Episode 8: Echoes

  Those who are not in harmony with the world, are fallen people. Those who have suffered the pain of failure, are fallen people. Those without self-confidence, are fallen people. Those without hope, are fallen people. We are like ants' lives, like flies' appearances, falling into the lowest level of human society, looking around at all things, not knowing what to do. Fallen people, everyone in the world is like this.

  Echoes of Chapter 8

  Falling? When was the first time I thought of this word? Was it when I had my first heartbreak? When I was forced to drop out of college? Or... when my father passed away?

  Rain... still so big. Hair got wet, but heart didn't, because... heart is already dead.

  Lucus walked alone in the rainy streets. He was driven out of the police station by his so-called self-esteem, and the failure of the manhunt made him lose face to enter the police station again. He thought that maybe the killer was indeed a being beyond common sense, standing at a height that people like him could not reach. If such a guy really existed, perhaps one day all the women in the world would be dead.

  I failed again. Is it for the thousandth time or tenthousandth time?

  Russ raised his head and looked at the empty street. His mind was also a complete blank. He didn't want to think about whether the police officers who had their eyeballs dug out could survive; he didn't want to think about what was written on the piece of paper left by the murderer at the scene; he didn't want to think about how the murderer managed to do everything that happened last night. Thinking, for a fallen person like him, was a shameful thing. At this moment, something even more unbearable entered his sight - two people walking towards him, a young couple under a small umbrella, hand in hand, extremely sweet. One of them was his ex-girlfriend, the police chief's daughter.

  "What's wrong? Do you know that person?"

  "Hmm... my ex-boyfriend, who I dumped, actually went to ask my dad for help with the case, trying to curry favor with him. Looking at his current state, he's probably been kicked out of the bureau by my dad."

  "Haha, what a silly guy, luckily you dumped him."

  In Rus's ears, a conversation seemed to have started. But in fact, the two people in front of him didn't notice him at all and just passed by him directly. The conversation was emitted from Rus's inner heart, and he himself sprinkled salt on his own wound. Rus turned around and took a look at the two people who were walking away gradually, and the raindrops hitting his body started to hurt. Perhaps, rather than being ignored by his ex-girlfriend, he would have preferred to hear that conversation just now.

  "I'm so cheap..."

  Lus is this kind of person.

  New York Police Department · Conference Room —

  "Hey, where's Rus?" "He's gone, after making such a big mess." "Yeah, even the director doesn't want to mention him again." "I know, I heard his proposal yesterday and thought it was something impressive, but it turned out he was just all talk." "Forget about him, Detective Paul is holding a battle meeting now!"

  "From now on, the NYPD is under our full control. Does anyone have any objections?" Paul stood behind several FBI agents in black suits, their serious atmosphere making the already disheartened police officers not dare to look up at him. "Yesterday we suffered heavy losses, injured colleagues are still in the hospital, some survived and others are still in danger; the body of the female officer who died has been returned to her family. I also have a responsibility for this, so now I must do my best to turn things around." Paul slammed an earpiece with a walkie-talkie on the table, "I've found out why everyone almost simultaneously fainted yesterday! Your earpieces were mixed with a strong sedative!" "It was the killer who did it." "But how did he manage to do that?" The police officers started whispering among themselves. "There's a mole in our department! He told the killer about yesterday's operation and worked together with him to put the drug on your earpieces!" "A mole?" The police officers all gasped, they couldn't believe there was such a person among them. "Was it Russ? We haven't seen him since dawn!" "Yeah, maybe everything that happened yesterday was his own doing!" "That bastard, I'll skin him alive when I see him!" "Chief, how could you let a wolf into the house?! That Russ is actually the real killer behind this whole series of murders!"

