Chapter 32

The two of them walked back the same way they came. First, they took a taxi to the city, then went to the train station to collect their tickets. The return train was a high-speed train, and boarding was uneventful.

The high-speed train was much cleaner than the old train they took earlier. Lu Siyu looked at the somewhat noisy environment and said to Song Wen, “Let’s go to the dining car. I’ll treat you to something to drink. There are tables in the dining car where we can discuss the case. And at this time, there should be fewer people, making it convenient for us.”

As he predicted, it wasn’t mealtime, and compared to the ordinary compartments, the dining car was more spacious and much quieter. The two occupied a four-person seat. There was a small table in front of them, and Lu Siyu ordered drinks, melon seeds, and snacks. He sipped water from his thermos.

At this moment, Song Wen was a bit sleepy. To prevent himself from falling asleep, he casually opened his notebook and started drawing. With the train swaying, controlling the pen tip was more difficult than usual, but it allowed him to draw the lines more freely. In no time, Song Wen drew a portrait of a girl’s face on the paper. It was Lin Wanwan’s face, appearing serene, pitiful, yet with an unfathomable gaze.

The number of stops for the high-speed train was much fewer than when they arrived. As the train moved forward, the scenery outside changed continuously, transitioning from towns to fertile fields, passing through several tunnels. After completing the drawing of the character’s portrait, Song Wen lifted his head. Lu Siyu was sitting across from him, flipping through the notebook and habitually biting his nails.

Song Wen noticed Lu Siyu’s habit of biting his fingers when he was deeply focused. Now, he had his left hand’s fingers in his mouth, while his right hand was writing and drawing on the notebook. Studying Lu Siyu’s clean and slender hands with distinct knuckles, all the nails were bitten to be level with the fingertip. Under Song Wen’s gaze, Lu Siyu placed the notebook on the table and said, “I finally figured it out. The poisoning incident is still related to Lin Wanwan.”

“How?” Song Wen became interested when he heard this and leaned forward to take a look. On the notebook, Lu Siyu drew the relationships between people, with Lin Wanwan at the center. On one side was the dormitory, and on the other side was the family. He created a family tree on the family side, labeling everyone they currently knew.

“Social class,” Lu Siyu pointed to the drawing on the notebook and drew a conclusion.

Song Wen was a bit puzzled. Lu Siyu pointed again at the notebook, “The social class in the dormitory and the social class in her family.”

Song Wen became more confused: “There are only a few people in total, how could there be a social class?”

“Do you remember when I mentioned the gaslighting effect?” Lu Siyu asked him.

Song Wen nodded.

Lu Siyu pointed to the names written on both sides at the bottom of the drawing, “If the role suffering from torment and manipulation in the family is the mother, in the dormitory, the one suffering may be Guo Hua.”

Song Wen looked at the diagram drawn by Lu Siyu, divided into three levels. On the family side, the first level was Lin Wanwan, the second level was the younger brother and stepfather, and the third level was the mother.

On the dormitory side, the first level was Lin Wanwan, the second level was Dong Fang and Ma Aijing, and the third level was Guo Hua.

Song Wen began to understand, “You mean, there are social classes among these people, and Lin Wanwan is the manipulator?”

Song Wen remembered that yesterday, when there was a difference of opinion among them regarding whether Lin Wanwan was a suspect, Lu Siyu mentioned that Lin Wanwan had a controlling personality. Having studied some psychology courses, Song Wen knew a bit more about controlling personalities than others. Many individuals with controlling personalities didn’t always exhibit dominance, arrogance, or impulsiveness. It could also manifest as innocence, humility, or even modesty on the surface, but inside, they might be arrogant, paranoid, and suspicious. For such individuals, their seemingly pure and innocent exterior served as a disguise, cleverly concealing their intentions beneath a friendly facade, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing in a crowd.

Lu Siyu explained, “Lin Wanwan is her mother’s proudest and most trusted daughter. She is Guo Hua’s closest friend. Such relationships allow her to grasp their weaknesses and better deceive them. Unconsciously, she puts the victims in a passive relationship.”

