Chapter 202 The End of the Nightmare
The mysterious deaths of Lu Jianhong and Xie Yutong quickly made headlines across major news outlets.
Lu Jianhong's body had an eerie charred black skin, and the forensic examination determined that he died from high-temperature burns, but no trace of fire could be found.
Xie Yutong's death was even more horrifying.
The forensic doctor found that her neck was tightly wrapped with her own long hair, the strands of hair digging deep into her flesh, almost snapping her cervical vertebrae.
Her eyes were wide open, her face frozen in disbelief and terror.
Other metaphysical streamers on the music platform "Chanle" analyzed: "This is a sign of the backlash of evil magic. Those who use blood as a catalyst will surely be burned by blood; those who use hair as a medium will surely be bound by hair."
Lu Yao swept away the video, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
These parents, who sacrificed her in both past and present lives, ultimately reaped the bitter fruits of their actions.
The last trace of blood ties finally dissipated.
...
Midway up Jinglan Mountain, clouds and mist swirl around.
Lu Yao led Chu Xuanji through the bamboo forest, and the blue stone path wound its way up until the scenery suddenly opened up before them.
The courtyard with its blue bricks and gray tiles stands quietly, with bronze wind chimes hanging from the upturned eaves, tinkling in the morning breeze.
The wisteria climbing the courtyard wall is in bud, and the tender leaves of the Virginia creeper gleam like jade in the sunlight.
In the quiet, sunny courtyard, a small vegetable garden is filled with bright red peppers and lush green tomatoes, creating a delightful contrast.
Under the shade of the canopy, live-streaming equipment and purple clay teaware are lined up side by side. Lu Yao introduces herself, "I'm a live streamer now."
Chu Xuanji couldn't help but chuckle: "This time it's the other way around."
She sat down with a flick of her sleeve, saying, "Back then, I was traveling around, while you were an official in the court."
Lu Yao smiled upon hearing this, as memories of her past life surfaced in her mind.
That's right. In her past life, she was the powerful imperial advisor, while her master was a carefree hermit.
Now the tables have turned.
"Regarding the Zhong family..." Lu Yao handed over a teacup, "How do you plan to explain this to your superiors?"
Chu Xuanji said calmly, "I'll just tell the truth. This report should be as long as it needs to be. I'll probably be punished, but it doesn't matter. Whether it's a demotion or a transfer, I can still be of value wherever I am."
Lu Yao frowned. "You are clearly the victim."
"It's true that I misjudged people and made a poor recommendation. Don't worry, now that you have some free time, you can practice your skills more. You haven't practiced for a thousand years, so you've forgotten everything." Chu Xuanji was very open-minded.
A gentle mountain breeze blew, and the heartwarming moment when the master and apprentice smiled at each other was interrupted by the crisp sound of a cell phone alarm.
"It's time for the live broadcast." Lu Yao looked at Chu Xuanji with a slight apology.
"You go about your business." Chu Xuanji waved her hand with a smile and poured herself another cup of tea.
The moment the live stream started, Lu Yao's brows suddenly furrowed.
The person she met today turned out to be Li Manxiang, a nurse she had met at the Fifth Mental Hospital.
Although she pretended to be withdrawn at the time and didn't have much interaction with the nurse, she remembered Li Manxiang's earnest and responsible care for the patients.
In the video, Li Manxiang looks distressed: "Master, my patient Gu Yuzhen has gone missing. Her family and I are very worried. Please help me find out her whereabouts."
Li Manxiang has worked at the Fifth Mental Hospital for many years, and Gu Yuzhen is the patient she cares about the most.
Gu Yuzhen was once abducted and trafficked, which caused her mental breakdown, leading her to the Fifth Mental Hospital. (See Chapter Ten for details)
Li Manxiang sympathized with her plight and treated her differently from the routine care provided by other medical staff.
This thoughtfulness also touched Gu Yuzhen's family.
