Oh no! I'm surrounded by female ghosts!

Siheyuan.

Su Ming buried his head in his breakfast.

Chen Zhiwei stared at Yu Mengnian, her eyes full of resentment: "Why didn't you tell me?"

She was referring to those fragments of dreams.

Yu Mengnian was holding a string of candied hawthorns, which Su Ming had bought especially for her.

He always remembered it.

The first time I saw her in Bailing Park, she was buying candied hawthorns.

I took a small bite, and the long-lost sweetness melted in my mouth.

Chen Zhiwei sighed softly and gave her further instructions.

"Mengnian, you must stop cultivating for a period of time."

"You're starting to have trouble distinguishing between reality and dreams."

She had given these instructions many times.

Yu Mengnian may have lived on Earth for about twenty years, but she has been living in her dreams for over two hundred years.

The time span is too vast.

Most of my memories are occupied by dreams.

Chen Zhiwei was genuinely afraid.

I fear that one day, Yu Mengnian will mistake reality for a dream, and a dream for reality.

Yu Mengnian didn't speak, but just glanced at Su Ming.

You won't have trouble distinguishing them.

Su Ming, who was sitting next to him, was eating while looking at the information that Zhou Zhengyang had brought up for him.

Wen Qi, Shen Wanyu, and Tang Tang are untraceable; they have completely disappeared and are no longer remembered.

Lin Jiajia passed away in 2015, Bai Xinglan in 2016, and Gu Yan in 2018.

Now only Xu Qinghe, Cheng Yao, and Jiang Qian remain.

Jiang Qian is 11 years old and in the fifth grade of elementary school. She is exceptionally talented, especially in literary creation.

Many of his articles have won awards, and some of his short stories have even been published, demonstrating his extraordinary talent at a young age.

Su Ming knew about Cheng Yao's situation. She was originally not very popular, but this year she became a hit because of a new drama.

It was her lucky year, a turning point in her destiny.

If Su Ming hadn't run into her, she would have already been disfigured by sulfuric acid.

Only Xu Qinghe's information underwent a dramatic, almost bizarre change.

Su Ming took the documents from Zhou Zhengyang and read them carefully with his head down.

He remembered that Xu Qinghe had always been firmly controlled by her parents, all her preferences were denied, and all her ideas were stifled.

Without privacy, freedom, independent thought and personality, they are like puppets on strings, living as perfect trophies for their parents to show off.

However, the data at hand shows...

She has a harmonious relationship with her parents, normal interactions with her friends, and a free, vibrant, unrestrained, and bright life trajectory.

On her 18th birthday, she even had a grand and lively birthday party.

In 2020, she was 19 years old. Instead of going to jail, she had already entered university and started a new chapter in her life.

The accompanying photo shows a girl with bright eyes and a radiant smile, her eyes free of any gloom and spotless.

"Your Majesty...Is there something wrong with Xu Qinghe's information?"

Seeing Su Ming's furrowed brows, Zhou Zhengyang felt a pang of anxiety and cautiously asked a question.

Yu Mengnian and Chen Zhiwei also looked over.

Su Ming put down the documents, tapped the stone table with his fingertips, and asked, "Xu Qinghe became an Awakened at the age of three."

"Did you know that her awakened ability was to hear minds?"

Zhou Zhengyang's pupils contracted; he was completely unaware.

Chen Zhiwei's expression changed, his mind raced, and he instantly grasped the danger involved.

"Listen to your heart, listen to the most authentic and hidden voice deep within people's hearts."

She immediately turned to Zhou Zhengyang and ordered in a deep voice, "Investigate immediately, thoroughly investigate everything about Xu Qinghe, all her experiences, details, and trajectory from childhood to adulthood, don't let anything slip by."

The deepest recesses of the human heart harbor countless dark, filthy, and unspeakable evil thoughts and delusions.

A three-year-old child's values ​​are not yet formed, they cannot distinguish between good and evil, and their minds are immature and fragile.

If Xu Qinghe awakens her ability to hear minds at the age of three, and spends her days listening to the myriad dark and evil thoughts in the world, her mind will inevitably be completely distorted.

Therefore, Chen Zhiwei strongly suspects that Xu Qinghe's sunny and cheerful demeanor is all a facade.

But Su Ming's thoughts went a step further than hers.

Whether Xu Qinghe is faking it or not is secondary.

Importantly, her life trajectory and personal state differed dramatically from the background story he remembered.

He remembered Xu Qinghe's background story.