Even now, they couldn’t get a single complaint from Wang Wenyan about her daughter. However, this daughter was undoubtedly the key figure that elevated her status in the family. For Guo Hua, it was the same. In the incidents with Dong Fang’s missing clothes and Guo Hua’s notebook getting wet without her involvement, there were some clues in these matters.

Class is an inevitable product of social development. As long as there are people, classes will emerge. Each person occupies a different position, leading to the differentiation of various levels, each having its own role.

In the dormitory and the family, Lin Wanwan is the beneficiary, standing at the top of the pyramid.

At home, her mother complies with her every request, leaving the best for her in every aspect. The younger brother is still weak, and the stepfather is often away. She is the hope and pride of the family. In the dormitory, Guo Hua prepares meals for her and even goes out in the rain to pick her up. These actions may seem like those of a good friend but also reflect her being controlled and enslaved by Lin Wanwan. Guo Hua has considered moving out of the dormitory several times but has always dispelled the idea, clearly indicating her connection with Lin Wanwan.

Song Wen frowned: “Lin Wanwan is just a twenty-year-old girl. How could such a relationship be formed?” His intuition told him that Lu Siyu’s explanation was likely correct, but he found it hard to believe that this young girl could independently reach such a level of manipulation.

“The formation of each person’s personality is inseparable from their upbringing and experiences. Lin Wanwan is no exception. The formation of her personality is related to her family and the experiences she went through from a young age. From our conversation with Wang Wenyan, we learned that Lin Wanwan grew up in her strict grandparents’ home, where traditional gender roles were emphasized, and each family member had assigned duties. In Lin Wanwan’s case, I discovered a few crucial pieces of information related to her upbringing: scars, chocolates, and dolls.”

As he spoke, Lu Siyu drew parentheses and wrote down these three keywords, then continued, “Her environment was harsh and oppressive. Through a combination of threats, rewards, punishment for wrongdoing, and rewards like chocolates, she was raised in an environment resembling that of a cultivated slave, naturally incorporating these elements into her world.”

“Young Lin Wanwan was like a blank sheet of paper, first experiencing endless suffering, physical abuse from her biological father, and strict discipline from her grandparents, causing harm to her young soul. In such circumstances, sudden gifts of candy became the best comfort. Like a Stockholm syndrome hostage, she was gradually attracted by the gentleness hidden beneath the family violence. While being abused, she was also learning.”

At this point, Lu Siyu paused slightly and looked at Song Wen: “The candy has to be sweet, the whip has to be precise. Over time, the prey becomes firmly fixed by your side.”

This was the most important thing Lin Wanwan learned in that family environment, something that would influence her entire life. Lu Siyu then continued to draw a timeline: “After escaping that environment at the age of ten, she faced her mother’s doting and her stepfather’s indifference. Lin Wanwan, being a clever girl, applied the tactics learned in her previous family to manipulate her new life.”

Later, Lu Siyu drew a straight line between Lin Wanwan’s name and Wang Wenyan’s: “She doesn’t love her mother, even regards her as the source of her painful childhood. In the second family, she treats her mother, Wang Wenyan, as the object of manipulation, approaching her with emotional ties while simultaneously negating her and breaking down her will. Through this mental torment, the controlled party becomes more and more dependent on her, eventually forming a symbiotic relationship.”

“Later, when she came to school, she designated Guo Hua as the target of her manipulation. In school, Lin Wanwan constantly instilled certain ideas in Guo Hua: although your family background is not good and you have a reserved and weak personality, only I am good to you, I am your best friend. You must not betray me. As a good friend, it is normal for you to do things for me. Only I am good to you, and I am your entire world.”

These were typical phrases exchanged between young girls, especially freshmen who, having left their families, were still inexperienced in the world, making them susceptible to such friendships. However, as Lu Siyu analyzed these aspects, Song Wen couldn’t help but shiver.

TN: Yeah…there’s nothing typical about that. What kind of young girls was the author around, but I’ve never heard that sh*t in my entire life!

Lu Siyu concluded: “This is a distorted and abnormal friendship. It’s more like a master-slave relationship.”

