Compared with most girls, Hongye's voice is much deeper and solemn. Even if he slowed down his tone, it was still difficult to conceal his elder-like attitude. When she said, "This matter may have been caused by Zhou Yu," she still had the same tone of voice, making Zhou Yu unable to tell whether there was any blame in this sentence.
"Does it have anything to do with me? Because I don't belong here?"
Hongye shook his head slowly.
"Although it is different from what you understand to attract ghosts, you really shouldn't play that game. That kind of formal design is close to a ritual in this city."
"It's necromancy, right? Summoning ghosts or something like that?"
"No...it's something very different."
Hongye showed a complicated expression again, that expression was like a scholar trying to tell a baby about the universe.
"In this city, there are no conventional ghosts. All that can appear are phenomena. Zhou Yu, if we use these two names for now, what do you think is the difference between magic and technology?"
Hearing Hongye's question, Zhou Yu tried to think. He didn't have any thoughts about it, but because he was so tired, there was only a throbbing pain echoing in his head. After being stunned for a long time, he said: "Rule."
"No, the latter also has its own rules. If it is a difference... let's call it 'entity'."
The red leaves wandered around the room for a while, and finally landed on the electric lamp on the roof.
"For example, Zhou Yu, even if you know the design diagram of the circuit, if you don't have the corresponding materials, you can't make an electric light. This kind of 'principle of relying on things', from the perspective of people like us, can also be called It’s called technology.”
Her hand was slightly raised, revealing the outline of the sword in the light.
"So the relative thing, which does not rely on real matter, but only relies on laws, agreements, and concepts to appear, is the 'dharma ritual'."
"...Idealism?"
"It seems to be called that in your world." Hongye smiled very implicitly. Different from the forced smile before, this time it seemed to really make her feel interesting.
"I have never heard of the four-corner game you mentioned. But its form is a ritual in this city. Constantly exercising and emphasizing the concept of 'emptiness' will itself attract 'fullness'. Repeat it again and again The process of emptying the corner is emphasizing the emptiness. In order to fill it, something must overflow from the void...but that is something that comes out of nothing, not the soul after death as you understand it."
"Created out of nothing, like your sword?"
"That's a little different...my sword is something more complicated." Seeing Zhou Yu's frowning and tolerant expression, she immediately turned over her palm, and the shadow of the sword disappeared.
"In addition to 'empty', this game also emphasizes the second concept, which is 'passing'. The four people are constantly advancing in a cycle, which is a form of imposing one's own state on others. It is just to fill the 'empty' ’ And what appears, through constant ‘transmission’, circulates, flows, and increases on the four of you. Generally speaking, the four people involved will get it... although I don’t know why you are okay.”
"I've been talking for a long time, but what on earth is that?"
"That's... a pure phenomenon. I have to ask you, Zhou Yu, before playing the game, did you think of anything special? Especially related to negative emotions."
"Does a really ugly mannequin count? There's this annoying guy who keeps saying it's going to come to life."
"Did you really come back to life?"
"No."
"That shouldn't be the case."
Hongye's tone was not sure either. She paused and asked again: "Are you really not thinking about anything else? Even if you just mentioned it accidentally."
Zhou Yu tried his best to remember. Xiong Qiaoer seemed to have told many ghost stories after his arrival, but he didn't listen to them at the time. In fact, he didn't have much communication with the members of the Supernatural Society. The only exception was Zhang Mumu, and maybe Chen Wei.
"……correct."
Thinking of Chen Wei, his memory was finally awakened.
"A few hours before the game started, we talked about a girl who committed suicide. She was a classmate in college."
"Suicide? It would be a pity to commit suicide in this city."
"It's the same everywhere."
"Too."
Although she said this, Hongye's expression didn't seem to agree. It seemed to her that committing suicide in Migenzhu was a very special thing.
"Can you tell me the situation of the girl who committed suicide?"
Zhou Yu himself knew very little about Tang Yan who committed suicide, so he could only tell what he knew about it. After listening, Hongye immediately began to sigh.
"...That should be it."
"What?"
"The 'empty' stuff in your game is 'Tang Yan's phenomenon'. It was passed on to Miss Zhang through your rituals, and this is the source of her strange illness. That's why I said all this is probably because of you Caused, Zhou Yu, because you had the idea to explore the cause of Tang Yan's death, the answer will reappear from the 'empty'. The body you are attached to has this ability. If used properly, in this city You can know anything, but this is very dangerous behavior and I hope you don't try it."
"Sounds like a witch."
Zhou Yu made a casual comment. For some reason, Hongye lowered his head as if he was choking and lightly hammered his chest. When she found Zhou Yu staring at her strangely, she hurriedly said: "It's nothing. In short, what Miss Zhang is experiencing now is exactly what Tang Yan encountered before her death. It may be dangerous if it continues."
"Will you also jump off the building?"
"I'm not sure about this. It's just a reenactment of the phenomenon, and there is no intention to kill anyone. But if you were really looking for 'the reason for Tang Yan's suicide' at that time, this phenomenon will definitely lead to suicide, or it will cause people to commit suicide." A state of mind that seeks death.”
After listening to Hongye's words, Zhou Yu felt even more confused. If Tang Yan's suicide really happened to Zhang Mumu, would the reason be that he suffered from a strange disease of losing the sense of cold and heat? Although this is indeed very inconvenient, it is far from necessary to commit suicide. Does this disease have more severe symptoms in the later stages? Or is this not a disease, but represents something else, such as a curse or a beheading? He quickly suppressed these thoughts and forced himself to focus on what was most important.
"So, how to get rid of this phenomenon? Since you said it's not a ghost, then there's no point in burning paper for Tang Yan."
"Yes, it's useless. Attributing personality and ethics to the phenomenon after death is not feasible here. If there is a way... I know several people who can crack it, but there is only one person who can hope to find it now. I think it can be done within three days Found it."
When he said this, the expression on Hongye's face was not relaxed. Zhou Yu, who noticed this, asked, "Isn't that person easy to talk to?"
"No, he used to be very talkative and would help you for free whenever you needed it. But for some reason, he seems to have changed his mind now and disappeared completely. To be honest, I have been searching for him these days. , this is the 'important thing' I mentioned before. If we find him, we should be able to find a few other people along the way, and I think there will always be one who is willing to diagnose and treat Miss Zhang."
Hongye's tone was calm, but a hint of disappointment could still be heard in it. The frustration of having a strong desire to find someone, but having to admit that he is powerless in the end, for some reason, feels very familiar to Zhou Yu. He understood the secret almost intuitively.
"Did that person have a good relationship with you before?"
"Well... they are the elders who took care of me a lot when I was young."
She was silent for a while and then added: "He was my father's housekeeper during his lifetime. Before I became a disciple and entered the mountains, he always took care of me on my father's behalf."
