Chapter 54
Seemingly sensing Xie Xubai's confusion, Lü Xiangcai explained, "Just as I told you before, all knowledge about the true nature of the world is a kind of taboo knowledge. Humans who rashly touch taboo knowledge will be transformed into monsters. This situation is called mind pollution."
“The power that can resist mental pollution,” he said meaningfully, pointing to his temple. “That is mental power.”
Xie Xubai had witnessed Jiang Kaile's transformation process firsthand and understood it almost immediately: "Could it be that the monster will be continuously affected by thought pollution, thereby aggravating the degree of transformation?"
Lu Xiangcai said, "That's right. If we compare mental pollution to an abyss, then becoming a monster is just the beginning of falling into that abyss."
"The longer a monster walks in the abyss, the more polluted it becomes, and it will gradually develop cognitive confusion until it can no longer distinguish itself."
For a moment, Lü Xiangcai's voice paused briefly, his expression becoming increasingly complex and unreadable. With a forced smile, he said, "—in the end, he completely merged with the abyss."
After he finished speaking, he waited for Xie Xubai's reaction, but found that the young man just kept staring at him.
Lu Xiangcai teased, "What's wrong? Scared?"
He was just making a casual joke.
Xie Xubai did not become a monster when he first awakened, and he did not become a monster after close contact with monsters, so it is highly likely that he will not become a monster in the future.
Why should Xie Xubai, who can always exist as a human being, be afraid of the fate that monsters will face?
As expected, Xie Xubai frowned in thought, then shook his head honestly: "I haven't experienced being alienated, so I can't really imagine what it feels like."
Just like when that person first mentioned "becoming a god".
Everyone knows that God is powerful, but no one can fully understand the extent of God's influence, and Xie Xubai was no exception.
It wasn't until Lü Xiangcai told him that only God could make and enforce rules that he began to understand a little.
Lu Xiangcai smiled and didn't continue, returning to the main topic: "That's why I recommend you to be a doctor at the First Municipal Hospital."
"Although the First Hospital has been turned into a den of monsters, it still maintains the operating mode of human society with strict rules. The chief physician is a senior medical staff member, and there are rules to guarantee his safety, so there is no need to worry too much about safety issues."
It's not just senior medical staff.
Chief Physician is the highest level of medical professional title. Although there is only one word difference between Chief Physician and Attending Physician, their treatment in the hospital is vastly different.
The First Hospital has monthly performance reviews, and if a candidate fails more than three times, they will be removed from their position. This means Xie Xubai has three chances.
If Xie Xubai can achieve the target by the third month or earlier, he will be able to solidify his status as the Chief Physician of the First Hospital, and his mental strength will also reach a new level.
Lu Xiangcai did not mention what price he paid to help Xie Xubai, a complete novice from another industry, secure this position.
He simply smiled at Xie Xubai and said matter-of-factly, "Now that your mental strength has improved, humans who are about to be mutated can no longer meet your training needs. Only 'patients' with more serious mental pollution are worthy of your testing."
As long as the alienation of the world is not eliminated, the pollution of thought will continue to worsen.
Monsters with weak willpower can only resist pollution by relying on external intervention, such as finding a monster doctor with strong mental strength.
Although Xie Xubai's mental strength had only reached the beginner level of the supernatural realm, which would barely qualify him as a group leader in Shengtian Group, Lü Xiangcai had great confidence in the young man.
Lu Xiangcai said, "The time is very tight. It's like you have to compress a year's worth of residency training courses into three months. That's why I told you to rest well before."
Otherwise, Xie Xubai's body definitely wouldn't be able to handle it.
It was at this moment that Lü Xiangcai suddenly realized that Xie Xubai had not responded to him for a long time.
But those eyes were indeed looking at him intently and seriously.
Lu Xiangcai raised his hand uncertainly and waved it in front of Xie Xubai's eyes: "What's wrong? Was what I said too complicated? Do you want me to explain it again?"
Xie Xubai blinked, as if just coming to his senses, and looked over: "No, I was listening carefully to what you were saying."
Listening attentively? Lü Xiangcai didn't miss the detail of Xie Xubai blinking. Not only was he not angry that the other party was distracted, but he also smiled a little.
