Even though Li Yao had vaguely guessed the answer, he was still greatly surprised when he heard it from Ms. Gray Fog. "How can that be?"
"I should be asking you that question," Ms. Gray Fog said.
"Since you've awakened some wonderful memories and even abilities after reading '40,000 Years of Cultivation,' why can't others do the same? Otherwise, why do you think we're in a hurry to find the author of '40,000 Years of Cultivation?' It's because there are too many examples like this."
"What!"
Li Yao keenly grasped the key in Ms. Gray Fog's words. "Are you saying that not only me and Mr. Zhang Jiashu, but other people, other readers, have been stimulated, touched, and summoned by this work and awakened the memories and abilities from the 'Cultivation of the Four Universes'?"
"Perhaps. The intelligence and missions about '40,000 Years of Cultivation' are all under Red Pole Star's direct command. I didn't learn of the existence of the author and Zhang Jiashu until forty-eight hours ago. Perhaps more readers have been awakened and have even been secretly protected and organized by Red Pole Star. Who knows?"
Ms. Gray Fog said, "I can only say that the fantasy world created by an observer, whether it is a novel, a comic, a movie, or a game, often awakens more than one Awakened.
"Countless people are touched, resonated, and awakened on a large scale in the same fantasy world. It's nothing unusual. It's like Garriott's creation of the 'Celestial Ring World', which may have stimulated and awakened millions of 'heroic spirits' at one time. That's why the Apocalypse Organization had to send gunmen to kill him in the simplest and most violent way."
"Ms. Gray Fog, are you suggesting that '40,000 Years of Cultivation' has such power, too, and that its readers are very likely to be — well, very likely to be the key to the future of Earth and even the entire universe in Red Pole Star's prediction?"
Li Yao didn't know why he could grasp Red Pole Star's mindset so easily, either. It didn't make any sense that he could.
"It's possible, but only 'deep readers' can do that. For readers like me who can't read more than the first five hundred chapters, it's naturally impossible for me to draw any power from '40,000 Years of Cultivation'."
Lady Grey Mist laughed.
Li Yao also smiled. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Then, this Mr. Zhang Jiashu, other than liking to go through ventilation ducts and sewers, and his temperament has become a little … wretched, has he awakened any other superpowers? I mean the kind that is especially good at fighting. For example, he can break a wall with one punch, jump seven to eight feet high, or something like that, like me?"
"No. Not everyone is like you, able to spar with a Hunter right after Awakening. You've practically completed an impossible mission. We don't have the right personnel and equipment to conduct the most precise test on you. But I reckon that you're far from a simple 'Deep Seer'. You're at least at the level of a 'Terminator', or even beyond the Terminator, the highest level of 'Transcended'!"
Lady Grey Mist said, "Most of the Awakened are similar to Mr. Zhang Jiashu when they are not guided. They are troubled by hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, and half-real dreams, resulting in neurasthenia and weird hobbies. But their combat ability is not necessarily improved.
"Besides, you should be able to tell that Mr. Zhang Jiashu is very resistant to the memories and power from '40,000 Years of Cultivation'. He doesn't want to awaken them at all. He doesn't even believe that it's real. Under such circumstances, it's even more difficult for him to carry out the corresponding strength."
"Then what are you going to do?"
Li Yao asked. "Bring him back to the 'Ark' with us?"
"Of course not. What do you think our organization is? A garbage collection center that doesn't refuse anyone who comes to us? To become a real 'Prison Breaker', you need the firmest belief, the most tenacious willpower, and the clearest mind. We don't need someone who is not strong-willed and strongly resistant to us to sabotage our mission from the inside, "Lady Grey Mist said.
"Before, Red Pole Star came up with a complicated, resource-consuming plan to treat Mr. Zhang Jiashu. He even considered asking Mr. Zhang Jiashu to talk to the author of 'Forty Thousand Years of Cultivation' directly to see if there would be any amazing sparks. But now that you are here, Red Pole Star said that you are the best candidate to treat Mr. Zhang Jiashu. Also, the process of treatment will make you have a clearer understanding of yourself."
"I — I don't know what to do at all!"
Li Yao frowned. "What do I need to do to wake him up further?"
"You can never wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep. We've wandered in the maze of infinite reincarnation for too long. Many people have lost the courage to look for the exit or even deny the existence of the exit and are scared of the world outside of the exit. Therefore, I will not force you to wake up Mr. Zhang Jiashu."
Lady Grey Mist gave Li Yao a green coat, which was sort of the uniform of a 'consultant'. "Please go in. Listen to your heart after you go in. Just let nature take its course."
"But —"
Li Yao gritted his teeth and put on the coat. "At my age and bald head, I don't look like a consultant at all!"
"It doesn't matter. Red Pole Star is confident in you. Like he said, 'as long as you are you, everything will be fine'."
