Madness of the Heart

Liu Zhiqiang was born in an intellectual family. He loved reading and writing since he was a child. He studied liberal arts in high school. He was a Chinese class representative for three years. He participated in various composition competitions and wrote many short stories. I have never been able to get a ranking in the competition, passing the preliminary round is the best result, and submitting to any publishing house is even more like nothing.

Gradually, Liu Zhiqiang saw himself clearly and knew that he was not the material to be a writer.

Such cognition is really frustrating for a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.But Liu Zhiqiang had a good mentality, and he didn't feel depressed for long. He even got into the top three in the county in the college entrance examination.

After entering university, Liu Zhiqiang only took compulsory courses, and spent the rest of his time in the reading library, eagerly reading foreign masterpieces, domestic classics, and the Internet that was just emerging at that time, and sorting out information from various publishing houses To sum up, set your life goals early.

If you don't have the ability to become a writer, then go to work in a publishing house.

He can't write decent books, but he can publish books for talented authors. For Liu Zhiqiang, this can be regarded as the realization of half of his childhood dream.

When he was a junior, Liu Zhiqiang came to Xinyun Publishing House for an internship, and he has never left since then. From an intern to a trainee editor, to an editor, a responsible editor, and later became the deputy director of the editing center, and now works as the director of "Mystery" Studio , managing about sixty people.

The outstanding employees of Xinyun Publishing House have a photo of Liu Zhiqiang hanging on the wall. The man in the photo is full of vigor and youthfulness, and it was taken many years ago.

Now Liu Zhiqiang is no longer youthful, and even his vitality is almost exhausted.

In the past few years, the publishing industry has been difficult to do. Xinyun Publishing House has left many people.Liu Zhiqiang is half of the former and half of the latter.

Six or seven years ago, when Liu Zhiqiang was still working as a responsible editor in the editing center, the publishing industry was at its best. Liu Zhiqiang devoted himself to his work and published more than ten best-selling high-quality books in a row.

It's a pity that good times don't last forever, and people are easily dragged down mentally and physically in the day-to-day heavy work.

After more than ten years of ups and downs, the lofty ambitions of the past have long since disappeared. Now Liu Zhiqiang is standing in the dark crowd in a shirt and trousers, waiting for the green light. That image is simply a typical "community animal".

When the green light came on, while he was still distracted, the "community animals" beside him and behind him rushed towards the opposite side of the road like a flood. He suddenly shivered in the dog days, and then hurriedly stepped forward and walked forward go.

This is the morning rush hour, he should be the first to clock in as in the past, spend a busy day in the studio, ask about the work of each group, hold a meeting to formulate the main points of work for the new week, go to the leadership office to bow his head to accept criticism, and then criticize symbolically After a while, I finally ended my day's work after the subway closed, stayed for ten minutes, turned off the lights in the studio, and left silently.

But now, carrying his briefcase, he went to McDonald's where breakfast was being served.

He asked for field leave, so he didn't have to go to the publishing house to check in.

Ever since he learned that the police were investigating the tomb, he has been anxious and in a trance from time to time. He has been staying in various bookstores in Los Angeles for several days in the name of going out to work.

This was not an unusual move. The employees of the publishing house should maintain a good relationship with the bookstore. After the books they handle are released, the responsible editor will spend time in the bookstore to observe the sales situation and put pressure on the bookstore. Strive to put your own books on the most conspicuous booth.

But Liu Zhiqiang has long been the backbone of Xinyun Publishing House and the director of the "Mystery" studio. It is reasonable to say that he does not need to do this kind of outside work. In the past, he did not often go to bookstores.

If something is abnormal, there must be something suspicious.

Mingshu went to Xinyun Publishing House twice, and both times coincided with Liu Zhiqiang's field work.Mingshu had other things to do last time, so he had to let it go hastily, but this time he came here for Liu Zhiqiang, even if he was waiting, he had to wait for him.

The police came frequently, and the employees were a little nervous, and they were looking forward to seeing a good show. Some people even started to gloat. If there is a problem with the book that one or a few editors are in charge of, and the colleague "overturns", then I just sit firmly in my position.

Mingshu walked around the "Mystery" studio and chatted with several young employees about Liu Zhiqiang.

They spoke in an official tone anxiously, and none of them dared to say anything wrong with their immediate superiors.

Mingshu looked at the time and knocked on the office door of Sun Sha, the deputy director of the studio.

Sun Sha is older than Liu Zhiqiang, in her 40s, with a round face, dark circles under her eyes, and looks extremely tired.

Seeing Mingshu sitting in front of her, she lifted her heavy eyelids, stood up awkwardly, took a paper cup, "I'll pour you a glass of water."

"No need." Mingshu didn't take his eyes off her face, his voice was slightly cold, "I don't drink plain water."

