Uncanny Valley - Chapter 5
This was a man with thick eyebrows and large eyes. Although he had a scraggly beard and disheveled hair, he didn't look very old, probably not even thirty. He had a thin face and regular, handsome features; if he had cleaned himself up properly, he would have been a charming and handsome young man. But now, he couldn't bring any pleasure, not only because of his messy and dirty appearance, but also because of something hidden in his eyes.
It was a complex emotion that made people feel extremely depressed, a mixture of fear, despair, anger, hatred, and so on. It seemed that all the ugly emotions in the world were mixed in, making people shudder.
With this feeling, the young man stared intently at the four onlookers outside the door, then slowly stood up and uttered a series of strange words.
Luo Fei's ears twitched, and his gaze suddenly narrowed. Yes, the young man was clearly not speaking Chinese, but he could clearly hear the pronunciation of two words.
Longzhou!
This is a place name; the pronunciation won't change no matter which language it's spoken in. Longzhou! He really did mention Longzhou!
"Is this what you've heard before?" Knowing the answer was yes, Luo Fei still asked Xu Xiaowen out of his innate caution.
Xu Xiaowen nodded: "He said that in August, the demon of the uncanny valley will come to Longzhou."
"A demon? Did you ask him what kind of demon?"
"I asked."
What did he say?
Xu Xiaowen didn't answer Luo Fei directly. She looked at the young man and asked the question again in the Hamo language: "What demon?"
The patient's gaze was drawn to Xu Xiaowen's words. He moved his feet, staring intently at Xu Xiaowen's face, and walked towards the door.
Xu Xiaowen had anticipated this outcome, so she turned sideways and hid behind Luo Fei.
The patient's gaze lost its focus, his eyes filled with blankness and despair. Then, a low, animalistic howl gurgled from his throat: "Yakuma! Yakuma!"
"Yakuma? What does that mean?" Luo Fei quickly turned around and asked Xu Xiaowen behind him.
Xu Xiaowen shook her head: "This... I don't know either."
Dr. Liu and Zhou Liwei also frowned and pondered, struggling to decipher the possible meaning of those three words.
During this process, the patient has reached the edge of the fence.
"Be careful. He might stick his hand out!" Xu Xiaowen quickly warned Luo Fei and Zhou Liwei, who were standing in front.
Zhou Liwei remained pressed against the fence, intently observing the man's every move inside the ward. His expression was extremely focused. Suddenly, upon hearing Xu Xiaowen's words, he seemed to realize something and was about to leave when it was too late.
The patient's arms had already reached out from behind the fence, and with a sudden grab, he tightly gripped Zhou Liwei's shirt!
Caught off guard, Zhou Liwei was overwhelmed by the opponent's immense strength and was pulled tightly against the fence. Even with his usual composure and competence, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat!
The man stared intently at Zhou Liwei, their faces almost touching, and then he let out that chilling shout again: "Ya-ku-ma!"
The voice, filled with despair and fear, sent chills down Luo Fei's spine! However, he quickly regained his composure and rushed forward with Dr. Liu, trying to pry the patient's hand open.
The opponent's strength was extraordinary. It took the two of them a great deal of effort, plus Zhou Liwei's own desperate struggle, to finally break free from the opponent's ten fingers.
Zhou Liwei took two steps back, panting heavily, his face flushed. After a moment, he managed to calm himself down a bit, gave an awkward, bitter smile, and said, "People who are mentally unstable can often unleash several times the strength of normal people. Today, I have personally experienced the correctness of this theory."
The patient gripped the fence tightly with his back hand, still whimpering and roaring.
Luo Fei quietly observed him from the side—the first victim of a series of terrifying symptoms—while a series of questions surfaced in his mind, yet he could not find a single clue!
Inside the fence is a terrifyingly mentally ill patient; outside the fence are four people deeply mired in confusion and unease. A strange standoff exists between them.
None of the four spoke, clearly lost in their own thoughts. After a long while, Luo Fei finally spoke first, asking Zhou Liwei, "Professor Zhou, what's your take on this matter now?"
