201. Trinity: Ignoring Process, Reaching the Result
Exusiai had a dream.
A dream, both clear and blurry, interwoven with burning sensations.
In the dream, she experienced an unprecedented, dizzying, ultimate pleasure.
She seemed intimately intertwined with a faceless figure, trying various strange and stimulating positions—sometimes lifted by strong arms, sometimes pressed against a cold door… but her favorite was face-to-face. Because then… it seemed she could see the other person's expression?
…Wait, something's not right! She clearly didn't see anything…why did this strange longing surge up?
Just as Exusiai was filled with confusion, the blurry figure in the dream began to gradually become clearer…clearer and clearer…until the face was fully revealed—
"Sister…and Brother-in-law?!"
"Wait!!! Brother-in-law?! No way—!!!!!!"
Xiling immediately turned to the culprit beside him, his eyelids blinking wildly:
"Look what you've done! Has this child lost her mind?!"
Lemuen responded with an extremely calm look:
"What's the panic? My empathy tells me that Lemuel's mental state is perfectly fine; her heart is just beating a little faster than usual, don't make a fuss."
As a Sankta, she could clearly sense that the main component of her sister's turbulent emotions was shame.
Having just woken from that overly realistic dream, Exusiai's mind was still a little muddled. She blinked blankly, her gaze finally focusing on the two people standing by the bed.
"Lemuel? How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Lemuen's tone was gentle as she reached out to tidy Exusiai's slightly messy hair from her forehead, her actions full of reassurance.
"Don't keep any problems to yourself. I'm practically a medical expert now. I can handle any difficult case for you," Xiling added from the side.
Exusiai's gaze shifted between the two, finally settling on the blanket, trying to calm her wildly beating heart.
"...So...it was a dream..." She unconsciously recalled the blush-inducing details of her dream, and the blush that had just subsided instantly returned, even redder than before!
"Your face is so red! Something's definitely wrong with your body, isn't it?!" Xiling's heart leaped into his throat, and he glared at Lemuen again: "Look at you! Your sister is as red as a boiled shrimp! And you say nothing's wrong?!"
However, this time Lemuen didn't even bother to give him a second glance. She knew, of course, that the guy next to her was simply overreacting out of guilt.
Really, what's the big deal? They were just a normal couple doing what couples are supposed to do.
As for her own sister.
This is the fate of the Sankta.
Slightly emerging from the chaotic memories of her dream, Exusiai instinctively shook her head at her sister's gentle questioning, but then, as if remembering something extremely important, she nodded vigorously!
"Something's wrong! Something big!" Exusiai suddenly reacted like a bristling animal, tightly hugging Lemuen's waist, burying her face in her chest, her voice muffled yet utterly accusatory, "Sis! Tell me the truth! What did you just do?!"
She had to get to the bottom of this today! What exactly had her older sister done? She had actually... actually made her... made her experience that... intense, soul-stirring feeling!
Even!
She even made her have a... erotic dream about... someone!
As the face gradually became clearer in her dream, Exusiai's arms tightened instinctively around her sister, a strong sense of guilt welling up within her.
This intense guilt, transmitted unmistakably through the Sankta's empathy, was clearly felt by Lemuen.
Hearing the question, Xiling coughed twice guiltily.
"I'll go out now. Just call me if you need anything, I'm always here."
With that, Xiling quickened his pace, as if a raging flood was rushing away behind him.
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Very good.
Today's breakfast is really good.
Only by climbing down from the bottom can one know how wonderful the ordinary can be.
The Doctor put down his cutlery, clasped his hands together, and sincerely whispered towards the kitchen, "Thank you, Gummy. May you also have a morning as wonderful as this breakfast."
This was his heartfelt blessing.
After the prayer.
The Doctor looked at the Sankta operator forming a small group on the other side and tilted his head in confusion. As the Doctor of Rhodes Island, he didn't allow such clique behavior, so he chose to join in.
"Good morning, everyone!" The Doctor, carrying a tray, naturally squeezed into the small circle of the Sankta operator and sat down.
"What are you chatting about so happily? I can feel your overflowing joy from afar."
"Good morning, Doctor!" Andrcher was the first to respond enthusiastically.
"Good morning, Doctor," Ambriel greeted with a smile.
The Doctor looked at the group. Although Sankta was naturally optimistic, their energy today was clearly excessive.
"You guys seem brighter than usual... um, more radiant? Did something good happen? Do you mind sharing it?"
Ambriel shrugged, looking relaxed.
"I don't know what happened, but I just feel so relaxed."
"I feel like I have inexhaustible energy, both physically and mentally." One of the Sankta personnel said casually.
Is that even possible?
It feels like Rhodes Island's new ghost stories are about to be added to the list.
Just then, the Doctor's sharp eyes spotted his allies.
"This kid's acting strange! Shifty eyes, unsteady gait, shifty eyes... he's definitely up to something!"
He made a quick decision, leaving the Sankta group:
"Ah, sorry everyone, I suddenly remembered something important, you guys continue!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already grabbed his plate and quickly moved to sit next to Xiling, who had just finished getting his food.
