Fourth Campus

Chapter 36

PART 3.

After leaving Dean Wu's residence, Chen Yiming drove straight to the police station.

"Do you think there's something wrong with Dean Wu?" I asked.

He chuckled, "Intuitively, I think he genuinely doesn't know anything about Mengna, but I suspect he might be hiding something else from us. I deliberately went to see him late at night and asked him this question to see his reaction."

"Professionalism is true professionalism. If you hadn't come back, I don't know how long I would have stayed in that trap."

"Don't try to frame me. The key issue is the clue about the hallucinogenic mushrooms that you and Xu Silu provided. Besides, if you and Lin Duyu hadn't discovered that secret passage, Dean Wu wouldn't be suspected by us. By the way, it's getting late, you should go back and rest."

"It's okay, I also want to find out the answer quickly. What should we do now?"

"Xu Silu's emotions have stabilized considerably. I'm going back immediately to take her statement."

Chen Yiming's office was in complete disarray, with thick stacks of files piled on the desk. When we returned, Xu Silu had already been brought by Mo Hui.

Chen Yiming poured Xu Silu a cup of tea, sat back down at his desk, and took out a pen and notebook.

"Xu Silu, how have you been these past few days?"

Xu Silu took a sip of tea. "It's alright. At least I don't have to live in constant fear here."

How did you discover the Psilocybene mushroom?

Xu Silu fell into deep thought. After a long while, she slowly said, "That was in '95. Several people died in that forest, and rumors said that there were vengeful ghosts and vengeful spirits there. I was young and naive back then, and I was very curious about these supernatural events. One night, I took a blessed gold talisman I had obtained from a temple and sneaked into that forest. Lingmin had mentioned to me before that she had found a female ghost by the well, but she spoke hesitantly, as if she was hiding a lot of details. I went straight to the well, wanting to see what the female ghost looked like."

"You're really brave!" I exclaimed.

"But I didn't see the female ghost Lingmin mentioned for several nights in a row. I thought maybe Lingmin was just hallucinating from her imagination. Just as I was about to give up, I suddenly saw someone walking towards me with a flashlight. I was very curious about who would come here so late, so I hid behind a tree. The person didn't go to the well, but instead searched for something in the nearby bushes. Then, I saw him pick something from a tree trunk and put it into a bag. After he left, I went over to check and found those mushrooms."

"Did you get a good look at that person's face?" Chen Yiming asked.

"I didn't see the person clearly; they were too far away. Afterwards, I wondered why this person wasn't picking mushrooms during the day, but in the dead of night. I was also going to pick some mushrooms to see what was so special about them. Just then, I heard footsteps again. I went back behind the big tree and saw the person from before had returned and turned off their flashlight. Not long after, another light flashed in the woods, and another person walked towards us. The person who had been picking mushrooms suddenly rushed out of the bushes and started fighting with the other person—I didn't see clearly, but the voices sounded similar. After a while, they stopped fighting, and the two of them started talking again; one was a man, and the other a woman."

Did you hear what they said?

"I overheard bits and pieces. It seemed to be about mushrooms. The man initially asked the woman why she was there so late at night, and then the woman threatened him, saying she would reveal the secret if he didn't let her pick some mushrooms. I also vaguely heard that mushrooms have hallucinogenic effects. I was terrified and just wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but then I stepped on a dry branch on the ground, making a sound. They started chasing after me."

While taking notes, Chen Yiming continued to ask, "Did he manage to win you over?"

"No, I ran out of the woods for my life. The dormitory doors were all locked, so I spent the night on campus. On the afternoon of the third day, a note mysteriously appeared in my desk, saying that if I revealed what happened that night, I would suffer the same fate as Nami Ikeda."

Why didn't you call the police?

"Call the police?" Xu Silu chuckled. "Ikeda Nami has been dead for over a month, and you haven't found anything out. Why would I call you? Besides, ever since that day, I've felt like someone's been watching me. To protect myself, I've been keeping this secret. Lingmin also seems to have been threatened, keeping her meeting 'Zhang Xueyao' a secret. We're very close, and she's only ever mentioned these things to me. As time went by, I naively thought that things had passed, and that as long as I kept the secret, I could graduate safely. But Lingmin is dead, and I've decided to reveal the secret! For my safety, I have to pretend to be crazy."

