Original subtitles

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[WOMAN MOANING IN PAIN]

[SCREAMING]

[IN MANDARIN] Hurry. Get ready to operate.

Hurry up!

It's stillborn.

Stop the bleeding. Wait, one more.

Sponge.

We're losing the mother. Commence CPR quickly.

[BABY CRYING]

Help stop the bleeding.

Hurry. Come help, hurry.

[BABY CRYING]

[♪♪♪]

[BEEPING]

[SIGHS]

[MUFFLED SINGING AND MUSIC PLAYING]

[SINGING IN MANDARIN]

What are you doing here?

Sleeping at your office again tonight?

Is your office really that comfortable?

It stinks worse than the restroom here.

Every day, you don't go home, you ignore your wife and child.

Just hole yourself up in your damn office,

playing your damn chess.

Who would feel sorry for you?

Do you look like someone working for the Foreign Affairs unit?

[GUNSHOT]

[CHESSBOARD BEEPING]

Tai Feng Chemical Group

[FLASHBULB AND SHUTTER CLICKING]

[FLASHBULB AND SHUTTER CLICKING]

How long have you worked here?

Miss? Why isn't the air conditioning on?

Boss told us to turn it off.

Don't you know how hot it is?

Two hours ago, the boss kept telling me

the office was too cold.

I gave him a blanket,

but still he said it was too cold.

So he told us to turn off the air conditioning.

You can turn it on now,

since your boss has kicked the bucket.

What is the situation?

Captain, do you know who he is?

The chairman of the Tai Feng Corporation.

The one who dumped toxic waste into the river?

Yes.

Come with me.

The medics took one look at him and called us.

It's ridiculous. I believe he was drowned

in icy water.

The mucus in his nasal cavities is frozen.

Drowned?

Hey.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

You are with Foreign Affairs. This is not your case.

What are you doing here?

Might this not be the original crime scene?

This scene is perfectly intact.

And his employees say he never left his office.

What case? I said, I have a case here.

On such a hot day as today,

the boss of a major corporation

drowns in his 17th-floor office.

What the hell are you doing here?

What case are you on? Hey.

What are you doing? What is he doing here?

Captain.

Huo-tu, you have no business here. Go back.

[SPEAKING MANDARIN]

Espin Pinosa?

[IN ENGLISH] Yes, sir.

[IN ENGLISH] I've got to bring you in

for violating Taiwan's agreement

on foreign workers with the Philippines.

Understand? Come with me.

[IN MANDARIN] I don't understand.

[IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I'm arresting you.

[IN ENGLISH] No! Why? Why's that?

Why is that? No.

No, no. Why?

[♪♪♪]

[IN MANDARIN] Mei-mei, go outside.

Mommy wants to talk to Daddy.

Mei-mei.

Mei-mei.

What happened to her neck? That was last week's news.

Her classmate shot at her with a toy gun at naptime.

Didn't I tell you not to bring Mei-mei here?

When was the last time you came home?

The teacher wants a meeting with her parents.

I cannot take another day off. You go this time.

I'll take these clothes home to wash.

I think Mei-mei should stay with you.

It's better for her to be with her mother.

Why make us miserable too?

Mei-mei, we're going home.

[KNOCKING]

I've never seen anything like it.

His epidermal and dermal layers were completely frozen.

How is that possible? Is there water in his lungs?

Not one drop.

But his brain...

Come look at this.

This is the thalamus. Seat of the nervous system.

Guess what that is?

What is it?

It looks like mold. Yes. It is mold bacteria.

This was scraped out of his sinus cavity,

same bacteria as in his brain.

What did you put for cause of death?

"Suspected drowning."

Is that a good thing to do?

No. It's not good at all.

Is it toxic? Don't know.

Taiwan can't find out.

Our technology is too far behind.

Where can we find out?

Quantico, Virginia, U.S.A.

FBI ACADEMY

[PEOPLE LAUGHING]

MAN [IN ENGLISH]: Anyway,

the U.S. is not only the biggest producer

of movies and nuclear weapons.

We're also number one in serial killers.

Now, when we give these classes,

what the bureau doesn't want us to tell you is that...

we still fail.

Every rule has its exception,

and you learn from failure. So...

let's start there.

[ALL CHUCKLE]

Okay, in 1994, a total of nine corpses

were found in the suburbs of St. Louis.

All boys.

And all found lying like this:

Posed, facedown.

Cause of death was strangulation.

There were no bruises, no signs of struggle.

No evidence of molestation either.

All the victims were runaways.

Kids who slipped through the cracks, et cetera.

I drew up a profile of a type we call

a "preferential offender." Street predator.

White male, of course.

Loner. Out of work or itinerant.

Socially inept, sexually repressed, an outcast.

But when the killer turned himself in--

He surrendered? Yes.

Walked into his local police department.

As if that wasn't embarrassing enough,

we soon found that except for the "white male" part,

he did not correspond to one single detail of my profile.

In fact, I could not have been any more wrong.

That wasn't even the strange part.

The strange part were the victims' facial expressions.

Are they smiling?

Sure appears that way, doesn't it?

Almost as if they were on some kind of a high,

at the moment of their death.

In a state of bliss.

[RAIN FALLING]

HSIN-YI DISTRICT, TAIPEI

[DOG BARKING]

[♪♪♪]

[IN MANDARIN] Fire department? My home is on fire.

