Ash Realm

"Gray Realm Convergence?"

Chen Ling did remember seeing that term somewhere. The original owner of this body had probably come across it before.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten even the Ash Realm." Doctor Lin rose to his feet, poured the blood from the tea mug down the drain, and spoke slowly.

"Before the Great Cataclysm, someone proposed a hypothesis that countless parallel spacetime dimensions existed in this universe. These dimensions were formed at the birth of the universe, like light released when a candle was lit, spreading in every direction. But because light was infinite, they extended endlessly into every possibility and never intersected."

"But after the Crimson Meteor streaked across the sky, everything fell into chaos."

"Every spacetime dimension was thrown into turmoil, and an unknown, bizarre gray world began overlapping with the real world."

After washing the tea mug, Doctor Lin did not pour out the water. Instead, he set it on the table. Having used some force while washing it, the water inside rippled in waves.

Doctor Lin tore off a slip of paper and held it above the rippling water. The surging water gradually soaked the paper, spreading from scattered, uneven droplets until it seeped across the entire sheet.

"At first, only a small portion intersected. But as time passed, the overlapping regions grew larger and larger. Matter and creatures from that world began appearing in ours. By now, most places once inhabited by humanity have been occupied by that world. Only nine 'domains' remain to shelter humanity and preserve the flame."

"Since the sky in that world is gray, we call it the 'Ash Realm.'"

"When the Ash Realm intersects with reality, it produces a series of bizarre events beyond human understanding. Monsters belonging to the Ash Realm may even descend upon us—the things we call 'Calamities.'"

"Generally speaking, among survivors who have encountered a Gray Realm Convergence or been attacked by a Calamity, eighty percent suffer mental breakdowns. Most of them can never recover for the rest of their lives..."

"I suspect your current condition has something to do with the Ash Realm."

"Think carefully. Have you ever encountered a Gray Realm Convergence and been caught up in it?"

Faced with Doctor Lin's question, Chen Ling tried his best to search through the original owner's memories, but found nothing... No matter how hard he thought, he could not recall any other memories from last night.

"I don't know." He spoke bitterly.

Doctor Lin pondered for a moment, then took out a sheet of letter paper from a drawer and began writing swiftly.

"Your condition is no longer as simple as a mental illness... I'm only an ordinary person. I can't cure you.

"However, I know someone. When it comes to treating the aftereffects of Ash Realm contamination, he may be able to help.

"After all, he is a true [Doctor]."

Chen Ling's eyes lit up faintly upon hearing this. "Where can I find him?"

"He lives in Aurora City, but he usually likes wandering around and offering free treatment. Wherever he hears there are difficult or unusual cases, that's where he goes. This is their path to godhood...

"Anyway, give this letter to the Enforcers at Aurora City's gate. Leave your name and address, and they'll pass it along for you.

"At most, within three days, that [Doctor] will come to find you himself."

"Thank you!"

Chen Ling took the envelope and thanked him sincerely.

In truth, when he had seen the grains of salt melting on the road, Chen Ling had already sensed that something was wrong. What had happened to him no longer seemed explainable as an illness. He had come to this little clinic partly because he was already halfway there, and partly because he truly did not know where else might be able to help him.

From Doctor Lin's words, this doctor seemed to be someone extraordinary. He had even mentioned a path to godhood...

Could it be that this world also had its own unique system of human cultivation? Otherwise, based on Doctor Lin's account, all of humanity should have perished during the Great Cataclysm and the Gray Realm Convergence.

Chen Ling even felt that this world's warped level of science might be related to the Great Cataclysm.

"No need to thank me. Give my regards to your younger brother." Doctor Lin smiled faintly.

"He's still hospitalized in District Two... I'll pass them on when I visit him next time."

Chen Ling stood, bid Doctor Lin farewell, and pushed open the door to leave.

As his figure gradually vanished beneath the aurora-streaked sky, Doctor Lin narrowed his eyes slightly.

"An actor..."

