The Gods Are Fighting Over Me - Chapter 20

The sound of footsteps was amplified in the silence, like they were stepping on a taut nerve, grinding against Lin Jianyue’s eardrums over and over again. Along with the footsteps came a soft drip-drip-drip sound. It was sticky and slow. Mixed with the heavy rain outside, it was hard to tell if it was the sound of rain dripping from clothes or… bl00d.

After the phone screen went dark, overwhelming darkness swallowed Lin Jianyue whole. Her pupils dilated from extreme fear, but her brain went into overdrive, and her thoughts became clearer.

The door to the hallway was closed. Lin Jianyue tiptoed quickly to it and, before the person outside could push it open, she locked it from the inside.

The slight click of the metal lock felt like a flimsy barrier.

Lin Jianyue slowly backed away. Her back suddenly hit a hard object, startling her. But she quickly calmed down. Using the faint moonlight from the window, she could see that the thing against her back was a large storage cabinet that could fit one person. The cold, wooden surface against her clothes gave her a small sense of security.

A clap of thunder sounded. A pale flash of lightning slipped through the window crack like a snake, casting a distorted shadow on the wall.

In the darkness, Lin Jianyue clearly heard the sound of the doorknob turning from outside.

Click.

After a faint sound, the person seemed to realize the door was locked and twisted it twice more with force.

Click-click.

Then, there was no sound.

Maybe a long time had passed, or maybe it was just a few seconds. In the long silence, only the wind rustling the leaves could be heard, like an ominous whisper, making her feel uneasy.

It started to rain outside again. It was a heavy, violent rain that hit the window with a loud pitter-patter.

Amidst the rustling rain, Lin Jianyue caught a slight, discordant sound, the faint but clear sound of metal rubbing against each other.

The person outside was trying to open the door with a key.

Thunder sounded again. A flash of lightning swept across her face, leaving a bright, daylight-like line. Fear, like an electric current, shot up her spine to her scalp, making her feel numb all over.

He has a key!

This lock won’t stop him at all!

Lin Jianyue’s head snapped around to look at the cabinet behind her, and then she quickly glanced at the window a few feet away. She gritted her teeth, deciding to take a gamble.

With a soft click, the locked door was opened with a key.

The door was slowly pushed open, and the wood made a long, eerie creaking sound.

Watanabe stood at the door, his clothes soaked and a bloody kitchen knife in his hand, like a demon that had just climbed out of hell.

The room was pitch black. There was no light and no one.

The wooden blinds on the left, which had been tightly shut, were now pushed open, swaying back and forth in the wind with a creaking sound. The cold rain came in at a slant, soaking the curtains by the window.

Watanabe didn’t rush toward the window. He first warily looked around the room, making sure no one was in sight, then he quietly moved toward the open window.

He held on to the window frame and stuck half of his body out, muttering to himself in a low voice, “Looks like she escaped through the window.”

Behind Watanabe, Lin Jianyue was curled up in the shadows, not daring to make a sound or even breathe.

Another clap of thunder sounded. The pale light instantly filled the room. Lin Jianyue used this brief light to get a clear look at the man’s face and the bl00d on his white waiter uniform.

In his hand was a gleaming kitchen knife, with scarlet liquid slowly dripping from the blade.

Her guess was right. The person who came was the murderer and a staff member here.

In the few seconds the door was being pushed open, Lin Jianyue had thought of many things.

She had considered escaping through the window, but she had never been a fan of working out, and her father had demanded she maintain a slim figure for over ten years, so she wasn’t in good shape.

It would be too much for her to play a chase game with a murderer who had already killed two people and was familiar with the area, all in a pitch-black, unfamiliar environment.

Luckily, the man was fooled by her fake-out and actually thought she had escaped through the window.

All she had to do now was stay still, hold her breath, and wait for Jinpei Matsuda to rescue her.

However, in the next moment, the man by the window suddenly smiled a sinister smile and slowly closed the open blinds.

The room was plunged into complete darkness. Only the occasional lightning bolt would leak a few tiny bits of light through the cracks in the blinds, not enough for Lin Jianyue to see the full extent of the room.

“You didn’t really run, did you?”

Watanabe’s voice came from the darkness. He let out a few hoarse laughs from his throat, revealing Lin Jianyue’s identity. “You’re that damn curly-haired police officer’s woman.”

