Panting.

It's as if the ears have been covered, but through the resonance of the skull, you can hear the breathing of the mouthful, the best breath very clearly.

And the sound of a heartbeat.

It was dark all around, and I don't know if it was dawn or after sunset.

She was running, looking back from time to time, looking panicked.

Barefoot, but the earth is not soft, there is no green grass, because it is muddy, and it is not even flat.

She turned back again, and something terrifying seemed to be chasing after her.

She then fell to the ground, but immediately got up. She couldn't care less about her injured knee and continued to run with the sound of gasps.

Finally, she seemed to crash into something, soft, soft, gentle.

"Don't be afraid, Carolyn. ”

"Daddy, dog...... Very fierce dog...... Chase me ......"

"Don't be afraid, Carolyn, I'm here. ”

I'm here. I'm here.

I'm here......

I......

......

Take a deep breath.

Pupils, as beautiful as paint patterns blooming in the water, suddenly appeared, breaking through all darkness. Caroline's first sight was the blades of a slowly rotating ceiling fan.

Her whole body was wet, and she didn't know when she was sweating, which made her feel uncomfortable. The sunlight shines in from the outside and is a little dazzling.

He should still be lying on the couch, in the living room of Livia's boyfriend Arnold's house. Caroline closed her eyes again, clearing her mind.

It seems that he overslept, and he originally planned to leave early in the morning.

Caroline opened her eyes again, feeling much more comfortable, and at the same time feeling that her hand dangling under the couch seemed to hold something. She subconsciously let go of her hand, and then heard the sound of 'clang'.

Seems to be metal?

Caroline tilted her head and looked under the couch, her vision shifting from blurry to lucid. Then, she saw a knife—a knife used to cut fruit, to be exact.

The tip of the silver blade has a bright red color, which is easily reminiscent of blood attached to the blade.

After a few seconds, Caroline, who seemed to realize something, sat up abruptly, stood up, and tried to call Rivia's name, "Livia, Livia, Levi...... Ahh

She tried to look in the direction of Livia and her boyfriend's room, but at this moment she saw Livia sitting at the dining table.

She sat facing the chair, her chin resting on the back of the chair, her eyes wide open to look at Caroline. Her hands hung down naturally, and the floor under the chair was a puddle of dark red.

Caroline could even see the blood sliding down the legs of the white plastic chair.

"Livia !!"

Caroline rushed to the front of her chair, frightened, trembling palms, and patted Livia on the shoulder, as if trying to 'wake her up' before she was able to tell her that it was just a joke.

Body...... But it's so stiff, even a little cold, and it doesn't have the softness of a woman's skin at all.

"Ah——!h

Caroline screamed in horror.

Corpses, Bloody ...... Bloodstained Knife ...... For a moment, Caroline seemed to realize something: inside this room, it was terrifyingly quiet at the moment, and there was obviously one person missing!

Livia's boyfriend, the man who is in college: Arnold.

"Calm down, calm down...... Calm down. ”

Caroline forced herself to be able to calm down. She tried to make herself remember what had happened last night.

Last night, because it was too hot in the small room, she crept out in the middle of the night, took a cold shower, lay down on the sofa in the living room, and then probably fell asleep unconsciously—until she woke up.

Then she had a bloodstained knife in her hand, and Livia was dead, and Arno was gone. Since I am asleep, I naturally can't and can't do it, so it's ...... Arnold?

He killed Livia and left in a hurry, and because he was afraid, he even shoved the murder weapon into his own hand and tried to blame himself?

But...... Why did Arnold kill Livia?

Can't figure it out, can't figure it out at all, Caroline only feels like her brain is in chaos at the moment. She didn't know what to do...... Maybe calling the police is the right thing to do?

She just instinctively thought that she needed to find somebody—someone who could help her.

Cell phone...... She returned to the couch and looked for her phone, only to see her bag drop on the other side of the coffee table. Caroline suddenly had a bad premonition.

She picked up her bag at once, and flipped through it quickly.

No...... No!

She even poured out all the contents of the bag, makeup mirror, lipstick, keys, tissues...... A large pile of debris was scattered on the floor, and Caroline even shook her empty bag vigorously, however......

Or not!

That bank card!

Toilet...... No.

