REDPEAFOWL, Chapter 23:
Hong Kongque sat silently, gazing at the night sky with only stars twinkling. As Li Kong handed him the phone, the lord of the mansion on the other end of the line lowered his voice.
“Hello. Inspector.”
“I have read the file of the Hong family case.” The voice at the end of the line responded before continuing, “Kongque, the witness confirmed that the man who robbed my car looks sixty or seventy years old. When compared with the birthdate Hong Sujue this year he should be fifty-eight years old. Is that man the one?”
“I don’t have evidence.” The other person replied, “But in thirty, no one in
Hong Kong Island dares to do this to me and my people… except him.”
The resentful tone in the response was clearly audible, causing Lu Yipeng to close his eyes, “Kongque… You and him…”
After a moment of silence on the other end of the line, a response came,
“Inspector-Lu. What have you heard about that matter?”
Lu Yipeng sighed deeply before responding, “I’ve heard. You’ve been raped by your older brother since you were kids…”
“Hmm…”
“Kongque…”
“It’s been over thirty or fourty years, Pengpeng.” He replied, “Everyone allowed him to do it, but he refused to tell me. In a small room. I had to endure his mood swings for almost three months. I can understand…”
Lu Yipeng was taken aback for a moment. Then he asked back, “How old were you at that time?”
“Ten years.” Hong Kongque replied, then chuckled, “Inspector, you were raped by me when you were twenty-three. You must be glad, at least you know a thing or two now.”
Lu Yipeng didn’t find it funny. He responded, “Because it happened to you.
Did you become like this because of that?”
Hong Kongque remained silent for a moment before chuckling again, “Why ask? Trying to change my behavior now is too late.”
Lu Yipeng hesitated before answering, “Um…”
A silence fell between the two of them for a while. Finally, Lu Yipeng asked again, “What happened on that ship? Was he trying to kill you?”
“If I were to answer in the deplorable style of a pitiable villain. I should say he was trying to kill me.” Hong Kongque said, then paused for a moment, “But the case has been closed for over thirty years now, inspector… I’m not going to plead for sympathy. On that ship, I killed him.”
“?!”
“You can record my voice if you want. That case has not been reopened for over thirty years. I will tell it to you, just because you’re the inspector.”
“Kongque…” Lu Yipeng called out his name before swallowing hard.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“C’mon… You called me, it is not because you want to know about this, right?”
“…”
“I was tormented by him for three months. It took me a while to realize that I needed to adjust.” Hong Kongque paused then continued, “I stopped resisting and started complying with him in every way. That’s how I managed to get out of that room.”
Lu Yipeng remained silent. He recalled the photo and heard Hong Kongque speaking again.
“I’ve learned that by yielding and responding to him, it makes him yield and indulge me. I asked him to teach me kung fu. Then I asked him to take me to learn kung fu with him. If that’s the case, then I should get a commendation in kung fu just like him.”
Hong Kongque narrated with a cheerful tone, but it also made the listeners’ hearts sink even more, “Well…”
“Oh… You asked me when I had a peacock tattooed on my back before, right… I don’t know if I should compare myself to you who wrote Red Peafowl so beautifully on your own legs. I secretly ran away when I was thirteen.”
“?!!”
“Because I grew up too fast. As I grew older, my body expanded and the lines weren’t as sharp as they were on a new body, but mine still look beautiful, right?”
Lu Yipeng cleared his throat before responding, “Thirteen.. Kongque, why did you run away…”
“I hate it when that bastard touches my back and says that my back is as beautiful as snow. I thought to myself, if he likes it that much, I’ll make it a scar, but I don’t want my back to be a scar of sorrows. Not because I hate it. I had to hurt myself in crazy ways. I thought I wanted to be free from him. I needed confirmation for myself.”
“So you chose a peafowl on your back because of that?”
“Um… It is big and beautiful. I didn’t want my back to be empty anymore. So I had it inked all over.”
The young police officer swallowed his saliva, a thirteen-year-old who dared to bear such a large tattoo in the middle of his back. What was on his mind…
“As soon as he found out, he was furious. He grabbed me, punished me by tying me up into the garden for three days and three nights. I gotta taste the taste of dew at that time.”
“!!!!”
“But that didn’t make him lose his mind with me. After that, he turned back and fell in love with the peafowl on my back, both licking and kissing. That’s when I started thinking about killing him.”
Quietly taking a break, Lu Yipeng heard a reply, “He would always be satisfied whenever I played the passionate lover role on the bed made of transparent plastic beyond imagination, so when he went out and disappear for a few days, he will come back and I will fulfill his desires to the fullest extent, until he was almost crawling under my feet. As I keep doing it repeatedly, the people in the house who used to look down on me began to think that I have power over them, which is quite amusing. I started to have a sense of authority because of what happens on the bed.”
