Every crime scene is three-dimensional. Mu Zi remembered reading in a book called "The Bone Collector" where the protagonist, Lincoln Rhyme, said this.
Indeed, every accident scene was also three-dimensional. Much later, recalling this plan, Mu Zi summarized it this way.
Level view, rotation, bird's-eye view, upward gaze - every angle and position might contain various elements needed for creating an accidental scene.
If he hadn't looked up that day, Mu Zi would have never noticed the power line above his head, which turned out to be a high-voltage line after observation. Such an opportune element, almost missed, made Mu Zi feel fortunate.
With the presence of this high-voltage line, the two difficult problems seemed easily solvable.
During the storm, the branches of the jujube tree in the night looked like the wildly dancing claws of demons. Mu Zi, hiding in the shadows, only needed to help a little to create the illusion of the branch scraping and breaking the high-voltage line, letting it seamlessly and unnoticed land on the storm-battered jujube tree. This way, the entire tree would become a conductor of high-voltage electricity, and with the fierce wind and rain, the ground under the tree turned into a vast puddle...
Then, the boss, hurrying home late, would walk under the tree, stepping into the puddle. If he wore cloth or leather shoes, the plan could immediately come to an end; if by chance he wore waterproof rain boots, it wouldn't matter, because the branch initially intended for him to pull down would have been "torn by the wind and rain" and lay across his path. To get past, he would have to remove this uninvited guest. Just a touch of the branch... and he could witness the wonderful scene of evil receiving its due...
Mu Zi repeatedly rehearsed this plan many times, feeling that everything was under his control, with no apparent flaws. Finally, he decided on the plan.
Then, the next step was to wait. Wait for the next storm, which must occur at night, and before the boss returned home.
Everything was controllable, except the weather. Mu Zi could only wait.
Everything was ready, except for the crucial element. Mu Zi wasn't waiting for the east wind, but for a stormy night.
Waiting always seemed incredibly long.
Since the last storm, the weather had been clear, with bright sunshine and gentle breezes every day. Walking on the street, one could even hear the grass and trees growing by the roadside.
Growing alongside them were Mu Zi's inner restlessness and unease.
The plan was good, but without the opportunity from nature, it could only remain a fantasy. For the first time, Mu Zi felt how weak human power was against fate.
Mu Zi was no Zhuge Liang; he couldn't summon the east wind, let alone a storm. He could wait, but his stomach could not. After selling everything in the shabby rental house, he had only fifty yuan in his pocket. During these days of waiting, he had been surviving on steamed buns and vegetables, quenching his thirst with mineral water, and spending nights in remote internet cafes or bus station waiting rooms. Even so, the money in his pocket was rapidly diminishing. Mu Zi reduced his meals from three to two a day, and then to one...
Today was the tenth day since the plan was finalized, waiting for the storm.
It was around one or two o'clock in the morning, and Mu Zi, curled up in the waiting room chair, was suddenly awakened by a strange sound.
He sat up, confused, and took a long time to locate the source of the sound. It was his stomach growling with hunger.
Having eaten only two buns for the entire day, how could he not be hungry?
He instinctively reached into his pocket, pulling out all he had: thirteen yuan and fifty cents.
If he ate only two buns a day, he could last about ten more days, during which he could only sleep here and no longer enter internet cafes.
The key question was, could he last another ten days on just two buns and a bottle of water each day...
Irritation, hunger, thirst, cold...
Mu Zi suddenly felt the urge to rush into the street and howl at the sky.
Unfair! Oh heavens, why? Why are you so unfair?
Those who committed numerous evils were comfortably in air-conditioned rooms, sleeping on clean, soft beds, enjoying luxurious meals every day, while he had to stay here, starving, freezing, living a life neither human nor ghostly?
Was the so-called retribution for evil all false, all fabricated?
The latest weather forecast predicts that our city will continue to have clear weather for the next week...
Thinking of yesterday's weather report, Mu Zi's already frustrated mood flared even more.
If heaven had lost its judgment of good and evil, why believe in it? Why wait for its grace, for that damned storm?
Everything had to be resolved with his own hands and brain...
Mu Zi curled up in the chair, hugging himself tightly to resist the incessant cold. His body shivered, but his heart was gradually becoming firm.
Everything had to be resolved by himself!
First, he thought of a staple in countless martial arts films โ poison.
Poison, if used, could eliminate all three men at once, as they ate together more often than separately, especially dinner. A pack of arsenic, rat poison, or cheap insecticide could solve the problem. Mu Zi imagined the scene where the three despicable guys happily ate, then suddenly clutched their stomachs, foaming at the mouth, collapsing in all directions... It would be quite interesting, but... the police would immediately perform autopsies, then quickly determine deliberate poisoning, followed by a comprehensive investigation...
So be it if it led to a dead end. Mu Zi thought. After killing them, I'll go to heaven to find my mother...
This idea flashed through Mu Zi's mind and was immediately dismissed by him.
But the key question was, did these three scoundrels deserve to take him down with them? Did he need to be buried with such scum?
Of course not! So, that method was out of the question; he still had to use an unnoticeable approach. This meant he had to plan a new "accident."
So hungry... His stomach started growling again.
Hungry... Eating... Dinner... Eureka!
Hunger can sometimes be inspiring. Mu Zi suddenly had a plan.
Twisting the hair on his forehead, he deeply pondered, the plan initially just an outline, then becoming clearer and more concrete in his mind.
To complete this plan, he needed to recharge himself. It seemed he was ready to go all in.
Half a minute later, Mu Zi left the waiting room and strode towards the internet cafe.