Shao Changqing’s home was located about a fifteen-minute drive from the headquarters. Lu Junchi and Su Hui sat in the front seats of the car, while the man sat in the back. Throughout the journey, he didn’t speak much, instead gazing out the window at the city night view.

Approaching midnight, the sky was pitch black, and the hustle and bustle of the daytime had receded, leaving a peaceful atmosphere.

Soon, they arrived at the residential complex where Shao Changqing lived. The car parked downstairs, and he entered the password, leading Lu Junchi and Su Hui upstairs. He opened the door, turning on the lights.

It was a tidy two-bedroom apartment. There was a sofa in the living room, exercise equipment on the balcony, a gaming console on the TV cabinet, and a few wine glasses placed on a shelf with some red wine.

Each glass had been meticulously wiped, showing no traces.

The place looked like an ordinary bachelor’s residence—clean, tidy, with no obvious signs of women.

Shao Changqing went to the water dispenser, poured two glasses of water for them, and placed them on the table.

Then he poured himself a glass of water, sat on a chair in the dining room—a chair with a slightly sunken shape. He chose a comfortable position, crossed his legs, and casually played with the glass in his hand, displaying a natural yet indifferent expression.

Su Hui sat on the sofa at his diagonal side, holding a cane in his hand.

Lu Junchi casually glanced around the room. There were no strange odors or unusual signs.

Lu Junchi didn’t intend to sit down. Leaning against the wall with his shoulder, he spoke as if engaging in casual gossip. “Mr. Shao, there’s a question my colleague missed, and I’ve been curious about it. After the fight, you were still in contact with Chen Xuexian, so why did you deny it when you came to the municipal bureau last time?”

Shao Changqing’s gaze lowered, and he took a sip of water. “I was a little scared at that time, afraid of complicating matters. Besides, I did cut off contact with her later on. I just moved the timeline forward a bit, that’s all.”

He continued to explain, “I have received higher education and I am familiar with the law. I did tell some lies before, but most of it was the truth. I was just trying to avoid trouble.”

Throughout the entire encounter with the police, this man appeared normal, obedient, and cooperative. Even now, his speech was gentle. However, his attitude revealed an unnatural coldness, devoid of emotional fluctuations.

“Then how did you meet her?” Lu Junchi asked again. “I want to hear your story.”

Shao Changqing narrowed his eyes as if immersed in a memory. “I met Chen Xuexian a few months ago. It was initially at a coffee shop. She was sitting alone in a chair, looking lonely, holding a cup of Americano that tasted bitter but she kept drinking with her head lowered. I observed her for a while, and when she got up, our coffees accidentally collided. She took the initiative to speak to me and added me on her contact list…”

Su Hui listened quietly.

“I thought she was a beautiful woman and became friends with her for a while. How should I put it? In everyone’s eyes, I should be a very outstanding man. I have money, bought my own house, and have a stable job. I have never lacked suitors around me. But she still attracted me. Later, I realized she was not quite normal.”

“What made her different from others?” Lu Junchi continued to ask.

“At first, I treated her like an ordinary girlfriend until the fight happened. I felt she was pathological,” Shao Changqing paused before continuing, “Normally, I wanted to leave that woman, but I still wanted to hear her reasons for doing what she did.”

“How did she respond to you?”

Shao Changqing’s expression remained calm. “She told me that the fight was just a test, a way to see if I truly cared about her. I felt it was a lie. I continued to date her for a while to discover her true intentions.”

“And did you find out?”

“She seemed not to care if a man was handsome or rich. She cared about something more innocent, more primal. She believed in the existence of love, but she seemed unable to perceive it. The more she felt this way, the more it drove her crazy, confused, and longing to possess love. When she felt satisfied, she would be as happy as a child.”

Su Hui understood the meaning behind his words. Making a woman who desperately sought love fall in love with oneself would bring a great sense of accomplishment.

He seemed to view making Chen Xuexian fall in love with him as a challenge.

Lu Junchi asked, “So, do you admit that even after being deceived, you still love her?”

“Love, what a complicated word.” Shao Changqing took another sip of water and looked up at Lu Junchi. “I no longer have any contact with her.”

The man, dressed in a white shirt, sat upright, appearing serious.

Lu Junchi asked, “Do you know that there were men who killed for her?”

