When He Comes, Close Your Eyes [Ding Mo]

68

When Jian Yao is investigating a case with Bo Jinyan, she often feels like this - 

She is still trapped in the fog on the bottom of the hill, but Bo Jinyan has arrived at the top, leisurely looking at the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains….

His “fantasy”, his next victim, his name and identity, his looks… How did Bo Jinyan get those answers?

“Simple.” He says as he rests his arm on the window sill of the backseat of the car: “The male victim is the person that is linked to the other three victims.  Once you identify these links, you can work out what is his fantasy.”

It’s 2pm.  The sun is shining through the windows as Ouyang Lin drives everyone back to the police station.  Both him and Anam is listening intently to Bo Jinyan’s words.

So… the answer is hiding in the details.  But there’s so much detail. It’s easy to overlook and hard to pick out ones that are important.  

Bo Jinyan solves the puzzle for all of them:

“The female victim You Hua is a sales assistant who is about to take up a new role in Lamma Island.  Yang Yu Zhe lives in Lamma Island.  He is ready for a relationship, which means, if they didn't die, they would most probably meet each other.  A beautiful outgoing single woman and a handsome but shy writer…. a perfect romance.”

Anam is bewildered: “Just because they might meet one another…No.1 decided to kill them?”

Bo Jinyan corrects him: “No. It’s not ‘might’. Didn’t No.1 arrange for the two of them to meet by capturing both of them?”

Everyone feels a chill down their spine. 

“That’s sickening.” says Ouyang Lin.

Bo Jinyan continues: “Zhou Lin Po was a primary teacher between 2002-2005.  So according to Yang Yu Zhe’s age, he would be at primary school at the time.  No.1 wants a teacher like Zhou Lin Po.  Someone that is like a father and a good mentor.  Someone that is worthy of his respect.”

Li Kaixuan is a lonely, clever child who has lost his parents. Like Yang Yu Zhe, he likes writing - remember the awards he received for winning a writing competition?  And those superhero comic books?  If he were Yang Yu Zhe’s son, he would admire and adore Yang Yu Zhe, and probably follows after his footsteps to become a writer when he grows up - the perfect son.”

That’s his fantasy.  He dreams of being Yang Yu Zhe.  A talented writer.  He wants to replace him.  And he goes around to find the best lover, father and son for himself.   But because his fantasy is mixed with reality of what he experienced in his childhood, this new family is also filled with betrayal and deception.  Therefore he tortured & killed them - his way of keeping them for himself forever.  

Ouyang Lin can’t believe what he is hearing: “But this is only in his head.  He killed four people that he didn’t know just to satisfy his fantasy?”

Bo Jinyan answers: “The links he established in the four victims’ life is a good enough motive for a twisted psychopath.  Furthermore, it answers the question as to why he came to Hong Kong. Long distance traveling increases his risk of being exposed.  Also, Hong Kong is a much smaller city, with a highly proficient and efficient police force.  There’s no logical reason why he wants to be here.  Except to attend the 2013 Hong Kong Galaxy Writing Competition Award Ceremony.  It was held on the second day he came to Hong Kong.  As I said before, he is an egoistic anti-society psychopath.  The reason he came all the way to Hong Kong was because he wanted to attend this event.”