Madness of the Heart

Han Province, Lanshui Township.

A few days ago, it was time for the sausages to be smoked, but there were regulations in the village that it was not allowed to smoke in their own yard, and they could only smoke collectively in the open area in the west of the village. Every household has sausages and bacon to smoke. There are only a few barrels for smoking. If you are late, you will have to wait in line for two or three hours.

In order to reduce the time in the line, the girl woke up before dawn.

At sunrise and night in winter, Lanshui Township, as the name suggests, has a small river surrounding most of the village, with abundant water sources, and fog will drop almost every morning.

The girl breathed the damp cold air, shivered and put the sausages into the basket, then went to the kitchen to get a freshly steamed bun, and walked towards the west of the village in the weak light.

When I got to the place, I realized that I was still late. The older grandpa and auntie had already arrived. At this time, they were chatting while adding dry sticks to the smoker.

"Xiaochen is here too!" An aunt said: "Little girl, why don't you sleep a little longer? Join in the fun with us old things!"

The girl smiled embarrassedly and stepped forward to help.

After dawn, it was time to officially start smoking. The girl yawned several times, and her eyes were wet with tears forced by tiredness. When the sun rose, she wiped her tears and squinted at the illuminated mountains and the mist gradually becoming thinner.

She suddenly felt melancholy, wondering when the mist that surrounded her would disperse.

There are more and more villagers, the voice is full, and the girl is grateful that she has arrived early enough.

At around 10 in the morning, a 60-year-old village cadre hurriedly ran over and shouted, "Xiaochen, where is Xiaochen? Is Zou Chen?"

The girl’s sausage was only half smoked, and she hurried out of the crowd when she heard the sound, her hands and face were blackened by the smoke, “Uncle Wang, I’m here!”

The village cadre held the girl, "Someone is looking for you, follow me."

The girl was surprised, her expression immediately became unnatural, "Who is looking for me?"

"Policemen."

The girl's fear solidified in her eyes, and she shook her head vigorously, "I, my sausage has not been smoked yet!"

"What kind of sausages do you care about? You don't have a registered permanent residence. Maybe they are here to replenish your registered permanent residence. Do you want to be a'dark household' forever?" I'm registered, everyone helps look at her sausage!"

The aunt who spoke to the girl before said enthusiastically: "Good!"

The girl was almost dragged home by the village cadres. There was a police car parked in the alley where her home was. Two men without police uniforms were standing beside the car. They obviously heard the movement and both turned around and looked in her direction.

She shuddered suddenly, and when she was about 30 meters away from her home, she suddenly exerted her strength, broke free of the village cadre's hand, and ran in the opposite direction.

The village cadre was dumbfounded, "Xiaochen! Oh, what are you running? Xiaochen!"

Fang Yuanhang ran after him, but Ming Shu stood still and shouted, "Chi Xiaomin, don't run away."

The girl's footsteps paused slightly, and Fang Yuanhang rushed up with a surprisingly fast speed, and grabbed the girl's arm.

The girl was forced to turn around, it was the familiar face in the system.

Ming Shu stepped forward and looked at Chi Xiaomin.

Chi Xiaomin was very vigilant, clenching his hands into fists.

"Let's talk." Ming Shu said: "About you, about your elder brother Lin Jiao, and... "Ghost"."

Chi Xiaomin's eyes widened suddenly, tears accumulating inside, as if it was about to fall in the next second.

Ming Shu took out a pack of tissues and handed it to her, "Have you seen the news?"

After a few seconds, Chi Xiaomin nodded gently.

"It's over." Ming Shu said: "The root of your fear and hatred has been eradicated."

After a pause, Ming Shu said again: "Do you know who eradicated them?"

Chi Xiaomin raised his head, actually there was an answer in his eyes.

"It's the police." Ming Shu said, "The police are not as useless and weak as you think. We can protect you, and you can rely on and trust us."

Before he knew it, Ming Shu had already raised his eyebrows and said very earnestly: "The police will not go into trouble with crime!"

The tears in Chi Xiaomin's eyes fell, and she hurriedly reached out and wiped it away, and said incoherently: "I'm sorry..."

