Chapter 46
Before regaining consciousness, Ye Yihe first felt an exceptionally familiar touch—as if he had fallen into a beautiful dream filled with goose feathers, light and soft.
This is completely different from the feeling of waking up from the depths of the floating void.
The fingertips resting on the pillow twitched, and a real, soft cotton-like feel was transmitted to me. The pillow surface that my cheek rubbed against was also exceptionally soft, and the weight pressing down on my body was just right.
Did he wake up in Fyodor's body again...?
But this time he slept incredibly well, and finally no one woke him up halfway through the night by banging on a broken gong!
Ye Yihe opened his eyes in a good mood and found himself lying in Fyodor's palace of consciousness.
We actually slept in the same bed.
He was quite certain that before he was so exhausted that he passed out, the palace embedded in the tower was elegantly and antiquely furnished, but there was just no bed in it.
Fyodor was surprisingly considerate.
Ye Yihe felt even better.
That makes sense. If he wasn't doing well outside, he wouldn't have been able to be both a deacon and a teaching assistant. Even villains need to be popular.
The soft bed beneath him was so depressing that Ye Yihe had no desire to get up. He simply wrapped himself in the blanket and slowly turned over, mentally calling out to his beloved Xiao Ai.
He was curious about what the system planned to do now that Fyodor had made the consciousness of this body so strange.
[Host! ]
Xiao Ai, the AI assistant, appeared in his mind with equal enthusiasm.
Ye Yihe searched the space but did not find any physical replicas that resembled the system.
"Now it really looks like a Russian nesting doll."
Ye Yihe uttered a self-fulfilling prophecy.
He was just telling a lame joke, but it actually stuck with him.
system:[………]
System: [This system has blocked the original owner's awareness of its existence, which is why it is not visible in this space.]
[So he won't know about our conversations?] Ye Yihe continued to think to himself.
[Yes. Upon detecting abnormal values, this system immediately went offline to exclude its own existence while the original host was constructing their consciousness space.] If it were a cute little hook, it would wag its tail and circle around begging for praise, [including from the host!]
Ye Yihe looked at the palace, and all he could see were manifestations of Fyodor's mind; there was not a trace of his own.
He neither reads much nor plays the cello, let alone the decorative items whose names he doesn't even know; he simply gives off a rather solemn religious vibe.
[You mean...] He suddenly realized, [The reason why the mental images that constitute my past haven't appeared here isn't because Fyodor's mental power is far stronger than mine, but because you helped to block them?]
This really helped a lot; he never said that Xiao Ai (Xiao Ai Assistant) was useless again!
"Yes," the system confirmed, "the strength of one's mental power is not related to the composition of the consciousness's spatial domain."
In other words, without the system's intervention, he might have been exposed the moment he fell into this consciousness space. His highly distinctive mental image would have occupied half of the palace, revealing a life completely different from Fyodor's.
[You've really done a great job.]
Ye Yihe breathed a sigh of relief. "[As for the next mission, it seems I can contact Fyodor at any time and use his body.]"
This sounded a bit strange, but he couldn't think of a more suitable one for the moment... control his body? Even stranger.
Of course, that's not the key point. The problem is that if he still suddenly "snap" away Fyodor's body without any room for negotiation, even the explanation of a second personality won't make sense anymore.
The system had clearly upgraded its software package during the shutdown process and was completely unfazed. [The host's situation is special; the rules for doing good deeds have been updated in real time. The current rules are as follows.]
[The system is no longer responsible for awakening consciousness and resolving events; the host may choose whether to intervene in reality.]
[When the host is engaged in primary ideological activity, once a corresponding event is triggered, this system will assess the situation based on certain criteria and issue resurrection points.]
[Additionally,] the system sweetly reminded in Xiao Ai's voice, [Host, please pay attention to your mental strength; if it falls below the warning level, you will be forced into hibernation.]
In other words, the system has shifted from issuing unknown events to requiring him to take initiative in resolving them...
"[Shouldn't we make a supplementary payment for what I resolved last time?]" Ye Yihe asked earnestly. "[Putting everything else aside, I did manage to rescue Pushkin, after all.]"
Although he didn't save her on his own initiative.
