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墨書 Inktalez
The campus was vast, occupying a quarter of the entire facility. The main building stood surrounded by walls and clusters of trees and flowers, resembling a paradise. Dr. Bai strolled leisurely, providing an overview. He pointed to the chimney visible above the main gate; that was the kitchen, where meal carts would be pushed out later. He then gestured toward the inpatient building, explaining that three carts would deliver meals from the first to the fourth floor, arriving half an hour early for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. "Don't waste time; if you do, you'll face the consequences."
Young Master Mu felt bitterness rise in his throat. Despite facing countless challenges in life, he had never encountered financial difficulties. There was no way he could handle these tasks; they were meant for caretakers or hourly workers. However, under the roof of this place, he had no choice but to comply. Xiao Mu silently activated his obedient mode, forcing a smile despite his reluctance; his expression suggested eagerness to start working.
"The flowers and plants in the courtyard need tending; someone will notify you," Dr. Bai added.
"Dr. Bai, I'm a patient; you can't expect me to take on multiple roles! What if I don't do well?" Xiao Mu replied tactfully, cursing under his breath.
To his surprise, Dr. Bai seemed unfazed and chuckled, "It's fine; you'll get used to it. It's not as difficult as you think... This is for your own good; otherwise, you'd have to stay in your room all the time during non-activity hours. Would you prefer that?"
"Oh, so working is also a privilege?" Xiao Mu realized suddenly that if he didn't work, he'd be confined.
"Exactly; it's for safety reasons. This is a mental hospital, and we must take necessary precautions with mental patients," Dr. Bai said with a smile.
That smile appeared sinister to Xiao Mu, causing him to shudder involuntarily as he nodded vigorously. "I'll work... Labor is glorious! I want to be a proud mental patient."
"Haha... You're not as bad as I thought; you're quite sensible," Dr. Bai laughed as he led Xiao Mu along. Meanwhile, Xiao Mu inwardly scoffed at the notion of being sensible when faced with bags, electric batons, and cages designed to keep real patients in line—what chance did he stand as an outsider?
As they walked and talked, Xiao Mu occasionally hid behind Dr. Bai, feeling some aversion toward this place. There seemed to be no normal people around; every few steps brought encounters with individuals shouting loudly without regard for others or glaring menacingly as if ready to pounce. There was even a middle-aged woman sunbathing topless and touching herself—she looked decent enough; perhaps she had been a streetwalker before—and she shot Dr. Bai a flirtatious smile.
"Exhibitionism combined with split personality... Don't be scared; she's just showing off," Dr. Bai remarked.
"At least let her put something on! What kind of place is this?" Xiao Mu said as he stepped back, realizing he had made a mistake—this was not a normal environment.
Dr. Bai chuckled again, "It's much better now; when I first arrived here, people liked to run around naked and would pounce on anyone they saw."
Xiao Mu glanced back one last time, feeling a sense of unease. As he turned to leave, he noticed Dr. Bai was watching him too. They exchanged a smile, and Dr. Bai said, "Everyone has their own story, even those with mental illnesses. Your experience here must be the most beautiful one... Do you see that man shouting in despair? He’s the sole survivor of a car accident that took his entire family. When he woke up and realized what had happened, he lost his mind. His thoughts are forever trapped in the moment he witnessed that tragic crash, unable to move forward."
Xiao Mu turned back, casting a sympathetic glance at the middle-aged man who was crying out in anguish. Dr. Bai continued speaking about another patient, "You might think she’s a sex worker, right? Wrong. She’s a diligent civil servant who worked for over twenty years at the crematorium under the Civil Affairs Bureau. She never married and spent her life dealing with corpses as an embalmer, which has led her to this state."
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Xiao Mu quickened his pace, struggling to adapt to this place. To him, it felt like a scene straight out of a horror game, as if he had fallen into a zombie-infested area. In less than fifty meters, he saw people standing stiffly, sitting in dazed silence, crouching in the grass with their backsides sticking up, and others flailing about on all fours while laughing foolishly. Each person seemed to embody their own unique madness; it was hard to imagine how creativity could manifest in such insanity.
Dr. Bai explained that the man standing there muttering to himself used to be a department head who went mad shortly after leaving the Disciplinary Committee. Every day he stood there reporting how much he had embezzled and how many mistresses he had kept. As for those sitting in silence, their stories were varied—some faced family tragedies, others financial ruin or failed relationships; some dealt with ungrateful children. When misfortune reaches a person's breaking point, it often leads to such mental breakdowns.
Suddenly, an elderly man with white hair rushed up and blocked their path. It was the eccentric old man who always carried a book around for learning purposes. Dr. Bai and Aidi asked, "Old Bu, what situation do you want to report?"