I'm at Alley 200, Section 3, Hsin-yi Road--

[SCREAMING]

[SCREAM ECHOING]

SENATOR'S WIFE TO SUE CHIU FOR ADULTERY

I've never experienced this kind of situation before.

Of course I'm scared.

I am too.

She's the one?

The senator's mistress? She's the one.

Bailed out just this morning.

Who reported this?

She called the fire department an hour ago to report a fire.

They hurried over. And no sign of a fire at all.

No.

Your face looks worse than hers.

Look at her arms.

This peculiar kind of contortion

is caused by severe muscular dehydration.

This situation only happens

to corpses burned to death at very high temperatures.

But here...

How could it be?

LI: "Suspected murder,

cause of death unknown"?

This doesn't look good.

My report is based on current evidence.

And I feel both cases are related.

Re-examine the corpse. Rewrite the report.

As if we don't have enough problems already.

Getting tangled up in a politician's personal affairs.

Re-examine her heart.

People die of heart attacks every day!

TEACHERS' OFFICE

[BELL RINGING]

WOMAN: This is Su Chao-pin. He cut your daughter's hair

during naptime today.

Then she scratched his eye.

Last week....

This is Huang Chin-feng. Your daughter fought with him.

Mr. Huang, excuse me,

I risk offense to ask a question.

I am thinking, would it be better if you sent her

to a special school?

[♪♪♪]

WOMAN: Huang Mei-mei's parent.

Huang Mei-mei's parent.

[♪♪♪]

Has she been taking her medication?

I don't know. I suppose so.

You "suppose"?

[DISTANT SQUEAKING]

She hates taking them.

But I haven't been home recently.

The pills don't work so well. But she should take them.

[SQUEAKING]

[ELEVATOR BELL RINGS]

[DOORS OPEN]

[SQUEAKING]

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

CHURCH OF NEW TRUTH, TAMSUI

[ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING]

[♪♪♪]

[SCREAMS]

[CELLULAR PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

What?

[MEI-MEI WHIMPERING]

[WHIMPERING]

Mei-mei, it's just a dream.

JIAN MING LEGAL SERVICES

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

[POLICE WHISTLE BLOWING]

Father Lorenzo died in his own room last night.

Murdered.

This case is sensitive because of his identity.

Taiwan must go through this man to buy weapons from America.

The foreign press will be here, you deal with them.

I have left Homicide. Leave me alone, would you?

Foreign Affairs handles foreigners in Taiwan.

And you speak the best English. It's all yours.

HUO-TU: What happened?

CORONER: Time of death, 3 a.m.

There were at least two murderers.

While the victim was asleep, they disemboweled him.

This is intestinal fat that insulates our intestines.

After the suspects cut open Lorenzo's belly

they took out his intestines, washed them with water,

replaced them and sewed him up.

He lasted at least two hours before he died.

It looks as though he had been held down,

but his wrists have sustained no injuries.

Now will you still say those people

died naturally of heart attacks?

After an initial investigation, we have discovered

that the deaths of Father Lorenzo,

the chairman of Tai Feng,

and Chiu Miao-fang are all possibly related.

These are serial murders.

Because this case--

[OVERLAPPING QUESTIONS]

REPORTER: Let the chief finish.

Because this case has generated many rumors,

causing anxiety among our society,

our police force wishes to solve this crime logically.

Through the American Institute in Taiwan,

the FBI has agreed to send an agent

specializing in serial murder

to Taiwan to assist in solving this case.

We hope he can use a scientific method to move us forward.

REPORTERS: Chief...

A question from Miss Chow, please.

Are you giving in to political pressure?

Also, what about Taiwan's judicial independence?

Everyone, I am announcing that

this FBI investigator doesn't have the right to bear arms,

arrest, nor interrogate.

The legal investigation rights are clear.

Rumors say there are talismans on the corpse.

Was it a cult ritual?

No such thing.

What's the name of the agent?

His name is Kevin Richter.

What?

How do you spell that? WOMAN: How do you spell that?

MAN: How do you spell that?

R-I-C-H-T-E-R.

Bye.

MAN: What a nut!

That was my husband.

MAN [IN ENGLISH]: What do you imagine the murderer to be like?

WOMAN: Are there any political agendas for your trip?

Do you speak Chinese?

How will you go to investigate without speaking Chinese?

You wouldn't happen to know an officer Huang Huo-tu?

[LAUGHTER]

You want to listen to some music?

And ruin this conversation?

Yeah, sure. Fine with me.

[JAZZY MUSIC PLAYS]

[IN MANDARIN] The same mold was found in the brains

[TRANSLATING INTO ENGLISH]

and nasal cavities of the victims.

Whether it's toxic

and how it entered the bodies of the victims

will depend on the report from America.

There are no obvious motives to the murders.

And they did not know one another.

On the body of the third victim,

a Taoist talisman painted with the victim's blood.

We have checked with the Taoist Society.

They've never seen it before.

It should be related to Taoism.

[IN ENGLISH] Yes, okay. Now, I wanted to--

Excuse me. Could you hold on? Just hold on.

Hey, hey, hey.

I'm sorry. Sorry.

Would you tell them I said they shouldn't count on

a Taoist organization for help.

