"Deliberately bringing people to Liwan Town to torture them?"
But as he thought about it further, another question arose.
Why did the ghosts of the Eastern Suburbs insist on opening this door specifically in Liwan Town? What was different about Liwan Town compared to anywhere else?
Jiang Long had imprisoned Xiao Bu's mother and stuffed her inside a doll. Chen Ge wasn't sure exactly what he had done, but he could more or less guess.
However, even up until Xiao Bu's mother disappeared, the door still hadn't been opened. Instead, by some twist of fate, Xiao Bu had been the one to push the "door" open after witnessing the scene in the dungeon — something that must have been outside the Eastern Suburbs ghosts' plan entirely.
"Do you have any more questions?" Jiang Xiaohu interrupted Chen Ge's thoughts. "If not, can you please take that thing away?"
He pointed at the tape recorder, a hint of fear in his eyes.
"Since you knew your father was imprisoning living people, why didn't you call the police?" Chen Ge put the tape recorder back into his bag and straightened the bedsheets, as though he had never taken the device out in the first place.
"My sister wanted to call the police at first, but Mom managed to dissuade her. The next day, when I woke up, my sister was already gone. Mom told me my sister's condition had gotten worse and she needed to go receive treatment." Jiang Xiaohu gripped the bedsheets with both hands. "Mom also told me that if I didn't behave well, I'd be sent off for treatment too."
"Your mother threatened you? So it's very likely she was also involved in what happened to Xiao Bu."
"Jiang Long is already dead. My sister and my mother have both disappeared. Is there any point in asking about this now?" Jiang Xiaohu raised his head to look at Chen Ge, but after finishing his words, he seemed to realize something, and his tone immediately softened. "When the police came before, I told them the same thing. I've told you everything I know."
"You've told me everything you know?" Chen Ge stared into Jiang Xiaohu's eyes. His gaze was enough to make even ordinary restless spirits unwilling to hold, let alone a child.
When Jiang Xiaohu guiltily lowered his head, Chen Ge asked his final question. "I saw a painting in Room 104 in Mingyang Community. In the painting, all four members of your family were biting down on the limbs of a little girl. Perhaps you and your sister were only passive participants, but in that painting, you were all murderers — at least, that's what the person who painted it believed."
"A painting? I don't know anything about that." Jiang Xiaohu blinked in brief confusion.
"You said earlier that Mingyang Community was built for ghosts, so the paintings inside were probably ghost paintings too." Chen Ge still felt that Jiang Xiaohu was hiding secrets. He was about to press further when the boy's eyes suddenly rolled back, his hands and feet all began to convulse, and he started screaming for help, looking as though he was about to stop breathing at any moment.
Hearing the cries for help, Dr. Pei and the orderly rushed in immediately. They pinned down Jiang Xiaohu's limbs and administered an injection.
Jiang Xiaohu's gaze slowly went blank. He gradually stopped struggling and lay limp on the hospital bed, completely motionless.
"Mr. Chen, the child didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No, I'm fine. I've finished asking everything I needed to. Thank you all for your trouble." Chen Ge stood up and thanked Dr. Pei.
"As long as I can be of help. If there's anything you need in the future, don't hesitate to ask." Dr. Pei was just being polite, but Chen Ge took him at his word. He waved to Dr. Pei, and the two of them left the ward together.
"Mr. Chen, you need something else from me?"