Identity Exposed

At 9 a.m., in the Teaching Office.

"Sit down."

Officer Huang sat in the principal's swivel chair, leaning back slightly with his legs crossed, his hands clasped in front of his abdomen. His relaxed demeanor exuded authority without anger, as if he were in his own interrogation room.

Gao Yang sat upright in front of him in a disciplined manner, remaining silent.

Officer Huang smiled. "Don't be nervous. There's no one else here. I'm just going to ask a few questions."

"Mm…" Gao Yang inwardly grumbled: Am I only nervous because no one else is here?!

"Is your face injured?"

"Oh, I was bitten by an insect." Gao Yang casually touched his face.

"Alright, let's begin." Officer Huang took out a notepad. "Gao Yang, what is your relationship with the deceased Li Weiwei?"

"We've known each other since kindergarten, and we've always been close—like childhood sweethearts," Gao Yang answered.

While making notes, Officer Huang asked, "Yesterday afternoon, were you with Li Weiwei the entire time?"

"Mm, we went to watch a movie, had dinner, and hung out at the Dawen Mall until quite late. We only got home in the deep night."

"When did you two part ways?"

"Around 11, I guess." Gao Yang knew he couldn't be too precise with the time, or it would look even more suspicious.

"That late? Didn't you see her home?"

"I dropped her off for part of the way, but for the last leg she said she didn't need a ride, so I didn't accompany her."

Gao Yang knew that the surveillance on that last section of the route had been tampered with by Qing Ling. He deliberately added, "Officer Huang, you can check the surveillance, it would prove it."

Officer Huang hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering slightly. "To be frank, the surveillance on that road where you split up was exactly out of order."

"How could that be?" Gao Yang feigned surprise.

"There is a high possibility it was premeditated." Officer Huang studied Gao Yang's face intently, trying to find any tell in his expression.

"Is there really no clue at all?" Gao Yang asked.

Officer Huang lowered his crossed legs and leaned forward. "Did Li Weiwei ever have any classmates she didn't get along with, or did she offend anyone?"

Gao Yang shook his head, "She was a kind person. Everyone in class liked her. I can't think of anyone who would hold a grudge against her."

"What about someone jealous of her? Or anyone else?"

Gao Yang thought for a moment and shook his head again, "I can't recall."

Officer Huang nodded, never taking his eyes off Gao Yang's face. "You like Li Weiwei, don't you?"

Gao Yang paused before answering, "I suppose… I do."

"Because the investigation requires it, I reviewed Li Weiwei's WeChat messages. You confessed your feelings to her, and she accepted…"

"Yes, yesterday was our first date. I never expected it would be our last…" Gao Yang lowered his head, his mood somber with genuine sorrow.

Officer Huang stopped asking questions and stood up. "Alright, that's all for today." He stepped forward and patted Gao Yang's shoulder with a somewhat meaningful tone, "My condolences."

---

After the questioning ended, Gao Yang exhaled in relief, realizing it had all been a close call. He left the office and walked toward the classroom.

"Gao Yang!" someone called.

Before he could turn, a strong arm suddenly emerged and locked tightly around his neck.

Gao Yang struggled for breath: "Cough, cough…"

A boy with his hair dyed blonde and lip studs loosened his grip. It was Wang Zikai.

Wang Zikai had been Gao Yang's high school classmate, though not for a week now. After his Nth incident of smashing open another boy from the neighboring class's head, he was finally expelled.

The reason for the fight: the other party merely glanced at him.

Wang Zikai came from a wealthy family, arriving at school in a sports car every day, and with his good looks, he was the epitome of a rich and handsome guy. Yet despite having all these advantages, his temper reduced them to nothing. At school, he was a bully feared by everyone.

Strangely, ever since high school, this bully had been unusually affectionate toward Gao Yang. Wang Zikai had repeatedly stressed that Gao Yang was his best and only friend.

This left Gao Yang both flattered and puzzled. Succumbing to his bully's oppressive influence, Gao Yang timidly accepted the role of friend, and eventually discovered that apart from enjoying fights and occasional brain farts, Wang Zikai was actually quite a decent person.

Today, Wang Zikai was in a good mood; he had likely come to complete his expulsion procedures.

"What's wrong? You look like you've been eating dirt." Wang Zikai asked.

"Li Weiwei is dead," Gao Yang replied.

"Ah?!" Wang Zikai was startled. "How did she die?"

"Robbery, she was killed…"

"Damn! That's so unlucky." Wang Zikai clicked his tongue. "It's a pity that just a few days ago I even helped you confess to her. Hey, did she accept you? I bet she must have rejected you—come on, someone like you could never have a girl!"

Gao Yang rolled his eyes: that idiot would never grasp the point.

"Bro, my condolences." Wang Zikai nonchalantly patted Gao Yang's shoulder. "Look on the bright side—now you never have to worry about her getting robbed again."

"…" Gao Yang held back the urge to curse.

"School's out today. I'll pick you up in my car, and we can queue up for a duo game. Turn your grief into energy—this season we're definitely getting to Silver rank!" Wang Zikai said.

"No, thanks. Tonight I have to attend Li Weiwei's farewell service."

"Really?" Wang Zikai theatrically jumped aside. "Could it be that you still can't let go of her ghost…?"

"Get lost!"

Gao Yang was speechless, almost wishing he could kick him. But that was Wang Zikai—no matter what, you'd never hear him say something normal.

