After seeing the name "Liu Ru," Akaseki fell into thought...
Of course, he wasn't thinking about whom to give up!
That required no thought at all. Akaseki had never identified with the role that strongly. When he first saw "Liu Ru," he hadn't even registered who she was...
But that was precisely why he started thinking—why had "Liu Ru" gotten mixed into this?
If this was based solely on Akaseki's real feelings, this nonexistent "Liu Ru" wouldn't even rank three hundredth, let alone third! But if something was wrong with the gate, and it had mistaken the emotions imposed on him while his hypothalamus was under delegated control for real feelings, then, much as Akaseki hated to say it... Ranwu and Minato wouldn't be at the top!
It wasn't that Akaseki was heartless. The emotions in those trashy dramas were simply too intense.
When he played the protagonist, "Hong Yan," Akaseki was constantly desperate to die over someone.
Yet this "Rashomon" had reached a judgment that fit neither possibility.
Especially when "Liu Ru's" name appeared—it had clearly "agonized" over that...
Akaseki had two theories about this. First, "Rashomon" could not only read minds but also verify names, and therefore found the nonexistent "Liu Ru" puzzling. Second, when making its judgment, "Rashomon" was also struggling to decide whether temporary emotions involving only the hypothalamus, with no participation from the hippocampus or amygdala, could count as grounds for judgment. Hence its apparent hesitation.
After some thought, Akaseki guessed it was the latter...
That would explain why "Liu Ru" had barely made the list, and only in third place—"Rashomon" had probably been baffled too, unsure whether she should count!
"Please make your choice!" the Emotion Gate urged.
At the same time, Akaseki felt a gradually growing pull from behind him...
If he didn't