You Have to Get Drunk
The entire security check process took four hours, and many parts of it were extremely grueling.
Under the arrangement of more than 20 medical staff, gastroscopy and colonoscopy are routine procedures for physical examinations. In the other two elements of the three elements, there are many other strange and unbelievable examinations.
The stress test process requires Xue Ming to empty all foreign objects from his body, including any food waste in his stomach and intestines, some gut microbiota, and some parasites.
When a series of metabolism-boosting hormones and sedatives were injected into his body—he felt as if his soul was about to leave his body.
We'll skip this creepy part.
But the next step didn't seem to fare much better.
The doctors inserted high-quality glucose into his arm to keep his central nervous system and brain constantly active, and then began various forms of auditory and visual stimulation.
In an artificially created environment of strong static electricity, he was subjected to various stimuli, including low-frequency timpani to ear-piercing cymbal sounds, irregular chalk markings on the blackboard, and various frequencies of epileptic light, among other forms of mental torture.
If it weren't for the doctors occasionally updating the BOSS on the progress of the examination, Jiang Xueming would have really thought she had entered some strange concentration camp and was being tortured as a test subject.
The physical and mental examinations are now complete.
He was exhausted, his eyes bloodshot.
He felt as if his brain had been working for days and nights, with dull pain emanating from his skull, and any sound would make his heart pound.
The relentless high-pressure experiences nearly destroyed his mental world; it was a strange feeling.
Similar to Inspiration crisis, warnings from the brain can alter his physical structure.
When this fatigue disrupts the body's bioelectrical system, it also weakens the physical body.
In this state, Xue Ming even experienced a very mysterious illusion—
He carefully observed and felt his body, and could clearly feel that his fingers were no longer flexible, that his lungs were slow and resistant when he breathed, that the large joints in his elbows and knees had become fragile, and that various abnormal popping sounds would occur when he stretched his limbs.
The various movement commands and the muscles, cavities, and acupoints in his body were no longer smooth and unified. Like a machine without lubrication, it became fragile and easily damaged. He could not guarantee the quality of his punches and could not control the muscles in his body to exert force. If he was hit in this state, the damage would increase exponentially.
Just like when you get punched normally, the injured area might only swell and bruise, and it will recover in a few days. However, in a state of extreme fatigue, the injured area is likely to dislocate or fracture, and may also develop abscesses or tissue effusion.
It was as if he had stepped into the Gate of Hell; the double vision in his eyes seemed to show the five ghosts and underworld officials beckoning to him.
Before the final round of testing--
--The medical staff brought Jiang Xueming a cup of hot tea. "Drink this. There's also a psionic test coming up, it'll be quick."
Jiang Xueming took the tea and drank it all in one gulp. To his surprise, the nerve damage in his brain was almost completely wiped away in an instant.
He could hear the humming as the muscles, air cavities, and acupoints in his limbs and bones tightened and relaxed, and his shoulder and neck bones became flexible and natural once again as they were repositioned. It was even more refreshing than when he slept and cleansed the waste from his skull.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea--
He'll be fine!
Jiang Xueming raised his cup and pressed the doctor for details, wanting to see if he could get this elixir elsewhere. "Doctor, what is this? It's so amazing! Can I buy it elsewhere? If I had it, I wouldn't need to sleep at all!"
The doctor chuckled softly, offering no reply, and pushed Xue Ming's wheelchair, taking him to the psychic energy review agency.
The process of psionic censorship--
That would be even more torturous.
Xue Ming couldn't remember exactly what had happened.
All he knew was that he was pushed into a multi-functional laboratory building and spent about thirty seconds in each of the small cubicles.
These small compartments usually contain living organisms.
Starting with the most basic and common creatures, such as various amniotes, cats, dogs, cows, sheep, lions, tigers, horses, and deer, it's like visiting a zoo.
Then there are snakes, insects, rodents, and rare insects that emit all sorts of strange smells.
There were no isolation or protective measures throughout the entire process; he and the doctor simply walked from room to room.
Xue Ming said he couldn't remember exactly what happened.
It was also because there were so many rooms and they were so cluttered—some of them were even completely empty, without anything at all—that I lingered for thirty seconds.
The feeling was strange; he could vaguely sense something was there, as if there were living beings in the small house, but he couldn't see them. Perhaps it was fungal spores floating in the air, or perhaps it was moss or lichen in some corner.
Until Xue Ming saw the Madness Butterfly in a certain room—so frightening that he almost cursed out loud—the soul medium testing process was far too hardcore; it was possible that, by mistake, both the doctor and the patient would be reduced to mere souls.
After the entire test was completed, the doctor gave Jiang Xueming a small dose of the Universal Elixir as a preventative measure against the Vita Imprint.