[...]The system executed tens of thousands of lines of instructions in an instant, readily agreeing. [Congratulations, host, for resolving the incident. Resurrection Points +50!]
[Very good.] Ye Yihe let the system go, satisfied.
Anyway, he's never relied on system notifications to resolve incidents before, so it's not a problem that he can now rely entirely on his own actions. In fact, it's more convenient now—at least he won't be confused about his surroundings every time he logs in.
All he had to do was consciously lower his consciousness and calm his mind to share Fyodor's perspective, as if he were looking through his eyes at the real world outside the palace...
The sun had completely set outside the window, and the room was almost pitch black, with only a dim desk lamp lit on the table.
Before him lay a vast expanse of paper, but due to insufficient light, Ye Yihe could only see a small section in front of him.
Besides, you can see out of the corner of your eye that Fyodor is sitting very obediently, with his legs together and sideways, and one hand on the armrest of the chair... Although the senses other than sight and hearing cannot be connected, you can still see a small part of his left hand in your field of vision, and he is most likely biting his nails again.
There was no clock in sight, so it was unclear what time it was, or how long Fyodor had been sitting at the table.
As for those few pieces of paper that he could make out... he examined them carefully for a moment and found that the strings of letters on them were completely different from the languages he had already mastered.
Ye Yihe: …………
Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.
As time ticked by, Ye Yihe, who noticed that Fyodor was still in the same position, deep in thought, finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"If I were you,"
He remained wrapped in his blanket, not getting up, and spoke softly in Fyodor's consciousness space.
"You should stop biting your nails right now and go to the kitchen to make yourself a nutritious dinner."
Yeikh spoke Russian.
Seeing that he's been sitting there for so long without moving, there's a 99% chance he hasn't eaten dinner—or even lunch.
There was a subtle pause in the air for a moment, and then the left hand slowly moved out of sight.
Immediately, Ye Yihe heard Fyodor mutter to himself, "Good morning." His voice was as unhurried as ever, naturally carrying a calm and elegant air of complete control. "Hmm, perhaps I really should do as you said and go get something to eat."
"How long have I been asleep?" Ye Yihe asked.
“Less than a year,” Fyodor replied. “Ten months to be exact.”
"…………"
Ye Yihe never expected to sleep for so long.
What happened to those two people back then?
He especially remembered that the silver-haired boy, who was agonizing over the philosophy of freedom, was very handsome—he was dragged into the consciousness space before the other boy had even finished his last sentence.
"If you're referring to Stevenson and Gogol,"
Fyodor answered every question: "Stevenson has returned to his residence. Gogol accepted the invitation to join the 'House of the Dead Rats,' but he is still touring as a genius magician."
"He really is a magician. I thought his outfit was just a matter of taste..."
Speaking of which, has Fyodor recruited new subordinates again? His efficiency is quite low; how come he relies entirely on BOSS Zhipin (a recruitment platform)?
Perhaps the organization's policy is to value quality over quantity... Look at that Fedor, he was also a high-ranking member of the [V50] organization. What's the use of having a lot of people? They were scattered and eventually wiped out by the government.
Ye Yihe, who had just woken up, was in high spirits. Her thoughts wandered for a moment before being pulled back by the crucial question, "Go get something to eat, and remember to turn on the light first... Where are we now?"
"Okay, then I'll do as you say."
The room was quiet, but the loud noise from the heater could be heard. Fyodor actually stood up and went to the wall to turn on the light.
"In Denmark."
Then, in a slightly lower, more refined voice, he uttered an answer that made Ye Yihe's vision go black.
...Calm down. From now on, his and Fyodor's consciousnesses can coexist. Whenever there's a situation that requires speaking Danish, just leave it all to this guy. There's no need for him to teach a language class to make things difficult for himself!
Compared to Ye Yihe, who was trying to mentally prepare himself, Fyodor seemed to be in a good mood.
He took a carton of yogurt from the refrigerator and poured it into the bowl provided by the hotel.
The voices in my mind quieted down, as if they no longer intended to ask questions after receiving the answer.
Compared to ten months, this period of time is not long, and he happens to be good at waiting.