Sun Sha was already standing by the water dispenser, and she paused in embarrassment when she heard the words, "This...that's it."

Mingshu pointed his chin to the position opposite the desk, "Liu Zhiqiang is not here, I can only ask you some questions for the time being."

The air-conditioning in the office is sufficient, and Sun Sha is wearing a silk scarf that women of her age often wear on her shoulders.

On the way back to her seat, she tugged on the hem of the silk scarf a few times, her double chin protruding from the swallowing of saliva.

Mingshu saw all her little moves, and asked bluntly: "Have you read the book by Tomb Heart?"

"Guo Xian is in charge of the tomb." Sun Sha looked down at her hands.

"Don't avoid my question." Mingshu said, "I'm not asking who is the responsible editor of Tomb Heart, I'm asking—have you read Tomb Heart's book?"

Sun Sha touched her fingers faster, her cheeks flushed, "No."

"No?" Mingshu said: "But I just saw the workflow posted on the wall in the big office outside. For any book published by your studio, no matter who the responsible editor is, the director and the three deputy directors will be responsible. Must read."

Sun Sha raised her head with panic in her eyes.

"You have read Tomb Heart's book, but you lied to me that you haven't read it." Mingshu said, "Then I can only think that there is a problem with Tomb Heart's book. You know that his book is not suitable for publication, but in the end because of some published for a reason."

Sun Sha shook her head, "No, that's not the case."

Mingshu leaned forward, with his right forearm resting on the desk, staring at Sun Sha sternly, but did not speak immediately.

This time is up to 1 minute.

It wasn't until Sun Sha's shoulders wrapped in a silk scarf visibly trembled that he asked, "Then tell me, what is the truth. From your reaction just now, you must be an insider, but you may not be the decision maker. You are just the deputy director, There are some things you know are wrong, but you can't do anything about them, right?"

Sun Sha's eyes suddenly turned red, and the lines at the corners of her eyes trembled slightly. She opened her mouth several times, but she couldn't speak.

"Don't be nervous, let's talk after thinking about it." Mingshu pressed his right hand down to show that he has time and patience.

Three minutes later, Sun Sha finally said, "It has nothing to do with me. It was signed by Liu Zhiqiang. I reminded him, but he didn't listen."

Mingshu tapped his index finger on the table, "It seems that there is a real problem. Ms. Sun, please calm down first, and then tell me clearly what the problem is."

Sun Sha pursed her lips frequently, struggling with hesitation.

Mingshu put the certificate on the table and reminded: "Paper can't hold fire. If I hadn't got clues, I wouldn't come to your studio again and again. It's better for you to tell the truth now than for us to investigate through other channels. Clear the truth."

"I said, I said!" Sun Sha made up her mind and threw all the silk scarves aside, "Director Liu is too aggressive, and he is mainly responsible for this matter. Guo Xian is a young man with bold and avant-garde thinking. The problem with the Tomb Heart book is that as long as the writing is good and the story is fascinating, it will definitely be published and make money. In fact, this is not correct. The publisher has the social ethics and responsibility of the publisher, and the Tomb Heart book is not suitable for publication at all! "

Mingshu nodded in a timely manner.

"As a layman, you may not be able to imagine the extent to which a vivid story can affect readers." Sun Sha continued: "Tomb Heart is a very talented author, and the characters in his works are all alive and bloody. Yes, he sings the praises of pure violence in the dark, infinitely magnifies a shortcoming of an ordinary person to the point where he must accept sanctions, and then his protagonist slaughters this ordinary person in the name of justice."

Sun Sha stopped, took a sip of water, and continued: "Tomb Heart is very smart. What he wrote is not about the victory of evil over justice, but the packaging of evil, extreme, and darkness into justice. In his book, the protagonist is a murderer. The wrong person, not only is not a crime, but will be praised and sought after. He whitewashed the act of killing as a "monster hunt", and used the power of words to magnify the small mistakes of ordinary people into unforgivable crimes, which is enough to be impetuous The society resonates greatly. When I first wrote his manuscript, I knew that as long as his book is on the market, it will inevitably attract a large number of readers. Words can sometimes become weapons. Our publishing house has always had manuscript review System, this is not to cater to the policies of the higher authorities, but to adhere to the social responsibility of the publisher. The book of Muxin really does not meet our publishing requirements of Xinyun.”

"But it became a bestseller," Mingshu said.

Sun Sha shook her head lightly, her face full of helplessness.

For a moment, she stretched out her hands and covered her face, as if she was making a belated confession.

"Director Liu used to be an intern under my supervision. As an editor, he is very capable and has been promoted faster than me. Now he has become my boss." Sun Sha sighed, "He is considered an old publisher. Guo Xian can't see it. He can actually see the problems. He knows that the views conveyed by Tomb Heart are very extreme and powerfully provocative, but in order to cater to the current market demand, it can also be said to be speculation, and he turns a blind eye. For the most part, the book was published with almost no revisions, and the extreme views in the book were deliberately put forward and displayed on the cover."

