it’s too noisy here.”

His relationship with the class monitor was still good, so he followed him outside. When they walked out of the private room, he realized that the atmosphere nearby was odd. Several adjacent rooms were empty, and the guests had long left, yet loud music was still playing. In the whole karaoke bar, their room was the only one bustling with people, most of whom were already drunk. He glanced towards the reception desk, feeling increasingly puzzled.

The karaoke bar seemed to have suspended its operations, even the waiters were nowhere to be seen. In the corridor, the most popular songs were still playing, and the walls were covered with screens showing the latest music videos. All the screens were still lit, but eerily, there was no one around.

He sensed that something was wrong, furrowing his brows with suspicion, he stopped in his tracks and asked the class monitor, “What exactly is the matter you wanted to talk to me about?”

The class monitor turned around, tears streaming down his face in the dim light. He saw the class monitor’s trembling body and tear-streaked face. “Lin Luo… I’m sorry, I was asked to bring you out. I had no choice, I’m sorry, please don’t blame me…”

At that moment, he suddenly realized. The cheap karaoke bar, the inexplicably added drinks, the strange disappearance of the signal, coupled with Yang Hang’s death… This was a trap set specifically for him.

Several people wearing black clothes and masks emerged from other rooms. Only then did he feel dizzy, but he hadn’t drunk much tonight. The only explanation was that something had been slipped into his drink earlier. He turned and rushed towards the window, his hand diving into his pocket, frantically pressing the power button. It was his emergency contact set to automatically dial Gu Yanchen’s phone.

He hurried to a window, hoping for help. Through the glass, he could even see the busy street outside. It felt like the street outside and the maze-like karaoke bar were in completely different worlds. Maybe because he was near the window, his phone got a single bar of signal. Just as the emergency call connected, one of the men in black struck him on the head with a club, causing his phone to slip from his hand as he fell to the ground. He could feel blood flowing down his brow, staining his vision red.

He saw a pair of feet, clad in old-fashioned leather shoes. Then the person bent down, reaching out to pick up his phone. It was a middle-aged man in his forties, smiling down at him. But that smile sent shivers down his spine. The call connected, and he could faintly hear Gu Yanchen’s anxious voice on the other end.

“Gu Yanchen, help me…” His weak plea was drowned out by the deafening music, and the next moment, the man pressed the power button, shutting off the phone.

His last shred of hope shattered.