Cereal, dried fruit, chopped apple pieces and cantaloupe, plus scrambled eggs—as Fyodor stirred all of this together with a spoon, sat back down at the table, and scooped up a spoonful to eat, the voice in his head suddenly became exceptionally angry.
[Can this even be called food?!]
“…” Fyodor swallowed slowly. “I don’t think there’s a problem.”
[No way, I can't accept that! How can you eat an egg soaked in yogurt!]
"There is a type of mayonnaise that is made primarily with yogurt and eggs."
Fyodor calmly pointed out the blind spot.
[At least you can't tell the ingredients in the mayonnaise,] Ye Yihe disagreed. [Besides, you even soaked fruit and oatmeal in it!]
What's the difference between this and adding strawberries to Mapo Tofu?
Fyodor gently scraped the bowl with a spoon, then scooped up another spoonful, raising his eyes and focusing slightly on the empty space in front of him. "Adding eggs is just my personal preference."
Ye Yihe gasped at Fyodor's loss of taste.
No wonder this guy is so thin; this bowl of food in front of him can only be described in two words: bland.
So bland was he that he had no desire left, and his eyes were filled with a faint will to die. He ate only a little more out of respect for the food.
Is this the level of cooking skills of a high-IQ villain... or is the desire for food just a burden for them?
It's truly terrifying. When a highly intelligent genius is constantly deprived of good food, what is there that he wouldn't do?
[Please go to the supermarket to buy some things, please.] Ye Yihe sat up angrily from the bed. [I'll cook for you.]
The concept of dual personality itself is characterized by each personality possessing a different identity, personal experience, self-image, and independent skills. For example, situations like Ye Yihe not being able to play the cello while Fyodor is proficient in it, or Fyodor not being able to cook while Ye Yihe is good at cooking, can all be reasonably explained by this concept.
"terribly sorry,"
Fyodor spoke at his own unhurried pace, but a barely perceptible smile crept across his face. “It’s 5:10 p.m. now, and the supermarket is already closed.”
This is Denmark, one of the Nordic countries with high welfare benefits. Even if you're running a shopping mall, don't expect the owner to work even a minute longer.
Ye Yihe: [...]
He collapsed back onto the bed in despair, not wanting to look at the bowl of yogurt soaking everything in the shared view; it was awful.
After a moment, he turned back to Fyodor and asked, "[Why are you in Denmark?]"
Is this guy using a world map? How far is he planning to go? What's even more terrifying is that there's no limit to his fluency in languages!
"I'm looking for a Holy Cross sword called [Solzreuni]."
Fyodor did not hide anything, “It was once owned by the Earl of Salisbury in England in the 12th century… well, his nickname at the time was William the Longsword, and that Holy Cross sword was his weapon, and it became his burial item after his death.”
Ye Yihe wanted to press further about what he planned to do with the sword, but that would seem like he was being too inquisitive and subtly impolite... Even though he was currently portraying Fyodor's second personality, he couldn't be too approachable.
Therefore, he simply responded with a calm "Oh," and continued the conversation, "So you're doing archaeology now?"
"This statement also seems to be correct."
From an outsider's perspective, Fyodor, a handsome young man whose temperament combines gloom and elegance, seemingly one with the abyss of evil, is now smiling and talking to himself as if he were chatting with someone. This has a kind of eerie, morbid beauty that is unsettling, strange, and unpredictable.
"The Holy Cross sword was stolen within a hundred years of his death,"
As they were talking, Fyodor actually finished almost the entire bowl of indescribable yogurt. Ye Yihe's pupils nearly trembled as he watched. "He wandered among black market merchants, drifting all over Europe."
According to verifiable records, King Christian IV in the 16th century once owned it as a gift from a fallen nobleman.
He was a king who held both the Danish and Norwegian titles, ambitious and eager to expand his territory.
He truly achieved this in the first half of his life: he was diligent and hardworking, the economy prospered, he was fair and honest, and he possessed extraordinary talent.
At the height of his reign, a fallen nobleman presented him with this gift, praising him as the rightful owner of the holy sword and God's chosen one.