The village officials did not understand why she had to apologize, but Ming Shu and Fang Yuanhang did.

"Let's go." Ming Shu said, "Go to your house and sit down."

The two-story building is a self-built building that can be seen everywhere in the countryside, with white walls and concrete floors inside, which is very simple.

Before meeting Chi Xiaomin, Ming Shu had already learned from the village officials that Chi Xiaomin—her name here is Zou Chen—came here in mid-July this year without a permanent residence.

"Black households" are too common in rural areas. As long as they are responsible for their duties, almost no one cares about them. Chi Xiaomin is an honest girl, and no one cares whether she has a registered permanent residence or no registered permanent residence.

This house used to belong to villager Zhao Dongnan. At the beginning of the year, Zhao Southeast moved his family to the city. The house was sold to an outsider for 20,000 yuan. After half a year, Chi Xiaomin moved in.

Chi Xiaomin went to the kitchen to boil water and washed his face and hands by the way.

Fang Yuanhang wandered around the upper and lower rooms and saw Chi Xiaomin and Lin Jiao's photo.

Seeing that Chi Xiaomin's mood had calmed down, Ming Shu asked, "Is Lin Jiao arranged for you to live here?"

Chi Xiaomin nodded and whispered softly: "Big brother let me, let me hide for a while."

As he said, Chi Xiaomin buried his head lower, "We did something wrong."

Mingshu naturally wanted Lin Jiao to let Chi Xiaomin leave Dongye City for a temporary escape, but he didn't understand why it was July.

"They are all your targets. You pretended to be a female ghost to frighten them." Ming Shu took out the photos of Qiao Xuehua, Li Sijia, Lu Chao, and Yang Lilan one by one, and looked at Chi Xiaomin's eyes, "because they are all Purchased a'ghost card'."

Chi Xiaomin asked: "Don't they deserve to die?"

Ming Shu said, "Lin Jiao asked you to do this?"

Chi Xiaomin's expression became complicated. She seemed to understand rationally that all the truth should be told at this time, but emotionally she was unwilling to let Lin Jiao bear it.

"What's wrong?" Ming Shu asked, "Uncomfortable?"

Chi Xiaomin shook his head and thumped his hands on the head.

She was really uncomfortable, and there was a faint pain somewhere in her head, but she didn't know why.

Ming Shu said: "You only need to tell me everything you know. Lin Jiao, I will look for him again to investigate."

Chi Xiaomin seemed to be persuaded, and hesitated to speak——

Chi Xiaomin can't remember anything before the age of 7. She only remembered that she grew up in a place called "Longan Township" in the north. She had no parents. She was raised by an old man. According to the old man, a man dressed up in the city handed her over to her. Please raise her temporarily. .

Later, the old man died.

Chi Xiaomin did not have a registered permanent residence. After the old man passed away, she became a lonely family.

Soon, Lin Jiao came to Long'an Township.

In Lin Jiao's mouth, she knew the story that happened to her.

She was born in a place full of evil, where baby girls will be made into "ghost cards" when they are born, and those who are not killed will become "fertility resources" and face a more cruel life.

Lin Zhongguo-a brave and fearless reporter-once wanted to expose the darkness, but eventually became a victim of darkness.

And she was rescued by Lin Zhongguo.

Without Lin Zhongguo, she would have already become a pool of blood on the "ghost card".

Lin Zhongguo probably died for saving her.

"What can I do?" she asked Lin Jiao.

"Vengeance for my father." Lin Jiao said, "Are you willing?"

That year, when she was young, she looked at Lin Jiao in confusion, "What is revenge? How to revenge?"

Lin Jiao rubbed her soft hair, "Don't worry, when you grow up, and when I have the ability to protect you, we will discuss it again."

She screamed "brother" ignorantly-after grandpa passed away, she has been lonely, she wanted a loved one too much.

Lin Jiao seemed to be taken aback, and said with a smile: "From today, I will be your eldest brother."

After that, Chi Xiaomin still lived in Long'an Township. Lin Jiao often came to visit her, brought her the items needed for life, and told her about Lin Zhongguo and the "ghost card".

