"See, Miss Sandrone, I told you it's not interesting."
The other person looked at the scene on the screen, then shrugged at Sandrone.
"He didn't even make a sound, which makes it even less interesting. Academic reports are still better to read."
However, Sandrone was drawn to the image, even unconsciously moving a bit closer.
The Second Seat, once so aloof and haughty, had always looked down on her with an arrogant sneer whenever they met. She had utterly despised him.
But now, Dottore was before her like a lamb led to slaughter. With just a flick of her fingers, she could subject him to any torture she desired, and he wouldn't even have the chance to resist—nor would he even know it was her doing.
Furthermore, Dottore had threatened her just a short while ago! How dared he threaten her, even after becoming her prisoner?
The more Sandrone thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more her gaze fixed on the screen with growing anticipation.
As if sensing the expectation in her eyes, the man spoke up, asking her directly:
"Why don't you... try it, Miss Ann?"
"Try it?"
Upon hearing his words, Sandrone instantly felt a surge of nervousness and excitement.
"Am I allowed to do that?"
"Of course. In fact, no one has taken on this task yet, let alone a full-fledged researcher like yourself, Miss Ann."
"My previous job was washing dishes," he replied. "I only came here because it was too difficult to read academic reports while washing dishes."
"If Miss Ann could help me with my work for a while so that I can focus on reading academic reports, I would naturally be immensely grateful."
After hearing these words, Sandrone made her decision.
"Very well, please let me try it."
"Sure thing, Miss Ann. All these buttons and control levers, I will... let me explain them to you..."
Soon, under the other's attentive explanation, Sandrone quickly mastered how to use the instrument.
"Now, Miss Ann, please feel free. Don't worry about the prisoner's life and safety; this machine will protect his life to the greatest extent, and it will even issue an alert if his spirit truly reaches its limit of endurance."
After leaving these words, the man immediately threw himself into his academic research.
Looking at Dottore in the image, Sandrone excitedly rubbed her hands together, then reached out to tentatively press one of the buttons.
The next second, a steamroller suddenly dropped into the image, flattening Dottore directly.
After a few seconds, the steamroller disappeared, and Dottore returned to his original form.
So... so satisfying!
Sandrone was so excited she nearly screamed, but she immediately suppressed the urge. She pressed another button. In the next instant, a giant Patrick Star appeared on the screen, and Dottore was engulfed by a blinding light.
Let's try this!
Sandrone eagerly pressed the next button, then another, then another.
Suddenly, Sandrone's consciousness flickered, blacking out for a brief moment. Behind her, Pulonia slowly approached and slammed down a huge hand, pressing who knows how many buttons at once.
So satisfying!
Soon, Sandrone regained consciousness and continued pressing the various buttons on the console. She seemed completely unaware of Pulonia's actions, her memory as if frozen at the moment of the blackout.
"Miss Ann, how's it going?"
After playing for a while longer, a voice from beside her pulled Sandrone back to reality.
"Good!!!"
Sandrone couldn't resist shouting, leaving the other person utterly bewildered.
"Good? What's good?"
"I mean... I find this very interesting," Sandrone explained quickly after regaining her composure.
Academic papers?
Screw academic papers! How could reading those ever be as interesting as tormenting Dottore?!
"How about this, I'll take over this job. You can go back and read your academic reports with peace of mind."
Sandrone thought for a moment. Just a short while like this wasn't nearly enough!
She decided that she would stay here for the entire day!
"Really, Miss Ann?!"
The other person stepped forward two steps in excitement, and then Sandrone didn't disappoint him and nodded.
"Then I'll leave the rest to Miss Ann!"
After saying this, the other person slipped out of the room and soon vanished.
Meanwhile, Sandrone looked at the pile of buttons and control levers on the console with anticipation again. These were the meticulous masterpieces of those who had a deep-seated hatred for the nobles, incorporating almost all the punishments in Teyvat as well as some whimsical ideas. Any Fontainian who saw the nobles' miserable state would definitely shout "Satisfying!"
With so many combinations, she would definitely make Dottore enjoy an unimaginably comprehensive "all-in-one" experience.
Tonight, she would hunt to her heart's content!
Just as Sandrone was about to let loose and start operating, Dottore, who had already been tortured several times, suddenly opened his eyes and spoke faintly.
"Sandrone."
Upon hearing this name, Sandrone's heart tightened, and then her hands stopped moving.
Soon, Sandrone snapped out of it, feeling a bit annoyed with herself for such a strong reaction. The mere mention of her name by Dottore had made her stop, even though it was impossible for him to know her.
Sandrone judged that Dottore was bluffing, and just as she was about to continue, the corners of Dottore's mouth suddenly curved slightly.
"I know it's you, Sandrone."
"If you don't reply to me within ten seconds, I'll expose your identity."
"You, who almost never left the underground workshop before, suddenly appeared at the Fontaine Research Institute. You must have some kind of purpose. Surely you wouldn't want your identity revealed ahead of time."
After hearing Dottore's words, Sandrone hesitated again, but quickly regained her composure.
Dottore must be bluffing!
With this thought, Sandrone firmly reached out, ready to press the next button. However, Dottore's next words made her abandon the idea.
"You might still be holding onto some slim hope. But it doesn't matter, I'm only giving you ten seconds."
"You should know that even here, I still have a way to directly notify Rene."
Dottore's words were right. Sandrone had learned during that person's explanation before that Dottore did indeed have one chance to speak directly with Rene. Generally speaking, this chance was reserved for those who couldn't stand the torture but could still reveal a lot of useful information in the end. Only one chance, and everyone would think carefully before using it.
"Ten."
Seeing that Dottore really started the countdown, Sandrone once again fell into hesitation.
After several seconds had passed, Sandrone finally gave up on taking the risk and established a connection with Dottore through the instrument's dialogue device.
"What are you in such a hurry for? I was just switching shifts!"
"Heh heh."
After hearing Sandrone's pale and powerless explanation, Dottore only smiled without speaking.
"You don't believe me?"
Sandrone said, her mouth stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.
"Sandrone, the previous torture wasn't that regular, was it?"
Hearing Dottore's explanation, Sandrone only then realized where her mistake lay.
It must have been her previous attempts that drew Dottore's attention, and then Dottore tested her twice in a row, finally confirming her identity.
Sandrone never imagined that Dottore could still capture so much critical information while undergoing such severe mental torment. This immediately intensified her wariness of him.
"Dottore, what exactly do you want?!"
Having already fallen into Dottore's trap, Sandrone had no choice but to accept it.
"Let me get out of here."
"Impossible. If you escape now, I'll definitely be suspected immediately."
"You wouldn't want your identity to be..."
"Fine, fine, I get it. I'll get you out of here!"
Sandrone spoke, her voice tinged with frustration.
"But my plan is about to start, and I can't leave at this time. I have to wait at least another two days!"
"Then I'll wait for you for two days."
Hearing Sandrone's words, Dottore replied instantly.
After the time was set, Sandrone and Dottore both fell into a silence, and this silence would have to last for a long time.
At this moment, Sandrone regretted it slightly. She should have known better than to let that person leave just now. Now she was in an awkward position.
Sandrone couldn't just leave either. The academic reports and the novel were all left in her room and she hadn't brought them. She could only stare at Dottore through the monitor, their eyes locked in a silent stalemate.
-
In Liyue Harbor, next to the most bustling street, a new shop had grandly opened for business.
Even before opening, this shop had already run extensive promotions. After seeing these advertisements, many people in Liyue Harbor were filled with anticipation.
So many novel games released all at once, this was simply amazing!
They heard the shop even promised to release a new game at least every half year.
I won't be able to finish them all, there are just too many games!
The opening day finally arrived, and countless people gathered around the shop early, crowding it three layers deep on the inside and three layers deep on the outside.
"Come and have a look, everyone! Liyue's first Crown Game House is now officially open!"
"All games are free for the first three days of the grand opening! We hope everyone will come and show their support!"
"What? Free?!"
"Say no more, I'm sleeping in the shop for the next three days!"
After watching the entire grand opening process of the Chess and Card Room, Chen Feng was invited by Ningguang to have lunch at the Liuli Pavilion.
"Sit."
