The dim light brightened, and the squeaking of rats echoed. Murphy saw a gray shadow scurrying along the wall and disappearing behind a sink. An unbearable stench from the sink hit him, causing him to instinctively cover his nose.
Unfortunately, Murphy couldn't move far. An iron shackle chained his left ankle to a thick steel pipe.
Facing the threat of a madwoman's gun, Murphy had no choice but to follow Daisy's instructions, locking himself in this place with the provided shackle.
"Traitor!"
The cold voice sounded again. Murphy turned to see Daisy sitting opposite him. The gun, though not pointed at him, was still in her hand.
In this abandoned factory, locked in a small washroom, Murphy had already understood the meaning behind the word "traitor." He realized he was dealing with someone like the Joker—a true psychopath.
Daisy had recounted her reasons for calling him a traitor and revealed she was the real culprit behind the two murders.
Knowing how dangerous such a person could be, especially as a filmmaker familiar with related themes, Murphy understood that Daisy could easily be capable of extreme actions.
Ignoring Daisy for the moment, Murphy scanned the washroom once more.
It was a rectangular room, with gray cement walls full of holes, suggesting something had been violently removed. At each end of the room were thick iron pipes, fixed firmly into the cement with expansion bolts. They seemed incredibly sturdy.
Murphy was chained to one of these pipes, with Daisy sitting by the other, about twenty feet away.
At this distance, a reasonably skilled shooter could easily hit a target as big as Murphy.
The bright light on the ceiling was obviously new, likely installed by Daisy, indicating her actions were premeditated.
Murphy frowned slightly. From the beginning, he had tried to delay as much as possible. The longer he could stall, the better his chances of being found.
But now, in this place, could the bodyguards and police find him quickly?
Daisy moved again. Murphy watched her pull a box from under a canvas cover. She opened it and began taking out various tools.
A hacksaw, hammer, nails, kitchen knife, pliers, barbed wire...
Seeing these items in this environment, even Murphy felt a chill.
For some reason, the setting reminded him of a thought—Saw.
The first movie of the "Saw" series had also taken place in a similar room.
"Are you planning to use those on me?" Murphy asked, trying to stay calm.
"Hmph... Traitor!" Daisy scoffed, her expression icy.
Already understanding the meaning behind the word "traitor," Murphy had been considering his options.
"A traitor?" Murphy chuckled. "I can't accept such a slanderous label."
Daisy had just taken out a small electric saw and now turned to look at Murphy, her gaze cold and terrifying.
Murphy acted as if he didn't notice her actions, continuing, "From 'Hard Candy' to 'Spotlight,' I've always maintained my beliefs, never deviating!"
Facing a girl with a psycho's mindset, Murphy knew that money or material offers wouldn't sway her. Since she admired the dark themes and characters like the Joker in his films, perhaps discussing beliefs might engage her.
Daisy's slight hesitation confirmed Murphy's theory.
"This society has strayed far from human nature."
Murphy continued, "The government is corrupt and oppressive; social systems severely restrict human nature, forcing people to act within defined boundaries rather than expressing their true selves. Morality is just a hypocritical concept that turns people into fake, sanctimonious beings..."
"You're one of them!" Daisy retorted.
"Being within it is the only way to see the problems clearly!" Murphy raised his voice slightly.
"You think killing a few people and causing some chaos..." he challenged, "will achieve your goals?"
"Of course, it will!" Daisy insisted.
"It won't!" Murphy countered.
Daisy raised the electric saw in her right hand, her left hand ready to activate it, seemingly poised to strike.
Murphy acted as if he didn't notice, continuing, "You've killed several people already. Has Los Angeles fallen into panic? Has this oppressive system shown any signs of collapse?"
Daisy paused, not answering.
The answer was obvious.
Murphy felt a bit relieved. Some truths spoken bluntly could provoke her, while too subtle an approach might be misunderstood...
Thankfully, his guess was correct. Most psychopathic criminals were smart, not dumber than the average person.
Only smart people often committed crazy acts for their beliefs.
Beliefs...
"Do you know where real chaos comes from?" Murphy pointed to his head, "Here!"
Daisy blinked, unconsciously asking, "What do you mean?"
"My films have always embodied my beliefs," Murphy said seriously. "That's why you see those crazy elements, why you see the Joker."
"What are you trying to say?" Daisy still didn't fully grasp Murphy's point.
"True chaos isn't caused by a single or even several major incidents but by..." Murphy paused for emphasis, "thoughts!"
He reminded her, "Was 9/11 big enough? Did it throw America into chaos?"
"No!" Murphy answered his question. "That's why I knew from the start that this method wouldn't achieve my goals!"
Daisy furrowed her brow. "Your beliefs?"
"Yes, my beliefs!" Murphy's face showed a touch of fanaticism. "The only way to truly transform society is through thoughts, or beliefs. This is difficult because people's thoughts and beliefs are hard to change. That's why I chose a unique and effective method—filmmaking!"
Murphy now seemed like a fervent believer. "Movies are a powerful medium. They can attract many people. A great film can spread across America and even the world. When I plant a seed of chaos in a movie, it can spread globally. It may be slow to change minds at first, but I produce at least one film a year, never stopping for over a decade. Each film's influence spans America. Persistent efforts will gradually awaken many who desire chaos."
He looked at Daisy intently, "Like you!"
"Is this true...?" Daisy frowned deeply. "Is what you're saying true?"
"Of course, it's true!" Murphy declared. "Why do you think the Catholic Church is against me? Some of them have already seen the problem."
He coughed lightly, using the time to think quickly before continuing, "Maybe only a few are awakened now, but as my dark films continue, their impact will deepen. When quantitative changes accumulate, they'll lead to qualitative changes!"
"Daisy..." Murphy suddenly asked, "If tens of millions across America rallied for our cause simultaneously, do you think this society and nation would fall into chaos?"
He implied they were on the same side.
"It certainly would." Daisy nodded slightly.
"Do you know?" Murphy's words flowed continuously. "My next film will be a sequel to 'Dark City.' The Joker will return to New York, driving all his admirers mad!"
Daisy put down the electric saw, looking at Murphy across the twenty feet. Had she misunderstood him?
"Do you know why I made 'Spotlight'?" Murphy had a perfect reason ready. "The Catholic Church is effectively America's national religion. Shattering its myth would make many abandon their faith, leading to a collapse in societal belief. This collapse would cause a spiritual void, making people lost, giving new ideologies a real chance to take hold."
Daisy recalled "Spotlight" and the events between Murphy and the Catholic Church since last year. It did seem to align with what Murphy was saying.
"Real chaos doesn't come from physical attacks!"
Murphy fully embraced the role of a zealot. "It comes from the collapse of faith and the conquest of thoughts. When most people's minds are in turmoil, this nation will be in turmoil!"
He shouted, "That's my ultimate goal! Everything else is just a means to achieve it!"
Daisy stood there, silent.
Many in history had made illogical and counterintuitive choices for their beliefs.
History had numerous examples of people making such choices, often with above-average intelligence.
"Can you give me twenty years?" Murphy seemed larger than life. "In twenty years, you can see for yourself."
Clang—
Daisy's electric saw dropped to the cement floor.
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