"Intersection of the Gray Realm?"
Chen Ling did have this term in his memory. The original owner should have seen it somewhere.
"Don't tell me you've even forgotten about the Gray Realm." Doctor Lin stood up, poured the blood in the teacup into the sewer, and slowly said,
"Before the great catastrophe, someone once proposed a hypothesis. In this universe, there are countless parallel time and spaces. These time and spaces were all formed by the birth of the earliest universe. It's like the light released after a candle is lit, spreading in all directions. But because the light is infinite, they extend infinitely towards all possibilities and never intersect."
"But everything has been in chaos since the red meteor streaked across the sky."
"Waves have been stirred up in each time and space, and an unknown and eerie gray world has begun to overlap with the real world."
After washing the teacup, Doctor Lin didn't pour out the water in it. Instead, he placed it on the table. Because he used some force during the process, the water surface in the cup was undulating.
Doctor Lin tore off a piece of paper and pasted it above the water waves. The rippling water began to soak the paper. From uneven small water stains, it gradually permeated the entire paper surface.
"At first, only a small part intersected. But as time passed, more and more areas intersected. The substances and creatures of that world began to appear in our world. Even most of the habitats that originally belonged to humans have now been occupied by that world. Only nine 'domains' remain to shelter humans and continue the spark of life."
"Since the sky of that world is gray, we call it the 'Gray Realm'."
"When the Gray Realm intersects with the real world, a series of eerie events beyond our cognition will occur. Even monsters belonging to the Gray Realm will descend, which is what we call a 'calamity'."
"Generally speaking, among the survivors who encounter the intersection of the Gray Realm or are attacked by a calamity, 80% of them will become mentally deranged, and most of them will never be cured for the rest of their lives..."
"I suspect that your current situation is related to the 'Gray Realm'."
"Think carefully. Have you ever encountered the intersection of the Gray Realm and been caught up in it?"
In the face of Doctor Lin's question, Chen Ling tried hard to search through the original owner's memory, but in the end, he found nothing... No matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn't remember any other memories of last night.
"I don't know." He said bitterly.
Doctor Lin thought for a moment, took out a piece of letter paper from the drawer, and quickly started writing.
"Your situation is no longer just a mental illness... I'm just an ordinary person and can't cure you.
However, I know someone who may be able to help you in treating the sequelae of Gray Realm pollution.
After all, he is a true [Doctor]."
Hearing this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Chen Ling's eyes. "Where can I find him?"
"He lives in Aurora City, but he usually likes to travel around and provide free medical consultations. It is said that he goes wherever there are difficult and complicated diseases. This is their path to becoming a god...
Anyway, you give this letter to the law enforcers at the entrance of Aurora City, leave your name and address, and they will forward it for you.
At most, within three days, that [Doctor] will come to find you on his own initiative."
"Thank you so much!"
Chen Ling took the envelope and thanked him sincerely.
In fact, when he saw the salt grains melting on the way, Chen Ling already felt something was wrong. The things happening to him couldn't seem to be explained by illness anymore. He came to this small clinic. Firstly, because he had already walked halfway, and secondly, he really didn't know where else could possibly help him.
Judging from what Doctor Lin said, this [Doctor] seemed to be special, and he even mentioned the path to becoming a god...
Could it be that there is also a unique human cultivation system in this world? Otherwise, according to Doctor Lin, all humans should have died out during the so-called great catastrophe and the intersection of the Gray Realm.
Chen Ling even thought that the distorted scientific level in this world might also be related to the great catastrophe.
"You're welcome. Give my regards to your younger brother." Doctor Lin smiled slightly.
"He is still in the hospital in the Second District... I will convey your regards when I visit him next time."
Chen Ling stood up to say goodbye to Doctor Lin, pushed the door open and left.
As that figure gradually disappeared beneath the flowing aurora sky, Doctor Lin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"An actor, huh..."
...
"The first time I saw the screen in my dream, the audience's anticipation value was 29%."
"When I tried to escape for my life, it rose to 30%."
