Free Web NovelChapter 201: Chapter 169: Inexplicable Sense of Guilt (Part 2)
As for becoming Lin Qi’s believer after the fusion?
That was acceptable. At the very least, Lin Qi was still human.
And judging from the situation at the Mo University Camp, he was even a good person.
Lin Qi had no idea he’d just been labeled a "good guy." He simply replied, "I’ll do my best. If possible, I’d rather not lose a supplier of Extraordinary knowledge either."
He turned back and continued piloting the Mecha toward the Mo University Camp.
Before long, Wei Yue suddenly spoke up again. "There’s something else."
Lin Qi felt like he was getting a taste of what that middle-aged man had gone through. ’Why can’t people just say everything at once?’
Wei Yue continued, "There’s a fundamental difference between first-generation Moon Worshipers and ordinary ones. The first generation just had unusually high inspiration, which caused them to resonate with and be influenced by the Blood Moon. But ordinary Moon Worshipers actively immerse themselves in the Blood Moon’s power, becoming tainted with a trace of its characteristics through their line of sight."
"The degree of mental contamination in an ordinary Moon Worshiper is much higher than in a first-generation one. In other words, the few remaining Moon Worshipers in the camp... are most likely beyond saving."
Lin Qi turned his head in surprise to look at Wei Yue.
’Those words didn’t sound like a warning. They sounded more like... a confession?’
In Wei Yue’s eyes, Lin Qi saw both struggle and relief, as if her conscience would have been tormented had she not spoken these words.
"You think you’re responsible for harming six people?" Lin Qi never thought he’d be giving someone psychological counseling in the Doomsday World.
Wei Yue nodded, her heart filled with guilt.
Without her intervention, those six people could never have become Moon Worshipers.
Even if they had voluntarily consumed a large amount of Crystal Stones, they would have, at most, exploded and died.
Any sane person wouldn’t consume a massive amount of Crystal Stones and then stare at the moon.
Without a Moon Summoner, ordinary people couldn’t become Moon Worshipers, and thus wouldn’t have died because of it.
Seeing Wei Yue’s guilt, Lin Qi was at a loss for words.
In the apocalypse, moral people like Wei Yue usually didn’t live long.
But the world couldn’t afford to be without such people, or else the very concept of a "bottom line" would sooner or later become a joke.
Lin Qi didn’t mind talking with her a bit more about it. They were still on the road, anyway. He could just treat it as a chat to pass the time.
"Before they became Moon Worshipers, did they know the true nature of a Moon Worshiper? Did they know that so-called Moon Worshipers are actually believers of a monster?" Lin Qi asked.
"Of course they knew. If one doesn’t yearn for the Blood Moon, it’s very difficult to receive its resonance when looking directly at it. They would have just been overwhelmed by the power of the massive amount of Crimson Crystal Stones and exploded."
Wei Yue had no reason to lie about this.
Right now, Wei Yue was like a believer facing a priest. She was confessing, and every word she spoke was the truth.
Hearing her answer, Lin Qi couldn’t understand what Wei Yue was even agonizing over.
’Things have gotten to this point, so what is there to agonize about?’
’Those six idiots did it voluntarily!’
’They voluntarily gave up their bottom line to become a monster’s believers, all for power and survival.’
’What’s there to feel guilty about?’
Even if those six people died, Lin Qi didn’t think it was entirely Wei Yue’s fault.
"People always have to pay the price for their own choices. Although you were the one who offered them the choice, they were the ones who ultimately made it."
"Back in the Beining District, did you meet any other survivors? Were there people who refused to become Moon Worshipers after learning their true nature?"
Lin Qi first made his comment, then continued with his questions.
Lin Qi already had a good idea of the answer. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
The vast Modu Beining District had a population density far greater than Shuining City, and its total population was likely no smaller.
In such a large area, only seven Moon Worshipers had appeared, and those seven hadn’t even killed anyone.
’Was the answer to that question really so hard to guess?’
Just as he expected, Wei Yue nodded.
There were.
And more than just one.
For a first-generation Moon Worshiper to expand their influence, they had to turn more people into Moon Worshipers, which required meeting more people.