[IN MANDARIN] He said we shouldn't have done that.

[IN ENGLISH] What we want is an expert, a scholar

in religious studies from a university maybe, or...

[IN MANDARIN] He said we should ask a scholar.

[IN ENGLISH] That's it.

Did you explain how, how--?

Okay. All right, look, this is, this is...

Do we know why the killer picked these victims?

[IN MANDARIN] Anyone know why the victims were chosen?

[IN ENGLISH] Because it seems to me

that's currently the top priority of our investigation.

Everything else is a waste of time.

HUO-TU [IN MANDARIN]: Everything else is a waste of time.

Didn't we just say there's no obvious motive?

Is this material from a textbook?

Why come all the way to tell us this?

Who is in charge? Who is in charge?

All right, stop it.

[LI SPEAKING MANDARIN]

[IN ENGLISH] What are they saying?

[IN ENGLISH] They said "Thank you,"

and they will consider your suggestions.

Uh-huh.

Yeah. I can see that.

[IN MANDARIN] That's all for today.

No questions, right?

[IN ENGLISH] That's it for today.

Okay, well, then, if someone can just take me

to the scene of the Lorenzo murder--

[IN MANDARIN] How tall can a person get?

[LAUGHTER]

[SPEAKING MANDARIN]

I had these blessed for our safety.

[IN ENGLISH] Sit down. Sit down.

HUO-TU: Excuse me.

Excuse me. What, what?

Sit down, please. Sit down, please.

[IN MANDARIN] He wants to go to Lorenzo's murder scene.

Not necessary. We checked everything out in detail.

And took photographs.

[IN ENGLISH] He says it's not necessary.

RICHTER: Bullshit.

That's bullshit.

Go ahead, translate it.

HUO-TU [IN ENGLISH]: I don't have to. They know that word.

Good. Well, tell them I said it's very necessary.

It's what I do. It's why I'm here.

[IN MANDARIN] You take him there.

But I don't know anything about this.

[IN ENGLISH] He said it's okay.

Good. Okay.

Well, then, uh...

[IN MANDARIN] Thank your mother.

Thank your mother.

We, we...

[IN ENGLISH] It means "Thank you very much," right?

Right.

This is Taoist, isn't it?

Can I offer advice?

You should be more respectful. Not talk so much.

Thanks.

I'll consider your suggestion.

You are a foreigner.

I'm saying, if you don't want to cause trouble.

I'm surprised at you, Huo-tu.

I didn't figure you for the cautious type.

That's not your reputation. What do you mean?

You researched my background?

I like to know my partners.

This story is why the AIT recommended you to us.

They don't have much confidence in your police force.

They got it all wrong.

I'm no different than any other policeman on the force.

And I regret very much my naive behavior.

WOMAN REPORTER [IN MANDARIN]: What do you have to say about your corruption trial?

[REPORTERS OVERLAPPING IN MANDARIN]

Huang Huo-tu, you bastard!

How can you sleep at night?

What kind of cousin are you?

Officer Huang!

[FLASHBULBS AND SHUTTERS CLICKING]

[IN ENGLISH] Watch out!

[BRAKES SQUEALING]

[HONKING HORN]

Listen, I was assigned to this case. I got no choice.

And you are not going to get any special treatment from me.

Got it.

Just do me a favor and try not to kill me, okay?

So this is where the dead guy goes?

HUO-TU: Yes.

What's this?

HUO-TU: Lung Chi-ji, air conditioner.

Yeah.

Let's just see.

[FAN TURNS ON]

[COUGHS]

Were there air conditioners at the other crime scenes?

The whole city has them. It's hot. Why?

Do you have any idea...

what this is?

MAN [IN MANDARIN]: This is the pellet found in Lorenzo's room.

This is from Chiu Miao-fang's air conditioner.

This was found on the floor of Chairman Liao's office.

They were from the same device.

HUO-TU [IN MANDARIN]: What device?

Possibly a converted air rifle.

These people are amazing. Why do you say that?

To hollow out and drill three holes

requires advanced technology.

Besides...

Look.

It's the same bacteria found in the victims.

So the killers put the mold into the hollowed-out pellets,

then shot them into the air-conditioning vents

for the bacteria to dissipate. Correct.

[♪♪♪]

[IN MANDARIN] How are you?

[IN ENGLISH] Hello there, how you doing?

What's the matter?

You shy, huh?

Well, I'm just wondering...

what you're doing here all by yourself.

[IN MANDARIN] My name is Kevin.

[IN ENGLISH] Yours? What's your--?

CHING FANG [IN ENGLISH]: Her name is Mei-mei.

She's my daughter.

I was just trying to make her smile.

I apologize. She's scared of strangers.

Not at all. You taught her right.

Kevin Richter. I know.

I'm the wife of Officer Huang Huo-tu.

Oh, really?

It's a pleasure to meet you. Me too.

Your husband. He's a...

You know, he's...

He's a very interesting guy.

Yeah, he is.

Thank you for lying.

Anytime.

[IN MANDARIN] Remember how I turned up at Tai Feng

to arrest an illegal foreign worker?

Well?

I found out from the papers...

I checked the other two victims.

They were in the papers and were killed thereafter.

TAI FENG DUMPS TOXIC WASTE ILLEGAL LABORER WON'T TESTIFY

Huo-tu, I have to tell you one thing.

