"Lauren Barrett is in danger!" Jack grabbed the holster hanging on the back of the chair, tossed the car keys to Aubrey, and waved to Clay.
"Liu Xiubin didn't dare face Li Jianyu, the PUA who was trying to get her, and Lauren had been living with him, leaving her with no chance to escape. The deaths of the three victims were both practice and a release.
Now that Li Jianyu is in custody and the news is everywhere, this is the best chance for Liu Xiubin to escape."
"I'm coming too." Hannah pushed her laptop forward and stood up to pick up her coat.
Jiejie handed her her pistol and a tablet, whispering, "Be careful."
"You all should be careful. I'll contact Prosecutor Kim Junho immediately," Jubal shouted from behind them.
Li Jianyu's apartment in Myeongdong is located in Jung-gu, Seoul, less than a 15-minute drive from the hanoks they all rented. The four of them had just reached the inner ring elevated highway when Alice's message arrived.
"I found Liu Xiubin's plastic surgery records. Um, I don't know what to say. The photos are on Hannah's tablet."
"Wow," Hannah said, a look of dismay on her face, as she held the tablet out to the front passenger seat.
Aubrey, who was driving, glanced at them instinctively, almost losing his grip on the steering wheel. Jack sighed as he looked at the photos, finally understanding the urban legend of the "woman in white" in Itaewon.
A typical failed plastic surgery leaves the face stiff or transformed into a "fake" with exaggerated features. While horrible, it at least still resembles a human. At most, it can trigger the "uncanny valley" effect.
This is when something that's not real but very human-like can create an eerie feeling, like a "Barbie face" or a "snake face."
However, the photos of Liu Xiubin after surgery give off a completely unhuman vibe, more like the result of sulfuric acid or fire. The entire face resembles a melted wax figure.
Just like you imagine, wandering the alleys late at night in a white dress with long hair loose is scary enough. Coupled with a face like that, most people would be lucky not to die of fright.
It's no wonder she could easily subdue three female victims of similar build.
Alice's voice continued on the phone, "She has a relatively rare body with severe scarring, but over a year ago, about three weeks before Li Jianyu broke up with her, she still had her first canthoplasty.
In the months that followed, in the days after the breakup, she went on to get Botox injections, several rhinoplasties, and a chin reduction. Do these procedures sound familiar?"
"Just like what she did to those victims," Jack said, his expression indescribable. "She must have developed a severe 'uglyphobia' after being mentally PUA'd by Li Jianyu and then dumped."
Mild uglyphobia is very common, usually manifesting as an excessive focus on imagined physical flaws or a preoccupation with imagined or exaggerated flaws in certain parts of one's appearance.
Severe cases can lead to feelings of disgust, resentment, and shame over these "defects," leading to social difficulties and even deep distress, leading to them seeking help from plastic surgeons.
In the United States, many plastic surgeons encounter and are harassed by similar patients, and most legitimate doctors refer these cases to psychiatrists.
However, in this "plastic surgery superpower," things are less formal. Knowing a patient's severe scarring predisposition, they still perform surgery on their face, seemingly for no other reason than financial gain.
Even minor trauma can cause scarring in people with a scarring predisposition, let alone procedures like canthoplasty or double eyelid surgery. In severe cases, even an ear piercing can cause noticeable nodules and scarring.
"So that bastard might have guessed the culprit when we approached him, which is why he's so confident," Hannah said angrily.
"Or maybe he contacted a lawyer and used him as leverage in a deal," Jack added calmly.
"We're here." Aubrey pulled over, and everyone hurriedly opened the car door and rushed into the apartment building.
The door to the luxurious penthouse suite was ajar. Clay scurried forward and flung it open. "FBI! Freeze!"
Even though everyone was prepared, they couldn't help but shudder at the sight of the woman before them, her black hair cascading down her shoulders, dressed in a blood-stained white dress, and her face utterly horrified.
A syringe lay on the expensive plush carpet, and next to it was a shattered photo frame of Li Jianyu and Lauren Barrett's engagement photo.
Lauren Barrett lay unconscious on the sofa, breathing shallowly, only the gentle rise and fall of her chest hinting at her life.
As they rushed into the room, Liu Xiubin was gesturing at Lauren's face with a scalpel, seemingly about to cut.
"Drop the knife!" Aubrey shouted, gun raised, but his response was a mumbled Korean.
"What is she saying?" Clay asked Jack, who was standing nearby.
"I want to make them as beautiful as me, all of them, over and over again." Jack had a hard time listening. Her lips were so tightly glued together that Liu Xiubin's face looked like a zombie, even affecting her ability to open and close her mouth.
"Jack, what should I do? I don't think I can shoot." Hannah had never been one for empathy, but now she regretted following him.
