Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 385 The Silent Spread

"Rumors are harder to eradicate than diseases; they spread silently and take root deep in people's hearts."

—Excerpt from "Human Suggestion and Psychological Manipulation Notes"

When Zheng Yu stepped into the library, his expression was as calm as a still lake, his gaze habitually sweeping over the rows of bookshelves.

It felt like wandering aimlessly in a vast sea of ​​books.

He casually picked up a psychology journal, found a desk by the window, and sat down.
He put on his headphones, gently closed his eyes, and seemed to be immersed in a musical world that only he could access.

However, his senses, like tentacles beneath the silent depths of the sea, slowly extended, quietly capturing the faintest sounds and rhythms around him.

A short while later, I caught a glimpse of several girls huddled together not far away, their textbooks abandoned to the side.
The whispers were like believers murmuring a forbidden name, and the air was filled with a secretive yet eager sense of gossip.

Zheng Yu then removed one of his earphones, gazing dreamily at the ripples of light and shadow outside the window, and muttered to himself as if deep in thought:

"I heard there's been another incident recently... The school has completely blocked the news this time..."

He lowered his voice to a very low hue, like an echo coming from a deep, misty fog.

It seems that they do not want to be heard, yet they can just happen to stir up the most primal curiosity and desire for exploration in the hearts of ordinary people.

Sure enough, several probing gazes reached out swiftly like sensitive tentacles. When he turned around,

The girls quickly lowered their eyelashes, as if they didn't care about the topic they had just discussed.

He looked away, a subtle, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips, before casually continuing his whispered conversation with his "friend" on the other end of the phone:
"Well, it's just a rumor... but there is something strange about the abandoned teaching building."

People often play that so-called elevator game at night, and it seems they can actually get into... the back room?

His voice paused precisely at the most crucial point, his brows furrowed slightly, a hint of hidden worry subtly revealed, as if he were wavering between trust and doubt.

He casually glanced at the surrounding tables and chairs, and the girls' ears were almost completely perked up, their breathing also lowered, as if they were afraid of missing a single word.

Zheng Yu slowly twirled the pen between his fingers, his voice becoming even more faint and ethereal: "...I don't know if it's true or not, but about that disappearance a few days ago..."
The police intervened directly and blocked the news, feeling that the school might be hiding something more sinister and dangerous.

After finishing speaking, he immediately pressed the end call button, naturally closed the book, and got up to leave.

He didn't deliberately observe the girls' reactions, but his senses had already clearly captured their sudden surge of intense curiosity and excited whispers.

The moment he stepped out of the library, a smile that had been deliberately suppressed slowly appeared on Zheng Yu's face.
It was as if a sliver of dim moonlight peeked out from behind the clouds.

Rumors are like seeds lurking in the darkness; once planted, they quickly take root and sprout out of sight, weaving layers of mist and spiderwebs.

He didn't need to do anything more; he just needed to wait quietly for the truth hidden in the shadows to struggle to the surface on its own.

On the surface, Kunwu University remained as quiet and peaceful as ever, but beneath that calm, undercurrents were already silently surging.

The snippets of information that Zheng Yu deliberately spread, through countless whispers and fermentation, gradually evolved into countless distorted versions.

What began as a simple "elevator game" has now been imbued with more bizarre and obscure details, like a withered tree with intricate roots, secretly growing in the heart of everyone.

The cafeteria was bustling with noise, the air filled with the warmth of food. Several freshmen sat around the window, whispering mysteriously:

“Last night I went to the abandoned building to try it out, but I didn’t feel anything special. However, the elevator seemed to stop on a strange floor… Do you think this is the entrance to the so-called ‘back room’?”

The boy next to him had a slightly brighter look in his eyes, and lowered his voice even further, as if he were recounting some kind of forbidden summoning ritual:
"What's that compared to what I've heard? The real mystery is that if you call out 'back room' three times in a row in front of the bathroom mirror on the third floor of Building 2 after 10 p.m., another unfamiliar corridor will appear in the mirror."

"These rumors are just too absurd!" The girl next to him scoffed, but her eyes revealed an undisguised curiosity.
"I heard another version—after midnight, playing a strange recording in front of a door in the dormitory basement will allow you to enter the 'back room'..."

Different versions of the rumors spread quietly throughout the campus like mycelium, and almost everyone felt the urge to try them out.

Rumors spread like wildfire on online forums and WeChat groups. Although most people remained skeptical, this skepticism acted as invisible fuel, further fueling people's urge to uncover the secrets.

Zheng Yu remained on the edge of the storm, calm and cautious, never truly stepping into its core, yet subtly controlling its rhythm.

He deliberately avoided any public discussion, maintaining a just-right sense of detachment, as if he were merely an indifferent bystander.

However, he knew very well that this indifference was the most effective way for him to hide behind the scenes and control everything.

