Mental Illness Evolution Manual - Chapter 75

The Polov family headquarters was in Kurtz City, across a strait from the continent where Dingyang City was located. The airship was heading towards the rising sun, as if leaving time behind.

Her father, the deceased head of the Polov family, was a suspicious and obsessive ambitious man. His heart for expansion, like his mental state, was like a spring stretched to its limit, always on the verge of breaking.

His fickleness was a true reflection of this ruler. The tyrants of history, who used human lives as objects of amusement, found solace in the slaughter and shouts of the arena. He was no different.

What was more terrifying than a madman was that this madman held great power and had an absolute position. Whoever he wanted to die, wouldn’t see the next day’s sun.

The servants in the castle were replaced almost every month, sometimes without reason. If he was even slightly unhappy, he would kill a few people to vent his anger.

As for who would be killed, it depended on who was the most unlucky and happened to be within his line of sight at the time.

Of course, there was also a situation where the chosen person didn’t meet their demise, but instead received a good, hearty beating. After all, anger and lust often went hand in hand, death and pleasure were equally inseparable.

Besides, the servants’ wages were generous, so even though they knew the head of the family was capricious, people still came to apply for the job in an endless stream.

After all, the most painful thing in the world wasn’t death, but living without money or dignity. Death is a moment, everyone dies, but how to live, whether you can live, that’s the most difficult question in life.

Besides, it’s not necessarily that bad luck will befall me. What if I’m luckier and become the head of the family’s lover? Wouldn’t that be the best shortcut to success?

Those who seek shortcuts always have unnecessary delusions, and the unfortunate ones are the most unwilling to give up the last bit of hope for luck.

When they choose this path, their fate is already sealed.

Everyone lived in fear under the head of the family’s high pressure, while letting their minds indulge in fantasies.

Azberto, however, was a very lively person. He seemed to feel no shackles on his neck, no sword above his head. He even said things like, “My father is the best father in the world.”

He spoke sincerely, his sincerity was evident from the inside out. He was actually telling the truth.

Others thought he was pretending, trying to curry favor with the head of the family, but Lu Mingqiu knew he was genuine.

As for why, the reason was simple—a madman can naturally identify with another madman.

It wasn’t surprising that they understood each other.

Lu Mingqiu spent a day on the journey. When she landed, it was still daytime, but it must have been evening at Yan Xianchuan’s place.

She got into the car that came to pick her up from home, she left the bustling airport and drove to the suburbs. The scenery along the way became increasingly desolate.

The leaves here had already turned golden. When the wind blew, they fluttered down, announcing their end.

The buildings of the Jeterian Dynasty had a distinct Gothic style. The towering spires, the dark exterior walls, the iron gates slowly opened, like the gaping maw of an abyss.

A few crows circled in the sky, making rough calls.

It was clearly noon, but the sunlight seemed to avoid this place. The garden shrubs were lush, the flowers were in full bloom, but there was still an indescribable sense of desolation and gloom. Even more so, these bright colors made the gray gloom that lingered above the castle even more prominent and distinct.

Lu Mingqiu got out of the car. A servant took her luggage and put it in her original room.

Before, when she returned home, there would always be dozens of people to greet her, surrounding her with concern and attentive service. Now, there was only one.

Perhaps it was because of the passing of the old master, the atmosphere was mournful, or perhaps it was because her status had plummeted, she was no longer worthy of this level of attention.

She walked into the castle. Butler Bennett was directing the servants to tidy up the interior, removing all the bright things. Fortunately, thanks to the original decoration style, there weren’t many bright colors to begin with.

He saw Lu Mingqiu, he waved his hand and let the servants do their own thing. He walked down the stairs to greet her, his wrinkled face showed a nostalgic expression, “Miss, you’re back.”

This wasn’t the right time to talk about her heart. Butler Bennett gestured for her to follow him, leading her towards the bedroom.

This castle, including the mountaintop, covered an area of over two thousand square meters. It was so large that you could even ride a horse in the corridors.

But because the Polov family wasn’t very prosperous, there weren’t many descendants living here. The servants and guards all had their own jobs, and many places became hidden places for conversations.

“Master passed away last night,” Bennett said softly, “He told me before he went to sleep to wake him up before dinner. When I knocked on his door on time, he was already gone.”

The doctor came to examine him, saying it was acute sudden death. There was some ‘Dandelion’ on the floor, which he had been taking regularly lately. There was also an overdose of the drug in Master’s body.

