Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins

The pharmaceutical factory was located in the suburb, and it was quite secluded. Especially after nightfall, the chilling wind sent shivers down your spine.

The closer we got, the eerier it felt. That bandaged man really knew how to pick a spot. This place matched his vibe perfectly-the gloomy, sinister atmosphere complemented his bandaged appearance seamlessly.

“Senior, why do you think that guy chose to meet at a place like this?”

“Who knows-probably because it’s isolated and out of sight,” I replied casually.

“But don’t you think a place like this is even easier to surround? In an open area like this, it’d be simple to set up an ambush and corner that bandaged man completely.”

The moment Su Mo said those words, I froze mid-step. I turned my head and stared at Su Mo in disbelief. “You… You didn’t honestly call the police, did you?”

“Call the police? Why would I? I am the police. Why would I need to call them?”

Su Mo’s face was full of innocent confusion, while mine was filled with grave concern.

Seeing I wasn’t responding, Su Mo gave me a puzzled look and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you suddenly so serious?”

“Su Mo, be honest with me. You didn’t inform the department when you came, did you?”

I was genuinely afraid Su Mo might have notified the department-not because I was worried about scaring the bandaged man off, but because I was terrified of provoking him.

That man didn’t think like a normal person, and his mood could shift unpredictably. If he got enraged, the consequences could be disastrous. Just thinking about what had happened in that factory before gave me lingering fear.

“No, I didn’t. Why? Do you need me to notify them?”

Hearing this answer, I finally felt a sense of relief. As long as he hadn’t, we were fine.

“No need. Just stay calm later, and do not act without my order. Understood?” I said firmly.

Su Mo nodded in agreement, accepting my suggestion.

And so, we met the bandaged man by the filtration pool behind the pharmaceutical factory. By now, the filtration pool had long since lost its former semblance of order. The stagnant water in the pool emitted a foul stench, one that made it clear this place hadn’t been cleaned in ages.

Suppressing my disgust, I looked across the pool at the bandaged man, a surge of anger welling up inside me.

This wasn’t our first meeting, but every single time I encountered him, I found myself at a disadvantage. It was deeply frustrating-especially thinking back to that day when he had pointed a gun at me. That feeling of utter despair… it’s something I still dread recalling.

“You’re here,” he rasped, his voice grating like the creak of an ancient wooden door, adding a ghostly air to the already silent and eerie night.

We stood on opposite sides of the five-meter-wide filtration pool. I had to admit, this man was nothing if not cautious.

“Yeah, I’m here,” I said, stepping slightly closer to the pool. “Even though you told me to stay out of this, sorry to disappoint you-I’ve been forced to step in.”

“I’m just playing around a bit. I’m not doing anything excessive.”

When I heard that, I almost choked on the sheer absurdity. Not doing anything excessive?! This man wouldn’t rest until he turned the entire city upside down, and here he was claiming innocence! People had died, and yet he still acted like he was in the clear. How shameless could a person be?

Before I could even respond, Su Mo lost his cool. Pointing at the bandaged man, he barked, nearly exploding with anger, “If you’re so capable, then come over here! Let’s settle this fair and square! Stop hiding and playing dirty!”

“Director Su, I’m truly honored that you’ve come. But shouting at me like this? That’s a bit ungrateful, don’t you think?”

The bandaged man’s words instantly enraged Su Mo. “What did you just say?! How dare you call me ungrateful! Do you even realize that defamation is a crime?!”

“If it weren’t for me, how could you have risen to power so quickly?”

“You… What do you mean by that?”

In that moment, it seemed Su Mo finally started to piece things together.

“Su Mo, what have you promised me?”

I quickly called out to Su Mo, worried that his impulsive reaction might lead to an outburst that could disrupt our relatively stable situation. After all, the bandaged man’s mind was impossible to predict!

Startled by my sudden shout, Su Mo froze in place, staring at me in a daze. After a long pause, he lowered his head and murmured, “I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

I shook my head without saying anything, shifting my gaze back to the bandaged man. Raising my voice, I demanded, “Hey! Why did you call me here today? What’s your purpose?”

“Of course, it’s to persuade you to stay out of it! Since Director Su seems so keen to find out what favor he owes me, I’ll gladly tell you.”

I had only said that earlier to change the topic, hoping to steer the conversation away from anything that could harm Su Mo.

I knew exactly what the bandaged man was implying. To others, his words might seem trivial, but to Su Mo, they carried massive consequences.

I had tried my best to stop him, to prevent those dangerous truths from being spoken. But despite my efforts, he still said it.

I wasn’t prepared, and neither was Su Mo. His words struck like a bolt out of the blue, shattering Su Mo’s strong heart in an instant. I didn’t even have a chance to intervene.