Chapter Seven: The Enigma of the Nanjing University Dismemberment Case

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The Cursed Shadow of the Nanjing University Dismemberment Case

In the winter of 1996, the city of Nanjing was bitterly cold, with thick snowflakes drifting down, as if trying to conceal the evil and terror about to unfold within its bounds. At Nanjing University, students were busy preparing for their final exams, the campus saturated with a tense atmosphere of study. Yet no one noticed the dark presence silently closing in.

Diao Qing, a quiet girl from a rural village who had come to the big city to pursue her studies, led an unassuming and ordinary student life. However, on that seemingly ordinary winter evening, after leaving the dormitory as usual, she never returned. At first, her roommates thought she had simply gone to the library or to visit friends. But as days passed without any sign of her, a foreboding unease began to spread among them.

Several days later, strange chunks of flesh started appearing across various parts of Nanjing. These pieces were cut with unnerving precision and arranged in bizarre patterns, resembling the setup of some malevolent ritual. Initially dismissed as mere meat scraps, it was soon discovered that these were human flesh, sparking a citywide uproar. Fear spread like a plague. The police quickly launched an investigation and traced the origin of these flesh pieces to the vicinity of Nanjing University. Gradually, suspicion centered on the long-missing Diao Qing.

As the investigation deepened, the details grew increasingly horrifying. Diao Qing had not only been brutally murdered, but her body was dismembered into over a thousand meticulously processed pieces. The cruelty and calculated nature of the act chilled all who learned of it. Despite extensive inquiries, the police found no trace of the perpetrator, as if the murderer were a ghost from the shadowy underworld—committing a monstrous crime before vanishing without a trace into the vast sea of humanity.

Years slipped by, and the case remained unsolved, becoming an unhealed wound in the hearts of Nanjing’s residents and a baffling mystery in the annals of Chinese criminal investigation. Yet, on a stormy night, a young policeman named Lin Yu unexpectedly found himself drawn into this long-forgotten case.

Lin Yu was a passionate young officer fresh out of the police academy, devoted to criminal investigation. While sorting through old files at the precinct, he stumbled upon the case file of the Nanjing University dismemberment. The harrowing photos and detailed records stirred his heart deeply. Determined to seek justice for the victim, even if hope was slim, he resolved to reopen the investigation.

He began revisiting Diao Qing’s classmates, teachers, and acquaintances, hoping to uncover overlooked clues in their memories. During this process, he met Su Yao, a girl who had been Diao Qing’s close friend and who had long felt guilt and sorrow over her death, quietly conducting her own inquiries all these years. Lin Yu and Su Yao quickly formed an alliance, jointly delving into the secrets behind the case.

One night, while reviewing materials, they discovered a diary forgotten in a corner. The pages were yellowed with age and the handwriting faded, but they managed to identify it as Diao Qing’s. In the diary, she recorded trivial school matters and personal worries. Yet some pages instilled an inexplicable fear in Lin Yu and Su Yao.

Diao Qing wrote that in the time before her disappearance, she felt watched by unseen eyes, a chilling presence shadowing her everywhere. Once, returning to the dorm late at night, she glimpsed a dark figure flicker in a corner. Upon approaching, she found only a puddle of foul-smelling black liquid on the ground, within which vague, writhing shapes resembling twisted human faces struggled in torment. Another time, she dreamt of a woman cloaked in black, wielding a sharp pair of scissors, smiling coldly as she approached. Just as the scissors were about to pierce her, Diao Qing awoke to find an identical pair of scissors lying on her bedside table, the blade gleaming with a chilling light.

After reading the diary, Lin Yu and Su Yao were filled with doubt and unease. Were these entries hallucinations, or did Diao Qing encounter some supernatural force? They decided to pursue this lead further, hoping to find clues connected to the case.

In the following days, they sought information about the strange phenomena described in the diary. Visiting local elders and feng shui masters, they learned that the land on which Nanjing University stood had once been an execution ground in ancient times, where countless criminals were beheaded and displayed, their spirits laden with deep resentment. Legend had it that at night, the cries of these wronged souls echoed across the site, as their restless spirits wandered, seeking release.

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Though Lin Yu was a staunch materialist, the bizarre experiences gradually unsettled his convictions. He began to suspect the case involved not just human malice but also arcane supernatural forces. To uncover the truth, he resolved to take a risk—on a full moon night, he ventured alone into the campus, the reputed haunt of these vengeful spirits.

The campus was eerily silent under the pale moonlight. Lin Yu tread carefully along the paths, clutching a pistol borrowed from the precinct, his heart pounding wildly. His eyes scanned every shadow, wary of lurking danger.

When he reached a grove of trees, a strange sound caught his attention—soft weeping or perhaps the rustling of leaves in the wind. Following the noise, he discovered an abandoned cabin, its door slightly ajar, faint light flickering inside. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pushed the door open.

