Chapter 32: It Has Returned

The second day was still a meeting. She arrived at the political and cultural center of Xia Country, a building almost every Xia citizen knew, where guards were heavily stationed; she even sensed the gaze of an A-Rank Awakened in the shadows. The other party clearly held no malice, appearing merely to perform routine duty.

If even the gatekeepers employed A-Rank individuals, given Xia Country's habitual prudence and tendency to hide its strength, she dared not imagine whether even more powerful Awakened ones were hidden deep within, such as S-Rank, or perhaps SS-Rank? Or perhaps those with even more unpredictable abilities, after all, some Awakened abilities can counter one another.

And was she merely being pushed out as a facade and a role model simply because she had already been exposed to the public?!

Carrying this unease, even a state of panic, she entered this magnificent, majestic, and mysterious building. She even worried about causing unnecessary misunderstandings and deliberately suppressed her abilities.

Before entering the meeting hall, she finally could not hold back. Yang Yi lowered her voice and asked Director Zhou: "Director, even the gatekeepers here are A-Rank. Does our country hide even more experts? With my small ability, am I not even worthy of the table?"

Director Zhou looked at her with a strange and speechless gaze. He hesitated, then finally let out a long sigh: "If only it were truly like that! Do you think people like you are as common as Chinese cabbage? Can they be wholesale distributed? Comrade Yang Yi, you must believe in yourself!"

Feng Liancheng let out a "pfft" of laughter beside them.

Although Yang Yi nodded, the doubt in her heart did not subside. Instead, she began to suspect that Director Zhou's rank was insufficient to know more inside information.

This meeting had a higher security clearance, and the participants were of higher rank. If in yesterday's meeting Director Zhou could be considered middle management, then in today's meeting he was merely the most ordinary low-level official. Presiding over the meeting were several central figures who controlled the fate of Xia Country, the very ones seen on television only when major national events occurred.

Yang Yi was the youngest in the meeting hall and also the most eye-catching. Those few top central figures even spoke a few casual words to her quite amiably before entering the hall.

This treatment gave her a little confidence again. Oh, it seems that even if the country hides quite a few experts behind the scenes, there probably aren't many at my level, Yang Yi thought. Once this thought was confirmed, her slightly panicked heart relaxed a bit.

Once she realized she possessed the ability to protect herself, or even control the situation, her sense of security returned.

Ah, superpowers. At this very moment, she loved her superpowers more than ever before! It pushed her into realms she had never touched before; it gave her certainty; it brought her a sense of security. A sense of security, the thing most lacking in her life before.

"If you consume more Life Source, you will become even stronger. By then, there will be no force on Earth capable of suppressing you; you will be the sole ruler! Even the entire galaxy, the entire universe..."

It was back! But Yang Yi quickly realized it was not "it," but herself, her other personality. Although they were the same "voice," the feeling they brought was different.

So, to distinguish them, let's call this "old friend" "it," and call that arrogant guy "He" (with a capital H).

Thinking this, she suddenly felt a throbbing in her heart, as if an ancient stone door, loosened in some unseen way, had been pushed open. But this feeling vanished quickly.

"I thought you wouldn't come out," Yang Yi said in her mind. "After all, He said you were just a subconscious self-warning."

Although she said this, she was still pleasantly surprised. After all, an "old friend" who had accompanied her for so long had not disappeared, which slightly reduced her loneliness. But at the same time, she felt a bit disappointed; this meant her illness had not healed, perhaps... it was a sign of something even more serious...

"Didn't you have a comprehensive physical examination the day before yesterday? Have the results come out?" Yang Yi turned to ask Feng Liancheng. The meeting was about to begin.

"They have. The electronic version was sent to the email you provided during registration in advance. What? You didn't see it?" Feng Liancheng was preparing the meeting materials while opening his laptop.

"I didn't have time to look..." Yang Yi reached into her pocket for her phone, but suddenly she realized Feng Liancheng was the first person to check her files; he even knew all her browsing history online! Then regarding the issue of the "other voice"... was he...

Yang Yi stared tightly at Feng Liancheng. Although panic surged in her heart, her tone was a cold mockery she hadn't even noticed herself using. "Didn't you investigate my past? My online browsing history, my shopping records? Right..."