  "Quiet, Rus can't be the mole! He was with me all day yesterday, he didn't have a chance to do anything!" The director shouted. His excuse was not for Rus, but for himself, because if Rus was the mole, then he, who brought Rus into the police station, would probably lose his retirement pension. "Indeed, the possibility of Rus being the mole is small. But this makes it even more difficult. Because if the mole is not Rus, then the mole may still be hiding among us!" Paul's words made all the police officers look at each other in dismay. Everyone present was a comrade who had worked together for many years, and no one wanted to think that someone among them could be the accomplice of the serial killer. "Detective Paul... do you know who the mole is?" A police officer asked in a trembling voice. "I'm sorry, I don't dare to make any assumptions yet. In my eyes, everyone is an excellent police officer, and I don't want to suspect anyone." "What should we do? Can't just let the mole continue to wreak havoc in the station?" "Indeed, the FBI behind me will investigate the mole's case, and they will take statements from each of you soon. Please trust the efficiency of the FBI, as long as the mole really has the guts to stay among us, we will definitely catch him today!" "I hope so..." The police officers were all worried and sighing, no one wanted to suspect their colleagues, and even more didn't want to be suspected themselves. The meeting ended in such an eerie atmosphere.

  "Director, you'd better bring Rus back. Although the suspicion of him being a mole is small, it can't be completely ruled out, after all, he was the first one to 'escape'." Paul said to the director beside him.

  "Hmm, I kept his phone number, I'll call him back."

  "No, there's something more important to tell you." Paul pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it from his pocket. "This is what the killer left behind last night, just next to that Cupid card. To avoid causing panic, I didn't mention it to everyone earlier."

  "Ah... what does it say?"

  "You take a look yourself."

  The director took over the paper and looked at the words on it carefully. His face gradually turned pale.

  "Foolish police, you will never catch me. Women are dirty creatures, I am the angel sent by God to eradicate them, do you think you can resist an angel? This time is just a small punishment for you, if I find out that you still dare to continue your evil ways. Next time, your casualties will not be as mild as this! Do you know? I personally am extremely reluctant to harm my male compatriots, it's you who forced me to harm them. When I gouged out their eyeballs, do you know the pain in my heart? My heart is more painful than their eyes! I advise you, don't provoke me again, otherwise I will use Cupid's arrow to pierce through all of New York!"

  "Is there... no fingerprints on this?" The director put down the paper and asked timidly. "No, it's still the same as before, the murderer didn't leave any traces at the scene." "Right! Handwriting analysis! We can take this paper to do handwriting analysis, then investigate all women with depressive tendencies in Manhattan!" "It's useless, Director, haven't you noticed?" Paul shook his head helplessly and pointed to the paper.

  "Every single character on this is written in a different handwriting!"

  At this time, Rush's apartment -

  "Cigarettes... are a great thing. They provide a chronic means of suicide for people like me."

  Ruth wrote on his blog: The ground was littered with cigarette butts, at least two packs worth. Looking out the window at the rain, Ruth's eyes were despondent. Just then, his phone rang - it was the chief calling. Ruth glanced sideways at the phone, then stood up, picked it up and walked to the balcony, where he threw it into the torrential rain of Manhattan. He didn't want to know anything more about the serial murder case, nor did he want to hear any voices related to his ex-girlfriend again. He decided to lock himself in a world that would forever be alone with only one person.

  Let the rain fall. A fallen person has no right to control things outside the window. Even if he goes out, the rain will still continue to fall. A fallen person can't change anything.

  Lu walked into the house, wiped off the rain from his body, lay on the bed, and covered his head with a quilt. He didn't want to think about anything or do anything, just like that, he would spend the rest of his life.

  "Ruse, do you hate women? Do you want to kill 'that person'? The one who made you like this!" A chilling male voice suddenly echoed in Ruse's ears. "Who!" Ruse threw off the covers and looked around, but there was no one else in the room except for himself and the thick smoke smell. "Answer me, Ruse, do you want to kill her? Do you want to kill that filthy woman?" The voice appeared again in Ruse's ears.

  "Who! What kind of person are you!"

  "Oh dear, I haven't even introduced myself yet. Nice to meet you, Rus. My name is..."

  JACK！”