#or pathologic 1’s crazy lighting that too

[fennelwasp]

Green

[strangestorytellersims]

Rules: answer 21 questions, then tag 21 people you want to get to know better. I was taggeg by @wistfulpoltergeist [ thanks, man, I needed smth to take my mind off the work issues ].

nickname Vel. Well, it’s Valentin actually, but in Russian a shorter form would be “Valya” and this… thing summons a demon inside of me. Though, when I studied in the UK, everyone called me “Val”, so I’ve gotten quite used to it - and since I like the sound of it, but don't like the look of it - it became “Vel” and we’re done here.

zodiac: Virgo

height: ~187 cm

last thing you searched Место встречи изменить нельзя english title

favourite musicians: Beethoven, Handel, Shostakovitch, Schubert, Tchaikovsky... And here you can find smth more modern, hehe.

if you had a time machine, would you go back in time or visit the future? A turn of 16th and 17th century for sure. But I hope it’s not a disposable time machine, for I’d like to see Ancient Egypt too.

do you get asks? From time to time. WCIFs mostly, but sometimes wonderful people write me some wonderful things and it’s very inspiring.

following: My fave ts4 creators, people who post beautiful edits and interesting stories, blogs dedicated to architecture, dark or cozy aesthetics and art.

would you rather be rich or famous? I would give away all my money just to stay unknown, so...

amount of sleep? 4-5 hours. ~7 on very rare lucky days.

what’re you wearing? Old black jeans and t-shirt with “purrr evil”, blue flannel shirt and felt boots - no kidding, it’s the best soft and comfortable slippers you can imagine for the cold season.

dream job: A video games writer - but actually I’m pretty fine with my current job [ I’m a project manager in an IT company ].

dream trip: Wanna see Lena pillars maybe. However, I don’t dream a lot.

if you were an animal, what would you be? I’d like to reply “raven” but rook is more likely.

what are some of your favourite—

books: Gosh, there are SO MANY! Well, my life would never be the same without Tolkien’s Silmarillion, Machiavelli’s Prince, Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog, Plato’s dialogues, Le Guin‘s Wizard of Earthsea, Huxley’s Brave New World, Wilde’s Ideal Husband, Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, Sabatini’s Captain Blood, Lampedusa‘s Leopard and Platonov’s Foundation Pit. I’m not totally crazy and also I really like Neil Gaiman, Frank Herbert, David Wingrove, William Gibson, China Mieville, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Neal Stephenson and many others.

But my usual bookshelf consists of, for example, "The Military Organisation of a Renaissance State: Venice c.1400 to 1617","Artful Armies, Beautiful Battles: Art and Warfare in the Early Modern Europe", "Turin, 1564-1680: Urban Design, Military Culture and the Creation of the Absolutist Capital" and so on.

And I just adore Zelazny‘s Lord of Light and Whittemore’s Jerusalem Quartet.

films: Just like the books - a terrible mix of everything. 2046, Metropolis, Ikiru, Amarcord, Only Old Men Are Going to Battle, The Damned, Fight Club, Psycho, The Godfather, Starwars I-VI, Amadeus, Master and Commander, The Bridge on the River Qai, Blade Runner, Wild Strawberries, The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Cube, Citizen Cane, 2001: A Space Odyssey... Well, it’s sort of an endless list, tbh.

shows: I can watch almost everything, but let’s talk of what I watched more than 2 times. So... Babylon 5, Firely, HBO Rome.

games: Morrowind, Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 1-3, Dark Souls series, Portal 1-2, Planescape: Torment, Baldur’s Gate 1-2, Pillars of Eternity 1, Deus Ex series, Pathologic 1-2, Dishonored 2, Heroes of Might and Magic 3. You also can look here.

instruments you play: I can play guitar and probably piano, but it was really long ago.

languages: Native Russian, macabre English and Français misérable.

describe yourself as an aesthetic: Can’t choose between a small rock somewhere in the northern fogs and a stainless mirror.