Feng Liancheng complained in a low voice, feeling embarrassed: "Haven't we moved past this whole thing? Besides, this wasn't something I wanted to do; it's just normal procedure. At most, it's a relatively strict 'political review.' You know, since we superpowered individuals are entering public service, of course, the standards will be stricter than for ordinary people... And your file's security clearance is classified; only a very few people can see it..."

Yang Yi interrupted Feng Liancheng's complaint, as if eager to open a Pandora's Box: "Then what do you think of me as a person? Given that you already know me completely... know more than anyone else... in your eyes, what kind of person am I? What sort of person am I?"

"A very good person, a typical Good and Lawful alignment, you know. You know the Alignment Nine-Grid, right? It's from the 'Dungeons & Dragons' game rules, where people are divided into nine alignments based on morality and personal attitude..." Feng Liancheng introduced it with great enthusiasm.

This reaction made Yang Yi suddenly feel guilty about her cold mockery just now. What on earth was I thinking? Why did I vent my resentment on him? It wasn't him who wanted to check my files! Perhaps he even found these things boring? After all, if peeping into others' privacy is a job, it doesn't seem that interesting, does it...

But thinking that all her privacy had been thoroughly investigated without her knowledge, she felt a resentment with nowhere to vent, so she said gloomily: "Then... what does the 'political review' say about me?"

"Since you were able to get the job, it means there are no problems..." Feng Liancheng shrugged, then suddenly realized the abnormality in Yang Yi's attitude. He looked at her twice and weighed his words: "I know you still... hold a grudge against me for checking your files... I understand..."

"Understanding is enough," Yang Yi said awkwardly, with a hint of disappointment in her tone that she herself did not notice.

Perhaps those browsing records weren't a big problem? Who doesn't have some troubles in life? Who doesn't get depressed occasionally? These are normal psychological activities... And since she discovered her uniqueness, she had paid special attention to this aspect... Those browsing records could at most prove her mood was always bad... they proved nothing... Yes, they could only prove she was a bit interested in psychology...

She comforted herself, opened her phone email, and quickly checked her physical examination results. All items were normal. She flipped through them, trying to find something different about her body compared to others, but found nothing.

Of course. If a physical exam could detect that strange existence within her body, the matter would be too simple.

Continuing to flip forward, she finally found the psychological evaluation section. She eagerly read the psychiatrist's comment: "... Strong psychological defense, high vigilance..."

Oh, she remembered the psychiatrist was a middle-aged man around forty, with a gentle and humble temperament. But that day she was distracted and annoyed, so she perfunctorily answered a few of the psychiatrist's questions.

That's it? Just this?

Such a conclusion could not at all dispel the stuffiness in her heart, and she became sulky again.

She had tried every means to make herself appear like a normal person, and now others finally treated her as a normal person. But for the sake of that existence which had announced her future fate, that detestable "voice," to verify whether He truly existed, to verify whether He was related to the arrival of dark matter on Earth, she might have to tear open the scars she had deliberately hidden and expose the secrets she had deliberately concealed to others...

No, I cannot expose it!

Otherwise, how would they view me? A schizophrenic madman? If I were a harmless ordinary person—even a D-Rank Awakened at best—they wouldn't care if I were a madman, because it would be within a controllable range. But now—I am a nuclear bomb! And a nuclear bomb with self-awareness! A nuclear bomb that could explode at any moment!

Yes, the reason you are safe now and have gained great fame is because you have a fixed stance, can think rationally, and have huge utilitarian value, so you can temporarily win a place to stay. But a dangerous madman, a madman carrying heavy weapons, everyone would destroy him immediately. Even if you only have a slight psychological problem, there will always be some people with ulterior motives who, for certain purposes, will exaggerate this psychological problem and shape you into a madman on the verge of insanity, a lunatic!

As long as you stand at the forefront, this is unquestionable.

They won't even put you in a mental hospital; they will destroy you directly—because your danger level is S-Rank! Just like that Pacific Giant Crab!