Initially, Lin Wanwan gained Guo Hua’s trust. Subsequently, she continuously questioned her, negated her, isolated her, causing her to lose herself gradually and become more dependent on her only friend. By that time, Guo Hua had become obedient to her. This process might sound simple, but, in reality, it evolved over months or even years, bit by bit.

With this analysis, Lin Wanwan’s profile became much clearer, and the relationship between Lin Wanwan and Guo Hua became more apparent. She no longer seemed innocent and was closely tied to the dynamics within the dormitory.

“As for the doll,” Song Wen noticed that Lu Siyu mentioned three things but only elaborated on two during the analysis.

Lu Siyu blinked and looked at him: “She has grown up and entered society, interacting with people, so she doesn’t need those dolls anymore.”

Indeed, her family members were her dolls, her classmates were her dolls, her colleagues were her dolls, and even these police investigators were, in her eyes, no different from those dolls. It was her way of handling situations, unconsciously selecting targets from the crowd for her use. Her displays of vulnerability and innocence were her weapons.

From the various signs visible now, it was apparent that Lin Wanwan didn’t care much about Guo Hua, or rather, she didn’t care about anyone other than herself. She continuously bound Guo Hua, turning her into a puppet in her hands, and the strings were getting tighter.

She enjoyed playing games between people.

Although Song Wen didn’t fully understand the mind of a psychopath, he was a smart person. He quickly grasped the plot. This girl was cunning and intelligent. During their first meeting, her lie about the source of the poison was exposed by them, and she then changed her story. She had even feigned jumping off a building to gain sympathy. This seemingly vulnerable girl naturally placed herself in a vulnerable position. She was even selectively manipulating the police investigators; for instance, Lao Jia, who was unconsciously swayed by her, affecting their judgment of whether she was a suspect.

Having figured all this out, Song Wen said to Lu Siyu, “I understand that she seeks individuals in the crowd suitable for manipulation. However, how does this relate to class, or rather, how does class come into being?”

As the train continued its journey, passing through a patch of clouds, fragmented sunlight streamed through the gaps, bringing a hint of gold. It fell directly onto Lu Siyu’s well-defined fingers, making his slightly pale hand look like an exquisite piece of art. He tightened his grip on the pen and drew several arrows on the diagram. “Everyone is in a system. She achieves manipulation and deception by building relationships with others.”

After all, manipulating one person is straightforward, but manipulating a group is not that easy. Moreover, manipulating a group requires more caution.

Lu Siyu pondered for a moment, considering how to explain it to Song Wen. “Let me tell you a fable. Have you heard of the Wet Monkey Experiment?”

Song Wen had a vague memory of the term. “You mean that experiment, right? Putting five monkeys in a cage with bananas at the top. If any monkey tries to pick the bananas, they all get sprayed with water. So, if any monkey goes for the bananas, the others will beat it. Later, new monkeys are introduced, and even though the water spray is replaced, none of the monkeys dare to take the bananas.”

Lu Siyu turned his pen in his hand and said, “This experiment is from a business book, so there’s no conclusive evidence that it was conducted. We can treat it as a story. What I want to talk about is a derivative version of this story.”

“Still a cage, four monkeys, namely monkeys A, B, C, and D. The water pipe is relatively small, and only the monkey going for the bananas will get wet. The strongest among them is monkey A. He wants to eat the bananas but doesn’t want to get wet, so he lets the weakest monkey, D, go for the bananas. Monkey D gets soaked, and monkey A gets to eat the bananas. Monkeys B and C envy A for getting the bananas, but they are happier than the wet monkey D.”

“At this point, a strange psychology emerges. Monkeys B and C feel inferior to monkey A and superior to monkey D. Thus, the four monkeys have three classes, and classes emerge within the monkey group.”

The real situation in reality is undoubtedly much more complex than this story, but when told like this, the story is easy to understand. Song Wen organized his thoughts, “So, at home, the mother is the weak monkey D, and in the dormitory, Guo Hua is the weak monkey D. And Lin Wanwan is monkey A?”

