0. Introduction#
If I had the chance to do it all over again, I can't guarantee I would make the same choice.
"Tragedy is a special, unparalleled comedy. When anything reaches an extreme, it inevitably moves in the opposite direction. So the correct approach should be to continuously correct oneself over time, through the dual effects of internal motivation and external pressure. What was that saying? It's a slow but steady spiral upward." The man's loud and firm voice echoed under the ceiling.
1. Tragedy#
"William Shakespeare has his own unique understanding and expression of human flaws, which is most typically manifested in the play 'Hamlet...'"
"Hamlet is entrusted with the heavy responsibility of avenging his father, but on the other hand, due to his own character flaws, he hesitates at critical moments and misses the best opportunities."
...
"The key to understanding human flaws lies in the magnitude and significance of each individual's flaws. If they are the main contradiction, then such human flaws are at least unforgivable to some extent; if they are a secondary contradiction, then people should offer understanding and care... Well, that's it for today's class."
Lu Heng smiled and said, "This is also our last class of the semester. The course is about to conclude, and I hope everyone can complete the final paper for this elective course well. Although it's not that important, it is a testament to your hard work over the semester."
He paused and said loudly, "This is the last time you'll see me this semester. I hope you all have a pleasant holiday!"
Lu Heng, a professor at Luocheng University, was only in his early thirties but had already achieved the position of associate professor, with a bright future ahead. The course he taught was called "Analysis of Western Tragic Novel Culture," and he had unique research in this area. He was highly respected in related fields in the country. Originally, he was not the teacher for this course, but due to the unexpected hospitalization of the originally scheduled teacher, the school arranged for him to take over, and he unexpectedly became very popular.
...
The lecture hall erupted in cheers, and Lu Heng smiled as he slowly walked out with his bag.
"Finally finished the course, so happy! I’ll play a couple of games when I get back; I haven't played in a long time, my skills are rusty." A boy in a white shirt said excitedly.
"Let's see, I haven't been in the mood to play these days. Hurry up and finish the final paper." A boy with glasses next to him said, pushing up his glasses. "Besides, there's only a week until the winter break; it's not too late to play at home. Let's finish the schoolwork first. By the way, Chen You, are you going to eat later?"
The boy in the white shirt, Chen You, replied with a frown, "Let's see, I still have to stop by He Jing's place before going back to the dorm. I don't know what she wants from me! Dating is so hard..."
"Ah, so miserable! By the way, Lin Shu, I heard that Li Miaoyi from the next class was looking for you early this morning downstairs in the dorm. What's going on? Are you two...?" Chen You teased.
Lin Shu, dressed in black, said, "Come on, what are you thinking? You know what kind of person I am." He lowered his head, feeling down, and added, "Besides, I'm not even thinking about that; she wants to talk to me about something else."
Chen You said disinterestedly, "Tch, can't take a joke. Anyway, I'm off; they're rushing me over there."
"Okay." Lin Shu watched Chen You quickly leave the classroom and gradually fell into his own thoughts, murmuring, "Maybe it was just a coincidence! No need to think too much, I’ll go eat first."
It was already December, and Luocheng, located in the south, was surprisingly not cold, with a gentle breeze in the air, quite pleasant. Perhaps everyone who comes here to study holds such thoughts.
After packing his books and notes, Lin Shu slowly walked down the stairs, wondering what to eat later.
A clear female voice rang out from the front left, right at the door, "Lin!"
Lin Shu looked up in surprise; it was a girl in a light green top and jeans. He thought, "Li Miaoyi...? What is she doing here?"
"Do you have something to do right now? I... I want to talk to you about that matter again." Before Lin Shu could ask, Li Miaoyi quickly interjected, "It's already six o'clock; you must not have eaten yet. Let me treat you to dinner!"
Lin Shu was somewhat speechless, adjusting his glasses with his index finger. "Didn't I already say this morning that about that matter...?"
