S.C.I. (Volume I) - Case 4: Chapter 14

The Non-Human Killer 14 - Motivation 

Bai Chi had originally just wanted to come over and cook a pot of his favorite winter melon and pork rib soup for Zhao Zhen. Although he would die before ever saying the word "thank you" out loud, he still felt he needed to show some appreciation; after all, even though he was usually so harsh with him, Zhao Zhen still looked out for him at every turn...

Sauntering all the way to Zhao Zhen's front door, he pulled out his key... Ever since Zhao Zhen's housekeeper had passed away, Bai Chi had discovered that Zhao Zhen was essentially helpless when it came to taking care of himself. Coupled with the hand injury he sustained a while back, Bai Chi had taken over caring for his daily life, so he had simply been given a spare key and had grown used to just opening the door and walking right in... Come to think of it, Bai Chi had caught Zhao Zhen forgetting to lock the main gate on multiple occasions. Fortunately, Lisbon was there; any burglar breaking in would probably have been scared out of their wits and fled in blind panic.

After opening the door, he saw Lisbon sprawled out in the living room. Bai Chi thought it was strange—didn't Lisbon usually follow Zhao Zhen wherever he went?

Walking up to the door of the studio, he gave it a gentle push, but it was actually locked... That was bizarre! Zhao Zhen was the kind of person who couldn't even remember to lock the front gate; how could he possibly lock his studio?! Just as he was about to knock, he heard voices conversing inside.

Bai Chi vaguely heard Zhao Zhen saying, "Call Bai Chi over to cook winter melon and pork rib soup for me..." At that, his face flushed red, and he thought to himself, how did he know I was coming to cook soup... But then a second thought struck him: was Zhao Zhen talking to someone else?

Following that, he heard Morris's voice: "Bai Chi? Do you like him that much?"

Zhao Zhen's reply was: "Yeah, he's so cute~~~~" Steam started venting from Bai Chi's face~~~ You dead Zhao Zhen, talking utter nonsense!! However, he also recognized that the other voice belonged to Morris. Recalling the strange vibe he had previously gotten from Morris, Bai Chi grew vigilant. Instead of knocking, he pressed his ear against the door to listen... Zhao Zhen's voice sounded a bit strange...

Next came a loud "crash" of a table and chairs overturning, accompanied by Morris's neurotic shouting. Bai Chi panicked—could Zhao Zhen be in danger? He rattled the doorknob a few times, but it wouldn't budge. Daring not to waste time calling out for fear of whatever accident might be unfolding inside, he simply drew his gun, shot the lock out, and barged in.

Stepping through the door and taking in the scene, he froze stupidly: Morris was pressing Zhao Zhen down onto the sofa in a posture that was...

"What do you think you're doing?!" With a furious roar, he didn't even stutter this time in his panic.

Bai Chi's sudden appearance startled not only Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang hiding in the wardrobe, but even more so Morris and Zhao Zhen on the sofa.

Zhao Zhen had already reached his absolute limit and was preparing to get up and give Morris a severe beating, but... now he changed his mind, maintaining his helpless, dazed appearance with failing consciousness.

The moment Bai Chi saw Zhao Zhen's condition, he understood. He glared fiercely at Morris. "What did you feed him?"

Inside the wardrobe, Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao were dumbfounded all over again—Is this really Bai Chi? The little rabbit has bared its claws!!

Upon seeing Bai Chi, Morris's already-unraveling emotions grew even more manic. He stared intently at Bai Chi for a moment, then lowered his head to look at Zhao Zhen. "I simply cannot see what is so great about him. If you had fallen for his two older brothers, I could perhaps understand. As for him..." As he spoke, he reached out to tidy Zhao Zhen's hair, "...he is truly unworthy of you."

Inside the wardrobe, Bai Yutang's hand gripping Zhan Zhao's waist tightened abruptly, startling Zhan Zhao so much he almost cried out.

Turning his head to glare at Bai Yutang—What are you doing?!

A glint of danger flashed in Bai Yutang's eyes—How comes Morris seems to harbor quite a bit of fondness for you?

