Ivy League Murder Game

Chapter 4

That night filled with nightmares flashed through my mind. I was sitting on the street, half asleep, when the short-haired girl at the convenience store turned around from behind me, smiled at me with narrowed eyes, and from somewhere came the unrestrained laughter of a prostitute.

It seems both far away and right in front of you.

It seems like it started around that time that I began to hear a faint ringing sound around me. Unfortunately, I'm too oblivious to think about it.

So it was just because of this prank bell... You just wanted to play this good-natured joke on me?

For a moment, it was as if she saw herself returning home late at night, mechanically stepping into the convenience store, picking out a few things to eat and drink, and placing them in front of her.

She always smiled slightly and never said a word.

There are often one or two middle school textbooks next to the cashier.

My understanding of her is limited to this.

"Ah...that...that little kitten..."

"I added a little tiramisu to the tea. The kitten was trained from a young age that it would be afraid of people who didn't smell of tiramisu. I sprayed some tea on you and, under the guise of slapping you, removed the bell. It's that simple."

It's that simple. I stared at him, dumbfounded. Was this guy a charlatan who swindled people out of their money, or a powerful spiritual master who could turn the world upside down with a flick of his wrist?

If he's a charlatan, why would he tell me it was all just a show when I'd completely trusted him? If he's a spiritual master, why would he need to create such mystery and leave me bewildered?

In a daze, I took the business card Xingyun handed me and subconsciously looked in the direction he was gesturing.

Peng Xingyun Psychological Clinic, starting from 180 yuan/hour, no bargaining.

I snapped out of my daze and quickly looked down at the business card:

Peng Hu, courtesy name Xingyun.

Master of Psychology, Bachelor of Folklore.

Visiting Professor, Department of Architecture, Fuzhou University.

Telephone XXXXXXXX

Section 10

There's a tiramisu restaurant on Baima Road. It's an elegant Western restaurant surrounded by lush greenery. Although it's only about ten meters from the road, the noise of traffic seems to come from a distant place, faint and indistinct.

"Tender, absolutely amazing!" I said, my mouth stuffed full of sirloin steak. Lei and Yan Xin sat across from me, watching me devour the food with disgusted expressions.

I knew they wouldn't be able to eat meat for at least several more days. To them, the huge steak in front of me was no different from a rat's fragrant, steamed arm.

Actually, just like them, I felt nauseous at the smell of meat the day before. It seems Xingyun is doing a pretty good job as a psychologist, much better than those who acted mysteriously when we first met.

Looking back, he never uttered a single word related to ghosts, gods, or demons. He merely used psychological suggestion to subtly manipulate me.

"Woof, he's helped you a lot, so spending a little money is nothing to you. By the way, you said you didn't have any nightmares last night, so it seems to be working. Why don't you recommend I go see him too? I had nightmares again last night and only slept for less than two hours. It seems like I've been under a lot of pressure lately..."

Lei, with dark circles under his eyes, looked on with envy.

I understood completely, so I patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "Of course, that's no problem. This stinky Taoist priest may be awful, but he's actually quite skilled. Besides, there are no ghosts or gods, they're all just figments of our imagination. For example, if you're alone in a room, the more you think there's something behind you, the more scared you become. But there's nothing behind you, it's all just your imagination... By the way, what nightmare did you have this time?"

That's how Xingyun comforted me, but coming from my mouth, it didn't seem to work on A Lei at all. I don't know why that stinky Taoist priest could use this trick to convince me so completely that I went home, lay in bed, and slept soundly, ignoring all the noise.

When I asked what nightmare it was, I clearly saw Lei's hand tremble, and the ice water in the crystal glass spilled out, soaking a large area of his crotch, but he didn't even notice.

Fatty Lei, he's putting on a brave face, but he must be terrified inside, otherwise he wouldn't be acting like this. I reached out and put my hand on his shoulder. His skin under the thin shirt was hot and he was trembling uncontrollably, letting me see that his fear was truly uncontrollable.

"...What does that bell look like?" Yan Xin, who is usually very talkative, had been serious and expressionless ever since she asked her out. She hadn't said a word for a long time before suddenly blurting out a nonsensical question.

