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墨書 Inktalez
From the Rain-Shattered Sorrow City of Jiangnan, Ye Tianshu found himself back in the Northern Region, where the mountains stood tall against a blue sky.
The Weinan Psychiatric Specialty Hospital, nestled beside the green hills, was as busy as ever. After more than ten days away, Ye Tianshu returned with a sense of profound reflection.
During the day, everything felt clearer than at night. Stepping out of the inpatient building, he was greeted by a courtyard filled with patients in checkered hospital gowns. Their faces displayed a range of emotions—joy, anger, sorrow—and they engaged in various actions: standing, lying down, sitting, running. Men and women of all ages were present, all stripped of their humanity, reduced to mere animal instincts.
"So far, no family members or others have visited Lu Hongbo," Dr. Bai Shuangxi reported to Ye Tianshu.
"Our medical team has conducted three consultations on him and has basically confirmed an initial diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. These symptoms are likely related to his long-term involvement in Pyramid Schemes and Closed Environments. We are currently discussing targeted treatment plans... However, expectations should not be too high. He has been in this line of work for nearly twenty years; that kind of split personality is deeply ingrained in him."
Ye Tianshu paused abruptly, casting a doubtful glance at Dr. Bai. "Doctor Bai, I don't understand this fully. Is there any possibility that this person..."
"You mean pretending to be mentally ill to evade prosecution?" Dr. Bai asked with a smile.
"Yes, we encounter similar cases quite often in our line of work," Ye Tianshu replied.
Dr. Bai chuckled lightly and said, "Come with me to see. The uniqueness of Pyramid Schemes lies in their manipulation of human will through Brainwashing techniques. It's not just the members who undergo Brainwashing; the organizers also need to brainwash themselves. Lu Hongbo has been doing this for nearly twenty years; it would be difficult for him to even think of becoming a normal person again."
Leading Ye Tianshu to the back of the building, Ye Tianshu's eyes widened in surprise. The Cult Leader being closely monitored here was passionately explaining how one could earn a monthly salary of one hundred thousand by investing three thousand eight hundred dollars based on market multiplication principles. His expression was fervent and spirited; his gestures were confident and carefree. If he weren't in a Mental Hospital, one might mistake him for a distinguished professor with numerous publications.
There were followers everywhere—even here. Sitting before him were seven or eight patients in hospital gowns, attentively listening to his teachings.
"Ah? Is he really this far gone?" Ye Tianshu was taken aback. When they had apprehended him at a Pyramid Scheme hideout, it seemed he was just a mentally ill person brainwashing normal individuals, turning them into replicas of himself.
Dr. Bai smiled and said, "This is his normal behavior. He is at the level of Chief Lecturer; promoting these ideas has become part of his life. The environment does not affect him—no matter where you confine him, he will behave like this."
Indeed, among those who could not be repatriated, most were like this—sent to the Mental Hospital yet still spouting phrases about making money, multiplying wealth, striving for change in life; they had lost all perception of the external world.
With a heavy heart, Ye Tianshu turned to leave. Dr. Bai escorted him out through the security gate. As they parted ways, Ye Tianshu noticed a muddy ambulance parked outside and his instincts as a police officer kicked in. He pointed at the vehicle and remarked, "That has an out-of-province license plate; why hasn't this appeared in the logs?"
"Oh, we often have patients sent from other provinces here. One just arrived this morning," Dr. Bai said.
"We mustn't have any accidents," Ye Tianshu warned.
"Ha ha, don't worry. Even if we open the door wide, they wouldn't find their way out," Dr. Bai chuckled.
Ye Tianshu was well aware of the security measures in place and chose not to say anything further. He got into the police car and left in a hurry. Director Fan had instructed that the origin of the Pyramid Scheme began here, and until now, it still lingered without making any progress.
Once the people had left, Dr. Bai returned to his office. He turned on his computer and connected to the room of the patient who had been delivered that morning. On the screen, a serene young man was sleeping:
His surname was Mu, and his name was Mulin Shen.
Now he was given a new identity: surname Lin, name Lin Musheng.
This change was made through hypnosis that influenced his subconscious, implemented all along to transform him into another person. In his hand was a document signed by the family members; he understood the intricacies of it all and now eagerly awaited the results...
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Mulin Shen had a long dream, where over twenty years of memories seemed to condense into one dream. In this dream, he saw his beloved mother, his father who always looked at him with disdain, and those foolish friends from Binhai who would fight together, steal together, and sneak into school restrooms to learn how to smoke—only to be caught by their homeroom teacher and stand in a row on the playground with their heads hung low under the sun.
Strangely enough, distant memories were vividly clear while recent ones grew increasingly vague. It felt as though he had fallen asleep in terror, as if some dream demon was entangling him, causing him to toss and turn restlessly. He opened his eyes in a half-awake state only to close them again. Faintly, he felt a sharp pain in his head; for someone who rarely overexerted their brain, this sensation was quite clear—like someone had yanked at his brain or opened up his skull to stuff something inside.
It was hard to articulate; everything unfolded vaguely like a strange dream. He often recalled scenes from his childhood in the kitchen—those were his happiest days—as if he were reliving them vividly once more.
Mulin Shen couldn't tell how long this dream lasted. Eventually, his eyes snapped open like he had been electrocuted, and in an instant, he felt incredibly awake—not just awake but also refreshed.
Mu Shao, who had always indulged in wine and women, had never rested so well before; this overwhelming comfort felt somewhat foreign to him. Suddenly sitting up too quickly caused him to lose balance and—thud—he fell off the bed.
