Chapter 35: The Psychopath

Xiao Yu remained composed, while the expression on He Xiao’s face kept changing constantly.

It was visibly apparent that these changes in expression were not merely superficial. As the old saying went, the face is a reflection of the heart, and this was no mere joke.

The way a person’s facial expressions change can reveal their true nature, but the fundamental aspect of their demeanor, or ‘facial foundation,’ typically remains constant. However, if this very foundation itself shifts, it means that the person’s personality is undergoing a transformation. It’s a profound change, moving from one set of defining traits to an entirely different one, from one persona to another.

It was evident that two distinct personalities were manifesting on He Xiao’s face at this time. One moment, he appeared shocked and angry, the next, chillingly cold and serpent-like. The distinction was stark.

Xiao Yu wasn’t surprised, nor was he discomforted. In his past life, he indeed had solved a case involving a murderer with multiple personality disorder.

Was Multiple Personality Disorder rare?

Not exactly.

According to authoritative studies, the global incidence rate of Multiple Personality Disorder was about 2%, and more commonly observed in women. Meaning, in every hundred people, at least two were very likely to be affected by this disorder.

It was a terrifying prevalence rate.

Moreover, this condition extended beyond the simplicity of multiple personalities. It encompassed dual personality, triple personality… up to N-fold personality.

The key triggers were typically linked to childhood trauma, the acquisition of defensive mechanisms during development, adverse environments, dissociative tendencies, and a lack of external support. 

Such traumas were most commonly experienced before the age of five, prompting patients to develop splitting and dissociation as defense mechanisms, thereby preserving their sense of self.

Interestingly, upon investigating He Xiao’s medical records, the police found that he had been diagnosed with a mental illness at the age of four. However, the medical records did not indicate any diagnosis of a split personality, only a general mental disorder that was reportedly cured.

When Xiao Yu questioned if the mental problems had been indeed cured, it triggered a response. 

“It’s unclear why you weren’t diagnosed with a multiple personality disorder in your childhood, but your medical history is indicative of your condition.”

Xiao Yu, observing He Xiao’s constantly shifting expressions, spoke with a cold tone, “When I first reviewed the case files and read about your account of falling unconscious and experiencing memory lapses, I thought perhaps you were drugged. But now it seems that isn’t the case. The gaps in your memory were likely due to another one of your personalities taking control of your body. Would it be correct to assume that this isn’t the first time you’ve experienced such memory lapses?”

“…”

He Xiao’s facial expressions became even more volatile, but he remained silent, clenching his teeth.

“May I further deduce that your ex-girlfriend wasn’t just involved with one of your personalities, but was in fact a shared partner between two?” Xiao Yu continued, his expression growing complex. “According to police investigations, your ex-girlfriend ended up with your best friend. They got married and even had a child. If it was a normal breakup, harboring such deep resentment wouldn’t be typical. Only a person wouldn’t normally go to such extremes. This suggests that your other personality is not just highly intelligent, but also deeply disturbed and psychologically warped. Is that correct?”

He Xiao clenched his teeth tighter, his face marred by an increasingly sinister expression. The glimmer in his eyes, barely perceptible, was tinged with madness and venom.

“So, this goes beyond the matter of breaking up with your ex-girlfriend. It also concerns another personality of yours,” Xiao Yu mocked lightly. “If I’m not mistaken, this other personality must have awakened recently, only to discover that his former girlfriend had not only broken up with him but also married and had children with his friend. Perceived as the ultimate betrayal, this personality couldn’t stand it. That period was likely when this personality took over, meticulously planning this crime, plotting the murder. Driven by a twisted psyche, he aimed not only to kill the ex-girlfriend but also her husband and child, sparing no one?”

Suddenly,

“Continue.”

A chilling voice emerged from He Xiao. His demeanor had wholly transformed—calm yet cold, frenzied yet grim. His eyes, suffused with blood, turned a stark red, exuding a monstrous and horrifying aura.

“But you’re not stupid, you’re exceptionally intelligent. You also didn’t want your body to end up dead or imprisoned, right? Then you devised a plan,” Xiao Yu sneered, “Not only could you personally commit such heinous acts, but you could also escape all blame.”

“Is there more?” He Xiao asked, his laughter grim.

“Of course, there is. The family of three victims was actually killed before those 33 hours, weren’t they?” Xiao Yu said, his voice was icy, “The day before that period, neighbors heard some noises from the victim’s home, assuming it was just renovation noise.”

“And the dismemberment,” Xiao Yu added, “served two purposes. One was to vent anger, and the other was to obscure the time of death. Without a complete or partially complete body, even forensic analysis could only estimate a broad timeframe for death. After you murdered the family of three, you used the victim’s phone to send a text to yourself. Otherwise, without being familiar with the female victim, you wouldn’t have been able to mimic her tone so accurately. After sending the text, you cleaned up the crime scene traces, quietly left, and went back home, handing back control of the body to the original personality. When the main personality woke up and saw that text, he went to the victim’s house. Once there, you took over the body again to cause gaps in his memory.”

At this point, Xiao Yu looked coldly at He Xiao.

“It was all deliberate, wasn’t it?”