Immediately afterwards, Xue Ming was taken to a guest room in the observation room and told to wait for the results.
Xue Ming was utterly shocked. He had never experienced such intense physical and mental stimulation in his entire life; he found it all too mysterious.
If the VIP medical examination process is this bizarre, it's no wonder that Dr. Victor sneaks out every day.
However, there were still a few things he didn't understand.
He had a vague understanding of the three elements—body and spirit.
What exactly does that last "soul" mean?
Just then, Seventh Brother pushed open the door and came in, having prepared a healthy meal for Jiang Xueming.
Xue Ming was just about to ask about the [soul].
9527 put on a pair of glasses and started shaking his head, trying to make the wig print on the lenses fit Qi Jiang Xueming's head.
"Stop messing around," Xue Ming said, pursing her lips, unsure whether to laugh or get angry. She just felt that this girl, 9527, was too strange. "I have something to ask you."
"I didn't do anything!" Seventh Brother said seriously, finally finding a suitable distance to overlap the wig on his glasses with the head of his beloved. "I'm very serious, hey hey hey, okay! Don't move, just like that!"
Jiang Xueming was filled with a million questions. "You're really reacting this strongly to me shaving my head?"
"Fahai! You don't understand love!" 9527 put the tray he was holding on the cart and kicked it in front of Jiang Xueming.
She described it with great seriousness. "I shouldn't be called Bai Qingqing, I should just be called Qingqing. Do you want me to help you with your cultivation?"
"This is a topic we can't just talk about carelessly." Jiang Xueming rolled up his sleeves and started eating. "Miss Bai Ziqing, I'm just an ordinary person—not as interesting as you think. I just talk when I have something to say, and quiet down when I don't. I'm very serious."
"So?" Seventh Brother followed Xue Ming's side profile, shifting his head to align the bald head with the wig in his eyes.
"That's why I said, if this bald head really bothers you or causes you trouble, I'll go find a wig." Jiang Xueming said while stuffing a strip of chicken breast into her mouth, "And is it really that powerful? I really don't understand."
"Do you know, before you shaved your head, I went to the shooting range and got a score of 8.5 points in the overall test." Xiao Qi said it with such conviction, "After shaving my head, every time I saw that round weather vane, I thought of you, and thinking of you made my heart race—and when my heart raced, my gun slowed down, and I fell flat on my face on the side of the third track. My master laughed for half an hour! Believe me, I'm telling the truth! My butt is still swollen! Feel it if you don't believe me?"
"Heh," Xue Ming's cheeks puffed out, holding a broccoli floret in her hand, and she turned around to reply, "Don't do that, Seventh Brother. If you're a man and I'm a woman, let's switch genders—you want me to touch your butt? This will be trending on social media soon, no way, you're engaging in gender bullying."
"Hey!" 9527 chuckled, closed his eyes, and sat down next to Xue Ming: "Why are you suddenly talking so much today?"
Jiang Xueming answered truthfully, "Yes, I'm happy."
9527 closed her eyes, her expression incredulous—she had always thought Jiang Xueming was a person who never showed his emotions.
Now the man is happily munching on broccoli, seemingly a completely different person from when he's working.
Seventh Brother asked, "Really?"
Jiang Xueming replied, "Yes, I'm really happy to have brought A Xing back. I get another holiday, and I can finally rest after finishing my work. I'm not a robot; I just don't like to joke around when I'm doing serious business. Brother Ye Bei once told me that a person is like a bow—it needs to be taut and loose at times. How can it always be fully drawn? It will break!"
Seventh Brother slowly opened his eyes and saw that the "pretty monk" had broken his abstinence from meat while eating a healthy meal. He felt a little itchy and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.
"You're always thinking about Brother Ye Bei. It's like he's very important to you?"
"That's right." Jiang Xueming finished all the food in one small compartment and started eating his second. He felt extremely hungry after the examination. "My older brother is really good to me. He gives me work, pays me a salary, takes care of my sister—and tells me not to do bad things, to study hard, to become a useful member of society, to care for and understand others."
"Ah! Sounds like a formidable rival in love!" 9527 suppressed the urge to think of [Tian Boguang flirting with a little nun] and found this employer increasingly irresistibly adorable.
He appears both complex and simple.
Meticulous in work, but capable of ruthless and decisive in dealing with people.
A well-behaved and adorable girl who excels at housekeeping and eating.
"Of course, you've been very kind to me too, thank you." Jiang Xueming thanked him earnestly, "How about I treat you to dinner? What kind of food do you like?"
"Uh, let's get down to business, shall we?" 9527 clutched her chest, unprepared for a response to the "date" question, afraid she might faint again. "What were you going to ask me?"
After finishing his second fitness meal, Jiang Xueming asked, "What is the soul within the ternary substance? The doctor just gave me a test, and he took me to see so many animals. Why is that?"