"See you later!" Wang Zikai patted his backside, waving as he ran off.

---

At 7 p.m. that evening. In Shanquing District. At the Funeral Home.

Gao Yang, along with a dozen or so classmates and their homeroom teacher, attended Li Weiwei's farewell service.

On one hand, Gao Yang had feelings for Li Weiwei—even though she had turned into a "monster" last night, he still wanted to see her off for the last time; on the other hand, he was very curious as to why Li Weiwei's body wasn't cremated immediately after her death, which contradicted his understanding of the world.

The mourning hall was dim and solemn. Li Weiwei's portrait was placed on the altar, the girl in the photo smiling brightly. Her body lay in a transparent, refrigerated glass coffin, surrounded by lush white flowers.

Li Weiwei's parents, dressed in black suits and formal attire, stood beside the coffin, bowing repeatedly to the mourners.

Her mother couldn't stop crying, while her father supported her, his face full of grief.

After the homeroom teacher and several students performed the incense offering for Li Weiwei, he went on to shake hands with her parents. Then, he circled around the glass coffin, and the farewell ceremony was deemed complete.

Gao Yang, following the line, approached the ice-cooled coffin. As he drew near, he took a closer look at Li Weiwei's body. She was dressed in a black burial garment with makeup on, looking as though she were merely sleeping, not much different from how she had been when alive.

Yet, when he thought that this very girl almost had his head crushed yesterday, a deep-seated terror crawled up from his feet, making his hair stand on end.

While the homeroom teacher went to converse with Li Weiwei's parents, Gao Yang felt his throat dry. Avoiding the crowd, he moved to the refreshment room beside the mourning hall to get some water.

Upon pushing open the door, he found Qing Ling already there.

Gao Yang couldn't bring himself to look at Qing Ling and went to get water on his own, but Qing Ling stepped forward and asked in an authoritative tone, "Did the police ask you anything?"

"Nothing much."

"Tell me everything." Qing Ling ordered.

Gao Yang looked around, ensuring no one else was in the room, and then revealed, "Why did you stop acting?"

Qing Ling paused slightly, "Acting? What do you mean?"

"Earlier in the day, you were acting very well!" Gao Yang said, a bit irritated.

Qing Ling's eyes flashed, "Have you seen her?"

"What do you mean?"

"My other personality?"

Gao Yang was startled, and then he understood. "You mean, you have… split personalities?"

"Yes."

Gao Yang said nothing.

Qing Ling gently closed the door of the refreshment room. "To survive in this world, you mustn't deceive yourself. Over time, I developed a second personality. She is like my sister; her name is Qing Ling (with a different tone). Most of the time, it's me in control, but sometimes she doesn't listen and comes out on her own. Li Weiwei's death greatly shocked Qing Ling."

Gao Yang's expression turned wary, "Now I really don't know which of your words is true and which is false."

"It doesn't matter."

"Give me a reason to trust you."

"A reason?" Qing Ling raised an eyebrow. With his right hand holding a disposable cup, his finger lightly moved. Suddenly, a blade as thin as a cicada's wing flew out from the pocket on his chest and pressed against Gao Yang's neck.

"I'll kill you. It's even easier than what Li Weiwei did to you. Is that reason enough?"

"That's enough…"

Survival is paramount.

Gao Yang briefly recounted his conversation with Officer Huang.

After listening, Qing Ling fell into deep thought.

"You're pretty sharp; you didn't give away any clues."

"Just a policeman," Gao Yang replied deliberately. "What clues could I possibly give away?"

Qing Ling gave a cold smile. "It seems you still don't understand your predicament. Do you know how many 'beasts' there are in this city?"

"How many?"

"The ratio is one in ten thousand."

"Out of 10,000 people there's only one beast? That's quite high indeed," Gao Yang said.

"No, it's one person among 10,000 beasts."

"What?!" Gao Yang almost exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?"

"There's no joke."

"That's impossible!" Gao Yang could hardly believe it; his scalp tingled as if being pricked by ice-cold needles—this was utterly absurd.

"That's the truth. Now do you understand your predicament?"

Gao Yang's hand trembled.

"We, as humans, exist in our school—just two of us. That's already a low-probability event." Qing Ling stepped forward, his gaze turning icy. "As for your family, your friends, your neighbors—99.99% of the people you come into contact with in your lifetime, unless something extraordinary happens, are all beasts of various kinds."

Gao Yang stood frozen as terror, like a cold, venomous snake, wrapped itself around him.

Grandmother, father, mother, sister, teachers, classmates, friends… everyone might be a beast. And Gao Yang, ever since he transmigrated here, had been living alongside them for twelve years!

Gao Yang's stomach churned; he felt like vomiting.

"Honestly, you should know that you are the third human I've ever met. The other two were stronger than me, but they're dead now."

Gao Yang clung to a shred of hope, "Impossible! If everyone around me were beasts… I would have died long ago."

"That's because before now you never sensed their existence. Beasts won't harm those who haven't awakened to it. They only kill the awakened—people like us."

"Why?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Qing Ling shook his head. "They seem to follow their own set of rules. My information is very limited…"

"What are you two talking about?"

Gao Yang and Qing Ling were both startled by the sudden sound.

The door of the refreshment room was pushed open, and Officer Huang stood outside with a smile.

"What are you talking about when you mention 'beasts'?"