Chief is concerned about that FBI man. You must be careful.

Have you thought that no matter what this Richter

comes up with in the end or not,

your life will be different?

Think about it.

Let's say, because of him, the case really does move ahead.

How do you think the men will feel?

You will be even worse off.

He was called in just to do a show.

Just help him finish his show.

Besides...

I don't think the chief believes this case can be cracked.

Just watch. He'll be looking for a scapegoat.

It can't be cracked? Are you an idiot?

Use your head.

This is not even a normal case.

How many years since the academy?

Twenty? Have you seen such a thing in 20 years?

Or heard anything like it?

Let me tell you,

it may not have been committed by a human.

Now you've gone too far.

Today I stand in the position of your friend,

although being your friend sure as hell isn't easy

I still must tell you

you are facing a hopeless chess game.

The best way is to give up,

and save your own skin.

[IN ENGLISH] You mean

she hasn't spoken in two years?

Not one word?

Nothing. Ever since the incident.

You're talking about the...

The abduction?

[DOOR CLOSES]

I'm sorry. It's okay.

[IN MANDARIN] What's going on?

[IN MANDARIN] Don't lose it again. Each copy costs $150.

I am busy. When I'm done, I'll complete the application.

You're too busy to sign your name?

I have to make arrangements.

What have you done for the past two years?

I spoke with my parents.

You won't have to be responsible.

HUO-TU: And our daughter?

I'll bring her to Canada. They have specialists there.

She needs help.

She has a whole life ahead of her.

Very well. Thanks for taking the trouble.

Let's go, Mei-mei.

CHING FANG [IN ENGLISH]: It was nice to meet you.

RICHTER: Pleasure was all mine.

And good luck. You will need it.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Bye-bye.

ACADEMIA SINICA

DR. SHENG ZU CHANG, SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY

[IN MANDARIN] Amazing. This talisman is fairly new.

Several years ago,

a Taoist temple was unearthed in Jiao Chi, China

called the True Sage Temple.

Inside, they discovered writing carved into the stone.

Some religious implements and talismanic relics.

These are the photographs.

[♪♪♪]

[TYPING AND BEEPING]

This way, please.

[♪♪♪]

TRUE SAGE TEMPLE

Do you understand?

The talisman on the foreigner's body

is the same as those discovered a few years ago.

HUO-TU: What does the talisman represent?

MAN: Gou Di. HUO-TU: Gou Di?

MAN: A summons to the underworld.

A death curse from the king of hell.

[♪♪♪]

[ALL CHANTING IN MANDARIN]

FRIGID HELL

TONGUE-REMOVAL HELL

DISEMBOWELMENT HELL

HEART-EXTRACTING HELL

[GASPING]

And the stone carvings...

MAN: It is all in code. We don't know what they mean.

We can't make out the text. It's a complete puzzle.

This is a copy of the same scriptures

in modern characters.

But they still don't make any sense.

What about these diagrams? MAN: They're common.

They're basic Taoist visions.

Taoism believes that through this system,

it's possible to see into the past and future.

It depicts the universe of Taoism.

Mahjong and Chinese chess,

though minor examples,

have also evolved from these diagrams.

[CHESSBOARD BEEPING]

[FLIPPING THROUGH PAPERS]

[♪♪♪]

Oh.

[IN ENGLISH] I brought the markings.

And if you put it on top of the scripture...

they encircle Chinese characters.

This one, Fu, would mean "Liao Zheng Fu."

And Miao would mean "Chiu Miao-fang."

They happen to be the first two victims.

And this one, Jing,

that one's more abstract.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that

Lorenzo was a Christian pastor.

And when Christianity was first introduced to China long ago,

it was referred to as the Jing religion.

So our guys are using this pattern...

to search out their victims?

Or we could say he's fulfilling a thousand-year-old prophecy.

You see this one?

[IN MANDARIN] "The ones who don't believe in God."

[IN ENGLISH] Which means "the nonbeliever."

And this one is

[IN MANDARIN] "yin and yang."

[IN ENGLISH] All these are from the same diagram.

Next victim could be a Wong.

HUO-TU: If according to this.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

RICHTER: Phil?

Phil? Can we get on with it?

Well...

We're still not sure how to interpret

some of this evidence you sent us.

However, we're sure of one thing.

The mold in the victims' brains isn't mold after all.

It's a hybrid life form.

A bug-born fungus.

It's unlike any variety we've ever seen before.

Look, this is a kind of mite.

And these spores attach themselves.

So you're saying mites carry the fungus to the brain?

Exactly. These insects

seek out the body warmth of living organisms.

They need a host, and they'll find one,

especially in small, contained spaces.

That's why the killer shot the fungus

into the air conditioning units.

It's pretty ingenious, actually.

The mites will enter through the nose

find their way up to the warm brain and embed themselves.

The victim doesn't feel a thing.

But were you able to establish cause of death?

Yes and no.

We did find very high amounts of serotonin

and dopamine in all of the victims' blood.

What's dopamine?

[IN MANDARIN] A naturally occurring chemical.

Same as morphine.

[IN ENGLISH] How much is "very high"?

Are those elements toxic? Not usually.

Just the opposite, in fact.

It's considered to be healing.

Now, the amount that we found in all the victims' blood

is about 50,000 times any previous recorded count.

