“Zhichun,” Jiang Ruoxue still looked worried as she held Yan Zhichun’s hand. “You mentioned before that you often zone out. What exactly did Bai Yang do to your memories?”
“It’s hard to say…” Yan Zhichun replied. “I can only guess. After all, ‘Bai Yang’ no longer exists in this world. I have no way to ask him for the reason. Even if I could find him, he would never tell me the truth…”
“So, your fragmented memories…” Jiang Ruoxue said. “Are you just supposed to accept it like this?”
“I’ll find the answers…” Yan Zhichun said. “Besides, I suspect I’m not the only one affected… I just don’t know if others also ‘zone out.’ I was closest to Bai Yang, so the impact on me might be the greatest.”
“This is partly my fault. I’ve been with you for so long, yet I never noticed anything off about what you said.”
“Because at first glance, there really isn’t anything wrong,” Yan Zhichun sighed. “Only when I dissect everything carefully do I notice the inconsistencies. It’s not your fault…”
Jiang Ruoxue then turned to Dr. Zhao: “Doctor… is there any way to fix Zhichun’s condition?”
“Fix… it…?” Dr. Zhao hesitated slightly. “Miss, I may not have been clear enough… From a professional standpoint, the brain has already ‘fixed’ this issue.”
“You mean…” Jiang Ruoxue said with disbelief, “the ‘repaired’ memories are the brain’s chosen solution?”
“Exactly,” Dr. Zhao nodded. “As I said, everyone’s brain is ‘alive.’ After its own judgment, it has already perfectly resolved the matter. These adjustments happen subconsciously and aren’t under our control. However, this young lady’s case is quite rare. I’ve never seen such a powerful subconscious, resulting in a level of memory repair that exceeds ordinary human comprehension.”
Yan Zhichun frowned and rubbed her temples. The whole thing sounded far too coincidental… Even her method of ‘training her subconscious’ was learned from Bai Yang.
Though Bai Yang never explicitly trained her subconscious, Yan Zhichun had always unconsciously emulated him, trying her best to forget she was ‘human.’ She would go long periods without eating or sleeping, day after day, solely focused on becoming stronger.
Could her brain have been influenced by this subconscious drive, leading to a level of ‘repair’ beyond what normal humans could achieve?
“A self-repair that surpasses the human brain…” Yan Zhichun murmured. “So most of my memories are real… but the timeline is fabricated? Whenever the timeline is involved, my brain forges memories to make everything seem logical.”
“I haven’t experienced it myself, but that’s likely the case,” Dr. Zhao nodded. “To me, it seems your brain is protecting you. So there’s no need to ‘fix’ anything or seek the ‘truth.’ Otherwise, you’ll only end up hurting yourself.”
“I see…” Yan Zhichun narrowed her eyes. “I hope I can really control my curiosity…”
“There’s someone outside,” Zheng Yingxiong suddenly spoke up.
“Someone…?” Yan Zhichun glanced at the door, but it was empty.
In the moment of confusion, Jiang Ruoxue decisively got up and went to the door, peeking out—only to see a figure darting around the hallway corner, quickly retreating.
The person was already a good distance away, suggesting they had started leaving before Zheng Yingxiong even spoke.
“Who was it?” Yan Zhichun asked.
“No idea,” Jiang Ruoxue pulled back inside. “They were too far away. Maybe just passing by?”
“A lost soul,” Zheng Yingxiong said. “They meant no harm, but they were deeply lost.”
Jiang Ruoxue and Yan Zhichun exchanged glances at the cryptic child, unsure how to respond.
“Ah… that’s my fault,” Dr. Zhao stood up. “Lately, ‘Paradise Gate’ has been a bit unstable. There are so many unfamiliar faces coming and going. We might need to tighten security. I’ll talk to Zhang Shan about it.”
“It’s fine,” Yan Zhichun said. “We won’t be here after dawn.”
“Ah…?” Dr. Zhao was taken aback. “Don’t leave so soon… ‘Paradise Gate’ is still a good place. There’s food, shelter, and people to rely on. You could stay a while longer.”
The two women remained silent, knowing explaining would take too much effort.
“What does ‘Dissociation’ mean?” Zheng Yingxiong suddenly asked.
“Huh…?” Dr. Zhao blinked. “What ‘Dissociation’…? Kid, how do you—”
He hadn’t expected a seven- or eight-year-old boy to accurately name his ‘Echo.’
“Is ‘Dissociation’ used to ‘analyze’ something?” Zheng Yingxiong seemed unsure of the term, as it was beyond his usual knowledge. “Or is it for… ‘explaining’ something?”
“It’s more like ‘breaking something down,'” Dr. Zhao replied. “But how do you know that name?”
Zheng Yingxiong didn’t answer. Instead, he tugged at Yan Zhichun’s sleeve. “We’ll need this person.”
“What…?” Yan Zhichun paused. “You…”
“I smelled your ‘thoughts,'” Zheng Yingxiong said. “They’ve been lingering in your mind for too long, deeply rooted. They’re clear enough to reach me. Your plan… might be difficult to execute. You’ll need ‘Dissociation.'”
“You know my thoughts…?” Yan Zhichun had never heard of such a thing. “Even if I say nothing, you can still tell?”
“Yes, but only the general idea, not the details,” Zheng Yingxiong said. “But… ‘Soul Snatcher.’ With ‘Dissociation,’ your plan will go smoother. It’s for the sake of the organization. Won’t you consider it?”
After a moment of thought, Yan Zhichun asked, “What exactly does ‘Dissociation’ do?”
“Well… I can break things down into sand or fragments,” Dr. Zhao answered. “What about you? Have you ‘Echoed’ too? What’s your ability?”
Dr. Zhao still thought this was just a friendly conversation, unaware that all three had their own agendas, silently plotting their next moves.
“So it’s the ‘Dissociation’ from ‘falling apart’…” Yan Zhichun murmured. “In that case… having you join us wouldn’t be bad.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage