Chapter 1

My brother died in a plane crash while rushing home for my birthday. Not even his bones were found.

After that, every year on my birthday, my parents made me kneel at his grave to atone.

Until I turned eighteen.

That day, someone followed me. Terrified, I texted my parents for help.

Mom called and immediately began scolding me.

“You're just making excuses to avoid kneeling at your brother's grave! All lies! Why weren't you the one who died back then, you walking curse?”

Before they trampled my phone, all I heard was the cold automated announcement that the call had ended.

After that, I was cut into pieces and scattered across the city.

Even the forensic pathologist assigned to my case didn't recognize his own daughter.

Later, my brother returned in triumph with the woman he'd eloped with eight years earlier.

When they learned that the heap of mangled flesh was me, every one of them lost their mind.

...

When Dad was urgently summoned to the police station, they still hadn't found all the pieces of me scattered around the city.

Thunder and lightning raged outside. Rain came down in torrents.

The entire police force and their search dogs were scouring the city in separate teams.

Captain Fang came in, soaked through, carrying a bloodstained bag.

“This bag hasn't been touched by the rain. Lin, see if you can find any biological traces from the killer.”

Dad nodded and opened it.

Inside were reddish-brown chunks of flesh, cut into uniform squares no larger than mahjong tiles.

One glance was enough to redden his eyes. His breathing quickened as he fought down his anger.

“That monster has no humanity left! These pieces were cut from her while she was still alive!”

Eight years.

For the first time in eight years, Dad's eyes were red because of me.

Captain Fang looked grim too. He didn't dare interrupt.

Bag after bag of remains was found and brought to the station.

Slowly, Dad pieced me back together.

A day and a night passed.

He stayed bent over in the same position, his sleepless eyes bloodshot.

A raw red body, stripped of all its skin, gradually took shape.

Captain Fang couldn't bear it. He hurried aside to vomit, then asked between retches, “No skin? Was the killer afraid of leaving traces?”

“No.”

Dad drew a deep breath.

“This was torture. She was skinned alive. He deliberately made her suffer.”

“And from the condition of some pieces, after skinning her, he put salt on the wounds, then cut away the flesh a slice at a time.”

“He watched her struggle in agony for hours, until the pain killed her.”

“He was enjoying the killing.”

Worthy of the city's finest forensic pathologist.

Dad had described every detail of my death exactly.

“Bastard! Son of a bitch!”

Captain Fang swore through gritted teeth.

“The skin was removed from her face, and it was soaked in sulfuric acid, so visual identification is impossible. Dental wear suggests she was between sixteen and twenty.”

“Also, among the bags of bones, only those of the right leg are missing. There may have been a congenital abnormality, an old injury, or surgical traces that could identify her.”

“The killer was extremely careful. He left no clues to his own identity.”

“I can reconstruct her face from the skull, but it'll take time.”

Captain Fang patted Dad's shoulder. His gaze happened to fall on my right leg, and he frowned.

“Lin... isn't this exactly like the Rain Butcher case eight years ago?”

Dad's hand trembled as he removed his glove.

Eight years earlier, after Dad had found evidence that cornered the serial killer known as the Rain Butcher, the man had tampered with the plane my brother was taking.

In the end, both of them had died in the crash.

It was the subject Dad never allowed anyone to mention.

“If this killer really is connected to him...”

“Lin, tell your wife to keep everyone at home for now. If the Rain Butcher's pattern holds, the most likely target...”

“...is Yanyan.”

At my name, Dad's brows drew together almost reflexively.

“Doesn't she deserve to die?”

His casual question left the autopsy room deathly silent.

It hurt.

Ten thousand times more than the killer's blade carving pieces from my body.

I'd thought eight years of rejection, abuse, and humiliation might have worn away at least a little of Dad's hatred.

No.

He only wished I were dead.

“Lin!”

Captain Fang's voice sharpened.

“How would she feel if she heard that?”

“What do I care how she feels?”

“If she hadn't insisted Xiaojing come home for her birthday, he'd already been safely hidden away. How would the Rain Butcher have found him?”

Dad panted, his eyes bloodshot.

Like a cornered animal, he gave a desperate cry.

“My son... was only eighteen when he died...”

“Not even a body...”

“His mother and I searched that mountain where the plane crashed for eight years.”

“Eight years!”

“We couldn't even find one thing that belonged to him...”

Over those eight years, my parents had carved those words into my bones.

Again and again, reminding me that I was the one who'd killed my brother.

Whenever I woke from a nightmare, I saw Dad at my brother's funeral, his hands around my throat, screaming:

“Why weren't you the one who died?”

I'd asked myself too.

Yes.

Why hadn't it been me?

If it had, I'd still be the little daughter everyone cherished.

Instead of the daughter the whole family hated.

Captain Fang sighed softly.

“Xiaojing's gone. Must something happen to Yanyan before you regret this?”

I looked at Dad too.

Waiting for his answer.

“The best thing would be for something to happen to her.”

The last light in my eyes went out.

Now I was dead.

Dad.

When you find out, will you be happy?

Just then, an officer brought in a bloodstained keychain.

A tiny, soft white plush lamb, no longer than a finger.

Dad glanced at it and told his assistant, “Just an ordinary keychain. Take it to the lab and see if the blood belongs to the victim.”

I stared at him.

So he'd forgotten.

He'd given it to me years ago to protect myself.

Because of his work, Dad had made many enemies.

Once, two men on a motorbike had kidnapped Mom and me right off the street.

Mom had clung to one of their arms and been dragged dozens of meters along the road.

Dad had been stabbed in the chest while rescuing me.

Afterward, the police assigned officers to protect our family.

When Dad left the hospital, he gave me this little plush keychain.

A miniature high-voltage stun device was hidden inside.

Back then, he'd patiently taught me how to use it, over and over.

He'd stroked my head and smiled.

“Even when I'm not with you, you'll be able to protect yourself.”

Now the man who'd given it to me had forgotten everything.

He'd even called it an ordinary little object.

Dad.

You've missed your chance to recognize me.

After arranging his work, he found a moment to check his phone.

He saw my message asking for help.

Always careful, Dad immediately called Mom.

I thought that, at last, they'd realized something had happened.

But the first thing he said was, “After all these years of that being-followed act, Lin Yan still dares to send me messages like this. Make her kneel at Xiaojing's grave a few more days so she learns!”

I'm not lying!

Dad.

Something really happened!

The body you just put together is mine!

I'm not deceiving you.

Please believe me.

Just once.

But he only frowned, his face full of irritation.

Then I hoped Mom would worry.

That she'd realize something was wrong.

Because after Dad had misunderstood me about being followed eight years ago, I'd never dared send them another message like this.

First, Mom gently told him not to get angry and harm his health.

Then she agreed coldly.

“I got that nuisance of a message too. She never gives anyone peace. I've already warned the wretched girl to kneel for two extra days and told her not to come home. Just looking at her annoys me.”

Quietly, I listened as they took turns listing everything wrong with me.

Dad remembered to remind Mom to lock the doors and windows and stay alert.

But neither of them ever wondered whether something might happen to me out there alone.

I curled up in the corner.

My chest ached so tightly I could barely bear it.

No one cared about my death.

“I want to report something!”

A familiar voice suddenly came from outside.

“My friend, Lin Yan, is missing! She's been gone for two days!”

2

In the station lobby, my only friend and deskmate, Zhang Pingping, was talking to an officer.

She said she couldn't get through to my phone.

I'd also failed to turn up when we were supposed to meet.

Her eyes were red with worry.

The sight made my heart twist.