"I’ve noticed that the food served in our cafeteria is getting worse and worse. You should check if there’s any corruption or misappropriation going on. Where is our funding going?" The old man questioned sternly.
"Alright, I will look into it immediately," Dr. Bai replied seriously.
"And as a leader, you cannot brush off issues raised by the masses! I’ve brought this up many times before; we can’t have 'The Moon Represents My Heart' playing over the loudspeaker—that really dampens a party member's spirit!" Old Bu shouted earnestly.
Xiao Mu couldn’t help but chuckle at this and chimed in, "Yes, I agree with this comrade! We should play the International Anthem instead."
Not satisfied with just that, Xiao Mu proudly sang a couple of lines from the English version of the anthem. His voice was deep and resonant, filled with passion and intensity—no wonder he often frequented karaoke bars. Old Bu was moved to tears instantly; he trembled with excitement and grasped Xiao Mu's hand tightly, asking emotionally, "You... you must be sent by the organization! I knew it! One day the higher-ups will punish these troublemakers... I want to report them by name! Even if it costs me everything!"
This sudden fervor startled Xiao Mu; it was difficult to escape from the old man's strong grip. He looked helplessly at Dr. Bai for assistance. Fortunately, Dr. Bai knew how to handle the situation and solemnly told Old Bu, "Old Bu, an investigation by the organization is already underway in secret; you must not leak any information... Quickly now, go back to your room and wait; someone from the organization will come to speak with you tonight."
"Ah... I understand... I know; I will keep it a secret." Old Bu wiped his tears away and bowed repeatedly to Xiao Mu before sneaking off toward his ward like a thief.
Xiao Mu was left speechless for a long time, curiosity getting the better of him as he asked, "What's his name? Old Bu? Is that even a surname?"
"Old Bolshevik, you know, an old petitioner. He knows civil law better than most lawyers... I’m not sure what he was petitioning about, but I do know he spent fifteen years doing it," Dr. Bai replied.
"Then how did he end up here?" Xiao Mu inquired.
"He was sent to a mental hospital more than once, but ultimately he won his case. However, after fifteen years, his family was shattered. Old Bu was filled with mixed emotions; after winning, he truly went mad overnight," Dr. Bai said, his tone laced with endless sympathy. He noticed that Xiao Mu seemed affected by this and took the opportunity to add, "Faith is a strange thing; it’s stronger than thought and memory. You might not know where it hides in your body, but when it erupts, it’s quite astonishing... Can you see it? The old man is seventy, yet this faith supports all his bodily functions better than those of a forty-year-old."
"Too bad he's gone mad," Xiao Mu remarked.
"Yes, precisely because he has gone mad; that is the essence of humanity... There's a famous saying: genius and madness are only a step apart. If a normal person can push themselves into a state of madness, they can accomplish anything with half the effort," Dr. Bai explained.
Xiao Mu suddenly understood and whispered, "Are you trying to educate me? How much red envelope money did my dad give you... How about this: let me out and I’ll double it for you."
Ah, this one is still clear-headed; he's not mad. Dr. Bai felt a pang of disappointment as Xiao Mu's mercenary expression irritated him. He shook his head and said, "I'm telling you how geniuses come about; you could be one too."
"Useless. I'm just a good-for-nothing; aside from eating, playing, and chasing girls, I really can't do anything else. Don’t talk to me about faith; I wish I had some—otherwise I'd end up like that mad old man," Xiao Mu replied.
This was undoubtedly heartfelt, leaving Dr. Bai momentarily speechless. He looked at the lazy fellow before him and couldn't think of any way to provoke him further until suddenly an idea struck him. He countered with a question: "You actually look down on these mad geniuses, don’t you?"
"I see a bunch of lunatics; where are the geniuses?" Xiao Mu scoffed. If there were geniuses here, surely he would be one of them.
"Come with me; there really is such a genius... He was diagnosed as insane ten years ago but has managed to earn millions over the years just by talking. Do you believe that?" Dr. Bai said.
"That’s impossible!" Xiao Mu exclaimed in disbelief.
"Seeing is believing. Come, let me introduce you to the genius of our institute, Professor Lu," Dr. Bai said as he led Xiao Mu towards the back of the building.
Behind the building was a small flowerbed, partially concealed by a rockery. It was easy to miss this little haven if one wasn't paying attention. As they approached, Mulin Shen was astonished to find that it was actually a lecture taking place. There were seven or eight people in attendance, and the speaker, dressed sharply in tailored trousers and a pristine white shirt, appeared energetic and composed. His hair was gray, but it only added to his dignified presence; it was hard to tell whether he was in his forties or fifties—or perhaps he didn't look that old at all. The way he spoke passionately, gesturing animatedly, and exuding an air of profound knowledge made it impossible to believe he could be... insane.