Shao Changqing’s expression remained unchanged, then he nodded. “Is it that crazy guy named Guo? After the incident of the murder, she said she didn’t expect it to turn out that way.” He paused and continued, “But I discovered that she was not averse to the incident. She was even quite happy about it.”

Su Hui’s gaze lifted. The implication of this statement was that Shao Changqing had long been aware of Chen Xuexian’s abnormal tendencies but still chose to stay by her side.

Lu Junchi added, “I heard that Chen Xuexian is a great cook.”

Shao Changqing nodded. “She is beautiful and cooks delicious food. This woman is naturally skilled at pleasing men.”

Lu Junchi asked, “Do you know the whereabouts of Chen Xuexian now?”

Shao Changqing shook his head. “About half a month ago, she called me. She said she was scared and afraid of being pursued by the police. Then I received a breakup text message. Since then, I haven’t seen Chen Xuexian. Maybe you guys will find a way to locate her.”

Lu Junchi looked at the man in front of him. He was still calm, composed, without a trace of panic. “We also checked those text messages. The breakup message from Chen Xuexian, the last one was sent to you.”

Shao Changqing blinked his eyelashes slightly. “I’m not quite sure about that.”

Su Hui watched him with interest. He suddenly asked a question, “Mr. Shao, if the police didn’t show up tonight, and you were likely to be killed by Qiu Jiarong, weren’t you afraid at all?”

Throughout the entire ordeal, Shao Changqing seemed indifferent, completely unlike someone who had just narrowly escaped death.

Shao Changqing touched his nose. “Oh, I forgot about that lunatic. I should thank you police officers. Also, is Qiu Jiarong the murderer of that boss Guo?”

Lu Junchi said, “The case is still under investigation, and we, as the police, cannot disclose information externally.”

Shao Changqing expressed some regret. “I apologize for asking so abruptly…”

Lu Junchi replied, “It’s fine. We can chat about some non-core issues. Why do you think he wanted to kill you?”

Shao Changqing said, “I asked him, and I felt like he saw me as his imaginary enemy.”

Lu Junchi nodded. “That person is a bit mentally unstable. We found out that he was taking psychiatric medication, and he himself can’t remember many things. As police officers, we rely on evidence and use testimonies as support. The truth will soon come to light.”

Shao Changqing seemed relieved. “That’s good.”

At this point, Lu Junchi and Su Hui exchanged glances. Su Hui pointed to his wrist, indicating that time was running out. Lu Junchi understood and said to Shao Changqing, “Mr. Shao, thank you for cooperating with our investigation.”

Both of them stood up, and as Lu Junchi changed his shoes at the door, he handed the cane to Su Hui. Then he remembered something and turned back to Shao Changqing, advising him, “However, as an important person related to the case, we are still in the midst of the investigation. It would be better for you not to travel long distances in the near future.”

Shao Changqing stood up to see them off. “Okay, I will fully cooperate with your work.”

Lu Junchi and Su Hui walked downstairs and got into the car. In the distant sky, there was a muffled thunder, indicating that it was about to rain.

Lu Junchi asked, “What do you think?”

Su Hui coughed and spoke with a confident tone, “There’s something off about this man.”

Lu Junchi responded, “I also find him a bit strange. Throughout the whole ordeal, he remained calmer than an average person.”

Su Hui nodded. “He knows and possesses more information than we imagine.”

An ordinary person, knowing what kind of woman Chen Xuexian is and going through such a night where he was almost killed, couldn’t remain as composed and serene as him.

Lu Junchi still had a few points that he hadn’t figured out. If all of this wasn’t the doing of Qiu Jiarong but rather orchestrated by Shao Changqing, how did this person manage to pull it off?

Su Hui leaned against the car window, contemplating for a while, and then said, “I believe Shao Changqing has antisocial personality disorder.”

Lu Junchi remembered the Poet explaining to him before, “But I remember that most cases of antisocial personality disorder lack self-control, shame, and are prone to anger. Many of them also have relatively low intelligence.”

Shao Changqing clearly didn’t belong to that category.

Su Hui pressed his temple with his fingers, opened his eyes, and said softly, “I think he belongs to the three dark types of personality disorders, also known as the Dark Triad. These three personality disorders are all part of antisocial personality disorder and have internal connections. They usually coexist in some individuals.”

