The fears of humankind are all born in the heart. At the moment of near-extinction, they intensify even further.

The case was finally cracked, and our entire department collectively exhaled a breath of relief; our rice bowls, at least, were safe for now. Everyone, except for that fellow Zhang Jiewei, became completely lax, and of course, that included me.

“Is there anything that truly scares you, something that instills the deepest dread?” Xiao Cuo started up his usual chatter in the office again. Naturally, this only ever happened when Lord Jiang was absent.

“The thing that scares you most, you’re not planning on bringing up that thing again, are you?” Gao Jianning chimed in, immediately starting to tease Xiao Cuo. After spending this much time together, everyone knew Xiao Cuo was the type of person whose conversation couldn't stray three sentences without mentioning ‘that thing.’

“Wrong! Terribly wrong!” Xiao Cuo vehemently denied, shaking his head at Gao Jianning. Then, he suddenly spun around to face me, “The most terrifying thing in this world isn’t an external factor; it’s your own mind.”

“Words like that are easy for you to spout,” Gao Jianning retorted, unwilling to be dismissed by Xiao Cuo.

“Heh, don’t just take our word for it. Why don’t you all tell us what you’re most afraid of, individually?” Xiao Cuo swept his gaze across all of us with a mischievous glint. As if on cue, everyone’s attention landed squarely on him.

“Darkness,” Gao Jianning answered first, the response slipping out with alarming smoothness, though the moment the word left his mouth, he seemed to realize he’d revealed too much.

“Forests,” Sister Lan murmured with a resigned smile.

Zhang Jiewei merely offered Xiao Cuo a cold, withering glare, which Xiao Cuo immediately filtered out. The focus naturally shifted to me next.

“Light,” I replied casually.

“Light?” This time, Xiao Cuo, Gao Jianning, and Sister Lan expressed their surprise in unison. Even Zhang Jiewei couldn’t help throwing me a look filled with amusement—a rare sight.

“Well, I am a vampire who has lived for five hundred years. Exposure to light means instant incineration, you know!” I declared while making an exaggeratedly anguished face.

“Get out of here! Who doesn't know you’re just the Monkey King stuffed under a rock for five centuries!” Perhaps Gao Jianning was feeling particularly ‘thirsty’ and irritable from the recent stress, his mouth full of gunpowder, that he forgot who he was insulting!

“Oh yeah? Then you’re one of the Monkey King’s hairy descendants!” Did he really think I was the type to be easily bested?

“You two, stop fighting. Aren’t you both just part of the same ‘Monkey’ family?” Sister Lan interjected softly from the side, her face alight with amusement.

“Ah, Sister Lan, are you planning to sit back and watch our little ‘monkey show’?” If winning a smile from the beauty was the goal, what was a little self-sacrifice? “So, why are you afraid of forests?”

“Well, that story… do you really want to hear it?” Sister Lan tempered her smile, clearly enjoying the suspense she was building.

Aside from Zhang Jiewei, who remained observing from the periphery, Xiao Cuo and Gao Jianning were nodding so vigorously they looked like chicks pecking grain. They even deliberately dragged their chairs closer to Lan Jinxuan’s side, crowding around Sister Lan with me, ready for the belle to tell her tale.

“It was during one summer vacation in middle school. I signed up for a summer training camp—five days of camping on a barren mountain, complete with wilderness survival training. I actually stood out among the students who went. Early on, the leading instructor designated me as his assistant to help with checking attendance. The first and second days were entirely normal, until the third day…” Sister Lan’s expression grew intensely grave here, as if she were recounting something that demanded her utmost solemnity.

“Did ‘that thing’ make an appearance?” Xiao Cuo interjected inappropriately.

“Get lost, you! Can’t your brain think of anything besides ‘that thing’?” Gao Jianning was clearly determined to clash with Xiao Cuo today.

“Stop messing around, let her talk,” I stepped in, as was my role, needing to maintain a good image in front of the lady. I then turned back to Sister Lan with a carefree smile, “Don’t be nervous, please continue.”

So, Sister Lan nodded solemnly and went on: “Until the third night, just after I’d finished checking the tents and was preparing to verify the count with the teacher before resting. As I approached the instructor’s tent, my foot landed on something wet. I distinctly remembered that it hadn’t rained a drop in days; there should have been no standing water outside the teacher’s tent. I stepped back, shining my flashlight down, and saw it wasn't water at all, but a pool of blood—blood seeping out from inside the tent. My heart pounded with fear, and I dared not make a sound, but I summoned my courage to step into the instructor’s tent. The moment I pulled the flap aside, I saw the administrative teacher sitting right in front of me, bolt upright, staring at me with empty eyes, his face utterly devoid of color.