I tag @remussims, @plazasims, @lizziksims, @ft19891211-sims, @something-wicked-sims, @windenlove, @teanmoon, @elfydrell, @aggressivekitty, @raventons, @miljamaison, @dallasgirl79, @o--b-s-c-u-r-u--s, @happylifesims, @blahberry-pancake, @helsoseira, @rethdis-love, @lazyeyelids, @sentate, @sg5150, @hula-zombie.

[kitsune-translates]

SCI 谜案集 [English Translation] Case 1: Number Killer

Number Killer 21 Zhao Jue

Previous

When Bao Zheng stops his car, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang are thrown off by the scene in front of them. They couldn’t quite believe that they are still in City S, it feels more like they are in another country.

They have drove for almost three hours before reaching their destination --- a deserted valley, within which is an entire cluster of white buildings. The buildings are surrounded by tall electric fences and occasional patrol guards carrying genuine firearms walking past. All these indicates that this is no ordinary compound.

“So? Any comments?” Bao Zheng grins at the two astonished kids.

“It feels…” Bai Yutang arches his brows, “Like Guantánamo…”

“…So what is this place?” Zhan Zhao asks Bao Zheng.

Bao Zheng lights a cigarette, “Special Pathological Phenomena Research Center.”

Bai Yutang smirks, “Such a fancy title. Is this a medical or military facility? Or a prison?”

Bao Zheng gives him a pointed glance, “This is where we hold the smartest crazy in this country.”

“The person you want us to meet is inside here?” Zhan Zhao asks.

“His name is Zhao Jue.” Bao Zheng says lightly and puts out his cigarette, “Go on.”

Bai Yutang asks Zhan Zhao curiously, “There is such a place and you didn’t know about it? I thought you are the expert in this field?”

Zhan Zhao moves forward quietly, “They wrote to me once, wanted me to join them.”

“Oh?” Bai Yutang answers in surprise, “Why didn’t you join them then?”

Zhao Zhan smiles disdainfully, “Psychology is the study of people.”

“And they hold people here?”

… After a moment of silence, Zhan Zhao says dimly, “They are materials…”

Bao Zheng obviously comes here often, the researchers in lab coats greets him as they pass by.

The three of them keep walking, past the hall, and into the corridor that seems never ending. The metallic doors open and close one after another, as if it is a monster rather than a person being held behind them --- White walls, ceramic tiles, chillingly bright and gloomy, the air frigid.

At last, Bao Zheng stops in front of a heavy steel door. The door opens under his tap against the fingerprint lock.

The sight that greets them after the door opens is a huge glass wall, and behind the glass are black metal bars --- prison cells!

The decoration behind the bars is neatly minimalistic. The walls are all painted white and sunlight shines through from the roof window. The light reflects off the glass, casting bright patches in the room. Against the wall is a row of green plants, mixed with a couple of white ones, Calla Lilies.

There is a red chair in the center of the cell. A man seats on the chair with his back facing the glass wall. He is staring at the Calla Lilies with concentration and drawing something on his paper. There are some paper scattered on the ground. On those papers are sketches of the Calla Lilies…drawn lifelike.

The man has a rather slender backview. He is in a simple white outfit, dark hair cut unevenly. The complex looking metal collar on his neck is glaring to look at…

“Silencer?” (1) Bai Yutang frowns. This type of silencer is only used in prisons. Its complexity doesn’t allow it to be removed easily. In fact, the only way to remove it after being fitted with one is to cut through the metal collar. When you are wearing a silencer like this, no matter how hard you scream, there is no way to make any sound at all...

“Why do you make him wear that?” Zhan Zhao glowers at Bao Zheng. The man in the cell looks isolated and miserable. To live like this for 20 years…that is just too cruel.

Bao Zheng is silent for a while, then says, “He used his voice, to kill all those people. Him, without his voice, no longer poses a threat.” He opens a door on the glass wall and brings the two of them into the observation room between the wall and cell.

The glass wall is apparently soundproof, the sudden noise in the space startles the drawing man. He turns around to study the three of them who just walked in.

