"There’s a ghost on Ghost Head Mountain, I’m absolutely sure of it. I can see vague human shapes among the trees in the mountains, hear some inexplicably strange calls, and even feel their densely watching eyes. I’m very afraid..."
"But what I’m afraid of is not the ghost, but the fact that the existence of ghosts in this world might be exposed."
"Whether it’s the world or the entirety of human society, both are built on a material foundation. If such an incredible, unexplained existence as ’ghosts’ becomes visible to the public eye, I can hardly imagine what will happen. Perhaps the collapse of fundamental science, or maybe the entire social order of humanity crumbling? I dare not think...nor do I wish to."
Gu Pingsheng, reading this far, couldn’t help but say, "Mr. Li is an excellent person."
"Mm." Feng Xiuxue responded softly.
Li Mu’s writing wasn’t very organized, but this kind of text, written as an emotional outburst, made it easier to see the author’s thoughts.
He was genuinely worrying about the world.
Feng Xiuxue, lost in thought, had a flicker in her eyes.
She had foreseen that Li Mu’s notes would be very useful, but should she really share something so useful with Gu Pingsheng?
She wasn’t a great person, nor was she kind. After narrowly escaping death, choosing to re-enter such a space clearly indicated other motives.
Feng Xiuxue’s perspective wasn’t as grand as Li Mu’s; everything she did was just for herself.
Just like Bai Yanliang before.
She could resort to deceit, seduction, and concealment to obtain his key, and likewise, break ties with him immediately after he lost the key.
Even though there was essentially no connection between her and him.
So at this moment, should she really share Li Mu’s notes with Gu Pingsheng, this "worthless" person?
Even though Gu Pingsheng had shown his calm mind, as a victor from another space, Feng Xiuxue had always understood one truth.
A smart person is not the same as a valuable person.
Nor are they necessarily the ones who can survive to the end.
Some people can instantly see through the eerie abilities of a fierce ghost, yet fail to perceive the plotting from their companions. Official source is novᴇlfire.net
Ultimately, intelligence and wisdom are entirely different matters.
Feng Xiuxue was very clear that although Bai Yanliang had a very useful mind, she could confidently bet that Bai Yanliang would never be the one to live to the end.
Because it was easy to see that he had too little contact with people. He could reason out the internal logic of a matter but didn’t quite grasp the fickle nature of the human heart.
Bai Yanliang would surely stumble heavily over someone he knew, and that stumble would likely cost him his life.
To avoid being implicated by him, Feng Xiuxue rationally chose to distance herself.
Similarly, Gu Pingsheng was calm, low-key, and smart, like an older version of Bai Yanliang.
But he was cleaner than Bai Yanliang, far less mysterious.
Feng Xiuxue saw through him in a glance; a man with no secrets naturally had no value.
Though her mind was racing, in reality, only a few breaths passed.
Feng Xiuxue turned her head solemnly, focusing on the door.
Gu Pingsheng looked at her with some confusion, "Miss Feng, what’s wrong?"
Feng Xiuxue whispered, "There are footsteps outside...didn’t you hear?"
Gu Pingsheng’s face turned serious. He quietly left Li Mu’s bedroom and went to the living room, listening intently.
Seeing him leave, Feng Xiuxue quickly cut the next page from the notebook with a utility knife and stored it in her bag.
After a while, Gu Pingsheng returned, "It must have been an illusion. There’s nothing unusual around."
Feng Xiuxue apologized, "Sorry, maybe...the thing in the elevator earlier made me too nervous."
Gu Pingsheng smiled, "It’s okay, let’s keep reading. Mr. Du is waiting for our update."
"Mm." Feng Xiuxue smiled sweetly and turned to the next page.
Gu Pingsheng focused on the content, yet was somewhat surprised.
"Dr. Zhou has gone mad."
"Everyone agrees on this. If it weren’t for what he just said to me alone, I would think the same... But now, I believe he only has a different worldview from ours. Genius and madness are separated by just a fine line. Previously, he was recognized as one of the most talented young scientists in the last ten years in the scientific community. Why hasn’t anyone thought carefully? What changed such a brilliant person into someone frantic? His strange madness, his hysteria, until the end...becoming a serial killer."
"I cannot tell whether what Dr. Zhou told me is true or false, right or wrong. I only know that, no matter the reason, one cannot take justice into their own hands. No life is more precious than another. At least in this, Dr. Zhou was wrong. However...I won’t tell anyone what he told me. He said there is a mysterious organization that has been inviting him to join, which he refused. Because he could see that those people simply wanted his research findings; in the end, it was all for their selfish desires, whereas he was different—he was for all humanity."
"Dr. Zhou spoke this sentence very seriously. If it weren’t for the blood-drenched hellish scene he created on the ground, this sentence would have been more convincing. ’Officer Li, you are a conscientious person.’ He pressed his blood-soaked hand on my shoulder, speaking with the solemnity of passing down civilization."
"Conscientious? I’M flattered by his praise. Maybe, he only felt my ’difference’, just like how I felt the Fog Gathering aura on him the first time I saw him. To be accurate, it wasn’t the Fog Gathering aura, but an aura of abnormality. The aura of being entangled with ’abnormality’."
"He requested that I enter the cave alone, meet him alone, and listen to everything he had to say, then, furrowing his brows with a heavy heart, he committed suicide."
"He died quite easily, didn’t he know what would happen if his research were validated? The future of all humanity...might head in a different direction."
"The rain is getting heavier... I am not truly a clever person, nor do I know what to do, but... I will remember my promise to him, not to tell anyone what he told me, despite those words sounding insane to ordinary people. I do not wish to ponder the shocking speculations hidden in those words. I am just a policeman, just an ordinary person...I also don’t know which will come first: death or tomorrow."
The note ended abruptly.
After August 14, 2016, Li Mu never wrote another word in this notebook.
It was as if he was deliberately avoiding recalling this matter.
Gu Pingsheng’s gaze was calm; he could naturally tell that a page was missing from the notebook.
The missing page contained Dr. Zhou’s private conversation with Li Mu.
Maybe that was his unyielding request.
However, although a page was missing, the final page still revealed that Dr. Zhou was consistently being invited to join an organization during his lifetime. Though it was lightly noted that he refused, one could imagine that the refusal process was not so simple.
And being the last person to see Dr. Zhou alive, Li Mu likely became their target.
Their intent was also clear: Dr. Zhou’s research findings.