Li Miaoyi put her hands on her hips, glaring at Lin Shu, and shouted, "Okay, okay, I won't talk about that. It's just a simple dinner, consider it my way of thanking you for tutoring me. Is that not okay?"
He suddenly regretted it, regretting that he had tutored Li Miaoyi for that little bit of money, only to end up in this tangled situation.
"What are you dilly-dallying for? Hurry up! I'm starving!" Li Miaoyi said, not giving Lin Shu a chance to respond, and quickly walked out, "Hurry up, the cafeteria will be full soon."
Lin Shu followed silently, muttering, "Are you treating me like a child? It's almost vacation; there won't be that many people."
Li Miaoyi didn't respond, seemingly lost in thought, nearly bumping into someone coming from the opposite direction.
2. Memories#
In the cafeteria, the crowd was sparse, with most people taking their meals back to the dorms, and very few sitting down to eat.
In a secluded corner, two people sat eating quietly.
"How can you guarantee that what you're saying is true? How do I know this isn't a story you've made up?" Lin Shu took a sip of soup and looked up to ask. "Besides, if this is really the case, why not go to the police? I'm just an ordinary student."
Li Miaoyi, after hearing this question, said nothing more. She then took out her wallet from her pocket, opened it, pulled out a photo, and handed it to Lin Shu.
Lin Shu looked at her in surprise and took it. The photo showed a young woman holding a seven or eight-year-old girl. The woman appeared to be in her early twenties, with a gentle smile on her face, and surprisingly resembled Li Miaoyi to some extent. Lin Shu thought for a moment and said, "What can this prove?"
Li Miaoyi whispered, "This is my sister. I was only eight years old then, and this was the last time I saw her. It's been ten years."
She sighed softly and continued, "You might think I'm just telling stories; I can't prove anything, especially since so much time has passed. Even the police couldn't do anything and could only conclude it as a missing persons case."
Lin Shu took a deep breath and said seriously, "Why did you come to me? If even the police can't help, what can we do?"
"I know who you are. No! More accurately, I know your other identity. I saw the 'Gerechtigkeit' software on your tablet." Li Miaoyi said with a low laugh, as if she had discovered a secret.
Lin Shu was taken aback, "Hey! Is it okay to invade someone else's privacy like this?"
Gerechtigkeit, a software developed abroad, means "justice" in German. It is a relatively niche detective community that has been popular in a small circle. Most of the time, users analyze and solve cases provided by the system to earn points.
However, many cases have real-life prototypes, making it quite popular and maintaining a fixed audience. The software ranks users based on their points, but it's not an official ranking; it's organized by players who voluntarily compile user scores.
"You are zs, the third-ranked expert on the leaderboard." Li Miaoyi said excitedly, which was also a secret she stumbled upon. The Gerechtigkeit software does a great job of keeping user information private, making it difficult to know who is on the other side of the screen. If she hadn't coincidentally seen Lin Shu's account, she would never have discovered that an ordinary boy from the next class was actually the famous 'zs' in the community.
That day, after Lin Shu finished tutoring her, he casually picked up his tablet to play, and in a toolbar compartment, she found a familiar software that someone had mentioned before, which left a strong impression on her.
Seeing the account name shocked her, and a sense of urgency surged within her. So, the next morning, she couldn't wait to find Lin Shu, hoping to seek his help.
Lin Shu smiled bitterly, "Forget it, that’s just for fun; it’s not serious." He regretted that day, having logged in out of boredom to see if there were any new tasks, and then Chen You asked him to go out, and he forgot to log out. He thought, "Carelessness leads to trouble! I usually log out on time; it's better if fewer people know about this."
Li Miaoyi said, "Even so, I think you can definitely provide me with some help, and I found out..."
Lin Shu's voice was calm as he slowly said, "We're not that familiar, are we? Why should I help you? I only tutored you a few times, and that was just a transaction, so we can't really say we have any friendship. Why should I help you with your problems?"
The air became quiet, and Li Miaoyi said nothing, just quietly staring at the black patterns on the table, as if caught in a whirlpool that dimmed her eyes. She then smiled, "Indeed, I was being presumptuous. This matter is originally my own issue; I'm sorry."