To secrete this amount,

you'd basically have to do about a metric ton of cocaine,

and then have an orgasm that lasts 40 years long.

What a way to go.

So, uh,

you're saying the dopamine

made the victims feel like they were drowning

or being consumed by fire?

Well, it could. Just like what drugs do to the brain.

But why should they have different hallucinations?

Yeah, why is that?

Do you mean that the killer can control their delusions?

To tell you the truth, we don't know.

None of this has ever really been studied.

WOMAN [IN MANDARIN]: Only $100?

You can't give me two extra? MAN: The boss says no.

When do you get off tonight?

WOMAN: I'll tell if you buy more.

[REVS ENGINE THEN HONKS HORN]

Then give me a Mild Seven. Okay. Wait here.

[HONKS HORN]

Do you need anything else?

[HORN HONKS]

MAN: What is your name? WOMAN: I'm Xiao Ya.

[HONKS HORN]

Shit, what are you honking about?

I'll pick you up later.

[HORN BLARING]

[♪♪♪]

Huo-tu!

HUO-TU: Where to?

Scene of a murder.

This is from two days ago.

The victim is Chen Liang-wang.

His parents committed suicide.

We called his home to check it out.

They said he went to a séance at a Taoist temple.

He felt his parents had hid his inheritance from him.

Do we know which temple?

I called to ask.

There are at least 1000 temples around here.

Li, long time no see! What are you doing here?

We're here to visit you! Stop it!

You are in the media everywhere.

LI: It's a pain in the ass.

They're injured. Gangsters of this neighborhood.

Is there a Chen Liang-wang? He's over there.

What's the situation?

DETECTIVE: A girl saw two bald guys get into an argument over traffic.

People came to watch, and the van couldn't move.

No one saw what actually happened.

LI: The bald guys killed the gangster?

[IN ENGLISH] Looks like we got our fourth victim.

WOMAN [IN MANDARIN]: He took a gun and suddenly there was a loud scream.

I couldn't see what they were doing.

And things got confusing.

A lot of people came over to watch...

Richter.

[♪♪♪]

[IN ENGLISH] You all right with your noodles?

I hope they're not too hot for you.

No. No, they're spicy.

I'm from Texas. I like spicy food.

Oh, yes? Then add more of this. You'll like it.

Thank you.

I've been wondering.

That bag of yours in the car...

Are you religious?

It's not relevant what I am.

We are convinced

that something impure could be lurking anywhere.

Impure?

Evil spirits, ghosts.

The altar or the red bag are for peace and prosperity.

And most people believe in them.

You still haven't answered the question.

Do you believe in them?

We just don't understand

why you can't see all the evil in your country.

We see it.

And we manage to lock it up once in a while.

That's impossible.

Look, I rely on science.

Not talismans, not good-luck charms.

Your so-called scientific methods

are only useful when dealing with mortals like ourselves.

There are beings that cannot be controlled by our laws.

What are you saying?

Are you saying that the killer is an evil spirit?

Or some kind of...

I don't know, something from another world, is that it?

What's wrong with you, Mr. Richter?

All your years in the FBI,

you have never encountered a demon before?

I'm beginning to see why you have such a hard time

fitting in with your fellow police officers.

You're going to profile me?

I am a suspect now?

[STARTS ENGINE]

Now, I may be a foreigner

but there are some things that are universal.

What you are doing to your family,

and yourself, I've seen it before.

You gave me some advice when I first got here.

I'm going to return the favor. You're a brave man.

You could be a great police officer.

You exposed major corruption. That took courage.

Courage? That's right. Courage.

And that's in any language.

Now you're just...

You're torturing yourself.

There's not too many men who could have done what you did.

You let your colleagues treat you like a joke.

You welcome it.

You hide out in that little office,

you let your marriage go to shit.

[ENGINE STARTS]

I've never fired a single shot since I joined the force.

And I've never been under fire.

But my daughter did

by my own wife's cousin.

And I just did nothing. I did nothing to stop it.

MEI-MEI [IN MANDARIN]: Daddy! Don't come over!

Put the gun down. Put the gun down!

HUO-TU: Yuan! LI: Put your gun down.

Put it down!

I've been sentenced to 15 years!

Daddy. Mei-mei!

I gave my life to the police force for 15 years in jail?

Yuan, don't do that.

She is your own niece!

We can appeal!

We can still appeal!

Daddy. It's useless.

So what if I took the money?

CHI: Think clearly about it.

Huo-tu. Are you really so clean?

You can't bear to see someone have a better life?

Daddy!

Your daddy forced me to do this.

No!

[♪♪♪]

HUO-TU [IN ENGLISH]: His aim was off. The bullet grazed her.

The doctor said this girl was unharmed

and she's going to be fine.

But he was wrong.

Like you, he thought only of science.

You asked what I believe in.

I believe that she saw something evil that day.

And ever since,

she's been unable to speak again.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[RINGS BUZZER]

WOMAN [IN MANDARIN ON INTERCOM]: Who is it?

[IN MANDARIN] My name is Huang. I'm looking for Dr. Sheng.

Do you know what time it is? Dr. Sheng has gone to bed.

I'm sorry. I am a police officer. This is urgent.

This guy wants to attain immortality.

Why didn't you show me this before?

Attain immortality?