Lu Siyu nodded, “Sometimes, that weak monkey D is even a gift she gives to monkeys B and C. Other people follow the oppressor’s behavior and begin to oppress each other. Just like her brother scolding her mother, Dong Fang and Ma Aijing punishing Guo Hua. Lin Wanwan is constantly adjusting various relationships, intentionally or unintentionally. The interpersonal relationships within the dormitory itself have contradictions and weaknesses, and she can exploit these internal conflicts.”

Here, Lu Siyu habitually licked his lips. From Song Wen’s perspective, his eyelashes were clear, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable. “Through punishment and reward, what started as a small game, perhaps a bit of malice when Guo Hua wasn’t in the dormitory, escalated gradually. In the relationships within the dormitory, Lin Wanwan became the top class. In the dormitory, she spent Dong Fang’s money, used Ma Aijing’s connections to score high on her papers, made Guo Hua serve her tea, pour water, and do laundry. She even knew Guo Hua’s phone password, which is why her phone is always clean. When calling 120, she casually took Guo Hua’s phone because that phone is usually under her control.”

Seeing that Song Wen didn’t interrupt, Lu Siyu continued, his voice low and alluring, enough to captivate the mind, “The poison was indeed brought by Guo Hua, and the chocolate was bought by her. This is probably why Lin Wanwan dared to let us interrogate Guo Hua. Either Guo Hua was already in a coerced state, or, encouraged by Lin Wanwan, she poisoned under her influence. Or, Guo Hua simply doesn’t trust her own memory and lacks the courage to identify her best friend.”

Lu Siyu spoke particularly much today. Engaged in this reasoning and logic, he seemed like a child who solved a difficult problem and wanted to share his achievement with others. This time, he didn’t hide in the shadows at all; instead, he revealed his sharpness. Looking at the current Lu Siyu, he no longer appeared sluggish, soft, and harmless. His handsome and pale face exuded excitement, cold ruthlessness, rational wisdom, making him both dangerous and charming.

These things were abnormal, absurd yet completely reasonable. Once accepting this logic, many things in the case became understandable. Song Wen felt that he had finally sorted out the case, as if removing the reflective surfaces from a kaleidoscope revealed the relationships behind.

The truth that had been troubling him finally presented itself, but Song Wen couldn’t find any joy in it. He rubbed his forehead, “I understand your logic, but this situation is still based on assumptions. Psychological manipulation sounds too mystical, and we can’t rely on that to convince a judge or even Commissioner Gu. Even convincing Lao Jia would likely be challenging. We still need some theoretical basis.”

Lu Siyu said, “The core of this case is still murder. I’m analyzing the logic and relationships behind the case with this so-called theoretical knowledge. But this kind of manipulation is entirely feasible.” After a moment of thought, he added, “Cases like this are not common in China, but there have been a few in Japan. One of the more famous ones is the Kitakyushu Kidnapping and Murder Case.”

Song Wen recalled, “Is that the case in the 1990s where a couple kidnapped and killed seven people?” He had read some related materials, and thinking about it now still sent shivers down his spine.

Lu Siyu corrected him, “It’s not that they killed them, but they made the victims kill each other.” Then he sat up straight, “However, that case is only similar because when manipulating people, they used electric shocks, not just psychological manipulation. I’m just using this example for illustration. Once people are manipulated by others, even family members can turn against each other.”

Song Wen had heard of this case before, but every time he heard about it, it still felt unbelievable. His education and life experiences had made him find such things inconceivable, but these were real evils existing in the world.

Lu Siyu thought for a moment and supplemented, “Another similar case is the Amagasaki Serial Murders where the suspect was Miyoko Sumida. She was called the ‘psychological killer’ and mainly used brainwashing to manipulate murders. She tightly grasped violence, sex, and psychology, turning the victims’ families into arenas. Over several years, at least seven people were killed in Japan because of her, and she was only arrested and brought to justice in 2012. Later, with her suicide, many details and the truth became unknown.”

Having discussed those two cases, Lu Siyu returned to the current case, “However, these cases are much more severe than ours. I believe Lin Wanwan hasn’t developed to the point of fully manipulating others to commit murder. That’s why, in the end, Guo Hua ran out of the dormitory and called for help.”

Song Wen asked, “So, what do you think is Lin Wanwan’s motive for murder? What is it?”