Lin Shu also quietly looked at her. To be honest, he didn't want to get involved in such matters, especially since he didn't have the ability to do so.
"I'm leaving!" Li Miaoyi suddenly stood up and said softly, "Sorry for bothering you!" After saying that, she quickly left, as if trying to escape from this place. Lin Shu sensed her low mood, but...
Lin Shu just sat there, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, as if thinking about something, very quiet and ethereal. Only the fan kept turning with a "whoosh... whoosh," pulling his thoughts back to reality.
He took out his iPad and looked at the Gerechtigkeit in his browsing history, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes, he pressed his lips together and muttered, "I have my own things to do; it's all your fault, bothering me all day long, sigh..."
Time passed quickly, and as Lin Shu packed his things and prepared to leave, he noticed a thick notebook on the chair across from him. He guessed that it must have been left behind by Li Miaoyi in her hurry. Sighing, he picked it up and put it in his bag, planning to return it to her tomorrow. He didn't dare to message her now; it would be awkward after their confrontation, and he chuckled awkwardly.
3. Diary#
By the time Lin Shu returned to the dorm, it was already around eight or nine o'clock, not too early and not too late.
"Welcome back, Lin Shu." Two of his roommates were playing games together. When they saw Lin Shu return, they greeted him and then continued their intense battle.
He responded a couple of times, sat down in a chair, and organized his backpack, putting his items neatly in order. Lin Shu had a bit of OCD; he found it hard to feel comfortable when things were messy. Finally, he took out the thick notebook that Li Miaoyi had left behind and suddenly felt curious.
I'll just take a quick look, just a glance, it doesn't count as invading someone else's privacy. He thought to himself, as long as I don't blink, it will just be a glance.
Lin Shu turned on the small desk lamp and gently placed his hands on the notebook, flipping it open. He pressed his lips together, took a sip of water from his thermos, and began to read the text inside.
"I'm so happy today! When I was answering questions, he looked up at me. Did he notice me?... But he doesn't even know me. What should I do? Should I take the initiative to talk to him and exchange phone numbers? Oh, I'm so shy; how can a girl be so proactive?... Unknowingly, my freshman year is almost over. What should I do? Should I ask Xiaolan and the others later? Hmph, they will definitely laugh at me.
---April 3, 2007
"
Lin Shu was stunned. What? 2007?
He glanced at the time; it was indeed December 2017, a diary from ten years ago. What was going on? Isn't this Li Miaoyi's diary? He thought, continuing to read down.
"Today I sat in front of him. I'm so nervous. Do I have anything on my back? Is my hair dirty? What if he sees me and dislikes me?... ---May 11"
"Today I finally learned his name. It turns out he is from the class next door, but he often takes leave and doesn't come to school much. I wondered why I don't see you often; what a pity, a person as excellent as you probably wouldn't like me, right? Let's call you H! Your name sounds nice. ---May 19"
The rest were just random thoughts. Lin Shu pondered who this diary belonged to and why it was with Li Miaoyi. Could it be? He shook his head, deciding not to think too much about it and just return it to her!
He took out his phone, looked at the recent call log, thought for a moment, and decided to dial. "Beep... beep beep... beep... beep beep... Hello, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable, Sorry...."
What is going on? Did she block me? That can't be; Li Miaoyi isn't that petty. She's always been straightforward, and Lin Shu felt they had a pleasant interaction.
Gradually, a bad premonition surged in Lin Shu's heart. Leaning back in his chair, he tapped his fingers on the table, recalling the conversation they had earlier. "What was she trying to say...?" he murmured softly, "A secret?"
Just then, a hurried footstep sounded at the door, "Lin Shu! Lin Shu!!"
He looked up to see Chen You, looking serious, staring at him. "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Chen You pulled him and said, "Don't ask, I have something urgent. Come with me." Seeing this, Lin Shu didn't say much. He knew his friend, although playful, was usually very steady, and it was rare to see him like this.