He is a clean-shaven man with soft and elegant features. Perhaps thanks to the lack of sunlight, his pale skin makes him look young, not at all like someone who is past forty.

He scans the three of them. His face expressionless, it’s hard to tell what he is thinking. His eyes are even more devoid of emotions, like a pool of dead water.

He sees Bao Zheng first and doesn’t react at all.

He then sees Bai Yutang who follows in, he tilts his head as if considering.

Finally, he spots Zhan Zhao. As if having discovered something excitingly new, his eyes trail after Zhan Zhao.

“Zhao Jue, I have brought the kids to visit.” Bao Zhang says, “Yunwen and Qitian’s kids.”

Zhao Jue puts down his pen and walks over to the cell door, his eyes still trained on Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao gazes back at him. He feels that there’s something off about Zhao Jue. The way he acts, especially his expression, is less like he is mentally ill, more like he has gone mad, the kind of madness where one has lost oneself completely.

At this point, Zhao Jue has reached the cell bars. He extends his arm, as if wanting to touch Zhan Zhao’s face.

Slap

Just before Zhao Jue’s hands are about to touch Zhan Zhao’s face, Bai Yutang slaps his hands away.

With a soft ‘ding’, a sharp pencil knife drops on the ground. A red line appears on Zhao Jue’s outstretched finger.

“Who said he is not a threat?” Bai Yutang stares at Zhao Jue icily and pulls Zhan Zhao back.

Looking at his own bleeding hand, Zhao Jue peers up at Bai Yutang, as if blaming him.

He then walks back to his seat in the middle of the room and licks his wound carefully.

“Why did he shoot my older brother?” Bai Yutang asks Bao Zheng.

“…” Bao Zheng is quiet for a second, “To get rid of the witness.”

“What do you mean?” Bai Yutang is confused.

“Your brother was the first person to discover that the perp is Zhao Jue.”

…!

“It’s just that… Bao Zheng adds, “Your brother doesn’t remember anything anymore.”

Zhao Jue picks up his pen and paper and returns to his sketches.

“Let’s go.” Bao Zheng turns around, calling the two away.

Bai Yutang who has been watching Zhao Jue’s movement suddenly feels a little repelled. He turns and follows after Bao Zheng quickly.

Zhan Zhao is the last to go, he has been watching Zhao Jue as well, those drawings of his, the pencil knife… Just when he was about to leave, Zhao Jue turns his head to smile at him and stretch out one finger to make a ‘hush’ gesture against his lips...

The three of them walk out of the observation room, Zhan Zhao stops Bao Zheng, “I want to see Zhao Jue’s medical report.”

Bao Zheng nods, “Okay, but the focus of your investigation shouldn’t be on Zhao Jue.”

…

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao both turns quiet. Considering the state Zhao Jue is in currently, there is no way that he could have gone out to put psychological suggestion on others or number the victims. Then, would this number case be a pure coincident or a case of copycat?

The clues that have just surfaced seems so unclear and jumbled again.

…

Inside the research labs, Zhan Zhao is going through Zhao Jue’s medical report diligently.

Meanwhile Bai Yutang is deep in thoughts beside him.

Bao Zheng on the other hand is smoking heavily in the corridor.

After a long time, Zhan Zhao makes a soft ‘huh?’ sound.

“What did you find?” Bai Yutang leans in immediately.

Zhan Zhao points out a list of names, “This is the list of experts who concluded that Zhao Jue has borderline personality disorder.”

The first name on the list is ‘Xu Yanqin’.

“Xu Yanqin?” Bai Yutang jumps, “That prof Xu?”

Zhan Zhao nods, “Without this diagnosis, Zhao Jue would definitely have gotten a death sentence.”

“Cat!” Bai Yutang’s eyes flash with excitement, “The cases are now all connected.”

Zhan Zhao knows that expression all too well, this is the face that Bai Yutang would give every time there’s a promising lead. He checks on Bao Zheng outside of the door, pulls Bai Yutang in closer and whispers, “That Zhao Jue, is not mentally ill! He is just pretending to be.”

