Chapter 153 Distracting Thoughts
"I want to control the {subconscious}." Qi Xia said quietly, "I need to stop Han Yimo from fixating on certain thoughts."
Lin Qin considered his words for a moment, then offered, "Qi Xia, close your eyes. Let’s run a little experiment."
"Alright," Qi Xia agreed, his expression unwavering as he closed his eyes.
"Now," Lin Qin said, "Qi Xia, whatever you do, don’t imagine a black cat."
A subtle frown crept onto Qi Xia’s face as he sat silently, his eyes still closed.
"Now, please don't imagine that the black cat is staring directly at you."
"And certainly don’t think about its pair of beautiful brown eyes, gleaming like polished amber."
Qi Xia remained silent.
"I..." Qi Xia began, but his words trailed off as his brows gradually smoothed. He fell quiet, listening intently to Lin Qin’s instructions.
"Also, don't imagine that the black cat is brushing against your legs, as though it's hungry," Lin Qin's voice softened, almost hypnotic.
"And don't think about how soft its fur feels, like a velvet whisper against your skin."
"You don't even realize that this black cat actually likes you."
Qi Xia's face relaxed completely, his previously furrowed brows smoothing out into a calm expression.
Lin Qin continued, her tone steady and deliberate. "Then, Qi Xia... look around you now. Where are you standing?"
Qi Xia's brow furrowed deeply as Lin Qin's words reached him. He glanced around and realized he was standing in his own home.
"If you're feeling exhausted, you can lie down on the bed for a while."
Qi Xia turned, and sure enough, a bed was behind him—familiar and inviting.
But something inside him resisted. He didn’t move toward the bed. He didn’t lie down. Instead, a sharp jolt of awareness coursed through him—he had never slept on a bed.
His eyes snapped open. The tranquility that had softened his face vanished instantly, replaced by an icy coldness tinged with despair. "Lin Qin," Qi Xia’s voice dipped, his gaze piercing, "are you hypnotizing me?"
"It's not hypnosis per se, just a form of mental relaxation," Lin Qin replied with a gentle smile, nodding slightly. "Qi Xia, you seem incredibly exhausted. Your mind is tightly wound, and at this rate, you won't be able to sustain yourself for much longer."
"There’s no need for this," Qi Xia interjected, shaking his head firmly. His tone carried an air of finality. "Let’s focus on something more pressing."
Lin Qin studied him for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Okay," she said. "In fact, what I just did serves as an example."
Lin Qin nodded, a knowing expression on her face. "Have you realized it yet? The human brain doesn’t effectively process {negative imperatives}."
As she explained, Qi Xia recalled how her repeated insistence on what {not} to think about had only made those very images sharper in his mind.
"This is a classic psychological phenomenon," Lin Qin continued. "People often use phrases like {don’t be too tired} or {don’t care too much about other people’s opinions} to persuade others. But in the listener’s mind, these words transform into {you are very tired} or {you care deeply about others’ perceptions}, completely undermining the intended effect."
Qi Xia nodded slowly after listening, a deep melancholy clouding his features. "So, we can't interfere with other people's thoughts?"
"Truthfully, we can hardly control our own thoughts, so how could we ever hope to influence another’s?"
The question lingered, weighty and unresolved. It was clear that fixing this issue with Han Yimo wasn’t going to be easy. The only viable option seemed to lie with Officer Li.
Qi Xia exhaled slowly before asking, "What if I sought to make someone’s subconscious believe in something impossible? Could that be achieved?"
Lin Qin blinked, her gaze curious. "Are you familiar with the {Reverberatee} that auntie mentioned?"
"Yes," Qi Xia replied with a nod. "It’s Officer Li."
"He’s able to conjure up stacks of cash?" Lin Qin inquired further, her curiosity piqued.
"That is indeed a challenging task," Lin Qin mused. "People are called {people} for a reason. We all possess basic cognitive abilities. When most individuals are unsure whether they have cash in their pockets, their first instinct is {I might have cash in my pocket}, rather than {I must have a stack of cash in my pocket}. According to Auntie’s theory, those with the former thought will fail."
Qi Xia nodded, his expression serious. "So, there’s no way to influence him?"
