Madness of the Heart

"I can see ghosts." Xu Yin repeated.

Mingshu is a materialist through and through, and never believes that there are ghosts in this world. The little girl's tone and eyes only make him feel uncomfortable, but it is impossible to scare him.

Shaoqing, Mingshu asked: "Oh? What the hell?"

Xu Yin tilted his head, "Aren't you afraid?"

Mingshu smiled, "Are ghosts scary? You insist on seeing me because you want to tell me this?"

The corners of Xu Yinyang's lips pressed down, his eyes gradually became dark, "I've seen ghosts, but she's already dead."

The child in front of him is not an ordinary child, Mingshu pondered Xu Yin's short words, ghosts are fake, but death is not necessarily fake.Xu Yin was extremely sensitive to the smell of corpses. Since he found Wu Zhen's corpse, he might have found it in the game of finding corpses before.

"Who is TA?" Mingshu asked.

"A sister." Xu Yin tore off her two braids and tied them back into a single ponytail. "Her hairstyle is like this. One night she stood outside the window of my house and looked at me, and I looked at her too."

Outside the window of Xu's house...

Mingshu had a picture in his mind.

Yilu Street is full of old houses, so old that they can be used as a historical business card of the city.The roads are narrow and uneven bluestone slabs, the stairs and corridors are old wooden boards that creak, and the windows of every house are broken and cannot be closed at all. At night, the lights in the streets and lanes are dim, and some corners even have no light.

At this time, a woman with a ponytail stood quietly outside an old window, her viscous eyes swept over everything in the room, and finally met Xu Yin's eyes.

It's also fortunate that Xu Yin is not afraid of ghosts, otherwise, just such a scene alone would be very likely to faint from fright.

Mingshu said: "Why is she standing outside your window? Do you know her?"

Xu Yin shook her head, "I don't know her, but I know that she is here to 'replace' me."

"Replacement?"

"Just let me become her."

Mingshu looked at Xu Yin again.The little girl didn't seem to be lying, but what she said was so unusual that even he couldn't understand it.

Suddenly, Xu Yin grinned again, "But she is dead, she can't 'replace' me."

This may be a murder case, Mingshu followed Xu Yin's words and asked: "You said she was a ghost, but how could a ghost die?"

"Can't ghosts die?" Xu Yin showed a puzzled expression, then laughed again, "Anyway, I know, she's dead."

"Are you sure?" Mingshu said, "Then where did you see that she was dead?"

Xu Yin's range of activities is just around Yilu Street and Yilu Street. If she really found a body other than Wu Zhen's, it shouldn't exceed this range.

"It's in Yisi Alley." Xu Yin said, "I saw her stomach was torn open and she bled a lot, but she didn't die!"

Dead for a while, not dead for a while, the girl's words are upside down.

Mingshu is well aware of the situation on Yilu Street——

Although Yilu Street is old, it is also divided into old and new. The area where Xu Yin lives is Yier Alley. There are many residents and it is quite lively during the day.And Yisi Alley was the center of Yilu Street decades ago. The houses are the most dilapidated and have become dilapidated buildings. The residents who lived there earlier were relocated. At least five years ago, Yisi Alley became a empty alley.

A little girl who saw a woman disemboweled in an empty alley, but still alive?

"When did you see it?" Mingshu asked, "And then?"

Xu Yin frowned in distress, as if trying to remember, "I went home afterward."

Mingshu's eyelids twitched slightly.

Assuming that such a horrific murder really happened in Yisi Alley, only a little girl should know about it.Where did the body of the victim go?

"In the middle of the next night, I went to see her again." Xu Yin hugged his arm and shivered funnyly, "But she was gone. She bled so much, she must be dead."

Mingshu took a few steps closer, "You didn't lie to me?"

Xu Yin's smile became more and more innocent, "Guess?"

Coming out of the room, Mingshu pressed his temples, wanting to take a puff of cigarette.

