Chapter 1: A Sudden Death

... ...

The boy carefully examined the corpse on the ground, even taking the time to gently prod the chin of the deceased with his toe. Once he confirmed that this young man, who weighed nearly 200 pounds, was beyond saving, he shifted his slightly astonished gaze to Feng Yinglou. He bent down and, with a decidedly ungentle motion, pinched Feng Yinglou's cheek hard, sighing lightly, "You've got quite the nerve, watching someone die right in front of you without crying or running away. Heh, a bit like me."

"By the way, Officer, there is one more thing I need to ask of you," the boy said earnestly. "I am only fifteen and a half years old, not yet an adult. Please give a heads-up to the officers in advance. I hope that when a murder occurs, and it turns out to be the beloved son of the vice mayor, they won't just tie me up and treat me like a criminal. I am still a budding flower, weak and underdeveloped, and I could be harmed by such treatment."

At this time, air conditioning is still viewed as an excessively aristocratic luxury by the average person. In the face of the stifling heat, even the electric fan whirring loudly cannot alleviate the sweltering discomfort. Meanwhile, the television offers only a handful of channels, repeatedly broadcasting melodramatic soap operas that, to put it bluntly, revolve around crying, fussing, and despair, leaving viewers feeling quite disheartened.

Faced with the boy's smiling face, even an eight-year-old boy, who had been completely stunned, paused for a moment.

These four characters were like a flash of lightning cutting through the boundless dark night, causing stars to burst before Zhou Yinglou's eyes, while reason desperately reminded him...! ... Danger, get away from this guy immediately!

However, I just witnessed a genuine incident of falling to one's death at close range. The air was thick with the almost suffocating scent of blood and gasoline, and all my strength seemed to concentrate on the heart in my chest, which was beating faster and faster. My hands and feet felt as soft as cotton candy; how could I still move in the Wind Shadow Building?

An eight-year-old boy widened his eyes, shaking the cigarette in his hand, and said: "If you haven't smoked by the age of eight, by this ratio, wouldn't you have to wait until after thirty to sleep with a woman"

Hello, is this the Public Security Bureau

At this moment, Feng Yinglou truly felt like crying without tears, wanting to speak yet unable to continue. He was not the bold type who would not cry or run away; rather, he was filled with fear, his whole body chilled and his limbs stiffened. Although he appeared calm and composed, which belied his age, in reality, he could not muster the strength to even run away, let alone cry.

The boy seemed to have developed a slight curiosity about the Wind Shadow Pavilion. He raised an eyebrow at an angle and suddenly asked, "Kid, how old are you?"

Watching Fengying Building, one seemed to want to cough but could not, tears already choked out, with a cigarette in his mouth that had already been reduced by a quarter in one puff, it was evident that his lung capacity was quite remarkable yet pitiable, causing the boy to laugh

At the elite training school, Feng Yinglou is always the most diligent and hardworking one, yet he consistently ranks last in every assessment. Faced with such a student, even the instructors can only shake their heads and sigh; they truly cannot bear to send this child, whose face is filled with caution and whose eyes are brimming with pleading, back home

Dah!

At this moment, the square of the "Anhuanian" leisure venue was in chaos. Whether it was well-dressed men fleeing in panic or the abandoned, jewel-adorned ladies, it resembled a scene where dozens of strong men were about to commit a crime, emitting mouse-like shrieks. Meanwhile, the onlookers, who were idly watching with wide eyes, seemed to revel in the chaos, ensuring they were in a position of absolute safety, knowing they would not be caught in the crossfire. They all stared with round eyes, wearing expressions of excitement, observing the sudden turn of events happening here.

He placed a glass of beer still bubbling in front of Fengying Building, and the boy directly commanded, "Drink!"

The beer mixed with yogurt has a taste that is both sour and sweet, yet also bitter, and it is quite good. Usually, there are hardly any snacks at home, let alone the yogurt from Fengying Building. Holding the paper cup, it is almost a single gulp. He lightly licked his lips, gazing eagerly at the boy in front of him, particularly at the half-emptied yogurt bottle beside him.

Murderer

It is precisely because of this that, even at ten o'clock in the evening, the streets of the entire city are still filled with pedestrians dressed in loose and comfortable clothing, enjoying the night air. Under the streetlight at the corner, there are occasionally people setting up chess tables to compete against each other. The sound of chess pieces heavily landing on the wooden board, producing a "clap" and "clap" sound, vividly evokes the tension of a battle between two armies.

