Chapter 4 Four

A girl ran out of breath. She stumbled and fell. Grimacing in pain, she tried to stand up, but a black-robed figure appeared right behind her. Wrap the string around her neck. The girl tried to fight back to survive, but her hands couldn't move.

'What happened to me? Why like paralyzed? I want to live!' cried the girl in her heart.

'Perhaps fear had paralyzed me.'

"Don't try to fight. It's useless. It's your destiny to give your life to me," whispered the person behind him.

The girl finally gave in as darkness enveloped her and led her to eternity.

***

Yifei fell silent. Her sight could not be looked away from the figure lying stiffly in front of her. The girl's hands and feet were tied with a red ribbon. Detective Huang walked over, shaking his head. This was the third victim and they came back not finding any clues.

"We have to find out if someone is stalking her," Yifei said quietly. Detective Huang just nodded. Currently only the person who took the photo is the only suspect. The problem is they really don't know who it is.

"This is a serial murder case, but we didn't even get anything to bring us closer to the culprit," Yifei sighed quietly.

Detective Huang just nodded. He was also worried about the same thing. Now people's safety is increasingly threatened.

"Maybe we should impose a curfew," Yifei said.

"I will propose it to Mr. Han. If he agrees, then we must make an announcement immediately."

Yifei just nodded. This method may not be very effective, but it also has no other solution.

***

Mr. Han shook his head as detective Huang made his suggestion.

"We can't do that. This is tantamount to admitting our incompetence."

"But we have no choice, if not may there's be many more victims. We have to keep people safe before the killer is caught."

Mr. Han sat contemplating.

"It's only a matter of time. We need time to catch the killer, but before he is caught, he is a threat to others," detective Huang urged again. Finally Mr. Han nodded in agreement.

"Okay, just do your best thing."

***

After the announcement through the press conference, people were on alert. Many parents forbid their daughters to move outside the house at night. Security was also increased by increasing the number of police personnel who were guarding every corner of the city. Even so, murders still happen. Yifei was frustrated when the body of a girl with her hands and feet tied with a red ribbon was found again. As before, this time there was no trace of the killer whatsoever.

Yifei and the others finally returned to the office. Unexpectedly, there was a riot a few moments after they arrived.

"I can't accept it. He just took my picture!" shouted a girl while pointing at the young man beside her which was none other than Leo.

Leo shook his head with a smile.

"Miss, I've told you how many times I didn't take your picture. If you don't believe me, please check my camera."

The straight-haired woman was about to reach for the camera, but the officer took the camera first. Meanwhile Yifei and the others drew closer because they were interested. The murder case they are working on is related to the photo and now there is a similar case.

The officer returned the camera to Leo.

"There's nothing in it. Just a normal photo," he said to the girl who complained to Leo.

"Okay, I guess this is a misunderstanding, I'm sorry," that girl finally said. She then got up and hurried away.

Leo was also about to leave, but suddenly a voice called out to him as he reached the doorway.

***

'What did I do? Why did I call him?' Yifei muttered inwardly. The others stared in surprise.

"What's wrong? Isn't he innocent? Are you suspicious of him?" asked detective Huang in a half-whispered voice.

"No, it's just that I have something to ask him. Maybe it can help with our case."

Leo go over her. Yifei then invited the man to sit down. The two then sat opposite each other with a rectangular table bounded.

"What's the matter, Detective? I think my case is over," he said.

"Why do you like taking pictures?"

"What?"

Yifei cleared her throat for a moment.

"I know this may sound weird, but I'm curious about why you like taking photos."

Leo smiled faintly.

"For capturing the real thing."

"What do you mean?"

Yifei folded her arms. Her gaze was still fixed on the man in front of her. An alluring figure who doesn't

surefire caused a subtle swish in her heart.

'What's wrong with me? This is not the time to be attracted to this man!' She scolded herself. While Leo still had a charming smile on his face.

"What I mean is that a photo captures the real thing of something what is impossible to repeat. Time may pass and everything may change, but the moments captured in a photo will remain the same."

Leo's answer only made Yifei nod. Leo then took out his business card.

"My name is Leo Yang, if my explanation is still not clear, you can come there. I happen to be holding a photo exhibition on Friday tomorrow."

Yifei immediately received the business card. Leo was still looking at the detective girl with a smile. Yifei felt even more awkward. However, she tried to control herself and took the business card in the drawer.

"Am I allowed to go?" Leo asked with the smile that remained the same. Yifei just nodded. The man immediately rushed over. He headed towards the exit, but reaching the threshold, he stopped and turned back to Yifei who was still staring at him.

The girl's face turned as red as a tomato, especially when Leo smiled at her again. Yifei whose heart was beating fast immediately hid behind a pile of reports. One of the reports she ever opened, even though she did not focus to read the contents.

Yifei jumped from her seat in surprise when someone knocked on her desk.

"Hey, wake up, he's gone. After all, how could you blush like that with a suspect?" scolds the person who is none other than detective Huang.

"He's not a suspect. Wasn't he proven innocent?" Yifei said as she lifted her face.

"Did you forget that the suspect in the 'Red Ribbon' case is a photographer? If so, he is one of them."

"Then you can include a lot of people as suspects," Yifei said as she quickly got to her feet. She then walked away.

"Hey, don't be angry, I was just reminding you!" shouted detective Huang, but Yifei just kept walking without looking back.

"That girl. I'm just advising her," that man said again with low voice.

***

"This is so fun. I've met you," Leo said, looking at Yifei's photo. He sat still holding the photo in his hand.

"We're definitely going to enjoy this game," he said with a grin in his handsome face.