But on the site of the Psychological Research Center, smoking has always been prohibited.

Lin Jiao said, "Captain Ming, your complexion is not very good."

Ming Shu patted Lin Jiao on the shoulder, "Brother, you have worked hard."

Lin Jiao was inexplicable.

"Isn't it hard to deal with them all the time?" Ming Shu pointed in the direction of the door, "I have to slow down."

"So you're talking about this." Lin Jiao smiled helplessly, "You criminal police are good at solving problems with logic, but logic is useless in front of them."

"Xu Yin helped me take care of it." Mingshu didn't plan to stay here for a long time, "It's best to let her open her heart. If she can't, it's okay. In short, she can't run away again."

"Don't worry, the SWAT team is outside." Lin Jiao said, "By the way, about the corpse..."

"I haven't counted yet." Mingshu said, "I'll contact you again if necessary."

After receiving Mingshu's notice, Xu Chun and Xiao Man rushed to Yisi Alley immediately.

Not long ago, Xiao Man came to Yilu Street and knew the way, but Xu Chun came back for the first time, "Isn't this place too broken?"

"The location is too remote. If it was close to the center of Dongcheng District, it must have been demolished." Xiao Man put the survey box on the ground and chatted with Xu Chun while working.

The Fourth Medical Alley is not long, but it bends and turns, and looks very deep.According to Xu Yin's description, the female corpse was thrown in the middle of the alley. If there was a corpse lying on the bluestone floor with many gaps like this, no matter how many times it rained, the murderer cleaned up the scene. Will definitely leave traces.

"What did you find?" Seeing Xiao Man taking out the tools, Xu Chun asked.

"Do a bloodstain pre-experiment." Xiao Man said, "Da Xu, go get a physical evidence bag and help me take a sample of the soil in this gap."

"Did you find a large area of ​​blood?" Mingshu said on the phone, "Have you confirmed the DNA?"

Xiao Man said: "Not yet. Team Ming, how do we investigate next?"

Mingshu is on his way to Yu Xiaocheng's home, and Yu Xiaocheng is one of Shachun's 10 one-to-one students.

Matters were prioritized, and Mingshu quickly made a judgment, "You and Xu Chun go back and do a DNA test first to see if you can determine the identity of the owner of the bloodstain, and I'll talk about the rest when I come back."

Putting down the phone, Mingshu frowned and looked out the window.

There was a brutal murder case in Yisi Alley. The victim was a "female ghost" that Xu Yin had seen, and Xu Yin happened to see the "female ghost" dying. The next day, the body of the "female ghost" disappeared. .

If Xu Yin didn't lie, then what kind of case is this?

The car window was half down, and the late summer hot air poured into the car, Mingshu wiped his face and turned his attention back to Sha Chun's case.

Technical detectives thoroughly investigated Sha Chun's network and communication records, but found no strange and suspicious persons, which almost shows that Sha Chun and her "assistants" can only communicate face to face.

Among the 10 students, apart from the deceased Wu Zhen and Zhou Lan who had gone abroad a month ago, among the remaining 8 students, Liu Mei is a model attached to an artist agency, 24 years old, 1 meters tall, Not the kind of slender figure, but quite powerful;

Wang Dan is a middle school student who has just started learning Guzheng. She is studying in the city's key 1th middle school. She is a thin girl who has just reached 5 meters tall, and does not have the conditions to strangle a grown woman;

Long Tianhao, male, retired e-sports player, has been struggling in the secondary league before, and now works as a game anchor on a live broadcast platform. He has been in Sha Chun's class for more than a month. After the class ended in early July, he did not come again. Pass "Jianjia Bailu";

Liang Xiyue, female, younger than Wang Dan, was forced by her parents to attend classes for three months, and now she has transferred to learn painting, and she is not qualified to commit crimes;

He Junchao, He Xiuting, and cousins ​​are all 17 years old. They can take classes together, but they insist on one-to-one. The He family is middle-class, and both of them go to international schools with overseas programs. The family's requirements for their cultural courses very low;

Wen He, male, 37 years old, a middle-level state-owned enterprise, divorced, has one son, and is currently on a business trip abroad;

Yu Xiaocheng, 19 years old, a student in the No. 8 key middle school in the city. He failed the college entrance examination for two consecutive years. Now he is repeating for the second time. After the college entrance examination this year, he learned guzheng from Sha Chun. The third year of high school started in early August, so he gave up all the courses. The last two lessons included.

