Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"Huh? No, nothing." Zhang Wusheng was caught off guard and chuckled dryly. "It's nothing, just some trivial matters."

Elinis looked at him in silence.

A quiet and leisurely memory from several years ago in the Elizabeth clothing store.

But no matter what, going to a nearly empty clothing store in the pouring rain was unlikely to be a pleasant experience. Because of the heavy rain, the clothing store was nearly empty. After making him a cup of coffee, Elinis and he each grabbed a book and didn't say anything, simply flipping through their books to while away the long, damp afternoon.

Looking back now, Samuel was adept at understanding people's hearts; perhaps he sensed something was amiss from the sound of his own pages turning.

……

"You must be very tired."

"You have to fight against another version of yourself at all times."

A casual remark made Zhang Wusheng stop turning the page.

“…But I understand you, Wusheng. I often feel that way too.” Elinis had already shifted his attention to his own book, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips. “Just do your best not to be swallowed up by another version of yourself.”

----

It was precisely at this moment that this memory surfaced in my mind.

"Tsk..."

A second felt like a year.

Zhang Wusheng wanted to get up and leave, but because he stood up too quickly, his right leg tripped over the edge of the table, causing him to sit down again. The narrow space in front of the dining table felt like a cage trapping him, making it impossible for him to escape.

"Self-awareness...what kind of syndrome?" Silver Frost's face was full of concern. "Is it a disease?"

“Well, it’s not much different from a cold or fever.” Koreya noticed his resistance and gently reassured him, “People’s minds can also get sick, but if the methods are right, they can be cured. You don’t need to be so afraid.”

"Ha... mental illness, isn't that just being crazy?" Zhang Wusheng laughed bitterly twice, tilted his head back, looked at the ceiling high in the restaurant, and muttered, "You still think I'm a useless cripple, but are you really that incompetent?"

“You’re mistaken.” When it came to her area of ​​expertise, Correa was uncompromising and explained earnestly, “Self-awareness disorder syndrome is a mental illness. Symptoms vary from person to person, but generally speaking, it is related to one’s own cognitive impairment. Actual cases are rare. Before you, I had only seen such special cases in theoretical textbooks.”

"Patients with this type of illness usually exhibit a series of characteristics such as mental confusion, unfocused vision, and inattention. Due to the collapse of their self-awareness, they may experience varying degrees of visual and auditory hallucinations."

“Just now at City Hall, I observed your demeanor. Your gaze was focused on the latter part of the negotiations, specifically when Senator Kevin proposed an additional $50000…”

"Suddenly, things fell apart."

"It was as if I saw something else, and my attention was drawn to it, but I was pretty sure there was nothing in that direction at all."

"I was just thinking, thinking..." Zhang Wusheng tried hard to defend himself, "Isn't it normal to stare at the wall without moving when you're thinking?"

“That’s true. Judging solely by eyes is too far-fetched.” Koreya nodded, her tone very serious. “However, the micro-expressions on a person’s face are completely different when they are ‘thinking’ and ‘communicating.’ And at that moment, you were clearly in the latter situation.”

"After that, your body immediately began to tremble slightly and uncontrollably. This is an outward manifestation of the illness affecting the body. It's clear that you tried to suppress this urge very successfully, which shows that you've already become accustomed to the existence of visual and auditory hallucinations, haven't you?"

Zhang Wusheng was secretly alarmed.

How could someone observe so meticulously?

However, upon further reflection, it's not surprising that this is, after all, a professional skill that people use to make a living.

"What surprised me most was Mr. Zhang's performance at that time. Even though he was experiencing symptoms, he was still able to maintain his logical thinking and respond to the councilor's demands in a very organized and powerful manner!"

"This is just... just... just... just amazing!" Koreya exclaimed excitedly.

Chapter 999: Doctor-Patient Relationships in the Last Century

"I don't know what you've misunderstood, but anyway... I'm not sick, and I definitely don't have that disease you're talking about!"

Zhang Wusheng, leaning on his cane, finally stood up smoothly, his expression already somewhat uncertain. "You're going to another city soon, right? I suggest you stay away from Pennsylvania, the Old Front State, the Buckeye State, Indiana, and the Prairie State. Don't go to any of these places."

"Especially Washington and Chicago, which are easily caught up in war... It might not be the best way to put it, but I strongly suggest you go to the South, where you might be able to find the job you want."

"Thank you for the trouble of treating me to dinner. Good day, both of you."

He bowed slightly to the two of them, dragging his heavy right leg, eager to leave. Like a fish out of water, thrashing about with its limbless body, it desperately wanted to get back into the water. The world surrounded by water was its true home; it didn't want to stay in this deadly air for even a second longer.