"All you need to do is invest 3,800 yuan, and you can obtain a position in chain sales. Then you develop three people, who each develop three more—it's geometric growth. By the time you exit, you could earn 112,000 yuan... Our partner company is Hong Kong Green Rhythm. They have a fair and reasonable five-level three-stage system. As the name suggests: five levels and three promotion stages, simply represented by the letters e, d, c, b, and a—these stand for Intern Salesperson, Sales Team Leader, Sales Officer, Sales Manager, and Senior Salesperson. But how are these levels determined?"
As the professor became animated in his explanation, he drew diagrams of multiplication on the blackboard.
Xiao Mu suddenly understood and said to Dr. Bai, "This is a Pyramid Scheme."
"Who could argue otherwise? But this person would go crazy if he didn't lecture for ten hours straight every day," Dr. Bai chuckled. Xiao Mu felt uneasy about this situation; he pointed out, "So you provide him with teaching tools? Wow, there's even chalk? And he's developing downlines?"
"There’s no choice; if we don’t provide for him, he’ll talk non-stop in the medical area all day long until he drives the doctors mad... It's strange; several people with autism, anxiety disorders, or cognitive impairments seem to have no trouble understanding him and actually enjoy attending his lectures," Dr. Bai explained.
Developing several mental patients as downlines? How could that even work?
In disbelief, Xiao Mu looked again at Professor Lu's spirited demeanor—there was not a hint of madness about him. He exclaimed, "Wow, he really is a genius... But what good is this genius if he's stuck here? What's the point of making money?"
"Money is just one pursuit; not everyone seeks wealth... As long as he's out there, there will always be Pyramid Schemes willing to pay him handsomely to teach. Given enough time, he could turn everyone into his downline..." Dr. Bai laughed.
This mad genius had been arrested several times without being convicted; ultimately deemed a mental patient, he could only teach here.
"...When you personally sell 1-2 products for the company, you are an Intern Salesperson. When you and your subordinates collectively sell 3-9 products for the company—over 64 products—you become a Sales Manager... Does anyone find this difficult? Let me explain it intuitively: with the difference of de, you can earn 735 yuan; with the difference of cd, you can earn 3,920 yuan. In other words, when your left and right arms develop into 16 people each, you can start making profits. However, personally you might only develop two or three individuals... In short, you're just sitting here waiting for others to make money for you—doesn't that sound fun?"
Fun? A group of mental patients applauded enthusiastically.
It must be admitted that the professor was quite charismatic, leading the crowd in a series of slogans.
One after another, he had tried various ventures, yet none bore fruit.
Year after year, he returned home empty-handed.
In any case, if you want to escape a life of poverty, then follow me. As for my direct sales, they are beloved by all, blooming like flowers and set to spread across all five continents.
He concluded with a grand statement: "An automatic money-making machine is just that impressive!"
His words were accompanied by animated gestures, creating an enthusiastic atmosphere filled with excitement. Then he delved into an analysis of the money-making model, its vast potential. Mulin Shen clearly observed that those who seemed mentally unstable were captivated by Professor Lu's words, gazing at him in admiration, even if they understood little of what he said.
"I say, Dr. Bai, this is child's play," Mulin Shen remarked, unsure of Dr. Bai's intentions.
"Isn't it? Pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes are both the simplest forms of deception. Yet many fall for them. You see, a simple lie can be transformed into countless enticing speeches," Dr. Bai replied, tilting his head to emphasize his point. "Be careful not to let him brainwash you."
Hahaha... Xiao Mu laughed heartily. With the number of scoundrels and talents he had encountered in his travels, there was no way he could be swayed by such childish brainwashing. Besides, this kind of trickery was familiar to everyone; it was merely a ploy to fool migrant workers and elementary school graduates.
Unexpectedly, his laughter disrupted the atmosphere. Everyone turned to look at him as the professor smiled and said, "Laughing so heartily during class is almost as rare as a blooming iron tree... May I ask your name, new friend?"
"My name is Lin Musheng; I'm a chef," Xiao Mu replied casually before covering his mouth in shock and shooting Dr. Bai a glare.
Damn it! If he wasn't careful, that slip would just come out. Young Master Mu knew full well that while he was unconscious, someone had reinforced this chef identity in his mind.
"Oh, a chef—the engineer of human digestion! Everyone give him a warm welcome!" Professor Lu led the applause. The crowd responded with enthusiasm, clapping vigorously with genuine warmth and eagerness that made Xiao Mu feel quite embarrassed.
“Come, come, come! Take the lead and be in charge of your own destiny. I’ll help you analyze it for a hundred percent success... This is a revolutionary wealth creation model, the shocking secret to riches in the industry... I can see you’re troubled, feeling helpless, not knowing where the ship of fate will take you... Join our big family! We are friends and relatives, willing to do anything to help you... Isn’t that right?” Professor Lu said enthusiastically, pulling Xiao Mu along.
