Lei Mi - Profiler

He was walking at a steady pace and appeared to be about 5'9" and very thin. He kept one hand inside his pocket while the other swung freely back and forth at his side.

For some reason, Fang Mu suddenly felt that the figure looked extremely familiar.

All the while the figure continued to walk closer and closer. Then, without any warning, he stopped. Judging from his position, Fang Mu guessed that he was standing outside Room 313.

The person stood there for several seconds, and then suddenly extended one arm and began moving it across the door.

Fang Mu frowned, wondering what was the man was doing.

Looking into the blurry mirror, he did his best to determine what was going on, but he still couldn't make it out. Taking advantage of the fact that the person was still facing the door, Fang Mu quickly popped his head out.

It was Meng Fanzhe.

Fang Mu sighed with relief and came out of his hiding place.

"Hey, it's you."

Meng Fanzhe snapped his head around and stared blankly at Fang Mu approaching.

Fang Mu was taken aback. It had only been a few days, but Meng Fanzhe already looked a lot more haggard than the last time he'd seen him. His face was deathly pale, the skin around his eyes dark, and his cheeks sunken. His hair, which looked like it hadn't been washed in a long time, stood up in tufts all over his head.

Fang Mu's eyes fell to the hand that Meng Fanzhe had just been moving across the door. In his long, thin fingers he held a felt marker.

At once Fang Mu thought of the five-pointed star. He stopped walking. He asked guardedly, "What are you doing?"

Seeming not to hear, Meng Fanzhe just continued staring dully at him.

Fang Mu cautiously took another step toward him. "Meng Fanzhe, what are you doing?"

Before Fang Mu's very eyes, Meng Fanzhe's empty, lifeless eyes suddenly filled with wild ferocity. The muscles in his face twisted. He opened his mouth, revealing frighteningly white teeth, and let out a deep, animalistic roar.

"Aghh!"

Fang Mu was so startled that he jumped back two steps. Before he could say anything, Meng Fanzhe pulled out the hand that had been in his pocket the whole time. In it was a huge box-cutter.

Fang Mu's senses alerted. "What are you…?"

Meng Fanzhe flicked his finger and the blade shot out, glittering coldly. Gripping the knife, he muttered something and began walking toward Fang Mu. Suddenly he raised his arm overhead, the blade catching the light, and then lunged forward.

As Meng Fanzhe's arm swung down, Fang Mu leapt back, feeling the blade whistle past his nose and then slice through the fabric of his jacket. "Are you out of your mind, Meng Fanzhe?" he shouted, dodging backwards. "It's me, Fang Mu!"

But his words were useless. Seeing that his previous attempt had fallen short, Meng Fanzhe raised the knife again and went straight for Fang Mu's neck.

Fang Mu hurriedly ducked down, avoiding the blade, and then darted behind Meng Fanzhe and kicked him savagely in the back of the knee.

Meng Fanzhe fell forward onto the floor. Immediately Fang Mu leapt forward to pin him down, but Meng Fanzhe was too fast. Before even standing up, he swung the blade backwards.

Fang Mu tried to dodge, but he was a second too late. The knife edge sliced one of his fingers. Blood spurted.

Meng Fanzhe got to his feet and advanced on Fang Mu, growling under his breath. In the overhead light, Fang Mu could clearly see Meng Fanzhe's clenched jaw and the white froth surrounding his mouth, much like a mad dog. Squeezing his bleeding finger, Fang Mu hastily walked backwards.

Suddenly the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind him. He spun around. From out of the darkness at the other end of the corridor appeared Tai Wei, one hand going to his sidearm as he ran toward them.

In the blink of an eye, Tai Wei was beside him. With a taut face, the cop pulled Fang Mu behind him and raised the gun. "You all right?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he yelled toward Meng Fanzhe, "I'm a police officer! Put the knife down now!"

This had no effect on Meng Fanzhe. He seemed oblivious to Tai Wei. He just kept staring at Fang Mu and continued to walk closer, closing the distance between them.

Tai Wei cocked the hammer of the gun. "Put the knife down now or I'll shoot."

Fang Mu nervously grabbed Tai Wei's arm. "Don't fire; he's my classmate."

Tai Wei stared at Meng Fanzhe a few seconds before easing the gun hammer. He holstered it and took a combat stance.

One after another the doors along the hallway opened. Having heard the commotion, various underwear-clad students stuck their heads out to take a look. Once they saw what was going on, however, they gave an alarmed cry and shrunk back inside their rooms, keeping their doors cracked just wide enough to observe the scene.

Du Yu also came out into the hall. After standing there helplessly for a few seconds, he grabbed a broom from inside his room and ran behind Fang Mu. Shaking with fear, he said, "Meng Fanzhe, don't do anything crazy now."

Meng Fanzhe let out another growl and then swung the knife.

Tai Wei quickly stepped forward, grabbed Meng Fanzhe's knife hand, and twisted his wrist. Despite the pain, Meng Fanzhe did not release his grip on the blade, so Tai Wei gave his knee a hard kick. At last the knife clattered to the floor. Tai Wei yanked Meng Fanzhe toward him, grabbed his collar, and tossed him forward. Meng Fanzhe smashed into the wall, falling roughly to the floor. He curled up in pain.

Tai Wei rushed forward, flipped him over, and held him down with his knees on his back. He cuffed the student's hands together.

Lying on the floor, Meng Fanzhe could do nothing but pant for breath.. Tai Wei took out his phone, dialed, and then said simply, "Dormitory Five, Room Three-Thirteen. Get here as fast as you can." He hung up and turned to Fang Mu. "What happened here? Who is this guy and why'd he want to kill you?"

Fang Mu didn't respond to the question, just stared blankly at Meng Fanzhe as he groaned and breathed heavily on the floor. Fang Mu could only think of a single word.

Why?

By this time the hallway was filled with noise. Nearly everyone who lived on the floor had run out of their rooms to see the excitement. Several yelled out in surprise: "Isn't that Meng Fanzhe?" "What's going on?"

Suddenly Fang Mu rushed forward and knelt beside Meng Fanzhe. In a loud voice, he said, "Can you hear what I'm saying? What's going on with you?"

Meng Fanzhe's eyes were closed, his breathing labored. He made no response.

Fang Mu let go of his bleeding finger, grabbed hold of Meng Fanzhe's shoulders and shook him forcefully. "Talk to me, Meng Fanzhe. What were you doing just now? Why do you want to kill me?"

Meng Fanzhe's eyes opened at once, flashing the same murderous look as before. Twisting his body, he mustered all his strength and lurched at Fang Mu, trying to bite him.

Fang Mu fell backwards onto the floor as Tai Wei stepped forward and kicked Meng Fanzhe in the face.

"Keep still!" he yelled.

Unfazed, Fang Mu crawled forward and grabbed hold of Tai Wei's leg. "Don't hurt him," he said. "Something is definitely wrong here! He's not normally like this…"

Meng Fanzhe's mouth was cut from the blow and as the blood trickled down his ashen skin, his appearance changed beyond recognition.

Fang Mu's wounded finger had also split open and the blood ran down his fingertips and onto the floor. Before long, a small pool had formed.

Seeing that Fang Mu was bleeding, Du Yu quickly grabbed his arm. "Come back to the dorm. I've got bandages."

His mind blank, Fang Mu let Du Yu pull him to the door of Room 313. When they reached the entrance, Fang Mu suddenly remembered that Meng Fanzhe had been drawing something on their door, so he pushed Du Yu off and looked closely at it.