Sigh, I didn't know that I had specially invited them out for a meal and a chat, and relayed the advice I got from Xingyun, thinking that they would stop overthinking like I did... It seems that the two hundred soldiers in my wallet are going to be sacrificed for nothing again.

I really couldn't be bothered with her. ...Why did she ask about that bell? It was just a little prank prop; although it was exquisite and unique, it wasn't anything special.

A-Lei didn't react, staring blankly at the water in the cup, his facial muscles twitching, seemingly lost in thought.

But... um? Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind: the day before, when I reached for the bell, Xingyun quickly pulled her hand back, preventing me from touching it.

I didn't pay attention at the time, but now that I think about it, it seems like he was worried I'd want the bell back. Afterwards, he kept implying that everything was fine and it was time to leave, and kept reminding me how much I owed, which made me completely forget about the bell.

“Last night, I had a very strange dream. In the dream, I somehow ended up in the house of a stranger. We seemed to know each other very well. He called me Hua Tian, and I called him… um… something like A Jian.” Lei finally spoke, and you could hear his voice trembling slightly, the kind of trembling that he tried to suppress but couldn’t control.

“I was very hungry, and he said he was too, and asked if I wanted to eat human flesh. I said okay, then let’s go to the street and find someone to kill, and eat his flesh… I didn’t say that, I don’t know why I said that. Ah Jian smiled, the kind of smile that I found very sinister, and said no need, just eat his flesh.”

A-Lei's pupils dilated, and his voice became urgent: "Hearing such words, I actually felt very happy, just like when we talked about going to Zhu Zi Fang for dinner, the thought of the pork hock made me happy... A-Jian took out a knife from the kitchen, a shiny cleaver, chuckled, and looked at me. He raised the cleaver high, then brought it down, and with a snap, he cut off his own left leg."

My palms began to sweat, and my heart pounded. The fear in Ah Lei's heart deeply affected me. I held his shoulders tightly, not daring to let go.

"I cheerfully picked up his left leg and took it to the kitchen to cook. Ah Jian lay in the pool of blood, grinning as he watched me. He watched as I steamed the whole leg, placed it in a basin, and brought it to him. We sat at the dining table, and I took a bite. The tender, slightly fishy juices rushed into my throat. I was so happy I almost cried out. I tossed my head back and ripped a large chunk of flesh, skin and all, off his thigh. It was just like the pork hock we usually eat, only much smoother and more tender..."

"Ugh..." Even the usually oblivious Yan Jie couldn't hold it in any longer, gagged a few times, and rushed out like a shot, probably to the restroom. If we weren't in a private room, we probably would have been given a lot of strange looks.

Ah Lei was still rambling on about the details of his "cannibalism," an experience perhaps only possible in dreams for ordinary people like us. But ultimately, it was just a dream, no matter how real it might feel.

My gaze unconsciously wandered around the private room and landed on the television. It was exactly six o'clock in the evening, and Fuzhou TV was broadcasting the hourly news.

"...Last night, another strange murder occurred in Gulou District. The deceased was named Gao Changjian, 31 years old, a senior public relations manager at the Heaven on Earth Group. He was found dead at his home this morning, sitting at the dining table in his living room, seemingly eating. His left leg had been cut off at the root and steamed, then placed in front of him. Police suspect that the deceased had a feud with the underworld due to his work, and was thus brutally murdered by his enemies. The police have officially opened a case for investigation..."

Fear seeped into my body, insidiously, and beads of sweat appeared on my forehead without my noticing. Ah Lei's voice grew increasingly distant, until it was barely audible.

The camera kept switching between shots: police, the crime scene, the surrounding environment, reporters, photos of the deceased… “It’s him!” Lei slammed his hand down and shouted, “The person I saw in my dream, it’s him, it’s Jian…”

Ah Lei's voice was hoarse and choked, his eyes filled with fear. He leaned close to me, his tall frame trembling uncontrollably.

I know that, although I could feel his burning body temperature and see that there was nothing behind him, in his mind, the entire private room was already chilling, his back was icy cold, and something unknown was chuckling there.

So, what's behind me?

Section 11

This is a simple life.

This is a very special coffee bar on Dongtai Road. What makes it special is that the main patron is young people, full of energy and vitality. We've encountered quite a few unexpected surprises here.

However, no matter what kind of surprises we encounter, they always remain within the realm of our comprehension. They are unlike this series of events, which far exceed our understanding.

Perhaps this is the biggest reason why we feel fear.

"Remember the murder mystery game we used to play? Now, we've unintentionally started another game. Mouse is dead, and A-Jian is dead too. It's very likely that one of us will be next. Maybe it'll be A-Lei, maybe it'll be Wang, maybe it'll be me, or it could be any of Xiao-Wei or the others."

Yan Xin sat opposite me and A Lei, watching us very seriously, just like she always does when she's a referee.

"The three of us are recognized as having the strongest analytical and reasoning abilities, and we're often the first to be eliminated by the killer in every game. This time will be no different; it's very likely that the three of us will be the ones who get hurt. We have no choice but to keep playing this game, for ourselves and for the people we care about."

To be honest, I have mixed feelings.

Although I've written martial arts novels, science fiction, fantasy, and even ghost stories, I've never imagined myself living within one of these stories. Even if I did, it would only be a romantic fantasy. When I'm lucid, I'd rather they remain just fantasies forever.

Because I am just an ordinary person.

No strange martial arts masters knocked on my window in the middle of the night, forcing me to practice martial arts; I didn't fall off a cliff and learn a lost martial arts technique; and unlike some supernatural novels, I wasn't born with extraordinary abilities, such as having the ability to see ghosts or hear spirits.

Even among ordinary people, I'd be considered "too weak to even kill a chicken." I've had a little belly for a while now, and my double chin is pretty noticeable. If I punched someone like that, a tree as thick as a chopstick would probably only shake two or three times; climbing two flights of stairs would make my heart race.

Why didn't this happen when I was at my youngest, most energetic, most enthusiastic, and most vibrant?

Perhaps the most frustrating thing in life is encountering the wrong thing at the wrong time.

But no matter what, I must accept this challenge. For the sake of what I love.

Dear Mom and Dad, dear sister and brother-in-law, dear nephew and niece, dear friends, dear colleagues, bosses, rivals, and competitors, I will never let you see my horrific death, never.

Because that wasn't the ending I chose. My destiny is for me to decide!

A sharp clap rang out, and the three of them looked at each other, unable to suppress their smiles. Their three hands clasped tightly together—a gesture of strength and warmth.

We agreed that, following the rules of the murder mystery game, we would first take five minutes to organize our thoughts, then take turns speaking and expressing any questions we had. Finally, we would work together to analyze and clarify the most likely points of suspicion step by step.

The first to speak was A-Lei: "Actually, not much has happened to me. First, there was that mysterious coughing sound; if I remember correctly, everything started from that day. Second, there was the death of the rat. The third strange thing is that my first dream was exactly the same as Wang's, and then the second dream, the second dream..."

His voice changed slightly, carrying a deep-seated fear.

I knew what he was afraid of, so I reached out and squeezed his hand: "Don't worry, it wasn't you. Trust yourself. Besides, you sleep with Xiaowei every night. If you did anything, wouldn't she know? It was just a dream. At most, it just means you foresaw this."

I tried to lighten the mood: "Maybe you'll dream about winning the lottery next time. Remember to call me right away. If you win the jackpot, we'll split it 50/50, haha!"

This clumsy joke wasn't funny at all. Because Lei's face grew increasingly somber, Yan Xin's brows furrowed, and even my own laughter was dry and strained, sounding more like a dry howl than a genuine laugh.

It's better not to mention Xiaowei, but the thought of her suddenly sends a chill down my spine. I clearly understand what A-Lei fears most: he fears nothing more than dreaming that he has killed Xiaowei, then cut her into pieces, cooked her, and eaten her. He wakes up to find the room filled with the blood of his beloved, and a basin of it beside him...

I looked into A-Lei's eyes. Actually, I was also very scared, if A-Lei had done all of this unconsciously...

At first, A Lei tried to remain calm and looked at me, but perhaps realizing that I knew what he was thinking, his gaze suddenly became unfocused, and he helplessly covered his face with his hands, almost groaning.