Having just reported the case, it can be considered a voluntary surrender, which might lead to a reduction in charges. The boy put down the public phone, strode confidently to the Fengying Building, and sat cross-legged on the ground, which was splattered with blood. He looked up and down at the Fengying Building, which stood there like a wooden post. At this moment, he finally discerned some clues and blurted out: "Hey, kid, are you scared silly?"

suffering

The Wind Shadow Building, standing to one side, must admit that he had long been stunned and bewildered. In his entire life, he had never heard of such an unconventional way of reporting a crime, nor had he ever seen a murderer, who had committed a homicide, able to smile with such calm composure.

He fell from an unknown height, and upon hitting the hard ground, a series of sounds erupted from his body, resembling the sound of a dozen wooden sticks being forcefully snapped, as well as the sound of a water pouch finally bursting under pressure. Blood then gushed into the air, splattering up to two or three feet high.

In this situation, a sudden whisper in his ear urged, "Breathe in deeply," prompting Feng Yinglou to involuntarily take a deep breath. An intense and unprecedented sensation surged into his mouth, rapidly invading his lungs. Faced with this completely unexpected assault, Feng Yinglou's face flushed bright red in an instant

In front of the Fengying Studio, a young man who somewhat resembled Andy Lau but had a temperament akin to Aaron Kwok, heavily placed a plastic barrel filled with at least twelve or thirteen kilograms of gasoline onto the ground. He then strode over to a public telephone nearby and casually pressed the three digits "110".

With a soft click of the lighter, the blue flame flickered in the night breeze, causing the eyes of the Wind Shadow Pavilion's owner to widen to the size of pigeon eggs. For goodness' sake, less than a meter away from them was an uncovered half barrel of gasoline, which ignited easily and exploded upon ignition. This old man had just committed murder and arson, leaving no room for a good outcome in his life. Surely, he wouldn't, in his final moments, act recklessly and drag an unrelated passerby like him into this disaster, would he? For goodness' sake, less than a meter away from them was an uncovered half barrel of gasoline, which ignited easily and exploded upon ignition. This old man had just committed murder and arson, leaving no room for a good outcome in his life. Surely, he wouldn't, in his final moments, act recklessly and drag an unrelated passerby like him into this disaster, would he?

After finishing my homework, I wandered around and happened to walk right under the Wind Shadow Pavilion of a leisure venue, when suddenly I heard a sound of rushing wind above my head

However, a child who mechanically struggles due to fear of being eliminated, fear of witnessing the expressions of failure on their family's faces, without passion, sufficient awareness, or exceptional talent, how can they possibly survive in a school for elite training filled with outstanding talents

As the saying goes, nine out of ten rich people are overweight, and one fears that the overweight person lacks a backside. This overweight individual does have a backside, but it is prominently marked by a deep knife wound. Centered around this wound, a spray of bright red blood shot up three feet high, indiscriminately covering an area of three to four meters nearby. The vividness of it, the suddenness of it, was enough to make the vast majority of people scream in terror

Staring at this absolutely inappropriate scene for children, the eight-year-old Feng Yinglou was completely stunned. God knows whether he was scared silly or if his childlike curiosity was simply too strong. At this life-threatening moment, listening to the women around him screaming in a way that could only be described as hysterical, standing less than five meters in front of the corpse and almost getting splattered with blood, what Feng Yinglou was actually thinking was... ? ... In those TV dramas, when people jump off buildings to commit suicide, don't they always spout blood from their mouths and roll their eyes back? Why is it that he was bleeding from his backside instead? Standing less than five meters in front of the corpse and almost getting splattered with blood, what Feng Yinglou was actually thinking was... ? ... In those TV dramas, when people jump off buildings to commit suicide, don't they always spout blood from their mouths and roll their eyes back? Why is it that he was bleeding from his backside instead?

After taking just one sip, Feng Yinglou frowned. He looked at the boy sitting next to him, who tilted his head back and quickly finished an entire bottle of beer, exuding a certain manly bravado. Cautiously, he remarked, "It's too bitter... not good to drink"

Before Feng Yinglou had a chance to look up, a man with hair dyed to resemble a golden retriever, adorned with twelve or thirteen small earrings on just his left ear, and completely unclothed, made a straightforward and unembellished intimate contact with the ground in a prostrate position

A strong smell of gasoline rushed towards Feng Yinglou, causing him to wrinkle his small face. If his nose was functioning properly, the half barrel of light yellow liquid casually slung over the boy's shoulder, swaying with his steps and making a rustling sound, was undoubtedly gasoline that would ignite fiercely at the slightest spark, potentially even leading to an explosion.

