“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you.”

Jiang Ruoxue smiled mischievously: “To be honest, even I didn’t think you would use ‘Karma’ this way. As expected, smart people and carefree people will produce completely different effects with the same ‘Echo.’ It would be great if this ‘Echo’ were yours.”

“If this ‘Echo’ were truly mine… I’m afraid I would be forever fixated on what the most rational ‘Karma’ would be, and would never reach your level.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Ruoxue nodded, then said: “But speaking of which, haven’t you already probed this out? What do you still need my advice for?”

“I just can’t figure it out…” I said. “If Baiyang isn’t a ‘Zodiac’ in the future… what will he be?”

“What’s there to not figure out?” Jiang Ruoxue raised an eyebrow and said: “Just list out all the types of people in this place, won’t that do it?”

“‘List out’…?”

“That’s right.” Jiang Ruoxue nodded. Then she extended her hand and counted on her fingers one by one: “Besides ‘Zodiac,’ what remains are the possibilities of ‘Ant,’ ‘Native,’ ‘Divine Beast,’ and ‘Participant.'”

I was slightly stunned, feeling my train of thought instantly unravel.

Jiang Ruoxue held five fingers in front of me, then folded down two: “‘Ants’ and ‘Natives’ can’t communicate or think, so Old Sun wouldn’t have any connection with them. That means in the future, Baiyang might possibly become a ‘Divine Beast’ or a ‘Participant.'”

“Yes… that makes sense.” I nodded. I really wasn’t a smart person. Just now I was so shocked by the sudden turn of events that my mind went blank. After calming down, my thoughts were indeed much clearer.

Thinking about it this way…

“Baiyang very likely will become a ‘Divine Beast.'” I said in a low voice. “Because he said he wanted to become something other than human… Thinking about it this way, his future self will definitely develop in the direction of ‘Divine Beast.’ He surely wouldn’t be a ‘Participant,’ right?”

“What? He’s not going to be human anymore?” Jiang Ruoxue said in surprise. “What kind of strange ambition is that?”

“Those are his own words.” I answered.

“He really is a formidable character…” Jiang Ruoxue sighed quietly. “Solving the problem from its very foundation… Why don’t I have this kind of thinking?”

“What, you also think he’s very impressive?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Jiang Ruoxue nodded. “It’s like everyone in this world is thinking about how to make money, but he went straight to robbing a bank…”

After saying this, she paused: “That example might not be quite right, but it’s about the same.”

“Do you want to go meet Baiyang?” I asked again.

“Take me to meet Baiyang?” Jiang Ruoxue raised her eyebrows. “Is that appropriate? You, with your social anxiety, are actually starting to organize social gatherings?”

“What social gathering…” She made me laugh again. “It’s because Baiyang previously asked me about a very profound topic, and I helped him solve it according to my own understanding… I always feel like something was missing.”

“A profound topic?” Jiang Ruoxue was somewhat surprised. “What kind of profound topic can you and Baiyang discuss? The origin of the universe?”

“Uh… it’s not quite that profound.” I shook my head. “He asked me what ‘love’ is, but Ruoxue, you know… I…”

“You’ve been single from birth.” Jiang Ruoxue said without any reservation.

“Yeah… that’s right.”

“Good heavens…” She sighed deeply. “Are you two really okay? Two people who’ve been single from birth, yet you both have such smart brains, and you just have to get together to discuss what ‘love’ is? Couldn’t you use those brains for something else?”

“Uh… I…” I brushed my hair back somewhat awkwardly. “After all, Baiyang has also taught me many things. This is the first time he’s consulted me… Although I’ve never been in a relationship, I’ve at least watched some dramas.”

“But why would he suddenly ask this?” Jiang Ruoxue changed the subject and said: “Does he have feelings for you?”

After hearing this, I thought carefully and said: “To be honest, I completely don’t sense that he has any feelings for me… In his eyes, I’m probably just a smart dog.”

I also told Jiang Ruoxue what Baiyang had said about “hypnosis,” and at this moment Jiang Ruoxue instantly fell into contemplation.

“Wait… love… hypnosis… and a powerful motivation?” She seemed to understand something and directly reached out to pull on my clothes. “This isn’t good, Zhichun. When was the last time you talked to him about this?”

“Uh… about two years ago, I think.”

“Two years… this is a bit troublesome.” Jiang Ruoxue said. “I don’t know if we can still make it in time. Quick, take me to find him!”

“I can do that, but where exactly is the trouble?” I asked.

“I’m worried that the ‘love’ you described to him through armchair theorizing was too perfect.” Jiang Ruoxue said. “Things that are too perfect in this world simply don’t exist.”

At her request, that afternoon I took Jiang Ruoxue to Baiyang’s game venue.

To be honest, this was my first time looking for Baiyang in the afternoon. When the two of us arrived at the game venue, we discovered that the entrance to his venue was stained with quite a bit of blood, as if someone had died.

But could people also die in “Human-level games”?

Baiyang was currently standing with his back against the door panel of his game venue, standing there with his feet on bloodstains, staring blankly at a mirror.

His behavior was different from before. In the morning, he would mutter to himself facing the mirror, but now he seemed to be contemplating something.

“Is that him?” Jiang Ruoxue asked.

“Yes… but he seems a bit strange…” I said.

Baiyang stared at the mirror for a long time without blinking. This felt like he was asleep.

“Hey!” Jiang Ruoxue walked forward and called out.

Baiyang didn’t have any reaction and continued staring blankly at the mirror.

“This is…?” She looked back at me somewhat puzzled.

“This…” I shook my head, indicating I didn’t know what was going on.

“Hello?” Jiang Ruoxue called out to Baiyang again. “Are you asleep? Hey?”

But Baiyang still didn’t have any reaction.

I have to say, Jiang Ruoxue’s style of doing things indeed had a huge difference from mine. If I encountered this kind of situation, I would definitely retreat in the face of difficulty and never court rejection again.

But she directly walked forward, reached out and waved her hand in front of Baiyang. After seeing that Baiyang truly had no response, she reached out and forcefully knocked on the door panel behind Baiyang.

Knock knock knock!

Knock knock knock!

Baiyang seemed to be startled by this series of loud sounds. He immediately came to his senses and looked at us. He was apparently just as he himself had said, giving himself some kind of deep hypnosis.

The instant he saw the two of us, he subconsciously asked: “Who?”

“So Baiyang is working!” Jiang Ruoxue said with a face full of smiles. “I called for so long and got no answer. I thought Baiyang wasn’t working!”