He casually grabbed a coat; the December nights in Luocheng were still a bit chilly. He glanced back at the diary on the table, thought for a moment, and tucked it into his pocket.
Chen You hurriedly led Lin Shu downstairs. Lin Shu asked what was happening, but Chen You remained silent, walking quickly, which made Lin Shu feel uneasy. Could it be?
When they reached the small tree by the dormitory entrance, Chen You took out his phone and tapped it a couple of times, saying, "Look, this is a message from Jingjing! I can't reach her now; it seems to be related to Li Miaoyi?"
Lin Shu looked down at the text on the phone, "Miaoyi and I have something to do at the library, so I won't accompany you. If you can't reach me for a while, go find Lin Shu and tell him it's about Miaoyi; he will understand. If you still can't contact us, go to the police immediately."
"What exactly is going on, Lin Shu? I just tried calling He Jing, but I couldn't get through. What happened? Why did she say you know something related to Li Miaoyi?" Chen You asked anxiously, clearly flustered. "The library should have closed by now; she should have been back."
Lin Shu was puzzled too. What could they be doing at the library? Why did she say I know? He fell silent, suddenly waking up, took out the notebook from his pocket, and, using the dim light of the streetlamp, flipped through the diary until he found the last page, which had fresh ink on it, indicating it was written no more than five hours ago.
He calculated in his mind; this was right around the time he had just finished class. Lin Shu suddenly thought, could this be a trap set by Li Miaoyi, intentionally left behind? Regardless of whether I agree to help her or not, she would make sure I saw these words.
He adjusted his glasses, clearing his mind of chaotic thoughts, and focused. "Lin Shu, I'm sorry! If you see these words, it means you didn't agree to my request. But I had no choice but to pull you in because I discovered a secret in the library basement. It's related to my missing sister! No one believes me; I have to find the answer myself! I beg you to help me; I really have no other way."
Lin Shu felt a surge of helplessness, gritting his teeth and thinking, "Are you crazy?"
Looking at Chen You's anxious face, he steadied himself and said softly, "Follow me!!" After saying that, he ran forward without looking back.
4. Stepping In#
Recently, the weather in Luocheng has been nice, with few clouds, and the moonlight shining directly onto the ground, faintly revealing two figures running forward.
It was Lin Shu and Chen You, the air was quiet, only the sound of their breathing could be heard, and in front of them, the dark night vaguely reflected the silhouette of a building.
"Lin Shu, are we going in? But the doors are already closed?" Chen You asked doubtfully.
Lin Shu whispered, "When I was on duty at the library, I conveniently got a key to the duty room." He pulled out a set of keys and waved them in front of Chen You.
Chen You exclaimed, "Good brother, that's impressive!"
The duty room of the Luocheng University library is located near the side of the main entrance. The library has a long history; at least that's what the promotional brochure says. Inside the duty room, there is a door leading to the library hall.
Lin Shu quietly led Chen You through the night, reaching a staircase. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, quickly inserted the key, turned it counterclockwise, and successfully opened the door. The two slipped into the duty room and locked the door behind them.
"It's so dark!" Chen You poked Lin Shu's arm and complained. Clearly, he still didn't understand what was happening; he was only following Lin Shu out of absolute trust.
Lin Shu fumbled around for a while and took out a flashlight from a small cabinet. With a "click," it turned on, and fortunately, the batteries still had power; otherwise, they would have to use their phones for light. He adjusted the flashlight to the lowest setting and said softly, "Alright, stop complaining and follow me. I wonder what their situation is now?"
The quiet building was empty, and the sparse footsteps made them dare not make a sound. The two moved slowly, using the weak light to avoid being discovered by the patrolling security guards outside.
"Let's check the basement." Lin Shu recalled the words from the diary and turned to Chen You, saying, "Let's see if there are any clues there."
Chen You agreed, "Okay, let's hurry!"