I tried to call out to him. The instant my hand touched his shoulder, he pitched backward in that same rigid posture, falling into the pool of blood surrounding him. I was nearly scared out of my wits. I shrieked and scrambled backward, running blindly into the forest as if something were chasing me. It wasn't until the next morning that another instructor found me under a tree and brought me back. The death of our teacher forced us to prematurely end our training. On the way back, the police solved the case and caught the killer.”

When Sister Lan finished, she seemed to sink back into shadow. Then she added, “Perhaps that’s why I’m afraid of forests.”

Seeing Sister Lan in that state, none of us knew how to comfort the visibly shaken beauty. Only that oblivious boy, Gao Jianning, asked, “Is that true?”

“Of course not. It’s fake,” Sister Lan replied, to everyone’s surprise, before bursting into laughter.

“Sigh!” The three of us let out synchronized sighs, leaning back in our chairs in speechless exasperation.

“Being afraid of forests is just being afraid of forests. I don’t know why, but the lack of reason makes it even scarier,” Sister Lan said innocently, making no attempt to hide the amusement on her face. Good heavens, was that an ‘insult’ to the intelligence of us three brothers?

“Well, you spun a good tale there. Good potential. Maybe you should try writing novels,” I teased lightly.

“I watch too much TV drama,” Sister Lan shot back, glaring at me with those innocent, clear eyes, making me feel both profoundly uncomfortable and slightly delighted.

“Speaking of which, that email from last time, the one signed ‘Sister Lan’—how’s the tracking coming along, buddy?” I turned to Gao Jianning, steering the conversation elsewhere.

“Brother, you have no idea! The sender was clearly doing this on purpose. We managed to trace the IP for this latest email, but it showed up across tens of thousands of servers scattered all over the country. Damn it, I hate it when these people are this clever,” Gao Jianning exclaimed, slapping his thigh like a nagging mother, exasperated yet helpless.

“Just tell me if you can handle it or not?” I didn't have time for Gao Jianning’s long-winded complaints; I’ve always prioritized the outcome over the process.

“I can! I absolutely can this time. Last time was a lesson learned. This time, your brother spent an entire day designing a perfect program. I just need to cross-reference them one by one—it’ll take three days to map out the route and find the original server!” Gao Jianning declared righteously, as if seeking to wipe away past shame.

“That’ll do. I’ve got plenty of time to wait anyway,” I said, leaning back against the chair with my hands laced behind my head, preparing for another rest.

“I don’t have time to wait! Official business has arrived!” My blissful period of rest was utterly obliterated by the sound of Lord Jiang kicking the door open, followed immediately by his ‘demonic voice.’

Lord Jiang had arrived. Everyone instantly jumped up from their seats as if electrocuted to greet him.

“New case for you lot to handle,” Lord Jiang announced, tossing a file folder to me. It seemed he had no intention of treasuring these official documents at all.

“What’s the situation?” I weighed the file folder in my hand, asking naturally.

“Ahem, early this morning, someone discovered a female corpse on the hill in the western suburbs. Suspected ‘Sky Burial.’ The forensic medical examiner confirmed it was homicide at the scene,” Lord Jiang spoke slowly, a rare pallor spreading across his normally ruddy, ‘leadership-gleaming’ face.

“Aren’t we the ones who specifically handle ‘special’ cases?” I asked casually. Wasn’t that the very nature of our ‘Special Investigations Unit’?

“You think finding you guys work is easy?!” Lord Jiang erupted like a resentful wife. Did I say something wrong?

“Take a good look at this case. After you see it, you’ll know if it’s ‘special’ or not,” Lord Jiang seemed to realize his tone was off. He coughed twice and continued, “In short, don't waste my time with chatter here. Solve the case quickly!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lord Jiang left the office. I strongly suspected he had another office somewhere else, which explained why he never lingered in our ‘Special Investigations Unit’ for a moment.

As soon as Lord Jiang left, Gao Jianning and Xiao Cuo rushed over, eager to see what kind of case it was.

In front of them, I opened the file folder. The first things I saw were the stark, absolutely ‘invigorating’ photographs. Gao Jianning bolted toward a nearby trash can to retch after just one glance.

The photos showed a headless female corpse—or rather, two pieces, as her upper and lower halves were completely separated. Parts of her body had been gnawed by something, exposing bone.

“What in the hell is this situation!” I couldn't help but exclaim, feeling a strange sense of revulsion toward the file in my hands.

Sister Lan took the file from me, her face turning pale upon seeing the pictures. She was on the verge of vomiting, which was my only small comfort, as I found her reaction strikingly similar to morning sickness, causing me to let out a laugh.

“And you can still laugh?!” Seeing my unusually lecherous grin, Sister Lan immediately shot me a look of utter disdain.

“But besides these photos, there isn't much concrete information. The only confirmed detail right now is the victim’s identity: Ou Jinglan, female, twenty-five years old, an obscure model from an ordinary working-class family, nothing noteworthy. Looking at the state of death, could it be a revenge killing?” Sister Lan began to speculate.

“Revenge killing?” I asked, perhaps to Sister Lan, perhaps to everyone. When their gazes focused on me, I continued, “Look at the area surrounding the body. Someone clearly used fistsized stones to encircle the corpse—that’s the classic technique for ‘Sky Burial.’ Now, look at what’s stabbed into the body.”

“You mean this black flower? It looks like they directly severed the victim’s left nipple and then drilled a hole to insert it,” Xiao Cuo managed to say, despite the look of disgust on his face.

“Alright, alright, stop talking. You’re giving me the creeps,” Sister Lan said, lightly patting her startled heart and glancing at Xiao Cuo with distaste.

“This is a dyed-black dahlia. Haven’t you ever heard of the Black Dahlia case that happened in California in 1947? Based on the placement and posture of the body, it bears a striking resemblance to that case, although there are a few differences,” I explained while recalling photos I’d found online.

“So what?” Xiao Cuo immediately countered.

“It means nothing much, except that the killer, by leaving this black dahlia on the victim, is signaling that they are an imitator—and a modifier—of the ‘Black Dahlia,’” I said with a grave expression, an idea already forming in my mind.

“Who wants to come with me to see You Qiaolin?” Thinking about this, I felt it was necessary to confirm things over at You Qiaolin’s place.

“I’m not going. You can handle that on your own,” I expected Gao Jianning to be the first to bail.

I turned to Xiao Cuo, who simply shook his head at me. As for Sister Lan, she didn't even spare me a glance, returning to her seat and ending my hopes with a decisive action.

In the end, I could only place my hope on Zhang Jiewei, who had remained silent until now.

Zhang Jiewei didn't speak, he simply walked to the door. My heart lifted—I knew someone like him feared nothing and wouldn't refuse a request. I quickly followed.

When we entered You Qiaolin’s studio, he was already waiting for us. Seeing him standing alone by the dissection table gave off a slightly desolate feeling.

“About Li Shaojing’s matter…” I didn’t know how to comfort You Qiaolin, but pretending the incident never happened felt equally impossible.

“It’s over. Let’s not talk about it. Let’s discuss business,” You Qiaolin dismissed it briefly, then fully immersed himself in his work.

I looked at the headless female corpse bisected at the waist lying on the examination table. My stomach churned, but I forced myself to walk closer. Zhang Jiewei followed silently behind me; the sight of that body seemed to hold little deterrent power over him.

“How are the autopsy results?” I asked You Qiaolin, trying desperately not to focus my gaze on the headless torso.

“Look here,” You Qiaolin said, touching the body as he spoke. “The body was severed at the navel. The head was also severed by a sharp object—judging by the wounds, likely a large blade like a machete. When discovered, the body’s arms were raised, elbows bent, and legs stretched straight, separated by more than sixty degrees. The body had been cleaned before discovery; there wasn't a large amount of blood at the scene. Furthermore, the victim’s right breast was severely damaged, while the left nipple was excised and a black dahlia was inserted in its place.

There are other various signs of torture on the body. Preliminary assessment of the wounds suggests the perpetrator used a short baton and a small knife to torment her. The upper torso has multiple serrated cutting marks, as well as multiple cigarette burn wounds. The upper internal organs were stuffed back into the chest cavity. The autopsy revealed no semi-digested food in the stomach; some residue suggests the victim either swallowed or was forced to swallow feces.

There are numerous bruises and fractures on both arms, and several broken finger bones. Most of the red nail polish is gone, and several nails have been pulled out. There are marks of binding around the wrists. Ankle binding marks are large, with the wound edges turned upward—the victim might have been hung upside down. Both legs are fractured below the knee. The thighs show multiple shallow knife cuts (mostly scratches) and bruises, with one larger wound on the front of the left thigh. There are no signs of genital violation. The vagina was stuffed with weeds, and the intestines and other organs were washed and inserted into the abdominal cavity. There is a wound on the lower abdomen resembling a hysterectomy, and the uterus has been removed. Overall, many lower abdominal organs are missing. Due to the sheer number of major wounds, there are multiple possibilities for the cause of death, but it is certain that the victim was subjected to inhumane torture for thirty-six to forty-eight hours before she died.”

“Do you have any thoughts on these findings?” Hearing the result only solidified my own suspicions, and I knew You Qiaolin must have reached the same conclusion.

You Qiaolin nodded decisively and continued, “It’s obvious. The killer completely mimicked the methods of the ‘Black Dahlia’ case. The only differences are the ‘Sky Burial’ setting, the black dahlia left behind, and the fact that the killer took the victim’s head. This feels like a direct challenge to the police, and a modification of the ‘Black Dahlia.’”

“I feel the same way!” Hearing someone share my exact thoughts made me feel a surge of excitement, but a wave of worry immediately followed.

If the killer truly was a 'Black Dahlia' modifier, did that mean this one corpse was far from enough…?