Utility room where I stayed last night...... No.

Arnold's room...... No!

Everywhere, she frantically searched the house for everything she could see—no!

No.

Caroline fell to her knees...... What to do? What to do?

At that moment, there was a knock on the door outside the house, and a woman's voice spoke, "Is something going on? Is anyone there?"

The sound of constant knocking on the door.

A frightened Caroline rushed to the door, and through the eyehole in the door panel, she saw a middle-aged woman carrying a bag of garbage...... Seems to be a resident of this building.

"Is there anybody? I just heard screaming? Hey? Anyone?"

I......

Caroline instinctively screamed, but not loudly, and immediately covered her mouth - asking this woman for help?

Obviously not realistic.

"Arnold, you're back?"

The woman outside the door suddenly turned her head and looked in the direction of the stairs. Caroline's face changed slightly as she listened to the woman outside the door, and she brought her pupils closer to the door again, and at the same time faintly heard the voice of a man talking...... Is it Arnold?

"Good morning, Mrs. Riley, I have just returned from college. Did something happen?"

Middle-aged woman ...... Mrs. Riley smiled and said, "You've been staying up all night at school again?" ”

"I know, it's just that I have an important exam recently, so I have to work harder. ”

"Good boy. You haven't had breakfast yet, do you? Why don't you come to my house for a bite to eat?" Mrs. Riley smiled.

Caroline still couldn't see the man who spoke, but the voice ...... Even though it was a little unclear through the door, she could barely make out it, and it seemed to be Arnold's voice, which she and Arnold had met last night, but they hadn't spoken a few words.

"Well, I'm sorry for you again today, Mrs. Riley. By the way, I'll put things away first...... Oh, by the way, are you standing in front of my house for something?"

"Oh, that's right, I just went downstairs to take out the garbage, and suddenly I heard a screaming sound coming from your house, it's a woman's ......" Mrs. Riley frowned at this time and said, "Arnold, is it your girlfriend? Don't hide it, I've seen a beautiful woman come out of your house a few times? ”

"Where's my girlfriend? Mrs. Riley, don't talk nonsense. The man's face changed imperceptibly, and then he immediately said, "I'm focusing on my studies now." ”

As he spoke, he pulled out the key and faced the door.

Wearing a certain peaked cap, he is opening the door with his head down, and he can only see his chin.

Caroline finally couldn't see the man's face clearly...... Although he was in the room all the time last night, he had only seen one or two faces, but there was a key to open the door, so naturally Arnold was right.

But he actually ......

The moment the key was inserted into the lock hole, time seemed to slow down all of a sudden, Caroline's eyes opened wide, and her heart beat rapidly!

This man ...... Kill someone, and then go out and come back, pretending that she is the murderer, once they open the door and see it...... How should she argue this?

"Mrs. Riley, wait a minute, I'll be fine soon. ”

As he spoke, Arno opened the door to the house, which was so small that he could see almost all of it as soon as he opened the door...... Arnold was suddenly stunned and didn't understand.

Mrs. Riley felt very strange and immediately asked, "Arnold?"

Arnold turned around stiffly, his face frightened, "Mrs. Riley, I think...... We're going to call the police. My home...... Someone in my family died!"

"What!" said Mrs. Riley, startled, and hurried into the room, where she saw the dead woman sitting on the stool—Livia!

Mrs. Riley was so frightened that she couldn't even hold the garbage bag in her hand, but at this moment Arnold rushed towards the balcony and shouted, "Someone jumped off the building!"

Mrs. Riley hurried to the occasion and looked up from the balcony to go out. The house was not high, it was only the second floor, and Mrs. Riley only saw the back of a hurried escape.

"It's a woman!"

The two said in unison.

......

......

It's a house by the sea, only two storeys high, but it's obviously not cheap - it's an apartment for those who want to rent it on vacation.

There is nothing wrong with the house number.

Song Haoran tidied up his clothes, which is the most basic quality of a gentleman - at the same time, he also has a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

After pressing the doorbell, Song Haoran waited quietly, the salty sea breeze was blowing, and it was obviously not very comfortable on a hot day. But he didn't sweat on his body, and he looked very calm.

Soon after, the door to the apartment opened.