[Background Story ①: The Sealed Self]

My name is Xu Qinghe. From the moment I was born, my life was planned and controlled by my parents. All my preferences were denied, all my ideas were stifled, and all my life trajectories were arranged by others.

I have no privacy, no freedom, no independent thought or vibrant personality. From beginning to end, I am just a puppet they carefully manipulate.

Only the despair and resentment that accumulated deep within my heart never faded during those suffocating and oppressive days.

Two lives, completely different, seemingly not the same person's life trajectory.

Why is this happening?

Is this a worldline correction?

But this is 2020, not 2026.

In addition, there are fragments of dreams that keep appearing in Yu Mengnian's mind recently.

With all the clues intertwined, a bold guess emerged in his mind.

Does this mean that the original independent and non-interfering doomsday lines are now intersecting, permeating and influencing each other?

The reason, Su Ming thought of, was his own scene fusion.

Heng'an Middle School, the Deep Sea Ode to the Sea, Lychee Hotel, Anjuyuan, and Yong'an Cemetery—these were originally separate and exclusive scenes, but he gradually merged them into the old world.

After he told Chen Zhiwei about these ideas.

Chen Zhiwei frowned, picked up a pen and scribbled on the paper, trying to sort out the connections.

Su Ming did not disturb her, after all, this was a wise woman who was no less capable than Wen Qi.

She even had a cross-time confrontation with Wen Qi.

One started, the other finished; they worked together seamlessly.

A dozen minutes later, Zhou Zhengyang hurriedly returned, bringing with him Xu Qinghe's most comprehensive and detailed biographical information.

After reading it, Chen Zhiwei and Su Ming could only say that it was perfectly normal.

During junior high school, I argued with my parents a few times because of my rebellious phase, but this is just a normal part of life.

In the end, she reconciled with her parents.

Now studying at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, my future is bright and my life is promising.

"Tell me about your memories of Xu Qinghe." Chen Zhiwei closed the file and looked at Su Ming.

Su Ming then recounted his life of imprisonment, manipulation, and despair.

Then compare it with the vibrant and impressive resume on the table.

The stark difference between the two is startling, as if they were two complete strangers.

Zhou Zhengyang quickly raised his hand and said, "I found him based on the king's description, and I definitely did not look for the wrong person."

"All of Xu Qinghe's photos from childhood to adulthood are in there."

Su Ming did not deny this.

She is indeed Xu Qinghe.

"Are you sure Xu Qinghe's awakened ability is to hear minds?" Chen Zhiwei asked again.

Su Ming nodded firmly.

Call ~

She let out a long breath, rubbed her temples, and explained in a deep voice, "This ability is very special; it can be called a conceptual ability."

"As long as it appears, even if Xu Qinghe has never used it, it will give rise to an invisible, tangible phenomenon."

"For example," Chen Zhiwei pointed to his heart, "it gives rise to an invisible world, the world of the human heart, or you could call it the abyss of the human heart."

"That place holds all of humanity's hidden, dark, and sordid evil thoughts and delusions."

"These thoughts may be fleeting, but once they appear, they are there. They don't disappear into thin air; they are only temporarily suppressed and accumulated."

"At the age of three, in 2004, the abyss of the human heart was born, and by then it had quietly grown for a full sixteen years."

"Based on what you said before, negative emotions are the easiest for them to detect and interfere with."

Su Ming's eyes narrowed slightly: "You mean, they might already exist in the abyss of the human heart?"

"No." Chen Zhiwei shook her head: "I'm more worried that some people have already become like them."

For example.

Yu Mengnian, who had been listening quietly, spoke softly, uttering two words: "Inner demons."

"That's right," Chen Zhiwei nodded in agreement, "but there are some differences too."

"Inner demons come from one's own desires, while they come from the outside."

Yu Mengnian spoke again, her four words sealing the deal: "Extraterrestrial Demons."

Chen Zhiwei looked at her strangely.

She judged based on her understanding of the cultivation world.

You know what, it sounds strange, but that's roughly how it is.

Zhou Zhengyang swallowed hard in fear, his scalp tingling.

All he heard was that there might already be them among humanity.

Su Ming, on the other hand, laughed: "If He really appears in human form, it would actually be a good thing for us."

"Anthropomorphism is always limited."

"That's right." Chen Zhiwei nodded; that was what she thought too.

The only problem is how to find a personified version of Him.

Or, how can we be sure that He truly entered the human world in an anthropomorphic form?

There is one person who is the most likely suspect.