During each visit, they would always bring Li Manxiang some local specialties from the mountains, and they would never forget to send her greetings and blessings during festivals.
Over time, in Li Manxiang's heart, Gu Yuzhen had long transcended the ordinary doctor-patient relationship and was more like a family member who needed her protection.
Nothing unusual happened on the night Gu Yuzhen fled.
As usual, Li Manxiang tucked Gu Yuzhen in during her evening rounds.
She remembered that she made a point of checking the windows before she left; they were locked tight, not even a fly could get out.
"good evening."
Li Manxiang said goodbye softly and closed the door behind her.
However, the next morning, when Li Manxiang opened the door with breakfast in hand, the sight before her made her feel cold all over.
Gu Yuzhen disappeared without a trace.
Lu Yao's fingertips suddenly trembled, and the tea rippled in the cup.
She recalled how, every time Gu Yuzhen saw her in the mental hospital, a strange light would flash in her cloudy eyes.
“I should have realized it sooner…” Lu Yao murmured.
If she still possessed spiritual power at the time, how could she not have seen the familiar soul beneath that haggard face?
The bronze compass spun wildly on the table, eventually pointing southeast.
Lu Yao suddenly stood up, her teacup overturned:
"Wangjia Village, Qianhe County!"
...
Gu Yuzhen's escape had been planned for many years.
She was like a lurking viper, perfectly disguising herself.
In front of the doctor, she became increasingly docile, never resisting taking her medication and appearing dazed during consultations, leading everyone to believe that she was no longer a threat at all.
But no one knew that her mind was not a blank slate.
She remembers each nurse's shift schedule.
Remember the blind spots of the surveillance cameras.
I remember the route taken by the hospital's garbage truck.
The tool she used to unlock the door was an old hair clip that she had secretly picked up when Li Manxiang took her for a walk in the garden.
At first, she had no idea how to do it, but with her persistence day after day, her fingers gradually memorized the feel of the lock cylinder.
When the lock cylinder made that crisp "click" sound, Gu Yuzhen's fingers trembled slightly.
She finally opened the prison door.
By the moonlight, she moved like a ghost through the blind spots of the surveillance cameras.
The garbage truck reeked of a nauseating stench, but she didn't hesitate to crawl inside and huddle among the medical waste.
As the vehicle bumped and jolted its way out of the hospital gate, a tear silently slid down my cheek.
This door leads not to freedom, but to revenge.
She was going to Wangjia Village.
The place where that nightmare began.
She was trafficked there seven years ago and imprisoned in a mud house next to a pigsty.
Whenever Wang Degui committed violence, a group of villagers would gather outside the window to watch the spectacle, and some would even place bets on when she would give in.
Everyone is an accomplice in this corrupt practice.
If her parents hadn't refused to give up and hadn't come looking for her with the police, her life would have been ruined.
In front of everyone, she smashed the rapist's illegitimate child to death on the bluestone slab.
Wang Degui's distorted face and the villagers' screams became her only solace over the years.
Gu Yuzhen kept counting down the days.
Wang Degui was convicted of bribing and raping women, but was only sentenced to three years in prison.
He has now been released from prison.
Gu Yuzhen pressed herself against the cold glass, her pupils reflecting this world that was now completely unfamiliar to her.
The LED screens on the distant high-rise buildings flashed dazzling advertisements, and the blinding light made her squint involuntarily.
The bus drove across a newly built bridge over the river, and the neon lights reflected on the water were fragmented, just like her life that could never be pieced back together.
On the day she left Wangjia Village, Gu Yuzhen thought the nightmare was over.
Until she found herself still waking up in terror every night.
Wang Degui's ferocious face, the villagers' indifferent gazes, and the cries of the baby she had thrown to death never truly left her mind.
Gu Yuzhen had spent enough time in the mental hospital to figure out the only way to wake up.
It's not about forgetting, but about using the blood of our enemies to personally put an end to this nightmare.
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