"So, your only option now is to improve your abilities as soon as possible and make yourself invulnerable to anyone! You are still too weak; there are too many things on Earth capable of killing you..." It coaxed gently: "If you feel guilty about absorbing the Life Source of those innocent people, we can go find those who are extremely evil... I heard the West has abolished the death penalty; those who deserve to die live quite well in prison, some even better than outside. Why not start with them, how about that?"

"Shut up! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be so anxious and uneasy!" Yang Yi suddenly felt a surge of anger in her chest. She clenched her fists, tried to steady her breathing, and maintained a calm exterior, not wanting to attract the attention of those in the meeting. "Ha, do you think I don't know your intentions? Just like drug addiction, you start by luring me with sweet words to take a little, and once I'm addicted and unable to extricate myself, you'll go on a killing spree and absorb the Life Source of more people! Get lost, I won't fall for your tricks!"

"Hahahaha... You said it yourself: You are me, and I am you! Admit it, everything I say is what you want to say. You hypocritical coward, chicken..." It mocked, its voice extremely grating.

Yang Yi took a deep breath and suppressed her anger. Forget it, it wasn't the first time. It had used words far more vicious and harsh than this to provoke you. Could you do anything about it? After all these years, have you resolved it?

Okay, the problem is back to the starting point: If you want to seek help from the outside world, you must expose your split personality and the problem of frequently conversing with another personality. People will think you are a madman, will fear you, and will try every means to destroy you. If you don't want to expose it, you must get used to its existence—what? You haven't gotten used to it yet? Haven't gotten used to having two people living in your body? Haven't gotten used to someone jumping out from time to time to mock and curse you? Haven't gotten used to someone urging you to die from time to time? Sometimes you even feel lucky to have a "friend" around who can talk to you!

"Yang Yi!" Director Zhou pushed her shoulder with his hand. "It's your turn to speak!"

Yang Yi came to her senses and only then realized that everyone in the entire conference hall was looking at her.

"Please, Comrade Yang Yi, describe what happened yesterday in Misty Town," Secretary Li said.

She steadied herself and recounted her experience in Misty Town from the day before again. She emphasized the various apocalyptic disasters of different planets they saw when trapped in the illusion created by Vede, which aroused extreme concern among everyone in the conference hall.

The "Fire Demon Incident" had already proven that extraterrestrial civilizations indeed exist. So, are there more powerful, more incredible extraterrestrial civilizations? Can they come to Earth through interdimensional channels without anyone knowing?

What is their attitude towards humanity and Earth? Is it hostile or benevolent? If hostile, how should humanity respond? These are the questions brought about by this Misty Town incident.

Yang Yi narrated everything in detail from beginning to end, concealing only the matter of the stone chair and the Life Source.

"Then what is Comrade Yang Yi's opinion on what happened in Misty Town?"

Yang Yi spoke cautiously: "I believe there is a force behind Vede guiding the Divine Punishment Organization. As for whether this force is truly a believer of some god, whether it belongs to an extraterrestrial civilization, or whether it is the culprit behind the arrival of dark matter on Earth, I dare not confirm."

But Vede claimed that the arrival of dark matter means Earth is being invaded by another dimension. One day in the future, Earth will be completely occupied by alien creatures. Awakened ones are the beneficiaries of this invasion. If the invasion is stopped, it means stopping Awakened ones from continuing to evolve; if the dark matter disappears, Awakened ones will turn back into ordinary people.

I feel that if this theory is allowed to spread, it will cause antagonism between Awakened ones and ordinary people, trigger social unrest, and might even cause Awakened ones to slack off when fighting the alien invasion. There might even be people with ulterior motives who deliberately encourage alien creatures to harm the people. This needs to be prevented."

Various gazes fell upon her—scrutinizing, suspicious, approving, and many more with meanings she could not describe—making her feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

A person who betrays the class interests of her own class—does she act for the public good, or does she harbor greater, more distant designs?

As the most powerful among the Awakened and as their representative, she instead reminds people to guard against the dangers the Awakened bring; what stance does she herself hold?

Fortunately, Secretary Li took up the conversation quite naturally: "Comrade Yang Yi thinks very far ahead and can consider issues from the standpoint of the broad masses rather than from the standpoint of personal interests; this is extremely rare and commendable. Many among us cannot achieve this."