When Zhao Si's consciousness returned to his body, the first thing he felt was a mass of cold.
The cold did not come from his body, but from his consciousness.
"Your consciousness betrayed you..."
It sounded as though someone was murmuring beside his ear, a man's hoarse voice, strange and unpleasant.
"What script are we following now?" Zhao Si raised his eyebrows. "Is there something living in my head, talking to me?"
Zhao Si sat cross-legged within his own consciousness and noticed a patch of light appear before him.
The surrounding space instantly turned white, so dazzling that he felt as though he might go blind. He had no choice but to shield his eyes.
"Sure, we're technically in a mental space right now, but isn't this a bit much? This is my consciousness, you know," Zhao Si complained.
"Hmm..."
A voice came from the light. "I'll dim it a little."
The white light immediately softened considerably, allowing Zhao Si to see a luminous mass before him, surrounded by rainbows and halos.
"So... what are you?" Zhao Si asked.
"Your consciousness," the luminous mass replied.
Zhao Si held his forehead. "What a tired plot. Whether it's someone living in my head or a conversation with myself, those are both outdated tropes. If you're out of fresh ideas, try biting a lighter."
"Haha." Laughter came from the luminous mass. "What would count as fresh? Would saying, 'I am the Greater Will,' make this trendy?"
"If you want, you can give one a bite."
A disposable lighter made of colored plastic appeared within the luminous mass.
"Sorry, I don't smoke. I don't need a lighter." Zhao Si waved it away.
"I'm telling you to bite it," the luminous mass said.
"Piss off~" Zhao Si said with a "kindly" expression. "Can we get