"Then how can you be so sure that Lin Yuan will also be admitted to a mental hospital?"

"I never expected him to be sent there. At the time, no one around could be trusted. Think about it, they couldn't catch me that day, yet they knew I'd found them. There must be many informants in the academy, maybe even people close to me, my friends. Lin Yuan had been investigating these mysterious events and was in a terrible situation himself, so naturally, he was the most trustworthy person. The day Ling Min jumped, I had already written that note. When I saw Lin Yuan arrive, I rushed over, yelled at him, and beat him up, trying to find an opportunity to give him the note, but you guys pulled me away. The second time I chased him like a madman, it was also to give him the note discreetly, but I ended up being sent to a mental hospital. In the past few years, I've been thinking about one question: could those mushrooms be related to the deaths? That's all I know."

Chen Yiming closed his notebook, stood up, and walked to Xu Silu. "The clues you provided are very important, but if you had told us sooner, so many people wouldn't have died. I understand how you feel. Until the real culprit is brought to justice, you'll have to make do here for now."

The Dawn of the Fourth Campus (3)

PART 4.

After seeing Xu Silu off, Chen Yiming and I continued to work out the case. Chen Yiming wrote a few words on the blackboard behind him:

Psilocybe nippon -- Psychological Research Society -- Séance

I stared at the blackboard for a long time, and suddenly something dawned on me. "Do you think there's a connection between these three?"

Chen Yiming said, "That's right. At first, I didn't connect séances, psychological research groups, or these events, especially séances. I always thought they were just playing tricks, and that kind of thing happens a lot in universities. But after the 'Devil's Umbrella' was discovered, and after you told me about the summoning ritual, I realized that this group was connected to these events."

"And what about the Psychological Research Society?"

Chen Yiming laughed, "Well, hehe, it's just intuition."

I laughed too. "It seems that to be a good policeman, you not only need good character, but also good intuition."

At that moment, the office door was pushed open, and Wu Jiansheng walked in carrying a stack of photos.

"The facial reconstruction of the female corpse at the bottom of the well is out." He said, handing over the photo.

When Chen Yiming saw the photo, he was very surprised. "It's her! How could it be her!" he said, handing the photo to me.

I was also extremely surprised. I never expected that this person would be Hu Xiaoli, whom I had always considered as my next murder target!

Chen Yiming lit a cigarette and puffed away. After a long while, he picked up a pen and wrote something on a piece of paper. Then he handed the paper to Wu Jiansheng. "Have the technical department make another simulation based on the deceased's appearance and build, according to the characteristics I wrote down."

After Wu Jiansheng left, Chen Yiming kept smoking.

"It seems our opponent is formidable. After you pulled her down the well, news broke that three people had gone missing. I initially thought it would be Zhao Jun, but when the body was recovered, it turned out to be a woman. Before the blueprints came out, I thought Wang Siyue was the most likely suspect; she was the librarian of the reading room, where a secret passage was discovered. But it turns out she is Hu Xiaoli. It seems Zhao Jun and Wang Siyue are also closely connected to this case. To help Hu Xiaoli distract us, they deliberately disappeared at the same time, buying time to destroy evidence." Chen Yiming's expression was grave, as if the situation had become urgent.

"By the way, how did Hu Xiaoli know I would sneak into that forbidden area? If she's the woman Xu Silu mentioned picking mushrooms, fungi shouldn't grow there at all this time of year. What was she doing there? And what a coincidence that she appeared at the same time as me! It must be so cold; wearing that kind of dress must be uncomfortable."

Chen Yiming slammed his hand on the table. "That's right! How could I have overlooked that? Someone must have tipped us off! It seems our operation was discovered long ago that night!"

"Also, the man Xu Silu mentioned picking mushrooms should be the one who grows mushrooms on campus. He should be somewhere on campus."

"That's right! If this person were a student, they would probably have graduated already. We can speculate that the reason that woman continues to maintain that area is because she also needs that thing."

Just then, Mo Hui pushed the door open and came in again. "Captain Chen, there's someone outside who wants to see you."

