An infinite journey starting from paradise

Orihime Tsukishima didn't say anything, but just followed Lin Shangren to the lounge in the auditorium and stood there silently.

Lin Shangren poured her a cup of hot water and handed it to her: "Drink it."

"…teacher."

Perhaps the temperature of the cup awakened her consciousness, and Orihime Tsukishima looked at Hayashi Naoto.

"You should call me Father."

Lin Shangren said,

"A teacher has the duty to correct a student who has gone astray, and a priest has the duty to keep a believer's sins secret."

"Go ahead." Lin Shangren continued, "Don't worry too much."

"I..." Tsukishima Orihime hesitated.

Lin Shangren stared at her and said calmly, "If you don't know where to start, then I'll ask you and you can answer."

"Okay, I'll answer truthfully."

"What is your relationship with Lijiao? Where did Lijiao come from?" Lin Shangren asked.

"The heretics are a group of heretics," Tsukishima Orihime answered straightforwardly. "I am their organizer and leader."

Hayashi Naoto did not interrupt Tsukishima Orihime, but gestured for her to continue.

"My life, from childhood to adulthood, has always been smooth sailing in the eyes of others. I have everything I want. But I have no freedom. My family is wealthy, but also very strict. There are old-fashioned and stereotyped requirements for every aspect of food, clothing, housing and transportation."

Tsukishima Orihime held the cup tightly and continued,

"This school is the same... not just here, but also other girls' schools in Tokyo. The discipline is so strict that it's suffocating. I... we've always been bound by thick shells, living without any sense of self."

The cup made a rattling sound when it was squeezed.

"Just last year, I wanted to change this life. The opportunity came, and I forgot that I wanted revenge on the school, adults and society."

Tsukishima Orihime smiled.

"Teacher, don't you think this society is too strange? The government set up comfort stations, pushing girls from lower classes into the service of the US military stationed in Japan, while at the same time promoting complete abstinence education for middle-class and above students. Everything is so extreme, with completely opposite things happening simultaneously. Schools teach us what we call 'right,' but the basic rules of society are 'wrong.'"

I…we, we received so many years of abstinence education in school, yet after graduation, most of us were left without a way to live on our own. We were forced to quickly marry men we'd never met. From dull, selfless students, we became the so-called Yamato Nadeshiko. We were deprived of the right to choose our spouse, the right to happiness...

So, I organized a resignation. There were many people who couldn't stand this kind of life, so we gathered together and enjoyed breaking the rules and deviating from morals.

I can no longer extricate myself from the pain... Using women's methods to resist..."

A tear fell into the glass of water.

"Because she hated being forced to be portrayed as a chaste heroine, she chose to become a slut. She used the method of abusing herself to retaliate against those who oppressed her... It's really too extreme and too stupid." Lin Shangren commented in his heart.

Tsukishima Orihime continued, "Because they have a common secret, the sect is very united. They also created a group of people based on the stories in the book, and the group of people who are loyal to the sect are united.

"If the black egg is broken, it will be destroyed by the devil!

"Even though these words are meaningless and I just made them up based on the novel 'Nenis's Egg', the members who left the cult really disappeared one by one. Especially in the past two days, the police found their bodies." Tsukishima Orihime lowered her head.

"There are more than just those three missing girls?"

"Well... many people have gone missing from other schools as well. Among them... some are members who have left the church."

"Only part of it?"

"I... can't be sure. I only know that no matter if it was the Black Madonna or the murderer you mentioned, Teacher, who targeted the ex-cult members, I am certain that I will be their target. I... am the instigator of all this. I am guilty of a heinous crime..."

"You are truly guilty of a heinous crime," Lin Shangren said. "You have aroused their desire to resist, but have led them down a dangerous and wrong path."

"I……"

"Tsukishima, let me ask you, have you ever forced members into prostitution? Besides sex, have you ever gotten involved in something more dangerous? For example, drugs? As a group, have you ever harmed ordinary students who 'accept life's fate? " Lin Shangren continued to question, "Can you answer me? These questions are very important."

"I...I don't know..."

"I don't know?" Lin Shangren shook his head. "Before you did these things, didn't you think about the possible consequences? Do you really know what you are rebelling against? It's the school and your parents who are oppressing you, and even more so this sick society.

