Chapter 144: Three Personalities
Upon hearing the place Wang Hailong mentioned, Chen Ge was slightly taken aback. "The Haiming Apartment you're talking about—is it at the very back of a residential compound, piled with a lot of trash, looking pretty run-down?"
"You've been there?" This time it was the Wang Hailong brothers' turn to be surprised.
"I just came back from there the night before last." Chen Ge hadn't expected such a coincidence either.
"You know the way, perfect. We brothers will head over tonight too. My dad's pretty stubborn, so let's gather downstairs first and go up together once everyone's here."
After they settled on the plan, the Wang Hailong brothers left.
"Wang Shenglong's hometown is right next to the Third Psychiatric Ward. Could the monster he saw that night have escaped from the mental hospital? Later, after he entered the Third Ward, it seems even bigger problems arose. It all seems connected to the Third Ward." Chen Ge watched the Wang Hailong brothers walk away.
"Wang Haiming carries a monster from the Third Ward, and Wang Shenglong seems to have one too. They both chose to live in Haiming Apartment..." Chen Ge suddenly recalled a remark from the young man in Room 302. He had heard two voices arguing inside Wang Haiming, one of them cursing that if it weren't for fear of being caught by the Red Gown, it would have long since torn apart the other person and killed them.
"Could it be that the monster inside Wang Haiming has always been wary of the monster inside Wang Shenglong? If that's the case, wouldn't it mean the monster in Wang Shenglong is a Red Gown on par with Zhang Ya? Is Wang Shenglong the most terrifying existence in Haiming Apartment?"
This question was a bit complex. Chen Ge couldn't even bother to eat, sitting on the steps outside the haunted house entrance, carefully mulling it over.
The monster inside Wang Haiming didn't want to have a falling-out with him, likely because it sensed something. They had the young man from Room 302 capture live prey for them, starting with sparrows and stray dogs, then moving on to humans, gradually escalating their targets, as if testing the limits of some entity.
Both were mirror ghosts, but the one in Chen Ge's haunted house was reckless, striking any lone human it found. In contrast, the monster inside Wang Haiming at Haiming Apartment was far more low-key.
Clearly, the monster in Wang Haiming was afraid. If this reasoning held, the monster in Wang Shenglong, even if not a Red Gown, was far stronger than an ordinary mirror ghost.
"How terrifying is this Third Psychiatric Ward? It's bad enough that there's something scarier than a mirror ghost, but judging by the current situation, these two are just the ones that escaped. The number of monsters hidden in the sealed ward must be even greater!"
Chen Ge rubbed his temples hard. "If a three-star horror scene is already like this, how terrifying must a four-star psychic haunted school be?"
Standing up, Chen Ge called Dr. Gao again. He wasn't sure if Dr. Gao had time; if the doctor was too busy, he'd go alone.
The phone rang twice before it was picked up, and Dr. Gao's voice came through: "Chen Ge? Something on your mind?"
"Nothing major, just wanted to ask how Men Nan is doing. Has his fever gone down?"
"He's been on IV fluids for a day, and his consciousness has finally cleared up. But his condition is still not optimistic—in fact, it's more severe than I initially anticipated." Dr. Gao's tone was grave.
"That shouldn't be." Chen Ge was puzzled. He had already helped Men Nan resolve his inner conflict, and the trial task on the black phone was complete. Why had Men Nan's condition worsened instead?
"Listen to me. After Men Nan woke up, I ran another psychological assessment on him, and I made a startling discovery."
Dr. Gao paused, seeming to move to a quieter spot before continuing: "Men Nan's body harbors three distinct personalities. One is his developing self-personality—the normal Men Nan we see. Another is a personality where he's taken on the identity of his deceased mother, believing himself to be her. I suspect this personality formed as a self-healing mechanism when Men Nan witnessed his mother's murder as a child, a severe psychological shock that his brain created to protect his body."
"And the third?"
"The third personality appears the least and can't be fully analyzed yet. I can only confirm its existence. This personality is unique—it doesn't grow but remains stuck at Men Nan's early childhood. I can't communicate with it, and it only surfaces for brief periods. However, whenever this personality takes control, Men Nan's talent for personality psychology shines at two hundred percent!"
"So Men Nan's talent is tied to this third personality?"
"Yes, I've never seen anyone with such a gift." Dr. Gao spoke highly of Men Nan. "But to protect that talent from being damaged, it complicates treatment. Standard medication would strengthen his main personality and weaken the others, which would affect his talent. So I'm consulting with other experts to design a customized treatment plan for Men Nan."
If the illness was cured, that rare talent would also vanish—whether that was good or bad for Men Nan remained uncertain.
Seeing that Dr. Gao was busy, Chen Ge decided not to bring up Wang Shenglong's matter, not wanting to impose. "Alright, I hope Men Nan recovers soon. I won't keep you."
He was about to hang up when Dr. Gao replied, "You called because you had something to say, didn't you? Men Nan is still too weak; psychological treatment will have to wait until he's physically recovered. I'm not too busy in the meantime, so feel free to consult me anytime about psychological issues."
Hearing this, Chen Ge didn't hold back and recounted Wang Shenglong's story in full.
Dr. Gao was silent for a long moment after listening. "Alright, I'll go with you tonight. It just so happens that Men Nan's belongings are still at Haiming Apartment and haven't been picked up. I was planning to go there anyway."
"Thanks, Dr. Gao."
"What are you thanking me for? I've heard about your situation from Gao Ruxue. As a psychology enthusiast, to be so dedicated and voluntarily go this far for a patient—honestly, I'm not your equal." Dr. Gao's voice carried a hint of shame.
"Psychology enthusiast? What did Gao Ruxue tell you?" Chen Ge was caught between laughter and tears, feeling like there might be a misunderstanding.
"Your haunted house uses many psychological techniques, showing you've read relevant materials and books. I'd like to visit sometime." Dr. Gao chuckled on the other end.
"You flatter me." Chen Ge wiped the sweat from his forehead, imagining the impeccably dressed Dr. Gao being put through half an hour of torment in his haunted house—his persona would likely shatter.
Dr. Gao laughed for a moment, then his voice steadied. "Many people self-study psychology, but few are as genuinely committed to helping patients as you are. When you called me, pleading for Wang Xin's sake, it really moved me. Only those who've experienced psychological pain truly understand how rough the road is. Many haven't walked the path they've walked, so they don't know its hardships. I've always wanted to thank you on behalf of Wang Xin and Men Nan. It was your unwavering resolve that let them break free from their chains and take a breath of fresh air."
Chen Ge didn't remember when the call ended. Dr. Gao's praise left him dazed—after all, this was the first time someone had said that he, Chen Ge, was a person of exceptionally high moral character.