Pristine Darkness - Chapter 82

Bo Jinyan slowly nodded. “I suspect he has seen even more images, such as those featuring violent crimes. Didn’t he faint outside the cave mouth for no reason? He even had a huge lump on the back of his head. Perhaps he got a fright, or was whacked on the head by someone and lost his memories. However, these memories were never really lost; they were always deep in his memory, deep in his soul. Whenever he was confused about the future, or whenever he felt lost, those memories would stir and awaken in his subconscious mind and his dreams. Moreover, he believed that the butterfly was suggesting, hinting that he should kill someone.”

They sped past rolling green hills, and the cold air on the mountain road blew in their faces. Everyone was contemplating what Bo Jinyan had said. His deductions were not without logic, and they also explained Chen Jin’s love and hatred for butterflies, as well as the emergence of the real butterfly killer.

“Are you certain that ‘he’ will be a serial killer?” Jian Yao asked. “‘He’ has been quiet for so many years, and the outside world has never discovered any of his crimes. Why would he suddenly catch the attention of the police with such a high-profile case?”

——————

Bo Jinyan muttered to himself for a moment before replying, “If Chen Jin’s memory is accurate, then he was about 15 to 20 years old at that time, and is now between 35 and 40 years old.

All this time, Feng Yuexi was able to evade capture by the police. And, he was able to hunt down Feng Yuexi and kill her without alarming the police. This evidently displays a sharp sense of observation as well as cool-headed planning and execution.

At the crime scene, he showed that he was adept at torture and skilful at murder. He kept the crime scene very clean, and was very conscious about not leaving traces behind so as to thwart investigation. All this can only be the result of a rich experience in committing crime.

He has painted that butterfly many times, and practised doing so many times, in order to be able to paint it so vividly in a limited time.

The butterfly he painted has been confirmed by biologists to strikingly resemble the Hestina Assimilis (aka ‘the Red Ring Skirt’). If you look very carefully, you will find that the Papilio Maraho drawn by Chen Jin is very similar to this. Thus, we suspect that there is some connection between the two of them. It is very likely that Chen Jin has seen the Hestina Assimilis, and has also witnessed the killer’s killing technique. Thereafter, his subconscious prompted him to imitate what he had already seen, and the result is the ‘butterfly murder case’ which is similar to the original in appearance, but not in terms of substance.

Hestina Assimilis. Image taken from https://alchetron.com/Hestina-assimilis

This case has shocked the entire province and is all over the news. It would be very strange if ‘he’ does not know about the case. Moreover, Feng Yuexi was considered Chen Jin’s accomplice, and the police were hunting for her. If he was able to find out about this, it’s an indication that he has been continually in close proximity to us, observing and even analysing everything. Furthermore, his killing of Feng Yuexi was probably based on two kinds of psychological impulses. One is revenge: Chen Jin imitated his method of committing crime, but Chen Jin has already been arrested by the police, so he cannot punish him. Therefore, he punished Chen Jin’s accomplice. For the second kind, we cannot rule out the possibility of him wanting to ‘eliminate evil’. He regards Chen Jin and Feng Yuexi as being similarly sinful, so he himself wants to enforce the law. However, no matter which mentality, for him to choose to appear before the police in such a high-profile manner, he must certainly have been provoked in some way. He does not intend to hide any longer, nor does he intend to stay quiet. The butterfly killer is now in this world.”

——

It was already afternoon when they arrived at that mountainous area. The autumn sunlight illuminated the lush greenery of the mountains, giving the entire area a tranquil and deeply profound atmosphere.

After so many years, Shi Peng could only recall the mountain had been in this area. As to which specific mountain, or which orientation, he really couldn’t say. Thus, after Fang Qing and Bo Jinyan had discussed the matter, they decided to pass the night at the local police station at the foot of the mountain. The search would begin the next morning.

Most of the southern counties and cities featured rolling expanses of mountains and fields. After Jian Yao had settled into the guest house, she used her mobile phone to check, and discovered that this area was very near her hometown, Tong City. The two cities were adjacent to each other. Although this area belonged to Xun City, Tong City’s downtown area was just over the mountain. In terms of sheer geographical location, this area was actually closer to Tong City.

For people who are usually a long way from home, to be so close to it would stir a sense of both loss and longing in their hearts. She looked up. Bo Jinyan, Fang Qing, An Yan and the others were still discussing the next day’s search plan. She walked to one side, took out her cell phone and called home.

After her call was picked up, within a few words, her eyes were moist.

Mother was picking vegetables to make dinner for herself and her younger sister, Jian Xuan. As it was nearing the mid-Autumn festival, Jian Xuan had already been dismissed from school, just that she was not at home.

The daughter who had gotten married had experienced great catastrophe. Jian Yao was an introvert by nature, and her mother was very good at understanding others. After she received the news, apart from crying the first few times when comforting Jian Yao, she no longer probed her about the situation. She only gently asked about Jian Yao’s diet and daily life, and today was no different. She asked, “Are you busy? I was afraid I would interrupt your investigation, so I didn’t call you. No matter what happens, you must take care of your health.”

Jian Yao replied, “Yes, Ma, I’m fine. I’m in great health.”

On the other end of the line, mother laughed, and said, “That’s good. Is there any news of Jinyan?”

Jian Yao sobbed out, “Ma, he is with me now. It’s just that his eyes haven’t healed. He’s not in a good mood right now. After some time, I will bring him back home. Ma, I want to come home for a while. I’m at Xun City at the moment, really close by.”

After ending the call, Jian Yao raised her head, and discovered that Bo Jinyan had walked over at some time, and was now standing in front of her. He had also closed the outside door.

Right now, his hearing was extremely sharp.