Though the woman before him had murdered three innocent people, she was also a victim herself, a mentally ill patient driven to the depths of oppression.
Jack raised his hand to press down Hannah's gun, shook his head slightly, then winked at Clay and said in a deep Korean voice, "Liu Xiubin, put down the knife. A scum like Li Jianyu isn't worth it."
Clay lowered his gun as well. Seeing his attention drawn to Jack, he took an imperceptible half step forward, crouching slightly, ready to strike.
"Don't insult him! I love him, and he loves me too. If only all women were like me, he'd fall in love with me again. We'd be together. He'd marry me. He'd definitely marry me,"
the woman muttered to herself. Before anyone could react, she placed the scalpel to her neck and pulled hard.
Clay, who had just dashed to her, was splattered with blood, but it was too late. He could only grasp her right hand, which held the knife, and slowly place her body on the carpet.
"Damn it!" Aubrey turned away, unable to bear the sight.
"I think my lips are a little thin. What do you think about me getting a lip augmentation?" Alice looked around in the makeup mirror, looking dissatisfied with herself.
Aubrey on the side turned pale on the spot and quickly gave a series of compliments, "You are the most perfect woman I have ever seen in my life, there is no need to do this at all."
Alice frowned, "The girls that someone showed off to me at the time were all the plump and charming type, and you said that only that type can make you want to take a bite."
Aubrey looked like he was about to cry, "I swear to God, the idiot from before is dead, and the reborn Jim Aubrey only likes your type, natural is the most perfect."
Alice glanced at him with disdain, "I clearly remember someone saying that my figure is too thin and not plump enough, or I can consider getting a breast augmentation and putting some implants in my buttocks?"
"Absolutely not. I swear to God, I was crazy to say those things at the time." Aubrey knelt on one knee and covered his heart as if he was in a stage play, looking like he wanted to pour out his heart.
"That's enough, you two." Jiejie was speechless as she watched the two dramatic actors, while the others chuckled.
Jubal, who had just returned from the embassy, hurried through the courtyard and into the open main hall, clapping his hands vigorously, attracting everyone's attention.
"Guys, remember to pack your things for tonight. I've booked a flight for tomorrow morning, and we'll be on the plane for over ten hours. But the good news is, we won't have to endure the annoying cabin noise of the military transport plane this time, so everyone can get a good night's sleep."
Clay glanced at the time. It was only 1 p.m., and it seemed someone was eager to get home. "I want to go buy some gifts for Stella later. Jiejie, Hannah, what are the names of the skincare products you bought yesterday?"
Hannah had recovered from the tragedy she witnessed last night and had become her sweet, carefree self again. She cheered and put her arms around Jiejie and Alice.
"Great! We'll have someone to help us carry the things. I was worried Jack and Aubrey wouldn't be able to handle it all. Don't worry, we'll take care of Stella's gift. Just get your credit card ready."
Clay's face was grimacing, regretting his words.
Jack was about to say something when he saw Kim Junho and Ma Xidao enter the courtyard one after the other. He couldn't help but feel strange. He had planned to have dinner with Ma Xidao tonight, but wasn't it a little early?
Kim Junho, still holding his small frame like a prosecutor, forced a smile across his stiff face as he approached Jubal. "Agent Valentine, Agent Tawole, and everyone else, thank you."
Although this time he only bowed slightly as he shook hands with everyone, it came across as more sincere and warm than the deep bow he had made in his previous apology.
"I apologize again for my earlier rudeness and express my deep gratitude."
Tears flickered in his eyes as he spoke. "This gratitude goes beyond the admonitions given to me by Director Valentine and Agent Tavola. I'm also grateful for your efforts in bringing Lee Jae-woo to justice."
Jack glanced at Jubal with some surprise. Although he knew what he'd been doing at the embassy, he was incredibly efficient.
"Has the extradition been finalized?"
Kim Junho's smile remained undimmed as he nodded repeatedly. "Yes, the extradition process has been initiated. Lee Jae-woo will soon be sent to Dubai. Not only will he be prosecuted there for his crimes, but his crimes will also be aggravated.
Dubai will rigorously prosecute his previous escape, and he'll likely spend a significant amount of time in prison."
Unexpectedly, this prosecutor was just as someone had said, opposing the chaebol for more than just utilitarian reasons. Thinking of this, Jack glanced suspiciously at Ma Xidao behind him.
The man smiled innocently, but his darting eyes betrayed his true thoughts.
"Are you okay?" Jack approached Ma Xidao.
Ma Xidao rubbed his hands, the flesh on his face squeezed into a heap. "I remember you said you owed me a favor?"
(End of the chapter)