"I can only say that, based on my judgment, Xu Xiaowen was not lying, and the patient's symptoms are indeed the same as those of patients in Longzhou these past few days." After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Liwei gave this answer.
Xu Xiaowen glared at Zhou Liwei and said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Then I should thank you for your trust."
Luo Fei didn't have time to deal with the girl's little tantrum, but he was also dissatisfied with Zhou Liwei's vague answers, and immediately pressed on: "What about the patient's prophecy? And his experience in the jungle, do you have any clues about these questions?"
"You think the root of the problem lies in the jungle?" Zhou Liwei keenly caught the subtext in Luo Fei's words. He narrowed his eyes, looking intently at the other man. "I've thought about that too. But what does the jungle have to do with Longzhou? Did all the patients in Longzhou have experience traveling to the jungles of Yunnan?"
“No.” Luo Fei shook his head firmly, denying Zhou Liwei’s guess. “My investigators have conducted detailed interviews with all the patients’ relatives and friends. If there were such an important clue, it would definitely not have been missed by the police.”
“What else is possible? Did someone bring the disease from the jungle to Longzhou? But this patient has been staying in Kunming and has never been to Longzhou.” Dr. Liu also chimed in their conversation.
“No, it’s not necessarily this patient.” A glint flashed in Luo Fei’s eyes. “He was just the first victim, and at the same time, he was very likely also someone who knew the truth. That’s why he could make such an accurate prediction!”
"So, you're saying all of this was man-made?" Zhou Liwei grinned, seemingly finding it hard to accept. "Who did it? How did they do it? And what was their purpose?"
Luo Fei shook his head; he was also completely baffled by the series of questions the other party had asked.
Xu Xiaowen glanced at Luo Fei, seemingly very worried for him. Then she turned to look at the patient inside the fence and muttered to herself, "If he can regain his senses, perhaps we'll have the answer."
Xu Xiaowen's words reminded Luo Fei, whose eyes suddenly lit up. He then looked at Zhou Liwei and said in a persuasive tone, "It's not impossible to cure this patient first."
Zhou Liwei immediately understood Luo Fei's intention: "You want me to use the newly developed drug on this patient? No, not yet."
"Why?" Luo Fei looked visibly disappointed.
“This would violate a doctor’s professional ethics, and even if I were willing to do it, the mental hospital in Kunming would never agree. This drug is still in the experimental stage,” Zhou Liwei replied firmly.
“That’s right.” Dr. Liu understood the gist of it and chimed in, “Drugs that are still in the experimental stage, according to regulations, absolutely cannot be used in clinical practice.”
"What if we treat this as a drug trial?" Luo Fei probed from a different angle. "Is it possible to use it on this patient? If so, how should we proceed without violating regulations and your professional ethics?"
“That’s feasible.” Zhou Liwei’s eyebrows twitched, as if Luo Fei’s words had given him a great hint. “However, we must find the patient’s family.”
"Have you found the family members?"
“Yes,” Zhou Liwei said seriously. “The patient must understand and be willing to accept the possible adverse consequences before the drug trial can proceed. Now that the patient has lost his mind, his immediate family members must come forward to sign the relevant agreement for the trial. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, no one can bear the responsibility.”
Luo Fei nodded. What the other person said was both clear and reasonable, but how could they find the patient's relatives? He had lost the ability to communicate normally and didn't carry any identification documents. This was indeed a thorny problem.
As Luo Fei pondered, he stared at the patient inside the fence. The man's face was contorted with fear, but his general features were still easily discernible.
It would be great if his relatives and friends could see him. Luo Fei thought to himself, when suddenly an idea popped into his head.
Chapter 7: The Madness of Scholarship
As a social news reporter for a website, Liu Yun's daily work revolves around collecting strange, sensational, incomprehensible, or outrageous news leads. This is a restless society; people crave excitement.
