“How did they think of this swallowing method?” Yu Hao himself had never thought of that before.
“Seize my totem away?” Zhou Sheng muttered, “No wonder…there’s even this kind of method.”
Next up was a lengthy discussion and analysis of ‘totems’. Ideas were put forward and refuted one by one, getting constantly overthrown. Yu Hao was very confused from listening to all of this, but Zhou Sheng watched it very carefully.
Finally, some words were heard in the scene of that memory, it was spoken by one of the researchers.
“First of all, this ‘totem’ symbolises the self. From Zhou Sheng’s explanation to Ou Qihang in the memory segment he lost, we all agree that it is one of the sources of discernibility for the existence of the ‘self’. Why getting the totem symbolizes regaining control over oneself — we have no disagreements regarding this idea, right?”
All the participants answered, “Yes.”
“Then let’s think about it from a different angle. The brainwave integrator may be directly related to Zhou Sheng’s totem. Through its effects on Zhou Sheng’s ‘self’, it indirectly endows Zhou Sheng with his abilities and carries out its functions.”
“That’s possible,” Zhao Liang answered, “It can be considered as a reasonable conjecture.”
In the end, that researcher said, “So if you obtain Zhou Sheng’s ‘totem’, it’s equivalent to controlling a part of his self-consciousness, as well as establishing a connection with the integrator repeater at the same time. If we want to deceive the identity authentication system of the repeater, we can think of ways in this regard.”
This time, the participants didn’t express their objections. After a moment of silence, Zhao Liang said, “That’s fine, let’s try to work in that direction.”
Zhou Sheng snapped his fingers, and the contents of Zhao Liang’s memories disappeared. Finally, the entire process of Zhao Liang making use of Huang Ting for his plans appeared, and it was just as they had guessed. In order to avoid alarming Zhou Sheng, Zhao Liang used Huang Ting as a trap and decided to first observe Zhou Sheng’s strength in his dream, as well as understand the situation. If it went smoothly, then he would go into Zhou Sheng’s spiritual world and think of a way of capturing Zhou Sheng in reality at the same time.
Zhao Liang had specifically looked for Chen Yekai and asked for his cooperation. On the other hand, Chen Yekai stated his terms— after Zhao Liang obtained the Golden Crow Wheel, he wanted him to ascertain the existence of Ryuusei in his memories, and if possible, Chen Yekai wanted to perform a conversion through this method of swallowing one’s consciousness and revive the dead Ryuusei.
“We’ve discussed it; he only said that to obtain Zhao Liang’s trust.” Zhou Sheng said to Yu Hao.
Yu Hao nodded. He glanced at Chen Yekai, who smiled and didn’t explain. Yu Hao thought that this might be a real wish of Chen Yekai, though it was impossible for it to be realised— but he might have really thought of it before.
“All right.” Zhou Sheng confirmed all the details, “We now more or less understand your plans. Don’t worry, Zhao Laoshi. As the saying goes, the mentally ill have no constraint on their thoughts, and the intellectually disabled feel happier…”
Yu Hao, “……”
Zhou Sheng, “Sometimes, our lives can be a lot simpler and happier if we don’t think so much. Come, let me help you unload your burdens ba.”
Zhao Liang started struggling fiercely, but Zhou Sheng ignored him and snapped his fingers. All of his memories regarding the Golden Crow Wheel began burning up and disintegrated into light particles before scattering. Zhou Sheng pressed one hand against Zhao Liang’s forehead, “Good night.”
On the platform of Chichén Itzá, a sunlit breeze blew by, turning into countless light particles that intermingled with one another. Zhao Liang’s memories of the Golden Crow Wheel completely disappeared along with the words “good night”.
The three of them stood quietly. Zhou Sheng scratched his head, remained silent for awhile, then said, “It was pretty dangerous this time.”
“I thought you would take him to your world.” Chen Yekai said, “Looking at this plan of seizing your totem, it is really dangerous.”
Yu Hao said, “It’s best to solve it in other people’s dreams ba. I was really scared witless while watching all that.”
Chen Yekai said, “Taking your totem means taking control of your consciousness…Is that possible?”
Zhou Sheng said, “Go, let’s take a look in my world.”
Zhou Sheng took the other two and returned to the platform in the sky in the colosseum dream world. The three of them looked up at the Golden Crow Wheel. The giant Golden Crow Wheel was radiating prominence-like flares outward.
Chen Yekai said, “I used to think that this Golden Crow Wheel in your dream is completely different from the ones in other people’s dreams.
Zhou Sheng nodded. “It can be considered as a part of my mind’s totem. But speaking of which…we seem to have never tried taking away the most important thing in other people’s hearts. From the very beginning, has no one’s hands been itchy enough to touch other people’s totems?”
“Yes, once.”
Once Yu Hao said this, a sudden realisation dawned upon Chen Yekai and Zhou Sheng!
“I gave you my totem, but only a part of it.” Yu Hao said.
Zhou Sheng said, “So, I took your totem. Which was why the Golden Crow Wheel thought you turned into me…”
“No,” Yu Hao said, “You turned into me.”
Chen Yekai frowned, “Wait! Who turned into who? The conjecture at Zhao Liang’s meeting makes sense now!”