A group of mentally unstable individuals shouted in unison, “Yes!”
Oh my, Xiao Mu felt a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiasm. He had never received such treatment before, but he remained clear-headed. Just as Professor Lu was about to find a seat, Xiao Mu said, “This is a Pyramid Scheme; I’m not interested.”
“Not saying it isn’t. Existence is reasonable,” Professor Lu replied.
“But a Pyramid Scheme isn’t what you’re claiming it to be. It’s nothing more than a money-swindling lie,” Xiao Mu retorted, turning to leave.
“Wait! Let me hear you out... I enjoy lies. If you can convince me, I’ll seriously learn from you... Everyone, let’s welcome Instructor Lin to give us a lecture...” Professor Lu clapped again, and the group of mentally unstable individuals seemed completely bewitched by him, clapping along.
“I’ll only mention two points. The first is a reality: don’t count how much money you’ve made; consider how many people haven’t made any money. From the second stage onward, after reaching level D, there are four people who won’t get any money; at stage four, there are thirty people who won’t get any money; and by stage B-C, it gets even worse—there are 349 people who won’t get any money. This means that the wealth in your hands hasn’t increased at all. The so-called nurturing rewards are merely a process of members cannibalizing each other; money flows from the bottom up to the top... Like all scam models, only those at the top of the food chain can make money.”
Concise and straightforward, even Professor Lu was taken aback. Xiao Mu intuitively pointed out from his listed numbers that A Group had many people who wouldn’t earn anything. As the team grew larger, this number became increasingly significant—clearly indicating that those at the bottom were contributing to those at the top.
“The second point is a story: A turtle climbs a mountain that is one hundred meters high. On the first day, it climbs fifty meters; thereafter, it climbs half of what it climbed the previous day. When will the turtle reach the top of the mountain?”
Xiao Mu asked with a slight mischievous smile on his handsome face. Professor Lu frowned even deeper as he looked at the mental patients who glanced between him and Xiao Mu, each appearing confused and uncertain. In this brief moment, they seemed to start doubting.
“It’s simple; this isn’t a theory of multiplication. The goal of a Pyramid Scheme targets friends and family. No matter who they are, there’s no guarantee of a hundred percent success rate. So if we calculate it like this: one person brings in seven; if one leaves, that’s seven minus one; then thirty-six minus seven... As this continues to decrease, it will trigger a series of market collapses—just like the turtle climbing the mountain; your speed will slow down more and more until you can never reach the top... This is also why Pyramid Schemes relentlessly expand their base of recruits—because there’s no management, no profit, no appreciation in value; they can only rely on increasing headcount... And those who join are just turtles that will never reach the top...”
Xiao Mu explained while marking down densely packed multiplication points. He could clearly see that even with a ninety percent success rate for recruiting people, it would severely shrink at position B and would never reach position A.
“Did you all hear what he said clearly?” Professor Lu suddenly stood up and angrily exclaimed to his audience with heartfelt distress: “He... pretentious and self-righteous... dares to say you are turtles... Are you turtles? Can we tolerate such insults to our dignity and great cause?”
"Can't!" a chorus of voices shouted in unison, and without warning, they pounced on Xiao Mu. People piled on top of each other, and in an instant, Xiao Mu was trapped at the bottom. Some were tugging at his legs, others pulling his arms, and one particularly aggressive individual even bit his leg.
Dr. Bai chuckled lightly before blowing the whistle around his neck. A group of doctors and nurses rushed over, pulling and tugging until they finally managed to separate the crowd. They dragged the battered Xiao Mu away, while Professor Lu continued the lecture as if nothing had happened. A group of people clapped their hands and chanted slogans:
"One trick after another, each one with a new twist."
"Suffered loss after loss, each loss brings new insights."
The voices of the Pyramid Scheme group grew fainter as Xiao Mu sat by the flowerbed, his mouth crooked, face bruised, chin bleeding, and his whole body aching. He stared in disbelief at Dr. Bai and angrily asked, "Is this for real? Don't tell me they have violent tendencies."
"Not everything can be reasoned with; this is a crazy world. Ignoring medical advice and acting on your own will lead to trouble," Dr. Bai replied with a smile. A nurse approached with disinfectant to clean him up. The doctor added cheerfully, "You've learned quite a bit today; that's enough for now. It's almost noon; time to get to work."
"F*** your whole family... you bunch of lunatics," Xiao Mu muttered in frustration, tears almost spilling from his eyes. Rarely one to curse, he silently hurled his most venomous curses at Dr. Bai's retreating figure...
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