Mingshu said: "Some people deserve to die?"

Sun Sha wiped her sweat, "Yes, that's the sentence, but it's more than that. Many things expressed by Tomb Heart will resonate with readers and sell well, but it will also affect potential criminals. We..."

Seeing that Sun Sha couldn't continue speaking suddenly, Mingshu waited for a while and asked, "What about you?"

Sun Sha smiled wryly, got up and looked out the window with a very lonely expression.

"I came to Xinyun to work when I was 20 years old. My teacher told me that publishers must have their own attitude and sense of responsibility. Some books that distort the facts and turn black and white, no matter how attractive the plot and impeccable writing, cannot be published. We We can’t manage other publishing houses, but we can manage our own conscience. I’ve been working this way for so many years, and I used to feel that I’m worthy of my teacher, my readers, and my life. But…” Sun Sha Paused, "In recent years, many young people have attacked us and scolded us as lackeys. We insist on the social responsibility of publishers. Is it wrong to insist?"

Mingshu didn't know much about this business, so he couldn't give Sun Sha an objective answer.

Sun Sha quickly collected her emotions, "Forget it, let's not talk about this. Let's talk about going back to Tomb Heart. This is not the first time we have received manuscripts like Tomb Heart, as early as three or four years ago, but the processing results Both—either the author is advised to revise some of the content, or it is not published."

Mingshu said: "Liu Zhiqiang suddenly ignored the regulations and responsibilities, what is the reason?"

"What else could be the reason? Business pressure." Sun Sha sighed, "The publishing industry is getting more and more depressed, and the group is calling for transformation all day long, splitting up the old editing center and setting up relatively independent studios. The management requirements placed on our studio are extremely high. If the published books do not make money, the studio may be disbanded at any time. Our directors and deputy directors will not lose their jobs, but it is hard to say for the new young employees. Director Liu I want to give it a try. Tomb Heart's book is very eye-catching. The evil in the text has been put on the cloak of justice. On the surface, it expresses the punishment of rape and eradication of evil, which is very sunny. With Director Liu's ability, just a little bit up and down, It is very easy to pass the last review. But this is a waste of the social responsibility of the publisher. I have always disagreed, but I am only a deputy, and he is the official. He insists on publishing, even if I do not sign, he can still publish. .”

Mingshu understood, and finally understood why Liu Zhiqiang was so flustered when he saw Liu Zhiqiang for the first time.

Fang Yuanhang stopped Liu Zhiqiang at a bookstore. Liu Zhiqiang was under tremendous psychological pressure after he decided to publish the book about the grave heart. When he suddenly saw the police, his emotions collapsed instantly, and he knelt on the ground and cried loudly.

Fang Yuanhang was stunned from crying.

"It was my fascination for a while, and it's all my responsibility." In the inquiry room of the Municipal Bureau, Liu Zhiqiang kept his head down. "During that time, the reality and suspense we published were mediocre, and readers were less and less willing to buy them. The suspense-oriented In fact, most of the readers want to see more exciting and sharp things. If there are no prominent contradictions in the book, it will be difficult to catch the readers' hearts. Praising violence and highlighting all contradictions does not comply with our publishing regulations, but it will definitely attract readers' attention."

As he said that, Liu Zhiqiang covered his eyes and rubbed vigorously, "I have been given a task from above. If there is no more topical book, part of the studio will be disbanded. I... I can only temporarily put down the publisher's responsibility." social responsibility."

"But you published more than one book." Mingshu said, "It's because you have tasted the sweetness, isn't it?"

Liu Zhiqiang buried his head lower, "His books are selling very well. Although he is a farmer who has not gone to school, he is a writing genius. I envy him and envy him. He has too many things that I don't have. Talent. People like me can only make wedding dresses for him forever. Because of him, our studio has been favored by the leaders of the group, and we have published several best-selling books one after another, barely standing firm among many studios. Heels. But when I see many readers discussing 'some people deserve to die', I see young people citing the views in the book, thinking that old people who grab seats should die, crying babies should die, and children should be left alone. When the parents at home deserved to die, I was scared, really scared. I worried that sooner or later some of these readers would be influenced by the grave heart and kill people in the name of 'some people deserve to die'."

Mingshu said: "There have been such people."

Liu Zhiqiang's eyes were filled with frustration, and his arms kept shaking, "I guessed it, otherwise you would not have come to investigate Tomb Heart and our publishing house. We will recall all the books in Tomb Heart, but the social impact caused, I, I……"

"You can't eliminate it anymore." Mingshu said coldly.

Depressed cries broke out in the inquiry room, came out from the half-open door, and echoed in the corridor.