“The atmosphere in the house started to divide into two sides, for sure. Even though he excels in management… well… he excels in everything, but that doesn’t mean everyone would be satisfied with him. He probably knows about this, and he probably also knows that eventually I will have power over him every time. He even organized his birthday party on a boat, with the aim of resolving this issue once and for all.”
Hong Kongque paused to sip the water placed beside him before continuing,
“Oh… about the boat, actually. I was the one who suggested it, telling him I wanted to sail. He probably knew what I was thinking, but he probably had the same thoughts as me. Nobody was going to escape from that boat. Everyone is afraid of dying on it, that’s why we both ended up on the boat.”
Lu Yipeng listened attentively, with a trembling heart, the brutal killings on the ship… the skill of this person, really, or?
“I made a plan with the person in the house who doesn’t like him, that I was going kill this person with him on the boat, but… my brother is nicknamed as black eagle for nothing… He found out my plan. So the two of us had to fight each other on the boat… Oh… don’t jump to crazy conclusions that it was just the two of us killing so many people together. We killed each other… which is not wrong. We killed each other.”
“!!!”
“Heiying is a crazy person. I, myself, looked no less crazy. I have to confess a little more. I also killed many people who worked for him, people who showed no concern for me and let me be raped by him. They deserved to die. As for myself, I probably deserve to die in his eyes as well, so that’s how the boat ended up in chaos like that. In the end, there was just me and him… Oh… there’s still another person, Li Kong. You know, right, that he used to be close to
Heiying.”
“Um…”
“He was beaten and almost died because he secretly took a picture of me. After that, he no longer bothered me on the boat. He stood by Heiying all the time, when there were only three of us left. I realized I had to kill Heiying first.
Then kill him, but if I fail. I would kill myself, but in the end, Li Kong helped me… to kill that guy with my own hands.”
The silence that followed was lengthy… until the sound of Lu Yipeng’s voice came back, “But he didn’t die.. right?”
Hong Kongque remained silent for a while before responding, “I shot him in the face directly at the bow of the boat. He stumbled and fell into the sea… We had to hurriedly flee… I had to escape before anyone found me… I thought he was dead… only to later find out that no one had found his body.”
“But when the explosion happened. Did you think of him then?” Lu Yipeng asked, with a deep sigh, and then responded, “Before I knew about the explosion, someone had hired a kid to throw a peacock carcass at my doorstep…”
“?!”
“Inspector-Lu… No matter who did it, was it him or not. Whether he survived the ordeal at that time for real, or if someone else took his place. The man who dared to do this to me and my people. I will not let him get away with it for sure.”
Lu Yipeng’s heart beat faster. He replied, “Kongque. Join me, he only targeted me because he wanted you out. I won’t hide, I will lure him out. And then we can catch him.”
Hong Kongque chuckled immediately, “You do know who he is?”
“He is a psychopath.” Lu Yipeng said. Hong Kongque remained silent for a while before chuckling loudly, “Pengpeng, you are quite cute indeed. I agree he is a psychopath, but he is not just your ordinary psychopath. He is smart, very smart, so smart and skilled that you hardly stand a chance… Can you pry open a car’s hood with bare hands? Do you think you can plant a bomb in that way?”
Lu Yipeng remained silent. He thought about the method that person used to rig the bomb, about pushing open the hood of a car with bare hands. Hong
Kongque spoke up again, “He has been waiting for over thirty years… waiting… waiting for the day I would reveal my weaknesses, the day I would drag my neck out. He won’t let you catch him easily.”
“It’s not me… but us it becomes different.” Lu Yipeng replied, “I know I don’t know him, but you do. You know him very well. Most importantly, he wants you, right? He’s willing to do anything to get you out, isn’t he, Kongque?
If he catches me. Will you come to help me?”
“Well… Can you not ask such a silly question like that. I’m trying to help you before he can catch you. Stop putting your neck in the mouth of the beast.”
Hong Kongque said. Lu Yipeng smiled, “Kongque. You won’t allow me to be
killed, right?”
“Hmm… I won’t allow him to kill you. I’m afraid you’ll go and let him kill you.”
“He won’t kill me.” Lu Yipeng replied, “If he wants to kill me, he will have to place a bomb bigger than this one.. Kongque. He hurt me to lure you out.”
“Hmm, knowing that is good.” Hong Kongque said before continuing, “I gave you the case file because I want you to understand the importance of it.
You can catch me later, but for now, hide.”
“Kongque…” Lu Yipeng spoke again, “Are you seeking revenge on him so badly?”
“Hmm…”
“Will you kill him?”
“…”
“Kongque, I can’t let you act unlawfully.” Lu Yipeng sternly responded, “He bombed my car, causing serious injuries to my friend. He must be brought to justice.”