The reason is simple: Xie Xubai had been working too hard recently, and even he, as an observer, was terrified, fearing that the young man might collapse from exhaustion one day.
His heartache for Xie Xubai was beyond words, but since he had personally dragged the young man onto this path of no return, how could he pour cold water on him and say discouraging things when the other was putting in his best effort?
Even if they wanted Xie Xubai to rest for a few more days, they had to find a legitimate reason first.
But Xie Xubai was indeed listening attentively.
Not only were they listening attentively, but they were also seriously considering the abyss issue that Lü Xiangcai had initially mentioned.
"You're scared, aren't you?" Xie Xubai asked.
Lu Xiangcai didn't react for a moment and subconsciously asked, "What?"
"When you realize you're about to completely fall into depravity, you should feel fear and despair."
Upon hearing this, Lü Xiangcai's smile froze for a moment, but he said nonchalantly, "That's right, the deduction is correct."
Xie Xubai looked at him with the same gaze as before, a gentle and serene look, yet subtly different from his usual expression.
Lu Xiangcai hadn't noticed at first, but now that he'd been stared at for a while, a feeling of unease crept in, and he belatedly asked, "...What's wrong?"
Xie Xubai said almost in a murmur, "So this is what it feels like."
Fear, despair.
—Not knowing what they will eventually become, living in a fear of the unknown.
—I can clearly feel my self-awareness fading away, from not being able to remember where I put my belongings, to seeing familiar faces but not being able to call them by name.
—When I finally opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar room, and everything else was unfamiliar.
Just as I was wondering if I'd been kidnapped, I turned my head and saw my own handwritten itinerary on the bedside table. The notes and precautions were densely packed, but I couldn't recall a single thing from my mind.
At that moment, my mind was buzzing, my thoughts were blank, and it felt as if the whole world had become unreal, including my own existence.
An immense sense of loneliness enveloped my body like a freezing winter tide, chilling me to the bone.
"How scary..."
Xie Xubai couldn't help but reach out and touch the goosebumps on his arm. Unexpectedly, even this simple action startled him, and he trembled slightly.
Then he looked up and met Lü Xiangcai's eyes again, who was looking bewildered. He ruffled Lü's hair and said, "Thank you for everything you've done."
The state of youth is truly fragmented.
On the one hand, it allows people to feel his fear and helplessness.
On the other hand, it resembles a rippling blue sea, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility that relaxes the mind and body.
Suddenly, Xie Xubai pressed down on his head and began to rub it. Lü Xiangcai froze as if under a spell. After a long while, he seemed to understand and suddenly looked up: "Mental resonance?"
"You're trying to resonate with me on a spiritual level?... No, you're not trying, you've succeeded!"
We successfully reached his mental depths and truly sensed his unease!
For a moment, Lü Xiangcai didn't know whether to take Xie Xubai's hand away from his head or be shocked by the other's terrifyingly profound ability to gain enlightenment.
According to the plan he made for Xie Xubai, as long as the young man familiarizes himself with the procedures in the hospital, he can learn the theory and experience of suppressing thought pollution in less than a month, try to get started in another month, and the third month is the perfect time to sprint for the assessment.
And the result? Xie Xubai hadn't even put on the white coat yet, but he had already learned mental resonance, which was equivalent to a doctor successfully finding the root of the patient's problem, and he was only a thought away from directly taking action.
Lu Xiangcai was quite shocked. He felt like he had accidentally met a promising young man and was planning to teach him step by step, "Running should start with walking, and you should pay attention to coordinating your limbs."
In the blink of an eye, I saw someone sprinting 100 meters on the track!
Is this what you call finding a treasure? This is clearly digging up an entire gemstone vein!
Lu Xiangcai said with a hint of amazement, "You have far exceeded my expectations, Xie Xubai. It won't be long before you can start treating monsters."
Xie Xubai responded softly, "Mm."
"I originally wanted to advise you to find an excuse to decline the first month's assessment to avoid being seen as weak and facing difficulties from other department heads or resistance from junior colleagues. But now it seems that you can treat more patients in the first month, accumulate experience, and pass the assessment in one go."
Xie Xubai chuckled and agreed, "Okay."