Lu Siyu extended two fingers, “The master wants to kill the slave for only two reasons. First, the master doesn’t need the slave anymore, and second, the slave is out of control and wants to leave.”

Seeing some confusion in Song Wen’s expression, Lu Siyu began to explain in detail, “During the previous interrogations, when I asked about the cat, there was one instance when I replaced ‘Guo Hua’ with ‘your,’ and she didn’t refute me. Also, based on our investigation, Lin Wanwan seems more like the instigator in all of this. Guo Hua’s goal was just to stop the cat from making noise, while Lin Wanwan satisfied her own desires by killing the cat and practiced simulated murder. I think, inherently, Lin Wanwan harbors a cruel side with a tendency towards murder. In society, there are some people who, for reasons difficult for ordinary people to comprehend, resort to killing to solve problems.”

Song Wen nodded at this point. In his several years as a criminal investigator, he had encountered quite a few deviants. “I understand what you mean. In society, most people aren’t like these individuals, but we can’t deny the existence of such outliers.”

Lu Siyu lowered his head to look at the relationship chart in front of him, his fingers moving gracefully, presenting his speculation, “Lin Wanwan came from home to school, quickly realizing that the dormitory was a more fascinating place for her. Her control escalated within the dormitory, where she could live more freely than at home. At this point, she felt she didn’t need her family anymore, so she tried to kill her parents and brother. She was tired of those people, found them useless, and despised them. She wanted to break free from her original family.”

Lu Siyu paused before continuing, “As for killing her dormitory classmates, it’s because she discovered the gap between her family and other families. This is intense envy. If it were during normal times, it would only be jealousy because within the dormitory where she built relationships, she could find balance in other aspects and seek comfort. But once graduation comes, this balance is disrupted. Those people are going to break free from her control, something she cannot tolerate.” He looked up at Song Wen, “Did you notice that Lin Wanwan hasn’t made any preparations for graduation?”

Song Wen thought for a moment, bowed his head in contemplation, and said, “Dong Fang arranged a job for her. Ma Aijing is preparing to go abroad, even Guo Hua has bought a new phone to start a new life. However, Lin Wanwan, in all our searches, hasn’t even prepared a resume for graduation.” In the second semester of their senior year, all students were eager to enter society, but Lin Wanwan didn’t seem interested.

If Lin Wanwan were really the murderer, the initial gas incident might have been just her attempt. This time, her actions were more cautious, careful, and calm. From planning to execution, it might have taken months. Every time they expressed their aspirations for life after graduation, it stimulated her.

So, being intelligent, she planned everything meticulously. Only someone like her could survive, shake off suspicion, and those she viewed as slaves would forever remain under her control, never able to escape, and would be left here forever…

Lu Siyu nodded slightly, leaned back in his chair, lifted his thermos, and drank the water inside, trying to immerse himself in Lin Wanwan’s mindset. “As long as she thinks these people will break free from her control, she will go crazy.”

Suddenly, both of them fell into silence without prior agreement. They sat facing each other on the train, which swayed from side to side, occasionally producing the sound of friction against the tracks.

As a policeman, Song Wen often reflected on why he couldn’t see far enough, why he couldn’t grasp the complete truth. However, every time they approached solving a case, he felt a deep-seated fear. People’s hearts could grow to be like this.

He looked around, surrounded by people—men and women, young and old. Each person had a beating heart, a functioning brain. They played with their phones, chatted and laughed. These were the people he couldn’t fully understand, the most complicated people.

Finally, he looked at Lu Siyu. What he saw was different, what he felt was also different. Lu Siyu comprehended things differently. He was intelligent, sharp, meticulous.

On regular days, Lu Siyu had various disguises. It seemed that now he was his true self, sharp-edged, with a chilling aura. Song Wen realized that when talking about those criminal behaviors, Lu Siyu seemed excited. He remembered the theories of his criminal psychology teacher at the police academy, that only by thoroughly understanding criminals, resonating with them, and possessing their way of thinking, could one correctly analyze criminal behavior and portray the criminal.