The old man with gray hair sighed, unwilling to comment on his master. Besides, the former head of the family had grown up under his watch. He simply said with a sigh, “May Master rest in peace.”

“Dandelion” was a type of drug that made people feel euphoric, as if dandelions were swaying in the wind in the sky, that carefree, boundless feeling of freedom, which is how it got its name.

This drug wasn’t banned in Kurtz City. The former head of the family had a history of taking it, and as he aged and his mental state deteriorated, the dosage gradually increased. It wasn’t unexpected that he would die of an overdose.

Because of the former head of the family’s controlling nature, there were many surveillance cameras in the castle, so Butler Bennett didn’t say anything he shouldn’t.

When they reached Lu Mingqiu’s bedroom, he disregarded the constraints of his position and asked with concern, “Miss Inola, are you, are you doing alright these past few days?”

“I’m fine,” Lu Mingqiu said, “Achuan is a good person, she’s very kind to me. Don’t worry.”

Facing the old butler, she couldn’t help but show a grateful expression. In her growth, Butler Bennett was the one who played the role of a father, rather than the capricious former head of the family.

His care and protection were meticulous, and his concern was genuine.

When the bad news came, he was the only one who cared about her emotional state and comforted her.

Her biological father only cared about her fertility, not her as a person. He cared about her uterus, as for her, she was the carrier of the uterus, the baby-raising machine. That was all her value as an omega.

An omega who couldn’t bear children was like a refrigerator that couldn’t cool, an air conditioner that couldn’t blow air, a TV that couldn’t display images. They were completely broken and useless.

“Azberto…” Lu Mingqiu hesitated, her words trailed off.

Butler Bennett naturally picked up the rest of her sentence, “Master’s will said that Master Azberto should inherit the family business. As for the distribution of other assets, he didn’t say anything, but Master said that it would be the same as before.”

When he mentioned the new head of the family, his eyes showed a complex expression that was difficult to decipher. There was some worry, some melancholy, and even a hint of fear, but he didn’t say anything to Lu Mingqiu.

What good would it do to tell her these worries? She was just a poor thing, the hardships and changes in life had already overwhelmed the former young lady. Why add to her troubles?

Telling her would only add another person to the fear.

“Master’s body is still in the bedroom. The funeral will be held tomorrow morning at five o’clock,” the butler said in a slow tone, “The journey was tiring, you should rest for a while. I’ll send someone to call you for dinner.”

After saying this, he nodded slightly and left. The old man, who had always been strong, had a hunched back, he didn’t know when it had happened.

The bedroom was decorated the same as before. Lu Mingqiu had spent her youth here, she had shaped her personality here, and she had also determined her life’s aspirations here.

After she graduated from high school, she rarely came home.

Lu Mingqiu’s fingers glided over the black and white keys, leaving a series of glissandos. She glided over the easel, the dressing table, the mirror in the dance studio, the mannequin wearing a corset.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, dust floated in the air. Facing this room filled with so many memories, she didn’t feel nostalgic.

Some people say that nostalgia for a place isn’t actually nostalgia for a certain location, but for the things that happened there, nostalgia for the past and the past. Without these memories, even the most beautiful scenery is just a cold piece of land.

What was there to be nostalgic about in this bedroom?

Her forcibly twisted views? Her imprisoned thoughts, her artificially shaped personality, or her mindless learning, the slow murder of her individuality?

In this magnificent, flower-filled castle, they killed one soul after another, then turned omegas into identical dolls.

Would a prisoner like the prison where they were imprisoned?

Lu Mingqiu left the bedroom and walked up the stairs to see her father.

The bedroom door was wide open. She walked in, her father was lying in bed, his eyes closed, his thin lips tightly pressed together, his high cheekbones and high nose bridge, the hollow in the middle could almost be used as a small artificial lake.

The body must have been made up, his face actually looked a little rosy, his complexion was better than when he was alive. It was ironic.

Several maids bowed to her and left.

A crow landed on the windowsill, then flew to the birdcage on the desk to drink water.

The crows in the castle were all the father’s beloved pets. He fed them, gave them water, and took them for walks. He treated them better than he treated his own children.

“I knew you would come back.” A voice came from behind her.

Lu Mingqiu turned around, a young man with golden curly hair leaned against the door frame, a smile curved his lips. His emerald green eyes held a blatant interest.

“Inola, you haven’t been home for a long time. How’s work going?” He blinked, as if he was whispering, his eyes twinkled with cunning.