Zhan Zhao gritted his teeth in fury—He said his two older brothers, both of them!! People seem to have pretty good feelings for you too, you know?!

Bai Yutang pulled him into a tight embrace—It must be because you're too eye-catching... From now on, you're not allowed to smile at anyone else!—He lowered his head and nipped at Zhan Zhao's neck.

Zhan Zhao didn't dare make a sound, but Bai Yutang's tossing him about left his legs feeling weak, stirring up a mix of anger and anxiety in equal measure~~~

Hearing Morris's words, Bai Chi didn't show any particularly dramatic reaction. "What are you talking about? Let him go quickly... I can see he's in a lot of discomfort. What on earth did you feed him? Is it going to harm his health?!"

Morris paused slightly for a moment, then roared back in exasperation, "How could I possibly feed him anything that harms his health?! I love him ten times more than you do!"

...Bai Chi stood blankly for a good ten seconds, then said with utter sincerity, "Um, please don't misunderstand, I don't like him."

............

Inside the wardrobe, Bai Yutang buried his face in Zhan Zhao's shoulder, laughing muffledly... As expected of a feline reared by this cat, this little guy really knows how to infuriate people to death without paying for it!

Zhan Zhao shook his head as well... As expected of a member of the Bai family, this little guy really knows how to infuriate people to death without paying for it!

"Heh," Morris wore a look of utter sarcasm. "Zhen... he said he doesn't like you..."

"Mn... though he's not as annoying as he used to be," Bai Chi emphasized. "I suppose I like him moderately... What I like most are my older brothers and the people at S.C.I.... Oh, and my family, and Big Ding and Little Ding... and Lisbon... and..."

Following that, Bai Chi listed the auntie at the vegetable market who gave him a twenty percent discount on winter melon and threw in three green onions for free, all the way to the elderly grandpa in the guard shack downstairs who helped him pick up his newspaper every day~~~~ The police dogs at the precinct, and that absurdly fat cat, Luban, whom he had only laid eyes on once at Bai Yutang's house... Finally, when he genuinely couldn't think of anyone else—he finally got around to mentioning Zhao Zhen............

Inside the wardrobe, Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao had completely lost it, holding back their laughter until their intestines ached~~~ What exquisite agony!!

The complexion on Zhao Zhen's face, which was already not looking too great, turned a few shades uglier. He thought to himself—You little brat, I rank lower than a cat you've only seen once?! Just wait and see how I deal with you later. So infuriating!!

"Why?" Morris suddenly began muttering to himself, looking perplexedly at Bai Chi, then lowering his head to look back at Zhao Zhen. "Why is it that some people strive for a lifetime and get nothing, while others obtain it effortlessly without putting in an ounce of effort?"

Zhan Zhao inside the wardrobe turned back to glance at Bai Yutang—This is the crux of it!!

Bai Yutang shrugged—This Morris is indeed quite perverted, but what does that remark have to do with the case?

Zhan Zhao signaled him to keep listening.

Morris reached out and gently tugged at Zhao Zhen's collar. "Can't you see all my hard work? You know I've loved photography since I was a child... I never photograph people, and that's because I only ever wanted to photograph you... Going to Africa, photographing wildlife and landscapes, almost losing my life several times... But what about it? I was forced to remain nothing more than Tanaka's assistant. What does he rely on? Just pulling cheap stunts to scare people, pouring all his energy into publicity. He couldn't even fully master the functions of a camera~~~~ Why should a man like that have me as his assistant? On what grounds?!"

Zhao Zhen instantly grasped Zhan Zhao's purpose in making him provoke Morris—it was to find the motive... "So you killed him?"

...A faint smile appeared on Morris's face. "You have no proof... Zhen... Digitalis can be found everywhere!"

Inside the wardrobe, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang's eyes flashed—The fox has shown its tail!!