However, in the latter half of his life, after he was overjoyed to receive the Holy Cross sword, everything took a sharp turn for the worse. He mistakenly believed that the holy sword, which was inhabited by the gods, could bring him both fame and political success, so he took the initiative to participate in the thirty-year religious war in Europe against the Holy Roman Empire. Unexpectedly, he suffered a crushing defeat, and he died in depression and loneliness.
It is said that the holy sword was eventually given to his maid, Verbeck Krus, who cared for him after his death. She left after he was buried in Roskilde Cathedral and has not been seen since.
[This Holy Cross Sword doesn't sound like anything good.]
Ye Yihe pondered for a moment. This old king was truly stubborn, both stubborn and superstitious. He should have learned his lesson after just one loss, but he lost so many times in a row and still believed the Holy Sword was fine…
"Its function is not religious symbolism,"
Fyodor set the empty bowl aside and picked up a piece of paper with a charcoal drawing of a holy sword. "It's not about the physical effect. It's actually a supernatural weapon."
"I need to get it."
Ye Yihe did not ask Fyodor why, not entirely out of social politeness.
Rather, the more events he experienced with the other person's body, the more he felt that Fyodor was not a villain in the usual sense—the kind of scum who would stop at nothing to expand his territory, scheme for various dark industries to make huge profits, and fill his desires with bloodshed, violence, and sex, and who deserves to be shot ten times over.
As the leader of the "Rats in the House of the Dead," Fyodor never seemed to be busy with any organized businesses. Every time he woke up, he was seen running all over the world, and his goals were not money or treasure in the usual sense.
What exactly does he want to achieve?
Ye Yihe fell into thought, but couldn't come up with any ideas for the time being.
[Okay, you want that sword, no problem.]
Finally, Ye Yihe simply protested, "[But I refuse to see such terrible cooking techniques. Even if you like eggs, there's no reason to eat them like that.]"
He simply couldn't accept it visually!
"I'll listen to you."
Fyodor smiled and offered no objection—he even changed the form of address in that one sentence, which felt like a kitten suddenly reaching out and gently scratching Ye Yihe's heart.
Ye Yihe's words trailed off, [...]
[…cough. ]
In terms of lifestyle habits, Fyodor was clearly quite bad.
The scene Ye Yihe saw when he opened his eyes was not accidental; it was because he really rarely used bright light for illumination. Even when he was researching information in the darkest night, he preferred to use only a dim lamp.
They eat only once a day, and the food is mixed together according to nutritional composition, randomly using yogurt, milk, or grain porridge to create a bland and bizarre chaotic illusion in terms of taste.
Ye Yihe even came out to try it halfway through, but after just one bite, he flushed it down the drain and then spent five minutes frying a plate of green peppers and eggs.
The same goes for her posture. Although she looks very upright and well-behaved, she always habitually hunches her back slightly, and biting her fingers has become an instinctive behavior.
The only commendable thing about Fyodor is his cleanliness; he takes a bath every day and changes his clothes daily.
Although Ivan and Pushkin were not around, he seemed to have other ways to obtain funds. Even though he lived in an apartment hotel and did not usually go out to work, he never had to worry about money.
While Fedor was using his body to look up information, Ye Yihe would continue to lie on that comfortable bed, sleeping and resting.
Sometimes, when Ye Yihe was well-rested but didn't want to disturb him and couldn't understand the documents, he would wander around his mental palace, taking out a few books that he could understand from the bookshelf—most of them were written in Russian, but many were in other languages.
When it's time to eat, or when he really can't stand it anymore, Ye Yihe will forcibly take over Fyodor's body, rescue his knuckles from between his teeth, turn on a bright light, or make him various egg-related foods.
This is also a country lacking in ingredients and seasonings, but he has lived in England for so long, what is there to be afraid of?
"Since this is your intention."
At these times, Fyodor's words always carried an enigmatic smile, but in action he would obediently follow his instructions.
Ye Yihe: …………
I always felt that he subtly controlled my emotions.
—This kind of life continued until Ye Yihe woke up again in the Palace of Consciousness and saw that Fyodor did not go out to the library or museum to look for clues, but went to the hotel front desk to check out.
"The whereabouts of the Holy Cross Sword have been found."
He explained it to Ye Yihe in this way.
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