Le retour de l'âme

Chapitre 23

"I believe you, Lin Yuan. But I don't understand why Zhao Jun did this either." Maeda Reiko stood on the balcony of her apartment, gazing at the tennis court below.

Snowflakes are falling outside the window, large flakes drifting down. There's no wind.

"What good is it if you believe me? I need evidence. Only evidence can clear my name!" I stood in the room. It was too cold outside. I hated this kind of cold. Coming from the south, I was completely unaccustomed to the cold of the north. Now I especially couldn't stand it; it was a cold that came from the bottom of my heart.

"There's no use in being anxious; it will only make us lose our composure." Maeda Reiko walked back to her room and closed the balcony door behind her. She seemed to feel the terrifying cold as well.

"How can I not be anxious? The student affairs office has already spoken to me several times yesterday, and the dean wants me to come to his office tomorrow. What would you do?"

"I'm the same as you. Don't forget the night Old Man Sun died, I was with you. I was also a suspect." Maeda Reiko appeared very calm as she slowly sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

I started pacing back and forth in her room again.

"You don't need to worry so much. At least for now, they don't have direct evidence that Lin Duyu's death is related to you. Those are just inferences, and inferences are inferences, not evidence."

"That's not what I'm most worried about."

"oh?"

"What disturbed me most was that Zhao Jun mentioned Ling Min's death, and his tone seemed to imply something."

"Is this an implication that Lingmin's death is related to you?"

I stopped pacing, looked into her eyes, and nodded.

Reiko Maeda didn't continue. She went out onto the balcony again, gazing at the swirling snowflakes. After a long while, she said to me, "What's meant to come will come; there's nothing we can escape. Knowing we can't escape it, we can only face it with equanimity, don't you think?"

I didn't understand what she was saying, but she continued talking to herself: "You don't need to worry so much. Just go back and wait patiently. When the problem actually comes, it's often easier to find a solution. Worrying about it now is pointless."

of."

I understood what she meant; she was telling me to leave.

I was a little angry and disappointed. Because when I hoped for her help, she didn't offer any advice or solutions. "In that case, I won't bother you any longer," I said, turning to leave.

"Don't be angry," Maeda Reiko turned around, "Don't forget, I'm in the same boat as you now. I didn't want to tell you, but the director already spoke with me yesterday. Regarding Old Man Sun's death, I'm also a suspect, just like you. It's not that I don't want to help you; in fact, helping you is helping myself, isn't it? But all I can do now is wait."

"Okay, maybe I was too impatient. Yes, you're right, what's meant to happen will happen eventually, and I'll wait patiently."

PART 2.

The dean's office was much larger and more luxurious than the other teachers' offices. Of course, it wasn't an office anyone could just walk into. But now, I was sitting here, on the sofa opposite that large and imposing desk. Similarly, not everyone had the opportunity to sit on this sofa. I was already sitting here for a simple reason: I was no longer an ordinary university student, but a suspect. This suspicion began after Old Sun's death.

The leather sofa was soft and comfortable, but I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles. Dean Wu kept smoking, and Lin Duyu's admission file lay on his desk. This was my first time observing the dean up close. He wasn't as old as I had imagined; I thought he couldn't be more than 50.

"You should know why I'm looking for you," Dean Wu said bluntly.

I nodded.

"Why go to that forbidden area?" His tone was very unpleasant.

"Just curious," I replied casually.

"Curiosity! Do you know the consequences of your curiosity?!" He picked up Lin Duyu's admission file and threw it in front of me. "One student has already died, and now another one is dead. How am I supposed to explain this to the students' parents?!"

"I didn't know things would turn out this way."

"Don't know? Do you know why that forest was sealed off? You can't possibly not know what happened!" Dean Wu said, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Yes, I know, but..."

"There are no 'buts'. Now that someone is dead, this is no small matter. Also, on the day Old Sun, the morgue attendant, died, they found your and Maeda Reiko's footprints at the scene. How do you explain that?"

I didn't know how to explain. I couldn't tell him what I'd seen with Lin Musen in the morgue that day. Yes, I didn't trust him. He couldn't possibly not know about the secret passage in the reading room, but why would there be such a passage? Why seal off that grove of trees? Clearly, this academy was hiding a secret. Actually, I should have realized it long ago. So I countered, "Why seal off that grove of trees?"

Dean Wu took a deep drag on his cigarette and said, "Don't you understand why we're closing it off? Ridiculous. The college doesn't want the same thing to happen again. And now you've let another death occur!"

"It has nothing to do with me. I want to declare that I did not cause Lin Duyu's death. Dean, do you really think that closing off that grove of trees will prevent such incidents from happening again? Don't you want to find out the cause of these deaths? I don't understand how a university dean can believe in ghosts and spirits." Since I was now a suspect myself, I decided to go all out, showing no respect whatsoever for a teacher.

"Lin Yuan, don't be so arrogant. You can ask around at other colleges. In almost every university, places where someone has died are sealed off. Many things can't be explained by modern science."

"Oh, what about that secret passage? As the dean, you surely know about it."

"That's right, I really didn't know. You should know very well what era the 'Clock Tower' was built in. Also, you always associate with people from the Séance Society, which is an organization that the school doesn't recognize. You'd better stay away from them!" Dean Wu seemed to want to avoid the question of the secret passage.

Hypnosis (2) in "The Fourth Campus"

"Why should we stay away? Didn't you just say that there are many things that modern science can't explain?" My words carried a hint of sarcasm and smugness, the smugness of having caught his contradictory and flawed logic.

Dean Wu didn't panic. He slowly stood up, walked to his bookshelf, took out a file folder, and tossed it to me. "You should have already seen this."

Upon opening the file, a familiar name appeared before me—Nami Ikeda. It turned out that this was the psychological therapy record Liu Jianmin had prepared for Nami Ikeda.

"How did this end up with you?" I asked.

"Is it strange? Why can't it be here with me? Could you have seen it without my permission?" Dean Wu sat back down in his chair.

"So, you arranged for Zhao Jun to take me to the Psychological Research Association back then?" I felt that everything was becoming complicated.

Dean Wu picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and suddenly changed to a calm and measured tone, "That's right, it was my arrangement. The purpose was to make you understand how the séance came about."

"But I didn't understand."

"You don't understand, otherwise I wouldn't need to show you this medical record again today. The Séance Society was founded by Nami Ikeda after she developed severe delusions. Now you should understand."

"You mean, the purpose of this organization is entirely for a non-existent fact!" I suddenly felt deceived. Many of the theories that Maeda Reiko told me back then sounded so reasonable, but now they have become products of a morbid mentality.

"That's right. You've been investigating this for quite some time now, but there's one thing Maeda Reiko definitely hasn't told you, and of course, no one else would tell you either."

"What's up?"

"It's about Nami Ikeda, and of course, it also involves someone who died in that forbidden area back then, Li Xiaofei."

Li Xiaofei! The student who was killed by Zhao Jun in self-defense years ago!

"Li Xiaofei is also a member of the Séance Society." Dean Wu's words shocked me once again.

"There are many things you don't understand, which is why you've been misled by Maeda Reiko's fallacies. The college had long wanted to shut down this organization, but because she's a foreigner and her organization hadn't done anything that violated school rules or promoted feudal superstition, we hadn't really intervened. But now that someone has died, we have to get involved!" Dean Wu's words reminded me of my meeting with Maeda Reiko yesterday. No wonder she suddenly seemed like a different person; it turns out the college had already started putting pressure on her.

Dean Wu continued, "Three years ago, Nami Ikeda and another senior female student both fell in love with a master's student in the Department of Bioengineering. The master's student ultimately chose Nami Ikeda. Unable to bear the double blow of heartbreak and having to retake her exams, the other girl hanged herself in that grove of trees."

"Is it mentioned in that medical record...?" I didn't know what word to use to describe her, woman or female ghost.

"Yes, it was her. Because of her death, Ikeda Nami was under a lot of psychological pressure and gradually developed paranoia, often seeing that girl appear in front of her. Although the academy organized psychological research groups to treat her many times, the effect was not significant. So, she founded the Séance Society. During that period, rumors of seeing that girl often circulated among the students, and even many professors and lecturers in the academy doubted that it was true, until one night..." Dean Wu took a sip of tea and lit a cigarette.

"Until one night, how about it?" I was drawn to him.

"Until one night, the so-called 'female ghost' appeared in the girls' dormitory. A girl, in extreme terror, fought with her, alarming the entire building. Under the crowd's attack, the 'female ghost' revealed her true identity: she was Nami Ikeda."

I was shocked by his words for the third time.

"Alright, I've told you everything I needed to tell you. There are only two reasons. First, stop getting entangled with the Spirit Summoning Society; second, stop interfering in the affairs of that forbidden area. You can't handle it." Dean Wu finally revealed the reason for his meeting with me.

"If we don't investigate, will Lin Duyu die in vain? Will I just be suspected like this?" I said unwillingly.

Dean Wu shook his head helplessly, slowly stood up, walked to my side, patted my shoulder, and said, "Lin Yuan, after all this, don't you understand? Many things, once they've become facts, there's no need to cover them up anymore. The truth will eventually come out. When you have to face the facts you don't want to face, you have to bear the blow. Alright, I have another meeting, so I'll stop here. In short, you have to listen to me; there are two points you must follow."

PART 3.

The snow that had been falling for two days had stopped, but the sky didn't clear up; a light drizzle began to fall. Such rain is rare in winter, and this unusual weather seemed like an ominous sign.

Reiko Maeda has been unwilling to see me for the past two days. I can understand her situation, and perhaps it would be better for her to handle these troubles on her own.

In class, I sat alone in the last row of the classroom. Ever since Lin Duyu died, no one wanted to sit with me. The homeroom teacher was giving a boring biology lesson, and watching her write and erase on the blackboard, repeating these simple actions over and over again, I suddenly envied her.

Yes, this is Professor Li, who visited me twice during my hospital stays. It's rare to find such a young lecturer in a university; generally, counselors aren't qualified to teach, but she's an exception. Her research focuses on genetics, currently one of the most sought-after medical specialties. With the recent deluge of news about Dolly the sheep, this field is sure to become even more popular, and she will have even more opportunities and challenges.

Li Moran, at only 25 years old, stepped onto the university lecture stage and was highly regarded by the dean. I think I saw a photo of her with the dean in his office the other day—a tremendous honor for a university lecturer. Sigh, I wonder if I'll ever be as successful as her. Lately, I've been so confused by these bizarre events that I haven't attended a class in ages. It seems I have no chance of making a name for myself.

Hypnosis (3) in "The Fourth Campus"

I turned my face away and looked out the window. The sky was overcast, just like my mood. Dean Wu's words had been echoing in my ears for the past two days, especially the last sentence, which seemed to have a hidden meaning. What exactly was he referring to?

The séance was established by Nami Ikeda after she suffered a mental breakdown, yet she herself ended up playing the role of a ghost in her imagination. Why did she die in the end? If everything she described was a hallucination, was Meng Li's suicide note also fabricated? Yes, very likely. I only read part of the suicide note in the séance's logbook and never saw the original. But what about Reiko Maeda? Did she also suffer from severe delusions? It seems unlikely, and improbable.

Yesterday I went to see Mengna. At this point, she was the only one I could confide in. She's a kind and understanding girl; unlike others, she didn't reject me. Besides offering comfort and encouragement, she also suggested I see a therapist, saying I've been going through too much lately and need some mental relief. I don't feel like I can't handle what I'm going through, but I'll still take her advice and see a therapist, at least to understand why Ikeda Nami is behaving strangely by impersonating characters from her own hallucinations.

Teacher Li's class used to be my favorite, but now I can't concentrate on a single word.

PART 4.

I didn't have class in the afternoon, and Mengna also happened to be free, so I asked her to come with me to see a psychologist.

After nearly an hour's drive, I arrived at this local top-tier hospital. Mengna didn't understand why I hadn't registered at the affiliated hospital of my own college and instead traveled so far. I simply told her the reason—I didn't want people in the college to know that I was seeing a psychologist, because everyone seemed to suspect that I had psychological problems, especially Dean Wu's last sentence. I thought about it all morning and finally had a clue. He seemed to be implying that I had the same psychological problems as Ikeda Nami.

My doctor was an elderly man with thick glasses. He reminded me of Liu Jianmin, who treated Nami Ikeda. Although I've never met him, in my imagination, he and the psychologist sitting in front of me are strikingly similar.

Mengna didn't come in with me. According to regulations, a third party is not allowed to be present during psychotherapy sessions to protect the patient's privacy. It was just the two of us in the consultation room. He had me lie down on the comfortable recliner and try to relax, then poured me a glass of water. "We have two hours. Lie down for a while and try to relax," he said, placing an alarm clock on the coffee table next to me.

The soundproofing in the consultation room was excellent; I couldn't hear any outside noise. The soft lighting and quiet environment quickly helped me relax. "Perhaps Ikeda Nami was lying here in the same environment as I am now, receiving psychological therapy from Liu Jianmin," I thought to myself.

The second hand of the alarm clock ticked rhythmically, making a regular "tick-tock" sound. There was nothing special about it, but at that moment, I found it so pleasant to hear, like a beautiful piece of music. I slowly closed my eyes.

"Are you comfortable sleeping in this recliner?" the old doctor began to speak. His voice became deep and magnetic as the alarm clock ticked, not at all like that of an elderly person.

"Yes, it's very comfortable." I nodded slightly with my eyes closed.

"Continue to relax and imagine that you are lying on a soft sandy beach, with gentle sunlight on your face and the sound of ocean waves in your ears."

The recliner was soft, the lighting gentle, illuminating my face. I had thought psychotherapy would be no different from a regular outpatient clinic, but it was surprisingly comfortable. It had been so long since I had lay there so peacefully, without a single thought in my mind. The fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days seemed to surge up all at once; I was so sleepy, so very sleepy. To the rhythmic ticking of the alarm clock and the old doctor's deep, resonant voice, my thoughts gradually began to blur, and I felt the recliner slowly sinking.

The soft sand, the gentle sunlight, bathing in the sun, listening to the sound of the waves, you can even feel a sea breeze and smell the unique scent of the sea.

Are you sleepy right now?

"Yes, I want to sleep."

"Relax, go to sleep. You're too tired and need rest. Sleep slowly. This is a deserted island; no one will disturb you. Sleep, and in your dreams you will go to the places you long for and see the things you want to see." The voice was both near and far, and gradually I lost consciousness.

It is a wonderful thing to go to the places I long for and see the things I want to see in my dreams. Even though it is just a dream, it is something I yearn for.

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I was lying on a lone boat, moored at the shore, with a desolate island before me. Waves crashed against the steep cliffs, splashing up large sprays of water. The gentle sunlight in the sky was gone, replaced by heavy, dark clouds. The sea wind howled wildly, as if trying to tear everything apart.

I struggled to climb onto the island, where a dense forest unfolded before me. The branches swayed and twisted in the wind, like a horde of wildly dancing demons welcoming the coming darkness.

Beyond the woods rose another high cliff, with a long wall faintly visible atop it. It all felt like something out of a movie. What lay beyond that wall? Perhaps the castle of the vampire Baron Dracula.

I walked along the edge of the woods, peering upwards, until I unknowingly found myself on a cobblestone path. It meandered and twisted, leading deep into the dense forest. Everything before me seemed strangely familiar; where was I, and why did this place feel both alien and familiar? How I had arrived on this isolated island no longer mattered; the cobblestone path seemed to beckon me with magic. I found myself drawn to it, walking deeper into the woods.

What awaits me in the dark woods and winding paths?

PART 5.

The forest path was incredibly dark, like night itself. A chilling current swept through the depths of the woods, much like the secret passage in the 'Clock Tower'. After walking a dozen steps, I began to hesitate; the darkness ahead made me want to turn back.

Hypnosis (4) in "The Fourth Campus"

I couldn't help but turn around, but the path I had come from had disappeared. Behind me was the same as in front of me, with dense, bottomless forests on both sides, and pitch blackness ahead.