The weapon by the pillow

Chapter 8 She...is my sister

"These dreams are all real..."

Old K suddenly spoke. He had been listening silently throughout Cheng Tan's narration, and the drunkenness and dejection on his face seemed to have completely disappeared. He slowly straightened up from the door frame, walked to the center of the room, and his gaze fell on the pile of scattered murder weapons.

"It's not a coincidence." Old K's voice was deep and clear, a stark contrast to his previous muffled tone.

Everyone looked at him.

"Cheng Tan, right?" Old K looked at Cheng Tan. "What you dreamed about wasn't a fictional murder. What you dreamed about was a replay of a scene from thirteen years ago, the moment Li Wan died, which actually happened in this room."

"A clip replay?" Cheng Tan looked bewildered.

"Li Wan... is my sister," Old K said. "My name is Li Kai," he finally revealed his identity, shocking everyone.

He crouched down, not touching the weapons, but gently stroking the rough rust on the handle of the pliers with his fingertips, as if caressing a painful memory.

"She was only twenty-eight when she died. She was struggling alone in this city, doing a menial job, somewhat introverted, and had few friends." Li Kai's voice sounded calm, but beneath that calm lay a bottomless sorrow and thirteen years of suppressed pain. "The police's conclusion at the time was that it was a robbery and murder, or a crime of passion, but they couldn't find any conclusive evidence. The scene was chaotic, and these..."

He pointed to the electrical wires, wrench, paper cutter, and paperweight on the ground, "...all of which were listed as suspected murder weapons, but the marks on them were very blurry, making it impossible to determine which one was the fatal one. In addition, due to the limited technology at the time and the high turnover of tenants, this case... became an unsolved mystery."

"I don't believe it." Li Kai raised his head, his eyes flashing with a stubborn light. "I don't believe my sister died so mysteriously. I quit my job and spent thirteen years wandering this city like a ghost, investigating everyone and everything that might be related to the case. I stared at those suspect tenants from back then, at those who might have had a grudge against her..."

His gaze slowly swept over Cheng Tan, the sharp light of his eyes sending a chill down Cheng Tan's spine.

"Until about a month ago, I noticed you, Cheng Tan." Li Kai's voice turned cold. "Through some...unconventional channels, I learned that you might be experiencing some...strange things. For example, nightmares, or things that shouldn't be appearing around you."

Cheng Tan was suddenly shocked: "You...you're spying on me?!"

"It's observation," Li Kai corrected, his tone remaining completely unchanged. "I need to confirm. I've reviewed all the scattered records and old reports I could find about the case from back then, and combined with my own investigation, I've come to a hypothesis."

He stood up, walked to the nailed-together window, turned his back to the prying eyes, and faced the people inside the room.

"My sister's death may not have been caused by a single weapon."

One sentence caused the room temperature to drop sharply.

"What do you mean?" Shadow asked in a deep voice, as if he had realized something as well.

"What I mean is, I need to know the truth..." Li Kai turned around, his gaze piercing. "Perhaps there was more than one person in this room at the time. Or rather, more than one person inflicted the harm. They may have used different tools, at different times, to harm my sister! Ultimately leading to her death!"

"And these people," his gaze, like a cold probe, swept over Lynx, the research enthusiast, A-Zhe, Xiao Fei, and Lin Qian in turn, before finally returning to Cheng Tan, "maybe... all be in this room."

"What?!"

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"That's impossible!"

Exclamations and rebuttals erupted immediately. Lynx waved his arms excitedly, the research enthusiast retreated in fright, and A-Zhe and Xiao-Fei huddled together, their faces pale. Even the usually calm Lin Qian frowned and subconsciously clenched her fists. Only Shadow remained silent, but her eyes had already turned somewhat hostile.

"You're insane! You're a lunatic!" Lynx yelled, pointing at Li Kai. "You tricked us into coming here just to make these ridiculous accusations?!"

"An accusation?" Li Kai sneered. "I'm just stating a possibility. A possibility based on thirteen years of investigation, and... Cheng Tan's bizarre nightmare."

He looked at Cheng Tan again: "Your nightmares might not be 'premonitions' or 'creations,' but rather a kind of... 'resonance.' An unconscious reception and reenactment of fragments of the atrocities that happened here back then. I can't explain the mechanism by which those murder weapons appeared beside your pillow. Perhaps it's the materialization of your subconscious? Perhaps there's some psychological or physical principle that we haven't yet understood? Or maybe my sister's spirit appeared to me..."

He paused, then said meaningfully, "...Is it a 'reminder' from another world? A reminder from my sister's spirit? Or is it the indelible guilt deep within the hearts of those who harmed you back then, projected onto you in some way?"

Cheng Tan slumped to the ground, his mind a complete mess.

Li Kai's speculation was too startling, but if his nightmares were really related to the murder case thirteen years ago, if those murder weapons really represented different perpetrators...

So, what exactly happened in this room back then?

Was it an out-of-control act of violence involving multiple people? Or a premeditated murder?

At this moment, among the seven people gathered here, besides Li Kai, the investigator, and himself, the one chosen by the "nightmare," who are the other five... Lynx, Critic, A Zhe, Xiao Fei, and Lin Qian...?

What is their connection to the case from thirteen years ago?

If there is no connection, why gather them here by lottery? Is it because you already have some evidence, or is it just a test and coercion?

And what about those eyes outside the window...?

"Those eyes..." Cheng Tan began with difficulty, pointing out the window.

Li Kai followed his gaze, a complex expression appearing on his face.

"Them?" Li Kai said calmly, "They are some... 'spectators.' Some people who have always been 'interested' in this unsolved case from thirteen years ago. Reporters? Curiosities? Perhaps even those involved in the case back then, observing from the shadows. I merely... took advantage of the internet's popularity and 'shared' the news that we would be here tonight to 'explore' the mystery. They probably thought they would be watching an exciting live-streamed adventure tonight."

That's it!

Those eyes are those of spying observers who have come after hearing the news!

They were cleverly used by Li Kai, becoming external barriers to block this "stage" and silent witnesses!

Just then, the shadow, which had been silent all along, suddenly spoke:

"Mr. Li Kai, your story is fascinating, and your speculation is quite bold. But where's the evidence?"