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墨書 Inktalez
When an Elephant stands in a room, the people inside seem to ignore it. This is a British proverb that refers to the social phenomenon of collectively remaining silent about something obvious. In psychological terms, it describes the awareness of something we know but understand we shouldn't acknowledge.
Living in a classroom, everyone must be aware that the Stuttering Classmate is being bullied or even abused, yet they all pretend not to know. Perhaps it's out of fear, perhaps disdain, or perhaps for other reasons; everyone remains silent.
At the beginning of such situations, some students might approach the homeroom teacher to report it, but the teacher's inaction indirectly conveys a message: that students can engage in such behavior without facing consequences.
The evil cage has been opened, and the beast has been unleashed. When this evil mouse finally grows into an Elephant, everyone feels powerless; they can only pretend that there is no Elephant in the room.
All the trampling falls upon the Stuttering Classmate.
But now it is late at night; it's already two o'clock in the Early Morning. To find this Stuttering Classmate and understand the situation may have to wait until morning.
Everyone sighs deeply, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
Gu Chen spoke up, "Now we know that Li Jun kicked a pregnant woman off the bus, and Liang Zhengyu abused his classmate with a Cigarette Butt. Isn't this just a connection between two people? I think the Murderer must be someone who despises evil; faced with such wickedness, he simply cannot suppress his urge to kill."
I nodded and replied, "That makes sense, but the Murderer targets children, not adults. In this world, adults commit more evil than children."
The School Leader interjected, "Is it possible that this child is simply easier to attack? If it were an adult, he might find it harder to take action? Perhaps he lacks the ability to subdue an adult?"
I pondered for a moment and said, "That is one explanation, but it's not entirely accurate. It seems he is like us; faced with school bullying and unable to bring these children to justice, the Murderer has made his own judgment—an eye for an eye."
Gu Chen added, "If this world cannot punish such children or make them realize their wrongdoing, then perhaps a Murderer like this is more realistic. An eye for an eye; if you do wrong, you must pay the price."
Gu Chen's thoughts are becoming increasingly extreme. Yet in the face of such helplessness, many might need someone to stand up. We know hitting someone is wrong, but when confronted with those who spit indiscriminately and disrupt others without remorse, we might think they deserve it. We understand that stripping someone in public is wrong; however, when faced with certain situations, we may still feel justified in our reactions. Of course, the worst part of this situation lies with the male party involved.
But we need someone or some regulation to stand up and uphold a moral standard that transcends legal boundaries.
It is difficult to define a clear boundary in the face of such demands.
I helplessly said to Gu Chen, "Don't be too extreme. Although this world is dark, that is human nature. It has been this way for hundreds or thousands of years, and it will be the same hundreds or thousands of years from now. However, systems and regulations are always improving; we are making progress little by little."
At that moment, the sound of a door opening came from outside.
A couple in their thirties walked in. Upon seeing us, the man asked, "Who are you?"
The School Leader spoke up, "I am the vice principal of Taishan Academy. This is Liang Zhengkun's homeroom teacher, and these two are Officer Wu and Officer Gu."
The woman immediately asked, "What happened? What happened to my child?"
Hearing his mother's voice, Liang Zhengkun ran out of the room and rushed into her embrace.
I shook my head and said, "Around eight o'clock tonight, we discovered your son Liang Zhengyu's body. The body is currently in the morgue at the police station. We are here to protect Liang Zhengkun and conduct some investigations. We have already gathered detailed information; you need to identify the body..."
Before I could finish my sentence, the woman lost her balance and fell backward, but her husband quickly caught her. Then, she began to cry out in anguish. Although Liang Zhengkun was only nine years old, he understood what had happened from our stark conversation. He clung to his mother's leg and cried silently.
One was wailing in deep sorrow while the other sobbed quietly like a gentle stream; yet both expressed the same emotions.
The man trembled all over as he struggled to contain his grief. If he couldn't hold it together, their family would collapse.
It was evident that this couple loved their child dearly. They worked hard in Dongxing City from dawn till dusk precisely to provide their child with a better environment and resources for education—so he could attend school, middle school, and eventually university.
