The knife wound in Zhang Le’s lower back wasn’t fatal. In fact, because he was wearing thick clothes, the damage looked like a lot of blood was gushing out, but the actual harm wasn’t severe. So, after being treated and bandaged at the hospital, he was sent back to Alice Apartment.
He owned two apartments in Alice Apartment. Both Room 501 and Room 502 on the first floor were his. But in his daily life, he only stayed in Room 501. Right now, he was in Room 501. And he was planning something.
That was, to kill Yang Qi and turn him into an instrument. Even though, when he encountered Yang Qi, Yang Qi had helped him call an ambulance and taken him to the hospital, he couldn’t suppress his urge to turn Yang Qi into an instrument. He felt that this was also a way of repaying the favor. After all, how long was a person’s life? Using Yang Qi’s brief life to make a good instrument—how meaningful and wonderful would that be! Besides, Yang Qi was a lab rat. Killing him would increase his privilege. It was killing two birds with one stone.
“Sigh, I can’t wait any longer!”
At this moment, Zhang Le stared at the large spread of dishes he had personally cooked on the living room dining table, absolutely thrilled. On the table, besides a heap of delicious-looking dishes, there were also drinks and alcohol. He had put sedatives in all of them. He was just waiting for the protagonist to arrive!
Ding-dong!
Just as he was thinking this, the doorbell suddenly rang. He knew it must be Yang Qi. So he happily walked over to open the door. The door opened, and sure enough, it was him! That’s right!!!
The door opened, and Yang Qi stuffed his phone into his pants pocket. He hadn’t really wanted to come. But this stranger he had never met before insisted on treating him to a meal to thank him for calling the ambulance and accompanying him to the hospital. No matter how much he tried to decline, he couldn’t shake him off, so he had no choice but to come.
“Yang Qi, have a seat here.”
At this moment, Zhang Le, trembling with excitement, invited Yang Qi to sit at the dining table in the living room. Yang Qi glanced at the sky outside, then remembered the time on his phone he had just looked at—it was already six-thirty in the evening. He sat down.
After sitting down, Zhang Le served him a bowl of white rice and poured him a glass of Sprite. “Yang Qi, thank you! If I hadn’t run into you today, I really don’t know how much longer I would have been lying on that cold cement floor!!!”
Zhang Le sat across from Yang Qi, his face full of excitement. “It’s nothing, just a small favor. But, about the person who stabbed you, did you call the police?”
Yang Qi picked up a piece of soft braised pork belly and put it in his mouth. Hey, he had to say, the texture was pretty good. The fatty part was soft and tender, and it tasted especially fragrant. After eating several pieces, he drank most of the Sprite from the glass. It was so refreshing.
“Oh. You’re asking about this? I haven’t reported it yet. I’ll call the police later, hehe.” Zhang Le’s mind wasn’t on this at all. He knew very well that in Alice Apartment, calling the police wouldn’t solve any problems.
“Oh, I see. Well, you should do it soon. By the way, do you know the person who stabbed you?”
Yang Qi asked.
Zhang Le replied, “I don’t know him, not at all. He just started talking to me out of nowhere, then stabbed me. What a raw deal! Who can I complain to?”
Zhang Le put on a pained expression. Yang Qi nodded with an “Oh, I see,” and said, “So that’s how it is... I haven’t been living here long, but I’ve noticed there seem to be a lot of incidents like this in this apartment building.”
Zhang Le said, “There’s not just injuries; there are murders too!” “Haven’t you noticed lately that police cars have been coming really often?”
Zhang Le also picked up a piece of braised pork belly and started eating. But he didn’t touch the drinks or any alcohol.
Yang Qi said, “I’ve noticed. So, I’m curious—what’s going on with this apartment building? Why are there so many of these incidents?”
Hearing this, Zhang Le suddenly put on a mysterious look, leaned forward, and whispered, “Let me tell you, this Alice Apartment is said to have been built on a mass grave! That’s why! The yin energy here is especially strong, making it very prone to these kinds of violent incidents!!”
Yang Qi nodded in understanding, indicating he had learned something new.
The two chatted for a while longer. Then Zhang Le’s tone suddenly shifted to another topic.
“By the way, Yang Qi, have you ever watched any suspense or horror movies?”
Yang Qi replied, “I never watch that kind of stuff.”
Zhang Le slapped his thigh. “Oh! No wonder!”
Yang Qi said, “No wonder what?”
Zhang Le propped his hands on the table and slowly stood up. He smiled and said, “No wonder you fell for it.”
Yang Qi: “Fell for what?”
Zhang Le: “Are you feeling dizzy and drowsy right now?”
Zhang Le’s words seemed to have a magical effect. Yang Qi frowned, rubbing his head with his right hand. “Actually, I’ve been feeling a bit like this for a while.” “What’s wrong with me? I didn’t even drink any alcohol, just a little soda.”
Zhang Le grinned. “That’s right, the soda. I put a sedative in the soda.”
Yang Qi’s eyes widened with intense disbelief. “Sedative?”
Zhang Le nodded. “That’s right, a sedative.” “Let me predict what you’re going to say next—you’ll definitely ask me why.” “I’ll tell you why.” “Because I’ve got my eyes on you.”
Yang Qi’s eyelids were now drooping heavily, and his head was bobbing up and down. It looked like he was about to pass out.
“Are you gay? Putting... putting a sedative on me?”
Zhang Le sneered. “Gay? Hah, I’m not that kind of person.” “What I mean by ‘got my eyes on you’ is that I want to borrow your bones temporarily to make an instrument.” “How about making you into a cello?”
As he finished speaking, thump, Yang Qi’s head hit the table. Zhang Le yawned at the sight, looking utterly contemptuous. “You should watch more suspense horror movies, at least to have some defense.” “Going to someone’s house to eat like an idiot, without any caution.”
“Tsk... that damn kid.”
Zhang Le had walked over to Yang Qi’s side to move him elsewhere. But as soon as he exerted force, the wound on his lower back sent excruciating pain through his entire body. “You little bastard, you better hope you never end up in my hands.” Zhang Le, holding his lower back, started thinking of a way to get Yang Qi to Room 502. Room 501 was where he lived and slept, while Room 502 was where he made his instruments.
“Forget it, I’ll just bring my little cart over and kick him onto it.”
Zhang Le turned around, planning to go to Room 502 first to get the cart. But at that moment, a voice suddenly rang out: “If you kick me, don’t you think I’ll feel pain?”
Zhang Le was about to reply, “Pain my ass, you’re already unconscious, how can you feel pain?” But then he suddenly sensed something was wrong. He whipped his head around and saw Yang Qi staring straight at him. Cold sweat poured down his forehead. Zhang Le, intimidated by Yang Qi’s gaze, couldn’t stop the sweat from streaming down uncontrollably.
