Chapter 53

Bone Blocks 3: The Doctor and The Artist

After touring the police station and observing the bone blocks, Angell and Mo Fei settled in Aust's office. Aust inquired, "Angell, any leads? Or do you already know who the killer is?"

Anger, gracefully sipping his tea, said, "Os, you're dealing with a psychopathic killer. You need to organize a team and gather more clues to solve the case, rather than expecting me to magically produce a suspect."

"But that's exactly what I was hoping for," Os shrugged. "Didn't you get any ideas from that pile of bones?"

"Hmm," Anger set down his teacup, musing, "Bones were among the earliest tools and ornaments used by our ancestors."

Os sat down on the sofa, warning Mo Fei, "He's about to tell a horror story."

Anger glanced at them and beckoned Mo Fei, "Come sit here with me."

Mo Fei walked over and sat next to Anger.

Os, leaning on the sofa, sighed and pointed at Mo Fei, "Mo Fei, he's a devil; don't let him manipulate you."

Mo Fei smiled, pouring tea for Anger, and encouraged, "Continue, Anger."

"Right," Anger nodded, "In many cultures, human bones are revered, with skulls often appearing as totems... Of course, due to their imperishability, humans tend to blindly believe they can preserve the soul, making them the most durable of containers."

Anger paused before adding, "The person we apprehended must have a high level of education, particularly noteworthy is his long-term experience living in a church."

"Are you suggesting he's religious?" Os asked. "That makes it easier. We'll stake out the few churches in the city."

"Os," Anger sighed in exasperation, legs crossed, "When will you ever become a competent detective?"

Os chuckled, "Wait until the end of time, Anger."

Anger retorted, "No one can match your thick skin."

"A thick skin often leads to a full stomach," Os replied, unashamedly confident in his approach to Anger.

Feeling overwhelmed, Anger turned to Mo Fei, who commented, "It must be rare for someone to live in a church in our country."

"He's familiar with churches not in our country," Anger said seriously. "Emma is religious, and I've accompanied her to church many times. The architectural style of churches here is quite different from those abroad."

"That's true," Os nodded, asking, "So, he's a foreigner?"

"Very likely," Anger pondered, "Moreover, he seems to have frequent access to corpses, especially bones, and has lived in a church for many years... Many countries have graveyards in their churches, with caretakers living there. I suspect our man might have such a background."

"Anger," Os said, "How do we find him? There are so many churches worldwide, and it's just speculation."

"That's why I need to find more clues," Anger shook his head in resignation. "But, one thing is certain."

"Which aspect?" Aust asked, puzzled.

"A place that could house thousands of rats," Angell said. "It's quite challenging... Where could you keep so many rats without being noticed?"

"A zoo?" Aust suggested.

Angell glared at him sharply.

Mo Fei chuckled and suggested, "Could it be a garbage dump or somewhere like the sewers?"

"Exactly," Angell pointed at Mo Fei, "That's right, it should be such a place. And as we just saw, the bones are very white."

"Treated with something special, perhaps?" Aust asked. "Otherwise, why would the bones cleaned by rats be so white?"

"Finally, a smart guess," Angell thought for a moment and smiled, "Our killer must be at least two people."

"Two?" Aust frowned, "Can such a thing be done by just two people? I thought we were after a twisted group."

"You're mistaken, Aust," Angell waved his hand, "The more complex the process, the lower the difficulty of completing it independently compared to doing it cooperatively."

"Like setting up dominoes for a world record, isn't that done by several people together?" Aust countered.

"Aust, grand projects and complex ones are not the same. What's so complex about dominoes? It's just length," Angell said. "Have you ever seen micro-sculpture artists or embroidery artists working in pairs? Two people creating one piece of art?"

"Well, that's true," Aust nodded, then asked, "What about this church... what kind of cooperation model?"

"Hmm, it must be one skilled in medicine and one in art... A product of two people with perfect hobbies, combining their expertise," Angell replied.

"Artists might not be too common, but there are many skilled in medicine," Aust said, "Any more specific traits?"

"Let's say this: the artist, in terms of skill, talent, and aesthetic, is unparalleled," Angell explained.

"Exactly!" Mo Fei agreed, nodding. "If he can construct a church out of bones, he could do the same with sticks or similar materials. Such creations would have significant artistic value."

"Art, though different in forms, is fundamentally interconnected," Angell analyzed from a professional perspective. "For instance, those skilled in painting are often adept at sculpting, and sculptors tend to be good at model making, and so on. The basic skills required are identical. What sets artists apart is their talent and personal style."

"What about this person?" Aust asked. "What’s their style like?"