"You..." The Doctor leaned closer to Xiling, lowering his voice, his expression as serious as a judge in a courtroom, "...did something bad happen?"
Although Xiling was feeling guilty about the Exusiai incident, he didn't hold back when facing the Doctor, rolling his eyes and giving him a standard middle finger:
"None of your business."
"Oh, you're mistaken!" The Doctor spread his hands, looking serious, "We're strategic allies, a community of shared destiny! Your business is my business! So..." He changed the subject, revealing a mischievous smile, "...tell me so I can have a laugh?"
"Get lost!" Xiling retorted irritably.
"Hehe..." The Doctor chuckled lightly, not annoyed, then changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious.
"So, do you have any special plans for today?"
Should I say I'm analyzing Originium or trying to find someone?
Obviously not.
"No plans, so is there something you need my help with?" Xiling looked at the Doctor.
"There is indeed something I'd like to ask for your help with." The Doctor's playful smile vanished, replaced by seriousness.
"What is it?"
"I'd like to ask you to help Amiya treat her Oripathy."
Ever since emerging from that day's confusion, the Doctor had wanted the other person to help Amiya treat her Oripathy.
Now he was formally asking.
Faced with the Doctor's seriousness, Xiling casually nodded.
"Okay."
Hearing this, the Doctor breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately moved closer to Xiling, picked him up, and hugged him tightly.
"If you ever need anything, just call me. I'll crawl there for you, even if it means crawling."
"No need for that..." Xiling tried to pull his arm away in disgust.
"How can I express my gratitude without being exaggerated!" The Doctor wouldn't let go.
"I just feel constricted! Let go, I want to eat!" Xiling struggled free.
"Goodness!" The Doctor immediately released him, reverting to his playful demeanor.
After they finished eating, the Doctor eagerly led the way, intending to take Xiling to Amiya, but Xiling said.
"Notify everyone on Rhodes Island. Today, Master Xiling is treating Oripathy for free."
Xiling's words made the Doctor pause, his leading steps halting.
"What's wrong?" Xiling looked at him.
"Nothing, I just feel... isn't it a bit inappropriate to resolve the Oripathy of the Rhodes Island people right now?"
The Doctor was somewhat worried. Many operators on Rhodes Island joined the organization perhaps for ideals, but some joined to solve Oripathy. If this goal were easily achieved by an outsider, the stance and future of those who stayed for treatment would become problematic.
This would undoubtedly shake Rhodes Island's core cohesion and could even lead to a brain drain… After all, what truly solves their immediate crisis isn't Rhodes Island's own efforts or capabilities.
The Doctor's words weren't entirely explicit, but Xiling understood his meaning.
"Your concerns aren't wrong; in fact, my thinking is somewhat presumptuous," Xiling chuckled.
"So, what do you want to do, Doctor?"
Faced with Xiling's question, the Doctor remained silent, lost in thought. Then, a thought struck him.
"Ah, I have a good idea."
"It might require you to compromise a little." "
After hearing the Doctor's brief description, Xiling felt a sense of unease.
But he accepted it nonetheless.
After all, it had no impact on him.
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Kal'tsit, the Doctor, and everyone in the medical department held their breath, their eyes focused on the tense scene in the center of the room.
Amiya sat somewhat awkwardly in a chair, facing a focused Xiling.
"Are you ready, Amiya?" Xiling looked gently at the young leader who bore such a heavy responsibility.
Amiya's voice was so soft it was as if she were afraid of disturbing the air:
"Mr. Xiling… I think… maybe we should pass?"
"Can you tell me why?" Xiling pressed softly.
"...Because," Amiya lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, "it just feels like doing this… is too despicable."
She felt an indescribable guilt.
As the leader of Rhodes Island, as the banner of the Infected, becoming one of the first beneficiaries the instant the treatment was revealed, it made her feel like a hasty deserter, betraying everyone's trust.
"I understand." Xiling nodded, turning to the group of people with varying expressions.
"That's what your leader thinks. Does anyone want to try and persuade her?"
Before she finished speaking, the Doctor and Kal'tsit had already walked side-by-side to Amiya.
"Amiya, you don't need to think so much?" The Doctor spoke first, his tone serious.
He understood this child's thoughts all too well; he could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her furrowed brow.
What's 'leading by example', 'taking this as a benchmark', that's all nonsense. Isn't it normal for the leader of the Infected not to be Infected?
It's like having five of the Four Heavenly Kings, or a wife cake without a wife—it's all perfectly normal.
"Right now, you just need to obediently let him treat your illness and then start today's work."
"And after you're cured of Oripathy, you won't need daily checkups, giving you more time to work. Right?" The Doctor gave a thumbs-up, as if approving of what he had just said.
"I agree with the Doctor." Kal'tsit looked directly at Amiya.
"A leader's value isn't in whether they're infected, but in their actions and will. Only by getting rid of the shackles of Oripathy as soon as possible can you fulfill your responsibilities as the leader of Rhodes Island in a healthier state. That's true responsibility to everyone."
