“You make it sound dangerous, but there aren’t many normal people who can stand out here anyway,” Qi Xia said.

“Yes, those who can reach the pinnacle are either lunatics or monsters. As for the second drawback of ‘making wishes come true,’ it’s that the so-called ‘immortal techniques’ have been split into thousands upon thousands of parts,” Earth-Snake continued. “This doesn’t look like true ‘making wishes come true’ at all. Those who want wind can only have wind, those who want rain can only have rain. So my teacher spent a very long time specifically researching these two subjects. First, how can you strengthen a person’s belief? Second, how can you enable a person to obtain multiple ‘immortal techniques’?”

“And then?”

“And then… he achieved extremely significant ‘research results.'”

Before Earth-Snake could explain what his so-called “research results” were, Qi Xia interrupted him, saying, “So the things on your back are the ‘research process.'”

“Of course…” Earth-Snake smiled bitterly. “Not just me—I have many colleagues. We’re all part of the ‘research process.’ In order to contribute the best ‘research results’ to ‘Dragon’ and the ‘Divine Beasts,’ we’ve endured pain that normal people could never possibly endure. Now we’re more monstrous than monsters.”

Chen Junnan grew increasingly angry as he listened from the side, cursing under his breath, “That Heavenly-Snake bastard already looks perverted enough, who knew the things he does would be this perverted too.”

“No, the teacher is great,” Earth-Snake said. “Our sacrifices are all necessary… And besides, it’s because I wanted to become a ‘test subject’ that I ultimately became like this…”

“Why the fuck do you always have to lie to yourself?!” Chen Junnan was about to step forward to argue with Earth-Snake when Qi Xia reached out and stopped him.

“Don’t try to persuade him about this,” Qi Xia said in a low voice. “This is probably the only thought he uses to hypnotize himself. Once his belief collapses, he’ll become a completely insane snake.”

“This…” Chen Junnan looked at Earth-Snake with difficulty, finally turning his head away unconvinced.

“My teacher… he always takes unconventional approaches…” Earth-Snake smiled miserably. “Perhaps geniuses and madmen are often separated by just a single thought… He’s the genius who most resembles a madman.”

“How so?” Qi Xia asked.

“Initially, his research topic was ‘how to give a person powerful belief,’ but through multiple experiments he learned that the stronger the belief, the more insane the person becomes,” Earth-Snake explained. “There seems to be a subtle critical point in this. If a person goes completely insane, they don’t know what ‘Echo’ is. But if they’re only on the verge of going insane, they can’t unleash the strongest power of ‘Echo.’ I mentioned this theorem in the books I gave you…”

After hearing this, Qi Xia slowly frowned, looking at the books scattered in piles in the corner, as if retrieving some memory fragments.

“That’s right,” Earth-Snake smiled bitterly. “On the surface, according to ‘Catch-22 theory,’ only insane pilots can be excused from flying, but they must apply themselves. But once you apply, it precisely proves you’re a normal person, and you still can’t escape. But Qi Xia, you know, right? This despairing theory has a second part.”

“Yes,” Qi Xia nodded. “This theory also stipulates that pilots can return home after flying twenty-five missions. But the regulation also emphasizes that pilots must absolutely obey orders, or they can never return home. Therefore, superiors can continuously increase the number of flights for pilots, and you cannot disobey. Thus it repeats, endlessly.”

“Doesn’t this resemble ‘Participants’ and ‘Zodiacs’?” Earth-Snake let out a miserable “hehe” laugh.

“Yes, we’re all trapped by the rules,” Qi Xia said.

“My great teacher therefore had a sudden inspiration… Since people with powerful beliefs inevitably become lunatics anyway, then… why not start directly with the lunatics?” Earth-Snake said.

“You mean the ‘Natives’?” Qi Xia asked.

“Yes… there are lunatics everywhere here, readily available,” Earth-Snake laughed. “The number of lunatics even exceeds the ‘Participants.’ The ‘Natives’ from many cities combined could even form an army of lunatics… If these lunatics could obtain ‘immortal techniques’… wouldn’t that be the most powerful ‘Army of Immortal Techniques’? They have no thoughts of their own, are easier to control than any ‘Participant,’ and besides, their deaths don’t matter. Even if they die from the backlash of ‘immortal technique’ power, it’s just the loss of a walking corpse.”

Hearing this, Qin Dingdong’s expression gradually became unpleasant. “I find it hard to agree that your teacher is a ‘genius’… He seems more insane than anyone.”

“No, he’s not as insane as the ‘Natives,'” Earth-Snake said. “For a very long time, his research topic focused on how to enable ‘Natives’ to obtain ‘immortal techniques.'”

Qi Xia pondered for a moment and said, “So how did he accomplish it?”

“The teacher tried many methods,” Earth-Snake said. “First emotional stimulation, then he tried to make them break down, which evolved into physical beatings. But none of these methods had any effect. The ‘Natives,’ who have completely lost their rationality, not only cannot feel emotional changes but also ignore physical pain. Although beating them does make them afraid, there’s simply no way to stimulate their internal ‘Echo.’ The teacher told me… they’re like a pack of unintelligent wild beasts.”

“Wild beasts…?” Qi Xia felt this description was somewhat tragic. These people originally didn’t have to become wild beasts.

“I told you, my teacher is a true genius…” Earth-Snake said with a hint of mockery. “Since they’re ‘wild beasts,’ then we need to find a way to make them ‘evolve’…”

Earth-Snake slowly revealed an extremely horrifying smile.

“Do you know what evolution was indispensable in human evolutionary history?” Earth-Snake turned his head to look at Qi Xia, his expression carrying an insurmountable sadness.

“I feel every stage was indispensable,” Qi Xia said. “Which stage does your lunatic teacher think it was?”

“It’s ‘cannibalism’…” Earth-Snake said. “Although human DNA is now marked with the prohibition of ‘prions,’ human fossils excavated from tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years ago all show tooth marks from cannibalism. My teacher therefore speculated… for early humans wanting to become stronger, the most direct and rapid method was to eat their own kind.”

“Then he’s truly insane,” Qi Xia said.

“Although insane… he really succeeded,” Earth-Snake laughed. “I also witnessed the most shocking scene of my life… a group of people who had lost their rationality cannibalizing each other… and one of them actually became able to activate ‘Echo.'”