Mingshu didn't ask the team member Yu Xiaocheng to bring the serious crime team, but went to Yu Xiaocheng's rented house outside the north gate of Ninth Middle School in person.

Ninth Middle School has a long history and is one of the three middle schools with the best teachers in Dongye City. Most of the students in its liberal arts experimental class are aiming at the top ten famous universities in the country, and the scores of the slightly inferior college entrance examination are far more than one Wire.

Outside the north gate is a block of houses built more than 40 years ago. They are half-new and not old. The hardware conditions are very average, but the rent is high because of the proximity to the Ninth Middle School.

All senior high school students who want to have a quiet environment for review and rest, and their families can afford a year's rent, rent here.

For outsiders who seldom set foot here, it looks like the dormitory building of the Ninth Middle School.

Before evening self-study, Ming Shu and Yi Fei were eating rice noodles at a stall outside the school gate.

Although the serious crime team has not directly contacted Yu Xiaocheng, Mingshu has figured out the basic situation of Yu Xiaocheng.

"Among Sha Chun's students, Yu Xiaocheng is the most likely to be Sha Chun's target." Ming Shu was already hungry, and as soon as the rice noodles were served, he put them in his mouth, and was scalded with a "hiss".

If Xiao Yuan was next to him, he would probably remind him to "slow down", but at this time the tablemate with him was Yi Fei, and Yi Fei was hungrier than him, and he was also scalded enough.

"Yu Xiaocheng is studying liberal arts, and his goal is Beijing University of Political Science and Political Science. Unfortunately, he missed two college entrance examinations by three points." Mingshu asked the boss to bring two empty bowls, put one in front of him, and gave the other to Yi Fei. Linxi County, single parent, he attended junior high school at the key county level, got into the ninth high school with the top ten scores in the county, and entered the experimental class directly."

Yi Fei picked the rice noodles into a bowl to cool, "But after entering the experimental class, Yu Xiaocheng's grades were 'not good'. In the three years of high school, he has never been in the top [-] of his grade."

Mingshu stirred a few times, "Fuck."

Yi Fei raised his eyes, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"If you don't make it to the top [-] in your grade, you're called 'no way'?" Mingshu said, "This is the Ninth Middle School."

Yi Fei said: "I know this is the Ninth Middle School, but in the minds of students like Xiaocheng, if you can't get into the top [-] of your grade, it means 'it's impossible'."

Mingshu poured vinegar into the bowl, "Self-study lasts until 10 o'clock in the third year of senior high school, I'll go to the school to check it out later, and you go downstairs and watch over Yu Xiaocheng."

Yi Fei was busy filling his stomach, "OK."

On the campus at night, there is a kind of tranquility that is hard to find in the city. The evening self-study has already begun. In the special building for the third year of high school, most of the students in the classrooms are writing hard, and only a few teachers of mathematics, physics and chemistry in science classes are still teaching papers.

Mingshu came to the floor where Class 28—the liberal arts experimental class—was located, and heard the sound of pages being turned.

A chubby middle-aged female teacher came out from the main entrance of Class 28, and stopped when she saw Mingshu, "Who are you?"

In any key middle school, the third floor is a strictly managed place, and no one else is allowed to enter.

At first glance, Mingshu couldn't be a parent, let alone a school staff. No wonder the head teacher, Teacher Wang, suddenly became vigilant.