As he passed by the teaching building, he caught a glimpse of several students excitedly discussing their plans for an adventure that night.

He cast a fleeting, almost imperceptible glance at them, then walked away as casually as flowing water, leaving behind ripples that continued to grow in the hearts of those few people.

Behind him came whispers of excitement and fear. Zheng Yu's lips curled up slightly, but a cold shadow flashed deep in his eyes.

He knew that the seemingly calm undercurrent was no longer under anyone's control.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on campus, Si Ming and Lin Wanqing strolled leisurely in the afternoon sunlight. Behind their calm and relaxed pace, however, a deep and secret investigation was quietly unfolding.

Si Ming first went to the Department of Economics and Management office, disguised as a "parent's representative", and started a conversation with the counselor in a clever and gentle way.

The counselor looked troubled when talking about Xiao Jie's disappearance. He sighed helplessly and rubbed his forehead, saying:
"Xiao Jie's grades are average, but his social circle is very complicated. He comes from a wealthy family and associates with both children from affluent families and students from ordinary families. It is difficult to determine who he is truly close to."

Si Ming nodded, pondered for a moment, and asked gently, "Has he recently participated in any special clubs or shown any unusual interests?"

The counselor frowned slightly, memories flooding back like a tide:

"If anything, there is something strange. He seems to have recently become obsessed with certain urban legends and often discusses those strange things with several students."

Si Ming's expression shifted slightly, and he asked in a soft, low voice, "Do you know which students they are?"

The counselor opened the notebook in his hand and glanced at it for a moment:
"Cheng Hai, Lin Yuxi, and Zhao Xue are also among the missing persons, as well as a student named Zheng Yu. These people have been together for the past few months, discussing something in a mysterious way all day long."

Having obtained the crucial information, Si Ming and Lin Wanqing immediately headed towards Zhao Xue's dormitory building.

The counselor seemed still immersed in the unease brought about by Xiao Jie's disappearance, but under the skillful guidance of Si Ming and Lin Wanqing, she slowly recalled:

"Xiao Jie and Zheng Yu were the closest. They always had private talks, especially Zheng Yu. He often carried some very strange books and materials, acting very mysteriously. But he said those books were his secrets and no one was allowed to touch them."

"Mysterious books?" Si Ming keenly caught this key phrase, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked softly, "Have you seen those books?"

The counselor hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Once, Zheng Yu left a book in the office. I only caught a glimpse of the cover. It was something like 'Above the Star Calamity.' The name was really strange, and it made me feel inexplicably uneasy."

Upon hearing this, Si Ming's eyes instantly became more serious, and some doubts in his heart began to gradually become clear.

He thanked the counselor politely and briefly, and then quickly left with Lin Wanqing.

Walking along the tree-lined path below the dormitory building, Si Ming's eyes were as deep as a quiet ancient well as he said in a deep voice, "It seems that this Zheng Yu is the key figure we have been searching for."

Lin Wanqing's gaze sharpened slightly, and her voice became low and cautious: "That's right, we seem to be getting a little closer to the truth."

Si Ming smiled faintly, as if shrouded in a subtle shadow: "Perhaps we should get to know this student Zheng more deeply now." His words dissipated in the wind, and the afternoon at Kunwu University remained as tranquil as ever, except for the secret hidden beneath the calm.
It was as if an invisible behemoth had slowly opened its scarlet and icy eyes.

Si Ming returned to the hotel, sat in front of the computer, and the screen's dim blue light reflected his deep and solemn eyes.

He quickly browsed through the chat logs and social media data that Lin Wanqing had collected from Zheng Yu's social media accounts, which she had commissioned a computer science student to hack into.
With each click of the mouse, the expression between his brows gradually darkened, like an undercurrent quietly rising beneath the still sea at night.

"Look here," Si Ming raised his hand and tapped the screen lightly, his voice low and calm, yet revealing an indescribable sense of oppression.

In the dialog box on the monitor, a piece of content stood out:
Zheng Yu: "I tried that method again yesterday, and it really worked... but the timing has to be extremely precise."

Xiao Jie: "I still don't understand what you meant when you said 'the more people, the easier'?"

Zheng Yu: "Humans are the sacrifices. The more people there are, the easier it is to open the door to the back room."

Xiao Jie: "Sacrifice? That doesn't sound like something you would normally say."

Zheng Yu: "You don't understand, all of this comes from 'that book'—The Dream Weaver of Fate, Above the Star Calamity."

Lin Wanqing stared at the lines of text, her face suddenly paling, her voice trembling slightly: "It seems that Zheng Yu already knew about the Mysterious Ghosts and the Star Calamity."

The Master of Fate's expression was as deep as an endless abyss. He slowly said, "Not only that, he was very clear about what 'sacrifice' meant, yet he still chose to push through all of this."

A faint fear flickered in Lin Wanqing's eyes: "Knowing the truth, how could he so calmly manipulate his classmate into stepping into taboo territory? What exactly does he want to do?"

