I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 666: Ideas

Jie Ming found himself lost in contemplation as he absorbed the words.

He recalled attending a lecture by Professor Victor some time ago, where the professor had posited that spiritual intelligence was the root cause of the Strange's emergence.

However, this new perspective suggested that was merely a superficial explanation.

…I have encountered innumerable instances of the Strange assailing humans.

The elderly, the young, men, women, commoners, spiritual mediums, and even those in comatose states—all have been targeted.

A persistent pattern became evident: the Strange invariably attack any being identified as human.

Consciousness or lack thereof, exhibited behavior or not, as long as one is human, the Strange perceive them as a valid target.

【But animals remain untouched.】

【The Strange never attack any animal. The probability is not merely 'low,' it is 'zero.' There are no documented cases of felines, canines, rodents, or avians falling victim to the Strange.

They navigate territories infested with these entities unimpeded and unharmed.

Plants, too, are spared.

Even primates, subjected to specialized training and exhibiting cognitive functions akin to humans, are not targeted by the Strange.

【What conclusion can be drawn from this?

It signifies that the Strange's targeting mechanism is independent of physiological form, behavioral patterns, or even conscious activity.

A human in a vegetative state, devoid of consciousness, is still eliminated by the Strange.

An ape, possessing awareness and a degree of intelligence, is not attacked by the Strange.

This observation had previously puzzled Jie Ming, but lacking sufficient data, he couldn't pinpoint the specifics.

It appeared Professor Victor had already undertaken a comprehensive investigation.

【Consequently, the sole unifying factor in the Strange's attacks is 'humanity' itself.

【After extensive deliberation, I arrived at a conclusion—one that likely few would embrace: the Strange are not an external menace.

They are a manifestation of the intricate relationship between humanity and this world.

The very existence of humankind precipitates the genesis of the Strange.

Much like how light casts shadows, or how moving water creates ripples.

Humans represent a 'discordant note' within this world, and the Strange are the world's 'reverberation,' designed to quell that dissonance.

【Thus, the Strange will persist eternally.

【As long as humanity endures, the Strange will perpetually emerge; this is an immutable law governing this realm.

【The conflict between humans and the Strange is destined to be unending.

Jie Ming's finger halted its movement on the page.

He lifted his gaze, his eyes drifting beyond the bookstore's window towards the sky.

The aperture in the clouds had been largely obscured by mist once more, leaving a sliver of irregular blue—resembling a slowly closing pupil. Could the professor’s hypothesis be accurate?

Perhaps not definitively.

But it presented a plausible theory, capable of elucidating numerous perplexing phenomena.

Jie Ming grasped the essence of Professor Victor's reasoning.

【Since the conflict is unceasing, humanity's objective should not be the 'eradication of the Strange'—an impossibility by all accounts.

Instead, humankind must strive to 'transform its inherent nature.'

If the Strange target humans due to their 'humanity,' then the solution lies in rendering humans 'non-human.'

【The Strange do not prey on one another. Should humans manage to acquire even the most rudimentary and feeble traits of the Strange, they would cease to be targets.

Jie Ming nodded in understanding. This perfectly captured Professor Victor's core concept.

The ultimate aim was not merely to achieve superior combat prowess, but to attain the 'identity authentication' recognized by the Strange while preserving one's human essence. It was akin to clothing an ordinary individual in the 'visage' of the Strange, thereby causing the world to perceive them as 'Strange' rather than 'human.' This would grant them safe passage through the Strange's domain, free from attack.

Naturally, this represented only the preliminary phase.

From the ensuing passages within the notebook, it became clear that the professor's ultimate aspiration was the complete amalgamation of humans and the Strange.

Humans would gain the attributes of the Strange, while the Strange would inherit human consciousness.

Both parties would relinquish a part of their original selves, only to gain a portion of a novel existence.

The resultant entity would transcend both human and Strange classifications, becoming an entirely novel life form, unprecedented in this world.

【This is what I term 'human liberation.'

Jie Ming's hand paused once more as he was about to turn the page.

He re-read the concluding sentence: 'human liberation.'

Liberating humanity from the specter of the Strange, from perpetual dread, from the inescapable destiny of facing the Strange simply by virtue of being born human.

“This… could perhaps be viewed as an alternative Human Instrumentality Project…”

After a brief silence, he resumed reading.

【Naturally, such an ambition is profoundly distant.

Given the present technological capabilities, my personal abilities, and the resources available in this era, its realization is beyond reach.

Therefore, I contented myself with the next most viable alternative.

My aim was to devise a method for the ideal amalgamation of humans and the Strange.

It didn't have to be universally applicable – just for a segment of the population.

It wasn't necessary to permanently resolve the animosity between humans and the Strange – merely to guarantee that, over the ensuing centuries, humanity wouldn't be perpetually on the defensive when confronting the Strange.