The wooden floor creaked again. Someone was moving around the room.

Lin Jianyue couldn’t see the person’s silhouette. She could only judge his location by his voice. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, almost breaking her ribs.

She desperately curled herself up, both hoping for and dreading another flash of lightning.

The light would reveal the man’s location, but it could also reveal her hiding spot.

Watanabe seemed to know the layout of the furniture in the room like the back of his hand. Even without being able to see, he could roughly pinpoint where things were.

He walked and stopped, as if he were deliberately toying with Lin Jianyue.

Thump.

The first cabinet was opened. It was empty. Only the messy pile of aprons inside fell out like an avalanche.

“Looks like you’re not in here, but that’s okay. I’ll find you soon.”

The man started talking to himself again, letting out a few chilling, hoarse laughs from time to time.

Another clap of thunder struck, and a pale flash of lightning instantly illuminated his bloodshot eyes. He stared with his eyes wide, but his pupils had shrunk to the size of mung beans. He was in a state of unnatural excitement and madness.

“You can blame your boyfriend for ruining my plan.”

“I was so close to getting revenge for Eri. There was only one left. Only that woman named Eri. But he…”

The man suddenly let out a sobbing sound, then abruptly raised his voice. It was filled with resentment. “He ruined my plan!”

Bang!

Watanabe pulled open the second cabinet. It was also empty.

“Good thing I’m familiar with this place and I’m used to the dark, or he would have caught me.”

The man laughed, his voice sounding deranged and obsessive. “No one can catch me here. No one knows the layout of this island better than I do.”

Bang!

The third cabinet was pulled open. Still no one.

There was only one cabinet left in the room that hadn’t been opened.

“You’re a smart girl, but too bad you couldn’t fool me.” The man laughed and stood in front of the last cabinet, his expression growing more insane. His tone was filled with the cruelty of someone who had already won.

Lin Jianyue was hiding in the dark, so terrified she could barely breathe. All she could hear was the frantic pounding of her own heart. Her cold fingers were clenched tightly, but she couldn’t stop them from trembling violently.

She was getting closer and closer to the man. All he had to do was pull out his knife, and he could stab her in the heart.

Outside the cabinet, the man lowered his head and licked the bl00d off the kitchen knife. His eyes gleamed with excitement, crimson and bloodthirsty, filled with a feverish desire to kill.

He grinned, raised the knife high, and abruptly pulled open the cabinet.

A clap of thunder boomed, louder and brighter than any before, shaking people to their cores. It was like a divine message from the heavens, warning of what was about to happen.

The bloody knife gleamed as it fell heavily, missing its target as the cabinet was opened.

Watanabe’s body suddenly froze. He looked at the empty cabinet in front of him, a confused look on his face.

At the same time, a figure flashed behind him. Lightning from behind them cast their shadows onto the wall and also illuminated Lin Jianyue’s actions.

“You!?”

Watanabe turned back in panic. All he saw was Lin Jianyue holding a frying pan like a baseball bat, with a look of determination and ruthlessness in her eyes.

She wasn’t hiding in the cabinet at all.

Not only that, but she had chosen to take the offensive instead of hiding.

Clang!

The back of his head and the metal frying pan collided, making a dull, loud thud. The man let out a grunt and fell to the ground. The knife in his hand flew out from the force, landing about a foot and a half away from him.

“You b1tch.” Watanabe held the back of his head and struggled to get up from the ground.

Lin Jianyue had hit him incredibly hard. The slightest movement made him see stars. He could only writhe on the ground, desperately trying to reach the knife, like a turtle trying to right itself.

Lin Jianyue didn’t hesitate for a second. She first stomped hard on the back of Watanabe’s outstretched hand, and before his shrill scream could end, she kicked the murder weapon on the ground, sending the knife flying far away.

Watanabe seemed to be completely enraged. Since he couldn’t stand up, he changed his strategy and lunged at Lin Jianyue’s feet, tightly gripping her ankle with a force that felt like it would snap her slender ankle right off.

He kept squeezing, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, looking terrifying.

“I’ll kill you!”

“I’m going to kill you!”

He kept repeating his threats, crazily tugging at Lin Jianyue’s skirt and leg, trying to get up.