“That’s the most terrifying part,” Si Ming whispered. “He’s a master of psychological suggestion, exploiting humanity’s innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge.”
He gradually pushed those students into a hidden abyss within the void. He himself remained calmly hidden behind the scenes, leaving not even a trace.

He continued browsing through other chat logs and soon discovered another crucial clue:

Xiao Jie: "Are we really sure the information provided by the 'Above the Star Calamity' group is reliable?"

Zheng Yu: "The information is true, but those masked guys are definitely not good people. We must be careful, use them first, and then find an opportunity to withdraw."

Si Ming's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a faint sneer appeared on his lips: "So, there's an even bigger mastermind behind this."

Lin Wanqing's voice was filled with confusion: "'Above the Star Calamity' club, what exactly is it?"

A glint of light flashed in Si Ming's eyes: "It's still hard to be sure, but they are undoubtedly manipulating the entire event from behind the scenes, and Zheng Yu is the pawn they have chosen."

He slowly closed his laptop, stood up, and walked towards the door, his tone as firm as iron:
"Let's go, it's time to meet this pawn. Perhaps we can dig out more of the truth hidden in the darkness from him."

Lin Wanqing gazed at Si Ming's resolute back, a strange flutter rising in her heart.

She had a vague feeling that the investigation was gradually approaching a terrifying truth—like an ancient behemoth lurking beneath the deep sea, which, once it opened its eyes, could overturn all their understanding of reality.

……

In a corner of Kunwu University Library, sunlight streamed through half-drawn curtains, casting slanted shadows between the bookshelves and the tables and chairs.
It casts large, eerie, and distorted shadows, like motionless tentacles lurking in the shadows, exuding an inexplicable sense of oppression and unease.

Zheng Yu sat alone at an isolated table, staring down at the open pages of a book, but he couldn't concentrate at all.

The words, like distorted symbols, danced on the paper, as if they might break free from the pages at any moment, bursting into reality from that false two-dimensional world and robbing him of his reason.

Just as he was feeling agitated, a deep and cold voice suddenly rang in his ear:

"You must be Zheng Yu?"

Zheng Yu's body trembled violently, and he raised his head as if he had been electrocuted.

What came into his view was a strange young man whose gaze was deep and calm, as if it could penetrate his soul and expose his most secret fears to the light of day.

Zheng Yu frowned, his heart pounded, and his voice was slightly wary: "Who are you?"

The man calmly replied, "My name is Si Ming."

"The Fate Master..."

These two words were like an invisible blade piercing Zheng Yu's heart.

His pupils dilated suddenly, terror quickly replacing his composure, and the book in his hand fell limply to the ground.

The yellowed pages spread out silently, like the broken threads of a broken loom of fate.

"Impossible...you can't exist!" Zheng Yu staggered to his feet, taking several steps back, his expression crazed and twisted. "You're not real...you shouldn't be here!"

Si Ming slowly took a step closer to him, her voice light and cold: "It seems you do know something after all."

Zheng Yu's face turned deathly pale, a deep horror appearing in his eyes. His voice was hoarse and desperate: "Who are you? Why does your voice... sound exactly like it?!"

His consciousness seemed to have fallen into that endless loop of the back corridor—the dim yellow light flickered incessantly.

A blurry and eerie black figure was greedily devouring the corpses piled on the ground, with pieces of flesh and blood constantly falling from its mouth.

The figure slowly turned around, revealing a ferocious and twisted smile, and whispered in the voice of the God of Fate:
"Not enough... I want more."

"It's not me, it's not what I wanted... Don't come looking for me again!"

Zheng Yu covered his ears and roared, completely losing control, which drew the attention of the other students, who looked on with astonishment and uncertainty.

Si Ming frowned slightly and asked sternly, "What exactly did you see?"

Zheng Yu trembled all over, as if he could no longer bear the weight of fear. He knelt on the ground, staring at Si Ming in despair and muttering to himself:

"You can't be real... The dream weaver of fate is just a character in a book... How come you're standing here?"

Si Ming felt a slight tremor in his heart, vaguely sensing that a profound and indescribable crisis was gradually approaching.

He slowly bent down, his gaze cold and calm:
Tell me, what exactly did you see when you went into the back room?

Zheng Yu's pupils were empty and broken, and his lips trembled as he struggled to utter a single sentence:

"You...you're in the back room...devouring them...you want more sacrifices..."

Si Ming slowly straightened up. The sunlight outside the window was bright and warm, but it could not dispel the increasingly deep shadow in his heart.

That unknown truth seems to be stretching out its enormous tentacles, dragging him into the depths of the vortex of fate.

"When reality and illusion intersect, the fragile human spirit will be utterly destroyed by fear." —Excerpt from *The Intersection of Fears: Mysterious Psychology*

(End of this chapter)