"I was always bullied as a kid, but my mother, my father, and Ron were the only ones who stood up for me. But soon my father… he died in a truck accident. My mom could never recover from it, and soon she became sick—very sick. I somehow got a scholarship to a college, but there I was ignored. No one even tried to talk to me. I was discarded by them; it was even worse than the bullying. Ron was the only one who listened to me.
"I was good at fighting because my father was a karate master and used to train me. Even after his death, I didn't stop my training, but I never used it because… I didn't want to hurt anyone. During my graduation, my mother was very sick. The doctor said she wouldn't survive, but she told me to go and said she would come there… She never came. Ron was the only one who stayed with me—but now he is gone too."
Noah said all this in an impassive tone, his face completely blank. He was sitting in an interrogation room, with a cop sitting across from him, utterly nonplussed and struggling to find something to say.
"That's… pretty sad," the cop finally muttered. He stood up and left the room.
Outside, Emma was waiting, still distressed. As soon as she noticed the cop, she spoke.
"Is Noah going to be okay, Vyuk?"
The cop's real name was Vyuk Sharma. He was a brown-skinned, have a beard and a buzz cut, muscular, but kind-looking man. Noticing Emma's worry, he sighed.
"I don't know. If no one comes forward to file a case against Noah, then he's safe from jail—or the death penalty."
Emma felt some relief, but Vyuk continued.
"But we still have to send him to a mental asylum because of his condition, because…"
He paused.
"You've already seen his brutal killings—and the fact that he shows no emotion."
He put his police cap back on and started to leave. Emma looked down, distraught, sweat soaking her face. She knew Noah needed help, but a mental asylum felt too extreme. If things went wrong, Noah might take another wrong step—either killing someone else or taking his own life.
She decided to go inside and talk to Noah herself.
When she entered the room, Noah noticed her but stayed silent. Emma sat down in the chair across from him and sighed.
"They're sending you to a mental asylum… Are you really okay with that?"
She tried to warn him, but he remained silent, lost in thought. Emma, now filled with anger, stood up, slammed her hands on the table, and finally exploded.
"Can you answer my question?! You first kill them, and now you'll spend the rest of your life in that asylum! This is not the Noah I know!"
Tears flooded her eyes.
Suddenly, Noah reached out and held both of her hands. His eyes flickered with a faint spark again, and a soft smile appeared on his face.
"Forget me," he said gently. "And live your life."
His voice was flat, almost kind.
Emma broke down completely. She buried her face on the table and began to beg him.
"Noah… please…"
But her words were lost in despair.
—————————
It was an empty white room, with a bed covered by a white blanket and a single pillow. In front of the bed was a red button beside the door. The room was peaceful—but oppressive.
Noah lay on the bed, wearing a patient's blue uniform, reading a novel titled: I Have No Voice, But I Still Scream.
As he read, a woman entered with a food tray containing bread, salad, and a milk carton. She looked to be in her thirties, wearing a nurse's uniform, with shiny light-brown hair, black eyes, and red lips—probably painted with expensive lipstick. She spoke in an apathetic tone.
"Here's your food. If you need anything, press that button. You'll have a doctor's appointment soon."
She noticed the book Noah was reading.
"You'll have to give me that book. You can only read books we allow."
Noah nonchalantly handed it over. After all, he had smuggled it in. He took the food and began eating peacefully as the woman left.
Outside, the woman handed the book to a man whose face was hidden beneath a hospital cap.
"Take this and submit it to the main office. Goddamn, these people keep smuggling in these kinds of books. I swear, if the hospital doesn't do something serious about this, I— I don't even want to imagine it. I'm already too stressed. I don't get paid enough for this bullshit."
After complaining, she walked away.
The man headed toward the empty bathroom. Once inside, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke quietly.
"He is here."
A strange voice replied through the radio.
"Good. Lord Yin will return soon. Spy on Noah. We already have a spy watching Emma. For now, do nothing and wait for orders."