True Apocalypse Game

"That’s a good idea. Getting out to see some different scenery can help relieve some stress."

Gu Yun said with a smile, shaking her head slightly.

’This kid almost had me fooled.’

’Judging by his tone and that faint chuckle, he isn’t suffering from paranoia at all. His emotions are stable, and he’s confident.’

’And yet, his story just now was so clear and logical. His tone made it sound like he completely believed what he was saying.’

’It’s a bit of a contradiction...’

Gu Yun picked up a notepad and pen, handed them to him, and said,

"Alright, let’s start with the tree-drawing personality test, which has become quite popular recently. You just draw..."

Just then, the young man took the paper and pen and spoke again.

"Doctor, try to hypnotize me. Please, use your best method."

This was the real reason Shen Feng had come to see a psychologist.

The Whisperers’ methods, from what he’d seen so far, seemed more like a form of sonic Hypnosis.

Although Shen Feng had never had a direct encounter with a Whisperer, he had to be prepared.

Therefore, he had to understand their methods as best he could to handle a real encounter with composure.

Otherwise, if he himself was hypnotized by a Whisperer, it would be game over.

Gu Yun, a Class-1 National Psychological Consultant, was exceptionally talented in Hypnosis despite her youth. She was already a top expert in the field—a Master Hypnotist with an international reputation.

It was for this very reason that a single consultation with her was incredibly expensive.

But that didn’t matter to Shen Feng; he only wanted to find the very best Hypnotist.

If he couldn’t even resist the Hypnosis of a regular human Hypnotist, he stood no chance of facing a Whisperer head-on.

"I don’t think Hypnosis is what you need right now..." Gu Yun said, her brow furrowing.

Shen Feng took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of tea-brown eyes. A hint of a smile played in them as he stared at Gu Yun and said,

"Trust me. This is what’s best for me."

Gu Yun suddenly felt the young man’s eyes were like a deep lake, or perhaps solidifying amber, hiding countless untold stories.

It was as if they were trying to hypnotize her.

’Interesting...’ A corner of Gu Yun’s mouth lifted. This peculiar young man had instantly ignited her competitive spirit.

"Alright. I’ll use my proprietary method combining sound waves with light and shadow. However, Hypnosis and psychological consultation are two different services, and they’re billed separately."

Shen Feng nodded. "Money isn’t an issue. Let’s begin."

Gu Yun immediately drew the curtains. The room instantly grew dim, as if night had fallen.

She then walked over to a nearby device, pressed a few buttons, and turned a dial on top.

White noise immediately filled the room, a mix of ocean waves and mountain winds, interspersed with the static of a radio signal.

An electronic incense burner was switched on, and faint wisps of agarwood scent wafted through the air.

Rows of downlights and spotlights on the ceiling switched on in sequence, causing the room to brighten and dim in a gentle, undulating transition.

Gu Yun picked up a metronome, placed it in front of Shen Feng, and said in a low voice,

"Watch the metronome. You’re sitting in a classroom. School just let out. You’re completely relaxed, ready to go have some fun... Your best friend is right beside you. He can tell something’s on your mind, and he wants to know what’s wrong..."

Gu Yun’s words flowed with a unique cadence. Every syllable was carefully modulated, making it sound as if she were singing softly.

In the background, the sounds of waves and wind within the audio track gradually faded, leaving only pure white noise.

Seeing the young man’s expression grow placid, Gu Yun knew she was on the verge of success.

’This is a cooperative subject, which makes the Hypnosis much easier.’

’I just wonder what this young man hopes to get out of being hypnotized.’

Listening to the white noise, smelling the fragrant incense, and feeling the shifting light, Shen Feng began to rapidly assess the changes in his own body.

His breathing and heart rate were slowing, and his brain activity was decreasing. The half of his brain that was still a carbon-based organism was rapidly losing activity, as if entering a state of light sleep.

And yet, it was different from normal sleep.

Fortunately, the Silicon-Based Brain half was unaffected.

Shen Feng felt utterly bifurcated, as if he had split into two separate selves. The consciousness in his Silicon-Based Brain was being cleaved away from the consciousness in his biological brain.

His brainwaves were evening out, as if guided by an external electrical stimulus.

He could even feel a part of his consciousness stirring, wanting to answer Gu Yun’s questions.

But that was as far as it went.

The power of his half-Silicon-Based brain was on full display. The consciousness in the silicon-based portion remained perfectly lucid, preventing his overall consciousness from sinking into a deep hypnotic state.

Shen Feng began to immerse himself in the sensation.

He needed to adapt to the feeling of being hypnotized as quickly as possible. This resistance would be one of his trump cards.

’If a human’s psychological Hypnosis can affect me this much,’ he thought, ’how terrifying will a Whisperer’s be?’

"...You hear your friend’s words... you feel a sense of relief... you tell him what’s on your mind..." Gu Yun continued speaking as the metronome continued its rhythmic ticking.

The young man’s pupils were now slightly dilated, and he appeared to have entered a deep hypnotic state, yet he wasn’t reacting to her words.

’That shouldn’t be happening...’

More than ten minutes passed. Shen Feng had been using his Silicon-Based Brain to observe his own body’s changes, gradually adapting to the hypnotic techniques. Eventually, his biological brain woke completely from the trance.

He had essentially figured out the principles of Hypnosis.

If he were to face Hypnosis of the same intensity again, he was confident he wouldn’t react at all.

He believed that even against a Whisperer, he would now have some power to resist.

’Besides, brainwaves are the key!’

’My Silicon-Based Brain can release electrical waves to guide other biological brains!’

Gu Yun was very patient and continued her verbal induction, her voice flowing with the cadence of a gentle stream.

However, the young man before her remained silent. In fact, he seemed to be gradually waking from the hypnotic state.

’He’s blinking... Why does he keep blinking...?’

’Come to think of it, he has very nice eyes...’

’Why does a young man’s gaze seem deeper than an old man’s...?’

’His eyes... still blinking...’

’I feel a little tired... What was I doing...? I don’t want to think anymore... I just want to look at those eyes...’

Gu Yun’s voice trailed off. She stared, transfixed, at Shen Feng’s rhythmically blinking eyes.

She had been reverse-hypnotized.

By leveraging the room’s specific sound and light environment, her unguarded state, and the brainwave guidance from his own Silicon-Based Brain, Shen Feng had attempted a reverse Hypnosis and succeeded on his first try.

He understood, however, that this was a stroke of luck. Once Gu Yun was on her guard, repeating this feat would be virtually impossible.

’After all, I’m no professional. I’ll need a lot more practice.’

’I might as well get some practice in now.’

Shen Feng immediately mimicked the tone Gu Yun had used earlier. Continuing to blink rhythmically, he asked softly,

"Do you know about the Whisperers?"

Gu Yun’s gaze was vacant. She shook her head mechanically.

"I don’t."

Shen Feng thought for a moment, then asked,

"Among the Hypnotists you know or have heard of, are there any who use Hypnosis to commit crimes and ruin people’s lives? For instance, by inducing suicide?"

Gu Yun’s expression faltered, and a look of fear crossed her face.

"...A branch of the Erickson School, the Purification Society... they were responsible for the sanatorium massacre. It’s a forbidden topic in the field of Hypnosis..."

~

(Seems like the cliffhanger in the last Chapter wasn’t great. The ’seeing a psychologist’ part almost became a real turn-off for readers. My cliffhanger skills need more work!)