Chapter 5

It wasn't until morning that Su Bai finally fell into a drowsy sleep, with various thoughts constantly darting through his mind. At this moment, Su Bai realized that his previously proud and resilient nerves were actually so fragile.

He had several dreams, in which he saw the image of a female office worker with a knife in her chest, sneering at him, and at the same time, the deep and calm voice from the horror radio.

It wasn't until noon that Su Bai, with a splitting headache, opened his eyes. He moved the notebook from his body, pulled back the curtain, and saw a man in a police uniform sitting on the lower bunk opposite him.

Su Bai's arm trembled instantly, his heart tightened, and his breathing became extremely difficult.

At this moment, the policeman raised his head and revealed a young, smiling face.

"Looks like we scared our little baby."

Chu Zhao had a look of "I didn't mean to" on his face.

Su Bai took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to beat up Chu Zhao, and tidied up the things on his bed before getting up with his phone.

"Come, let's eat. I ordered some takeout for you."

Chu Zhao pointed to the takeout bag on the desk.

Su Bai shook his head, "I'm not hungry."

Chu Zhao was a bit surprised and laughed, "This isn't your first time, so why are you reacting more strongly this time than when you did it for the first time?"

Su Bai licked his lips. He didn't know whether he should tell Chu Zhao about the horror radio. Murder and death were not sensitive topics for the two of them or for their small club, but the horror radio was clearly an event that exceeded the normal way of thinking. If he told them, would the other members of the club think he had gone insane?

This club had only been formed for less than a year, with a total of four people, lacking experience and even appearing naive, but they dared to set up a platform to do such things.

So, if any one of the four people had a problem, it would affect the other three. If they thought he had a mental illness that was uncontrollable and even started to have hallucinations, how would they treat him?

Sometimes, Su Bai found it absurd that four young people, in a moment of enthusiasm, had formed this club, and more than ten lives had already been claimed by the club's operations, yet the club still seemed so simple and loose.

"That incident was ruled as an accidental death, so you don't need to feel any pressure. There wasn't even any related investigation or other actions. Even if you left a trail of your own marks around the nightclub like an old dog, it wouldn't be traced back to you."

"That's not what I'm thinking about."

Su Bai waved his hand and then picked up a towel and a washbasin. "Wait a moment, I'll go wash up."

Chu Zhao nodded.

In the public restroom, after brushing his teeth, Su Bai submerged his entire face in a basin of cold water. He then raised his head abruptly, splashing water, and wiped his face with a towel. As he was about to leave the restroom, a student of average height directly bumped into Su Bai's chest.

Su Bai took two steps back, and the shorter student fell to the ground, wetting his clothes and pants.

"Sorry, sorry."

The shorter student immediately stood up and apologized to Su Bai.

Su Bai nodded, ignored the incident, and walked back to the dormitory.

In the dormitory, Chu Zhao was still reading a book about criminal psychology from Su Bai's desk, leaning against the bed by the balcony, engrossed.

"Are you free today to be so leisurely reading books here?"

"Just got a mission."

"Interviewing students?"

"Yes, interviewing students."

"Then you're just wasting time in my dormitory?"

"There's nothing much to interview. Three cadavers have been missing from the laboratory in a row." Chu Zhao smiled bitterly. "I can't just go around asking every student, 'Hello, classmate, have you seen any bodies recently?'"

As Su Bai changed his clothes and walked to the window, he could see two policemen in uniform interviewing students on the large playground behind the old dormitory building.

"Everyone else is working, but you're playing here. This is indeed a dark society where connections matter." Su Bai said.

"Alright, Mr. Su, let's not point fingers. You know I was forced by my father. Every time I made a mistake, he would come home, not even take off his police uniform, and beat me with a belt, instilling a natural fear and aversion to the police profession in me from a young age. Later, he forced me to apply to the police academy and become a police officer. Do you know what that feels like?"

"A bit like being forced to have sex with a female corpse from a car accident." Su Bai described.

"Although your analogy is disgusting, it's quite apt." Chu Zhao closed the book. "Three cadavers are missing. What do you think is the reason?"

"I'm not a police officer; I'm just a student." Su Bai shrugged.

"If you were just a regular student, I wouldn't be here." Chu Zhao took out a cigarette, offered one to Su Bai, and then leaned on the balcony. "Xun'er said she wants to quit. Her family wants her to work at the British Embassy. You know, Gu Fan joined initially because he wanted to pursue Xun'er. Now that Xun'er plans to quit, he's also showing signs of not wanting to continue."

A completely thrill-seeking young people's murder club was now facing the possibility of disbanding.

Su Bai took a puff of the cigarette and, for some reason, started choking.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Chu Zhao patted Su Bai's back to help him breathe.

Su Bai took out a tissue and wiped his mouth. "Maybe this is a good ending. Our club has already claimed over ten lives. Everything seems to be clean now, but as the saying goes, 'If you walk by the river often, you will eventually get your shoes wet.'"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's not something you should say. And the people we killed, while they shouldn't have been sentenced to death by legal standards, weren't exactly good people. Killing them doesn't make me feel guilty. As for you, you're already so immersed in that kind of fetish that if the club disbands, it will be hard for you to get your fix."

Chu Zhao, being a police officer, seemed to suddenly think of something after saying this. "Have you found something even more stimulating?"

Su Bai smiled. "Maybe..."

Just as Su Bai was about to continue, Chu Zhao's phone rang.

"Hello, Captain, I'm investigating in the dormitory. Oh, okay, I'll come back."

Chu Zhao showed his phone to Su Bai. "I'll go first. We'll talk about the club in a couple of days. If it disbands, so be it."

...

In the evening, Su Bai was studying in a classroom, organizing a paper. He didn't like going to the library for such tasks; sometimes, an empty classroom with only a few people could make one feel more isolated and focused.

After finishing the paper, Su Bai planned to go to the vending machine outside to buy a drink, smoke a cigarette, and then return to revise the paper and finalize the draft.

At that moment, there were two other students in the classroom, a boy and a girl, sitting at the front desks on the far left and far right, respectively. Su Bai had been sitting in the back in the middle.

He walked out of the classroom, took out a cigarette, lit it, and inserted a bill from his wallet into the vending machine.

"Ding."

Su Bai bent down and took out a hot can of coffee from the vending machine.

At this moment, a fragrant breeze blew by.

"Brother Su, can you buy me a drink? I don't have any money."

Su Bai stood up. "The change just came out. It's inside; you can take it and put it in."

With that, Su Bai took the coffee and walked back to his classroom.

The girl on the spot looked a bit embarrassed.

When Su Bai sat back down in the classroom and was about to revise the paper, the girl from before also entered the classroom with her bag. She seemed dissatisfied with Su Bai's earlier attitude and didn't greet him or sit close to him. Instead, she chose a seat in the front middle.

She put down her bag, took out her headphones, snacks, makeup mirror, book, and pen, making continuous noises that made the other two students in the classroom frown. Some people came to the classroom to study, but their preparations took too long.

However, next, a shrill scream came from the girl's mouth:

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh