My House of Horrors

In the game, Xiao Bu found the key to the dungeon inside her mother’s pajamas. However, the entrance to the dungeon was not at her own home but that of her classmate, Jiang Xiaohu. The thing that worried Chen Ge was that Xiao Bu seemed to have opened that door at the dungeon inside Jiang Xiaohu’s home.

Only when one had lost all hope could one open the door. Then what had Xiao Bu seen and experienced in the dungeon?

“Inspector Lee, do you have any information on Jiang Long’s family?” Only Jiang Long’s family would have information about the things that happened inside the dungeon, and Chen Ge wanted to know that.

“Why are you asking that?” From Lee Zheng’s perspective, Jiang Long’s family had nothing to do with the case.

“I feel like Bu Yi’s murderers could be Jiang Long and his family. Do you still remember the painting on the ceiling of Room 104? Jiang Long’s family’s names were written on it.” Chen Ge dropped some hints for Lee Zheng. If he could get police cooperation, his life would be easier.

“The killers wouldn’t be so dumb as to carve down their names at the crime scene.” Lee Zheng had been a police officer for at least a decade, and he had not seen something like that. “Leaving their own names at the crime scene to purposely announce to the world that they’re the culprits?”

“That painting could have been carved by someone else, or it might have some ritualistic significance.” Chen Ge knew that as a police officer, Lee Zheng could not reveal certain information to the public, but he tried the best he could.

On the phone, Lee Zheng was silent for ten seconds before continuing. “Actually, we’ve already investigated Lee Zheng’s family. His family situation is a bit complicated.”

Chen Ge’s heart had a bad omen. “Don’t tell me his whole family has disappeared…”

“Before Jiang Long’s car accident, Jiang Long’s wife took their two kids to visit a therapist. Then, within one week, Jiang Long died in the car accident, and Jiang Long’s wife, Zhang Chuyu, and their eldest daughter, Jiang Bai, disappeared. Of the family of four, only Jiang Xiaohu remains.” Lee Zheng hesitated like he was not sure whether it was wise to reveal this information or not.

“Jiang Xiaohu is still alive? Where is he staying now? I wish to ask him a few questions in person.” Chen Ge had a feeling this boy could be the key.

“The child has gone insane. He stabbed his therapist, and sometimes, he acts like a deranged beast. There is no way he can communicate with anyone. If you have to see him, then go to Jiujiang’s Mental Asylum. We met him there this morning.” The police had investigated everything that Chen Ge could think of, but they had failed to get any useful information from Jiang Xiaohu.

Hearing what Lee Zheng said, Chen Ge immediately thought, Could the boy be pretending to be mad?

He would not underestimate any adversary even if he was a child.

“Inspector Lee, can you get me to meet the boy?” Chen Ge pleaded for many times before Lee Zheng relented.

After he hung up, Lee Zheng called back immediately. “I’ve notified the asylum. We’d better go early; they do not allow visitation after 9.”

“Thank you, Inspector Lee!”

“Chen Ge, listen to me, I have something that I need to warn you about.” Lee Zheng’s tone was off. “Take care of your safety. Remember to stay a safe distance when you’re conversing with the boy, and be careful of getting harmed when he’s acting up.”

After that, Lee Zheng hung up. With the murders at Eastern Jiujiang, the man was very busy.

“Why would Lee Zheng warn me about that boy?” Chen Ge sat up in bed. He grabbed the backpack and inspected the content before leaving the Haunted House in a hurry. Jiujiang’s Mental Asylum was a government hospital. Different from the Third Sick Hall, it was closely monitored. If they were too late, they might not even get to enter the building.

At 7:20 pm, Chen Ge hailed a cab to get to the mental asylum. He gave Lee Zheng’s name to the guard, and then a doctor in a white coat came out to greet him.

“You’re Chen Ge, who Inspector Lee mentioned, are you?” The doctor was tall and thin. He wore black-rimmed glasses. The man was quiet like the kind that did not like to talk. “My full name is Pei Jiaoyang, but you can call me Doctor Pei. The patient has already been brought to the interrogation room that was used in the morning. Considering the issue of safety, the conversation has to end before 9.”

“Okay.” With guidance from Doctor Pei, Chen Ge entered the mental asylum. This place was so different from the Third Sick Hall.

“This is the room. The workers and I will accompany you, so you don’t need to worry about safety.”

“Thank you.” Chen Ge realized how useful the police’s name was. If he had come alone, he probably would have been shown the door.

“Human lives are involved, and it’s our duty to cooperate with the police.” Doctor Pei entered the room and pointed at the boy on the bed. “He’s Jiang Xiaohu. Later, people will send in his information.”

The room was simple with just a bed and three wooden chairs. The boy was sitting on the bed. His limbs were tied up with ropes, and his gaze was blank. Even if people went near him, he would not acknowledge them.

“Do you mind removing the ropes?” Chen Ge sat on the chair next to the bed. He noticed that the ropes had already cut into the boy’s flesh.

“Those are for your safety. When he acted up this afternoon, he bit whomever he saw. We expended a lot of energy before we could detain him.” Doctor Pei sat next to Chen Ge and added, “Don’t be fool by the boy’s appearance. He looks innocent and harmless, but when he acts up, we’ll need two adult males to apprehend him.”

When Doctor Pei was speaking, there was knocking on the door. A female nurse came in with a document. “Doctor Pei, the patient information that you wanted.”

Doctor Pei accepted the document and handed it over to Chen Ge. “Jiang Xiaohu came to us three years ago. The document contains all of his diagnoses from then till now. Take a look at it yourself. You can ask me if you have any question.”

Chen Ge looked through the document. He noticed that the doctor who had counselled Jiang Xiaohu three years ago was Pei Jiaoyang, and later, Doctor Pei also became the boy’s principle therapist.

“Three years ago, you counselled Jiang Xiaohu?” Chen Ge had found the person whom he was looking for. He desperately wanted to know what had happened three years ago. “Can you tell me more details about that?”

The room suddenly became quiet. Doctor Pei did not answer immediately. The diagnosis three years ago seemed to be a memory that he did not want to remember.

“I noticed that Jiang Xiaohu’s initial diagnosis was bipolar disorder, but then, it was changed to schizophrenia, and finally, it was edited to say that the patient’s personality was rather stable and had sufficient self-cognizance, that there was no sign of mental illness. How could one person have three different results from three diagnoses?” Chen Ge put down the document and looked at Doctor Pei. “What happened three years ago? And why would Jiang Xiaohu’s family send this boy over to the mental hospital over and over so many times?”