"Hello." Mingshu lowered his voice and showed his ID.

When Teacher Wang saw it, the vigilance in his eyes increased instead of lowering, "You..."

"Take a step to speak." Mingshu said.

The teachers in the third year of high school worked hard, the students were struggling, and the teachers had to follow suit. There were people coming and going in the office, including teachers and students who came to ask questions. It was definitely not a place to talk.

Teacher Wang took Mingshu to an unused small classroom and asked nervously, "Did something happen to any student in our class?"

It is not unreasonable for Mr. Wang to be nervous. The pressure of the college entrance examination is really too great. Almost every year in Dongye City, high school seniors self-mutilate, commit suicide, and take revenge on their classmates.

Mingshu gave a comforting smile, and said in Xiao Yuan's tone, "I want to get to know your student Yu Xiaocheng."

Teacher Wang's expression changed slightly, and he sighed before speaking, "Did something happen to his family?"

Mingshu shook his head, "Teacher Wang, I can't tell you too many details for now, please forgive me. I came to you today mainly to hear what kind of student Yu Xiaocheng is. After all, this year is his first He took the college entrance examination three times, and you have been his homeroom teacher for three years, this is the fourth year. The teacher who knows him best in the Ninth Middle School is none other than you."

Teacher Wang teaches English and is a special-grade teacher. After sending away Xiaocheng’s class a year ago, she took over the experimental class of liberal arts in the second year of high school, so Yu Xiaocheng was not in her class when he repeated the first time. Now the second year of high school has become a senior year , Yu Xiaocheng repeated the study again and became Teacher Wang's student again.

"This child Yu Xiaocheng..." Teacher Wang opened his mouth, but he paused for a long time before he could continue.

Mingshu saw some embarrassment, helplessness, and regret on her face.

"Let me ask this." Ming Shu said, "Is Yu Xiaocheng not smart enough in the experimental class?"

Teacher Wang looked at Mingshu hesitantly, and finally nodded, "Actually, I don't think it's a good thing that Yu Xiaocheng chooses to repeat his studies again and again. He is too paranoid. He came to my class again this year. I obviously feel that his psychology has changed." problem appear."

"How to say?"

"Yu Xiaocheng's positioning of himself does not match his own ability." Teacher Wang was silent for a while, "Teachers shouldn't judge a student by their grades, but in the key high school experimental class, the atmosphere of competition is too strong. One can get out of that atmosphere."

Mingshu nodded at the right time, "Yes."

"Yu Xiaocheng junior high school is very good, and his grades have been kept in the top ten in the county for a long time, but which of the students in our class is not the best in the district, county or the main city?" Teacher Wang said: "Yu Xiaocheng is very hardworking, I can tell , he wants to bring the gap back..."

Mingshu said, "Diligence? Tell me about Yu Xiaocheng's diligence."

"Students in our class are very diligent, and Yu Xiaocheng is particularly outstanding." Teacher Wang said: "All class activities, such as sports games, class meetings, and interest activities in the first year of high school, he does not participate, thinking that it is a waste of time for study. Dormitory Will turn off the lights. His family situation is actually very average, but since the first semester of high school, he has been renting outside. The rent is not cheap. I asked his mother when I held a parent-teacher meeting before, and I learned that this expense is very expensive for his family. It's a big burden to say."

Mingshu said: "From what you mean, Yu Xiaocheng rarely interacts with his classmates?"

"It can be said that in our class, he is a bit like an 'air man'." Teacher Wang sighed again, "Even if he works so hard, his grades still can't improve. I'm not saying he's not good, but In No. [-] Middle School, there are too many excellent students. The only outstanding thing about Yu Xiaocheng is his diligence. He is more diligent than everyone else, but his grades can barely maintain at the middle level. This is really cruel."