……

"Snapped!"

The wrist that was using the cane was grabbed by another hand.

Soft, yet firm.

"Doctor." Yinshuang gently grasped his wrist, her handsome, willow-leaf eyebrows furrowing with concern. "This illness you just mentioned, if left untreated..."

"What will happen?"

Koreya didn't dare to draw a conclusion either, so she lowered her head and pondered for a long time.

What will happen?

What would be the worst-case scenario?

Zhang Wusheng gritted his teeth, desperate to leave, but his feet wouldn't obey him, glued to the floor. He could feel his heartbeat, his breathing, as if awaiting the pronouncement of judgment from the divine. Hell or heaven, it all lay in that single thought.

"I'm sorry, Miss Silverfrost, because the number of case samples is too small, what I said is just speculation and may not be accurate."

After stacking up her armor, Correa coughed softly, "If this continues without any improvement, sooner or later..."

"He will become a real madman."

----

"Huh?" Zhang Wusheng was immediately stunned, then his body felt light, as if he had fallen into an abyss.

"It seems that Mr. Zhang's mental state is relatively stable now, and he shouldn't immediately become like that. However, being subjected to auditory and visual hallucinations for a long time will make his perception of the real world and himself more blurred."

“To give you an example, have either of you been to the beach?” Correa raised her right hand, her palm moving up and down in a wave-like motion. “The rocks at the beach are very hard, aren’t they? But they are constantly being battered by the waves. For a year or two, it might not seem like much, but what if we extend the timeframe to ten years?”

"Even a hard stone can be corroded and deformed by the soft and invisible seawater; this is Mr. Zhang's mental state."

"Without intervention, sooner or later his hallucination symptoms will worsen, and he will be unable to distinguish between reality and hallucination. This situation can easily trigger other empathic disorders, making him suspicious, depressed, paranoid, anxious and restless... Over time, even if he believes he is not sick, he will be unable to communicate normally with ordinary people."

"What's the difference between this and going crazy?"

A bone-chilling cold seeped in from the soles of his feet, spreading along his body and gradually reaching the top of his head. It was as if he were no longer standing on a wooden floor, but on a block of ice that had never melted in millennia.

When you know nothing, you can pretend everything is fine and continue peacefully.

Once you know what kind of consequences await you, the middle ground that you could have gotten away with suddenly disappears.

They became a countdown, hanging above my head, ticking away, and could no longer be ignored.

"Is it that serious?" Yin Shuang turned her head and looked at Zhang Wusheng with a hint of reproach, as if blaming him for not saying something so important sooner.

But she didn't speak in the end, only asking, "So, if we start treatment now, will it be able to...?"

“I’m sorry, Ms. Silverfrost, but the treatment methods in psychiatry are somewhat different from those in general practice,” Correa sighed. “There are no specific pills or medications. Psychiatric treatments are all about indirectly influencing the patient’s mental state through behaviors such as dialogue and actions.”

"In other words, if the patient refuses to communicate, there's nothing I can do."

……

"……I do not understand."

Within minutes, the overwhelming influx of information left Zhang Wusheng looking somewhat tired. But deep in his eyes, the unresolved suspicion only intensified.

He no longer had the energy to maintain a polite social facade. Clenching his teeth, his eyes and expression grew increasingly sinister. "Why did you help me? For money? Or something else?!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? He meant well and wanted to help you!" Yinshuang's tone was more fearful than ever before. "I'm so sorry, Doctor, he... he didn't mean any harm by saying that. Perhaps, he was just too shocked to say that..."

“It’s alright, Ms. Silverfrost.” Correa smiled gently and waved her hand. “Mr. Zhang is right.”

"As long as a person is alive, there will always be various purposes involved when they want to do something."

"I don't rule out the possibility of altruistic saints, but unfortunately, I am not that kind of person. I also have my own interests to consider."

Behind her gentle gaze, a hint of cunning lurked.

She held up a finger and chuckled softly, "It might be a bit offensive to say this, but Mr. Zhang, everyone says that your family seems to be the real shareholders behind the Sanyuan Group. So, being able to launch a war means that your family is actually super... super rich, right?"

"Being able to connect with you is the same as being connected with the Sanyuan Group. Even a tiny bit of what you give me is enough for an ordinary person like me to live a life of comfort and ease."

“…Huh?” Silver Frost was completely stunned.

So straightforward.

Although she knew that many people thought the same way, these kinds of thoughts are usually just kept to themselves and are unlikely to be said aloud.