Inside, a strong stench of decay hung in the air. The walls were stained with dark blotches resembling dried blood. In the center stood a battered table, atop which lay a dust-covered box. Approaching cautiously, Lin Yu opened it and was met with a sudden chill. Inside were some of Diao Qing’s personal belongings and a yellowed photograph of a young woman. Though her face was blurred, her eyes radiated profound hatred and despair.

At that moment, the cabin’s light flickered wildly. A fierce wind burst through the window, scattering objects across the floor. Lin Yu’s gaze darted around, and from a shadowy corner, a dark figure slowly materialized. It took shape as a woman in a black robe, her face pale as paper, blood streaming from her eyes, lips curling into a sinister laugh.

Terrified, Lin Yu raised his pistol and shouted, “Who are you? Why did you harm Diao Qing?” The woman said nothing, only advancing step by step, murmuring repeatedly, “Return my life… return my life…” Lin Yu staggered backward, his hands trembling, nearly dropping his gun. As the woman approached, he suddenly remembered the talisman his grandmother had given him in childhood, said to ward off evil.

Frantically pulling it from his pocket, he held it up to her. Miraculously, upon seeing the talisman, the woman let out a piercing scream and began to dissolve, turning into a swirl of black smoke that vanished. Lin Yu collapsed, gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, his heart racing.

This harrowing encounter made Lin Yu realize the case’s truth was far more complex than he had imagined. Resolute, he and Su Yao vowed to continue their investigation, no matter the dangers, to unearth the long-hidden secret, bring peace to the restless souls, and reveal the truth to the world.

They studied the university’s historical records and campus layout closely, discovering that several buildings corresponded with ancient feng shui principles, and these locations coincided with the core area of the original crime. They suspected the perpetrator exploited these feng shui patterns to carry out the crime and perhaps harnessed supernatural forces to conceal it.

Their inquiry led them to a mysterious scholar deeply versed in ancient mystical culture and history. The scholar explained that according to old legends and texts, performing certain dark rituals at specific feng shui configurations could trigger supernatural phenomena and even control vengeful spirits. The former execution ground beneath the university was a reservoir of intense resentment, and if manipulated maliciously, the consequences could be dire.

Lin Yu and Su Yao decided to investigate these feng shui sites. In the basement of an ancient campus building, they found strange symbols and markings resembling ritualistic signs, though unlike any common sacrificial symbols known. After the scholar's analysis, these appeared to be part of a forgotten malevolent ritual intended to awaken and control vengeful spirits for sinister purposes.

As the investigation progressed, they felt increasingly watched by an unseen force. Strange occurrences followed them—items inexplicably disappearing and reappearing, faint cries and whispers at night. They knew they were closing in on the truth but also slipping deeper into peril.

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One day, Su Yao suddenly vanished. Lin Yu searched frantically, but found no trace. Gripped by despair, he received an anonymous letter bearing only an address—an abandoned factory outside Nanjing.

Without hesitation, Lin Yu sped to the factory, where a pungent, eerie stench filled the air. In a shadowed corner, he found Su Yao bound and gagged. Standing before them was a figure clad in a black robe, face hidden in darkness.

“You’ve finally come, Officer Lin Yu,” the figure chuckled deeply. “You’re clever, but foolish to meddle in this forbidden secret.”

Lin Yu raised his gun, furious. “Are you the murderer? Why did you do this?”

The black-robed figure slowly lifted his head, revealing a twisted, grotesque face with eyes gleaming with madness. “I only sought to harness this power to gain all I desire. Diao Qing was but a sacrifice; the stronger her hatred, the greater the power I command.”

He began chanting a sinister incantation. The temperature plummeted, and a malevolent aura filled the air. Lin Yu felt a tremendous force surge toward him, his body trembling uncontrollably.

At the critical moment, Lin Yu recalled a report on ancient mysticism he had seen in the precinct archives. It mentioned a way to break dark ritual control by confronting it with pure emotion and righteous power. Closing his eyes, Lin Yu thought of Diao Qing’s suffering and the innocent lives lost, filling himself with righteous fury.

Suddenly, a radiant light emanated from him, growing brighter and dispelling the surrounding darkness and evil. The black-robed figure screamed in agony as his body ignited and burned away, leaving only ashes.

With the villain’s demise, the sinister atmosphere in the factory lifted. Su Yao was freed. Lin Yu knew this nightmare was finally over; the secret behind the Nanjing University dismemberment case was unveiled. Though the truth was terrifying and strange, justice prevailed, and the grudges of Diao Qing and the restless spirits were finally laid to rest.

From then on, Nanjing University returned to its peaceful calm. Lin Yu and Su Yao resumed their lives, but they would never forget this harrowing ordeal or the darkness and evil lurking in the shadows.