"It's very complicated. Extremely complicated. It has to start with a very big topic. Do you have time?" (9527 rarely gets serious.)
Jiang Xueming immediately grabbed this [serious Seventh Brother], "Then wait for me a moment, I'll change my clothes and go get my medical results. We'll go find A Xing, and we can talk slowly on the way, okay?"
When Seventh Brother felt Xue Ming grip his arm, the little deer in his heart transformed into Optimus Prime with antlers. Suddenly, he understood Xue Ming's dump truck aesthetics and was almost driven crazy by it.
"Okay, okay. Let go of me first."
Xue Ming was changing clothes inside, while Seventh Brother was outside, briefly discussing the matter of the [soul].
"The soul is a very, very complex and intricate subject—like our brain and genes, it cannot be viewed as a whole simply from a pair of genes or a pair of neural synapses. That's why, during testing, doctors will ask you to come into contact with so many different organisms."
"Life has evolved over 500 million years, becoming a vast and difficult-to-classify system—to describe it using chaos theory would be a bit of a repetitive exercise. I will try my best to explain what [the soul] is based on my understanding."
"Just like the other two components of the three elements—the body—exists at all times; it is indestructible matter and the direct medium through which humans communicate with all things."
"The spirit is the information left behind by matter. It changes constantly. Our brains modify themselves, causing changes in synapses, learning new skills, remembering new events, and developing strong bodies—like water or fire, it determines the form of our bodies. Like DNA, or like the brainwave spectrum on an oscilloscope, it is a secondary medium for communication between humans and all things."
"As for the soul, this mysterious and elusive thing, I actually believe it exists somewhere between non-existence and existence."
Jiang Xueming's voice came from inside the door.
"I understand the first two! But the rest are just riddles! Seventh Brother! Get straight to the point!"
"It's really hard to put this directly. It's very convoluted," 9527 described. "It's like when we read a book or listen to someone tell a story, it's very, very difficult to resonate with it, right? Unless the author's writing style is amazing, and the way they tell the story or express emotions is truly soulful!"
"That makes sense, go on."
"Music, art, words—any medium that can carry emotional expression, or even things related to clothing, food, housing, and transportation—can leave behind strong personal symbols. People often say, 'This dish, this road, this piece of clothing, this house, and so on, are all filled with the soul of their creator.'"
"I can understand a little bit of it."
"It's good that you can understand. I think the soul, as the last medium of the three elements, is constantly expressing itself and determining a person's state of being [alive]. It both exists and does not exist, like a camera that captures every actual product created by the body and spirit at every moment—as the saying goes, there are three kinds of death: physical death, spiritual death, and the death of the soul."
Seventh Brother looked up and saw Hohnheim's portrait.
"Physical death is the moment when a person's vital signs and brain electrical signals cease."
"The death of the spirit is the moment when no new changes occur to any information left behind by that person during their lifetime."
"The death of the soul is the moment when all the historical facts about that person are forgotten."
Seventh Brother continued to explain.
"It's really complicated. Language is such a barren and empty thing. To describe it clearly, as I just said, you have to find it yourself."
As Jiang Xueming changed her clothes, she said, "Professor Victor told me about this. We all have a 'path of necessity' and a 'Must-choose question' in our hearts—a path that only we ourselves can find."
Seventh Brother snapped his fingers, "That's right! Employer, the BOSS has arranged a fantastic teacher for you!"
"Speaking of Teacher Seven, didn't you want to talk about your master?" Jiang Xueming asked again, "Could you tell me about him?"
"Then let's forget about it for now. I can chat with you for two or three hours, hehe." Speaking of Bai Yueguang in his heart, Jiu Wu Er Qi laughed out loud.
"So, does your master really laugh 'ga ga ga ga ga'?" Jiang Xueming asked casually. "Is that kind of laughter something you passed down from your fellow disciples? It's kind of scary."
"No... I'm exceptionally gifted!" Seventh Brother said rather embarrassedly, "My master is... expressionless."
Facial paralysis?
9527's voice trailed off. "Yes, facial paralysis. She often pinches the corners of her mouth with both hands when she smiles, or rubs her face to make expressions."
Jiang Xueming opened the door. "Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."
Unexpectedly, Seventh Brother was leaning against the door, and before he knew it, he had fallen into Xue Ming's arms.
In that instant, Bai Qingqing felt as if time had slowed down.
Her soul was about to leave her body at this very moment.
Her eyes were glazed over, and her heart rate soared. She was contemplating whether to sing "West Lake Water, My Tears," but felt that doing so would absolutely ruin the atmosphere.
Jiang Xueming didn't dare to move rashly.