One branch of Taoism theorized there are five kinds of hell.

There is frigid hell,

fire hell, disembowelment hell, heart-extraction hell,

and tongue-removal hell.

After passing through these five hells,

you attain immortality in the sixth level.

How to pass through the five tortures

is something people cannot imagine.

So the murderer killed in order to attain

immortality?

According to history,

there was a Wong Shang during the Sung Dynasty

who is worshiped in Hong Kong's Wong Tai Sin Temple.

Before he attained immortality, he killed many half-humans.

These half-humans are people who had committed sins,

and are neither human nor ghost.

He must have used that theory to send those man-ghosts to hell

so he could attain sainthood.

These four victims

are presumably all morally corrupt.

It's said that Wong Shang

could write talismans and perform rituals.

He had double pupils, which enabled him

to see a thousand miles by day and look at spirits by night.

Double pupils?

Yes. Double pupils means

that this person has two pupils

in one eye.

Only with two pupils can one locate half-humans.

From looking at his methods,

your murderer is quite something.

He must have been gravely ill

to be able to distill this kind of potion.

Why must he be gravely ill? According to Taoism,

grave illness is essential for attaining immortality.

Only in grave illness

can a person experience real awakening.

Dr. Shang, I found some words.

Yin and yang. Do you know what that means?

According to the lunar diagram

these "Chi" represent from May to July,

they also represent fire, Huo, and earth, Tu.

[♪♪♪]

[CELLULAR PHONE RINGS]

Excuse me. Hello?

[IN ENGLISH] Hello? Where are you?

RICHTER: In a cyber cafe with a bunch of teenagers, surfing the Web.

You know that Styrofoam we found inside the killer's van?

It's a type of Styrofoam used to prevent static electricity.

And the windows were covered with a special material.

A heat-isolating layer shuts out ultraviolet rays.

Now, in the U.S.,

both these are used in delivery vans

for integrated-circuit units.

All our evidence points to suspects

with a high-tech industry background.

We're not looking for delivery men.

These guys are highly placed.

[HANGS UP]

[IN MANDARIN] Dr. Sheng.

Excuse me for asking.

Do you believe in this "attaining immortality"?

If I told you yes, you would immediately

doubt my authority.

Officer Huang, if you ask me

whether I believe in Taoist immortals,

or in aliens...

I would not choose aliens.

MAN: This delivery van belongs to Cutting Edge.

HSINCHU SCIENCE PARK ADMINISTRATION

It no longer exists. HUO-TU: What does that mean?

Cutting Edge was an IC design company

owned by two guys who got their Ph.D.'s from America.

They made a lot of money.

But they got caught up in religion.

In the end, they sold the company for $2 billion.

And the two went off to become monks.

Do you have any data on them?

It's printing. These people are really fanatical.

They spent a lot of money to ship a temple

from mainland China. The whole thing.

A historical relic.

They took the temple down, piece by piece,

then put it back together. How crazy.

Where is it?

[♪♪♪]

[KNOCKING]

Open up.

Open up! Police business!

Christ! How'd they fit this temple in there?

[♪♪♪]

[FLY BUZZING]

Which one of you is Lin Tao-sheng?

And Huang Yi-feng?

Lin Tao-sheng.

Huang Yi-feng.

You are the people in charge here?

MAN: We don't have anyone in charge.

Bullshit! You didn't register for a license?

[SPEAKS MANDARIN]

What are these?

Take them all away.

MAN: Bring them. Move it.

Be cooperative.

You've violated arms-control laws.

Hurry! Move it!

Take them away!

What is this temple?

Did you register it?

What is inside there?

MAN: Out of the way.

[ALL SCREAMING]

[♪♪♪]

[GUNSHOTS]

MAN [ON RADIO]: Officer down! Help!

Send backup now!

Hurry up!

[♪♪♪]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[POUNDING]

Break the lock!

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪♪]

REPORTER 1: This is Li Yun-chan at the scene of the massacre

that took place inside the Central World Building.

Nine officers and 24 members of the True Sage cult

are listed as dead.

It has been confirmed that Huang Yi-feng was killed.

REPORTER 3 [IN ENGLISH]: The members of this cult are from various social background,

among them, college professors, doctors,

legislators, police officers and even politicians.

Acting on new information, police raided 50...

[OVERLAPPING QUESTIONS]

[♪♪♪]

[AIR WHISTLING]

[IN MANDARIN] Officer Huang, the foreigner inside wants to see you.

[IN ENGLISH] What's happened?

I found something.

[HOLLOW ECHO]

[IN MANDARIN] Come help.

Pull!

[IN ENGLISH] What the hell?

[♪♪♪]

She needs an ambulance!

[IN MANDARIN] Stretcher!

Emergency! Hurry!

Out of the way!

REPORTER 1 [IN ENGLISH]: Agent Richter! Agent Richter! Agent Richter!

REPORTER 2: Can you give your personal view

on the rather strange aspect of murders?

My personal view is unimportant. Get your goddamn cable off me!

There's been talk

of supernatural aspects to these crimes.

That the killer's motive was to attain immortality.

Well, then they definitely failed.

REPORTER 3: But some of the officers handling the case

have either seen or experienced supernatural phenomena.

Can you comment on that?

[IN MANDARIN] Hey! How is--?