Jian Yao looked down and did not speak.

He touched her hand and said, “Go home and visit mother for a bit; give her my respects and my apologies.”

“Ok,” she said. “There’s no need to apologise. My mother understands. I’ll be back after dinner tonight, so there will be no delay to tomorrow’s search.”

He remained silent for a while before saying, “Jian Yao, I’m no longer in a poor mood. At the beginning, there was a period of time when I was. During that time, I really wasn’t even able to feel anything . . . but, now, I have already accepted Ziyu’s departure. Just as there is a time where the sun must eventually set, this departure is something that we have to experience as humans. I tell myself that I have to doubly cherish each day that I live. You probably don’t know this, but right now, I’m living for the two of us.”

Jian Yao reached out to hold his nape and whispered, “Since you cherish your life, why haven’t you come back?”

He also embraced her. After a moment’s silence, he replied, “Because, every time I’m near you, there’s no way I can remain cold and harsh.”

——

When the sun set, Jian Yao returned home. Because of the good news, the atmosphere at home this time was obviously much more light-hearted. Mother and Jian Xuan asked a few questions about Bo Jinyan’s current situation, but did not delve any further lest it made things difficult for Jian Yao. They had also prepared a whole array of items in advance and exhorted Jian Yao to take them back with her. Things like the kind of tea from their hometown that Bo Jinyan liked, a whole package of dried fish, the hand-made insoles mother had picked up at the market . . .

When Jian Yao had looked over all the items, she laughingly said, “Most of these are for him. Ma, you’re really biased.”

Mother smiled and said, “That’s only natural. ‘A son-in-law is half a son’*; if I don’t love him, then who can I love? You have to take good care of him because he can’t see right now, and he’s got such pride. You are his wife, so you have to be his eyes. You have to organise everything at home even more meticulously; don’t let him slip and fall, and don’t let him lose face, ok?”

*T/N 女婿是半子 (nü xu shi ban zi) – lit. a son-in-law is half a son. However, this is not to cast shade on a son-in-law. A mother would naturally love her own son, so to treat an ‘outsider’ such as a son-in-law (when daughters get married, they marry out of the family into the husband’s family) like her own son, albeit ‘half’ a son (because, of course, one’s natural son is always loved most), is a good thing.

“Don’t worry, I know.”

Jian Xuan, who was sitting at the side, softly said, “A god-level expert* who is blind is still a god-level expert. A miracle will definitely occur, and his eyes will be restored to their original radiance. This is the proper way all legendary stories unfold, and I firmly believe in this.”

*T/N 大神 (da shen) – lit. great god

Jian Yao laughed and said nothing.

However, her heart felt warm and soft, and its silent power seemed to overcome all her former misery. She was very clear that she was drawing nearer and nearer to happiness.

After dinner, Jian Yao washed the dishes, then the two sisters went downstairs to stroll around the neighbourhood before Jian Yao had to go back. It was night, and the lights were about to be extinguished. The air was cool and refreshing. The sisters stood next to the small bridge in the garden, with a huge, tall tree behind them.

“Jie, why do you still look like you’re being weighed down by something?” Jian Xuan asked.

Jian Yao remained silent. Her younger sister was an ordinary person who lived without hiccup or upheaval in the world. Many things just could not be explained to her, and Jian Yao would not be allowed to do so, anyway. The masked killer gang, which had disappeared without a trace yet was definitely still in existence; Bo Jinyan’s insistence on leaving; the sudden appearance of the butterfly killer; the tenuously possible connection between the butterfly killer and Ke Qian’s case . . . she always felt that there was a big, invisible net above their heads. But, every time she looked up, she could only see the dusky, starry sky for the time being. Where the enemy was hiding was still unknown.

“To speak frankly . . .” Jian Xuan said, “previously, when brother-in-law left, even though I knew I shouldn’t think this way, I kept coming back to how Luo Lang Dage was looking after you. I even thought, if brother-in-law never came back, maybe you would get together with him!”

Jian Yao responded, “How could that be possible? How could he compare to Bo Jinyan? He’s only a friend to me. Please don’t speak of this in future.”

Jian Xuan made a noise of assent.

After some time, Jian Xuan sighed and said, “Actually, during this time, Ma won’t talk about it, but she was very worried about you. After all, just like dad, you became a police officer. Dad, Grandfather and Grandmother dying that year caused her so much heartache, and she was unable to get out of that funk for so many years. She’s very, very fearful that something will happen to you.”

Jian Xuan was very young at the time, so, for her, the tragedy of the family massacre was a great sorrow, but it left no lasting impression or memory as she had not directly observed it herself. However, it was different for Jian Yao. At that time, she was already aware of what was happening around her, and had witnessed the entire event with her own eyes.

Jian Yao was quiet for a good length of time before she said, “When I leave a crime scene to go home, sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still see how they died that year. So much time has passed, but I still remember everything so clearly. Then, I tell myself, I have to work hard now, so that those people like the ones who killed Dad, killed Fu Ziyu, hurt Jinyan . . . I can catch those beasts and bring them to justice. I will never forgive evil; this is what gives my life its greatest significance.”

When Jian Xuan heard this, she was entirely taken aback. For a long time, she could not speak, and could only grasp her jiejie’s hands.

“Jie, you’ve really changed,” she said. She pondered how best to describe it, then said, “Right now, you’re just like brother-in-law, the god-level expert, brilliant and glittering!”

Jian Yao, amused, was momentarily lost for words. As she turned her head, she took in the shifting moonlight and the swaying shadows of the trees. It felt as if someone had just passed by, but it also might just have been the wind causing the trees to move. The world behind her was quiet and peaceful, as before.