"A sheer genius," Angell sincerely praised. "Their attention to detail is unparalleled... You know, in classical art, details are like the rings of a tree - the more there are, the older and more valuable. And this person also has a very distinctive style."

"Alright, so the artist is a genius. Then they must be famous," Aust queried. "You're often in these circles; do you have any suspects in mind?"

"Sorry, Aust, I don't mingle in any circles," Angell explained. "Circles are just a way to trap people, keeping those inside from leaving and preventing outsiders from entering. They're worthless to art itself, only hindering progress. This isn't just true for art; any industry that self-imposes such limitations is inherently narrow-minded. The establishment of a circle often signals a stagnation in its field. While it may preserve the interests of some, it blocks the rise of new forces and leads to the creation and eventual overthrow by a more evolved circle. However, the progress spurred by the conflict between circles is far inferior to the vibrant growth in an environment without them."

"Hold on, Angler," Os interrupted, "I'm not interested in Hegel and Freud. Can you continue with the case details?"

Angell raised an eyebrow, "Aust, it's quite incorrect to equate Hegel with Freud. One was a great philosopher, the other a charlatan in psychology."

Aust twitched his mouth, "Angell, why even insult the masters?"

Angell quirked an eyebrow, "If we must speak of Freud's greatness, he was indeed a clever man and an outstanding sexologist. But his psychological theories are deceptive. His psychoanalytic theory, this so-called deep thinking, is nonsense! In his theory, any behavior can be elevated to a sexual level, either Oedipal or Elektral, which is far-fetched. I don't buy it."

"Angell," Aust chuckled helplessly, realizing he'd inadvertently hit a nerve with Angell, causing an outburst.

Still irate, Angell continued, "His dream interpretation and analysis are absurd, focusing only on the elusive subconscious and not on the structural issues of the brain itself. Our brain is an extremely precise instrument, largely unexplored, and it's the unknowns that control our conscious mind, not the other way around. His research is as ridiculous as trying to guess the puppeteer's hair count by looking at a marionette!"

Aust looked helplessly at Mo Fei, signaling for rescue.

"He was indeed a very clever charlatan," Angell concluded. "His words are no better than street fortune-tellers. His so-called profound statements, like 'Your eyes are tired, rest them...' What's the difference between saying that and saying nothing? Or 'The strongest childhood need is to be protected by the father'—not only nonsensical but also deeply sexist. 'Biology is destiny'—I wonder how much time he spent exploring the destiny of plants. And 'Everyone has a sucking desire' is simply the most vulgar thing I've heard..."

"Angell," Mo Fei chuckled helplessly, reaching to touch the back of Angell's neck, signaling him to calm down.

Angell turned to look at him and quieted down, muttering, "I hate Freud."

"Okay, got it," Mo Fei laughed. "I hate him too."

Angell smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

Aust's mouth twitched... This was the first time he saw someone able to stop Angell mid-rant. Mo Fei had succeeded! He had tamed Angell!

"Uh, shall we continue with the case?" Aust suggested.

"Indeed," Angell nodded, "In all my research, I've found no artist like this, meaning he's unknown... For such a talented artist to remain obscure suggests that other aspects of his life are severely lacking, possibly even flawed."

"Could he be expressing himself in other forms?" Aust asked. "Like painting or human sculpture? Didn't you say they're similar?"

"Certainly," Angell agreed. "But the mode of expression carries unmistakable traces, unique as fingerprints!"

Aust nodded, then asked, "What about the doctor?"

"He may not actually be a doctor," Angell clarified. "He's just someone with medical knowledge."

"How do you explain that?" Aust inquired.

"Art is an unattainable pinnacle," Angell stated. "Those who become artists possess extraordinary talent. But medicine is a widespread discipline... Anyone can acquire extensive knowledge in medicine or pharmacology. Simply put, medicine can be learned, but art is ninety percent innate."

"Alright, your analysis makes sense," Aust acknowledged. "But what does it imply?"

"It implies..." Mo Fei took over, suggesting, "A person with medical knowledge controlling a deeply talented but flawed artist?"

"Mo Fei!" Angell's eyes lit up, excitedly looking at Mo Fei. "Genius, using the word 'control'."

Mo Fei smiled, "I could sense your dissatisfaction with the doctor and your admiration for the artist in your words."

"Your perception is incredibly sharp," Angell nodded in approval.

"Enough, you two can be in sync later," Aust interjected. "Why make such a judgment?"

"Because of the art," Angell answered. "These artworks are assembled with great patience, seemingly filled with love. Yet, the bleaching is a flaw. Such a mistake would not be made by a skilled artist."