This chapter's epigraph comes from a conversation between Ming and Ming's sister-in-law, Madame Cai, in which Ming says that he and Madame Cai have been conducting "illegal biological human experiments" and that they have been wanted by the government. Ming has gone so mad by this that he believes that he will soon succeed in his research. He swears to bring Madame Cai back to him. He tells her that he has to tie her up because Ming is capable of killing them if he wants. Madame Cai tells Ming that she is afraid that Ming will kill her after he frees her, but Ming assures her that it is better to be killed by scorpions than by her. She tells him that as long as he is willing to join her team, he will be hers.