Two days ago, a series of strange phobic symptoms occurred in Longzhou City, and the commotion right under his nose naturally didn't escape Liu Yun's keen senses. He decided to play along, impersonating a medical student, and surprisingly obtained firsthand information about the strange illness with ease. This information, once posted online, generated a huge response. While excited, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, after all, one of the people involved that day was a criminal investigation captain from the Public Security Bureau. If the other party really got angry and angry, he feared he wouldn't be able to handle it.
That morning, Luo Fei really did come looking for him.
Liu Yun sat at the reception table, looking at the serious-looking policeman opposite him, and forced a smile: "Hehe, Officer Luo, we...we meet again."
Luo Fei didn't speak, but returned his gaze with a sharp look. Liu Yun felt uncomfortable under his gaze and awkwardly chuckled, "Officer Luo, I think what happened last time was a misunderstanding."
"Don't be nervous." Luo Fei suddenly relaxed his expression and said in a very easygoing manner, "I've read your report. The content is very detailed and the writing is excellent. You have the makings of a reporter."
"Huh?" Liu Yun was confused by Luo Fei's attitude and didn't know what to say.
Luo Fei stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "I came here this time hoping you would do a follow-up report."
Liu Yun looked puzzled: "Follow-up reports? What kind of follow-up reports?"
"Follow-up report on the cause of the illness. I just returned from Kunming, where there is a patient with the same symptoms, but he fell ill more than six months ago. I hope you can post this information online."
Seeing that the other party didn't seem to be joking, Liu Yun's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward: "Then I need detailed relevant information."
Luo Fei chuckled and slammed a folder onto the table: "I've prepared everything for you, including clear photos of this patient."
Liu Yun licked his lips excitedly, but didn't rush to grab the documents. He rubbed his hands together, controlling his emotions, and asked Luo Fei, "Then what do you need me to do?"
Luo Fei chuckled inwardly; this young man was indeed quite clever. Then he answered frankly, "The police need to identify this person. But he has no identification on him, so I hope to use the media."
"Then you've come to the right person." Liu Yun laughed smugly. "Our website's audience is unmatched by traditional media. I'll post this person's photo on the front page of the news webpage, and you'll soon experience the immense power of the internet!"
"I hope so," Luo Fei said calmly. He understood that while the internet had a wide reach, its limitations were also obvious. If the patient came from a remote mountain village, then searching online would be almost useless. But something was better than nothing, so he decided to give it a try.
Luo Fei really didn't expect the feedback to come so quickly.
The related news was published on the website early the next morning. At noon, Luo Fei received a call from a stranger. It was easy to tell that the person on the other end of the line was an agitated stranger.
"Is this Officer Luo? I saw that news this morning online. My God, I can't believe it! The internet is truly amazing; it has changed our world!"
"Excuse me," Luo Fei interrupted, sensing the other person's conversation had strayed from the topic. "Do you know the person in the photo?"
"Of course! The internet led him to me, and now it's led me to him. How interesting, how interesting!"
"What are you to him? A friend?"
"Friends? You could say that, maybe confidants would be a better term! I'm so excited, and my words might be a bit off, but believe me, I'm the person you've been looking for. You used to scoff at what I said, but now you have to listen carefully to what I have to say, and I'll leave you speechless! Haha, this feeling is just wonderful!"
Listening to the other party's incoherent ramblings, Luo Fei frowned. Unable to contain himself, he asked directly, "Where are you right now?"
"You want to come find me?" The other person let out a strange chuckle. "No, no need. I just came from Longzhou Airport. You know, after seeing news like this, I can't wait a moment longer! I'll be standing in front of you in half an hour. Oh, and you'd better call that Zhou Liwei too. Haha, scientist, this will be the first time in my life I've ever been able to hold my head high and face them!"
Luo Fei couldn't take it anymore: "Excuse me, this might be a bit impolite of me to ask you this—who exactly are you?"
"Me? Some people used to call me crazy, others called me a fraud. But I'm a scholar, my name is Yue Dongbei, and from today onwards, everyone must recognize my identity! Alright, see you later!"