“How do you know this?” Bai Yutang asks quietly, widening his eyes.

“Those drawings.” Zhan Zhao explains in an equally hushed voice, “His act is very good, but those scattered drawings are drawn at different times. The bottom ones are drawn first, while the top layers are drawn later. The closer to the top layer, the messier his drawings got.”

Bai Yutang considers, “So you mean that he is planning something, but recently, he is getting more and more impatient?”

“Or more agitated.” Zhan Zhao says, bowing his head in distress.

“What is it? Cat, do you have something in mind already?” Bai Yutang asks, “And you don’t want Commissioner Bao to know about it?”

Zhan Zhao says hesitantly, “I think Zhao Jue is extremely dangerous. I fear that he has planned all of this, and if we involve commissioner Bao in this…”

Bai Yutang pats his shoulder, “That’s what I was thinking about as well, let’s do it on our own then! What do you want to do next?”

Biting on his lips, Zhan Zhao seems to have made a decision, “I want…I want your brother to meet Zhao Jue.”

“…” Bai Yutang is startled, “You are saying…”

“He displayed too few behavioural actions and expressions, I need more details to judge his intentions.”

Bai Yutang nods, “And my brother is the perfect choice to provoke it.”

Zhan Zhao nods as well, “Your brother doesn’t seem to be perturbed by that incident… I want to hypnotise your brother.”

Bai Yutang opens his mouth meaning to say ‘yes’, but instead suddenly slaps himself on the legs and yelps, “Oh Shit!”

They were talking so softly next to each other just now. This yelp from Bai Yutang has not only startled Zhan Zhao, but also gave Bao Zheng outside the door such a shock that he almost swallowed his cigarette.

“What was that for?” Bao Zheng charges in furiously.

Bai Yutang asks Zhan Zhao in despair, “Cat, what time is it now?”

Zhan Zhao checks his watch, “Half past eight.”

Bai Yutang knocks his head against the wall, “I’m dead. I forgot I left my brother in S.C.I. again.”

Zhan Zhao and Bao Zheng both fall silent. After a moment, the two of them pats on Bai Yutang’s shoulder, “Get ready for a second round of beating…”

On the 17th floor of the police bureau, at the entrance of S.C.I. office.

Bai Jintang sits on his suitcase with a dark expression and watches the S.C.I. members leave the office hastily. It doesn’t look so much like leaving work, but bear more resemblance to fleeing from war.

“Little shit. I’m gonna skin you alive later.” Bai Jintang scolds at the closed lift door.

The medical examiner office door opens and Gongsun walks out towards the lift twirling his car keys in his casual wear. He spots Bai Jintang from the corner of his eyes and gives him an expression that is usually reserved for looking at a dead rat…

“Hey!” Bai Jintang stops him with a shout, “Let me stay at your place today.”

“What??” Gongsun exclaims in shock.

Bai Jintang points at his luggages matter-of-factly, “I’m homeless!”

“Why would I let you stay at my place?” Gongsun looks at him from the lift door, holding his arms in amusement.

“Humanitarianism!” Bai Jintang answers convincingly.

“You can go stay at a hotel.” Gongsun presses the ‘down’ button for the lift.

“It’s costly.” Bai Jintang picks up his luggage and trails after Gongsun naturally.

“Why would you think, I out of all people would take you in?” Gongsun blocks his entrance into the lift.

Bai Jintang points at his own mouth and then at Gongsun’s cheek, “We have a close relationship.”

Seeing red in Gongsun’s eyes, Bai Jintang adds, “and I have a 1986 Bordeaux in my suitcase.”

….

Gongsun considers for a while and withdraws his arms.

Bai Jintang enters the lift gleefully, failing to notice Gongsun has his other hand in his pocket.

Stroking his scalpel, Gongsun thinks to himself, “When I get him to somewhere deserted --- I will destroy all traces of murder!”

Translator’s Footnote:

(1)    Silencer: Is there really such thing as a sound suppressor for human beings???

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