"On the way here, it dropped back to 27%..."
"Just now, when Doctor Lin was pranked, it rose back to 29%."
"Assuming that the 'audience' is really in my mind and these numbers aren't an illusion, then what exactly affects the rise and fall of the anticipation value?"
The cold wind was blowing bleakly. Wrapped in a thick cotton robe, Chen Ling walked towards home while thinking seriously.
The stage, the audience, the anticipation value... Every time the anticipation value increased, it seemed to be accompanied by the occurrence of an event. So, could these events be regarded as the "plots" on the stage?
The more interesting the events happening around him were, the more attractive the "plot" would be to the audience, thus increasing the anticipation value?
The screen said that when the audience's anticipation value was lower than 20%, the personal safety of the actor would not be guaranteed...
Chen Ling didn't know exactly what kind of danger it was. But judging from the fact that the "audience" could interfere with reality to a certain extent, there was a good chance that he would become their tool for venting anger and be killed by some tricks!
Chen Ling thought his train of thought was right, but to prove whether it was correct or not, he still needed to take practical actions.
"Maybe, I should try to design the 'plot' actively."
Chen Ling murmured to himself.
"A Ling, have you had your breakfast?"
Chen Ling turned his head and saw that in the breakfast stall on the street, an uncle with a towel wrapped around his head was fanning the stove and shouting at him warmly.
The moment he saw him, an idea suddenly flashed through Chen Ling's mind.
"Not yet, Uncle Zhao." The corners of Chen Ling's mouth twitched into a slight smile, and he walked towards the stall.
"Come on, I'll get you some soy milk and fried dough sticks. It rained heavily last night, and there's a lot of dampness. You can't do without having some breakfast to warm your body." Uncle Zhao scooped up a bowl of steaming soy milk and came over.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
Chen Ling reached into his pocket, took out three copper coins and handed them to Uncle Zhao, but the latter pushed them back.
"How can I let you pay for the breakfast I treat you to?"
"Don't be like this, Uncle Zhao. Although we've been neighbors for more than ten years, we still have to settle the accounts properly."
"You're such a kid. Uncle doesn't want your money. If you have time, help my Xiaoyi with his lessons more often, and Uncle will send you breakfast every day." Uncle Zhao grinned, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth.
"Hasn't he already graduated? Does he still need tutoring?"
"With his grades, he can't even get a job assignment. I plan to let him repeat the year. He can't just do odd jobs for people every day, can he?"
"Oh..."
"A Ling is really a good boy, smart and filial. If one day Xiaoyi can become a law enforcer like you, I'll wake up laughing in my dreams."
Uncle Zhao let out a long sigh, "It's a pity that this kid doesn't live up to expectations."
Chen Ling's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he still opened his mouth and said:
"Uncle Zhao... Do you know why Xiaoyi's grades are so poor?"
"Huh? Why?"
Chen Ling was about to say something, but then he fell silent for a long time. Finally, he shook his head, "Forget it, Uncle Zhao. Just pretend I didn't mention it... I promised him to keep it a secret."
"Don't be like this!"
Uncle Zhao's heart rate quickened. He casually added a marinated egg to Chen Ling's bowl and scratched his head in a hurry.
"A Ling, I know you're Xiaoyi's good friend, but there are some things... I, as his father, should know something, right? I've raised Xiaoyi by myself, getting up early and going to bed late every day to earn money to send him to school, just hoping that he can have a better life in the future...
If you know something, you must tell me! We're all doing this for his own good..."
Seeing Uncle Zhao's urgent inquiry, Chen Ling was slightly touched.
He hesitated for a moment, as if he had made up his mind.
"Uncle Zhao, you're right. As a friend, I really can't bear to see Xiaoyi sink into depravity like this..."
"Dep... depravity? What on earth happened to him?"
"He's in a relationship."
"Huh?" Uncle Zhao was taken aback. "Does this kid really have such charm?"
Chen Ling nibbled on a piece of fried dough stick without changing his expression and calmly uttered three words:
"With a guy."