Chapter 862: Awakening of the Primordial Force

“How incredible…”

Just as the entire world began to sense that invisible wave of mental energy, Lu Xin suddenly opened his eyes.

It was as if he had been jolted awake from a suppressed, chaotic dream—suddenly, the real world came into focus.

His breathing smoothed instantly, and the enormous weight that had burdened his heart evaporated in an instant.

The twisted black flesh buds around him, along with the song that had pierced his eardrums like steel needles, began to thin out like diluted oil and recede into nothingness, leaving only a vast, tranquil wasteland under a sky dominated by an increasingly vivid red moon, while not far off, the Doll stood idly waiting for him.

“Is this what it feels like?”

Lu Xin panted slightly as his breathing quickened, then gradually slowed as he carefully recalled the sensations he’d just experienced.

When the primordial force had overwhelmed him, he had felt an indescribable pressure and emptiness. Yet he endured that phase, using the Mental Core he’d reclaimed over the years to withstand a force that could have shattered him.

Then he sensed another marvel on a mental plane.

It was like the wall, covered with strange symbols, he had once seen in a ward at the Old Research Institute Site of the Red Moon.

Those very symbols reappeared in his mind…

And this time, they were even clearer.

It was as if the symbols had come to life, swirling and intertwining into his mental world.

What once had been a chaotic mess of marks now made sense to him.

They grew increasingly familiar, and his inner world began to resonate with them.

At that moment, the primordial force no longer felt terrifying.

Instead, it seemed oddly comforting.

Lu Xin even felt as if he were cradled in the warm embrace of a vast, protective sea.

“Is this the method to assimilate Unique Consciousness?”

Lu Xin thought happily for a moment, though the joy soon shifted into a more weighty feeling.

He had found the right method.

Indeed, facing that very primordial courage did accelerate the assimilation of Unique Consciousness.

And that accelerated assimilation triggered a profound transformation in his mental realm.

It was a state that defied description.

To be precise, Unique Consciousness was never originally his; it had merely resided in his mind, or rather, on a mental level.

But since his Mom had helped him digest half of it earlier, he had begun to master this consciousness. Now, by confronting the primordial power, the other half was gradually melting and decomposing, truly merging into his mental world.

Or rather, was he merging into the Unique Consciousness?

The distinction between the two became blurred.

What frightened Lu Xin even more was the sudden realization that he might be able to wield that primordial force…

Having just endured the overwhelming mental pressure of the primordial force, it was as if, upon stepping onto a stormy sea, the sun broke through, the sea calmed, and a rainbow arched across the sky. The stark contrast created an almost intoxicating state of mind, with every gentle breeze weaving an undeniable bond between him and the world.

Lu Xin took a deep breath, suddenly feeling as if he could hear the heartbeat of the entire world.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that his mental strength had even increased a bit.

Not by much, though.

While his previous mental level might have been just under ten thousand—at most 9,999…

Now, could it be ten thousand and a little more?

Just an increase of two points…

While pondering this, Lu Xin quickly touched his face, his body, and his legs. His earlier worry subsided rapidly; thankfully, he hadn’t sprouted any extra mouths or tentacles.

He was still himself.

In fact, it seemed he was even more true to himself than before.

Close to the primordial force, the scariest thing is to be utterly swallowed up and lose oneself.

Yet Lu Xin couldn’t fathom the reason—Unique Consciousness was somehow helping him stabilize his identity.

So what would it feel like if such events occurred repeatedly, if he fully assimilated Unique Consciousness?

……

……

“You…”

Noticing Lu Xin standing dumbfounded and motionless, the Doll grew a little anxious.

She could sense that Lu Xin was different now—calm and gentle. She knew he had finished what he intended to do moments ago. Yet, despite having completed it, he still stood there, occasionally reaching up to touch his face in a rather odd manner, which only heightened her concern.

Lu Xin had warned her not to come any closer, so she could only watch from afar.

But out of genuine concern, she finally spoke, “Are you… alright?”