A stream of bl00d flowed from the spot where he had been hit, traveling over his eyebrows and eye sockets, spreading a large, frightening red color on his gaunt face.

Lin Jianyue looked at the horrifying scene in front of her and squeezed her eyes shut. She took a deep breath, then she started wildly hitting him with the frying pan.

The bottom of the stainless steel pan collided with his body, making a clang-clang-clang sound that was jarring in the dead silence of the room.

Lin Jianyue didn’t know where she was hitting Watanabe. It was too dark. She could only swing her arms based on her instincts.

But as long as she wasn’t the one being hit, she would keep hitting him.

Lin Jianyue put all her strength into it, hitting him again and again, until there was a final thud, and Watanabe went limp on the ground and stopped moving. The hand that was gripping her ankle also let go. Lin Jianyue then felt like all her strength had been drained, and she stopped what she was doing.

“Phew !phew!”

Lin Jianyue gasped for air, her chest heaving violently, but she gripped the weapon in her hand even tighter.

Her mind was a blank slate, shrouded in a thick fog. She couldn’t remember anything or think about anything.

Is Watanabe dead?

Did I survive?

Am I… safe now?

Suddenly, a flashlight beam lit up the hallway. Along with it came the sound of hurried footsteps, getting closer and closer.

“Jianyue!”

A familiar voice cut through her chaotic thoughts, making Lin Jianyue’s body tremble.

They were only two simple words, but they were like a warm current that instantly took away all her tension and fear.

Lin Jianyue looked blankly at the light that was rushing toward her. The next second, she was pulled into a strong, tight hug.

At the same time, the lights in the room suddenly came on—Jinpei Matsuda, who was on the other side of the villa, had fixed the power.

The blinding lights instantly filled the room. Lin Jianyue squinted, held tightly in someone’s arms. The person was tall. As she was embraced, her head barely reached his shoulder.

At this angle, her face was pressed directly against his chest.

Thump.

His frantic, powerful heartbeat was as clear as a drum, vibrating through her eardrums, but it strangely calmed the panic in her heart.

“Thank God.”

The arms wrapped around Lin Jianyue tightened slightly, pulling her even closer, so tight it was as if he wanted to melt her into his own flesh and bl00d.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”

There was an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice, like a stone thrown into a lake, creating ripples that revealed the fear and excitement he was trying to hide.

Lin Jianyue slowly looked up at the person who was holding her so tightly.

Kenji Hagiwara had his head lowered, his eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and the muscles around his eyes were still twitching, as if he was desperately trying to control an emotion that was about to burst out.

He had just come from the rain, and his whole body was filled with a damp chill. His black hair was still dripping water.

One drop, two drops, falling on her shoulder, like he was shedding tears of joy for her.

“Hey,” another set of footsteps sounded from far away and stopped at the door. Jinpei Matsuda’s voice came in, wrapped in the coldness of the rain. “Can you two find a more suitable place to have a moment?”

He was soaked from the rain. He stood at the door with his arms crossed and pointed his chin at the unconscious Watanabe on the floor. “A bloody suspect is lying on the floor.”

Kenji Hagiwara’s body stiffened. He slowly let go of his embrace. He poked Watanabe a few times, and after making sure he was okay, he looked back at Lin Jianyue.

He grabbed Lin Jianyue’s arm and carefully checked her from top to bottom, his eyes filled with regret. Did you bring a change of clothes? I’m so sorry. I was so overwhelmed that I forgot I was all wet. 

Lin Jianyue held up her index finger and gently pressed it against his lips, stopping him from saying more.

She looked up at him with a scrutinizing look in her eyes and whispered, “Kenji, why are you here?”

“Little Jinpei messaged me and said there was a murder on the island and that you were sick, so I came,” Kenji Hagiwara replied calmly, but a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

He softened his voice and looked at Lin Jianyue in a pleading, spoiled manner. “Are you mad at me? For coming here without your permission?”

Lin Jianyue’s gaze deepened. After a moment of silence, she asked the question that had been in her heart in an inexpressible tone. “Kenji, you didn’t really swim across the entire sea, did you?”

“Huh?”

The expression on Kenji Hagiwara’s face went blank for a second.

He blinked a few times, and his first instinct was to turn and look at his childhood friend by the door. Sure enough, he saw Jinpei Matsuda avert his gaze.

