Ning Xi loves detective novels.

And since she was young, she was aware that she is quite unwilling to forgive and rather extreme.

She didn’t worry because of that, though. Instead, she would hide these sides of her, like some kind of instinct to make herself fit in.

Though she would indulge herself in detective noir style productions, from literary works to shows and movies.

Others see themselves in the shoes of the detective; she sees herself in the perpetrators.

She would look at these novels from on high, casting judgement on how well the murderers did.

She is happy inside, thinking she has the capability to put all the countless methods of murder into practice if she so wanted.

But she is also all too lucidly aware, that they are only artistic depictions and productions.

She can never try them out in real life. Novels and such contrive lots of specific conditions and scenes to allow the methods to succeed.

In reality, coincidence and luck would have stopped these methods dead in their tracks. They are fictional.

Like so, Ning Xi grew up, and spent her days like that.

She immersed herself in all those bloody cases. After novels, came true crime documentaries.

After learning about all the real-life murders, she started running after the activities in real life, tours, trips, pretend-cases, playing Mafia, etc. It makes her feel like she is truly involved in the cases; she decides who lives and who dies.

Every time she participates in them, she would be visibly excited.

But going back and forth between dull reality and exciting make-believe has made her desirous. Desirous of all these to no longer be confined to screens, limited to games, but reality.

Then, the madness happened.

Suddenly, the mad bloodlust engulfed her blood and soul. There are no longer fictional stories and classic murders gathering dust in history books, but simply… the new normal.

She desperately wanted to become… yes. The kind of protagonist in detective novels, the character of ‘I’ is the person behind everything. She wants to enact this trick.

Ning Xi thinks she must have gone mad, but she feels like, this is who she should be. It’s perfect. She likes this.

So she actually started to prepare.

It was absurdly difficult in the beginning. She had no candidates; she is too painfully aware of how weak she is. She can’t actually kill someone… unless the other person is cooperating.

Meanwhile, she acts normal on the surface. She dated, prepared for a trip, prepared to be proposed to by her to-be-fiancé.

That is when she came to learn that Zhang Quanhao actually had an ex who still couldn’t leave him alone.

Some kind of murderous lust overcame her. Her sharp anger and need for murder made her have ‘the big one’ kind of argument with Zhang Quanhao.

At the end of that, she completely spilled the beans on how much she desired to kill, so much so, that Zhang Quanhao appeared entirely stunned.

Then Ning Xi heard it. Zhang Quanhao said, with a tone that can only be described as being ‘possessed,’ “then why not… just kill me.”

Ning Xi then looked at him. She felt like she was dreaming.

Then Zhang Quanhao repeated himself. More firmly this time.

Ning Xi was in astonishment.

She was angry Zhang Quanhao still couldn’t finish dealing with his past relationships, but she didn’t think this was something to be killed over. He’s her beloved husband. He wasn’t part of her ‘hobby.’

But something about Zhang Quanhao’s suggestion moved her deeply inside.

She stared at this man she truly loved, and her expression started to twist. It was more destructive. It was more spiteful.

She then said nonchalantly, “sure. I will kill you.”

Zhang Quanhao looked truly elated. It was like, dying for his fiancée was something glorious for him.

Ning Xi has gone insane. She sought all the enemies from all the grudges she remembered. She ‘convinced’ them one by one to come and die for her. Then finally, they arrived, at this isolated, snow-capped mountain mansion in the middle of nowhere.

Here, Ning Xi’s greatest wish would be fulfilled. She would become the female protagonist of a detective novel as she yearned to be. She shall end up the most innocent but most ruthless killer of the world.

Because every one of her victims, would die by suicide.

Ning Xi, still smiling, tells the Missiontakers all of these, with some kind of proudness in her tone.

Although she is still clearly so utterly distraught with her eyes bawled out from Zhang Quanhao’s death.

Even now, she is still tearing up uncontrollably.

Crying, laughing, like some truly insane person would be.

Or rather… as a truly insane person.

The Missiontakers can’t help but think, the world is over, just listening to her… And it was, in a sense.

While Ning Xi explained, the others remained quiet. They seemed to be alright with what Ning Xi said. They’re ready to die by their own hands.

They do not fear death, because of the ludicrousness that is the delusions of someone who is practically strangers to almost most of them.

They will become a part of the detective novel she is constructing. As the victim.

He Shujün takes a deep breath. She sound slightly appalled when she says, “I really didn’t think there would be people dumb enough to sacrifice their lives for nothing but a foolish fever dream,” then she mockingly asks, “you still telling me this is all plausibly human?”

Shen Yünjü makes a forced smile, saying, “actually, in a sense, if humans really can go that far for each other, it might be a good thing… Well, not like this here, at least.”

He Shujün finds herself chuckling at that.

Then Ye Lan says, “now we know all the truth, and we should be able to leave, right?” She hurries them, “time is of the essence.”

The Missiontakers all nod, including Lin Qin, who is still looking for his Beijin.

So the Missiontakers head for the door to the mansion, but when they step through it, the door in the grey fog does not come up.

Shen Yünjü then asks, “was there something more to discover?”

Ye Lan thinks about it, then suggests, “so who is the Nightmare’s owner?”

“Not Ning Xi, I’d bet,” He Shujün replies, “she is more likely to be whom the Nightmare owner fears.”

“Zhang Quanhao?”

“He must be mad from the very beginning though,” Shen Yünjü says, “if he wasn’t, he would not have let Ning Xi kill him, or be willing to commit suicide.”

Ye Lan says, “so someone that hasn’t gone mad? Then they must have chosen to come of their own initiative…”

Then the Missiontakers all realise something, and simultaneously look in the direction of Zhang Quanhao’s ex, Ding Yücan.