Facing an Ancient God for a Year

Chapter 698: Chapter 696: The Moment of Tasting (13)_1 Chapter 698: Chapter 696: The Moment of Tasting (13)_1 “How do you feel?”

With the familiar prompt, the same question followed.

“Not great.”

Fu Qian, whose senses had been restored, scrutinized the bespectacled Demon Doctor in front of him and chose a different answer this time.

“Oh? What troubles you?”

The diligently responsible doctor in front of him undeniably attracted his attention.

“It’s too noisy.”

Fu Qian had a look of distress.

“Listening to horse neighing for a full five minutes, my head feels in total chaos.”

“…Just horse neighing?”

His answer was clearly beyond the Demon Doctor’s expectation, who after being stunned for a moment, couldn’t help but double-confirm.

“Isn’t horse neighing enough?”

Fu Qian frowned.

“What else should I have heard?”

“Nothing… What time is it now?”

After scrutinizing Fu Qian with a strange look, the Demon Doctor asked a familiar question.

“Eighteen-fifteen.”

Fu Qian glanced at the digital clock behind him and answered again.

“Good, now draw this time on paper, in the form of a clock face.”

The Demon Doctor nodded and once more placed paper and pen before Fu Qian.

This time, however, Fu Qian did not show off an astonishing feat but drew a set of utterly normal clock hands.

…

Looking at the homework from which absolutely no fault could be found, the Demon Doctor exhibited an even more shocked expression than before at the sight of this utterly law-abiding citizen.

And Fu Qian, who saw all this firsthand, quietly wagered that he had gambled correctly.

Indeed, in this test, not hearing any miscellaneous noises and not being affected at all was also abnormal.

It was also reasonable—the effects of the “Dimming Pony” should be quite potent for the average Transcendent. The probability of complete immunity was very small; it was merely a matter of varying resistance.

It was clear from the records provided by Cynthia that different test subjects reacted to cognitive influences to varying degrees.

The reason he changed his strategy this time was that, as a professional and confident task person, Fu Qian did not think there was anything wrong with his performance last time.

In Fu Qian’s view, the extremity he could achieve was what had just transpired—suggesting there’s no hope for himself, drawing attention, and looking for an opportunity to act; it was nearly impossible to achieve a more exaggerated effect.

Extracting the real Gaya Ulrich within the designated time seemed an unviable approach now.

Thus, he chose to do the exact opposite this time, to be a one-hundred-percent good citizen.

On one hand, this situation also had its own allure.

But most importantly, he wanted to adopt a different stance to engage in for a conversation with Dr. Cynthia and verify some conjectures.

Haste makes waste; relying on luck is often a trap.

…

The fact proved that Fu Qian’s strategy had worked.

After being stunned for a while, the Demon Doctor, just like last time, had Fu Qian taken away and locked up.

“Mr. 9527?”

And almost at the same moment, a guard came knocking on the door, confirmed his identity, and took him away.

Brilliant!

As he once again passed by Brother 1439 coming from the opposite direction, Fu Qian appreciated the researchers’ professional acuteness with satisfaction.

Tricky maneuvers require connoisseurs.

If Cynthia really kept him locked up, treating him as a healthy individual, then he might have to opt for Shura Mode.

“Please sit down.”

Being pressed down by two guards, Fu Qian re-entered Dr. Cynthia’s office.

At this moment, the professional woman squinted her eyes, her intact head bearing a look full of implication.

In her hand was the drawing Fu Qian had just made.

“Mr. 9527, according to the records submitted, did you hear only the sound of a horse during the entire test?”

She didn’t bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point.

“Yes.”

Fu Qian nodded.

“There were no other sounds that troubled you?”

“What kind of sounds? Weren’t five minutes of horse neighing troubling enough?”

Fu Qian looked surprised.

“I would rather have the extent of the compensation reduced than go through that again.”

…

“I’m sorry, but you don’t get to make that decision. Given the current situation, we need you to cooperate with another test.”

Unmoved by Fu Qian’s words, Cynthia shook her head after staring at him for a while.

“But don’t worry, it’s not about re-entering the test area; doing it right here will suffice.”

As she spoke, Cynthia lifted an item covered with a black cloth from the ground.

Soul Guidance? So, there’s no need to listen to the horse neighing anymore.

Fu Qian recognized the mirror he had just seen at a glance.

If he remembered correctly, she had to apply to use it previously; yet now, she had casually borrowed it.

This indicated one thing: before he came, she had already made up her mind and completed the application process.

Completely unaffected, as if he were taken more seriously than being 100% brainwashed.

Fu Qian silently lamented in his heart.

Furthermore, based on his previous experience, he believed that his current conversation with Cynthia was very likely being monitored.

In other words, the various real and false Gaya Ulrichs could see his reaction from now on.

“Beneath this cloth is a mirror.”

At this moment, Cynthia gestured for the guard to step aside, pressed her hand on the Soul Guidance, and reintroduced its function.

“Your situation is quite rare, so we hope to confirm through this method that you truly have no hidden dangers.”

“Given how confident you are, I trust this shouldn’t trouble you?”

While speaking, Cynthia scrutinized Fu Qian’s reaction earnestly.

“So, you’re telling me that what I perceive as an absence of trouble is just my own illusion?”

Fu Qian had an expression that read ‘don’t think you can fool me easily.’

“Some unknown element has influenced me without my awareness, and I need to use this method to find out?”

“Why does this sound increasingly absurd to me?”

“It’s just a screening method, that’s all.”

Cynthia did not seem surprised by his reaction.

“And there’s something you might have misunderstood.”

The next instant, her expression suddenly turned cold.

“You do not have the right to choose, this is merely a notification.”

“I understand.”

Facing the unforgiving declaration of the tester, Fu Qian accepted it quite quickly, nodding to indicate his understanding.

“However, I have no doubt about my own situation.”

“So I hope you will stick to the agreement and cover this up before the five minutes are up.”

“Don’t worry.”

Dr. Cynthia’s expression softened once again.

“I wouldn’t allow such a mistake to occur even more than you wouldn’t.”

…

Soon after, the black cloth was removed from the Soul Guidance, and the silvery mirror along with the familiar mist reappeared before Fu Qian.

Like last time, the mist churned for a moment before settling into stillness.

In Fu Qian’s understanding, this scene should relate to rank; as a Demigod, he surpassed the range that the mirror could affect, rendering it utterly useless to him.

Given this situation, he had chosen to pretend self-judgment last time.

As for this time—

“It’s just looking in the mirror after all.”

Staring ahead, Fu Qian snorted.

“Hello there, myself.”