Chapter 272
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Chapter 272: Collective Hysteria
Knowing Shi Jin, understanding (some) of the situation, and being a reliable presence that stands out from the crowd.
When several keywords came together, Wang Xiao thought of a psychologist he had met a few days earlier.
Of course, that was just his apparent identity; behind the scenes, he was a missionary of a deity, and Wang Xiao was a believer he had personally brought into the fold.
The all-powerful Dr. Lin should know something.
With this thought, Wang Xiao left the headquarters and headed to the new address Lin Qingliu had given him during their private conversation a while back.
When he arrived at the end of Fourth Commercial Street, Wang Xiao easily found Lin Qingliu’s new home.
A haggard man with dark circles under his eyes had just stepped out.
Seeing Wang Xiao at the door, Lin Qingliu looked briefly surprised before nodding thoughtfully and welcoming him inside.
"Are you here for something?"
Entering the innermost examination room, Lin Qingliu asked naturally.
He was sitting in a chair, scanning Wang Xiao, whose physique seemed to have become a bit sturdier.
"Yes, I have a few things to discuss, doctor."
Wang Xiao sat at the edge of the bed and didn’t choose to lie down.
He organized his thoughts and gave a brief explanation of how everyone had forgotten about Shi Jin.
As he finished, he looked up at Lin Qingliu and asked,
"Doctor, do you remember her?"
"Of course, I do."
Lin Qingliu tapped the table idly with the tip of his pen:
"Isn’t she the superpowered individual who can subjectively control the flow of time?"
"That’s great! I knew you wouldn’t forget."
Wang Xiao immediately felt excited; the previous few hours had been strange and oppressive for him.
For someone like him with superpowers, external attacks weren’t that terrifying, but mental attacks lingered like a subtle influence in the wilderness, making it hard to defend against.
What was even scarier was not being affected or controlled, but being the only one that stood out; after all, for most people, it was the small minority who were the ones being influenced…
Looking at the excited believer, Lin Qingliu cleared his throat:
"Let me tell you a small matter: Shi Jin is also one of us."
"Ah?"
Wang Xiao felt momentarily confused.
He was indeed interested in that person’s rapid growth ability, but to say that she was a genuine partner of his felt a bit…
Off, and quite problematic!
Just a couple of days ago, she had shared a signal with him after dinner, which means she also had doubts about his ability to grow quickly.
But that signal? He hadn’t heard of it himself.
Was it because he had joined too early that he was unclear about the subsequent processes?
Or was the so-called "believer" related to that holy fire?
Wang Xiao pondered for a moment and then recounted his recent experiences to Lin Qingliu, emphasizing the cryptic signal that seemed to have no clear conclusion.
"Ah, so that’s how it is," Lin Qingliu replied, suppressing a smile that threatened to surface, his tone serious.
"Shi Jin is indeed one of us, but she is quite special.
"She isn’t aware that she belongs to us."
That was indeed quite special…
Wang Xiao found himself at a loss for words, feeling that even after his physical enhancement, his mind still seemed somewhat inadequate.
But the key point now wasn’t about which side Shi Jin belonged to, but rather…
"So, why do you think everyone forgets her?
"Last night, I had a moment where I felt very strange, but after waking up, that feeling vanished. I wonder if it’s related to this matter."
Hearing Wang Xiao mention something that piqued his interest, Lin Qingliu inquired about Wang Xiao’s experience at that time, receiving a response that mirrored his own feelings.
As a fusion of various ability pathways, it was reasonable that Lin Qingliu’s sensations were similar to Wang Xiao’s; he just wasn’t sure if other believers had any unique experiences regarding this.
With this in mind, he understood why nothing unusual had happened after Wang Xiao woke up last night—
Because that external interference had not significantly affected him, while those who were influenced couldn’t perceive it, leading to that bewildered feeling of drawing his sword and looking around aimlessly last night.
"If this is the case, there must be some kind of power in Hope City, possibly a superpowered individual…"
Lin Qingliu paused mid-sentence, then thought of the remote control device inside Luke’s arm and added,
"Or it could be some powerful technological products that we have yet to understand, controlled by those council members."
"In any case, we can confirm that Shi Jin exists, and she seems to have recently been assigned to serve next to a certain councilwoman. This is not your problem; you haven’t lost your mind, and you can continue with your task."
Wang Xiao felt reassured upon receiving confirmation. His teammates had not been swapped, and his mind was fine; the outcome that most people were affected was already a decent one.
The two exchanged a few more words, and Lin Qingliu pretended to write a few notes before sending Wang Xiao on his way.
—
Central Spire, conference room.
"The [device] is operating normally, and those suggestions have been implanted in the residents’ minds.
"In the days to come, if there are no external stimuli, they will rarely think of or mention anything related to the Exploration Plan."
An elderly voice came from beneath the hood, calmly recounting the chilling facts.
"Don’t forget to monitor the three major organizations and identify those who have shown abnormal behavior in recent days…"
Another figure, whose appearance was obscured, spoke.
"I know, I’m not old enough for that, but I think this kind of surveillance is entirely unnecessary…"
"It may have been so before, but it has now become quite necessary."
A young voice suddenly interjected; it belonged to Councilwoman Nia,
"We all know there is an organization called the [Believers] that is operating in secrecy. They may possess powers different from ours, which is why our plans have repeatedly failed."
"Hmph, do you think that’s possible? We all know this is just a weak excuse; there can be no power here that surpasses our level. If there is, it certainly does not belong to humanity."
Soon, an elderly hooded figure began to speak to Nia in a dismissive tone, but Nia seemed completely unfazed, responding in a matter-of-fact tone:
"I stand by what I said; anyone who came at that time would have faced difficulties. If you are unconvinced, feel free to try to catch a [Believer].
"But let me say this upfront: they are not easy to deal with, and if someone here suddenly disappears, don’t blame me for not warning you beforehand."
"Alright, alright, let’s first discuss the issue with the [device]. The number of uses is already limited, and we cannot maintain it, so future usage must be more cautious."
A middle-aged man with two small mustaches began to steer the topic in another direction.
"I have no objections; everyone has things they need the [device] to handle. It’s best to accumulate more before activating it."
Nia shrugged her shoulders, appearing indifferent.
