Fourth Campus

Chapter 4

I knew no one would believe such a thing. If I told anyone, I'd likely be sent to a mental hospital. I had to bear it all alone; no one could help me escape this fear. I couldn't get rid of that "me"! In the end, I couldn't even tell if she was me or her. Her voice was exactly the same as mine, even the star and crescent birthmark on her left wrist was identical! When she choked me, when I saw the birthmark that was exactly the same as mine, I was on the verge of a mental breakdown! I frantically struggled against that "me" until I broke free from her clutches.

But the terror did not end there...

She kept coming to find me, chasing me. She would always appear around me like a ghost when I was alone, sometimes behind me, sometimes in front of me. She deliberately let her long hair down, and I knew she was doing that to make me completely break down.

Yes, she did it. The fear she instilled in me for over a month completely broke me. That time I encountered her in the woods, she was laughing maniacally, holding a gleaming knife, looking at me triumphantly, and making a throat-cutting motion with the knife against her own neck, saying:

"I am you, and you are me. There can only be one me in this world, so now that I have appeared, you should disappear."

She spoke as she walked towards me. I ran desperately towards the edge of the woods, and strangely, this time she didn't chase after me. That night, I found a small note under my pillow that read:

"The game is almost over. When the next full moon arrives, one of the two Meng Lizhongs will disappear from this world, and that person will inevitably be you..."

I know she could have killed me many times before, but she didn't. I understand she did it on purpose; she was toying with me, enjoying every look of fear on my face, like a cat playing with a mouse. Now she's finally ending the game; the full moon is fast approaching…

No one can save me, no one! I know my life is about to end, and I'd rather end it myself than let her end it. Actually, either way, it's ending my own life, which is both tragic and laughable. I only hope that when someone reads this suicide note someday, they won't think I'm mentally unstable.

I began to regret trespassing into that place that day, inadvertently discovering this secret. But I never imagined that person would succeed so quickly and place me in such terror. In my final moments, I have few requests. I only hope that those who read this will believe every word I've written, because perhaps then, when humanity has gained a greater understanding of that scientific field, some will believe me…

August 9, 1995

Meng Li

--Written at the end of life

Logically, it's impossible for two identical people to exist in this world, yet Meng Li's suicide note tells such a story. Notably, the person she mentioned had the same birthmark on their wrist as hers. I've read it many times, but I'm still completely baffled. What exactly do "starting to regret going into that place" and "that person succeeded so quickly" refer to? This is the key to understanding the Meng Li case, but I simply can't figure it out.

The Panic Occurred at the Fourth Campus (3)

This mysterious suicide note has left me completely bewildered. I think I'll stop writing here for today. Yes, it's time to take a break.

Part 4.

Thursday, October 15, 1995 Weather: Rain

Who is that person?

Recorder: Nami Ikeda

"I'm starting to regret barging into that place that day, accidentally discovering this secret, but I really didn't expect that person to succeed so quickly..."

Who exactly was the person Meng Li mentioned in her suicide note who discovered her secret? I pondered this question all night, but I couldn't come up with a single clue. The information left in that suicide note was far too scarce. So far, only a few things have become clear. First, Meng Li is likely dead; second, the "Meng Li" I last saw might be the person she mentioned in her suicide note who looked exactly like her; third, the person with powerful telepathy might know the truth, otherwise how would they know Meng Li's diary was in that forest, a place so mysterious it would be incredibly difficult to find again; fourth, the person who led me to that mysterious place might be connected to the Meng Li incident, but they refuse to show themselves, only providing clues. But why me? Finally, judging from the time mentioned in Meng Li's suicide note, she must have left this world before August 17th or 18th, because those two days coincide with a full moon. Whether Meng Li committed suicide or was killed by that mysterious woman, it couldn't have been later than those two days, because that woman said, "The game will end when the moon is full."

Now, my task is to use the information above to solve the following mystery:

1. What exactly is the place Meng Li mentioned in her suicide note that she shouldn't have entered? Could it be the same place as the red brick house where I found her diary?

2. Are the footprints of varying depths inside the red brick house related to this matter?

3. Where did the person chasing Meng Li come from? Why is her voice and birthmark exactly the same as Meng Li's? Where is she now? What is her purpose in chasing Meng Li? Is it merely to replace her and live among us? If so, why did she suddenly disappear after replacing Meng Li (assuming Meng Li is dead)?

Making pointless speculations here won't lead to anything; perhaps I've missed something. I hoped to gather some information from Mengli's roommates that would help the investigation. Unfortunately, there were no new discoveries. All they knew was that Mengli had suddenly become taciturn in the period before her disappearance, seemingly burdened by heavy thoughts and anxieties, and wouldn't answer any questions. So I started looking through Mengli's diary again, carefully flipping through each page. Sadly, the diary only went up to June 1995.