Ningguang had arrived at the private room ahead of time. When she saw Chen Feng being led in by the waiter, she gestured with her hand and spoke calmly.
"Alright, Miss Ningguang."
Chen Feng found a random spot to sit, then looked at the delicacies on the table with an eager expression.
Even facing Ningguang, the Tianquan, Chen Feng didn't show much restraint.
Seeing Chen Feng's impatient appearance, Ningguang chuckled slightly, then spoke.
"Let's eat first. We can talk about other things afterward."
After saying that, Ningguang was the first to pick up her chopsticks. Seeing this, Chen Feng immediately started eating as well.
After a while, when Ningguang saw that Chen Feng had almost finished eating, she set down her chopsticks and spoke softly.
"Mr. Chen Feng, our brief conversation last time was very productive."
"I've invited you to lunch today partly to celebrate our partnership taking its first step, and partly because I'd like to consult you on a few more topics."
"Please, feel free to speak, Miss Ningguang."
Since he was accepting her hospitality, Chen Feng replied very casually after hearing Ningguang's words.
Then, Ningguang asked Chen Feng about some matters she had already prepared. Whenever he proposed a new solution, she would fall into thought for a moment.
It had to be said that Chen Feng's ideas were all very novel. While they might not have been the optimal solutions, they brought her many new ways of thinking.
However, this wasn't Ningguang's purpose today, so she quickly spoke again.
"Mr. Chen Feng, do you believe dead people can be revived?"
"That should be impossible, right?"
Chen Feng said without hesitation.
"The souls of the dead quickly go to where they belong. Even if the body could be saved, it would be nothing more than an empty shell."
"So, Mr. Chen Feng, you believe the most important thing in reviving someone is the soul?"
Facing Ningguang's question, Chen Feng nodded.
"The soul is the true foundation of a person. The body is merely a container."
"So, Mr. Chen Feng, is the Deathly Aura you can see coming from a person's body or their soul?"
"Miss Ningguang, you must be joking. It is, of course, from the body. The soul is very pure and almost untainted by anything."
At this moment, Ningguang took a deep breath and asked her most critical question.
"Mr. Chen Feng, according to your theory, a person's Deathly Aura should be at its peak when they die."
"If at this moment, we preserve the deceased's soul and allow the Deathly Aura of the body to gradually dissipate, what would this new entity signify?"
"Would this be considered a form of resurrection in some sense?"
"Miss Ningguang, as long as the soul still exists, the person themselves hasn't died at all."
Chen Feng spoke the words that made Ningguang's expression turn solemn with a completely calm face.
"I've said it before, the body is merely a vessel, just a shell that carries the soul."
"The world finds it hard to see the soul, and that's why they consider the death of the body to be the death of a person."
"Under normal circumstances, this line of thinking is correct. After the body dies, it can no longer carry the soul. Once the soul is guided, it goes to another world. To the people of this world, that person is indeed considered 'dead.'
"But in fact, unless there are special circumstances, even if they have gone to another world, everyone is still very much alive."
"Since they are still alive, how can we talk about resurrection?"
"Of course, this is just my personal opinion, not guaranteed to be true."
Chen Feng rubbed the back of his head and said with a smile, then asked Ningguang with some curiosity.
"By the way, Miss Ningguang, why are you asking about this today?"
"I'm just a little curious."
Ningguang took a sip of tea and then spoke again.
"I think Mr. Chen Feng has very interesting ideas, especially his understanding of life and death, which has opened my eyes.
"Let's stop here for today. I have other work in a moment, so I'll take my leave first."
Ningguang stood up, not expecting that this probe would actually yield so much.
Ningguang could practically be certain that he was a member of the faction that had been operating extensively in Fontaine before. Of course, the fact that he had lost his memories was likely true. Otherwise, Chen Feng would have been far too unguarded. If it wasn't absolute confidence, then something was truly wrong. She needed to carefully reconsider her follow-up measures against Chen Feng after she returned.
Before leaving, Ningguang suddenly stopped, turned back to Chen Feng, and asked.
"Mr. Chen Feng, do you believe there truly exists a world for souls alone?"
Upon hearing Ningguang's words, Chen Feng's expression seemed to grow much more serious as he nodded.
"I am absolutely certain of it."