"Impossible! Because that day I..." Yan Xin must have understood what we were thinking, and couldn't help but speak, but then, as if she had thought of something, she suddenly stopped.

"That day what?" we asked in unison.

This question has actually been on my mind for a long time. That day, I impulsively barged into the finance office, and ever since, I've been thinking about it. I was originally planning to raise this question when it was my turn to speak; if Yan Xin wasn't willing to clarify, it meant there was still a problem with mutual trust, and then there was no point in continuing this cooperation.

Yan Xin turned her face away, refusing to meet our questioning gazes. The orange light fell on her black hair, and the gold heart-shaped earrings sparkled in the shadows.

That bell! That bell!

Section Twelve

The air seemed to freeze between the three of them. I looked at the sailor's clock behind the bar; ten minutes passed, and she still hadn't moved. Ah Lei got a little impatient and suddenly stood up.

I grabbed him and shook my head.

Yan Xin finally spoke.

"Alright, I'll tell you. Forgive me for keeping this from you all this time. There are some things I've kept buried in my heart, things I dare not tell anyone. I hope you can understand that perhaps everyone around us has a tightly locked treasure trove of secrets deep in their hearts. If you happen to be able to open it, what is presented to you may be a story more moving than movies or novels, or it may be a secret unknown to anyone. But once you open it, you will enter a new world, and your life may be changed because of it, and there will be no turning back."

It took about half an hour for Yan Xin to tell her story. In short, the first half was about her background:

Yan Xin's parents are both archaeologists from Hunan Province. When Yan Xin was born, the archaeological team was stationed at Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, Gannan Prefecture, for research.

Everything was incredibly simple and austere in the 1970s. A young female archaeologist was still engrossed in studying the Tantric scriptures preserved in Labrang Monastery when she was about to give birth. There was no time to send her to the county hospital, which was dozens of miles away, and the village midwife they found at the last minute was also at a loss when faced with the archaeologist's difficult labor.

Miracles always happen at such moments. A high-ranking monk from the temple happened to return from studying medicine in Hong Kong and, out of compassion, delivered the baby. Thus, little Yan Xin was born in the Dharma Hall of one of the six major monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism.

In that chaotic era, no one had a choice. Just two years later, the archaeological team left Labrang Monastery and went to another research site. Xiao Yanxin followed her parents away from Gannan and away from the Daxia River.

As time passed and spring came, Xiao Yanxin followed her parents across China, finally settling down in Fuzhou. Growing up amidst this wandering, Xiao Yanxin became familiar with the fickle nature of the world, the warmth and coldness of human relationships, tasted the bitterness of love, and enjoyed the conveniences of modern technology. The distant ancient temple had become blurred in her memory, never to be recalled again.

Perhaps because she was born in an ancient temple where Buddhism flourished, or perhaps because a high-ranking monk delivered her, Xiao Yanxin had some unusual traits from a young age. She often saw things that ordinary people couldn't see, and as a result, she was weak and sickly from childhood.

Heartbroken, the parents tried everything to no avail. Finally, they heeded the advice of a distant relative and sought out a mysterious man at a small Taoist temple in a remote mountain area. Local legend said this man was a medium who understood ghosts and spirits, knew the principles of Yin and Yang, and was skilled in exorcising demons, capturing ghosts, and healing with talismans—all of which were incredibly effective. The man drew twenty calming talismans and instructed Xiao Yanxin to burn one on the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month each year, dissolve it in water, and drink it to ensure a year of peace.

"Oh!" Upon hearing this, both Lei and I understood.

“That day, I saw a strange black aura on A Lei’s face, just like the black aura I saw on my face in the mirror when I was a child. I was worried that something might happen to A Lei, so I burned a Taoist talisman, dissolved it in water and gave it to him to drink. That’s the whole story.”

Yan Xin spoke casually, as if telling an unrelated story. The occasional gesture of lightly brushing her hair back resembled... well, Ma Xiaoling, Ma Xiaoling from "My Date with a Vampire," a woman from an exorcist family who couldn't shed a single tear for a man.