Gongsun's autopsy report clearly stated: Tanaka died from an overdose of "digitalis," which caused cardiac dysfunction, classifying it as death by chronic poisoning. Digitalis was a common medication specifically used in medicine to treat heart disease. Moreover, digitalis components were found in a wide variety of plants, even ordinary potted houseplants. If a person without heart disease took digitalis over a long period, they would suffer fatal poisoning, with symptoms mirroring a sudden cardiac arrest. Because this type of poison required a prolonged administration cycle, the poisoner had to be someone close to the deceased. That was why Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang had suspected Morris; this time, it was a genuine catch red-handed with both the suspect and the evidence!

Bai Yutang arched an eyebrow at Zhan Zhao—Not bad! Mousie, we've caught one!!

Zhan Zhao smiled at him mysteriously—Think about it some more; there's an even bigger haul.

Bai Yutang thought about it with mild perplexity before experiencing a sudden epiphany—Group crime, the killers are all assistants—the exact same motive for the crime!! In that way, the hypothesis he and Zhan Zhao had made that day was completely verified. Excited beyond measure, Bai Yutang buried his face against Zhan Zhao's neck and rubbed affectionately—Mousie, you're a genius!!!

Bai Chi was also startled by Morris's words. "You... you killed Tanaka?!"

Morris sneered. "Knowing it won't do you any good." With that, he lowered his head to tell Zhao Zhen, "Wait for me just a little longer. Once I take care of him, I'll take you back to France." Having said that, he got off the sofa and pulled a handgun from his back pocket.

Zhan Zhao felt a jolt of alarm and signaled Bai Yutang—That's enough, we can go out now. What if Bai Chi gets hurt?!

Bai Yutang drew his own gun and gripped it in his hand, but shook his head at Zhan Zhao—If he wants to be a police officer, there will come a day when he has to face this kind of situation alone.

Still... Zhan Zhao remained somewhat hesitant, only to see Zhao Zhen winking at the two of them and gently opening his hand.

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao let out a sigh of relief simultaneously... They saw that sitting in Zhao Zhen's palm was a handful of bullets—the gun Morris was holding was completely empty.

Making a playful face at Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang holstered his gun back away—Do you suppose Bai Chi will manage to shoot us?... He then glanced sideways at the service pistol at Zhan Zhao's waist—Mousie, if it were you, you'd definitely manage to accurately hit every single target except Morris!!

Zhan Zhao's face turned white with anger. Bai Yutang just had to poke at his sore spot, stirring up old grievances and new resentments all at once. Zhan Zhao extended two fingers, clamped them hard onto the skin of the back of Bai Yutang's hand, and twisted~~~

Wincing in pain, Bai Yutang refused to be outdone. He lowered his head and nibbled on Zhan Zhao's ear. Zhan Zhao used his other hand to pinch the skin on the back of Bai Yutang's hand as well, twisting hard~~~ Gritting his teeth, I'll pinch you to death, you dead rat!!

Morris walked step by step toward Bai Chi, flicked off the safety catch of the gun, and sneered, "You look truly pathetic holding a gun!"

Bai Chi remained unfazed by his words. "You can't escape. Drop your gun and come back to the police station with me!"

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao exchanged a delighted, surprised look—Not bad at all!!

Morris's finger rested on the trigger, while Bai Chi kept his eyes locked firmly on him. The two stood in a standoff, neither making the first move. At that precise moment, a low animal growl echoed from the doorway, causing Morris to momentarily freeze in distraction... A flash of insight crossed Bai Yutang's eyes as he whispered—Right now!

Simultaneously, Bai Chi pulled the trigger. Following the gunshot, a bullet whistled through the air, striking Morris squarely in the shoulder. Morris's grip loosened, the gun dropped to the floor, and he let out a miserable shriek as he collapsed onto his knees, clutching his shoulder.

Bai Chi stepped forward quickly, just about to kick the gun away when he saw Morris lunge fiercely forward. Startled, Bai Chi took a few steps back, raising his gun to shoot again, only to see a flash of white shadow by his side...

Accompanied by a resounding beastly roar, Lisbon darted in from the doorway out of nowhere, charging forward with a ferocious bellow and tackling Morris to the ground. Pressing its front paws against Morris's shoulders, it opened its gaping maw.