The boy strode up to a small shop made of simple materials by the roadside. He patted his pocket but ultimately did not take out a single cent. Finally, he simply pointed at the corpse lying steadily on the ground and the books beside it, saying to the owner: "Do you see that? I killed that person."

The boy's voice is slightly hoarse, but it is precisely because of this that it adds an unexpected magnetic charm that contrasts with his age. His expression resembles that of someone inviting a girlfriend for afternoon tea, exuding an indescribable sense of ease and artistry. "Report it, I have killed someone."

Seeing Fengying Building nodding earnestly, the boy couldn't help but chuckle again. He took out a pack of "Liangyou" cigarettes from his pocket, first tossing one into his own mouth, and then, with a quick glance, he casually stuffed another one into Fengying Building's mouth.

The Wind Shadow Pavilion shook its head honestly, "No!"

At that moment, the instructor finally saw a brilliant spark in the student who ranked last in the entire school despite being the most diligent, recognizing a style that could only belong to him and a path that could only be his own

Ignoring the pale-faced shopkeeper, the boy reached over and directly took several bottles of Tsingtao beer from the counter, also swiping two paper cups. Just before leaving, he turned back very politely and issued a verbal IOU, saying, "I’m sorry, it seems I won’t have the chance in this lifetime, but I will definitely repay you for these bottles of beer in the next life."

It was merely an absolute coincidence

Setting aside the identity of the murderer, the blood-soaked ground, and the corpse behind him, this boy, who bears a slight resemblance to Andy Lau, possesses a smile that exudes an indescribable warmth of sunshine. On his face, which already shows hints of angularity, there is a lazy vitality and cunning, complemented by the cigarette casually dangling from the corner of his mouth, giving him an air of nonchalance and irreverence.

A brief and small contract

However, the boy's attitude was so relaxed that, despite the magnetic charm of his voice, it could not conceal the inherent childishness. The person on the other end of the phone held a skeptical view of this emergency call. The boy widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Hello, hello, hello, police lady, I am really not joking with you. The guy I just took down seems to be the beloved son of the vice mayor, named Li Yue. Ah ha, you remember this name, that's great, please dispatch the police quickly!"

The instructor ordered him to stand in a corner of the campus and reflect on his mistakes, but he was unexpectedly assigned a task and was away for a full two days. When the instructor returned, he was truly astonished.

It was merely a bottle of yogurt, yet the Fengying Building was bought off by a murderer

In the corner of the campus, he saw that small, stubborn, and aggrieved figure, witnessing someone who, having gone two days without food and water, was nearly on the brink of shock, yet still stood firm, subtly exuding an unyielding and majestic presence.

Do not say ... ...

What does it truly mean to sleep with a woman? For Feng Yinglou, who is only 8 years old, absolutely immature, and raised in a strictly rigid family environment, it is indeed an overly abstract and vague concept. Yet, for some reason, his face turned red involuntarily.

In such a dire situation, the boy was still fiddling with a lighter in his hand, casually playing with it. Observing the movements of his five fingers, who among those present was not secretly gasping in horror?

The boy widened his eyes; he was about to say something but closed his mouth again. He walked up to the convenience store once more, reached out, and took another bottle of Wahaha yogurt from the counter. In front of Feng Yinglou, he mixed the beer and yogurt together, then inserted a finger that reeked of gasoline into the mixture. After stirring it chaotically, he presented the concoction, which made adults frown, to Feng Yinglou. In a tone reminiscent of the wolf enticing Little Red Riding Hood, he said, "Drink up, drink up, I guarantee this time it will definitely taste good. To change the absolutely tragic fate of having to wait until you are thirty to sleep with a woman, you must hold on!"

Amidst the chaos and uproar, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, carrying a plastic bucket used for a water dispenser on his shoulder, strode out of the renowned "Anhua Nian" leisure club, which stands a full seven stories high, surrounded by several security guards who carefully formed a protective circle around him

In 1993, on a hot and ordinary summer, on a seemingly ordinary night

No matter how afraid I am, the family environment has fostered the habit of answering questions in the Wind Shadow Building, "Eight years old"

Bang

"Hehe, I see you're blushing; it seems there is still a chance for redemption." The boy nodded in satisfaction and suddenly added, "You haven't smoked, but have you ever drunk alcohol?"

You really are a model child, aren't you? Wait a moment!