As she grows older, she hates "ghost cards" more and more, and pitys those innocent girls more and more. She asked Lin Jiao many times what we should do. Lin Jiao always tells her that it is not the time yet.

Later, she was no longer a little girl, and Lin Jiao also became an adviser to the police.

She almost naively suggested-why don't we call the police? My existence is evidence. You know so many policemen, the police must have a way.

Lin Jiao smiled sarcastically, "If the police would help us, they helped us as early as the year you were born, how can you wait until now? Remember, the police are the most unreliable group of people in the world, and they will only consider them. Our own interests. We have to avenge ourselves."

Chi Xiaomin seemed to understand but not understand.

Subconsciously, she was still willing to trust the police. She had an almost instinctive fear of revenge that Lin Jiao said.

Revenge is... to kill someone?

But she can't.

More than two years ago, Lin Jiao took her to Dongye City, gave her a fake ID card, taught her how to avoid surveillance, and hide anything properly in the crowd.

She gradually adapted to life in the city, working part-time, and observing the girls in the city. At first, she wanted to make friends, but Lin Jiao warned her not to touch people at will, let alone trust people at will.

Over time, she gave up the idea of ​​making friends and developed a hobby-reading.

She has searched a lot of second-hand books, and her favorite is crime. She still can't imagine how she will avenge her benefactor, is she committing a crime of high intelligence as written in the book?

She is very self-aware and knows she is not smart.

Last year, Lin Jiao handed a list to her and told her a plan.

She was terrified, "You, do you want me to pretend to be a female ghost to scare them?"

"Can't you do it?" Lin Jiao said, "Or, you don't want to?"

She shook her head quickly, "Of course I would, but..."

"Just what?"

"Is there really no other way? You have determined that these people have "ghost cards", we can..."

Lin Jiao interrupted impatiently, "Are you still counting on the police?"

She had to shut up.

"I told you, don't count on the police, they won't help us." Lin Jiao seemed to be angry, "We can only rely on ourselves! You can just scare them, nothing else. Don't forget, you are because Who will survive!"

She responded, panicking for a long time.

Lin Jiao only told her of the plan, but hadn't asked her to execute it immediately. While waiting, she saw that the newspaper was launching a series of reports on rural folklore. The angle of the report is very objective. It not only affirms the enthusiasm of some folk customs, but also discusses that some folk customs are really dross and should not continue in modern society.

The editor in charge of the report is named Wen Ling, and she looks like a woman.

Chi Xiaomin suddenly had an idea.

The eldest brother always said that the police were unreliable. What about the media guys? Isn’t Uncle Lin just a media person? If the editor in charge is willing to report on the "ghost card"...

She did not dare to tell Lin Jiao that she secretly found Wen Ling, told the crime of "Ghost Card", and asked her to expose this "folklore" that should not exist in the newspaper.

Wen Ling agreed and took away the list. She thought that she would see reports about "ghost cards" in the newspapers soon, but until the end of the series of folklore reports, Wen Ling did not do what she had promised.

The feeling of hopelessness is like being pulled into the sea by a boulder.

She finally realized Lin Jiao's feeling-the police cannot be relied on, and the media people cannot be relied on. The only thing to rely on is herself.

No one saw their suffering, no one heard their voice.

She doesn't want justice, she just wants revenge.

She concealed this episode, and Lin Jiao didn't know that she had asked the media for help.

The first target of revenge was Qiao Xuehua, then Li Sijia, and then Lu Chao.

They are all rich people in this city, living a decent life, and are already "seniors", but they want to listen to crooked ways and use the blood of a baby girl to **** for their career and future.

When pretending to be a ghost for the first time, Chi Xiaomin was very nervous. I wonder if Qiao Xuehua was scared, but he scared herself anyway.

But she soon discovered that she was very talented in pretending to be gods and ghosts. Those who "saw" her were shocked, thinking that she was the soul of a dead girl and appeared to kill her.

Since you are so scared, why did you do evil in the first place?

She couldn't help thinking, how scared and painful those babies who died of you were when they died, did you realize it?

Lin Jiao taught her to call "mother" to women and "brother" or "daddy" to men, with a tenderer voice and a more floating voice, and asked them why they don't love themselves anymore.

