"Gray Realm intersection?"
The term indeed existed in Chen Ling's memory; the Original Host must have seen it somewhere.
"Don't tell me you even forgot about the Gray Realm." Lin Doctor stood up, poured the fresh blood from his teacup into the drainpipe, and slowly began to speak.
"Before the Great Disaster, someone once proposed a hypothesis that in this universe, countless parallel timelines exist. These timelines were all formed from the birth of the earliest universe, like light rays released after a candle flame is lit, spreading in all directions. But because light rays are infinite, they extend infinitely in all possibilities and never intersect."
"But after the red meteor streaked across, everything went awry."
"All timelines were stirred into fluctuation, and an unknown, eerie gray world began to overlap with the real world."
After washing his teacup, Lin Doctor did not pour out the water but placed it on the table. Because he used some force during the process, the water surface inside the cup rippled.
Lin Doctor tore off a piece of paper and placed it on top of the rippling water. The undulating water began to dampen the paper, starting from unevenly distributed small water stains and gradually permeating the entire paper surface.
"Initially, only a small part intersected, but as time passed, more and more areas intersected. Matter and creatures from that world began to appear in our world, and even most of the habitats originally belonging to humans have now been occupied by that world, leaving only nine 'Domains' to shelter humanity and keep the flame alive."
"Because the sky in that world is gray, we call it the 'Gray Realm'."
"When the Gray Realm intersects with reality, a series of bizarre events beyond comprehension will occur, and even monsters belonging to the Gray Realm, which we call 'Calamities,' will descend."
"Generally speaking, among survivors who encounter Gray Realm intersections or are attacked by Calamities, eighty percent will experience mental derangement, and most of them will never recover…"
"I suspect your current situation is related to the 'Gray Realm'."
"Think hard, have you ever encountered a Gray Realm intersection and been caught in it?"
Faced with Lin Doctor's inquiry, Chen Ling tried hard to search the Original Host's memories but ultimately found nothing… No matter how he recalled, he couldn't remember any other memories from last night.
"I don't know," he said bitterly.
Lin Doctor pondered for a moment, took out a letter from a drawer, and quickly began to write.
"Your situation is no longer as simple as a mental illness… I am just an ordinary person and cannot cure you.
However, I know someone who might be able to help with treating the after-effects of Gray Realm contamination.
After all, he is a true [Doctor]."
Hearing this, a faint light lit up in Chen Ling's eyes. "Where can I find him?"
"He lives in Aurora City, but he usually likes to travel around offering free medical consultations. I heard he goes wherever there are difficult and complicated diseases. This is their path to becoming a god…
In short, hand this letter to the Enforcer at the gate of Aurora City, leave your name and address, and they will forward it for you.
Within three days at most, that [Doctor] will come to you personally."
"Thank you!"
Chen Ling took the envelope and thanked him sincerely.
In fact, when he saw the salt grains melting on the road, Chen Ling already felt something was wrong. What was happening to him seemed no longer explainable by illness. Coming to this small clinic was partly because he had already walked halfway, and partly because he truly didn't know where else could possibly help him besides here.
According to Lin Doctor, this [Doctor] seemed to have something special about him, and he even mentioned the path to becoming a god…
Could it be that this world also had a unique human cultivation system? Otherwise, according to Lin Doctor's statement, all of humanity should have died out during the so-called Great Disaster and Gray Realm intersection.
Chen Ling even felt that the distorted scientific level of this world might also be related to the Great Disaster.
"You're welcome. Say hello to your brother for me," Lin Doctor smiled slightly.
"He's still hospitalized in the Second District… I'll pass on your regards next time I visit him."
Chen Ling got up, bid farewell to Lin Doctor, and pushed the door open to leave.
As that figure gradually disappeared beneath the Aurora-filled sky, Lin Doctor's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A performer, huh…"
…
"The first time I saw the screen in my dream, the audience expectation was 29%."
"When I tried to escape, it jumped to 30%."
"On the way here, it dropped back to 27%…"
"Just now, when Lin Doctor was pranked, it rose to 29% again."
"Assuming 'the audience' is really in my mind, and these numbers are not hallucinations, then what exactly influences the rise and fall of expectation?"
The cold wind was bleak. Chen Ling, wrapped in a thick cotton robe, walked towards home while deep in thought.
Stage, audience, expectation… Every time the expectation increased, it seemed to be accompanied by an event. Could these events be seen as "plots" on a stage?
The more interesting the events happening around him, the greater the "plot's" appeal to the audience, thereby increasing expectation?
The screen said that if the audience expectation falls below 20%, the actor's personal safety will not be guaranteed…
Chen Ling didn't know what kind of danger it was, but judging from the fact that "the audience" could interfere with reality to a certain extent, he might end up becoming their tool for venting anger, pranked to death by magic!
Chen Ling felt his line of reasoning was correct, but to prove its accuracy, he still needed to take practical action.
"Perhaps, I should try to actively design 'plots'."
Chen Ling muttered to himself.
"A Ling, have you had breakfast?"
Chen Ling turned his head and saw an uncle with a towel wrapped around his head fanning a stove in a breakfast stall on the street, warmly calling out to him.
The moment he saw him, an idea suddenly flashed through Chen Ling's mind.
"Not yet, Uncle Zhao." Chen Ling's lips curved slightly, and he walked towards the stall.
"Come, come, let me get you some soy milk and fried dough sticks. It rained heavily last night, and the humidity is high. It's not good if you don't eat some breakfast to warm up," Uncle Zhao came over, serving a bowl of steaming hot soy milk.
"Thanks, Uncle Zhao."
Chen Ling fumbled in his pocket, pulled out three copper coins, and handed them to Uncle Zhao, but the latter pushed them back.
"Uncle's treating you to breakfast, how can I let you pay?"
"No, Uncle Zhao, even though we've been neighbors for over ten years, what should be counted still has to be counted."
"You kid, Uncle doesn't want your money. When you have time, help Xiao Yi with his homework more often, and Uncle will bring you breakfast every day," Uncle Zhao said with a grin, revealing a mouthful of large yellow teeth.
"Didn't he already graduate? Does he still need tutoring?"
"With his scores, he won't even get assigned a job. I plan to let him repeat a year. He can't just work odd jobs every day, can he?"
"Oh…"
"A Ling is still the best, smart and filial. If only Xiao Yi could pass the Enforcer exam like you someday, I'd wake up laughing in my dreams."
Uncle Zhao sighed, "Too bad, this kid isn't striving."
Chen Ling's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he still spoke:
"Uncle Zhao… do you know why Zhao Yi's studies are so bad?"
"Huh? Why?"
Chen Ling was about to say something but then fell silent for a long time. He still shook his head, "Never mind, Uncle Zhao, just forget I mentioned it… I promised him to keep it a secret."
"Don't!"
Uncle Zhao's heart raced. He casually added a braised egg to Chen Ling's bowl, scratching his head anxiously.
"A Ling, I know you're Xiao Yi's good friend, but some things… I, as his father, need to know a little, right? I raised Xiao Yi alone, getting up early and staying up late to earn money to send him to school, all so he could have a better life later…
If you know anything, you must tell me! We're all doing it for his own good…"
Seeing Uncle Zhao's urgent questioning, Chen Ling was slightly moved. He deliberated for a moment, as if having made up his mind,
"Uncle Zhao, you're right. As a friend, I also can't bear to see Zhao Yi continue to degenerate like this…"
"Degenerate? What exactly happened to him?"
"He's in love."
"Huh?" Uncle Zhao was stunned. "That kid has that kind of charm?"
Chen Ling took a bite of his fried dough stick without changing his expression, and calmly uttered three words:
"With a man."