“Haviell,” Lu Mingqiu said calmly, “Long time no see.”

“Ah, our father is dead. It’s really a happy thing, isn’t it?” The young man sighed, his tone was regretful, but the words he said were completely different.

“Let’s go for a walk in the garden, shall we?”

Lu Mingqiu didn’t answer him, she simply walked out of the room and downstairs.

The clear sky suddenly had a dark cloud roll in from somewhere. The lead-gray clouds covered the azure sky with a veil of mist. It blocked the sunlight, making the wind carry a damp, rainy air.

“How’s your married life?” Haviell started the conversation, “Oh, Inola, don’t look at me like that. As your brother, it’s only natural for me to care about my sister.”

He pretended to think, “Hmm, let me guess, that poor fellow must be led around by the nose by you.”

“You didn’t come here to discuss this, did you?” Lu Mingqiu ignored his words.

“You’re still so cold.” Haviell put his hand over his chest as if he was heartbroken. The next moment, he took his hand away and broke off an iris, “Azberto, you must have been paying attention to him.”

“Our brother, a genius devil, a representative of hell.” He spoke as if he was singing, “In his sick mind, he has many terrifying and ingenious ideas, even I can’t help but admire him.”

Haviell chuckled softly, his emerald green eyes held the shadows of a whole forest.

“You know?” Lu Mingqiu asked.

“How could I know?” The young man picked off a petal and put it in his mouth, the juice stained his lips purple, “I’m just a poet, not a detective.”

“Shouldn’t this be something you investigate? My sister, the great adventurer.”

Haviell, her brother, was clearly not mentally well either.

He called himself a poet, but he had never written a single poem. He was always on the road, seeking inspiration.

He had once slept in the forest without bringing anything, saying he wanted to feel the breath of nature. He liked the feeling of drowning, he had jumped into the lake more than once, he was rescued by the servants when he was on the verge of death. He didn’t like to eat, he claimed that food was just a necessary means to keep his body running. If he didn’t have to live, if he didn’t have to chase after the muse’s skirt, he wouldn’t waste precious time on such things.

He was sensitive and neurotic, he was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing.

He had discovered Lu Mingqiu’s secret.

That’s not entirely true. Haviell knew that she was a little unusual, he knew that his sister was different from those omega dolls. Her body contained a burning lava, once it erupted, it would be enough to burn anyone.

Inola was an extraordinary person.

But he didn’t tell anyone about his discovery.

Poets like dramatic, intense conflicts, they like chaos, they like the moment when human nature blossoms. How could he tell anyone about such a fun thing?

Under her slender body, there was a cold ice wall, a proud bird, a cruel snake, a poisonous spider. How could this be? How could there be such a person?

“You must know something, otherwise, you wouldn’t have called me out,” her sister said, “Don’t beat around the bush.”

Haviell stared at her perfect face, he stared at her blue eyes, which were even clearer than the sky. Even her voice, it was as clear as spring water, as soft as moonlight.

Perfect! What a perfect person! A miracle of nature!

Such a person, she was going to be married, she was going to be defiled by the dirty world… Haviell’s face changed from joy to anger. His anger came suddenly, like the raging thunder in a storm, unpredictable.

“Damn it! You damn person!” He cursed, as if he was going crazy, he kicked the iris that was growing well in the flower bed, sending the branches and petals flying into the air.

“You lowly beast, cunning thief, ugly, dirty bastard, disgusting, lowly…”

Lu Mingqiu watched him go crazy calmly, her face didn’t change, she was used to it, “If you have nothing to say, then I’ll leave.”

“Don’t go!” Haviell suddenly said, he pleaded, “Don’t go, Inola.”

He gasped for breath, a unnatural flush appeared on his thin face. He looked at the mess on the ground, then suddenly regained his composure, as if nothing had happened. He continued to answer the previous topic.

“Oh yes, you’re right, I do know something.”

The young man smiled slightly, he said softly, “I know, he has a plan, a great, grand plan.”

“That’s all I know, Inola.”

“My sister, the great adventurer, the great magician, what are you going to do? What will you do?”

The smile on his face grew wider, then suddenly disappeared, his expression became serious, he recited like a poem, “My great deeds are worthy of being cast in bronze, engraved in marble, carved in wood, to last forever.”

“When my deeds are still being passed down in the world, the age of happiness and the time of happiness will also come!”

Lu Mingqiu had a lot of experience communicating with mentally ill people. She turned and left.

