Rage syndrome, generally regarded as an extremely dangerous mental illness, was even listed as an indication for lobotomies in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.
Perhaps people were not unaware of the dangers of lobotomy—or perhaps they believed that a mentally disabled person was preferable to a destructive one.
The destructive power of rage syndrome is truly formidable.
At least, that was how Catherine saw it.
A ruptured testicle removed, the left eyeball shattered, comminuted rib fractures, gastric hemorrhaging, removal of the spleen, liver dysfunction, lung injury, amputation of the left thigh due to a comminuted fracture, and a high risk of complications in the right leg…
And yet, upon hearing this news, Catherine felt a strange sense of relief.
Bittman's life was essentially ruined.
Although the incident ended without catastrophic consequences, it served as a wake-up call for Catherine.
This couldn't continue.
She was still a child—she needed self-defense.
Catherine suddenly remembered her time in Seattle. If she hadn't run into Bruce Lee back then, she might have been in real danger.
Maybe she should learn martial arts.
Catherine quietly set that goal for herself.
Firearms, self-defense—she needed to know at least some of it.
She wondered whether stun guns even existed at the time. Maybe she could carry one?
Or perhaps she should hire bodyguards?
In short, Catherine had now placed her personal safety on the same level of importance as her career development.
"Blackwater," Catherine wrote in her notebook.
But after thinking it over, she changed it to "Black Reef," which sounded better.
Catherine carried a notebook with her—a notebook where she wrote down her thoughts.
Human memory is unpredictable. Even after leaving that world for more than a decade, who knows how much she would still remember? So Catherine used this notebook to record important events and creative ideas she remembered—or recalled from time to time.
However, her memory seemed exceptionally good, and the notebook was rarely used.
Today was June 25, just a few days before the film's premiere.
The 30th fell on a Friday, and the premiere was scheduled for 7:00 p.m., prime time. Although the term "summer blockbuster season" didn't yet exist, it was already understood that box office numbers were higher during the summer.
Catherine was at home, while a psychologist was reassuring her parents.
After learning that their daughter had nearly been involved in an accident, Emma and Bruce were worried about potential psychological trauma.
In reality, to Catherine, the incident felt as if she had simply fallen asleep and suddenly returned to New York from Philadelphia.
And since nothing had truly happened to her, Catherine's mental resilience couldn't possibly be that weak—after all, she had already experienced rebirth and transformation.
The Edsons finally seemed relieved.
The psychiatrist then stood up to leave.
But not long after, someone knocked on Catherine's door again.
It was Ida.
"Kate, please forgive me. I had no idea Bittman was that kind of person…"
"It's okay, Ida."
She looked far more worn down than before, and Catherine felt a sharp pang of sympathy.
The two of them went to Catherine's room.
"Ida, how is your father?"
"He was taken away by the police. He may have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation—and probably a lobotomy… Then everything will be fine."
Ida sighed.
"No! He can't have surgery!"
Hearing this, Catherine jumped to her feet.
No one knew better than Catherine what this horrifying surgery did—turning people into idiots.
This procedure was rooted entirely in extreme individualism, a cruel method that stripped others of their humanity and oppressed them.
"But… my father…"
Ida didn't know how to express her complicated emotions.
She knew the surgery had side effects, but it was so common now—even among teenagers and children with unstable temperaments. She thought it couldn't possibly be an isolated case.
In fact, cases where the surgery actually cured the illness were the exception.
"Believe me, Ida,"
Catherine said, hugging her.
"Ida… has your father ever hugged you like this?"
Ida hesitated.
"He did, when I was little."
"Is my hug warm?"
"Mmm…"
"I'm not talking about the surface. I want you to feel my heart, Ida."
Catherine pressed her cheek against the top of Ida's head.
Ida closed her eyes.
She seemed to feel Catherine's care—that comforting, reassuring strength.
Suddenly, she thought of her father.
He had held her like this before.
Seizing the moment, Catherine said softly, "Actually, this surgery isn't as good as you think. The prefrontal cortex is where emotions are regulated. What they call 'resection' is really just removing the part that controls emotions. Without higher mental control, a person naturally stops reacting to their surroundings. They won't have emotions anymore—they'll just follow orders obediently, no different from an idiot."
"Oh my God…"
Ida hadn't expected the so-called "cure" to be like this.
"If… your father really becomes someone else, would he still be your father?"
Ida opened her mouth but didn't speak.
Her eyes, however, already gave Catherine the answer.
"I love my father very much. I've always wanted to go to Hollywood. Even though it's my dream, at first I wanted to become an actress to help my family… Our life has always been very hard."
Every American has an "American Dream," and Ida was no exception.
"Think about it—your father always thinks about you, always protects you…"
"But… now he's in prison and can't be released on bail. They're arranging for a doctor to evaluate him, and then… and even if there's no problem, he could still be prosecuted…"
Ida was completely lost.
"Don't worry, Ida. Maybe… we should go see Jenny. Ida, call Jenny. I'll think of something for you."
Catherine told Ida to call Jenny while she checked how much money she could gather.
These days, it's fairly easy to deal with the American police—as long as you bribe them enough.
What?
Lawyers?
That's more of an '80s thing. These days, American lawyers are still quite capable, but if you ask them how to win a case, they'll tell you it all comes down to bribery.
By the way… maybe she should go visit that Bittman guy—the one who was now missing his testicles.
Apparently, his groin had endured ten powerful kicks in a row from Mars…