"Don't bite him, Lisbon!" Bai Chi shouted at the top of his lungs.

Only then did everyone remember that Lisbon was a fully grown African lion; never mind a single human, it could easily tear a cow to pieces!! Fortunately, it was exceptionally obedient, settling for unleashing a textbook lion's roar right into Morris's face. The musky, gamey breath blasted against Morris's features, backed by gleaming white fangs and a blood-red oral cavity...

Morris's eyes bulged wide, and he passed out from sheer fright.

Everything happened too fast. It took a long while for Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang inside the wardrobe to react, and Zhan Zhao grabbed onto Bai Yutang's sleeve, shaking it eagerly—How adorable!! I want one too! Let's raise one!!!

Bai Yutang was also somewhat tempted—It certainly looks majestic~~~ Now that is the kind of pet a real man should keep~~~ I'll go negotiate with Chief Bao when we get back!!

Seeing that Lisbon had subdued Morris, Bai Chi let out a long breath, holstered his gun, walked quickly over to Zhao Zhen, and asked, "Are you alright?"

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang inside the wardrobe were just about to step out when they saw Zhao Zhen secretly waving them back...

The two exchanged a look—What is he up to??

They saw Zhao Zhen reach out a somewhat feeble hand toward Bai Chi. "Bai Chi... come here..."

"What's wrong with you?" Bai Chi hurried over anxiously, as Zhao Zhen's condition didn't look promising—"I'll call an ambulance, just wait..." Before he could finish his sentence, his collar was yanked downward by Zhao Zhen with a firm pull. Their eyes locked, their faces pulled close together, and Zhao Zhen murmured in a low voice, "I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable."

"Un... uncomfortable?" Flustered and at a loss, what Morris had given Zhao Zhen... could it possibly be—Startled by his own thoughts, Bai Chi's face flushed bright red—"Do... do you want to drink some water... um..."

Before he could finish, he was pulled downward forcefully once more by Zhao Zhen. By the time Bai Chi registered what was happening, their lips were already pressed together...

Zhan Zhao watched from inside the wardrobe with his face burning red—What kind of situation is this...

Bai Yutang, however, sidled up with a grin—Mousie, shall we try that too?

...

Zhan Zhao couldn't bear it any longer and stamped down hard on his foot. Bai Yutang hastily sidestepped, his head colliding right against the top shelf of the wardrobe with a loud thud.

Bai Chi allowed Zhao Zhen to kiss him, the more he kissed, the more wrong it felt~~~ Zhao Zhen's movements, the strength in his hands... didn't feel like someone lacking in strength at all. On the contrary, the hands holding the back of his head and wrapping around his waist were remarkably forceful...

Right at that moment, a muffled thud echoed from inside the wardrobe~~~ Bai Chi snapped upright as if on springs, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked back and forth between Zhao Zhen and the wardrobe...

"Who... who's in there?!"

...After a long pause, the wardrobe doors slowly creaked open, revealing Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang standing inside with awkward expressions, flashing smiles at Bai Chi that looked worse than crying~~~

Bai Chi looked at the two inside the wardrobe, then looked at Zhao Zhen on the sofa...

He looked from Zhao Zhen back to the wardrobe...

"Yaahhhhh~~~~~~~~~~"

If seeing the Eagle King statue last time had squeezed out a full year's worth of screams from Bai Chi, then this time easily surpassed two years' worth~~~~ Picking up the winter melon and pork ribs he had been carrying all along, he hurled them fiercely at Zhao Zhen, raising the heavy winter melon to pound him with it—"Bad guys! You're all bad guys, I hate you, you're the most hateful one of all!!!"

Having finished chewing them out, and with the winter melon smashed to pieces, Bai Chi stood there with teary eyes, spun around, and bolted out the door.

Zhan Zhao hurried off after him.

Bai Yutang crawled out of the wardrobe, glanced at Zhao Zhen—who sat there looking thoroughly dejected and covered from head to toe in winter melon and pork ribs—and reached out to pat his shoulder—Hard work you've put in~~~