I don't rule out the possibility that some of you have parents who are truly rebellious, so I won't say anything about you hurting the parents who love you. I'm simply analyzing this from your own perspective.

After you abused and destroyed yourselves, did you really rebel against anything? Did the school rules change? Did the oppression from society and family decrease?

In the end, you've lost your healthy bodies: I'm sure, given the current conditions, many of you have had unwanted pregnancies and subsequent abortions. Furthermore, according to my research, some of you are addicted to drugs. You've lost... uh... your pure souls, your yearning for normal relationships... Damn, let's not talk about those empty words. Just having healthy bodies is enough.

Damn, you're trying to retaliate against others by hurting and humiliating yourself. How stupid are you?"

"But...we have no way..."

Tsukishima Orihime wanted to say this, but she couldn't open her mouth.

"There are obviously many other effective methods," Lin Shangren continued.

"I'm sorry... My body and soul are filled with filth. It's impossible to be forgiven..."

Tsukishima Orihime suddenly fell down, and the cup in her hand shattered into pieces. The hot water splashed onto Hayashi Shangren's feet, but he did not help Tsukishima Orihime up.

"sorry Sorry……"

She picked up the broken pieces of the cup and held them against her neck.

"Hey. You're not thinking of dying to atone for your sins, are you? I mean, how could it be so easy? You've caused a huge mess, and instead of cleaning it up, you're choosing to escape by dying?"

"Sorry…"

"Whose forgiveness are you begging for? If you really wanted to do something, why didn't you tell the police everything earlier? Why did you only come to me after you found out so much about my investigation?"

Lin Shangren's series of questions continued to destroy Tsukishima Orihime's psychological defenses. Finally, she used the blunt glass fragments to cut her throat, and warm blood flowed out.

[My Lord, isn't this a bit... too much?]

"Is that too much?" Lin Shangren sneered. "Should I tell her, 'You're still young, there's still a chance to start over' or something like that? If she really wants to atone for her sins, there are many effective ways. Since she wants to die to atone for her sins, then let her experience the feeling of death."

Blood soaked through Tsukishima Orihime's white school uniform, and bubbles of blood continued to gurgle from the cut throat. Her consciousness began to blur, and her body grew cold.

Then, she suddenly felt her mouth being pried open, and something hard was stuffed into it, injecting a sweet liquid into her mouth. Then, her body gradually warmed up, and her unfocused eyes regained their spirit.

"Tsk, the last tube of blood is used up. Looks like we need to draw a few more tubes and do the embalming."

Lin Shangren casually put the test tube back into the shadow, and then looked at Tsukishima Orihime who was covered in blood.

"Looks like she needs to take a shower and change her clothes."

Hayashi Naoto saved Tsukishima Orihime not because he felt pity for the misguided girl, nor because he hoped that Tsukishima Orihime would gain enlightenment after experiencing death, but mainly because he wanted to use Tsukishima Orihime as a bait for law enforcement.

"As she said, the murderer will definitely not let her, the culprit, go. Things like setting up surveillance and protection, stinging enforcement, etc., should be able to be done by Yuzumi and the others... right?"

Lin Shangren rubbed his neck. He really didn't have the extra energy to protect Tsukishima Orihime closely.

"Actually, we don't necessarily have to use the fishing method to solve the case. If my previous reasoning is correct, we only need to identify the owner of the arms found in Inokashira Park and confirm Nishizono Yui's family records to know the identity of the murderer.

The problem is that it has now been determined that the separation from the church and the people's liberation movement are the real reasons for the demise of the church.

"I...am not dead?"

"Go take a shower," Lin Shangren said. "Wash yourself clean and change into clean clothes. Although this won't completely free you from the filth of the past, it will at least make you feel a little better."

Chapter 83 Low Probability Events

"bath…?"

Because the inner wall of her throat was stained with a large amount of blood, Tsukishima Orihime's voice became a little hoarse, and she obviously had not yet figured out the current situation.

"If you want to go out in a bloody mess, fine. It's up to you. I don't care."

Lin Shangren said casually. His attention was completely focused on something else. It was a piece of white paper with two relatively complete palm prints clearly imprinted on it. The palm prints of the mutilated corpse's arm.