Chen Yiming and I looked at each other in bewilderment. I glanced at my watch; it was already four in the morning.

"Who could it be so late?" I asked.

"Let him in. Also, Mo Hui, you immediately take a few men to monitor that mental hospital. Set up surveillance on anyone suspicious!"

PART 5.

The guy who came to see Chen Yiming in the middle of the night surprised me once again when he appeared in front of me. Since the discovery of those hallucinogenic mushrooms, things have gradually become clearer, but these successive surprises are getting a little overwhelming.

This person was none other than Lin Musen.

"I didn't want to come, but if I didn't, all the work I've done these past few years would have been for nothing." Lin Musen found a chair, took out a leather notebook from his coat pocket, and handed it to Chen Yiming. "My real name is Yoshikawa Hideo, and I belong to the International Criminal Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department." He smiled at me as he said this.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department International Criminal Division! What? He's a policeman? Even Chen Yiming was quite surprised.

"Your actions have ruined all my plans," Lin Musen said. "So now I have no choice but to reveal my identity and ask for your assistance, otherwise everything will be in vain."

Chen Yiming examined the documents carefully, then handed them back to him. "Oh, may I ask what plan you're referring to?"

Hideo Yoshikawa took out a neatly folded piece of paper, unfolded it, and handed it to Chen Yiming. "My target is this woman, Yuri Hasegawa, also known as Reiko Maeda, the current president of the Summoning Society." He then glanced at me. "This information has already been reviewed by Hayashibara-kun."

"Reiko Maeda? What's going on?" I asked.

Hideo Yoshikawa stood up from his chair and paced back and forth in his office. "Are you all aware of the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack that occurred on March 20, 1995?"

"Of course I know. This matter has a huge international impact. Could it be related to Reiko Maeda?" Chen Yiming asked.

Hideo Yoshikawa smiled. "The mastermind behind Aum Shinrikyo, Shoko Asahara, has been arrested and began his trial in 1996. Related direct participants have also been arrested by the Japanese police, and Aum Shinrikyo has been declared a cult. However, after in-depth investigation, it was found that Aum Shinrikyo still has many branches overseas. After Asahara's arrest, they have been clamoring to revive the church." He then changed the subject, "Reiko Maeda, whose real name is Yuri Hasegawa, graduated from a prestigious medical university in Tokyo in 1994 with a doctorate in psychology." A genius in science. After graduation, she stayed at the academy to conduct research. In late 1994, she joined the Aum Shinrikyo cult. Due to her expertise in psychology, she quickly became a key member, primarily responsible for various rituals and the propagation of its doctrines. In March 1995, after the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, the Japanese government cracked down on the cult, and Yuri Hasegawa's whereabouts became unknown. In 1996, news broke that her whereabouts had been discovered in China, so I was sent here, posing as a student, to infiltrate this academy.

"Why not just arrest her?" Chen Yiming asked.

The Dawn of the Fourth Campus (4)

"The fact that Hasegawa Yuri was able to infiltrate a Chinese university under the alias of Maeda Reiko and as a foreign student suggests that someone provided her with a false identity, and that she has connections. We want to apprehend them all in one fell swoop. Your interference has alerted her. Hasegawa Yuri's recent behavior has been unusual; she might be preparing to escape. We won't be able to catch the big fish behind her. I urge you to capture this small fish immediately."

"You're willing to watch so many people die just to catch a big fish?" I was a little angry.

Hideo Yoshikawa said, "That's not the case. The earliest mysterious death at your academy occurred in August 1995. I had just joined the police force then and had no idea. I was only assigned here in 1996, and I've been investigating the incidents that have occurred this year, but I haven't found any evidence, and I can't reveal my identity, so you should understand my difficulties. I've hinted at this to you many times before, and even told you to open the windows more often, don't you remember?"

"So, you've suspected I've been poisoned by hallucinogens for a long time?" I asked.

"That's right, but I wasn't sure at the time until the soul-summoning ceremony. Afterwards, I was in charge of cleaning up the venue and found some powder on the ground. After testing, it was found to contain N-dimethyltryptamine and its phosphate ester."

