Chapter 862: Something You Need?
It was only seven years ago that "Ultimate" was officially established.
I doubt many of the people who join "Ultimate" in the future will believe that such a vast and mysterious organization was founded by me and Jiang Ruoxue, standing on a street, in just a few words.
It was only after Jiang Ruoxue left that I truly understood what "cause and effect" meant.
Jiang Ruoxue is probably the most powerful "Resonator" I've encountered in five years.
If she determines the "result" of something, then the "cause" leading to that result will inevitably arise.
If she first states a "cause," then that cause will inevitably produce the "result" she expects.
It's just that every time, she has to find a logical connection that she can believe in and that can truly happen. The more significant the event, the more difficult it is for her.
And I finally understand that my five years with her were, from the very beginning, a test.
She wasn't just observing me; she was also subconsciously constructing this powerful "cause and effect" relationship.
She waited until she felt the time was right, and then she spoke the long-gestating "cause and effect" in her mind.
In other words, during those five years, if I had ever done anything that displeased Jiang Ruoxue, we would have remained just good friends forever. She would never have activated the "cause and effect" to build "Ultimate" for me overnight.
So, which is the "cause," and which is the "effect"?
Was it because I wanted to build "Ultimate" that she appeared… or was it because of her appearance that I was able to build "Ultimate"?
Cause and effect are endlessly intertwined; that's the hardest thing in the world to explain.
Some people agonize over whether the chicken or the egg came first, but I believe the chicken and the egg appeared simultaneously, in a state of entanglement, and move towards the future together.
Thanks to Jiang Ruoxue, I can now carefully select the strong. As long as I tell them the truth, they will directly believe in the "reality" of this city.
I also use some negotiation techniques and observation methods, trying my best to pick eccentrics who act outlandishly and keep to themselves. That way, when they do something outrageous, people usually think, 'Ah, that's just how they are,' instead of immediately suspecting they belong to an organization.
Actually, there's one thing I've never quite figured out. Jiang Ruoxue once told me, 'From now on, as long as you speak the truth with sincerity, without any deception, then the other person will believe everything you say.'
The most thought-provoking word in that sentence is 'truth.'
How am I supposed to understand this 'truth'?
I tell everyone that once three thousand six hundred "Tao" are gathered, this place will undergo a complete reshuffling. The other person believes me. So does that mean what I said is the 'truth'?
If that's the case… couldn't I use this sentence to 'detect the future'?
In other words, I can test whether what I'm saying is the 'truth' by observing the reactions of the people I talk to. If they believe me, then, because of the 'cause and effect,' what I said is true. If they don't believe me, then what I said was a lie.
It sounds very abstract, but I've tested it time and again, and it's never failed.
I once told someone that 'Ultimate' would lead everyone to escape from the 'Land of Finality.' They didn't believe me.
I said that the founder of 'Ultimate' would one day work alongside the ruler of this place. They still didn't believe me.
All of that turned out to be lies.
It seems that being able to detect the future isn't always a good thing. I often find myself disappointed in the future before it even arrives.
Whether it's a side effect of the 'cause and effect' on me, or the price I pay for gaining a glimpse of Providence, I often feel strange. It's like I suddenly zone out.
I clearly remember walking down the street one day, but the next second, I was sitting in front of a building, with a Human-Grade "Zodiac" not too far away.
This feeling happened once about three years ago, and it happened again today.
I feel like something's missing from my mind, but based on my experience, this feeling will soon dissipate.
I looked at the "Zodiac" in the distance. He stood quietly in front of a building, staring thoughtfully at the ground before him.
It seemed like I thought of something, so I took a few steps forward.
Sure enough, he finally appeared.
Five whole years… He finally shows up here. So I wasn't zoning out; he pulled me over here.
But I'm a bit curious… I've seen the 'Zodiac Ascension Bet' contract. If everyone in the interview room disappears, he becomes an 'Earth Grade.' So why is he still a 'Human Sheep'?
"Sheep Bro…?" I called out softly.
His mask was exactly the same as five years ago, his figure was almost identical, but he looked very listless.
The Human Sheep in the distance lifted his head, looking at me with eyes that were both familiar and strange. He sized me up from head to toe. A few seconds later, he lowered his head again, as if he hadn't seen anything.
What's going on…? He didn't recognize me?
"White Sheep?" I took a few steps forward and called out again.
Finally, he reacted. It seemed he was sure I was calling him, so he raised his head and looked at me again, then asked coldly, "Something you need?"
"Something… I need?"
I was taken aback by his question. What do you mean, 'Something you need'?
I've spent five years running around for a verbal promise I made to him, and now he asks me if I need something?
"Didn't you summon me here…?" I asked again, "What's wrong with you?"
"I summoned you…?" He slowly squinted his eyes, his gaze as cold as if he wanted to kill someone. After a few seconds, he shook his head and said, "Impossible. I didn't call you. Go back to where you came from."
I feel like he's acting a bit strange…
But that build, that mask, that voice… This is clearly White Sheep.
Could it be… he lost his memory?
A strange feeling of helplessness began to well up inside me. If White Sheep really lost his memory and forgot everything… then what have I been doing all these years?
"White Sheep… You don't remember me?" I probed again.
"You…?" White Sheep's gaze pierced through his mask, as if he was pondering something. After a long while, he reached up and touched his own forehead, "Hold on… I think I remember you…"
It still felt strange to me. The expression on his face wasn't one of not knowing me, but more like he was searching for some distant memory.
"Where did I see you before…"
He stared blankly at the ground. It was only then that I realized the difference between him now and when I saw him last.
In addition to his previous wisdom and determination, his eyes now held an extra layer of coldness and despair.
"Yan…" He slowly murmured my surname.
I was about to remind him of the other two characters, but I closed my mouth silently. I wanted him to remember me, not for me to remind him.
I needed him to say my name to prove that my existence had meaning.
Unfortunately, he couldn't recall my name at all. After a moment, a pained expression appeared on his face.