"I didn't drink that much; why am I so clumsy?" he cursed himself as he straightened up. But then he froze in shock—how could this be? He had fallen from a single bed just a few feet high. Looking down, he gasped—what? How could I be wearing a blue striped patient uniform? Raising his gaze again... what? How could it be that the window was barred from the inside like a prison?
Sss... Have I been kidnapped?
He quickly checked his body, relieved to find that his kidneys were intact.
Feeling further down, he confirmed that the most important parts below the kidneys were still there.
Wait... This isn't a kidnapping? Where did I pass out from drinking too much?
No, wait, where am I? The conditions here are terrible.
Oh... The door is made of iron? What on earth is going on?
He slowly walked around in shock. Iron bars, iron doors, walls reinforced with rubber elasticity, a table embedded in the concrete floor, and even the toilet was a simple fixture cemented in place. The craftsmanship was so meticulous that he couldn't find a single flaw. Even the bed was welded to the wall. He jumped onto the bed to look outside but could only see lush green trees and rolling mountains in an unfamiliar environment.
I’ll bite... He bit into his own arm. It hurt a lot, confirming that he wasn't dreaming. He anxiously sat on the bed, closed his eyes, and thought hard, trying to recall fragments of memories about fun times, Ruhua, and a girl named Huan Huan... What was the other one's name again? Then, it seemed he had encountered some robbers, and after that, his memory went blank.
Ah... He suddenly shouted and rushed to bang on the door.
Nervous and anxious, almost frantic, he even checked his body again to ensure all his organs were still there before continuing to pound on the door, screaming at the top of his lungs for help... "Someone! Help me... Someone! Help me..."
Bang! A window on the door opened, revealing a face with large pores and acne on the nose, like a monster appearing out of thin air. Startled, Mulin Shen screamed and stepped back. The person shouted, "What are you yelling about? It's not even mealtime yet."
"Hey, wait! Big brother, where is this place? A prison?" Mulin Shen asked in terror.
"A prison with such good conditions? You get a private room here," the person yelled back.
Not a prison—he felt relieved—but the question remained unanswered. Mulin Shen pressed on, "So what exactly is this place? You still haven't told me!"
"It's a hospital, where else could it be?" the person replied.
"Who are you trying to fool? Can a hospital lock people up with steel bars and iron doors?" Mulin Shen's remaining arrogance as a young master instinctively resurfaced.
The response was direct. Bang, the window slammed shut. They couldn't be bothered to answer.
I... damn it... Mulin Shen rushed forward, knocking and kicking at the door. Suddenly, he kicked his toe and winced in pain, sitting down on the ground. His physical strength was utterly useless, so he started thinking. He looked around the room and, just as he suspected, there was a surveillance camera above the front door. After a few seconds, Mulin Shen came up with a plan. He took off his pants and wrapped them around the steel bars of the window, looping it around and sticking his neck through. Then he hung there... ah, his tongue was out.
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Outside the iron protection of the building, in the medical area, a bespectacled doctor was on the phone, saying:
“Dr. Feng, it’s not very effective; the patient woke up very calmly, speaking logically without any confusion… Yes, just woke up; surprisingly, he sat quietly for a few minutes before calling out…”
While he was on the phone, a nurse shouted, “Dr. Bai, patient 7452 is attempting suicide.”
“Ah? Let’s go.” Dr. Bai hung up the phone and called for two prepared attendants as they hurried toward room 7452. The two doctors moved swiftly; one unlocked the door while the other held a defibrillator, testing it with a few sparks.
With a bang, the door opened, leaving the doctors stunned. The patient was hanging there with his tongue out and eyes wide open like someone who had hanged themselves. He made a face and then grinned as he poked his head out; only then did they realize he was just pretending—his feet were resting on the iron frame of the steel bed.
Now that they had arrived, he wasn’t in a hurry anymore. He leisurely put on his loose pants and curiously looked at these strangers.
“Hey, looks like you’re having fun; come down now,” Dr. Bai waved.
“Wait? Is this really a hospital?” Mulin Shen was bewildered.
“Of course it’s a hospital; what did you think it was?” the doctor replied.
“I thought it was a hideout… Huh? How did I end up here? Your accents are so strange,” Mulin Shen said as he pulled up his pants, warily eyeing the three strangers.
“Your accent is pretty strange too… Come on, kid; let’s take a walk; moving around will help your recovery,” Dr. Bai said.
“What recovery do I need? I refuse to move,” Young Master Mu's rebellious spirit flared up.
This time, no one was going to accommodate him. A man and a woman, both nurses, approached him—one with a masculine appearance and the other with a bear-like physique. They each grabbed one of his arms and dragged Young Master Mu out of the ward. Young Master Mu was truly terrified this time; he shouted, struggled, and kicked wildly, "Let go of me... Ah, murder! Help!"
Once they exited the corridor and passed through the iron gate into the hall, suddenly a woman in a hospital gown rushed towards Mulin Shen. She wasn't there to help him; instead, she screamed even more pitifully than he had, "Let go of me... Ah, murder! Help!"
Her expression and tone were identical to his—blank yet frantic—which left Mulin Shen momentarily speechless.
Another nurse rushed over and pulled the middle-aged woman away. Dr. Bai turned back to glance at the frightened Young Master Mu, who had fallen silent in terror, and smiled, "Do you understand what kind of place this is now?"
"Crazy people! You’re all insane!" Mulin Shen exclaimed in fear.
"Oh, so you do understand. This is where the mad people stay—Weinan Psychiatric Hospital. Come on out," Dr. Bai said with a smile. He looked at the stunned young master and felt no surprise; even the most unruly young master would have to be tamed here. He thought that this method of treating spoiled behavior was indeed hitting the nail on the head...
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