Song Haoran showed a bright smile, "Hello, meet again, Miss Youye." ”

The maid lady, who was simply dressed in casual clothes, showed a surprised expression. Her unexpected appearance made Song Haoran feel a little proud - he actually knew that he actually had some bad tastes, for example, he liked to see other people's surprised looks.

"Mr. Song, is that you?"

"Is Luo Qiu here?" Song Haoran smiled slightly: "I was invited." You won't forget that you said you were going to invite me to dinner, have you?"

"How come!" Youye hurriedly beckoned Song Haoran into the apartment.

Song Haoran sent the flowers in his hand and said with a smile: "This is for you, bellflower flowers, sincere and unchanging love, I hope you can like it." ”

"Thank you. Youye was slightly stunned, and then took it from Song Haoran's hand with a smile.

"Who's coming?"

At this moment, a figure stepped out of the kitchen, and it was the new owner of a certain club, who was still wearing an apron and holding a long wooden spoon for seasoning.

"Mr. Song!" Luo Qiu was also extremely surprised, then put down the things in his hand, and walked out while unbuttoning his apron, "It's really you!"

Song Haoran moved his nose, he smelled the fragrance of some food, and said happily: "It seems that I came at the right time...... Didn't you say you wanted to treat me to a meal?"

He blinked, as if joking: "Did you forget?"

"Why, welcome. Luo Qiu smiled calmly, but said helplessly: "It's a pity that I didn't prepare the braised lion's head today." ”

"It's fine. Song Haoran quipped: "If you make this dish today, then I will be strange." ”

With that, Song Haoran walked into the house, Youye hurriedly came to greet him with tea, and Luo Qiu walked into the kitchen and turned off the fire of the seafood soup that was cooking.

Luo Qiu sat down, looked at Song Haoran and said, "Mr. Song, I am relieved to see that you are safe." I've been following last night's news, but the report is a little less detailed. I heard that there was a fierce fight?"

"It's true that some people died. Song Haoran said in a relaxed tone: "But in this country, it is not a rare thing to see people dead." ”

He looked at an atlas on the coffee table, took it curiously, turned a few pages, and found that it was a color album introducing the world's paleontology, which was full of some species of plants and animals that were not common on weekdays.

Song Haoran suddenly said, "You like this kind of thing?"

Luo Qiu said casually: "I'm actually a paleontology major. Last time I heard the strange black python mentioned in your adventure story in the restaurant, Mr. Song, I was a little curious, so I wanted to check if I could find clues or something. ”

"Do you still remember that story?" Song Haoran smiled, blinked and said, "Actually, I made it up." ”

Boss Luo just smiled and didn't say anything.

At this time, Youye put on the apron that the boss had taken off and walked into the kitchen, intending to finish the dishes. Song Haoran glanced at it, and said with a smile: "This daughter-in-law, it's okay!"

Luo Qiu suddenly said, "Please wait a minute." ”

Under Song Haoran's curious gaze, Luo Qiu walked upstairs, and soon walked down with a box in his hand. He walked in front of Song Haoran, opened the box, and then said, "Mr. Song, I think this thing should be returned to you." ”

"Oh?" Song Haoran was amused, taking out the contents of the box, and then fiddling it a few times - this was one of the pieces of equipment he got from the bandits in the theater last night: a pistol.

Song Haoran skillfully disassembled the magazine, glanced at it casually, and suddenly looked at Luo Qiu and asked, "Don't you need a bullet?"

Luo Qiu shook his head: "I don't need this kind of thing. ”

Song Haoran said: "This is a good thing......

As he spoke, Song Haoran seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly said, "Luo Qiu, I came here this time, and there is actually something I want you to see." ”

"We'll see. ”

Song Haoran took out the phone, clicked on the screen, then the photo album, and finally put it in front of Luo Qiu, and said indifferently: "This person, do you have any impression?"

In the mobile phone album, there is a yellowed photo, and even because of the age, there are many white spots on the black and white photos.

It had faded, and could barely make out the silhouette of the man in the photograph.

Very young photo, dressed in an unmarked military uniform, holding an earthen bayonet rifle in his hand...... Song Haoran looked at Luo Qiu's expression at this time, and said softly: "This is my uncle, Song Tianyin." ”8)