The Labyrinth of the Monsters

Chapter 5 – Identity Exposed

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..."

"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?"

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?"