Then he explained in detail to Lu Junchi, “These three personality traits are: Machiavellianism, subclinical narcissism, and psychopathy.”

Lu Junchi had heard of the latter two before. Subclinical narcissism represents being self-centered, while psychopathy leads to a lack of empathy and low anxiety. However, he had never heard of the first one.

“Is Machiavelli a person’s name?” he asked.

Su Hui replied, “Machiavelli was a figure from the Renaissance period, an Italian politician and historian. He is known as the father of modern political science. Machiavellianism represents the use of any means necessary, also known as political realism. People with this trait are pragmatists, ruthless, disregard morals, and have meticulous thinking.”

After explaining the basic principles, Su Hui summarized, “Individuals with the Dark Triad give the impression of being sociable, charismatic, and capable. However, deep inside, they are calm yet twisted. They appear harmless on the surface but are cruel internally. They don’t feel the pressure that ordinary people do. They can remain calm and composed almost at all times.”

Lu Junchi asked, “Are there many murderers with this personality trait?”

Su Hui shook his head, “Relatively few, but each one is extremely brutal. One of the more typical examples is Ted Bundy, the prototype of Hannibal.”

These kinds of killers go to great lengths to conceal themselves. Once matured, they are far more terrifying than impulsive killers. Their disguises allow them to seamlessly blend into human society, catching people off guard regarding their true intentions.

If other killers are like wild beasts, then these killers are disguised wolves, capable of blending in perfectly.

Su Hui continued his analysis, “In tonight’s conversation, he described his understanding of Chen Xueqian. He said she would be extremely happy if her desires were fulfilled, and he mentioned that Guo Chengfeng’s death made her happy.”

Lu Junchi lowered his head, pondering for a moment, and also sensed the inconsistency. He nodded slightly, “A woman whose involvement caused a man’s death would keep that secret hidden from most people unless it was shared with an accomplice or an extremely intimate person, only then would her true feelings be revealed.”

“He should have known the detailed case information and understood Chen Xueqian’s psychology. A normal man, upon realizing that his partner is a pervert, would be afraid and try to escape. However, he genuinely fell in love with Chen Xueqian from that moment,” Su Hui continued his analysis, “I think there was a process of super-evolution on Chen Xueqian’s path of transformation, with one instance of super-evolution occurring after the fight between Qiu Jiarong and Shao Changqing. Prior to that, even if men fought over her, it was limited to verbal arguments and scuffles.”

Lu Junchi agreed, “It was after that incident that people started dying…”

The so-called super-evolution refers to unnatural and rapid evolution, often influenced by external forces or other factors.

In this case, Xuexian’s super-evolution is difficult to explain based on her psychological trajectory. But if a man had joined in at that time, everything would make more sense…

Su Hui responded, “If Shao Changqing truly has a dark personality, he would willingly participate. Perhaps from that moment, Shao Changqing began providing assistance. To please this woman, he intensified conflicts between men. Xuexian, with the addition of this man, experienced an unprecedented thrill, and she might have fallen madly in love with him. They would be a highly compatible pair.” He paused for a moment and continued, “Perhaps Qiu Jiarong was not entirely wrong. Xuexian may have been imprisoned by him somewhere. However, these are all my speculations.”

During tonight’s visit, Shao Changqing revealed some flaws.

Lu Junchi asked, “We have alarmed him today. When do you think it’s suitable to take action?”

In the distance, another muffled thunder sounded, and Su Hui paused, “He has a strong resistance to psychological pressure, but I still believe he felt the pressure we applied, perhaps even tonight…”

People who keep secrets only investigate when they sense that their secrets may be exposed.

For criminals, there is no better time to go out than on a dark rainy night.

He hoped that Shao Changqing’s mental resilience hadn’t reached the point where he remained indifferent to repeated questioning by the police.

Lu Junchi nodded, “I’ll arrange it immediately.”

TN: 

“Dark Triad,” refers to three distinct personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. These traits are characterized by manipulative behavior, a lack of empathy, and an inclination towards self-centeredness. The Dark Triad is often associated with individuals who exhibit antisocial or harmful behaviors.

Machiavellianism refers to a personality trait characterized by manipulative and cunning behavior, a focus on personal gain and power, and a disregard for moral principles or the well-being of others. It is named after Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian political philosopher known for his book “The Prince,” which discusses the use of deception and manipulation in politics.