Chapter 162 Your Strength is Here

I glanced at Zhao Kui who was still lying on the ground and shaking, sighed, walked up to him and projected an illusion to him again, but this time it was targeted at him personally.

It’s like a modified version of “Fear Projection”, but instead of projecting scary content, I weave some mild illusions.

In Zhao Kui's hazy state, he saw someone gently touching his temples, and then soft sunlight seemed to shine down, making his body warm.

The horrific scene from before seemed to subside in an instant, like lava watered by a spring. The madness and fear in his eyes quickly faded, leaving only immense fatigue and confusion. Then his head tilted and he fainted completely.

This action made everyone present look confused and shocked.

Someone murmured quietly: "This is unscientific..."

"Who says it's not true? But haven't there been enough unscientific things happening in the past six months? Keep your voice down..."

I stood up, ignoring the awestruck gazes around me, and looked at Bai Zang calmly.

"Find a place to lock him up. When he wakes up, we'll see what he chooses," I said calmly. Zhao Kui might be useless. His mind has been profoundly shaken. Even if he wakes up, it will probably take him a long time to recover and pose no threat. Sparing him would only further demonstrate the divine nature of both "strength" and "mercy."

Bai Zang understood and immediately waved his hand: "Along, do as the deputy leader says!"

After dealing with Zhao Kui, I turned around and calmly scanned the faces of everyone in the meeting room. I was completely poised.

"I know what you are thinking." My voice was not loud, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. I tried to make my tone sound calmer.

"Fear, confusion, anxiety...it's all normal. The end of the world comes suddenly, who wouldn't want to live a good life?"

"But you have to keep living, right?"

"The Black Dragon Gang will no longer be a dwindling ragtag group of rats." My voice suddenly rose, and with the power of a declaration of the future, I continued, "Fuck the apocalypse! We're determined to carve out a path for survival here. Brothers... every one of us is a hero!"

silence.

After the deathly silence, the first figure to kneel down on one knee tremblingly was Aaron.

Then, the second one, the third one... like falling dominoes, in the meeting hall, except for Bai Zang, all the gang members, no matter how many doubts they had in their hearts before, instinctively chose to surrender in the face of the absolute display of power, the "miracle" that soothed the out-of-control situation, and the declaration that went straight to the heart and ignited a faint hope.

None of them looked in my direction and bowed their heads deeply.

Bai Zang watched the scene unfold, his mind wandering. After a long pause, he took a deep breath and, like me, bowed in submission.

Black Dragon Gang, your strength is here!

…

In the evening, inside the Black Dragon Gang’s stronghold.

I went to Bai Zang's office again to fulfill my promise.

Bai Zang looked up at me, and his eyes seemed to brighten.

"Don't you want to know how to fight the risk of losing control?" I said as I sat in front of him.

Bai Zang didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, waiting for my next words.

"Honestly, I don't have any way to completely combat the loss of control at the moment."

When he heard me say this, Bai Zang didn't show any disappointment or anger, and didn't even raise his eyebrows. He just listened quietly.

"After being infected by the pollution source, some people mutate into monsters, some die directly, and some evolve. The key lies in the difference in individual mental strength - whether they can protect the core of their 'self' under the impact of pollution." I paused, observing his reaction.

"You should have already experienced an evolution. Remember that feeling? On the verge of collapse, sanity and madness are teetering on the edge of the precipice."

Hearing this, Bai Zang's face slightly condensed, as if he was instantly pulled back to the edge of the abyss where the cold was biting and his consciousness was torn apart by countless chaotic whispers. He subconsciously clenched his fists.

I leaned forward slightly, staring into his eyes as I continued, "Remember that feeling, finding your own sanity even when you're on the verge of losing control, remember who you are."

"You mean, mental power is something similar to 'will' that arises under such extreme circumstances?" Bai Zang looked at me and said with some understanding.

"That's understandable," I nodded affirmatively. "Strong mental strength isn't innate. It's honed bit by bit through the violent collision between pollution and reason, through the extreme struggle on the brink of life and death. It's a power inherent to the Source Person, only stimulated in this way. One's own strength is the key to resisting pollution."

I continued, "When your mental strength is strong enough, you can take the risk of actively contacting different pollution sources to gain different abilities."

"So," Bai Zang's eyes sharpened, as if he had grasped the key point, "the kind of fear you used on Zhao Kui before... that directly affects the mind?"

"That's right," I admitted frankly. "It's not just punishment or deterrence. It's an extreme 'stress test,' an artificially created, controllable state of 'on the verge of losing control.'"

"In that moment of absolute terror, when his mental defenses are on the verge of breaking, if he can find an anchor through his own will and break free, his mental strength will be tempered and increased by leaps and bounds. It's like trying to pull chestnuts out of the fire; the process is excruciating, but the rewards are immense. It's a pity..." I shook my head and said, "He's still a little short of the mark."

Bai Zang fell into deep thought, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the desk. The only sounds in the office were the faint sound of the wind outside the window and the rhythmic tapping. After a moment, he raised his head, his eyes ablaze with a mixture of ambition and determination.

"Controllable... on the verge of losing control..." He repeated these words in a low voice, as if savoring the danger and opportunity. "So, you have a way to create this... 'tempering field'?"

"You can try." I didn't finish my words. "In theory, my ability can construct a spiritual 'hyperbaric chamber', allowing them to experience a spiritual life-ordeal in the safety of their physical bodies. If successful, their spiritual power will be strengthened, their resistance to pollution will be significantly enhanced, and it may even lead to a new direction of evolution. If failed..."

I paused, then continued, "At the very least, it could cause mental trauma, requiring a long period of recovery. At worst... it could lead to a breakdown of consciousness, instant death, or even the distortion of reality itself becoming uncontrollable. Risks and opportunities coexist."

After hearing this, Bai Zang's expression became even more solemn, and the lighter in his hand was almost smoking.

After a long pause, he chuckled, "That sounds absolutely crazy."

"Then let's start with me." Bai Zang stood up and said.