Judging from the diary I've found, Meng Li is someone who keeps a diary. Therefore, I suspect there's another diary yet to be discovered, and perhaps it contains what I'm looking for. But where could that diary be? Another question is, why is this diary in that mysterious red brick house? Someone must have taken it there, so perhaps the other diary is also there. I've decided to go search for that mysterious red brick house again.

The Fourth Campus: Mind Reading (1)

PART 1.

Just as I turned to the next page of the Séance journal, waiting to find out the whereabouts of Meng Li's second diary, the title that appeared made me feel that everything had to start all over again.

Weather on October 16, 1995: Cloudy

The mysterious death of Nami Ikeda

Recorder: Reiko Maeda

Everything happened so suddenly. When I saw Nami's body being carried out of the woods on a stretcher, covered with a white sheet by the police, I couldn't believe it was real. I didn't know what Nami had been doing while I was preparing to write that academic paper. It wasn't until today, when the incident happened, that I opened this séance log and learned everything that had happened in the past few days.

I can't believe Nami died so suddenly, and I can't believe the mysterious person with powerful telekinesis she mentioned in her diary. If such a person really exists, I couldn't possibly not sense him.

I desperately need to uncover the truth behind Nami's death, and even more so, I need to find that red brick house and that mysterious figure with powerful telekinesis. But I know that all I can do now is wait. I must wait for the official autopsy report before I can begin my search; otherwise, I'll inevitably encounter a lot of unnecessary trouble. After all, becoming a suspect in the police investigation is no fun. I think it's best to wait until they reach a conclusion about Nami's death before entering the scene to do what I need to do.

PART 2.

Weather on October 18, 1995: Cloudy

Today I went to the police station as a friend to inquire about Nami's cause of death and also requested to see the autopsy report. The report stated that she died from circulatory failure due to sudden cardiac arrest caused by extreme shock, and that a large amount of narcotic agents was found in her blood sample. In other words, they believe Nami died from hallucinations and terror caused by inhaling a large amount of narcotic drugs. I asked the coroner, who said there were no injuries on Nami's body, thus ruling out the possibility of someone forcibly injecting or forcing her to ingest drugs. But I know that Nami had no history of using narcotic drugs.

I was eager to know the answer, but after returning in the afternoon, I searched for a long time in that grove of trees and still couldn't find the red brick house Nami had mentioned. I even began to doubt the authenticity of Nami's diary. But I still wouldn't give up.

Having read this far, the séance log had been turned to its last page, and I didn't know how I felt. If it weren't for the terrifying scene in the reading room that night, I probably wouldn't have believed these stories. The contents of the log were indeed too bizarre and unbelievable. I dialed Maeda Reiko's number with a mixture of disbelief and skepticism.

"Hello, I'm looking for Reiko Maeda."

Reiko Maeda's voice came through the microphone: "Is this Hayashibara-kun? I knew you'd come looking for me."

"Yes, are you free? If you don't mind, I'd like to go to that coffee shop near the school."

"Okay, I'll be there in 10 minutes."

PART 3.

This is a coffee shop not far from the school. The dim lighting and elegant music fill the shop with a romantic atmosphere. It is a popular place for couples and a favorite gathering spot for most students.

I sat down at a table in the corner, ordered a coffee, and opened the séance logbook, browsing through it again with mixed feelings.

"May I sit down?" Just like that time in the reading room, Maeda Reiko appeared suddenly again without my noticing. But I'm used to it now, because she always has this kind of mystery about her.

"What would you like to drink?"

"Whatever, I'll have a coffee like you."

After ordering a coffee, I handed the séance log to Reiko Maeda and said, "I've read it all, but I still don't understand what Meng Li, Nami Ikeda's deaths have to do with Meng Na? Why wouldn't she let me get close to her?"

Reiko Maeda took the diary and, seemingly unrelated to the question, asked, "Are you confused? Are you eager to know the cause of death for Nami Ikeda and Mengli?"

"Of course, but I still want to figure out why I'm not allowed to get close to Mengna first."

Reiko Maeda smiled and waved the diary at me. "Do you still remember the 'mind-reading' thing I wrote about in the diary?"

I took a sip of my coffee and asked, "'Mind reading'? Is that the kind of extraordinary ability you have that Nami Ikeda mentioned in her diary?"

Reiko Maeda smiled and said, "Yes, to put it simply, you're currently doubting whether I possess this ability, aren't you?"

I smiled helplessly, forced to accept the reality that she possessed this ability, because I had indeed been doubting her just now.

Before I could speak, Reiko Maeda continued, "And you're wondering what 'mind reading' has to do with not getting close to Mona."

I put down my coffee cup, sat up straight, and said, "Yes, so I'd like to hear your explanation."

"I can see what people are thinking, I can sense your thoughts, and of course I can sense the thoughts of others. But I can't see Mengna's thoughts. Her heart is like an empty shell, devoid of anything. I can't see through it."

The woman in front of me always seemed to be behind a thin veil, making her impossible to see through. If she had the ability to read minds, why couldn't she see Meng Na's thoughts? "What does this mean?" I always had doubts about the so-called mind-reading ability.

Reiko Maeda's expression suddenly turned serious again. To be honest, I really disliked her serious expression; it frightened me. "It's simple, Hayashibara-kun. Everyone has their own thoughts and feelings, which are usually conveyed through their habits, eyes, and tone of voice. Therefore, ordinary people can't hide their inner thoughts. In your interactions with them, or while observing them, you'll always find some clues. But Mengna's heart is empty! I can't see through her at all!"

I gave a wry smile and shrugged. "You're doubting Meng Na?"

"I don't want to doubt her, but she does confuse me."

I was a little annoyed. "Why do you have to pry into other people's minds? Is it something fun? Everyone has the right to their privacy. I don't think there's anything commendable about your behavior; on the contrary, it makes you seem scary."

The Fourth Campus: Mind Reading (2)

Reiko Maeda took a sip of her coffee and said with a wry smile, "Do you think I enjoy prying into other people's inner thoughts?" She gestured to the other people sitting around the coffee shop, "I have absolutely no interest in prying into them."

My voice became agitated, "Then, why choose me? Why choose Mengna?"

"Lin Yuan-kun, if you didn't frequently go to that closed-off forest with your roommates to spy on things, if you didn't have such a strong curiosity about that forbidden area, would I have chosen you?"

I was speechless. "Then, what about Mengna? Why did you try to spy on her?"

"Because Meng Li is her older sister."

I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, "Are you doubting Mengna?"

Reiko Maeda remained calm. "What do you think I'm suspecting about her?"

"I suspect she might be the 'I' who appears in Meng Li's diary."

"It seems you have a real talent for this; I don't deny that I've had that suspicion before."

"Was there such a speculation? And now? Has it been confirmed?"

"There's no answer. I already told you, I can't see into her heart."

"So this only deepened your suspicions about her?"

"No, I quickly dismissed that theory. Although the murderer Meng Li mentioned in her suicide note looked exactly like her, even sharing the same star-shaped birthmark on her arm, wouldn't a sister recognize her own sister?"

I slapped my forehead. "Yes, I was so careless! I didn't even think of that! They're sisters."

Reiko Maeda laughed, "Hayashihara-kun, your curiosity has already drawn you into this terrifying affair. I want to tell you that the reason I chose you wasn't to drag you in, but because, besides me, others have also noticed your actions. If I don't warn you, you'll soon become one of Death's inviters, just like Nami Ikeda. Also, you should remember what happened the night we first met."

I gasped. "Who is that person?"

"I don't know either. If I did, everything would be clear. You should remember that Nami Ikeda also died while searching for that mysterious forest."

I took another deep drag of my cigarette. "By the way, I was just about to ask you, how exactly did Nami Ikeda die? Was it really as the autopsy report said?"

Reiko Maeda nodded. "Yes, it's exactly as the report says."

I frowned and asked, "You recorded in your log that a large amount of anesthetic was found in Nami Ikeda's body, and that she died of a myocardial infarction due to excessive adrenaline secretion caused by extreme shock. She didn't have a drug addiction, and there were no signs of a struggle at the scene. So where do you think the anesthetic came from?"

"I can't be certain, I can only offer you my guess. Also, Lin Yuan-jun, I don't want you involved in this. I'm providing you with this information only to keep you away from that forbidden area on campus, away from Meng Na, and away from the events we're investigating!"

I smiled. "But I'm increasingly eager to participate."

She shook her head. "No, you can't participate. It would be life-threatening."

I laughed and said, "Then I'm even more curious. You know, curiosity will drive me to that place. Maybe your advice is a bit intimidating, but I'll bring a whole bunch of friends with me."

Reiko Maeda was a little agitated. "No, you can't do that. It will only implicate more people. Do you want your friend to end up like Nami Ikeda?"

I laughed and said, "Of course I don't want to, but I know what to do, I know how to handle it."

"You can't handle that kind of fear. Don't do anything foolish out of curiosity."

"No, I know what I'm doing. If you're really that worried, then let me join in."

Are you blackmailing me?

I put out my cigarette, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Don't put it so harshly, okay? I never meant to blackmail you. From the moment we met until now, I've always been the one listening to you. Now, it's time to switch roles."

Reiko Maeda didn't answer, keeping her head down and stirring the coffee in her cup with a spoon.

"Well, have you made up your mind?" I urged her.