"There are two potential approaches," Lin Qin explained. "The first is long-term brainwashing, akin to hypnosis. Though it’s time-consuming, it could eventually engrain the belief that there’s always money in his pocket. However, it does come with drawbacks. The individual may lose their sense of logic and come to believe that there is nothing else in their pocket but money."
Qi Xia nodded thoughtfully. "What about the second method?"
"The second option is..." Lin Qin hesitated, her voice faltering slightly. "It involves pushing the person to the point where they lose all normal cognitive function, plunging them into a state of delirium or chaos. In this state, they would continue to believe in something with unwavering conviction."
"Are you suggesting they become a madman?" Qi Xia inquired, his tone incredulous.
"Exactly," Lin Qin confirmed, her expression sober. "You’ll find that anyone labeled as a {madman} possesses an unusual purity in their belief. This includes those with mental illnesses. They often hold a steadfast, unquestioning belief in something—no matter how strange or impossible it may seem."
If this is the case, then aren't all the people of {Judgment’s Domain} simply a collection of lunatics?
It is precisely because their mentality borders on madness that the probability of them unleashing their {Reverberation} is so high.
Auntie Tong, standing right before them, firmly believed in the {Mother God}, and her conviction alone set her apart as someone not quite "normal."
But the question still lingered: How did Lin Qin know so much about this?
"Lin Qin, you..." Qi Xia began, but hesitated. After a moment's pause, he decided against speaking further. Some things were better left unsaid in public; perhaps they could be discussed later, when they were alone.
By the time their conversation concluded, Auntie Tong had finished her explanation of the concept of {Reverberation} and shifted to discussing the optimal moments for triggering one’s {Reverberation}.
According to her, {Reverberation} typically manifests in the {initial stages} when an individual is in dire need of assistance. When a person invokes their {Reverberation} repeatedly, it signifies that they have fully received the benevolence of {Mother God}. At that point, they gain the ability to activate their {Reverberation} at will, granting them supreme power. However, for some, their {Reverberation} is so extraordinary that it can only be triggered at specific, critical moments.
"Then how does one terminate their {Reverberation}?" Qi Xia raised his hand and asked.
"Terminate?" Auntie Tong stared at Qi Xia, "Why would anyone choose to put an end to it? Who in this world would willingly forsake the blessings of the {Mother God}?"
"It’s possible that what your {Mother God} bestowed wasn't a blessing, but a curse," Qi Xia replied coolly. "There are always those who would wish to sever their own {Reverberation}."
"Child, think of {Reverberation} as a sound wave," Auntie Tong explained, her tone gentle. "You can only hear it when it spreads over you, but eventually, the sound wave will dissipate."
Qi Xia paused at her words, then asked, "Are you saying that {Reverberation} is temporary?"
"Exactly," Auntie Tong affirmed with a nod. "There’s no need to actively terminate {Reverberation}. All we need to do is wait for it to slowly fade away on its own."
Qi Xia casually glanced at Han Yimo. His {Reverberation} had already lasted a full day.
So... how long would his {Reverberation} persist?
Could it stretch to ten days?
Auntie Tong continued her sermon, extolling the greatness of the {Mother God}. The peculiar nature of her {Reverberation} had caused some to believe her words.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Qi Xia felt an overwhelming sense of despair as Auntie Tong preached. When a community finds itself reduced to nothing but prayers, clinging to the hope that {God} will save it, it signifies that the {people} within that community have exhausted all other avenues.
Is there any way out of here?
Could he really seek the help of the {God} here to bring Yu Nian'An back, so he could embrace her again?
‘I was just about to give her a better life…’ Qi Xia’s gaze dimmed, desolation taking root in his eyes as anguish churned in his heart.
Meanwhile, Auntie Tong's voice rang out, fervent and unwavering. "As long as we cast aside the {lingering thoughts (Yu Nian)} that reside in our hearts," she proclaimed, "we will undoubtedly receive the good grace of the {Mother God} and eventually wield her divine power!"
Qi Xia frowned, an unsettling discomfort rising within him. He couldn’t resist asking, "Auntie, typically we speak of {getting rid of distracting thoughts}, but why do you repeatedly emphasize {getting rid of lingering thoughts}?"
"Child, don’t you see?" Auntie Tong replied slowly. "{Lingering thoughts} are {distracting thoughts}."