Puzzle Madness

Chapter 212 Heavenly Fire (Part Two)
"Therefore, you can place your mind above all things and change yourself or the external reality."

"Just as a sinner can awaken the activity of the surrounding etheric heart through ritualistic acts—you should understand, right? You know a little bit about the basics."

The tourist raised his arm and shook it, causing the aged hand resting above his wrist to swing comically:

"So when many people dance haphazardly, magical things happen. Those rituals that outsiders can't understand are all related to the sins they've committed; they are essentially a repetition of those sins."

Ai Xi looked up at the observatory's dome:

There were some strange, intermittent noises coming from outside the roof, as if someone was moving around outside.

And those twinkling stars seemed to be blinking, and in a daze, it was as if countless gazes were being cast down.

"Don't worry, don't worry: although there are a hundred billion dead people in the sky, they are not watching us."

"Let me tell you something interesting—I recently met a madman, an Irishman; not very old, but a bit crazy."

"She told me: 'The Bitter Sea actually hopes that we fight as fiercely as possible and that the situation becomes as complicated as possible; those so-called dead people are actually spectators who have been lonely for hundreds or thousands of years, hoping that we will come up with something fun, just like watching a soap opera or a movie.'"

"Because everyone is really bored after they die, with nothing to do; they need some entertainment to pass the eternal time. When they see something interesting—a strange person with a mental illness, a wicked person who has committed a sin—they throw down their heart ether as if giving a small amount of money as a tip."

"Actually, there's some truth to it. Who knows what really happened?"

The tourist tilted his head back and forth, seemingly deep in thought. But with his back to the cold light emanating from the giant, box-shaped tower, and wearing sunglasses, his expression was obscured.

"Oh well. Anyway, those are the two types I just mentioned."

"It's about sinners and patients—I don't understand the scientific principles, but that's basically it."

"When you are in a state of madness, you will look up at the sky and be able to see the sea of ​​suffering, and all our ancestors and compatriots who have ever existed. However, the visions that each person sees will be completely different."

"I've heard that you can see strange illusions. Distorted and deformed dead, sins committed in the past, illogical scenes, and exposed wounds. Those things called celestial visions are a kind of reflection of your inner self, or rather, the sea of ​​suffering's perception of you."

He bent down and smeared the contents of the box at his feet with his fingertips.

Now it's clearer—the old man behind the tourists is tightly bound to some kind of strap, chest to back, limbs intertwined:

"If I ever get tired of this job, I'll go paint. I'll paint the sky that those psychedelic carriers see, and it would be fun and interesting to put on an art exhibition."
-
Ai Xi stood motionless, her gaze shifting from the tourists to the square boxes whose edges shimmered with light:
“I understand. So these boxes are filled with sinners: for the heart ether they drew down, is that it? This is how to increase the concentration of heart ether.”

"The concentration of the heart ether can also increase the intensity of the ecstasy. Just like..."

Before she could finish speaking, the tourist eagerly interrupted: "Yes, you understand now, right? Why DouDou can amplify the ecstasy of those around him: the heart ether surrounding him is like a storm and a whirlpool, a roaring ocean; it's to a degree never seen in the records."

"Although the more recently born a Madness Carrier is, the stronger they are, because there are more dead people in the world and more heart ether in the sea of ​​suffering. As long as humanity has not conquered death, the Madness Carriers of the future may be even more terrifying."

"This process is irreversible. Many people have tried to eliminate the presence of madness, but no one has succeeded; instead, they have created more dangerous byproducts."

"However, let's not talk about him for now; gossiping behind people's backs will get you talked about behind your back—DouDou is probably still busy somewhere, right? Let's talk about you first."

"Ha! You might ask: What about yourself? What would happen if you were constantly immersed in a massive amount of etheric energy, yet had no sins and no illness?"

"Just like you, you will be polished and shine. Your soul will be smoothed by the currents of the heart ether, removing all impurities; have you ever seen the sea? There are many reefs and fine sand on the shore."

"If you were a human, you would have gained a maturity and rationality far beyond your years, as well as: obsession. It's like—you never grew up, but you also never had the chance to be naive and innocent."

“Although you are not old, you are already a mature person; you should say you are stronger than most adults. You have eaten microwaved TV meals, which contain a lot of artificially ripened meat and vegetables, as well as frozen pizzas, frozen roujiamo (Chinese hamburgers), and the like; you are not much different from those things.”

A tourist pointed meaningfully to the tower beneath his feet:
"And you sensed it, didn't you? Before you even arrived, you should have been able to perceive the super-concentrated heart ether here; someone like you would be particularly sensitive to these unnatural accumulations of heart ether."

"That's another reason: I'm sure you'll come."

“Essentially, after spending so much time with DouDou, you can hardly be considered a person anymore; at least in part, you are closer to a machine driven by some vague belief.”

"Just like the messengers, disciples, and even pageboys he unconsciously chose. DouDou's very existence shapes your personality."

"Wouldn't you feel honored? How about writing a gospel? When you grow up, you can make this your career path."

Ai Xi closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. The muzzle of the gun in her hand trembled slightly, then she pressed it harder against her skin.

"I want to know about the internet."

She wasn't wearing a watch, and there wasn't a clock in the sprawling planetarium either.
"Also, you've already rambled on for five minutes; time is running out, so I suggest you wrap things up a bit."
-
The tourist rummaged through his floral shirt until he pulled out a rusty pocket watch. He opened the flip cover, adjusted his sunglasses, and stared wide-eyed at the watch face:

"So soon? Sigh, happy times are always short-lived. I quite enjoy chatting, but nobody talks to me. You'll understand when you get to my age—being able to talk to the right people is a very relaxing pastime."

"Look: I'm a freelancer. Not to brag, but I'm at the top of my field, so I can maintain my public independence; most people can't afford the salary I want."

"Of course I take on some freelance work, and I also have quite a few odd jobs. In my spare time, I've also joined some mysterious organizations. You might not know this, but I'm one of the [Spiders] linking the revival movement."

(End of this chapter)