"Ashen Realm Convergence?”

Chen Ling did remember this term existing in his memory, but he couldn't recall where the original host might have seen it.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about the Ashen Realm too.”

Dr. Lin stood up, poured the fresh blood from the tea pot into the drain, and slowly began to speak.

"Before the Great Cataclysm, someone proposed a hypothesis that in this universe, there exist countless parallel timelines, all originating from the earliest birth of the universe, like rays of light released after a candle is lit, spreading in all directions. However, because light is infinite, they extend infinitely to all possibilities and never intersect.”

"But everything became chaotic after the passage of the red meteor.”

"Various timelines were stirred up, an unknown and eerie gray world began to overlap with the real world.”

After washing the tea pot, Dr. Lin did not pour out the water but placed it on the table. Due to the force used during the process, the water in the pot rippled. Dr. Lin tore a piece of paper and placed it above the rippling water. The rippling water began to wet the paper, gradually permeating the entire surface.

"Initially, only a small part converged, but as time passed, more and more areas converged, and the matter and creatures of that world began to appear in our world. Even most of the habitats originally belonging to humans have been occupied by that world, leaving only nine 'domains' to shelter humans and continue the flame.”

"Because the sky in that world is gray, we call it the 'Ashen Realm'.”

"When the Ashen Realm converges with reality, a series of inexplicable events beyond cognition occur, and even monsters belonging to the Ashen Realm may descend, what we call 'Calamity'.”

"Generally speaking, among survivors who encounter Ashen Realm convergence or are attacked by Calamity, eighty percent will experience mental disorders, and most of them will never recover in their lifetime...”

"I suspect that your current situation is related to the 'Ashen Realm'.”

"Think carefully, have you ever encountered Ashen Realm convergence and been involved in it?”

Faced with Dr. Lin's inquiry, Chen Ling tried hard to search the original host's memory but ultimately found nothing... No matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn't recall any other memories from last night.

"I don't know," he said bitterly. After pondering for a moment, Dr. Lin took out a piece of stationery from the drawer and quickly wrote something. "Your condition is no longer just a mental illness... I'm just an ordinary person and can't cure you.

However, I know someone who may be able to help with treating the aftermath of Ashen Realm contamination. After all, he is a true 'doctor'.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's eyes lit up, "Where can I find him?”

"He lives in Aurora City, but he usually travels around offering medical consultations. Wherever there are difficult cases, he goes there. This is their path to godhood... Anyway, hand this letter to the enforcer at the entrance of Aurora City, leave your name and address, and they will pass it on for you. Within three days, that 'doctor' will come to you on his own.”

"Thank you!”

Chen Ling took the envelope and sincerely thanked him. In fact, when he saw the salt grains melting on the road, Chen Ling already felt that something was amiss. The things happening to him seemed beyond explanation by illness.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

He came to this small clinic because he had already walked halfway, and he didn't know where else could possibly help him. According to Dr. Lin, this 'doctor' seemed to have something special, mentioning the path to godhood... Could it be that this world also has a unique human cultivation system?

Otherwise, according to Dr. Lin's words, all of humanity should have perished during the so-called Great Cataclysm and Ashen Realm convergence. Chen Ling even felt that the distorted scientific level of this world might also be related to the Great Cataclysm.

"No need to thank me, give my regards to your younger brother," Dr. Lin smiled faintly. "He is still hospitalized in District Two... I will bring your regards to him next time I visit.”

Chen Ling stood up, bid farewell to Dr. Lin, pushed the door open, and left. As the figure gradually disappeared beneath the flowing aurora sky, Dr. Lin's eyes narrowed slightly. "A performer, huh...”

... "The first time I saw the screen in my dream, the audience anticipation level was at 29%.”

"When I tried to escape, it jumped to 30%.”

"On the way here, it dropped back to 27%...”

"Just now, Dr. Lin was pranked, and it rose back to 29%.”

"Assuming the 'audience' is really in my mind, and these numbers are not illusions, what exactly influences the rise and fall of anticipation levels?”

The cold wind howled, Chen Ling wrapped in a thick cotton robe, walked towards home, pondering seriously. Stage, audience, anticipation level... Every increase in anticipation level seems to be accompanied by an event, so can these events be considered as "plot" on the stage?

The more interesting the events happening around oneself, the greater the attraction of the "plot" to the audience, thus raising the anticipation level? It is said on the screen that when the audience anticipation level falls below 20%, the safety of the actors is not guaranteed...

Chen Ling doesn't know the specific danger, but considering that the "audience" can to some extent interfere with reality, he might end up being a tool for their venting, pranked to death! Chen Ling feels that his thinking is correct, but to prove it, he needs to take practical action. "Perhaps, I should try to actively design the 'plot'.”

Chen Ling muttered to himself. "Ah Ling, have you had breakfast?”

Chen Ling turned to see a middle-aged man with a towel wrapped around his head, enthusiastically calling out to him from a breakfast stall on the street. At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Chen Ling's mind. "Not yet, Uncle Zhao.”

Chen Ling's lips curled slightly, and he walked towards the stall. "Come, let me make you some soy milk and fried dough sticks. It rained heavily last night, the humidity is high, you can't warm up without breakfast.”

Uncle Zhao brought over a steaming bowl of soy milk. "Thank you, Uncle Zhao.”

Chen Ling reached into his pocket, took out three copper coins, and handed them to Uncle Zhao, but he pushed them back. "Uncle, let me treat you to breakfast, why would you let me pay?”

"Don't be like that, Uncle Zhao. Although we've been neighbors for over ten years, we still need to keep things fair.”

"You're such a good kid, I don't want your money. When you have time, help our son, Xiao Yi, with his studies. I'll bring you breakfast every day.”

Uncle Zhao grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Hasn't he graduated already? Why does he need tutoring?”

"With his grades, he can't even get a job. I'm thinking of having him repeat a year. I can't have him doing odd jobs every day, right?”

"Oh...”

"Ah Ling is so much better, smart and filial. If Xiao Yi can pass the law enforcement exam like you, I'll be overjoyed.”

Uncle Zhao sighed, "But alas, this kid is so disappointing.”

Chen Ling's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up: "Uncle Zhao... do you know why Xiao Yi is performing so poorly in his studies?”

"Huh? Why?”

Chen Ling was about to say something, but fell into silence for a long time, then shook his head, "Forget it, Uncle Zhao. I promised him to keep it a secret.”

"Please don't!”

Uncle Zhao's heart rate increased, he handed Chen Ling a braised egg, scratching his head anxiously, "Ah Ling, I know you're Xiao Yi's good friend, but some things... as a father, I should know a little, right? I raised Xiao Yi on my own, working day and night to earn money to send him to school, just to give him a better future... If you know something, you must tell me!”

We are all doing this for his own good...”

Seeing Uncle Zhao's urgent inquiry, Chen Ling was slightly moved. After hesitating for a moment, as if making up his mind, he said, “Uncle Zhao, you are right. As a friend, I really can't bear to see Zhao Yi fall like this...”

“Fall, fall? What happened to him exactly?”

“He's in love.”

“Ah?”

Uncle Zhao was stunned, “This kid still has this charm?”

Chen Ling, with an unchanged expression, took a bite of the fried dough stick and casually uttered three words: “With a man.”