Mysterious Source

Xiao Xiao pondered all this while lying woodenly on the bed. Meanwhile, Yang Jia had just returned home and was sitting silently on the sofa, an inescapable solemnity on her face.

After hesitating again and again, she finally made a call.

The signal traveled like lightning, swiftly reaching the very heart of the city, where stood the tallest building in the entire city. It was over a hundred stories high, yet had no billboards or decorations whatsoever.

At the top floor, everything was quiet and empty. There were only precise instruments and a dazzling array of densely connected wires, all leading into a glass tank at the very center.

Inside the glass tank, suspended in a dark green liquid, was a brain—a human brain. It had no protection whatsoever, with only numerous wires connected to it.

Yang Jia's call was answered by an instrument outside the glass tank. Her voice echoed through the room, which contained nothing but cold machines, complicated wiring, and a brain:

"I came into contact with that newcomer today, and I also helped him see the truth of this world..."

"..."

The cold electronic voice unexpectedly carried a hint of gentleness. "I don't know whether I should feel relieved that we have gained another companion, or pity that another person has fallen into a nightmare!"

"This newcomer is very strange."

Yang Jia slowly rubbed her temples and said softly, "He's calm and decisive, possesses powerful analytical abilities and the courage to resist malice, yet hasn't reached the point of being cold-blooded and heartless."

"I could say that after coming to this foreign land all these years, this is the first time I've seen someone with such potential."

"But at the same time, there are things about him that I can't see through."

"..."

After a pause, she said softly, "When you look back at what he's done, everything is clearly very reasonable, yet he always leaves people feeling surprised."

"So, I hope you can investigate him."

"..."

The gentle electronic voice fell silent for a long while before saying, "I'll try."

Yang Jia said softly, "Thank you."

Then she fell silent and patiently waited.

Inside the room filled with machines and complicated circuits, the brain sitting quietly there seemed to tremble faintly. Wisps of tiny electrical sparks coiled around it. These weak sparks triggered intense reactions among the surrounding machines. Some cables even writhed like pythons, while countless screens filled with garbled code. The massive servers ran furiously in a state of overload.

It seemed that some kind of microwave radiation had begun stimulating the city.

The vast and magnificent foundations of the city trembled in a way ordinary people could not detect, emitting strange signals that wove together into a chaotic network.

Yang Jia could also feel the vibration. She held the phone without moving, patiently waiting.

After a long while, the vibration disappeared, and the gentle electronic voice sounded from the other end of the phone:

"I accessed all his information in this city. It went very smoothly, and there were no signs of it having been blocked or altered."

"Judging from this information, he shouldn't have interacted with this world as a foreigner yet. Nor does he seem to have been remotely replaced or controlled by some will."

"So, my answer is that, at least on the surface, he is simply a newcomer who has just awakened."

"However..."

The voice paused for a long while. The machine faintly rumbled with the sound of high-speed operation before it continued, "Four years ago, he went to the hospital for an examination because he was suffering from severe mental illness."

"Four years ago?"

Yang Jia frowned. "What symptoms?"

"According to his own description: dizziness, headaches, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, sensory disorientation, intense depression, and overwhelming oppression..."

"...But the final examination results showed that everything was normal."

"..."

Yang Jia's expression suddenly turned solemn, and she sat up straight. "That sounds like a symptom of being affected by the Mysterious Source."

"Yes."

The electronic voice answered without any fluctuation in tone. "The Mysterious Sources that spy on the city do indeed seize the wills of certain individuals within the city by exerting influence across space for various reasons."

"But he's different. You and I both understand that no individual can retain a complete self and sanity while under the influence of a Mysterious Source."

"..."

Yang Jia, who had been tense, furrowed her brows even more deeply, but her taut muscles gradually relaxed. "That's right..."

"If he really was affected by a Mysterious Source, then a person who had been affected continuously for four years..."

At this point, she couldn't help smiling bitterly. "Never mind whether he would undergo mutation or anything like that. The Pain Substance inside him could probably drown the entire city, couldn't it?"

"..."

"That situation is impossible."

The electronic voice also reached its conclusion. "Therefore, I believe he is a clean individual."