Should the amalgamated humans acquire formidable combat prowess in this endeavor, that would undoubtedly be a positive outcome.

A substantial number of potent combatants would, at the very least, enable humans to subsist with greater ease.

Regrettably, constrained by the technological limitations and the prevailing era, even this objective proved unattainable for me.】

【My strategy was flawed.

The dangers associated with fusion were excessively high, and the probability of success was exceedingly low.

Even in instances of success, the host's consciousness would be subsumed by the Strange within a brief timeframe.

This represents a technological failure, an unfinished project.

However, the underlying direction was sound.

I possess this conviction.】

Jie Ming gently closed the notebook.

He reclined in the rocking chair, shut his eyes, and nonchalantly tapped his fingers against the armrest.

The professor's theories, while incomplete and in parts even dubious, pointed in the correct direction.

At least on the principle that "humanity must alter its inherent nature to break free from the Strange," Jie Ming found himself in agreement.

Furthermore, the professor's empirical data was remarkably robust; those unsuccessful experiments constituted incredibly valuable raw material.

This material could accelerate his own research by a significant margin, at least six months.

Jie Ming opened his eyes, reopened the notebook, and began meticulously scrutinizing a set of experimental findings…

At that precise moment, the wooden door was abruptly thrust open with considerable force.

The hinges shrieked, their protest amplified severalfold, accompanied by a cacophony of hurried footsteps.

Eric burst into the room, gasping for breath, his face slick with sweat, his attire begrimed, and his hair disheveled like a bird's nest.

His eyes were wide, his pupils reflecting a turbulent mix of astonishment, exhilaration, and dread.

“Boss!” His voice trembled slightly. “Did you witness it?! Outside… that… the sky! And that…” He gestured wildly towards the door, his finger dancing in the air as he struggled to articulate the spectacle he had just beheld.

Jie Ming lifted his head, casting a cursory glance at Eric, his expression as impassive as if observing a falling leaf.

“I observed it,” he stated calmly.

Eric faltered, momentarily taken aback.

Only then did he calmly survey the scene before him.

Jie Ming remained seated in the rocking chair as usual, engrossed in his reading, his tone placid, as if it were any other ordinary day.

“You… you saw it?” Eric’s voice softened.

Jie Ming's serene demeanor had a calming effect on Eric, gradually drawing him out of his agitated state. “Then, what do you surmise… that entity was?”

Instead of directly answering, Jie Ming calmly shifted the focus of the conversation:

“Why have you returned so early? What about your work?”

Eric’s attention was immediately diverted by the unexpected question.

He promptly adopted a look of acute frustration, as if a long-suppressed emotion had finally found an outlet.

“That avaricious swine! That deplorable glutton!” He sank onto the stool opposite Jie Ming, his hands gripping his knees, his body leaning forward, his face flushed crimson.

“With an event of this magnitude occurring, typically, public areas and factories should congregate personnel and await directives from the Spirit Medium Association to avert potential complications.”

“Yet, that corpulent pig, fearing financial liability should any casualties arise within the factory, summarily dismissed everyone! Sent them home! Have you ever encountered such a person?!”

With each word, his agitation escalated, his hands gesticulating emphatically.

“I implored him, ‘What if there is peril outside?’ He retorted that external dangers were the Association’s purview, but any fatalities within the factory were his direct concern. His exact words… ‘My factory is not a sanctuary!’ Bah!”

Jie Ming offered no interruption, nor did he provide any affirmation.

He remained reclined in the rocking chair, his expression neutral, his gaze fixed upon the black notebook he held.

Eric continued his tirade, an unceasing torrent of words.

His throat grew parched from speaking, yet he could not halt, much like an overinflated balloon finally releasing its pent-up pressure.

As he neared his conclusion, his voice gradually subsided, and his speaking pace decelerated.

His attention involuntarily drifted toward the black notebook clasped in Jie Ming’s hand.

He distinctly recalled never witnessing his boss engage with any reading material beyond newspapers. The unmarked book immediately captured his curiosity. “Boss, what tome are you perusing?” Eric extended his hand, intending to examine the cover.

Jie Ming calmly deflected his hand, his eyes still fixed on the notebook’s contents.

“It’s nothing of consequence. At your present level of understanding, you wouldn't comprehend it.”

“Ah… haha…” Eric emitted an awkward chuckle.

He genuinely dared not contest his boss's assessment.

Jie Ming, however, closed the notebook, raised his head, and regarded Eric with a discerning gaze.

“Eric.”

Only when Eric began to feel uneasy under his scrutiny did Jie Ming finally speak.

“Hmm?”

“Do you aspire to become a spirit medium?”

The atmosphere within the aged bookstore seemed to constrict, growing heavy and still.