A few light laughs escaped his throat. Kenji Hagiwara pulled Lin Jianyue back into his arms. The moisture mixed with his body heat seeped through their clothes, leaving a dark patch on her chest.

“That’s right,” he said, gently rubbing his chin against her shoulder. His eyes curved into crescents as he smiled. “No matter where you are, Jianyue-chan, as long as you’re in danger, I will definitely show up.”

Lin Jianyue frowned, clearly not buying his story. “Then why didn’t you reply to my message?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing his head against hers in a playful, coaxing manner. “My phone got wet when Mermaid Kenji swam across the bay. It still won’t turn on.”

“Don’t say weird things.”

“Jianyue-chan and little Jinpei said weird things first,” Kenji Hagiwara said with a laugh, but his arms unconsciously tightened around her, holding her securely.

Just then, a third set of footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the door. Conan and his group finally arrived at the scene.

The first thing they saw was Jinpei Matsuda standing by the door with his arms crossed. Then they saw the two people tightly embracing each other in the room and Watanabe lying on the ground, his life hanging by a thread.

Ran let out a sigh of relief when she saw Lin Jianyue was okay. She quickly walked over, her face filled with apology. “I’m sorry, Jianyue-san. Officer Matsuda said that this gentleman—”

She pointed to Kenji Hagiwara, who was clinging to Lin Jianyue like melted toffee, and continued, “would take care of you and that I should go about my business, so I…”

Lin Jianyue slowly looked up at Kenji Hagiwara, her eyes clearly questioning him.

Conan had already crouched down. He felt for Watanabe’s carotid artery and flipped his eyelids. He then stood up, put his hands in his pockets, and explained, “After this guy failed to kill someone, he tried to electrocute all of us and commit murder-suicide. Officer Matsuda and this… Officer Hagi?”

Kenji Hagiwara introduced himself with a smile. “Kenji Hagiwara.”

Conan finished what he was saying. “And Officer Hagiwara went to stop him, which is why they left your room.”

“Ah…” Kogoro Mouri scratched the back of his head, looking at the strange scene in front of him. He finally couldn’t help but ask the question on everyone’s mind.

He pointed to Jinpei Matsuda, who was standing by the door with his arms crossed, then at Kenji Hagiwara, who wouldn’t let go of Lin Jianyue, and asked in confusion, “If Officer Matsuda is Jianyue-san’s boyfriend, then you’re…”

Before he could finish, Kenji Hagiwara suddenly lifted his head, his eyes smiling honestly, but his tone was a little malicious. He said, word for word, “I’m her kept man.”

He paused, and as if that wasn’t enough, he added, “I’m the mistress.”

Thump.

Conan stumbled on his feet and almost tripped over himself. His glasses slid down to the tip of his nose. He had known since they arrived on the island that Jinpei Matsuda and Lin Jianyue weren’t a couple, but he didn’t understand why Kenji Hagiwara would give himself such a strange and not-so-good title for a police officer.

“You-you’re talking nonsense!” Ran’s face instantly turned red, and she quickly covered Conan’s ears. “There’s a child here!”

Kogoro Mouri’s eyes were as wide as a bell. His jaw almost dropped to the floor. “Wha-what?! A kept man?!”

Jinpei Matsuda rolled his eyes, not bothering with the farce. He pulled out his handcuffs from the back of his waist and handcuffed Watanabe. He then left the room without a second glance to find a first-aid kit.

Lin Jianyue was both embarrassed and annoyed. She tried to push Kenji Hagiwara away, but her arms were weak. The low fever had already drained her of all her energy. The fear and fighting had drained her of the last bit of strength. Her stomach felt empty, and a feeling of hunger crept up her nerves. Even her fingertips were trembling.

She struggled twice, then finally gave up. She unwillingly wrapped her arms around Kenji Hagiwara’s neck, buried her face in his wet shirt, and whispered, “Kenji, I’m hungry.”

Kenji Hagiwara let out a low laugh. The vibration from his chest traveled through her skin. “I know.”

He lowered his head to look at the person in his arms. His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, and his voice was extremely low. “Should I take you to change into some dry clothes first?”

Lin Jianyue turned her face away, but her ears were secretly getting hot. She didn’t struggle anymore.