"I have to go to the health center to get some iodine later, then go find Satou Ayumu to get Nishizono Yui's belongings. I have to deal with Takagi Hiroko's problem, take her and Zi to Takagi Hospital, and pick up Yumi from school. I also have to do my daily tasks tonight... I'm so busy. Damn!"

[Don't be impatient~ You've only been in this world for less than a week, there's no need to push yourself so hard, and there's no need to swear. (?ò?ó?)]

"Huh? What's with all the swearing? I was just adding the last thing I had to do tonight."

【6. (?_?)】

Tsukishima Orihime, who was kneeling on the ground, naturally had no idea of ​​Lin Shangren's overly rich inner thoughts. She just stared at Lin Shangren blankly and asked vaguely, "I... am still alive?"

"If you want to die, there's broken glass on the ground. But I have to remind you, I'll only save you this once. If you truly want to atone for your sins, why not voluntarily surrender to the police?"

Um... that term doesn't seem very precise. Your actions probably don't qualify as illegal organized prostitution, since you don't charge any fees. Well, it can barely be considered malicious disruption of the market environment.

In short, my suggestion is that you can take the initiative to find the police and cooperate with the investigation, and by the way, use it as bait to lure out the murderer."

"Catch the killer...bait..."

Tsukishima Orihime repeated Hayashi Naoto's words in a halting manner.

"If you're confused, clean up here and calm down. Or wash your face in the big basin of holy water in the hall."

Having said that, Lin Shangren put away the paper, turned around and walked out the door.

……

"Teacher Zhu Qi, are you there?"

Lin Shangren pushed open the door of the health room. Zhu Qiningning was not there, but the health room was not empty.

"Kuchiki-san?"

Lin Shangren looked at the long-haired girl lying on the hospital bed.

"Not feeling well again?"

"It's just a little low blood sugar." Fuyuko Kuchiki's voice was soft and sounded a little weak.

"Teacher, what are you doing here?" Kuchiki Fuyuko continued to ask, "Are you here to see Teacher Zhu Qi? She seemed to have something urgent to do and suddenly left."

"Nothing, I just came to borrow some iodine."

As he spoke, Lin Shangren began to rummage through the medicine cabinet.

"Povidone-iodine...Povidone-iodine...found it."

"Potidodium? Is the teacher injured anywhere?" Dongzi asked.

"No. I'm looking for iodine to collect fingerprints," Lin Shangren replied. "Iodine vapor can make fingerprints appear on paper."

"Taking fingerprints, like something Sherlock Holmes would do. Whose fingerprints does the teacher want to take?"

"Nishizono Yui, a missing female student."

Lin Shangren didn't hide the fact that ever since he asked the female students for information yesterday, some people had been spreading the news that he was helping the police investigate the case. This was all thanks to Zhuizi's great kindness.

"So, teacher, you're still a detective?"

"I guess so. Well, you take your time to rest. I'm leaving first."

Lin Shangren packed up the iodine and wanted to leave, but Dongzi stopped him:

"If the teacher is a detective, can I ask him a favor?"

"what?"

Lin Shangren was stunned.

"I would like to ask the teacher to help me find something." Dongzi continued to ask.

"what?"

"Me, the real me."

Lin Shangren: “?”

He asked, "Finding the real you? What does that mean? Self-knowledge in psychology?"

Dongzi looked at Lin Shangren quietly without responding.

Lin Shangren added: "Come to think of it, you want me to help you find your true self. Could it be that the you now is not the real you?"

"It doesn't seem so. I don't understand..." Dongzi murmured. "The teacher said yesterday that 'people who blindly believe in external things are pitiful people who have betrayed themselves or haven't found themselves yet.' I guess I'm that kind of person. It's just that I've never blindly believed in anything."

Having said that, Dongzi paused for a moment and then said, "Let's just... forget it."

Dongzi's vague words made Lin Shangren a little confused.

"Well, the thoughts of an adolescent girl are much harder to guess than a mystery."

Lin Shangren shook his head and walked out of the health room.

……

During the club activity, Lin Shangren received the book "The Egg of Nennis" given to her by Nishizono Yui from Sato Ayumu.