Chapter 2470: with translation of chapter title

Countless gazes watched Zheng Ren from unknown places, whether bright or dark, but he felt nothing.

Days passed as usual; the progress of the fourth stage of the Fame Under Heaven task accumulated bit by bit. Although it currently seems insufficient time to complete, but from an acceleration perspective, Zheng Ren still brims with confidence.

Time flowed like water, day by day, month by month, year after year, never ceasing.

Zheng Ren completed various surgeries without any disturbance, while others' days were not so calm.

Bu Ruotian's pancreaticoduodenectomy had been completed nine months ago, and three postoperative follow‑up examinations showed no signs of tumor tissue metastasis.

By rights this should be good news, but Bu Ruotian constantly suspects that the doctor and Bu Li are colluding, concealing the test results; or that they tampered with the lab report to deceive him.

And being unable to know the truth, he went on happily until the day he could no longer get out of bed. That day seemed not far off.

This is a very vexing matter; between life and death lies great horror, and few can truly see through life and death.

Bu Ruotian is such a person.

Formerly forceful and shrewd, now he is full of suspicion.

One day after the surgery, he began to hear a voice speaking near his ear, saying whatever he was thinking.

That mysterious presence, as if versed in the legendary art of mind‑reading, could 'read' even the faintest fleeting thoughts of Bu Ruotian.

Sometimes Bu Ruotian hears that 'person' talking to him, recounting things he himself does not remember; only upon reflection does he realize what he had just been thinking.

This situation recurred repeatedly; the voice seemed to know him better than he knew himself.

Unlike Dahungya and those like him, Bu Ruotian calmly analyzed and did not, with baseless suspicion, believe that the mysterious 'person' truly existed.

But after a period of time, that 'person' became ever more overbearing. When dealing with company matters, the 'person' would comment beside his ear, gesticulating.

"'He' told Bu Ruotian how he should do this and that, how he should act."

Bu Ruotian also carefully analyzed and found that what the 'person' said sometimes made sense, but most of the time it was not applicable.

It was certainly not a legendary immortal pointing the way, like a cheat code granting him a golden road.

This time Bu Ruotian was not so calm; he grew increasingly fearful, even somewhat afraid. Occasionally he wondered whether someone was really watching him.

But mind‑reading is truly hard to comprehend.

As time went on, that 'person' became ever more overbearing. Especially after each physical exam, when seeing the report showing nothing abnormal, the 'person' would loudly jeer, saying it was all a deceit and that he was actually already gravely ill.

After another period of time, Bu Ruotian discovered that the 'person' seemed to be trying to seize his thoughts!

"'He' might be inside his own body, or might be an existence in another dimension, seeking to become him!"

"He" might be in one's own body, or might be an existence in another dimension, to become oneself!

He could no longer remain calm.

Bu Ruotian thought of many legends, among which the most 'reasonable' explanation was possession. Lingering spirits, possession and rebirth. Not only would they share his body, but 'he' also wanted to seize control of it.

Each time he thought of this, Bu Ruotian felt utterly terrified.

He tried not to think about it, but the more he tried not to, the more the 'person' would chatter in his ear.

Some of these were old events that even Bu Ruotian himself could not recall. Yet when the 'person' recounted them at length, he felt a sense of loss.

Unable to endure this torment any longer, Bu Ruotian did not lose his rationality; after calm analysis he decided to go to the Hospital for a check‑up.

Hai Cheng? Impossible. Bu Ruotian went straight to Di Du, seeking doctors in the Neurology and Psychiatry Departments for treatment.

After the doctors' examination and consultation, he received the diagnosis—paranoid schizophrenia.

The doctor said, that 'person' does not exist.

The so‑called mind‑reading is a feeling of being exposed, something Bu Ruotian's subconscious worries about. The doctor did not explain it too clearly, nor did he explicitly say this was what Bu Ruotian feared most, for fear of overstimulating him.

Moreover, hearing that 'person' comment on his condition and gesticulate about his behavior is also a symptom, called commentary hallucination.

As for possession, it does not exist either. It is a comprehensive manifestation of compulsive thoughts and thought‑being‑taken, also a symptom of paranoid schizophrenia.

Although Bu Ruotian did not fully believe it, he also had no better explanation.

He leaned more toward the doctor's scientific judgment, after all, even if it is schizophrenia, it is preferable to there actually being some inexplicable entity trying to possess him.

The doctor prescribed him Olanzapine 5 mg to be taken orally daily.

This is an effective medication for treating schizophrenia. The doctor repeatedly urged Bu Ruotian not to think about other things. Especially an elderly neurologist of academician level firmly said, the more you think, the quicker you die.

To stay alive, get regular check‑ups, solve any problems that arise. If there are no problems, just live well and don't dwell on those random, messy things.

Want to stay alive, get regular check-ups, solve any problems; if there are none, just live well—don't think about all that messy stuff.

He even went to study meditation, trying to empty his mind and avoid wild thoughts.

Doing this actually helped somewhat; after taking the medication and practicing meditation, the 'person' spoke less and less, and Bu Ruotian felt his mood gradually improving.

Over the past year, his body and mind have suffered a huge blow; Bu Ruotian urgently needs recovery. Not trusting the doctors of Hai Cheng and Sheng Cheng, he has resided in Di Du for the past few months.

Being closer to the nation's best hospital and top‑tier medical care also put his mind at ease.

He left the company affairs to Bu Li, and Bu Ruotian made a choice between life and money. Doing meditation each day, while staying away from that other self, he seemed to also sense a hint of the truth of life.

All his life of hard work and turmoil—was it really necessary? Even now, Bu Ruotian worries about the crackdown on black‑mail and evil, fearing he might be targeted in a special campaign.

Perhaps this is also the trigger of his schizophrenia.

After leisurely taking a vacation of nearly a month, Bu Ruotian one morning opened his sleepy eyes, looked at the sunlight and beach outside the window, and suddenly felt that today seemed somehow different.

His field of vision had shrunk considerably, and he could not see things very clearly.

Struggling to open his eyes, Bu Ruotian was astonished to find that he could not lift his eyelids.

He jumped in fright, wondering whether this was a tumor recurrence or some other ailment.

Instinctively, Bu Ruotian placed his hand on his eyelids and forced his eyes open. However, after opening them, everything returned to normal, nothing special—it seemed as if it had just been a hallucination.

Subconsciously, Bu Ruotian placed his hand on his eyelids and forced his eyes open. However, once opened, everything returned to normal, nothing special, as if what just happened was merely an illusion.