Chapter 76

Majiang looked at Luo Qi with a gaze full of suspicion; this suspicion felt to Luo Qi like ants crawling up his neck, and a shameful heat spread across his face before he knew it. He didn't even dare to look at Du Zhengyi; regardless of whether Du Zhengyi was suspicious or indifferent right now, he would only feel even more lonely.

"It's my own memory," Luo Qi said in a low voice. "That is indeed a human thing; in a human bestseller novel, they used this method for interrogation. I read about it in a novel; this solution can be used for breathing."

"Liquid can be used for breathing?" Du Zhengyi asked, puzzled.

Luo Qi avoided his gaze, looked at his own knees, and continued, "Just like a fetus breathing in the mother's amniotic fluid. You can imagine this solution as an oxygen-rich liquid; the human body obtains oxygen through the method of liquid exchange. However, of course, in this situation, the lungs are not used, just like a fetus."

"What do humans make this stuff for?" Du Zhengyi said, confused.

"For many reasons; intense curiosity is one of the characteristics of humans, even if they only make it for the sake of seeking knowledge," Luo Qi said. "As for practical significance, that goes without saying, such as treating premature infants. I think sooner or later humans will stop using natural ways to conceive offspring. It's just that human curiosity is truly too heavy, and their penchant for the absurd and the boring is also astonishing; now there are even some humans who use this method for Meditation."

"Meditation?" Du Zhengyi was slightly startled, but then he thought that this was the important connection.

Majiang interjected, "Meditation is when humans are closest to us. Regardless of whether they are a Mind Mage, when a Mage constructs barriers in their consciousness, or even when we read data from a Crystal, our actions are similar to human Meditation. It's just that compared to humans, it is truly very easy for us Mages to enter a state of Meditation. Perhaps because the species are truly too close, humans have also realized the value of Meditation, and they have exhausted all methods to enter a good state of Meditation. Whether it is facing a wall for ten years or being an ascetic to exhaust the flesh, all of it is to cross the threshold and enter true Meditation. These behaviors all have one characteristic: abusing the flesh, and in more extreme cases, finding ways to be on the verge of death. Under conditions near death, it is easiest for a person to produce true Meditation—which is entering what we call the Consciousness Space."

"Suffocation and drowning are the most common ways to approach death," Luo Qi said in a low voice. "I know, but I only read about them in books and didn't take them to heart. At the time, I was just too nervous and didn't realize what Li Xu was doing, nor did I have the energy to think about why Perfluorocarbon Solution sounded familiar."

"In that situation, that is very normal," Du Zhengyi said.

Luo Qi's heart felt a little more comfortable. "Humans often use similar methods for interrogation; I remember that it was only in recent years that Water Torture began to be gradually abolished. However, it is said that Water Torture is a very effective way to destroy willpower. Once willpower is lost, it is much easier for a prisoner to speak."

"It is the same for Mages; once willpower is lost, the person being tortured will no longer have the mental strength to hold onto their Consciousness Shield," Majiang said, looking at Luo Qi. "Many Mind Mages will first use various physical means to torture the target during interrogation; once the target develops a desire to die, the best moment to break through appears."

Unexpectedly, Luo Qi suddenly asked, "Don't you think Mind Mages are a bit disgusting?"

Majiang was suddenly called disgusting and was a bit hit by it for a moment. "But... well... not all Mind Mages cross the line and go to the perverted extent of Li Xu. Li Xu basically wanted to kill; yesterday I checked the Committee's records, and the death rate of criminals interrogated by Li Xu is far higher than the average. I think even so, there should still be many cases of underreporting. He borrowed human oxygenated solution to carry out Water Torture, not because he was worried about taking a life; he was basically using this method to increase the success rate, so that he could repeatedly use the prisoner and dig out more secrets."

"But this is the consistent way of behaving for Mind Mages, right?" Luo Qi said. "Relying on torturing other people's minds to survive."

"Oh," Majiang said in a strange, annoying tone, "then you tell me, if a God of War as badass as Du Zhengyi suddenly wanted to kill me, and I only have this one skill to resist him, would I just stand there and let him kill me without counterattacking his brain? What kind of thinking is this, are you a saint?"

Luo Qi was speechless for a moment.

"However, you are right; things that Mind Mages sometimes have to do are a bit disgusting, and this is also for the greater good." Seeing that Luo Qi didn't talk back, Majiang also softened his tone. "Li Xu is indeed a pervert; he violated regulations to use extreme interrogation methods on you, desperately trying to break the barrier in your brain. He had a nice thought, wanting to tear open your barrier and happily taste your consciousness. But what he didn't expect was that a more ferocious beast lived inside your barrier; that barrier wasn't protecting you, but rather him. Presumably, he must have had a spectacular breakdown at the time; it really is karma."

Luo Qi's complexion was a bit pale; Majiang's words made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Du Zhengyi suddenly asked from the side, "Luo Qi, did Li Xu say at the time what exactly he wanted to know from your consciousness?"

"He didn't say anything; I think he probably suspected that I had something to do with the Guan Family Mage extermination case."

"That doesn't make much sense either," Majiang said. "You were so pathetic at the time; even if Li Xu wanted to pick a head to crack open, you shouldn't have been the first one he chose."

"I wasn't the first one to begin with," Luo Qi said. "That mistress named Qi Yue was ahead of me."

"If you put it that way, that's true," Majiang said, pondering. "Most likely the head he wanted to move the most was Du Zhengyi's, but he really couldn't get his hands on it, so he settled for second best and chose you, this unlucky guy. Du Zhengyi, you still say his Luck is high?"

He had almost guessed the situation at the time; Luo Qi kept his head down and didn't say a word.

Du Zhengyi glanced at him. "That's what Liu Li told me."

Upon hearing this, Majiang almost laughed himself crazy. "Liu Li doesn't look like someone who has even a shred of a sense of humor, that old witch!"

"By the way," Luo Qi said, "there is another reason Li Xu targeted me; Zhao Zhiyan told him that the monk..."

Du Zhengyi suddenly kicked him to interrupt his words. He was startled and looked at Du Zhengyi's serious face, only then realizing that Du Zhengyi hadn't told Majiang at all that the monk was very afraid when he saw him. Regardless of the reason for this fear, this might not be a small matter; Du Zhengyi hadn't even told Majiang. He was truly very thorough in considering things for himself.

"Hey, hey, hey," just when Luo Qi was still stunned, Majiang started shouting in a rough voice over there, "What do you two mean, is it shameless to say half and then swallow it back? Du Zhengyi, you old fox! Luo Qi, don't learn from him; if you learn to be as deep and calculating as him, it will affect your cuteness value. You are a person who can only rely on being cute to survive, do you know that? If you follow him and learn, you are on a dead end, and little girls won't love you."

"Enough, stop talking nonsense," Du Zhengyi said. "If I don't let you know, you don't have to take responsibility. Can you be serious for a moment? Can you help Luo Qi change the Anchor Point?"

Majiang smiled. "Can't do it."

"Not even going to try?" Du Zhengyi asked.

"Don't want to have my brain eaten by Luo Qi," Majiang said decisively.

Luo Qi's complexion turned gloomy, and he looked at Du Zhengyi and Majiang with dissatisfaction.

"Then I can only go find Doctor Luo to try?" Du Zhengyi said.

"My dad?" Luo Qi exclaimed. "Damn, Du Zhengyi, you are a paranoid; do you really have to change this Anchor Point?"

Du Zhengyi ignored him and continued to say to Majiang, "Continue teaching Luo Qi how to set up his own consciousness barrier."

Chapter 75: Perfluorocarbon Solution