Chapter 5: Gray World

"Grey Realm Convergence?"

Chen Ling indeed remembered this term; his original self must have encountered it somewhere.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about the Grey Realm," Dr. Lin said slowly, rising to pour the blood from the teacup into the drain. "Before the Great Cataclysm, there was a hypothesis that countless parallel timelines exist in this universe. These timelines originated from the birth of the earliest universe, like light spreading in all directions from a lit candle. However, because light is infinite, these timelines extend infinitely into all possibilities, never intersecting.

"But ever since the crimson meteor streaked across the sky, everything changed."

All timelines were thrown into disarray, and an unknown, eerie grey world began to overlap with our reality.

After washing the teacup, Dr. Lin did not empty the water but placed it on the table. The water surface inside the cup rippled due to the force used. Dr. Lin tore off a piece of paper and held it above the rippling water. The undulating water began to dampen the paper, starting with uneven small water stains that gradually permeated the entire surface.

"Initially, only small portions converged, but as time passed, the areas of convergence increased. Matter and creatures from that world began to appear in ours. Now, most of the habitats originally belonging to humans have been occupied by that world, with only nine 'Domains' remaining to shelter humanity and keep the flame alive.

"Because the sky in that world is grey, we call it the 'Grey Realm'. When the Grey Realm converges with reality, a series of bizarre, incomprehensible events occur. Monsters from the Grey Realm may even descend, which we refer to as 'Calamities'. Generally, eighty percent of survivors who encounter a Grey Realm convergence or are attacked by a Calamity experience mental instability, and most never fully recover...

"I suspect your current condition is related to the 'Grey Realm'. Think carefully, have you ever encountered a Grey Realm convergence and been caught in it?"

Faced with Dr. Lin's questions, Chen Ling tried hard to search his original self's memories but found nothing. No matter how much he tried to recall, he couldn't remember anything else from last night.

"I don't know," he said bitterly.

Dr. Lin pondered for a moment, then took out a piece of letter paper from a drawer and quickly began to write. "Your situation is no longer a simple mental illness... I'm just an ordinary person; I can't cure you. However, I know someone who might be able to help with the after-effects of Grey Realm contamination. After all, he is a true doctor."

Chen Ling's eyes lit up. "Where can I find him?"

"He lives in Aurora City, but he usually enjoys traveling as an itinerant doctor. I hear he goes wherever there are difficult cases – that's their path to godhood... In any case, give this letter to the enforcers at the gate of Aurora City, leave your name and address, and they will pass it on for you. Within three days at most, that doctor will come to find you."

"Thank you!" Chen Ling took the envelope and thanked him sincerely.

In fact, when he saw the salt dissolving on the road, Chen Ling already felt something was off. What was happening to him seemed inexplicable by illness. He came to this small clinic partly because he was already halfway there, and partly because he truly didn't know anywhere else that might be able to help him. From Dr. Lin's words, this doctor seemed special, and the mention of a "path to godhood" was intriguing... Could it be that this world also has a unique human cultivation system? Otherwise, according to Dr. Lin, all of humanity should have perished during the so-called Great Cataclysm and Grey Realm convergence. Chen Ling even wondered if the distorted level of scientific development in this world was related to the Great Cataclysm.

"You're welcome. Please give my regards to your brother," Dr. Lin said with a faint smile.

"He's still hospitalized in Sector Two... I'll pass on your message next time I visit."

Chen Ling stood up, bid farewell to Dr. Lin, and pushed the door open to leave. As Chen Ling's figure gradually disappeared under the aurora-lit sky, Dr. Lin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"An actor, then..."

"The first time I saw the screen in my dream, the audience's expectation value was 29. When I tried to escape, it jumped to 30. On the way here, it dropped back to 27... Just now, when Dr. Lin was pranked, it rose to 29 again. Assuming the 'audience' is truly in my mind and these numbers aren't hallucinations, what exactly influences the rise and fall of this expectation value?"

The cold wind rustled. Wrapped in a thick cotton robe, Chen Ling walked towards home, deep in thought. A stage, an audience, expectation value... Each time the expectation value increases, it seems to be accompanied by an event. Could these events be considered 'plots' on a stage? The more interesting the events happening around me, the greater the 'plot's' appeal to the audience, thus increasing the expectation value? The screen said that if the audience's expectation value drops below 20, the actor's personal safety cannot be guaranteed...

Chen Ling didn't know the exact danger, but given that the "audience" could interfere with reality to some extent, he might very well become their tool for amusement, pranked to death by some trick! Chen Ling felt his line of reasoning was correct, but proving it would require practical action.

"Perhaps I should try to actively design 'plots'," Chen Ling murmured.

"Ling, have you had breakfast yet?" Chen Ling turned his head to see an uncle with a towel wrapped around his head, fanning a stove in a street-side breakfast stall, calling out to him warmly. The moment he saw him, an idea suddenly flashed through Chen Ling's mind.

"Not yet, Uncle Zhao." Chen Ling's lips curved slightly upward, and he walked towards the stall.

"Come, come, let me get you some soy milk and fried dough sticks. There was heavy rain last night, so it's humid. You can't go without breakfast to warm up." Uncle Zhao came over, holding a steaming bowl of soy milk.

"Thanks, Uncle Zhao." Chen Ling rummaged in his pocket, took out three copper coins, and handed them to Uncle Zhao, but the latter pushed them back.

"I'm treating you to breakfast. How can I let you pay?"

"No, Uncle Zhao, even though we've been neighbors for over a decade, we should still settle up."

"You kid, I don't need your money. Just help our Xiao Yi with his studies when you have time, and I'll bring you breakfast every day," Uncle Zhao said with a grin, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Didn't he already graduate? Does he still need tutoring?"

"With his grades, he can't even get a job assignment. I plan to have him repeat a year. He can't just keep doing odd jobs every day, can he?"

"Oh..."

"Ling, you're so good—smart and filial. If only Xiao Yi could pass the enforcer exam like you someday, I'd wake up laughing in my dreams." Uncle Zhao sighed deeply, "Unfortunately, that kid isn't trying hard enough."

Chen Ling's hand, holding the chopsticks, paused slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke: "Uncle Zhao... do you know why Zhao Yi's grades are so bad?"

"Huh? Why?"

Chen Ling was about to say something, but then fell silent for a long time before shaking his head. "Never mind, Uncle Zhao. Just forget I mentioned it... I promised him I'd keep it a secret."

"No, wait!" Uncle Zhao's heart rate quickened. He absentmindedly added a braised egg to Chen Ling's bowl, anxiously scratching his head. "Ling, I know you're Xiao Yi's good friend, but some things... I, as his father, should know a bit, right? I raised Xiao Yi by myself, waking up early and working late every day to earn money for his schooling, all so he could have a better life in the future... If you know anything, you must tell me! We're all doing this for his own good..."

Seeing Uncle Zhao's urgent pleading, Chen Ling was slightly moved. He deliberated for a moment, as if making up his mind. "You're right, Uncle Zhao. As a friend, I can't bear to see Zhao Yi decline like this either..."

"Decline? What exactly happened to him?"

"He's in a relationship."

"Huh?" Uncle Zhao was stunned. "That kid has that kind of charm?"

Chen Ling took a bite of his fried dough stick, his expression unchanged, and calmly uttered three words: "With a man."