"If you can win an award at the conference, the prestige of your title as Chief Physician will increase, and it will be of greater help to you!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Xubai's expression changed, and he said seriously, "Then I'll go practice now."
The letter of appointment that Lü Xiangcai gave him stated that the official reporting time was 9:00 AM the day after tomorrow, and before that, he could still make the most of his time to familiarize himself with the new skills he had just learned.
As a result, just seconds after the hand was removed from Lü Xiangcai's head, it was reflexively grabbed back with both hands and pressed down in the same spot.
Xie Xubai: "?"
“…cough.” Lu Xiangcai looked away. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He was clearly resisting having his head touched.
"You can use me as a practice subject."
He made up an excuse in a very serious manner.
The next second, I looked straight into those clear and bright eyes.
Lu Xiangcai suddenly recalled the other person's uneasy and frightened appearance when they were in a state of mental resonance, and couldn't help but feel a moment of daze.
There is no such thing as true empathy in this world. Just like how you can't know the pain unless you cut yourself with a knife.
But just now, Xie Xubai truly empathized with him.
Even the fear that gave me goosebumps couldn't break the mental resonance.
Lu Xiangcai's fingers, which were gripping Xie Xubai's wrist, suddenly went limp. This inexplicable psychological reaction caused him to utter words without thinking.
"Come on, do whatever you want to me, I won't resist."
Xie Xubai: "...?"
Ignoring Lü Xiangcai's sudden outburst, as a practice partner, he was indeed very resilient, able to endure Xie Xubai's mental power without uttering a sound.
When Xie Xubai got home that evening, he looked thoughtfully at Jiang Kaile, who was obediently doing his homework, and beckoned him: "Young Master Jiang, would you be willing to do your teacher a favor?"
Although Jiang Kaile was puzzled, she walked over without thinking and asked, "Of course, what does the teacher want me to do?"
Once mental resonance is successful and the other person's mental fluctuations are interpreted smoothly, a connection can be established, thereby suppressing mental pollution.
This medical approach is similar to the Sentinel Guide in novels; as long as the person being treated doesn't suddenly rebel, it's entirely beneficial.
Therefore, many monster doctors will initially practice with close friends or family members, because it is difficult for strangers to lower their guard and fully accept treatment in a short period of time.
After hearing Lü Xiangcai's explanation, Xie Xubai felt relieved to practice on the other person.
By this time, he was already proficient in using his mental power and wanted to try treating different practice subjects.
Upon hearing Xie Xubai's request, Jiang Kaile readily agreed.
Fearing the boy might not be comfortable, Xie Xubai gently reassured him before taking action, then emphasized, "If you feel unwell, be sure to tell the teacher immediately."
Seeing the other person's serious expression, Jiang Kaile couldn't help but be extremely careful and replied solemnly, "Yes, teacher."
Three minutes later.
The boy slumped onto the sofa, his mind hazy as he grabbed a cushion and rubbed his face against it. His body and mind were so relaxed that his arms and legs were covered in unconsciously exposed red scales. He mumbled, "Teacher, it doesn't hurt at all, it feels great, like taking a hot bath after playing basketball..."
Xie Xubai was somewhat surprised; was the effect really that good?
Just then, Ping An returned from patrol with the cats and dogs. Xie Xubai shifted his gaze and waved to the little guys.
Half an hour later, the furry creatures lay sprawled on the ground, their eyes all looking dazed.
The dogs collapsed, wagging their tails wildly and growling softly. The cats raised their paws, purring and kneading in the air, while twitching their ears.
It was like a huge drinking party.
Xie Xubai sat cross-legged to one side, guarding his family who had lost their fighting ability, and felt that he still had some strength left.
The problem is that they can't find a practice partner like Lü Xiangcai who can endure a whole day of practice.
Actually, he wasn't in a hurry to go home; he wanted to practice more. But when Lü Xiangcai saw him to the door, his legs were trembling...
Xie Xubai lowered his eyelashes and pondered deeply, feeling that both he and Lü Xiangcai had made mistakes in their judgments, and that his mental strength seemed to be much stronger than expected.
Who else can I practice with next?
Bye-bye!
Suddenly, a small tentacle darted out of the shadows, greeting them enthusiastically: "I heard you're going to the hospital the day after tomorrow, can I come along?"
Author's Note:
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