Vedicom and Vinya exchanged a deep glance as they passed each other, a silent transmission of boundless suffering.
We brought Vedicom back to the provincial department, and Vinya also came. Before the interrogation, He Qing arrived at the scene.
We had to hypnotize Vinya first. Given the time constraints, there was no time to go to a psychiatric hospital.
He Qing was in a room with Vinya, while Gao Mingqiang and I watched the monitors in the duty room.
"Dr. He, ever since that incident, I've been having nightmares. Demons constantly appear in my dreams. They rip off my clothes, violate my body, and eat my flesh. I'm in so much pain!"
"Miss Vinya, please don't worry. I'll do my best to cure you. It might take some time, but I'll start with the simplest methods!"
"Miss Vinya, now imagine yourself in a vast field of flowers. This isn't China, but the Lumbini Sacred Garden. You and your brother are happily wandering here..."
"Your brother excitedly clasps your hand..."
"Your smile is brighter than any sunflower in the world..."
"The sacred garden is filled with your favorite Bodhi flowers, a special type of flower that is very tall, can overshadow small trees, has white petals, a very fragrant scent, and can remain unfading for a long time, yet can disappear suddenly. Every year during the season when the Bodhi flowers bloom in the sacred garden, you both linger here..."
"Yes, Dr. He, I see it all. My brother hugged me tightly and said that nothing in this world is as wonderful as I am... One flower, one world; one leaf, one enlightenment; one leaf, one Tathagata; one place, one pure land; one smile, one karmic connection..."
"Then, continue forward. Your brother has left, and you are alone in the entire Lumbini Sacred Garden... Tell me, what do you see?" He Qing swayed the sand timer in his hand while gently massaging Vinya's shoulders.
At that moment, Vinya lay on a soft, comfortable bed. The surroundings were empty. This was a rest room I had arranged for her.
Vinya hesitated. Beads of sweat covered her forehead, her lips slowly dried, and her complexion grew increasingly haggard.
"Dr. He, I see them... I see them... Several demons cloaked in black, their rotten bodies polluting the entire sacred garden. They are slowly approaching me, surrounding me!"
"How many of them are there? What are their physical characteristics?"
"Their bodies seem connected, so I can't tell their exact number, but I can describe their appearance..."
Vinya then provided a lot of information, which I sketched out in detail. The results clearly depicted the likenesses of Liu Dahai and several other men.
It was indeed them.
If Liu Yuning knew that her father had done such a thing, I wondered what she would think.
"Alright, now you're holding a magic wand. You can drive these demons away anytime you wish!"
He Qing placed a steel ruler into Vinya's hand. We watched as she strenuously gestured on the bed with her eyes closed. Initially, Vinya appeared very tense and guarded, but gradually she calmed down, a proud smile appearing on her face.
"Miss Vinya, it seems you've defeated the demons. You don't need to be afraid anymore. I believe you will live a happy and joyful life from now on..."
"Thank you, Dr. He."
The hypnosis ended. He Qing snapped his fingers, "Alright, Miss Vinya, it's all over now. It's time for you to return to reality!"
Vinya slowly woke from her dream. As she opened her eyes, a relaxed smile played on her lips.
She stood up carefully. We walked to the corridor of the rest room. The moment she emerged, she turned back and gave me a brilliant smile. I believed that after leaving the provincial department, she would embark on a brand new life...
He Qing came to my side and said, "She'll need one more follow-up, but the effect this time was clearly marvelous!"
"Well done," I said. My greatest concern was leaving indelible scars on the victim, and He Qing could heal these wounds.
Later, Vinya returned to India, and I never contacted her again. Before she left, she visited the clinic for a final treatment. He Qing prescribed her some calming medication before her departure.
"Brother, it seems Vinya is fine now," He Qing said to me, watching her walk away.
"Yes, Indian women are quite lovely too!" I teased deliberately.
"Haha, don't let Captain Liu hear that, or she'll never let you hear the end of it!"
"Alas, I wonder when Yuning will wake up."
"She will wake up. Shall I help you?"
"Do you have a way?"
"From a psychological perspective, we have a special treatment for PVS symptoms."
"Then please try. I beg you!"
"Don't worry, I'll do my best, Brother."
After that, He Qing visited the hospital room once a week to provide psychological therapy to Liu Yuning. Since the true culprit had been apprehended, Liu Yuning's suspicion had been cleared.
During the interrogation, Vedicom had confessed his framing methods in full.
Later, I learned why he had left infant handprints. It turned out Vinya was pregnant at the time, but the child had died in utero before birth. Afterwards, Vinya constantly dreamed of infant handprints all over her body. Upon learning this, Vedicom was furious. He wanted to transfer these sins onto the detestable criminals, and thus began his revenge plan.
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but each time Vedicom killed someone and left an infant handprint, Vinya's nightmares would lessen slightly. Later, only the demons remained.
The infant handprints were merely made with a prop. When we searched Vedicom's dormitory, we found a mold that perfectly matched the size and outline of the handprints.
He Qing's treatment method was to engage Liu Yuning in lighthearted conversations, albeit with a professional touch that I didn't always understand. I felt He Qing could help Liu Yuning, so I didn't interfere and continued with my work, only checking in after my shift.
I don't know how much time passed, but on the first day of autumn this year, I saw many people on the street buying milk tea. I wasn't in the mood to join the crowd. As I entered the provincial department's office, Gao Mingqiang rushed over, "He Xin wants you to go to the information department. She seems to have received a strange video."
"Oh? Alright then!"
Upon arriving at the information department, everyone's mood seemed low. They had probably seen something horrifying earlier.