"My book violates the regulations?" After tearing off the mask of disguise, Hou Cheng is no longer dull. At this moment, he is like the paranoid protagonist in every book of his, contemptuous of everything, "Why does Xinyun Publishing House accept me?" I am just a writer, I write books, not kill people. What era is it now, are writers still not allowed to express their thoughts freely? Xinyun only now says that my book does not comply with their publishing regulations, but Why did you let me publish it at that time? And deliberately put the most shocking sentence in the book on the cover. I don’t know anything.”

Mingshu said, "You really know how to excuse yourself."

"This is not an excuse. If you don't understand, I'll explain it to you. I always have the right to explain, right?" Hou Cheng chuckled, "Now I suddenly want to withdraw my book, okay, but Xinyun must pay me. Liquidated damages written in the contract. Let me say it again, I am just a book writer, and I am not responsible to readers. If someone reads my book and uses a sentence in my book to kill someone, it is beyond my control. The wicked want to kill A person can find [-] reasons. Having read my book, it is only one of the [-] reasons. If my book really has the power to deceive people, now..."

Hou Cheng's eyes suddenly burst into a cold and crazy light, "Now, there are so many 'monster hunting' murder cases all over the country!"

Mingshu's pupils shrank.

The whole country!

In the previous analysis, he had not thought of the concept of the whole country.

The murder case in the coffee shop and the murder case in the college dormitory, these two murder cases both occurred in Dongye City, the murderer has been identified, and the motive for the crime is very clear.According to common sense, these two cases can already be closed.

It was Lu Kun who suddenly mentioned the tomb heart, and Li Hongmei had read the tomb heart's book, so he started to investigate the tomb heart.

What about other cities?

Could it be that readers who have been affected by the tomb heart have long been involved in the murder case, and the so-called "monster hunting" has already started all over the country?

Because the murderer was identified, no police in any city found the head of the tomb?

After all, as Tomb Xin said, he is just a writer, and he cannot decide the behavior of readers. If the police spend a lot of time checking Tomb Xin because the murderer has read Tomb Xin’s book, it will be a big deal, and it may even be labeled by public opinion as "not doing business properly." ", "Idle fart", "Don't do what you should do" and other hats.

And he was able to rush to Los Angeles to hold on to the line of the tomb heart because Xiao Yu'an gave him strong support.

Mingshu's heartbeat gradually accelerated, and when he looked at Hou Cheng again, he saw the other party smiling triumphantly, with an appearance of "what can you do to me".

"The evidence we have so far really can't do anything to Hou Cheng." Xiao Yuan pressed his forehead, "It is the only thing we can do to make Xinyun Publishing House recall the books on the market."

"I'm not reconciled!" After working for a long time, Mingshu's eyes became bloodshot and his voice became hoarse. "He is consciously guiding readers. He knows what he is doing, so he forged an identity. If he doesn't know his identity at all What social impact might it bring, why did he engage in those reversals?"

"Yes, we all know that he is deliberately guiding readers, especially young readers who are full of anger, but this cannot be used as evidence." Xiao Yu'an said, "He can completely shift the responsibility to Xinyun Publishing House. It is a pen, not a knife, nor a gun."

"But the pen can also kill!" Mingshu said, "Does he really have to kill people before we can..."

Xiao Yuan turned her head, "Huh?"

"It really killed people..." Mingshu murmured while pressing his temple hard.

A certain part of my mind suddenly ached, as if some lost thought was about to emerge.

"What's the matter?" Xiao Yu'an walked over, put his palm on the back of his neck, and gently kneaded it.

"What if Hou Cheng really killed someone?" Mingshu raised his head abruptly, "We used to suspect that Hou Cheng was killed by Tomb Heart when we thought there was someone else in Tomb Heart, but what about now? The one that Hou Cheng shaped as Tomb Heart Young man, was he killed by Hou Cheng a long time ago?"

Xiao Yu'an half-closed his eyes, his face was cold and serious.

The office suddenly became extremely quiet, and Mingshu stood motionless in the same place, and finally caught the flash of thought in the basement of Hou Cheng's house in the blink of an eye.

"I see!" He clapped his hands heavily.

Xiao Yuan asked: "What?"

"The smell in the basement of Hou Cheng's house is very bad. We found a lot of completely rotten watermelons. Fang Yuanhang asked me why there were watermelons in the basement. I also told him that the temperature in the basement is low and it is a good place to store watermelons." Ming Shu Excitedly said: "I overlooked one thing - the basement is a good place to store watermelons, but after the watermelons rot, Hou Cheng should clean them out instead of leaving them in there! The basement is also his home, he has no The reason is to only clean up the two floors above the ground, regardless of the cleanliness of the basement! He left the watermelon inside, trying to cover up another smell with the smell of rotten watermelon! There must be a secret in that basement!"