Although influenced by her "social anxiety" trait, Wei Yue hadn’t visited too many survivors.
But she had met around a hundred or so.
More than half of them, nearly a hundred people, had refused her invitation.
Only a minority were willing to become Moon Worshipers.
It showed that even with the apocalypse, a considerable number of people still held onto their bottom line as human beings.
Of course, that might have just been because the apocalypse was still in its early days.
But this was enough to prove that even if those who chose to become Moon Worshipers died, the primary responsibility didn’t lie with Wei Yue.
After a moment of recollection, Wei Yue stated the approximate numbers.
After hearing them, Lin Qi was even more speechless.
’What was there to agonize over?’
’Those who chose to become Moon Worshipers... forget becoming believers, they’d probably be willing to become conscious Zombies if given the chance.’
Some people were destined to die anyway.
The choice Wei Yue gave them even let them live a little longer.
"This isn’t your fault."
That was all Lin Qi could say.
But if he were asked to give Wei Yue a detailed counseling session?
Lin Qi really didn’t have the skill for that. He hadn’t read many psychology books; at most, he used what he knew in conjunction with his Spiritual Vision to judge if others were lying.
Wei Yue’s psychological problems were something she had to overcome herself.
Or, after returning to the Mo University Camp, he could have Wang Ziru make a trip to the infirmary.
If he remembered correctly, there was a counselor from the Mo University counseling center among the survivors.
After exchanging a few more words with Wei Yue, Lin Qi said no more.
As for Wei Yue, she felt much more at ease after speaking her mind.
What she needed wasn’t psychological counseling, but to tell someone the truth and alleviate her sense of guilt.
After receiving Lin Qi’s validation, her guilt had become very faint.
After all, in Wei Yue’s mind, she was going to become Lin Qi’s "believer" in the future. Gaining his approval was incredibly significant to her.
Lin Qi was unaware of these thoughts. If he knew, he would probably be even more determined to find her a counselor.
This was no longer just about being influenced by the Blood Moon.
This was clearly a case of her suffering a huge psychological shock from her experience as a Moon Worshiper and developing mental issues.
This wasn’t the thought process of a sane person at all.
...
When the Mecha returned to the Mo University Camp, Wang Ziru got the news immediately and rushed to the first floor to greet them.
The Mecha’s cockpit slowly opened, and Lin Qi and Wei Yue stepped out.
"Boss, welcome back! Was the operation a success? Are there any new arrangements?"
Wang Ziru was always ready to receive Lin Qi’s orders.
His posture made him look more like a devout, fanatical believer than Wei Yue did.
"Have someone perform maintenance on the Mecha and restock the Electromagnetic Kinetic Energy Weapon’s ammunition. Then, have someone escort her back and, while you’re at it, find a counselor for her."
"Oh, and don’t violate any patient confidentiality. Tell the counselor that this came from me."
Lin Qi still went ahead and found a counselor for Wei Yue. This was definitely a good thing for her.
"Understood!"
Wang Ziru responded immediately.
But he first glanced at Wei Yue, then back at Lin Qi, before whispering, "Boss, your sister-in-law was looking for you today. I managed to put her off. Why don’t you go see her?"
’Sister-in-law?’
Lin Qi was stunned for a moment before he realized Wang Ziru was talking about Xia Chu.
Activating his Spiritual Vision, Lin Qi "saw" Xia Chu on the sixth floor, looking down.
It was obvious Xia Chu had also learned of his return to Mo University in advance; after all, the Mecha made quite a bit of noise.
On top of that, Xia Chu had probably also seen him and Wei Yue getting out of the Mecha together.
It was a bit of a headache, but he had to accept it and figure out how to handle it.
’How to handle it?’
By coming clean, of course.
Aside from certain key information that couldn’t be easily revealed, like things concerning the Cyber World, he could still tell Xia Chu about matters like the Moon Worshipers, Wizards, Blood Moon Envoys, and incomplete characteristics.
Based on Lin Qi’s understanding of Xia Chu, she should be able to accept this explanation.
’It should... be fine, right?’
Lin Qi wasn’t sure. He could only shake his head and take the elevator to the sixth floor.