Yu Hao instantly understood and continued guessing along Chen Yekai’s line of thought, “So, the Golden Crow Wheel thought that part of my consciousness was under Zhou Sheng’s control! Since it’s like there’s a small piece of Zhou Sheng’s soul in my body, I also acquired some of the abilities bestowed by the Golden Crow Wheel!”
“Okay, no matter who got whose totem,” Zhou Sheng immediately said, “As long as this entire process happens directly, un, then the Golden Crow Wheel would judge it this way, which was why I can also…exercise control over your dreamscape.”
Yu Hao said, “You can even remould my dream! You possess the authority in my dream…then later on, I became the Golden Crow Wheel’s Corrector, a secondary administrator!”
Yu Hao understood this time. Although it’s not clear whether totems could be taken away forcibly through ‘seizing’ aside from being ‘given’ away by the original master of the dreamscape, it was theoretically feasible to seize Zhou Sheng’s authority as an administrator!
Chen Yekai said, “We can’t let anyone in here, Zhou Sheng. Otherwise, things will definitely get out of control.”
Zhou Sheng uttered an “un“. “It’s okay, they can’t defeat me in my dream anyway. Also, there’s something even more difficult to deal with underneath.” Then Zhou Sheng gestured below the sea of clouds, “They have to at least defeat the boss before they can get my totem ba? I can’t even defeat my boss.”
“Okay then.” Yu Hao didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, but he had to admit that with Zhou Sheng’s temper in reality, anyone who enters his dreamscape and tried to seize Zhou Sheng’s totem might first fall flat on their faces in front of Satan.
“Next will be the researchers who are in the know, but we’ll have to slowly search for them one by one.” Yu Hao thought for a bit, then continued, “With such a large group of people, we should have no way of confirming their locations ba. Although Zhao Liang has lost his memories, once he wakes up from the machine, won’t he ask the researchers about what had happened? Even if we were to take care of them all at one go, the computers used for analysis are still around, and the data should have all been saved ba?”
“Certainly.” Zhou Sheng said, “This bunch aren’t fools. After waking up, they would definitely try to understand the situation by asking the people around them, right?”
Chen Yekai answered, “It’s normal for them to feel confused for awhile, but this sort of confusion won’t last long. Next, they would hold a meeting to understand everything that had happened, as well as sort out the course of events…”
Yu Hao said, “So in the end, he would still devise all sorts of means and come to find us again.”
“No.” A hint of a smile could be seen in Zhou Sheng’s eyes. He waggled his finger and explained, “He may not take the same action as before. Next, we can enter his dream at any time to wreak havoc. He’s no longer any match for us.”
Chen Yekai said, “You need to stand in his shoes and feel what it is like from his perspective. How would he think of Zhou Sheng now?”
Yu Hao was about to ask why, but it suddenly occurred to him that the sudden disappearance of Zhao Liang’s memories of the Golden Crow Wheel meant that he had lost completely to Zhou Sheng. For him, this kind of blow was evidently quite fatal— he wouldn’t know what exactly Zhou Sheng had done to him in Chen Yekai’s dream, and he would only form an impression of Zhou Sheng as someone who’s extremely strong and mysterious, which could perhaps even give rise to some fear.
“Right, he has already forgotten all about it,” Yu Hao said, “This would make him feel a little afraid.”
“This is a kind of deterrence,” Chen Yekai reminded, “A sort of warning. People who know how to act would just need to think clearly about it, and once they’re done thinking, they wouldn’t continue. He isn’t Ou Qihang. He can get the exact contents of the memories he lost this time, and after linking the causes and effects, it would be quite shocking to him.”
Zhou Sheng, “Zhao Liang will impose fear upon himself on his own. With this fear, we will be almost invincible in his dream.”
Yu Hao uttered an “un” and nodded. He imagined that Zhao Liang should be interrogating his personnel now, and he would interrogate Huang Ting as well. But when will he release Huang Ting?
“Let’s shelve the problem with Zhao Liang first and change our target. Will it be Ren Chong next? Or Qin Guodong?” Zhou Sheng’s jingubang turned into a coin, and he casually tossed it about. “Ren Chong if heads, and Qin Guodong if tails.”
“I’d suggest Ren Chong.” Chen Yekai said, “Once Zhao Liang loses his memory, Ren Chong would soon know that the Golden Crow Wheel he has is a fake.”
Zhou Sheng threw the coin to Chen Yekai. “But don’t forget, Huang Ting hasn’t been released. It’s best to contact Ren Chong as soon as possible to save Huang Ting.”
Yu Hao motioned for Chen Yekai to toss the coin. Zhou Sheng pondered for a moment, then said, “After waking up, to be on the safe side, we should still stay someplace else first.”
Yu Hao said, “Go back to Ying City?”
“Ying City isn’t very safe either.” Zhou Sheng answered, “Everyone would be able to guess that we’d go home, or we could go out and just wander around? As long as we can get through this period…”
Chen Yekai tossed the coin; the coin spun in the air and drew an arc. Zhou Sheng and Yu Hao looked up and watched as the coin fell, but right when the coin landed, Chen Yekai suddenly disappeared.
—
Juurensha: Oh thank god Kaikai isn’t a traitor.