She learned quickly. Under her intermittent fright, Qiao Xuehua first suffered from mental problems. He left Dongye City and returned to her hometown, where she was hit and killed on the way to her hometown.

What happened next was Li Sijia. This man who seemed to be extremely successful in his career was actually very courageous. When he was a child, he had the experience of "ghost". He was more afraid of "ghost cards" than he loved. Business has gone to a higher level.

After learning about his childhood experience, Lin Jiao immediately decided to do something with him.

It is easier to scare Scarlett Li than to scare Qiao Xuehua, but it is also possible that Chi Xiaomin is already familiar with it.

While doing these things, Chi Xiaomin made friends-Li Hongmei, an English major at Dongye University of Foreign Languages.

Of course, she kept it from Lin Jiao.

Li Hongmei looks ugly and is disgusted by her classmates, but Chi Xiaomin loves her and pity her.

On Li Hongmei, Chi Xiaomin saw herself.

They are all disadvantaged people rejected by this society, they can't find a real place to shelter, they are all burdened with hatred, and they all yearn for change.

Li Hongmei has a registered permanent residence, she is a "black household", but when she stayed with Li Hongmei, she finally did not have the suffocating feeling of loneliness.

They are the same kind.

Only the same kind can comfort each other.

Li Hongmei told her about the unsatisfactory life of her life. She shared her favorite books with Li Hongmei, and talked with Li Hongmei about the views in the book.

"Some people deserve to die—do you agree?" Li Hongmei asked after reading a book.

"Agree." Chi Xiaomin said, "Why do people who have done bad things survive?"

"But there are laws. Is the law really useless?"

"The law does not sentence every bad person to death, but what they did has already'killed' a person."

Li Hongmei thought for a long time, "Should my roommates die?"

Chi Xiaomin asked: "What do you think?"

Li Hongmei shook her head, "I don't know."

The confused Li Hongmei finally broke out, answering the **** question "Do my roommates deserve to die?" with four lives.

At the same time, Lin Jiao discovered that she had made friends.

Lin Jiao has always opposed her making friends, she has always obeyed, but she also needs company.

Before Li Hongmei's accident, about the beginning of June, she discovered that Lin Jiao had become anxious.

She thought it was because of Lu Chao.

Lu Chao is their third goal, younger than Qiao Xuehua and Li Sijia. It is not so easy to lead him to suicide by intimidation. After she tried several times, Lu Chao didn't react much.

Later, Lin Jiao asked her to concentrate on dealing with Yang Lilan and not to worry about Lu Chao.

She suspected that Lu Chao was killed by Lin Jiao, and it was this unplanned incident that made Lin Jiao uneasy.

Yang Lilan was a very shocking object. In July, Yang Lilan's spirit was on the verge of collapse, but Lin Jiao suddenly ordered her to leave Dongye City and go to Lanshui Township, Han Province to hide for a while.

She was puzzled, and asked the reason, Lin Jiao just said that someone who was difficult to deal with had come, and the plan might have to be changed.

"A character that is difficult to deal with?" Ming Shu knew what was going on at a glance. The "ghost" Yang Lilan saw suddenly disappeared, Lin Jiao asked Chi Xiaomin to leave Dongye City, and Lin Jiao used Xu Yin to construct "Chi Xiao" in one fell swoop. The illusion of "Min is dead" is all because of the major changes in the serious crime team-in June, when he returned from the special operations team, Xiao Yuan airborne to replace Liang Zhao.

Lin Jiao was jealous of them, so he had to change his plan and let Chi Xiaomin go and hide.

"I don't know..." Chi Xiaomin buried his head very low, his voice getting smaller and smaller: "I don't know..."

Fang Yuanhang didn't understand for a while, "What don't you know?"

"I don't know that the police are not as useless as you think." Ming Shu looked at Chi Xiaomin, "I don't know that the police will do everything they can to get justice for the victims."

Chi Xiaomin cried, tears pouring from his fingers. She choked up and said, "If I knew you would save us, I would definitely ask you for help."

Ming Shu sighed.