But now... this young lady, without batting an eye, without the slightest shame, even with a smile on her face.

“Miss Silverfrost is quite surprised.” As if she could hear her thoughts, Correa turned slightly to the side and smiled. “In your heart, am I a more noble person?”

"Uh, well... how should I put it..." Silver Frost blushed slightly and scratched her head, "I thought doctors should be more..."

“Doctors need to eat too, especially since I’m a penniless psychiatrist,” Correa chuckled self-deprecatingly. “Besides, I have another purpose—your case is very rare. If I can solve it, perhaps I can make a name for myself in the academic community.”

"Even if I fail to cure you in the end, I can still boast about my experience of 'treating the big shots behind the Sanyuan Group' and make it my own qualification."

"To put it simply, I help you for three reasons: money, fame, and academic achievements. You are a treasure trove. I'm just like those people in the city hall; I want to extract some benefits from you. I'm a vulgar person wrapped in worldly desires."

"Are you at ease now?"

----

……

Before they knew it, the treatment had already begun.

The first step in treatment is to build rapport with the patient and make them feel like they are one of their own. Even if they can't become partners immediately, at the very least, there shouldn't be any subconscious hostility or rejection between them.

Since the other party believed that she was treating him with ulterior motives, then Correa didn't mind being the one with ulterior motives. Whatever methods she used, as long as she could shorten the distance between herself and the patient and make him less subconsciously resistant to her and the treatment, she was willing to accept it; that was the professionalism of a psychiatrist.

It was these straightforward and direct words about interests that gradually calmed Zhang Wusheng down.

It's good that you have ulterior motives.

People with ulterior motives are normal people.

"You're so smart, Doctor."

Even though he saw through her intentions, Zhang Wusheng still smiled, let out a long sigh, and seemed to deflate like a spring that had been wound up. His previously tense shoulders, neck, and back all quietly relaxed.

"Since you have ulterior motives, then..."

"Please use your professional medical skills to make an exchange with me."

Chapter 1000: Those are the amazing tools we'll be using later.

"This place..." Zhang Wusheng, leaning on his cane, looked around at the rather impressive house in front of him, somewhat surprised. "Is this your home?"

"Oh! How rude of me! For a moment just now, you imagined me as one of those homeless kids sleeping on the streets, didn't you?"

Lucas jokingly remarked, "If that were the case, the newspaper wouldn't hire me to take their photos. Most kids born on the streets end up homeless, and any decent shop wouldn't hire them... because there's a high chance they'll run off with your money."

To describe Lucas's family in a suitable way, one would probably say that "his ancestors were once wealthy."

His ancestors weren't too far removed from him; their wealth was probably only around his grandfather's generation. They capitalized on the post-war reconstruction efforts, accumulating some savings and acquiring property in the city. Unfortunately, his son didn't share his foresight. Just one generation later, this once prosperous family crumbled like magic.

In this rapidly developing era, opportunities abound, but so do pitfalls. Stories of ups and downs unfold continuously on this land.

Having fallen on hard times, Lucas had no choice but to find a way to make a living on his own. He took a job as a field reporter for a newspaper because photography was one of the few skills he truly possessed. But at least his ancestors had left him this house, which could provide shelter from the wind and rain, preventing him from truly becoming homeless.

Now, after some simple arrangements, the house has temporarily become Correa's temporary psychological clinic.

“I was originally thinking of inviting you to develop your career in the south, to look for job opportunities at a newspaper or something, but now it seems… there’s no need for that.” Zhang Wusheng tilted his head slightly, looked around the house, and smiled, “Your home is right here.”

"If I go to the South, can I mention your name?" Lucas asked expectantly.

“Of course,” Zhang Wusheng readily agreed. “You’ve treated me to a meal and vacated your house, helping me so much. I will definitely find a way to repay this favor.”

"but……"

His tone suddenly became somewhat downcast, and as he hesitated, he subconsciously avoided Lucas's gaze.

"The premise is that my brain hasn't been turned into a mess by some kind of cognitive disorder, and I still remember what happened today."

"Don't worry, there won't be any problems!"

Lucas's energetic voice, like a ray of warm sunshine, tore a small opening in the dark cloud hanging over his head.

"I haven't been to school, and I don't know much, like about mental health or psychology... Anyway, you're sick now, right?"

Lucas gave him a thumbs-up and revealed a clear, cheerful smile that was somewhere between a teenager and a young adult. "Anyone gets sick, even animals. It's perfectly normal, nothing to worry about."

"As long as you follow the doctor's instructions, you will definitely be cured!"