Your captain, how is he?

Got some 30 stitches. You could even see his ribs.

I'll go see him.

He's under sedation. The doctors want him to rest.

And the girl?

Her condition isn't critical. She was already ill anyway.

[CELLULAR PHONE RINGS]

What do you mean she was ill?

"Hsieh Ya-li.

"Benign brain tumor exerts pressure

"on her pituitary gland and optic chiasma and expands

to both sides of the forehead. Condition deemed inoperable."

How about the injury on her belly?

The skin on her belly had been peeled off

and was used to cultivate--

What's it called? A bug-born fungus.

The bureau has notified me that Lin Tao-sheng

has confessed to the murders.

Case closed.

[MONITOR BEEPING]

[BANDS PLAYING]

[IN ENGLISH] Where do you want to eat tonight?

It's my treat. No. No, it's mine.

Those noodles of yours almost killed me last time.

Since it's my last night here,

I thought we'd do something more appropriate.

Got some directions here.

Uh...

Yeah. Take a left here at this next street. Yeah.

And--?

And then, uh, you...

take a right up here at this next light. I think.

It's the one after.

Oh.

Okay.

You take it from here.

Hey, you are late. Hi.

Dinner is ready. Oh, good, I'm starving.

Welcome, welcome. Thank you.

Hi. Welcome home.

So you are not interested in staying

one or two days more as a tourist?

You will remember us only for death.

Actually, the true beauty of the island

is on the East Coast.

Like Su-ao, a little fishing village.

Huang was born there. Very pretty.

RICHTER: Well, it sounds nice, but...

To be perfectly honest with you,

I'm a little homesick.

Been a long time, the job's done and...

Well, you know what?

I got a week's vacation coming up at Christmas,

and maybe you two will have me back.

Show me around. Sure.

If it's not too cold.

Compared with the States, we never get too cold.

Then it's a date.

Here's to Huo-tu's wife.

And to Mei-mei.

And this meal and your gracious hospitality.

[IN MANDARIN] And thank your mother.

[ALL LAUGH]

[IN ENGLISH] What's so funny?

Someone tell me what's so funny.

Mei-mei.

It's my fault.

Somebody tell me what's so funny.

No, I think it's my fault.

RICHTER [ON TV]: ...magic that broke this case.

[IN MANDARIN] Go to sleep.

...work has been especially remarkable.

without his perseverance,

this case never would have been solved.

REPORTER 1: There's no supernatural elements in the case?

It'd be a lot easier for us

if there were demons and evil spirits.

Unfortunately, man is worse

than any figment of our imagination. Excuse me.

REPORTER 2: Agent Richter!

You're good. I am, aren't I?

I give these things dozens of times a year.

Now I am just tired.

I'm tired of-- Tired of pretending.

Everything is...

Everything is under control.

Until the next...

atrocity comes along.

And it will.

More and more, I just want to...

I just want to scream.

I don't want to talk, just scream.

You and your wife, why don't you sleep in the same room?

No. Mei-mei always gets nightmares.

She feels more comfortable when her mom's around.

Don't you miss--?

Hm?

How long has it been since--?

Oh. Oh, hey. Hey. What?

Is there any questions that is

too personal for an American to ask?

Yes, definitely.

But not me. So...

So tell me about your family. Your wife.

My wife? Yeah.

My wife is long gone.

How come you still have your wedding ring on?

You ready for another one?

Yeah. I'll get it. I'll get it.

No, no. I'll get it.

Maybe not.

[♪♪♪]

[TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY]

[TURNS OFF TV]

[SHOWER RUNNING]

[IN MANDARIN] What?

What is it?

[♪♪♪]

HUO-TU [IN ENGLISH]: Kevin.

Time to get up.

Kevin.

You've got a flight to catch.

Hey!

Kevin!

[YELLS]

[♪♪♪]

[MAN SPEAKING ON POLICE RADIO]

[IN MANDARIN] What the hell is going on?

Didn't you sleep here last night?

[IN ENGLISH] --not ask so many questions.

[IN MANDARIN] What the hell are you mumbling about?

[IN ENGLISH] Too much. So many questions.

[IN MANDARIN] There's mold in his nasal cavity.

Like the victims before him.

It looks like he just yanked off his own tongue.

[COUGHS]

How is it possible that he was harmed, but not you?

[♪♪♪]

CHI: Get the doctor, quick!

What are you saying? [IN MANDARIN] Mei-mei...

is talking to me.

Out of the way.

What poison has he taken?

I don't know.

Why is there so much serotonin? Two cc's haloperidol.

IV push.

Tell me, how he is doing?

What happened? Family will wait outside!

CHING FANG: Please tell me how he is.

DOCTOR: He is probably flying through space.

REPORTER [IN ENGLISH]: In Taiwan, less than 24 hours

after being holding a press conference

on the True Sage serial killings,

FBI Special Agent Kevin Richter himself

has been found murdered in a Taipei apartment this morning.

It appears he is the latest victim

in what just yesterday was thought to be a solved case.

Another theory claims that Richter was killed

to complete the fifth path to Taoist immortality.

Richter had publicly claimed

that he did not believe in spirits or demons.

According to Taoism, Richter would therefore be condemned

to the tongue-extracting hell punishment

for the unbeliever.

To understand Richter's death, one has to go...