The train passed by a burst of lake and mountain scenery outside the window, reflecting on Lu Siyu’s face. Holding his pen, he suddenly paused, seemingly aware that many perspectives in his reasoning hadn’t been considered. The human logic, thought process, and speech habits were like fingerprints, each having its unique way. Even if well-disguised, these characteristics would unconsciously reveal themselves.

Song Wen didn’t delve into it too much and instead asked him, “The reasoning is correct, but at present time, the case still doesn’t have witness testimony. We still need some concrete evidence chain… We need some direct evidence.”

After contemplating for a moment, Lu Siyu picked up his notebook and wrote the word “chocolate” on it.

Delicious candy turned into a deadly poison, and everything started and ended from here.

Lu Siyu raised his head and looked at Song Wen. “I have a bold idea. If my reasoning is correct, I think there might be evidence to prove it’s her.” Then he paused for a moment and said, “But, Captain Song, I hope you can promise me something first.”

Song Wen raised an eyebrow. “What?”

TN:

Futoshi Matsunaga, the serial killer in the Kitakyushu Serial Murder, is kinda similar to Lin Wanawan, in that he was a “good man” in school, he had good grades, a pleasing personality, and was quite social. But in fact, he was an abusive, cheating and manipulative SOB. He would electrically shock his employees and brainwash them all in the name of corporate culture. In the carrot and stick spirit, he would pay them huge commissions and shock them while emotonally abusing them which is why despite the torture, they still stayed. He had a bunch of mistresses and this bastard abused and r*ped women, including the mother of his mistress(because she was against Junko getting married to him. After r*ping her he then made Junko believe it was her mother who seduced him and so Junko became extremely disappointed in her family and became more dependent on Matsunaga) and his mistress’ sister. He also convinced Junko that her family hated her because she’d previously tried to commit suicide. His mistress Ogata Junko, is the one he committed the KSMs with. He was also a fraudster and blackmailer. He was convicted of six murders and one manslaughter, including two children, between the years 1996 and 1998. He convinced one of his victim’s to leave her husband the defrauded her of millions. The woman and one of her children died mysteriously. He held a man(Kumio) and his daughter captive after he used the info the man had entrusted him with to blackmail the man. In captivity he forced the man to eat his own feces and forced the daughter to fight his father. He also electrocuted them. Then when the father died, he made the daughter believe it was her own doing and had her and Junko dispose of the body. He then held a woman and her daughter captive after defrauding them of millions. The woman had to jump from the second floor to escape and was institutionalized in a mental hospital. Junko ran away and he faked his suicide to get her back. He held her entire family captive making them torture each other. Made Junko torture her father to death by electrocution, commanded Rieko(sister) and her husband Kazuya to strangle Shizumi(mother), he commanded Kazuya to strangle Rieko, while their 10-year-old daughter Aya held her down, Matsunaga and Junko then confined Kazuya in a bathroom, where he starved to death, Matsunaga forced Junko, Aya, and Kumio’s daughter to kill Rieko’s 5-year-old son,Yuki(Aya strangled Yuki while Junko and Kumio’s daughter held him down.), Kumio’s daughter strangled Aya. There’s still more but the note is already too long. Listen to a podcast of the case HERE.

Amagasaki Serial Murders: Miyoko Sumida(64) and her family were some sort of 3rd rate Yakuza, dubbed “The Piranha Family”. Here’s a flow chart:

The base of operation was Sumida’s condo where she confined and assaulted multiple people. Some of their victims were found stuffed in concrete-filled drums. 3 other bodies were found wrapped in blankets and buried in the floor-boards of her house. Sumida allegedly built a complex network of relatives and acquaintances, many of whom lived with her, while controlling them with violence, according to informed sources. Some of the victims tried to escape but were forcefully brought back.Both the victims and suspects were part of Sumida’s “family” either by blood relations, adoption or as acquaintances.  The family members also were forced to beat each other.There were also some people who disappeared after being in contact with Sumida. She apparently killed her husband for insurance money. He mysteriously fell off a cliff(suspected to have been coerced to jump off the cliff or pushed off by Sumida). She unalived herself 7 days after her arrest. Fuckin coward. Watch a more detailed video on this deranged granny  HERE.