Without further ado, Lady Grey Mist pushed Li Yao into the room. "Right. Special compartments have been installed on the top and bottom of the 'decompression chamber', which can create amazing magnetic fields that will help those who enter achieve 'resonance' on the level of brainwaves. Red Pole Star said that such 'resonance' is helpful for treatment and can help you find yourself faster. I hope you don't mind."
Li Yao had no time to mind. The door was closed behind him, and he stared at Mr. Zhang Jiashu, who had suffered a lot.
Zhang Jiashu was deeply dwelling in the painful and horrible memories, unable to free himself. He was like a drowning man who was mired in a swamp. His bloodshot eyes were about to explode. He glanced at Li Yao and did not care about Li Yao's overly young face and bald head. He was immersed in his own world again.
After only one glance, Li Yao had a weird feeling, as if he were looking into a mirror.
He and Zhang Jiashu were obviously not related at all, and there was not even the slightest resemblance between them. However, the moment their eyes met, he felt as if he was facing himself in a mirror, a more realistic version of himself. It was really strange!
"Hello, Mr. Zhang."
Li Yao sat down opposite Zhang Jiashu and recalled the descriptions of psychologists on TV and movies. He tried to put on a professional smile and said solemnly, "My surname is Li. I've been studying in the San Diego Mental Research Institute a while ago, and I've just returned to China this morning. Well, I have a very special research on that, well, sewers and ventilation tubes. How is it? Are you feeling better? Have you been dreaming about sewers and ventilation tubes for the past two days?"
Zhang Jiashu's reaction was rather slow. When he heard Li Yao mention the word 'dream', his muscles obviously trembled, as if he was extremely scared of recalling the dream. It was not until a long time later that he said weakly, "… No. I don't feel good at all. If anything, it's even worse. Other than the sewers and ventilation tubes, I've also dreamed of very strange, very shameful, and indescribable things. I'm going crazy. I have a feeling that I'll definitely go crazy if this goes on. Save me, doctor, save me!"
"I'm not a doctor. I'm just a psychologist."
Li Yao smiled, "But, Mr. Zhang, why don't you tell me what you've dreamed of? Maybe I can use the special hypnosis and meditation techniques of San Diego to help you carry out this, carry out this' guidance '."
Zhang Jiashu wanted to say something but stopped. It could be seen that the integrity of an intellectual and the modesty of a teacher was still trying to support his normal thinking.
But the fear of strange dreams and madness made him quickly let go of his modesty. His lips trembled as he said, "I, I've been having a new strange dream for the past two days. It's very, very strange, terrifying, disgusting, and nauseating. I, I, I, I, I dreamed that I was watching an adult movie."
"This …"
Li Yao was slightly startled. He carefully controlled his smile, "This is not disgusting, let alone nauseating, right? We're all adults. Watching some adult movies that adults should watch can relax the muscles and circulate the meridians, soothe the liver, strengthen the spleen, eliminate toxins, strengthen the heart and lung function, and maintain the dynamic balance of endocrine and hormone hormones. Not only can it help maintain the harmony and love between husband and wife, it can also help you focus on your work and studies. There's no problem, it's very normal. You mustn't feel so much pressure.
It's very normal! "" You don't understand. You don't know what I've dreamed of! "
Zhang Jiashu covered his face with both hands, almost losing control. His shoulders shrugged as he said, "I, I dreamed that the movie I was watching … was full of men!"
"This …"
Li Yao carefully chose his words. "It's the twenty-first century now. Science is prosperous, and people are free. Many things have been decriminalized and treated as diseases. It's just a personal hobby and choice. As long as it doesn't hurt others, there's no need to be too conflicted. Modern society is so stressful. Everyone has a lot of random thoughts. Don't be nervous."
"You still don't understand. I don't have any doubts about my sexual orientation. I've been married to my wife for more than twenty years. We're very loving. I only like women!"
Zhang Jiashu raised his voice like a little beast that had been greatly humiliated. He said in a trembling voice, "But I just can't control myself. It's like an evil brand that's deeply engraved on my soul. Every time I enter a dream, some disgusting, perverted, and unsightly adult movies will be played repeatedly. Even by the standards of non-mainstream sexual orientation, the content is too heavy. They're all clips of … a man surrounded by purple flames who is incomparably domineering, as if he's the emperor who tramples all the stars in the sky and controls the entire universe being repeatedly humiliated and tortured by dozens of burly men. No, I can't think about it. If I think about it, I'll throw up again. Save me, doctor, save me!"
"What!"
Li Yao blurted out, "You dreamed about the porn of Blackstar the Great?"
"What!"
Zhang Jiashu was stunned, too. "How did you know about my dream? How did you know what it was … Blackstar the Great? Have you seen it before?"
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