Mingshu recalled what Teacher Wang said before, and asked again: "You said that you will be Yu Xiaocheng's class teacher again this time, and you will find that Yu Xiaocheng has a psychological problem? What is it showing?"

"In the past, he liked to ask questions to the teacher. Although he had a normal relationship with his classmates, he often discussed problem-solving ideas with those who sat close to him." Teacher Wang said, "Now he doesn't communicate with anyone, and just sits in the classroom for a whole day. , Don’t ask questions if you don’t know, just thinking about it, the students sitting near him have told me several times that they don’t want to sit with him, because his eyes are too scary, just like that Liu…”

Teacher Wang didn't go on, Mingshu caught the remorse of saying something wrong on her face.

After a little thought, Mingshu guessed what Teacher Wang swallowed—just like Liu Huizhi.

Liu Huizhi, a special symbol of killing.

More than ten years ago, Liu Huizhi studied in a key high school in the capital with excellent grades and outstanding performance in all aspects. If there is no accident, he will definitely be admitted to one of the two highest-ranked schools in the country.

But in the second half of the third year of high school, Liu Huizhi suddenly killed five roommates in the dormitory with a machete that he had brought into the dormitory. .

When the police arrived, although Liu Huizhi had been subdued by teachers and students, the teaching building was full of blood and crying students. The scene was shocking.

In the subsequent trial, Liu Huizhi said that he could not think about it for a while because of too much pressure from studying, and committed an unforgivable crime.

At that time, campus violence was not as highly topical as it is now, and there were no such abominable homicides in schools across the country.After the media exposure, Liu Hui's case caused a sensation in the society.Liu Huizhi, who is somewhat handsome in appearance, has even become the nightmare of many senior high school students. Even today, more than ten years later, through word of mouth, students are still afraid of another "Liu Huizhi" appearing beside them.

Mingshu said: "I guess, Yu Xiaocheng doesn't want to ask the teacher any more questions, and doesn't discuss it with his classmates anymore, is it because of low self-esteem?"

Teacher Wang nodded, "This is the third time for him to be in the third year of high school. His classmates are younger than him. The teacher has taught him a lot. We conducted a senior high school investigation a while ago, and his grades are still in the middle class. This is a blow to him. Big—you think, he has been in two full senior years of high school, and he is still not as good as his juniors. I have taught for so many years, and I can completely understand the feelings of ordinary students who work hard but can't catch up with others. "

Wu Zhen, Sha Chun, Yu Xiaocheng...

Different lives, similar predicaments.

When Ming Shu left No. 22 Middle School, he looked in the back door of Class [-]. Yu Xiaocheng was sitting in the middle of the classroom at the back, lowering his head to make a test paper.

Maybe because he noticed something, Yu Xiaocheng suddenly turned around, and shot his gloomy gaze at the small window of the back door.

Mingshu met his eyes, and easily captured the despair and pain in his pupils.

The people outside the small window can see the people in the classroom clearly, but the people in the classroom can't see the face of the peeping person outside the door.

Yu Xiaocheng didn't know who was standing outside, he turned back after a while and continued writing on the paper.

An hour later, when the third year of high school was over, Mingshu followed Yu Xiaocheng far away, and walked up to the cramped apartment building together with him.

At the door of 7-3, Yi Fei saw a young man appearing from the corner of the stairs, and shouted, "Yu Xiaocheng."

Yu Xiaocheng stood there in a daze, with an extremely defensive expression, he turned around suddenly when he heard footsteps downstairs, trying to knock over the person and escape.

However, it was Mingshu who came.

Yu Xiaocheng is 1 meters tall. Although he is thin, his explosive power should not be underestimated.The moment Yi Fei rushed down the stairs, Yu Xiaocheng slammed into Ming Shu with his shoulder, his eyes were terrifyingly dark.

Mingshu reacted very quickly to the side, grabbed Yu Xiaocheng's wrist by inertia, pressed him against the wall, and said sharply, "Why are you running?"