Amidst a burst of unrestrained laughter, the other party hung up the phone.
Upon receiving Luo Fei's notification, Zhou Liwei quickly arrived. Before even sitting down, he spoke first: "Yue Dongbei, before I came, I searched for this name online. There's actually some information about him. He considers himself a scholar, originally a history major, but later dabbled in metaphysics. Because his theories have a strong superstitious element, he's been blacklisted in academic circles. In the last two years, he's been very active online, using the open medium of the internet to publish his so-called research results, and he's gained quite a few followers."
"Hmm, then that should be him." Luo Fei nodded, then looked at Zhou Liwei, "Judging from your tone, you don't seem to like him much?"
“I am a scientist, and science and superstition are firmly opposed,” Zhou Liwei replied earnestly, then added, “How is this person connected to the recent medical cases? That’s really quite strange.”
"Don't rush, have a seat first." Luo Fei gestured politely. "Once he arrives, everything will be clear."
Yue Dongbei didn't keep the two of them waiting for long. About ten minutes later, he walked into Luo Fei's office, led by Xiao Liu.
This was a short, stout man in his fifties, with a bald, shiny head, not a single hair on it, and no beard on his chin, making his head look like a round meatball. An inappropriate long-sleeved shirt clung tightly to his stomach, the buttons seemingly on the verge of popping off.
"You're Officer Luo? And you must be the famous Professor Zhou Liwei?" Yue Dongbei's gaze swept over the two men in turn, and he said casually. Then, without waiting for a greeting, he strolled to the sofa in the reception area and plopped down. Instantly, half of his body seemed to sink into the sofa, giving people a strange feeling.
"You're Yue Dongbei? That online scholar?" Zhou Liwei's words were clearly sarcastic.
"You hate the internet, don't you?" Yue Dongbei retorted sarcastically. "When the truth is suppressed by people like you, the internet provides us with the last platform for fighting."
"Truth?" Zhou Liwei chuckled. "Can your superstitious beliefs really be called truth?"
“Superstition?” Yue Dongbei retorted sharply, refusing to back down. “What is superstition? Blindly, obsessively, or even without reason, believing in something is called superstition. You who call yourselves scientists and wave the banner against superstition, don’t realize that in today’s society, science has become the biggest superstition! You stubbornly control the academic field and cannot tolerate anything that contradicts your beliefs! Even when phenomena that science cannot explain occur, you resolutely refuse to accept other theories. The scientific community has, in effect, become the religious inquisition of the academic world!”
Yue Dongbei waved his chubby fists, becoming more and more agitated as he spoke, seemingly venting a pent-up resentment that had been suppressed for many years.
Zhou Liwei sneered, about to say something more. Luo Fei waved his hand, stopping him.
"Alright, let's not get off topic," Luo Fei said, looking at Yue Dongbei. "Tell me about that patient."
"You must accept my theory. There are some things you usually strongly oppose. But now, you must listen to me, otherwise we will be unable to communicate." Yue Dongbei crossed his arms, looking arrogant.
Luo Fei nodded: "Then we'll listen attentively."
Zhou Liwei gave a soft snort, clearly somewhat disdainful. But given the current situation, he couldn't object anymore, so he could only patiently listen to Yue Dongbei begin his explanation.
"I know you find it hard to accept me as a scholar. But I want to tell you, I was born with a formal academic background in history, and my historical knowledge is in no way inferior to any expert in the country. It's just that I've delved too deeply into some historical topics, and inevitably, I've uncovered some long-buried secrets, which are often difficult to explain with modern scientific knowledge. I tried to unravel these mysteries, so I drew on a wide range of sources and explored many obscure areas of knowledge, and finally, I suddenly found myself fascinated by metaphysics. From then on, I disappeared from the mainstream academic world." As he said this, a hint of sadness appeared between Yue Dongbei's brows, but this sadness vanished in an instant. When his topic touched on his "academic field," he immediately put on an expression of deep immersion.