“…”
“Kongque, work with me. I’ll be the bait to lure him out.”
“?!”
Lu Yipeng’s determined tone continued, “We will lure him out with a plan. I will allow him to catch me. You will then be able to find him. Then, we will apprehend him and put him in prison.”
Hong Kongque chuckled, “Inspector, are you sure you will catch you so easily?”
“And if I die, will you still come out to confront him? Don’t say you’ll wait for me to die first, and then seek revenge in my place.”
Hong Kongque fell silent for a while. Then he chuckled again, “I don’t like seeking revenge for others. If you get yourself into problems… I can’t help. If it comes down to it, whatever happens, you will not seek to blame me.”
“I won’t blame you either. That’s the agreement.”
Hong Kongque was silent for a moment before responding, “Inspector…the snow fish, do you still want to eat?”
“Um…” Lu Yipeng replied, “After this is over, I will go eat at your place… every day.”
A smile appeared on Hong Kongque’s face, “Inspector, you are becoming more wicked every day, agreed… I will obey the inspector’s plan this time.”
…
Lu Yipeng hung up the phone, then sighed. After a while, someone opened the door and entered.
“You did a great job, inspector.” Chen Qian said, dragging a chair to sit by the bed, “I have recorded their conversations with a bug. If we can catch both
Heiying and Hong Kongque, we can close both cases.”
Lu Yipeng raised his head to look at the superior, “But the case over thirty years ago has expired.”
Chen Qian looked at him and smiled, “If a new witness comes forward, we can reopen the case. Just catching them is enough, you don’t have to worry about the legal aspects of the case.” Lu Yipeng sighed before nodding.
…
“Kongque…” Li Kong entered, and changed the glass of water next to Hong
Kongque before speaking, “Inspector-Lu’s phone is being bugged.”
“Um… I know.” Hong Kongque said, sighing, “Pengpeng keeps lying to me, but fine, I won’t blame him. His friend is hurt, and he is someone who is determined to do his job well, I can’t let go of this. In addition, I have to comply with everything…”
“And that means…”
“I myself am willing to do anything to drag that guy out and kill him. I don’t believe in the fairness of the law.” He paused to take a sip of water, “When Inspector-Lu offered to be the victim himself, I shouldn’t feel sorry for him.”
Li Kong looked at the shaking glass of water in the hands of his boss before speaking dryly, “Kongque…”
…
Lu Yipeng sat on the bed, staring at the screen of his mobile phone in his hand. He had been hung up on the call from Hong Kongque for a while now, but his gaze was still fixed on the black and white photo displayed on the phone screen.
The black and white photo, old and faded, still reflected a sharp and stern face, with a straight nose, defined lips, round chin, and intense eyes that seemed to reflect something unknown, mysterious, and incomprehensible.
Lu Yipeng raised his hand to touch his lips, feeling the warmth of the gentle kiss from before still lingering in his memory. He wanted to know the true identity of the man who called himself Hong Kongque, the man he desired to understand behind the facade.
Lu Yipeng recalled the words of Zhou Zhilian, the Young Master of the Hong family who was crazy about his younger brother. He even went as far as to molested and locked him in a room. Was it the reason why the individuals in the photo had such piercing eyes?
The young police officer thought back to the times when Hong Kongque forced him into sexual intimacy. Each time, he would surrender with full compliance, seeking solace in the warmth of a bird that craved affection.
Lu Yipeng’s heart raced in his chest. The previous words of Hong Kongque during their last encounter, starting with their intimacy after a dance performance, rang clear in his mind. Words like knowing will not help anyone.
The revelation that Hong Kongque’s past was truly as malevolent as he had never imagined. It was a serious wound that had shook him to the core, leaving a deep and lasting scar on his soul that was difficult to heal.
The young police officer let out a sigh and looked at the photo of the man gazing up at him. What was Hong Kongque thinking when this photo was taken? Did he long for freedom, like the birds flying in the garden, or…
Before this, he used to think about Hong Kongque’s past in many ways. From being a fugitive criminal, a child raised in luxury to becoming a mafia boss, and other scandals, he never thought before that the past of Hong Kongque could be so wicked. The more he thought about this, the more he felt a sharp pain in his chest…
But he still had to do his duty as assigned… he had to make sure everything fell into place as it should…
The door to the room creaked open and Lu Yipeng turned to look, only to see a familiar figure entering. Hong Kongque was clad in a red coat, with his hair slicked back as usual. The young police officer immediately straightened up.
“Kongque…”
“If you move like that you might tear the wound again.” He said, and walked closer to Lu Yipeng, staring at his face for a while before speaking, “Your past, Kongque…”.
“I didn’t tell you my past to see you make that face at me.” The other person said after looking at him. Then he dragged a chair and sat next to Lu Yipeng who nodded, “I know. You’re strong.”