The candidate was Xu Qinghe.

The real Xu Qinghe may have died long ago.

The "person" living in the sunlight now is Xu Qinghe, the character He plays.

Su Ming felt that this bold idea had a certain possibility.

According to Xu Qinghe's backstory, being controlled by Him is also a form of manipulation.

She may not be rebelling against her parents or family, but against Him.

Following this line of reasoning, her parents and family members are also highly suspicious.

After clarifying Xu Qinghe's doubts, Chen Zhiwei picked up the draft paper on the stone table and said.

"This is the conclusion I just reached."

"Based on my deduction, each character's unique scenario can represent an independent apocalyptic timeline."

She circled five unconnected lines with her pen: "After you merge them..."

As she spoke, she picked up her pen again and drew five lines of varying lengths that eventually converged at the same point, which looked like a strange asterisk.

"They did not become one, but they did have a common point of intersection."

"This is why Yu Mengnian has dream fragments, and why Xu Qinghe's personal information changes."

"They have already begun to influence each other."

Before Su Ming could ask a question, Chen Zhiwei continued, "Are you thinking that since you severed the doomsday lines of 2003, 2012, and 2019, they should have completely disappeared?"

"Indeed, they did disappear."

"With the emergence of self-developable characters and exclusive scenes, these broken apocalyptic lines will reappear."

"If you don't merge scenes, but instead upgrade a unique scene to the highest level."

"The doomsday line will then reappear in its entirety."

"And at the end," Chen Zhiwei paused slightly, then looked up at Su Ming, "a true Him will inevitably appear."

"He will appear in the game scene."

"I don't know if the game's visuals can eliminate it, but they can certainly limit it."

Su Ming's heart sank, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

His voice trembled slightly as he asked, "My current ancient world is a fusion of five unique scenes."

"If it reaches the highest level, wouldn't there be five of Him at the same time?"

Chen Zhiwei nodded solemnly: "If nothing unexpected happens, that's how it is."

"Based on my previous analysis of the doomsday line, all doomsday lines are actually extensions and branches of the 1996 line."

"So, I'm almost certain."

"When you integrate all the exclusive scenes and upgrade them to the highest level, that will be the day that 1996 will be recreated."

"And Blue Star will gradually correct itself and disappear as you sever the doomsday line."

"Until the very end, only 1996 remained."

Wen Qi told you not to rush into enacting laws.

"It's because this law was never meant for you, but for them."

"Or perhaps, it's for the future doomsday scenario."

"Wen Qi cannot determine the changes after the scene merging. You will only know the answer when you enter the next apocalypse timeline."

"So she'll probably tell you that this doomsday scenario isn't important, and that you should take a break."

Su Ming was deeply shocked.

Is this the analytical power of top-tier thinkers?

It was as if he had specifically discussed it with Wen Qi across time.

"However," Chen Zhiwei changed the subject, smiling as he said, "this doomsday scenario is only unimportant to you."

"There is only one thing you can do, and that is to kill Xu Qinghe in the end."

"Because His true adversary is all of humanity."

"This is also the only chance for us humans to fight Him on a relatively fair basis."

Chen Zhiwei smiled, radiating an indomitable spirit.

"I," she shouted, "will formally challenge Him on behalf of all humanity."

"As for now," Chen Zhiwei switched from being full of bravado to looking pitiful in an instant, then looked at Yu Mengnian: "Niannian, can I stay here?"

Yu Mengnian answered decisively: "No."

Why?

"I'm challenging Him on behalf of all humanity, aren't you shocked?"

"Aren't you captivated by me?"

"Niannian, I'm so weak, you have to protect me."

Seeing that Yu Mengnian remained unmoved, she immediately turned her head and looked at Su Ming with her watery eyes: "Mingming, is it okay?"

"I can sleep with Niannian tonight~"

Su Ming glanced at Yu Mengnian furtively, then immediately pointed to the door and said righteously, "Old Zhou, set up a tent for our Dr. Chen at the door."

Zhou Zhengyang was about to ask if this was appropriate.

Seeing Yu Mengnian nod gently, he immediately went to do it.

"No!" Chen Zhiwei roared to the sky.

Thus, Chen Zhiwei, who challenged Him on behalf of all mankind, ultimately won the exclusive privilege of setting up a tent at the entrance of the courtyard house.

Zhou Zhengyang said: I'm so envious.

Unlike me, I can only sleep under the telephone poles. I've prepared my sleeping bag, and I just hang it on the pole to sleep at night.