"So, the woman Xu Silu was talking about is Maeda Reiko?" I asked Chen Yiming.

Chen Yiming nodded. "Very likely."

"I also have a question," I said. "Professor Li Moran also has some information about Maeda Reiko. How did she get that information?"

Hideo Yoshikawa said, "Because she's my partner, just like you're Officer Chen's partner. During the investigation of the Séance, I discovered that the Psychological Research Society seems to have been targeting the Séance all along. Although it's not obvious on the surface, many of their published papers are aimed at the Séance. The thing Li Moran gave you was also arranged by me, the purpose being to prevent you from continuing to believe Maeda Reiko and from being controlled by those hallucinogenic drugs. However, there's one thing I still don't understand: the hallucinations produced by hallucinogenic drugs should be different for each person. How could Hasegawa Yuri make everyone have the same hallucination?"

Chen Yiming said, "You're right, it is indeed unbelievable."

Lin Musen said, "I think the only person who can answer this question is her."

"Yes," Chen Yiming said, "Lin Yuan, let's go."

The police cars sped towards the college. In the north, dawn always breaks early; a sliver of light was already appearing in the east.

The Fourth Campus: The Clouds Part and the Sky Opens (1)

PART 1.

5:35 a.m., graduate student dormitory.

Yuri Hasegawa seemed to have sensed this moment had arrived. When we arrived at her room, the door was open and the living room lights were on. Several cups of freshly brewed tea were sitting on the coffee table, steaming hot.

Chen Yiming, Yoshikawa Hideo, and I exchanged a glance, all slightly surprised.

"Since you're already here, why don't you come in?" Hasegawa Yuri asked.

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw her standing on the balcony with her back to us.

"You knew we were coming, why didn't you run away?" Chen Yiming said, walking into the living room first.

"Because I really didn't expect that the person who betrayed me would be someone close to me. Isn't that right, Lin Musen, no, I should call him Officer Yoshikawa." Her words carried a hint of contempt and sarcasm.

Yoshikawa's expression turned somewhat grim. "How did you know who I am?"

Yuri, still speaking in a dismissive tone, asked, "Do you see that tape recorder under the coffee table?"

Sure enough, there was a small tape recorder under the coffee table. Yoshikawa turned it on, and a conversation came through: "My real name is Yoshikawa Hideo, and I belong to the International Criminal Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department..."

Chen Yiming and Yoshikawa's faces immediately turned ashen. One can imagine what it feels like for a policeman to be wiretapped without his knowledge.

"You've planted a listening device on me?" Yoshikawa's first reaction was to take off his coat and turn it inside out.

"If I had planted that thing on you, I wouldn't be waiting for you here today," Yuri sneered, seemingly laughing at her own foolishness in being betrayed by those around her. "This bugging device has always been under Chen Yiming's desk."

Chen Yiming lit another cigarette. "Brilliant. I rarely praise criminal suspects like this, but your methods are indeed brilliant. How did you manage to install this thing without my knowledge?

Yuri let out another cold laugh. "Officer Chen, have you forgotten that Hu Xiaoli once came to your office? And you were the one who 'summoned' her. Hu Xiaoli joined the Séance Society right after Ikeda Nami died; her status is no lower than yours, Yoshikawa-kun."

Yoshikawa was somewhat surprised, "Hu Xiaoli is actually a key figure in the Summoning Society? How come I had no idea?"

"Hahaha," Yuri laughed smugly, "She doesn't know you're a key member of the Séance Society. If I didn't tell you, you two wouldn't know."

Chen Yiming sighed deeply. "The word 'cunning and shrewd' truly describes you." He straightened his back. "Miss Yuri, why don't you come inside? You can't escape even from the balcony; the graduate student dormitory is already surrounded."

Yuri gave another cold laugh. "If I wanted to run away, would I need to make you tea? I just want to breathe some fresh air; the smell inside those iron bars isn't so pleasant. If you want to know the whole truth, you'd better sit there quietly. Otherwise, if I don't tell you, you'll never know."

Chen Yiming smiled. "That's not necessarily true, it's just a matter of time. But I'd love to hear you unravel these mysteries yourself; that way, you can save a lot of brain cells."