“Um…”
“Kongque…” Lu Yipeng called out the other person’s name, then hesitated before speaking again, “This time, I will catch you.”
“Um… I know Pengpeng… you have been wanting to catch me for a long time now, right?”
“…”
“Have you started to regret choosing to be a police officer?” The same voice asked. Lu Yipeng with tightly pressed lips said, “No… I just… regret having to meet someone like you.”
“Are you regretting meeting me for real?” Hong Kongque said, leaning closer and smiling at the corner of his mouth, “Or are you regretting not being able to trick me or cutting ties with me? Mister police officer.”
The young police officer bit his lower lip before lowering his face.
“I am…!”
Lu Yipeng opened his eyes, feeling like someone was grabbing air. The recovery room was quiet and peaceful. There was only a faint light shining through the edge of the curtain in front of the small window. The young man sat up and looked around the room.
No one was there…
Lu Yipeng sighed, with only a phone lying beside him. The young man leaned his face on his hands.
Hong Kongque…
…
For the past few decades, Hong Kongque has experienced countless ups and downs in life, full of heinous acts that can be described as hell on earth. He has been through it all. Hong Kongque picked himself up from hell, using both hands soaked in blood to spread his shadow of power that dominated for over thirty years, with cruelty and brutality. By keeping himself hidden deep in the shadows to cover his dark past…
The dark past has made Hong Kongque numb and vengeful in everything.
The world was just a monochrome photograph to him. Hong Kongque’s perception only saw things as mere pieces of flesh marinated in various desires. Therefore, the ruthless and cruel tests were created to force people who got close to him to reveal their true selves.
Numbness and vengeance turned into tyranny. Even so, there was still room for those who passed the tests with great compassion, the kindness given in tribute. It could fill the twisted void inside the mind to bring about some humility.
But even so, his world remained a monochrome, tainted with the crimson red of rotting blood.
Hong Kongque sat on the bed. The light from the lamp above cast a soft glow on his finely detailed and sharp-featured face as he looked down at something in his hand.
In Hong Kongque’s hand was an album, with a picture inside of a young man. His face was sullen, as if annoyed by having his picture taken. Yet, somehow, it made the person who was looking at the picture have a smile appear on his face.
In a world full of cruelty and viciousness, Hong Kongque used sex only to fulfill physical needs. There was nothing more than that. His past experiences made his body sensitive to touch. Among those young men, no one had ever touched his body. No one had ever seen his face when they were together. Those people were just emotional outlets, to be replaced whenever necessary. Hong Kongque never resisted or felt anything. Even when he killed those people with his own hands for breaking the rules, he did so without batting an eye.
Until he saw those intense black eyes full of determination.
Throughout the time that passed, Hong Kongque saw various types of gazes. When facing him, when facing the burning red steel. The eyes of each person were different. Some were fearful, some were strong. Many came to take advantage of him to satisfy their own desires. Many came to serve him, but
Hong Kongque had only just seen a person come for someone else’s benefit for the first time.
Those intense eyes were focused, determined, and incredibly brave as he had ever seen. Not to mention resolute to the point of… the image of a young man, twenty-something years aged, wiped his face and bit into the cloth until he bled, while trying to carve those letters on his leg. It shook him to the core, making his heart beat as loud as possible. Hong Kongque thought about experimenting, playing with that determined gaze just once.
And then his gray world turned completely.
The entrance of those determined eyes created a moment that felt like paradise in his emotions. It was the first time he felt happiness. Even though the other person might not feel the same way.
Hong Kongque knew better than anyone that those determined eyes were not meant for him, and they were not something he could use his power or control to seize.
The photo album was flipped until the last picture, which showed the image of a young man in a full police uniform. Those eyes were earnest and bright, exuding pride in the uniform he wore.
A faint smile appeared on Hong Kongque’s face once again. Before closing the album, he gently reached out to turn off the light above his head.
His path and the person with those determined eyes was vastly different. Even though he may struggle and resist with all his might, those eyes never changed. Someday, he would have to choose the clean, original path that he aimed for, to move forward. As for himself, he would have to walk the dark, blood-scented path that beckoned.
The line’s relationship that happened by chance and became close to each other has come to a point where they must separate, and may never meet again, but on the narrow, dark path that he will tread, the memories will linger. He will have these memories keeping him company to the very end.
The memories that will warm his heart. In the last moments that await him in the darkness ahead.
Lu Yipeng…
…
**Sad!!! Sad at this moment!!!!
As I write the end of this story, tears fill my eyes. Even though I know that it will only get better from here, but.. I feel extra sadness because I love Kongque so much…
REDPEAFOWL, Chapter 25, so sad!!!
(Readers, please prepare your knives to stab me if the ending is not good!!!)
Thank you for following and reading.
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