"The first time I saw the screen in my dream, the audience anticipation was 29%."

"When I tried to escape for my life, it rose to 30%."

"On the way here, it dropped back down to 27%..."

"Just now, when Doctor Lin was pranked, it rose to 29% again."

"If the 'Audience' really exists in my mind, and these numbers aren't an illusion, then what exactly affects whether the Expectation Value rises or falls?"

The cold wind howled. Wrapped in a thick padded robe, Chen Ling walked toward home while thinking seriously.

Stage, Audience, Expectation Value... Every increase in Expectation Value seemed to be accompanied by an event. Could those events be considered "plot" on the stage?

The more interesting the events around him were, the more appealing the "plot" would be to the Audience, thus raising their Expectation Value?

The screen said that when audience anticipation fell below 20%, the actor's personal safety would not be guaranteed...

Chen Ling did not know what kind of danger that meant. But since the "Audience" could interfere with reality to a certain extent, perhaps he would become their tool for venting frustration and be pranked to death by their tricks!

Chen Ling felt his line of reasoning was correct, but proving it would require actual action.

"Maybe I should try actively designing some 'plot.'"

Chen Ling muttered to himself.

"A-Ling, have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Chen Ling turned his head and saw an uncle with a towel wrapped around his head fanning the stove at a breakfast stall by the roadside, calling out to him warmly.

The instant he saw him, an idea suddenly flashed through Chen Ling's mind.

"Not yet, Uncle Zhao." A faint smile rose on Chen Ling's lips as he walked toward the stall.

"Come, come. I'll get you some soy milk and fried dough sticks. It poured last night, and the damp chill is heavy. You need some breakfast to warm yourself up." Uncle Zhao scooped up a steaming bowl of soy milk and brought it over.

"Thanks, Uncle Zhao."

Chen Ling rummaged through his pocket, pulled out three copper coins, and handed them to Uncle Zhao, only for the latter to push them back.

"Your uncle's treating you to breakfast. How could I let you pay?"

"Don't do that, Uncle Zhao. We may have been neighbors for over a decade, but what needs settling still needs settling."

"You kid, I don't want your money. When you have time, help tutor our Xiao Yi a little. Then I'll bring you breakfast every day." Uncle Zhao grinned, revealing a mouthful of large yellow teeth.

"Hasn't he already graduated? He still needs tutoring?"

"With scores like his, he can't even get assigned a job. I'm planning to have him repeat the year. I can't have him doing odd jobs for others every day, can I?"

"Oh..."

"A-Ling is still the best—smart and filial. If Xiao Yi could get into the Enforcers like you someday, I'd wake up laughing from my dreams."

Uncle Zhao let out a long sigh. "Too bad that brat is so disappointing."

Chen Ling's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.

"Uncle Zhao... do you know why Zhao Yi is so bad at studying?"

"Huh? Why?"

Chen Ling was about to say something, but then fell silent for a long while. In the end, he shook his head. "Forget it, Uncle Zhao. Pretend I never said anything... I promised him I'd keep it secret."

"Don't!"

Uncle Zhao's heart began racing. He casually added a braised egg to Chen Ling's meal and scratched his head anxiously.

"A-Ling, I know you're Xiao Yi's good friend, but there are some things... I, I should know something too as his father, right? I raised Xiao Yi all by myself. I get up before dawn and work until dark every day to earn money and put him through school, all so he can have a better life later...

"If you know anything, you have to tell me! We're all doing this for his own good..."

Seeing Uncle Zhao question him so urgently, Chen Ling was slightly moved. After struggling for a moment, he seemed to make up his mind.

"Uncle Zhao, you're right. As his friend, I really can't bear to watch Zhao Yi keep degenerating like this..."

"De-degenerating? What exactly happened to him?"

"He's in a relationship."

"Huh?" Uncle Zhao froze. "That brat has that kind of charm?"

Without changing expression, Chen Ling took a bite of his fried dough stick and calmly spat out three words.

"With a man."