The Fate of a Man Too Clever for His Own Good

Inside a high-rise apartment in the city center, the view outside the window is of a bustling metropolis at night, with flashing neon lights and a constant flow of traffic, creating a vibrant scene. However, inside, the atmosphere carries a sense of calm and coldness, as if the city is in complete control.

Attorney Zhou Wenyuan sat on the large sofa in the living room and handed a concise case progress report to Lin Feng, who was sitting opposite him. He adjusted his gold-rimmed Glasses, his face displaying the seriousness of a legal professional, as well as a hint of barely perceptible anger.

"Boss, the situation with Qin Ming is basically confirmed." Lawyer Zhou's voice was as steady as ever, but his speech was slightly faster than usual. "He presented a diagnosis of mental illness: bipolar disorder. The document originated from the Municipal Mental Health Center. On the surface, the paperwork is complete, and it will be difficult to overturn it procedurally in the short term."

He paused, looked at Lin Feng, and asked in a questioning tone, "The current situation is that he may be able to use this certificate to apply for a forensic psychiatric evaluation. If the evaluation results suggest that he was partially or completely incapacitated at the time of the incident, criminal prosecution will become very difficult, and he may even be forced into compulsory medical treatment instead of serving his sentence. The duration of compulsory medical treatment... is highly uncertain, and he may be able to exploit a loophole."

Lawyer Zhou leaned forward slightly and offered his suggestion. "Should we... involve Dean Du Mingyuan? He has extensive connections in the field of psychiatry. Could he intervene, or use some 'technical' means, to influence the subsequent forensic psychiatric evaluation process, ensuring that the evaluation results objectively reflect that Qin Ming did not commit the crime during a psychotic episode? This would block his escape route."

His meaning was clear: to use the resources he controlled to shatter Qin Ming's shield of "mental illness" and force him back to the legal dock.

Lin Feng listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth wooden armrest. There was no surprise or anger on his face; instead, after Lawyer Zhou finished speaking, he revealed a rather amusing, slightly mocking smile.

He shook his head, his tone as casual as if discussing a trivial matter unrelated to him. "No need. Lawyer Zhou, you don't need to worry about this."

He picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew away the foam, took a sip, and then continued, "This Qin Ming is really too clever for his own good."

"He thought that by playing the 'mental illness' card and hiding in a mental hospital, he could escape this predicament?" Lin Feng's lips curled into a wider smile, but there was no warmth in it, only a chilling, all-knowing coldness. "How could he have such a misconception... that a mental hospital would be better than a detention center?"

His words were soft, but they made Lü Yi, who was sitting to the side idly playing with her fingers, suddenly shudder and instinctively sit up straight.

A clear look of fear flashed across Lü Yi's face, which was usually filled with exaggerated expressions. He remembered that name, that place, and that man... a thousand times more terrifying than Zheng Qi in the detention center, who only knew how to use his fists.

Chen Meijiao.

That person, confined deep within the mental hospital under Dean Du Mingyuan's jurisdiction, suffered from extreme delusions, obsessively believing that only "half" of anything in the world was perfect, to the point of cutting off his own ear and even considering dislocating his own arm... a truly, purely "Patient."

Although Lü Yi himself is diagnosed with "bipolar disorder" and acts erratically and erratically, it is more a loss of control over his emotions and behavior.

Chen Meijiao, however, is different. Her cognitive logic is deeply ingrained and twisted to the extreme, accompanied by unpredictable and destructive actions. Zheng Qi's violence is direct and barbaric, causing pain and humiliation; but Chen Meijiao's "pursuit of perfection" carries a chilling, ritualistic cruelty that strikes at the deepest fears of the human heart.

Imagine Qin Ming, this self-righteous "fake Madman," being thrown into a real, chaotic mental hospital, where he might very well have an encounter with someone like Chen Meijiao...

Lü Yi involuntarily shrank his neck, feeling a chill run down his spine. He would rather fight Zheng Qi a hundred more times than spend more than ten minutes in the same room with Chen Meijiao.

Lin Feng took in Lü Yi's reaction, his smile growing even deeper and colder. He put down his teacup, his gaze returning to the dazzling lights outside the window, as if he could already see the ultimate fate that Qin Ming's supposedly clever choice would lead to.

"He likes staying in mental hospitals," Lin Feng's voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable certainty, "Then let him stay there."

"He lived there until... he truly understood what 'madness' and 'despair' meant."

Lawyer Zhou was slightly taken aback, then understood Lin Feng's intention. He said nothing more, simply nodded, and put the report away. He knew that his boss had already chosen a path for Qin Ming that was... far more "suitable" than prison.

The law may sometimes have loopholes, allowing some people to get away with it temporarily.

But beneath Lin Feng's shadow, there exists another, more direct and cruel "order" that will give everyone the most "appropriate" destiny.

Qin Ming is paying an unimaginable price for the "refuge" he chose with his own hands.