He held onto Seventh Brother's waist, one hand touching his firm abs, the other gripping his upper arm, pondering Seventh Brother's physique. He figured one punch from him could easily break two of his bones. This girl was really healthy and a formidable fighter.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Before Brother Qi could boil water and cook two packets of White Elephant instant noodles on his face.
Xue Ming began to ponder that it would be a waste not to massage the back muscles and spine properly a couple of times.
Someone broke the awkward silence.
That man was none other than Seventh Brother's mentor.
--He is a VIP's personal attendant.
She walked barefoot on the mahogany floor, quickly approaching, her footsteps silent, like a cat.
Just as Bai Qingqing said, her master was expressionless, with no facial expressions at all; only his eyes could speak.
Her hair and clothes swayed in unison with her hands— Xue Ming found it hard to imagine what kind of woman she was; just walking gave off a domineering feeling, like being under the blazing sun.
Immediately afterwards, the master pulled 9527 out of Xue Ming, like he was playing with a toy doll.
"Sorry to bother you while you're looking for a man."
Then the woman took out a medical report from her dress and handed it to Jiang Xueming.
"Keep it safe."
Jiang Xueming wanted to ask for a name and say thank you.
"My name is Su Ling, Su as in Suzhou, Ling as in 'Hun Tian Ling' (a type of ancient Chinese silk ribbon). The line of people asking for my phone number stretches from the train station reception hall to the ring expressway—" After saying this, this Ms. Su took out a calculator, did some calculations, then took out a piece of paper, wrote down a number, and then left a rosy lipstick stain on the paper. "--Following the queue, your number is 1145141919810. These days, there are many scalpers maliciously queuing up to resell phone numbers; it's also a new type of cryptocurrency scam. I've roughly calculated that you can come find me when you're around sixty-two years old."
This inexplicable self-introduction left Jiang Xueming completely baffled. Looking at the string of numbers, he realized that Seventh Brother's mathematical abilities were probably inherited from his master.
Seventh Brother stood on tiptoe, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at the white A Xing in his heart.
"Come on, smile." Teacher Su took out a very old Polaroid camera, pulled Xiao Qi and Xue Ming together for a group photo, and casually made a peace sign with her left hand, pouting her lips and giving a forced smile.
The flash of an old-fashioned camera went off.
Before Xue Ming could say anything more, Teacher Su flicked the photo to make it quickly take shape, then stuffed the group photo into the pocket of the child's open-crotch pants.
"Nice clothes." Teacher Su clapped her hands lightly, one hand clapping in front of her chest. "I hope there are more skillful young men like you at the station, so this old auntie can see some perks every day."
Seventh Brother whispered, "Master! I told you! I told you!"
Teacher Su: "Alright, shut up. Can't you be a little more reserved? I've already reprimanded you—"
"--Got it! If you want to marry me, you either have to beat me or be smarter than me! Dating isn't charity!" 9527 shook his head, repeating like a broken record.
With a flick of her wrist, Teacher Su sent her hair flying, the ends of which brushed against Xiao Qi's face—a small punishment meant to teach her a lesson. "You knew it, yet you still clung to me? Does your bottom still hurt?"
9527 immediately cowered. "It hurts!"
"That shouldn't be the case. With your build, did you hurt your bottom, or...?" Teacher Su seemed to realize something. "Oh! Oh! OHHHHH!"
Seventh Brother waved his little hand. "What are you thinking about, Master!"
That expressionless yet feigned surprised hand gesture completely baffled Xue Ming —it was truly mysterious.
"I understand, I'll go first." With that, the young woman, barely twenty-five or twenty-six, walked deeper into the medical facility.
"What do you know!" Xiao Qi hurriedly tried to explain.
But Ms. Su Ling didn't give her a chance to explain.
--Just as we were about to walk out of the corridor, he suddenly turned around and popped his head out at the corner. It felt like Tom was secretly observing us, craning his neck as if he were watching us from the shadows.
"Xiao Qi, you're right, he really can make a living off his looks, and he can make your butt hurt for so long."
They didn't even say goodbye, which gave Xue Ming a very strange feeling.
--Like a stray cat that, by chance, came to your side, rubbed against you a few times, and then scurried away.
As you turn the corner, it will turn back and call out to you with a mix of indifference and enthusiasm.
"Bai Qingqing, your master just said that you fell down and kept crying in pain to act cute." Jiang Xueming's expression was serious. "But I suspect she was making a fuss, though I have no proof."
Xiao Qi's emotions were very complicated.
She was both annoyed and amused. She felt embarrassed and ashamed.
Raise your hand high, then lower it gently.
Just as Jiang Xueming was secretly laughing, he lightly tapped her.
"Rogue."
This word seems to describe herself.
She drank the wine, her face turned even redder, and her heart fluttered along with it.
The best flavor is the one that leaves you wanting more.