Chi Xiaomin grew up in a deformed environment. When she was 7 years old, she met Lin Jiao. Over the past ten years, Lin Jiao has been instilling hatred, benefactors, revenge, and police uselessness into her. It is inevitable that she will embark on the road of revenge with Lin Jiao. But from last year when she asked Wen Ling for help, it can be seen that even though Lin Jiao has influenced her for many years, she is still willing to trust the law and trust the society.

Until desperate.

"Wait, you admit that Qiao Xuehua and Li Sijia committed suicide after being insane after being intimidated many times by you, guessing that Lu Chao was killed by Lin Jiao." Fang Yuanhang said, "What about Huang Yan?"

Chi Xiaomin wiped away her tears, her eyes blank, "Huang Yan?"

Fang Yuanhang asked: "She is also on the list, did you not do anything to her?"

Chi Xiaomin shook his head.

Fang Yuanhang said: "You said you came to Lanshui Township in July this year and did not return to Dongye City. Is it possible that Lin Jiao killed Huang Yan? And you don't know?"

Half a minute later, Chi Xiaomin said worriedly: "Impossible. Brother said when he sent me here, now that the situation has changed, we should not consider revenge for the time being. He, he will not lie to me."

Ming Shu stood up, walked a few steps in the room, and when he turned to look at Chi Xiaomin again, his eyes were a little different from the previous one.

"Why did Lin Jiao commit suicide by Lu Chao?"

Obviously, Lin Jiao’s plan is to use Chi Xiaomin as a tool, borrowing the illusion of ghosts and gods and the fear in people’s hearts to create an inescapable atmosphere of horror. If things go on like this, people’s spirits will collapse, which is incomprehensible to outsiders. Way to end one's life.

They did commit suicide, but they were led by others.

Lin Jiao is a psychologist, and this is his best "killing" method.

In this way, he can punish those villains who buy "ghost cards" without getting his hands dirty.

Then he had no reason to act on Lu Chao, let alone Huang Yan's method of death.

"It's my fault." Chi Xiaomin sobbed, "I didn't do it well. Lu Chao seems to have discovered me."

Ming Shu nodded, it made sense.

Lin Jiao didn't intend to kill Lu Chao, but Chi Xiaomin revealed that if Lu Chao is alive, their plans will be exposed. Therefore, he must hurry up and solve Lu Chao and make use of Lu Chao's long-term travel to make Lu Chao disappear. Illusion.

But the possibility of Huang Yan being killed by Lin Jiao is not high.

Chi Xiaomin suddenly raised his hands and stretched them together, "You take me away."

It was a pose waiting to be handcuffed, and she knew she had committed a crime.

Fang Yuanhang looked towards Ming Shu.

Ming Shu whispered, "Give it to her."

"Wait a minute." Chi Xiaomin said suddenly: "Can I go upstairs and get something?"

Ming Shu didn't ask what it was, "Go ahead."

Ten minutes later, Chi Xiaomin came down, holding a box in his arms.

There are "ghost cards" in the box.

Fang Yuanhang said: "These are..."

Chi Xiaomin said: "I stole it at Qiao Xuehua, Li Sijia, and Lu Chao's house. I...I am very good at doing this kind of thing."

The police once searched the home of the three people, and the "ghost cards" were not complete.

Ming Shu said, "It turned out to be taken away by you."

"I want to post them on the forum to warn those who want to buy'ghost cards'-this is the end of evil." Chi Xiaomin said: "But I dare not, you will find me."

Fang Yuanhang's heart is mixed.

Ming Shu asked Fang Yuanhang to take Chi Xiaomin into the car first, and stayed in the room for a while.

Chi Xiaomin's confession just now had no loopholes, and his attitude was sincere enough, but he still had to pay attention to the details.

It's like the gears are turning closely, but a small piece of sand is suddenly mixed inside, which doesn't affect the gears' rotation, nor can it be seen from the outside.

But with sand, it is definitely not as smooth as before.

Ming Shu dialed Xiao Yuan's phone.

"Brother, I suddenly had a guess. Chi Xiaomin may not be the baby girl Lin Zhongguo rescued back then."