But they had no time to educate or discipline their child, leaving him alone at home to fend for himself. Was this the parents' fault? They had done everything they could. Perhaps poverty is a kind of original sin, but not every child born into such circumstances would turn out like Liang Zhengyu.
The most typical example is Liang Zhengkun, a child who did not turn out like his brother. Many children from poor families grow up early and become kind and upright individuals.
Understanding this, we can see that children are not simple beings. In a society where the internet is highly developed, they possess knowledge that is no less than that of their parents, and their exposure to the world may even surpass it. A child is a living person, not a blank slate; they already understand what is right and wrong. They know that mistreating others is wrong, yet they still do it.
This is blatant evil, not merely an "excessive" joke. Because when they engage in such actions, they are fully aware of the consequences for others. Age is not a shield against punishment; they have long understood right from wrong.
Regardless of what kind of person one's child may be, parents inevitably feel heartbroken in the face of such situations.
When the Stuttering Classmate's parents learned about the wounds on their child, they likely cried just as much as Liang Zhengyu's mother.
This is human nature.
I said to the man, "The incident has occurred, and we understand why your child was killed. However, I don't believe you are in a state to hear my words right now. We will do our best to investigate the Murderer. Regardless of what has happened, taking the law into your own hands to kill someone is still evil."
The man, with red eyes, replied, "I don't care what you think. If you find the Murderer, you tell me, and I will be the first to take him down! My child was only eleven years old; he was still just an innocent child who knew nothing. I will make sure the Murderer pays dearly."
Ironically, it seems everyone believes children understand nothing. But we all grew up; when we think back to our own childhoods, did we really know nothing? A one- or two-year-old might be excused for ignorance, but an eleven-year-old? Can they really be that naive?
I nodded and said, "We will catch the Murderer as soon as possible. When this case concludes, the police will provide you with a detailed report to read so you can understand what happened."
I glanced at Liang Zhengkun and said, "Liang Zhengkun, just focus on your studies and be yourself from now on."
Liang Zhengkun continued to cry and could not heed my words.
I continued, "Alright then, we'll take our leave now. It would be best if one of you could stay home to escort Liang Zhengkun to and from school. Although he should be fine, the security in this town isn't great right now."
The man nodded.
As we stepped out of the door, we stood by our cars and checked the time; it was already two-thirty.
I said to the School Leader, "I don't care how your school plans to handle that class teacher, Liang Zhengyu. I don't have the time to worry about it right now. Remember to get me the students' information as soon as possible. And listen closely to what I'm about to say: If there are any other students similar to Liang Zhengyu, make sure to highlight them. The murderer is likely targeting these individuals, understood?"
The School Leader nodded, looking grim. "Of course I understand the importance of this matter. If a few more die, I doubt I'll be able to keep my position. The pressure is immense. Don't worry; I'll notify everyone as soon as I get back. With something this serious, who can sleep?"
"Alright, go make arrangements." I replied as I got into the car.
Gu Chen and I drove back to the police station to rest.
Gu Chen asked, "Do you think there will be any more victims? After this incident, the school will definitely enhance security. This time, it's likely that no parents will come to pick up their kids, so the school won't let anyone leave."
I shook my head. "That's not certain at all. You know, situations like Liang Zhengkun and Liang Zhengyu's parents are probably not uncommon. Even if they can't take their kids directly from the school, if someone wants to grab them, there’s always a way. Not everyone will take this matter seriously. People tend to relax their guard until something truly affects them."
"Do you think the murderer is trying to rid society of evil?"
Gu Chen didn't look at me but suddenly posed a sharp question. It was one I often asked myself whenever a case neared its conclusion, but I had no answer. However, I knew Captain Shao's approach—though I couldn't quite implement it yet. His method was never to dwell on such thoughts; it was a paradox: the deeper you think about it, the more entangled you become in the problem.
"Don't think about it," I said. "Otherwise, you'll only suffer."
At that moment, Gu Chen's phone rang.
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