"Yes, Amiya, you don't need to worry too much. Your symptoms are serious, and I hope you can get treatment as soon as possible." Shining looked gently at her leader.
The others agreed with the suggestion.
After all, they knew their little leader's condition. Her Oripathy was very severe. Even if she seemed fine normally, who would be responsible if the disease flared up? That was something they absolutely didn't want to see.
"Look," the Doctor spread his hands, pointing at Amiya with an air of certainty, "Majority rules! Xiling, ignore this stubborn little mule, just do it!"
Xiling's gaze returned to Amiya:
"It seems, Leader, you're not very popular? Nobody's on your side. Then I won't be polite."
Amiya looked around, seeing the faces filled with concern and unyielding resolve, and finally sighed softly, revealing a helpless yet relieved smile:
"...It seems so." She straightened her back and closed her eyes.
Xiling's hand reached for Amiya. The medical staff watched this scene with a mixture of tension and anticipation, but soon they all noticed Xiling's brow furrow.
The Doctor immediately asked anxiously.
"What's wrong?"
"...No, nothing," Xiling replied simply, but inwardly thought,
"The Originium within Amiya is different from everyone else's."
"It's...rebelling against me."
"No...this is the continuation of civilization."
"This can't continue; it will damage Amiya's body."
Xiling could feel the wails of countless wills within the Originium, resisting him because he was trying to turn them back to their original state—without consciousness, only able to slumber in the sea of Originium.
Xiling decisively withdrew his power.
"What exactly is going on?" The Doctor pressed on urgently.
"The situation is a bit complicated," Xiling said, cracking his knuckles.
"Conventional methods have encountered fundamental resistance… It seems we'll have to try an unconventional approach."
The will of the hero is too domineering; it can bend the unyielding, make the false become real, but there is a process involved.
And this process is precisely the resistance those wills launched against Xiling.
If Xiling wanted to suppress them by force, he could, but there was no need, because he had better methods.
If the process gave them a chance to breathe, then he wouldn't give them a chance; he would achieve the result directly.
In an instant, Xiling's aura underwent a dramatic change! An indescribable pressure, a mixture of malice, humanity, and divinity, permeated the air—the Trinity!
Deep within Xiling's eyes, two opposing Kabbalah Trees of Life suddenly appeared, intertwining and rotating!
The atmosphere of the entire space was distorted, as if the light had frozen.
Everyone, including Kal'tsit and the Doctor, was stunned by this surreal sight, involuntarily taking a half-step back, their faces filled with disbelief!
Ignoring their astonishment, Xiling's gaze seemed to pierce through Amiya's body, reaching the depths of her soul. His voice, like a resounding bell tolling directly in her heart:
"Call my name, Amiya."
"Make your wish upon me."
Amiya's gaze was completely fixed on Xiling.
At this moment, he seemed to have transformed into the singularity of the world—more dazzling than light, more profound than darkness, yet radiating an exquisitely gentle human radiance capable of soothing all wounds!
"Call my name, Amiya," the divine yet gentle voice echoed once more in the depths of her soul, "Make your wish."
A wish… a grander thought flashed through Amiya's mind—to rid Terra of the suffering caused by Oripathy! But an innate intuition told her: the price of this wish was unbearable!
Under the anxious gaze of the Doctor, who nearly rushed forward, Amiya finally obeyed her innermost, most fervent desire, responding with the strength of her soul: "I…beg…heal!"
The miracle was defined, permitted, and directly revealed at that moment! Ignoring all processes, reaching only the final outcome!
Amiya's wish for healing was like a seed cast into the river of destiny.
Under the divine power of Xiling in his [All Beings' Prayer] state—I hear the call, I witness the yearning, I grant your wish—this seed instantly transcended the barriers of time and causality!
It took root, sprouted, and blossomed in the soil of possibility… Finally, a crystal symbolizing Amiya's future, free from the corruption of Originium, solidified in an instant!
Xiling reached out and gently grasped the illusory fruit, purely composed of "possibility" and "cause and effect."
He replaced Amiya's original "path of destiny" with this crystal containing a future of absolute health.
The process was completely erased.
The result was already forged!
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"You wouldn't…really be a god, would you?" The Doctor looked at Amiya, who was being examined by a group of medical personnel, and spoke to the being beside him in an incredulous tone.
"Unfortunately, I am not a so-called god," Xiling answered the Doctor's question while feeling his own Tree of Light within him, fulfilling Amiya's prayer, showing no growth whatsoever.
"Although I had a premonition, I'm still a little disappointed."
The prayers of all beings.
It's the ability to fulfill the wishes of others, inspiring their faith in oneself, and thus absorbing the power of faith or the power of cause and effect as nourishment, making one's abilities even stronger.
"Alright, stop standing there like an idiot. We haven't finished today's mission yet." Patting the still-stunned Doctor, Xiling led the way towards the deck.
The Doctor turned to look at that figure, that unbelievable figure.
"How many times do I have to sigh... Xiling... who exactly are you?"
The Doctor sighed silently and followed after him.