Chapter 50: The Devil’s Game
Seeing this scene, Song Lin’s face turned pale with shock.
There was no time to think—he sprinted toward the first-floor window.
Stepping onto the windowsill, gripping the cracks between the bricks, he began to climb toward the second floor.
This two-story house had a reinforced security door on the first floor, impossible to kick open.
The windows on the first floor were all secured with metal bars, making it impossible to climb inside.
Only the second-floor bedroom, which had a small balcony, lacked any security measures.
Song Lin carefully gripped the brick crevices, inching upward. His fingers turned white from exertion, and after climbing two or three meters, his fingertips were already raw and bloody. A searing pain shot through his hands.
Fortunately, the second-floor balcony was only about seven meters above the ground. Gritting his teeth, Song Lin pushed forward and soon reached the edge of the balcony.
With a forceful punch, he shattered the glass window.
Shards of glass scattered everywhere with a sharp crash, and his fist was left a bloody mess.
Using his arm for support, Song Lin hoisted himself onto the small balcony.
The space was tiny—barely enough for one person.
There was another glass door leading inside.
Song Lin tested it.
Unlocked.
Quietly, he stepped into the bedroom, pulled out his phone, and turned on the flashlight.
“Officer Song, you know this counts as breaking and entering, right?”
A chilling voice suddenly echoed in the room.
Song Lin’s body stiffened.
Mechanically, he turned toward the source of the voice.
Click!
A soft sound.
The bedroom light flickered on, its brightness stabbing into Song Lin’s eyes.
Instinctively, he raised a hand to shield himself.
“Officer Song, you broke into my home, killed my grandparents—are you going to kill me next?”
A child’s voice. Innocent.
Yet hearing it sent a chill down Song Lin’s spine.
He lowered his hand and looked toward the doorway.
A small figure was leaning against the doorframe, grinning at him.
Axi.
But what Axi held in his hands made Song Lin’s heart freeze.
In his left hand—
A gun. Its dark barrel aimed straight at him.
In his right hand—
A severed head.
The old woman’s head.
Her wide, lifeless eyes stared directly at Song Lin, filled with unwillingness.
Song Lin’s expression darkened with fury and helplessness.
At such close range, even if Axi fired at the floor, the ricochet could still hit him.
Dodging?
His only hope was that the gun wasn’t loaded.
But Song Lin wasn’t naive enough to believe that Axi would bluff with a fake gun at a time like this.
Under the bedroom light, the gun’s cold barrel gleamed ominously.
“Officer Song, this head is so heavy. Can you hold it for me?”
Axi lifted the severed head, speaking sweetly.
The childish voice, paired with the gruesome sight, created an eerie horror.
Song Lin stared at Axi, remaining still.
Axi smirked and shook the gun slightly.
Song Lin immediately noticed—it was loaded. The safety was off.
A real gun.
“Officer Song, won’t you do it?”
Axi tilted his head, smiling widely.
For a child of seven or eight, this expression should have been adorable.
But when Axi did it, Song Lin felt an icy chill seep into his bones.
Especially since Axi was still holding a dripping, bloody head.
Faced with the black muzzle, Song Lin’s mind raced.
How could he break free from the trap Axi had set?
“Officer Song, do you really think I’ll give you a chance?”
Axi chuckled.
With a flick of his hand, he tossed the severed head to the floor.
It rolled to Song Lin’s feet, stopping with its face turned toward him, those lifeless eyes staring into his.
“Officer Song, the floor is cold. Pick up my grandma’s head.”
Axi lifted the gun slightly, his voice turning icy.
“My grandma was always afraid of the cold…”
He murmured.
Slowly, Song Lin crouched down, reaching for the severed head.
At the same time, his hand moved toward his waist.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out!
The severed head on the floor exploded instantly, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere.
Song Lin was drenched in the gruesome mess.
His movements halted.
“Officer Song, guns are dangerous. Better not take yours out. I’m scared.”
“When I get scared, my hands shake easily.”
“And when my hands shake… my gun might go off.”
Axi’s cold voice reached his ears.
Song Lin took a deep breath, straightened up, and stared at Axi.
“Your name is Axi, isn’t it?”
Song Lin asked in a low voice.
“Oh?”
“So Fang Xiaocao really did recognize me.”
Axi raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“What a hassle. Looks like I’ll have to kill one more person.”
He murmured.
“Stop this. If I die, you won’t escape.”
Song Lin said firmly.
“No, no, no. I never planned to escape.”
“After more than twenty years… I’m tired.”
Axi chuckled.
“But before I die, I might as well have some fun. Don’t you think?”
He grinned.
“What are you planning?”
Song Lin asked grimly.
“Tell me, what would people think if a respected officer broke into a home, murdered an elderly couple, and was finally killed by a child who took his gun?”
Axi tilted his head, smiling playfully.
“They’ll talk, but the bureau will clear my name.”
Song Lin said coldly.
“Oh, there have been plenty of official statements denying things.”
“But those attention-seeking media outlets, with a little push from certain people, will still spin their own narratives.”
“Mindless internet trolls don’t care about the truth. They only believe what they want to believe.”
Axi chuckled.
“So what?”
Song Lin shot back.
“The internet isn’t lawless. Cross the line, and they’ll face legal consequences.”
Song Lin sneered.
“I don’t care.”
“I just want to watch you get smeared.”
“To see you slandered by trolls.”
“To watch your colleagues grow furious and helpless, unable to clear your name.”
Axi laughed.
“You lunatic!”
Song Lin’s face darkened with rage.
“Officer Song, if you and your family were cyberbullied, wouldn’t someone eventually snap and do something reckless?”
“Tsk tsk, just imagining it is amusing.”
Axi giggled.
Hearing this, Song Lin trembled with fury.
“Devil!”
“Madman!”
He cursed.
“Hahaha…”
“Thanks for the compliment!”
Axi laughed wildly.
“Officer Song, I need your cooperation.”
“Come, pick up this head…”
“And take it to their bedroom.”
Axi’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
He watched Song Lin’s anger with delight, as if savoring the moment.
Slowly, Song Lin bent down, picked up the head, and cradled it in his arms.
Axi’s grin widened.
Stepping aside from the doorway, he moved into the corner, lifting his gun to signal Song Lin.
Into the bedroom.
(End of Chapter 50)