A plan.

She didn’t doubt the accuracy of Haviell’s words, because he was someone who loved to watch the drama unfold. He must have thought that revealing this to her would lead to a more intense conflict, so he was happy to see it happen.

What plan?

Lu Mingqiu took a deep breath, frowned, and fell into a confused thought.

This was difficult.

Who could guess what a madman was thinking? They would have to be a madman themselves.

Lu Mingqiu thought her mental state was still healthy, but if she was constantly surrounded by these neurotics, even the healthiest person would go crazy.

At the dinner table, she finally met the new head of the family—Azberto.

His curly black hair fell to his shoulders, like a coiled venomous snake. His eye sockets were sunken, his nose was hooked like an eagle’s, his lips were so thin they were almost invisible. His light gray eyes reflected the indifference of marble.

His appearance was seven or eight points similar to the former head of the family. Besides his appearance, he also inherited his father’s suspicion.

Of the descendants of this generation, only the three of them were still alive. But the number of lovers living in the castle was ten times that of the three.

No one spoke at the dinner table, only the clinking of cutlery.

“The funeral is scheduled for five o’clock tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”

Azberto said this after finishing dinner, then he got up and left.

After he left, Lu Mingqiu also put down her knife and fork, wiped her mouth with a napkin and left.

At the long rectangular table, only Haviell was still leisurely sipping his soup, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Lu Mingqiu returned to her room and fell into deep thought. Then, she sent a message to a number, inquiring about the changes in federal officials.

Because the deceased head of the Polov family had another identity, he was the Minister of Justice.

He was dead, the position was vacant, and someone would have to take over.

Azberto wasn’t in the Ministry of Justice, he was in the military. He was originally a Major General, now that he had succeeded as the head of the family, he would surely be promoted.

He didn’t need any political experience, the Polov family itself was the biggest backer.

The message was quickly replied to.

—【The death of the Minister of Justice was sudden, many forces have their eyes on this position, but the Major General doesn’t seem to be interested in it yet. We are working hard, and if nothing unexpected happens, we will put our own people in place.】

Lu Mingqiu: 【I got information that Azberto is planning something big, very big. But I don’t know what it is exactly. He has at least four ability users guarding him, I can’t get close.】

—【Don’t act rashly, we have already achieved good results. This is a process, be patient. You are much more important than this information, be sure to ensure your safety.】

She knew the importance of her own life, but perhaps it was the gloomy and stagnant atmosphere here that made Lu Mingqiu feel a vague sense of unease.

She trusted her intuition, her sixth sense. Her spirit was incredibly sharp, she must have subconsciously sensed something.

—【Yellow Canary, don’t act, did you hear me? We can’t afford any risk.】

Lu Mingqiu closed her eyes, 【Understood.】

The next morning, before the sun came up, Lu Mingqiu was woken up by a knock on the door. She washed up, got dressed, and tidied herself up. When she was ready, the sun still hadn’t risen.

The sky was a hazy blue-gray. A group of people carried a coffin, they walked along the dew-covered road, through a pine forest, to a patch of grass.

A patch of grass full of tombstones.

This was where the Polov family members were buried, row after row. The gray tombstones were engraved with their names and how they died, like a collection of absurd death jokes.

The former head of the family was placed in a newly dug grave. Servants handed them shovels, Lu Mingqiu and her two brothers each took one, they shoveled dirt, one shovelful at a time, and then sprinkled it on top of the coffin lid.

This process was repetitive, boring, and tiring, but it had to be done personally by the descendants of the Polov family, servants couldn’t do it for them.

It was said that this would allow the deceased elders to feel the love of their family, and that love would dispel the never-ending curse.

Lu Mingqiu was a staunch materialist. She never believed in such superstitious things, especially after she learned that the Holy Healing Church was a purely man-made product, she believed even less.

The so-called curse was just a hereditary mental illness. It affected every head of the family, and this top-down high pressure was passed down from generation to generation. Even normal people would be pressured into illness by such an extreme environment, let alone the Polov family, who were already not quite normal.

People in the past didn’t understand science, so when they encountered something they couldn’t explain, they attributed it to ghosts and gods. But the family was just that kind of thing, a product maintained by feudal and backward traditions.

Lu Mingqiu shoveled and threw dirt with an expressionless face.

She didn’t want to be buried here after she died. She wanted to leave, to let her ashes scatter down the mountainside, every speck of dust would greet endless freedom.