[IN MANDARIN] ...these "Chi" represent from May to July,

they also represent fire, Huo, and earth, Tu.

The murder is quite something.

He must be gravely ill to be able

to distill a potion like this.

HUO-TU: Why must he be gravely ill?

DR. SHENG: According to Taoism,

grave illness is essential for attaining immortality.

Only in grave illness

can a person experience real awakening.

[♪♪♪]

[FLIES BUZZING]

[♪♪♪]

[SCREAMS]

Where's that girl? Hsieh Ya-li?

I'm a police officer.

She's disappeared. Disappeared?

Just disappeared. Since this afternoon.

Aren't you--? Aren't you the guy--?

EMERGENCY ROOM

[ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]

HUO-TU: Ching Fang.

Central World Building. Are you there?

I don't know what happened.

I am unable to wake up.

The girl who is sick is coming to see me.

She told me that she killed everyone.

She hides in the cave and meditates.

She found me according to the scriptures.

She also said all her disciples are gone now.

But she is not afraid.

She can still be immortal.

It will not be an obstacle.

Ching Fang.

Are you there?

Anyone there?

Hello?

[HANGS UP PHONE]

[DIAL TONE]

[♪♪♪]

[WHISPERING]

[♪♪♪]

Who are you?

What the hell do you want?

Everything has already been destined.

You came to see me off. Come.

[GUNSHOT]

To hell with you!

I am a police officer. You are under arrest.

On your knees. Hands behind your back.

You seem so sad. Do you need me to help you?

Come. Come back to the hospital with me.

Really? Can the hospital help you?

Would you rather have Mei-mei here?

Mei-mei.

Maybe she can help you.

MEI-MEI: Daddy!

Yuan! Don't shoot! Yuan!

Daddy! Your daddy forced me to do this.

HUO-TU: Yuan! Daddy!

[GUNSHOT]

Huo-tu! Have you ever really cared about us?

Have you really needed us?

[SCREAMING]

[SOBBING]

Come on. Shoot me too.

Help me.

I don't believe people can attain immortality.

I am a police officer, Foreign Affairs division.

I am arresting you as a suspect

of serial murders.

[GROANING]

This is not real.

I am...

Huang Huo-tu.

I neglected the lives of my wife and daughter.

And ignored the deaths of my colleagues.

You think I will help you? Come on.

Come on!

Give it to me!

One shot and your heart will stop instantly.

Your body will respond as if you died from a gunshot.

You know when you die, your wife and Mei-mei...

What will their lives be like?

[SOBBING]

So pathetic!

With no one to take care of them.

[♪♪♪]

EMERGENCY ROOM

Hey!

Hey!

Huo-tu. Are you all right?

Where's the girl?

Inside.

Is she badly injured?

The bullet didn't enter. It grazed her skull.

HUO-TU: Did you check her eyes?

Is there anything unusual about them?

Unusual?

Does she have two pupils in one eye?

Come with me.

Seventeen years ago, her mother gave birth here.

She gave birth to twins.

One was stillborn. She was the other.

She was never a happy child. No one to care for her.

They found a tumor in her brain.

She claimed she could see things.

You know what I mean?

She said she could see her sister.

This is not unusual.

Brain-tumor patients react like this.

It's like they're on drugs. Like they're possessed.

It's difficult to explain scientifically.

During her stay here,

she found out about her stillborn twin and changed.

She said her sister was not dead,

but had attained immortality. The double pupils prove this.

[♪♪♪]

You scared me.

Are you all right? I am now.

Where's Mei-mei?

Sleeping. I'll wake her up for dinner.

Sleeping? Is she ill?

[♪♪♪]

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

SIGNED AND EXECUTED

[CHESSBOARD BEEPING]

CHING FANG: Get up! Think you can get away with this?

Can you hear me? Get up!

Ching Fang.

Like father, like daughter! Ching Fang.

I'm telling you to get up!

Huo-tu.

I don't know what to do with her.

Say you're sorry. Apologize.

What are you doing?

[♪♪♪]

I must go.

You will come with me too.

[♪♪♪]

It has all been ordained.

Don't be afraid.

I'm not afraid.

Be brave.

I'm going now.

[SIGHS]

[♪♪♪]

LI: Huo-tu!

Huo-tu!

I want to review the reports

before they go to your superiors.

Where's Huo-tu? Where's Huo-tu?

That's not him!

That's the girl.

He did not suffer.

We gave him CPR for a long time. We did our best.

Wake up.

Wake up.

I know you can hear me.

Wake up. Can you hear me?

He inhaled too much mold bacteria.

His heart couldn't take it.

Wake up. Wake up!

Let him go! No, I have to try!

I know he can hear me!

I will get him back. I will get him back!

Come back!

You can't abandon me and Mei-mei!

Come back!

Come back.

[SOBBING]

Tell your father to wake up.

[HUO-TU HUMMING]

Mommy. Mommy?

What is Daddy laughing at?

CHING FANG: Daddy loves you,

but doesn't know how to tell you,

so all he can do is smile.

MEI-MEI: Daddy.

Daddy.

[♪♪♪]

LI: Look at his eyes.

Paramedics!

Get him to the hospital!

He's crying!

[♪♪♪]

IF YOU HAVE LOVE, YOU WILL NEVER DIE

[♪♪♪]