"A mirror itself does not generate Mental Power Field, but it can reflect light, creating a mirror image of us in the human visual system. The person in the mirror is unconscious because she does not exist, but from our visual perspective, she definitely exists, which constitutes a Real-Scene Dream similar to sleepwalking."
When we separate the person in the mirror from ourselves, forget the principles of optics, forget the rules of physics, and look at her in isolation, she is a sleepwalker.
She was unconscious and unaware of what she was doing; all her actions were determined by another consciousness—that is, me standing in front of the mirror. I am equivalent to the subconscious of the person in the mirror.
The subconscious constructs the dream world, which highly overlaps with the real world. The world in the mirror is equivalent to her real world, while our real world outside the mirror is equivalent to the dream world of the person in the mirror, because 'I' am her subconscious.
This inverted worldview forms a mental mirror image, or a negative of the real world. 'I' am no longer 'me,' but 'my' subconscious, and the place where the subconscious resides is the dream world. In this Mirror World, within the area of the mirror's surface and my field of vision, a dream space of Real-Scene Dream is formed, and this space is covered by a virtual Mental Power Field.
This Mental Power Field does theoretically exist, because human Mental Power is a wave, and its properties are similar to electromagnetic waves; it will also reflect when it encounters a mirror. However, the Mental Power of ordinary people is very weak, so their Mental Power Field is also very weak.
If a person looks in the mirror for too long, they may feel a little disoriented. This is because of the interaction between the Mental Power Field and their subconscious.
I interviewed many participants and found that as long as they were given a little suggestion, it was easy to get them into a real Real-Scene Dream, that is, a sleepwalking state.
So I started using mirrors to simulate the Tapu in order to test the effects of this Mental Power Field on people, with the aim of deduce the exact location of all the Tapu. To put it in a more mystical way, you could say I was researching some kind of formation.
Situ carefully explained his understanding of Tapu and the purpose of conducting the mirror experiment.
The meat on the fire was cooked, Ivan shared it with everyone. Most people couldn't understand what Situ was saying, so they just listened to the story while eating, except for Qingmu and Su Huilan who listened very attentively.
Qingmu sighed inwardly, having to admit that this guy was truly a genius. He had never figured out the mirror thing, and even after witnessing Tapu's energy on Tubuai Island, he hadn't connected it to the mirror.
To be able to design mirror experiments using the Tapu, and then use those experiments to deduce the energy intensity and arrangement rules of all the Tapu —what else could this be but genius? It seems he has succeeded in his derivation; otherwise, he wouldn't have reappeared in the South Pacific and, quite coincidentally, encountered the research vessel Discovery.
"Why choose those ignorant girls from Wuzhong Conservatory of Music?" This was the question that bothered Qingmu the most. In his view, such an experiment was not impossible, but it should be done in a laboratory, such as in Mei Yiqiu's experimental building. It was extremely irresponsible to just pick any school and let a group of students sleepwalk.
Situ said, "The core of this experiment is the influence of the subconscious. The subjects must not know the purpose of the experiment, or even that it is an experiment, otherwise the experiment will fail due to the suggestive effect of the subconscious. I can only find subjects in life."
Art students, especially female students, are the ideal test subjects. They are young, curious, and very sensitive, but they have a superficial understanding of physics and are easily drawn into nihilism. They admire scientific truth while believing in ghosts and gods. With just a little hint, they can achieve the desired effect.
By chance, I met a girl named Li Qian from Wuzhong Conservatory of Music. She was a materialist, but very intelligent. With her, I completed a twelve-phase mirror simulation experiment of Mental Power Field and made some special discoveries. Just then, some changes occurred in the South Pacific, so I left in a hurry.
I remember that when I left, I had already eliminated the negative psychological impact on them and left Li Qian a large sum of money to distribute to the other subjects as compensation. Although I knew that this materialistic girl might embezzle the money, I simply didn't have time.
"That's all I can explain. I hope you're satisfied with my answer." Situ looked at Qingmu, then added, "As for my trip to Wuzhong... it was for some personal matters."
Qingmu certainly knew what his so-called private matter was. At that time, Situ should have already discovered some signs of the Parasitic Consciousness invasion. He needed to return to confirm the safety of the Xia Family so that he could consider letting his wife Xia Xiaoxiao and daughter Meimei return to Wuzhong for refuge, because he was going to do something big in South Pacific.
However, he immediately noticed something amiss and asked, "With your abilities, it's impossible that you didn't discover that Elder Xia had been possessed by the shadow. Why did you still feel at ease letting your wife take your daughter back to Wuzhong?"
"Because I made an unexpected discovery in Wuzhong —Mr. Qingmu, hiding in a bar on an old street!" Situ laughed heartily. "You're more suited than me to handle my father-in-law's problem in Wuzhong."
Qingmu recalled Xia Xiaoxiao mentioning that Situ said as long as Qingmu was there, Wuzhong would be safe. He was astonished and asked, "Could it be... that I went to see Elder Xia, and you arranged it?"
Situ smiled but remained silent.
Qingmu suddenly understood many things.
Professor Mei is renowned for his neurophysics and has a wide range of expertise and achievements, but he is not a professional doctor. With the Xia Family's wealth, it wouldn't have been difficult to arrange a consultation with the world's best doctors. In fact, they did receive treatment at Hopkins Medical Center. However, the Xia Family ultimately turned to Mei Yiqiu, who, instead of Mei Yiqiu, passed the task on to Qingmu. This was all rather strange, but Qingmu was too lazy to think about it or ask any questions. Today, he finally understood that it was because Situ had made the arrangements.
Having figured this out, Qingmu immediately thought of something else. His mind went blank for a moment, and when he looked at Situ in front of him, he became even more mysterious.
"Could it be... that the professor asked me to help interrogate Zhao Pengcheng in the criminal investigation team... that was also arranged by you?"
"I suppose so," Situ said. "My father-in-law's status is special. Without sufficient trust, even if Professor Mei went in person, it's not certain that the treatment would proceed smoothly according to a doctor's wishes. The old man and his wife both like their granddaughter Hu Xing very much. If you get to know her well, it will naturally be easier for you to enter the Xia Family. To be honest, I'm worried that they are too rigid, and if you don't gain their trust, you might quit, and then all my efforts would be in vain."
"So, you knew all along that Zhao Pengcheng was being parasitized?"
"Yes, I found out after he destroyed the brain of that person in a vegetative state at the hospital."
Qingmu felt a chill run down his spine, as if he had become invisible, and everything was part of someone else's scheme. He instinctively reached for the cigarettes in his pocket, but found nothing. Fortunately, his fingers touched the willow branch in his arms, and the familiar vitality emanating from it made him feel a little better.
"You're a terrible person!" He sighed, his laziness suddenly acting up again. He stretched and decided not to pursue the matter any further. Who cares how he did it? Trying to understand something that only someone with an IQ of 150 with an IQ of 50 will never get anywhere. It's better not to think about it at all.
Situ became curious. "What's so scary about me?"
"You know too much, like you know everything," Qingmu said. "People who know too much are always scary."
Situ replied, "I don't know everything. For example, there's something I've never been clear about."
"What's up?"
"Who are you?"
"Who I am?"
Qingmu's head started throbbing again as soon as he heard the question.