“…”

Lu Xin paused for a moment, then looked up and gave the Doll a reassuring smile, “I’m fine.”

That smile was imprinted in the Doll’s eyes, leaving her momentarily dumbstruck.

She stared intently…

Feeling as though it struck right at her core, she was reminded of movie stars—a kind of indescribable aura exuding from every move, every gesture.

Lu Xin didn’t dwell on such thoughts; he answered while stepping toward the Doll.

Boom…

But just as he took that step, the entire world seemed to shudder suddenly.

It was as if he were on a treadmill—moving forward while the world receded behind him.

The earth quivered and his field of vision flipped.

The overwhelming magnitude and unpredictability were like a vast ocean shifting ten centimeters—insignificant in raw numbers, yet staggeringly powerful when considering the mass of water involved, creating violent tremors.

Especially for the Doll, who was closest.

She suddenly ended up sitting on the ground with a thud…

In a daze, she pouted and looked at Lu Xin with a hint of melancholy in her eyes.

……

……

“Oh, sorry, sorry…”

Lu Xin was taken aback, quickly realizing what had happened.

He stood still for a moment to readjust, and then hurried over to help the Doll up. Seeing her gaze at him with a trace of suspicion, he blushed and said awkwardly, “I really didn’t mean to…”

He truly hadn’t intended it.

Having just assimilated part of the Unique Consciousness, he had begun to merge with the primordial mental force.

So even a slight movement on his part unleashed a torrent of mental energy.

Being the only person in that area, the Doll had become the focal point of that potent force.

Thus, when Lu Xin moved unwittingly, the Doll was struck by a massive surge of mental impact.

One can only hope she understood the mechanics behind it.

But after Lu Xin pulled her up, her eyes still carried a trace of melancholy.

“This is the second time…,” she murmured.

“…”

Lu Xin thought wryly, “I can’t believe she still holds a grudge. I wasn’t even doing it on purpose…”

He muttered to himself silently.

Then, out of the blue, he wondered aloud, “Huh, why can I tell what she’s thinking right now?”

Momentarily taken aback, he realized it must be because, having assimilated part of the Unique Consciousness, he was now absorbing that immense mental power. It was as if he had gained higher privileges, like a system admin who could view the display on every computer in his cybercafe.

The thought flashed by, and Lu Xin stared blankly at the sleek computer before him, his cheeks tinged with a hint of red.

Why did everything seem to reflect him?

And why, in her eyes, did he appear like a major celebrity?

He really did look good…

……

……

Whoosh…

After a brief moment of daze, Lu Xin snapped out of it, quickly shook his head, and banished the thought.

He understood the mechanics well—it was merely an illusion.

Though he was usually considered quite handsome, he certainly wasn’t this stunning.

It was simply that his mental strength had just increased a bit.

Not much—just two points.

But those two points allowed him to break through a certain limit.

Previously, his mental power had maintained a perfect balance against the black particles through mutual dissolution, rendering him just an ordinary person—a person tainted by pollution. Yet after undergoing the primordial baptism, his mental strength began to assert a slight dominance, which subtly altered his aura…

An increase in mental strength inevitably brought changes in aura.

One’s appearance became less important when a powerful mind could redefine aesthetic standards.

So it was only natural that he looked a bit better.

Of course, the level of attractiveness seen in the Doll’s eyes was amplified by her own unique perspective.

Her taste in beauty is, well… truly something else.

While musing on this, Lu Xin reluctantly withdrew his mental sense.

Peering into someone else’s mind is just impolite.

Besides, if he spent too long probing the Doll’s thoughts, he might end up seduced by his own charm.

That would be a recipe for turning into a super narcissist.

Yikes—the very thought was terrifying…

“Let’s head back…”

Shaking off that daunting possibility, Lu Xin smiled and extended his hand to the Doll.

Perhaps burdened by his newfound celebrity status, his smile was subtly refined at that moment.

Reserved yet gentle.

With one hand in his pocket, he could only flash a smile showing four teeth—unfortunately, holding hands meant he couldn’t toss his hair back.