Lin Shu led the way; he was familiar with this place, having been an administrator for half a year, frequently moving between different areas and remembering each door clearly. After walking a few steps, he looked ahead, and the security gate flickered with dim red light. Lin Shu jumped over the obstructing steps, and Chen You quickly followed, controlling their pace as they continued toward the basement.
The night enveloped the air as Lin Shu turned around a couple of corners in the corridor, opened a door to a safety passage, and looked out into darkness. He adjusted the flashlight slightly to see a staircase leading down clearly. The cement stairs were covered in black stains, and at the end of the corner seemed like a black hole, exuding a chilling aura that seemed to want to swallow them. A safety passage sign nearby glowed green.
Chen You shivered, "This... feels so eerie."
Lin Shu laughed, "Not many people come here; it's usually used as a warehouse. We often move things around. Why are you so scared?"
"Stop talking nonsense; who’s scared? Watch me!" With that, Chen You dissatisfiedly snatched the flashlight from Lin Shu's hand and walked down the stairs alone.
Lin Shu felt a bit helpless and could only follow behind, saying, "Walk slowly; you're not familiar with this place, don't get lost! There are several passages below."
The two figures gradually walked further away, disappearing at the end of the passage, and their footsteps slowly faded into silence. The quiet hall was illuminated by the moonlight shining through the glass, and at that moment, a shadow flashed through the hall, a vague figure that could roughly be identified as an adult male.
He sighed, not lingering too long, and headed in the direction of Lin Shu and Chen You.
The two who had already entered the basement moved slowly. Chen You followed the wall passage, and Lin Shu closely followed him. He took out his phone to check the time; it was already ten twenty.
"Lin Shu, look!" Chen You suddenly turned back to Lin Shu.
What lay before Lin Shu was a disorganized warehouse, with boxes scattered everywhere on the floor, and a few chairs covered in dust. Chen You kicked one, and it let out a "creak," causing one of its legs to fall off. He awkwardly said, "This... has nothing to do with me; it was already falling apart."
Lin Shu walked around the warehouse a few times, and it looked the same as before. He opened a box to take a look; it was filled with books that had been moved in before. He gently stomped his foot, and the dust on the ground made a heavy sound, indicating that no one had been here for a long time. There were a few tightly shut wooden doors on the side of the warehouse. Lin Shu pondered for a moment, and he had a rough idea in his mind.
"With this much dust, there must be footprints. Let's search quickly!" After saying that, Lin Shu pointed his phone at the ground. Chen You also raised his flashlight to look.
When Chen You first entered, he walked around a bit and found some messy footprints, but it wasn't a big deal.
Lin Shu searched along the wall and suddenly noticed a particularly clean spot on the floor, with nearby boxes seemingly pushed aside, and around this clean area were distinct footprints, though they were chaotic, likely caused by someone moving back and forth.
"Chen You, come here!" Lin Shu shouted, "It should be this way." Only this side showed signs of someone having been there; it must be here.
Chen You quickly said, "Then let's hurry! I wonder if we can find He Jing and the others!"
Lin Shu replied with an "mm," tapped a few times on his phone, then put it back in his pocket, saying to Chen You, "Let's go!"
Gently pushing open the wooden door, the lock was missing, so it was easy to enter. Before them lay an even darker world. Lin Shu squinted his eyes, looking ahead with the light from the flashlight, "What the hell is this?!"
5. Fog#
Lin Shu raised the flashlight and walked forward but stumbled on the uneven cement floor, losing his balance in a moment of panic and falling forward, accidentally hitting a rock.
The flashlight fell heavily to the ground, and Lin Shu lost consciousness.
"Lin Shu!" Chen You shouted anxiously, "Lin Shu, don't leave me hanging! Damn it!!"
ps: The author definitely won't let Lin Shu easily meet his end, after all, he is a character based on himself. But recently I've been very busy and lacking inspiration, wanting to quickly wrap up this article.
It's also a bit of a mental knot; I'm sorry, dear readers! Next time, I will definitely think through a complete plot and find a leisurely time to finish a story.
See you next time!