Chapter 132: Explain Yourself, You Madman

Staring at the photographs before him, Ji Linmo’s expression slowly darkened.

"That lunatic named Qin! Where on earth did he get so many photos of me?"

"Doesn't he go to school or something?!"

In this instance, Ji Linmo’s bedroom layout was identical to his real-life home. This meant that in reality, Qin Feng’s bedroom was exactly like this—maniacally plastered from floor to ceiling with photos of him.

"..."

Recalling everything that had happened recently, a shiver ran down Ji Linmo’s spine. With a cold, stern expression, the man grabbed a handful of the conspicuous photos and ripped them off the wall.

As the photos were torn away, the blood-red wall underneath revealed deep, carved marks.

Were these... words?

The man quickly tore down the rest of the photos, revealing three large characters carved into the wall with a knife, looking like blood-stained scars.

【JI-LIN-MO】

The boy had used a blade to carve the man’s name into the crimson wall. Under the cold, white light of the cell phone, these three characters looked like gory, festering wounds, hideous and grotesque.

After a long silence, Ji Linmo reached out and traced the knife marks, which were deep enough for his fingertips to sink into. These gouges, which nearly pierced through the wall, required not only immense strength but also persistent, daily effort over a long period to reach such a depth.

The question was: what kind of emotion would drive someone to repeatedly stab another person’s name into a wall with such obsessive, deranged intensity?

Was it hatred? Anger? Resentment?

Ji Linmo could almost imagine the crazed smile on the boy’s face as he first carved his name into the wall. Yet, the scattered photographs were a stark contrast to these violent, jagged gouges. The background, lighting, exposure, and even the film development of every single photo seemed to have been carefully considered by the boy. In every shot, the man was captured looking exceptionally handsome. Even the angles at which they were pasted on the wall had been meticulously chosen.

But why go to such lengths?

Ji Linmo felt his temples throbbing uncontrollably. He dared not dwell on it, for a creeping, bone-chilling sense of dread was already suffocating him.

【Ji Linmo Ji Linmo Ji Linmo】

—The entire bedroom felt like a curse, saturated with the man’s name and his image.

"Liu Xiao! Quickly, tell me about the serum! We have to get out of here!"

Ji Linmo felt an inexplicable sense of urgency. He grabbed Liu Xiao by the collar and hauled her to her feet, his tone agitated.

"The... the serum?"

The woman came to her senses slowly, as if processing his words. Then, as if something clicked, her eyes widened in realization.

"Yes... the serum! We must retrieve the serum immediately."

With that, Liu Xiao hurriedly bent down, attempting to crawl back under the bed.

Had Liu Xiao hidden the vials under the bed?

"I’ll do it. Move aside."

Ji Linmo quickly crouched down to check beneath the bed. However, the space underneath was spotless—there was no serum, not even a speck of dust.

"It’s not here... are you sure you didn't remember wrong?"

"Mr. Ji Linmo, I am certain! Those three vials were right under the bed!"

"Back then... I was standing here, and I saw... I saw those... photos of you."

Noticing the darkening expression on Ji Linmo’s face, Liu Xiao chose her words carefully, omitting the shock she had felt at the time.

"Anyway, after I found the serum and was getting ready to leave, I heard a noise. I had to quickly hide the vials in the corner under the bed and crawl in myself..."

"But I don't know what happened. As soon as I got under the bed, my vision went black, and then... I didn't know anything else."

To be certain he hadn't missed anything in the corners, Ji Linmo checked under the bed once more. But as he had seen the first time, it was completely empty.

Could Qin Feng have taken them?

Liu Xiao was becoming increasingly anxious. She glanced at the bed, seemingly convinced that the vials must be stuck in the bed frame. Seeing the woman in a daze, attempting to move the bed to search more thoroughly, Ji Linmo quickly stopped her.

"Liu Xiao, stop looking. The items might be—"

"Mr. Ji, are you looking for these?"

A playful voice drifted from nearby, causing Ji Linmo to freeze. The words he was about to speak caught in his throat.

It was Qin Feng! But how was this possible...

He had bolted the front door when the boy left. How could the boy have returned without making a sound?

Ji Linmo didn't speak, staring coldly at the boy. The boy was leaning against the doorframe with a mischievous smirk, his eyes narrowed as he returned the man's gaze. In the boy’s hand, three pale blue vials emitted a faint, eerie glow in the darkness.

Indeed, Qin Feng had taken them.

Ji Linmo cast a wary glance at the boy, then at Liu Xiao beside him. Having just regained consciousness, Liu Xiao was trembling on the floor, clearly in no state to fight.

No, he absolutely could not start a fight here.

"Sorry, I was the one who forced Liu Xiao to come in. I shouldn't have intruded into your bedroom."

Ji Linmo immediately raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, lowering his guard.

"But let Liu Xiao go first, how about that? We had an agreement regarding her..."

Hearing the man’s words, Qin Feng laughed. The boy seemed unable to contain his amusement; he covered his face and laughed loudly.

"Oh~ Mr. Ji, you really are so cute. Yes, we did have an agreement..."

"However, since you're already here, don't be in such a rush to leave. Stay a while, won't you?"

With that, the boy took a step toward the man. Ji Linmo did not retreat, standing straight in front of Liu Xiao, his gaze cold and his expression detached. As they stood inches apart, a bead of cold sweat slid silently down his forehead.

"Mr. Ji, your heart is beating so fast~"

In the darkness, Ji Linmo saw a flash of excitement in the boy’s eyes. As if he could truly hear the heartbeat, the boy reached out and lightly tapped the man’s chest.

"I'm so touched, Mr. Ji. Is this beating for me~?"

"I suspect you're so agitated because you've already seen my masterpiece, haven't you?"

Ji Linmo’s temple throbbed, and his face darkened involuntarily.

"A masterpiece? Isn't that just pure perversion?"

"Qin Feng, don't you think you owe me an explanation?"