"Given the extent of his isolation and reclusive lifestyle, he isn't an isolated case among the young people living in this city. There are actually many like him."

"Usually, people simply consider this kind of behavior depraved."

"At most..."

At this point, even the extremely rational and steady electronic voice stuttered slightly, choosing a distinctly human expression:

"A little sick?"

"..."

Yang Jia nodded. Her expression, veiled in misty sorrow, seemed somewhat melancholy. Only after a long while did she say quietly, "Regardless, the potential he's shown is immense, and we have no other choice..."

"I only hope that when he learns the truth in the future, he won't blame me..."

"..."

The next day, Xiao Xiao woke up very early.

He didn't know why, but he had slept extraordinarily soundly the night before.

Over the past four years, his headaches had often flared up, leaving his entire head as if it had been soaked in pain and fear for years. Yesterday, he had learned the truth of this world, and his fear had reached its limit.

Yet under those circumstances, he had suddenly calmed down, as though he had gained the courage to face everything with composure.

By then, Mom had also gotten up and was clattering around in the kitchen making breakfast.

Xiao Xiao didn't want to see her, so even after waking up, he simply sat on the bed and waited for the sounds in the living room to disappear.

At around eight-thirty, he heard the courtyard gate opening and closing outside. Mom had already gone to work, and only then did Xiao Xiao leave his room.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the living room, he saw the meal left on the table, along with a note and some cash held down by a carton of milk.

"Brat, I'm going to work."

"How can you date someone without spending money? Don't be so stingy when you're seeing such a pretty girl."

"..."

Xiao Xiao was stunned for a moment.

Had she misunderstood his relationship with Yang Jia? And, considering that he hadn't been working and had no money on hand, had she given him some spending money?

A strange feeling rose from the bottom of his heart.

What was this?

After signing a contract with the city, had the city and the people living in it begun showing him goodwill?

Or was it simply the affection Mom herself had revealed?

Just moments ago, he had thought that nothing else could surprise him anymore, but this note and the two bills still left him with complicated emotions.

After sitting in silence for a long while, he sat down, ate his breakfast, and put away the note and pocket money as well.

After breakfast, he simply sat quietly at home. He was now prepared to face everything, yet unexpectedly discovered that there didn't seem to be anything urgent waiting for him to face.

Yang Jia hadn't said much yesterday. She had only shown him the truth of this city.

She had said that someone specifically assigned would guide him. But who exactly was that person, and what was he supposed to do?

Just as he was thinking about this, the phone rang at the right moment.

"How did you sleep last night?"

Yang Jia's voice was still as calm as ever, with a hint of laziness, as if she were incompatible with this world.

Xiao Xiao answered honestly, "Very well. I slept soundly."

"Very well?"

Yang Jia was somewhat surprised. Previous newcomers, after learning the truth of this world, had been unable to find peace. Some called her all night, and some even committed suicide that very night.

Xiao Xiao's answer had actually been "very well"?

"Yes."

Xiao Xiao answered softly, "Wasn't it you who told me? In a city full of monsters like this, what else can I do besides stay at peace?"

Yang Jia didn't know what to say. After a moment, she laughed. "You're really someone who takes advice."

Faced with those words, Xiao Xiao didn't know how to respond either.

Yang Jia, however, heard his silence and said with a laugh, "Since you're prepared to face all this, it's time to proceed to the next step."

Xiao Xiao stirred slightly. "What do you mean by the next step?"

"We're too weak. Of course we need to find something to protect ourselves."

Yang Jia's voice became somewhat mysterious. "This is a very complicated matter, but don't worry. I found a designer with plenty of experience to help you."

"Be polite to her. She's a very well-behaved and quiet girl."

"..."

"Okay."

Xiao Xiao agreed, and as he wondered about the person Yang Jia was going to introduce, he felt a faint sense of anticipation.

After waiting for a while, he heard the notification tone on his phone. Yang Jia had indeed sent him a contact, but the moment Xiao Xiao saw it, he froze.

The profile picture was of a cute girl wearing a maid outfit.

Her nickname was: Old Auntie Eighteen, Sucking Dirt from the Ground

"This quiet girl's nickname is a little wild, isn't it?"