Stabilizing Madness [Interstellar]

Chapter 25: Venting

"Chapter 25: Venting"
    "Shen Tingyu opened his eyes slightly."
    "After a few breaths, he answered Xu Qingran's question, 'Don't you already know?'"
    "'I indeed have a trauma in my psychic pool, a remnant of my desperate escape from Tower 1 of the Evil Tower.'"
    "Psychic pool traumas come in two types."
    "The first type is innate weakness or injury."
    "Like the original Xu Qingran, who had similar symptoms, though not severe enough to cause mental instability or confusion, just more emotionally fragile and sensitive. Such congenital issues, if not too severe, are not classified as disabilities and can be managed with medication and therapy from childhood until the pool stabilizes."
    "The second type is acquired trauma."
    "It could result from a sudden, drastic change in one's environment, leading to mental and psychological breakdowns, or from external attacks that cause direct harm. Currently, there's no complete cure for this kind of trauma. Those who can't endure it are exiled to the Evil Tower."
    "Xu Qingran frowned, 'What exactly is the Evil Tower?'"
    "From his previous experience inside, he found the staff, including the wardens and tower chief, quite normal. But beyond that, the entire environment was eerie and irrational, from the incarceration system and punishment rules to the blood-soaked fighting arena."
    "'The Evil Tower.'"
    "Shen Tingyu murmured, as if harboring complex emotions towards the term."
    "After a while, he continued, 'It's a place that controls evil, yet also permits it.'"
    "Originally, the Evil Tower was established to imprison and punish criminals."
    "However, over time, what was meant to be a beacon of justice gradually lost its way. As external threats were defanged and shackled, those in power began to relax, finding the world dull."
    "They started seeking new thrills."
    "Punishments meant for criminals became excuses for royalty and nobles to vent their malice. In public, they were the epitome of gentlemen, paragons of morality and etiquette. In private, they were bloodthirsty demons, channeling their suppressed negative emotions into blades that cut into others' flesh."
    "Eventually, when the criminals weren't enough to satisfy their need to vent, the scope of the Evil Tower expanded."
    "In addition to Type E major offenders, those with varying degrees of crimes were also transported from smaller jails. Later, even mentally ill patients who couldn't think for themselves were included under the Evil Tower's jurisdiction."
    "Located in the Heavenly God system, it was under royal control."
    "Remote and heavily guarded, it was inaccessible to the general public, with no visitor services. Most of those sent there had ironclad evidence of their crimes, though some were sacrificial lambs, taken away under the guise of justice, either alone or from impoverished neighborhoods."
    "With so many people coming and going daily, who but themselves could know their true innocence?"
    "As Shen Tingyu spoke, a wry smile curled on his lips, his voice tinged with a solitary chill: 'The 'evil' in Evil Tower doesn't just refer to the evil of crimes.'"
    "—It also represents malevolent desires and thoughts, the evil in human nature."
    "He had spent a very long time in that place."
    "After listening, Xu Qingran silently summed up."
    "The royal family of this world, at least for now, doesn't seem to be anything good."
    "'Was the fighting arena also an entertainment activity devised by them?' Xu Qingran asked."
    "'Yes,' Shen Tingyu replied, 'Initially, the arena had no protective mechanisms. It was only after a significant number of unformed or innocent Type Es died, and public outrage followed the leak of this information, that the Empire hurriedly developed defensive systems to save the lives of the innocent.'"
    "Allegedly for the sake of training."
    "'The tower staff cannot see inside the arena, but the royal elites can,' Shen Tingyu reminded, 'The Grandtis Military Academy also falls under the royal domain, so now you understand why those non-criminals who win in the arena have their admission processes expedited.'"
    "Xu Qingran glanced coolly at Shen Tingyu, 'Oh, then why did my examiner send me to such a disgusting place?'"
    "Another long silence followed."
    "After resting for a while, Shen Tingyu finally regained some mobility. Just as Xu Qingran's clenched fist was about to hammer down on him again, he raised his hand to stop it."
    "'I admit, I had some issues with you at that time,' he confessed."
    "'I always treated you as a potential Type E, and you know, Type Es can't stand even a grain of sand in their eyes. Sending you there was mainly to see whether it would break your spirit and clip your wings, or turn you into a formidable opponent for me.'"
    "Shen Tingyu's skin was indeed quite thick."
    "Having admitted his deplorable actions, he smiled and attempted to take credit: 'Moreover, for you at that time, that was the fastest way out of the Evil Tower. You should actually thank me for my decision.'"
    "Xu Qingran, expressionless, forcefully pushed him away, sneering, 'Had enough leaning, General Shen?'"
    "Shen Tingyu steadied himself with a slight sway, nodding in response: 'Enough, thank you, my dear nephew-in-law.'"
    "Xu Qingran didn't respond, turning to leave in the direction Shen Tingyu had come from."
    "Seeing this, Shen Tingyu followed, assuming Xu Qingran was heading home."
    "But after only a couple of steps, Xu Qingran suddenly turned, sweeping his foot towards Shen Tingyu's leg. Caught off guard, Shen Tingyu's leg throbbed with pain, bending slightly. By the time he regained his composure, he had been forcefully thrown to the ground."
    "The person who threw him straddled him without hesitation, grabbing his collar and forcing him to look up."
    "'You bastard, I've wanted to beat you up for a long time.'"
    "Xu Qingran's soft brown curls were tousled by the wind as he looked down, his voice rising at the end: 'Not many get the chance to beat up a General of the Golden Wing Corps.'"
    "The dark night obscured everything around them, making it all dim and indistinct, except for Xu Qingran's eyes, shining and smiling. It was as if one could see through the clarity of those eyes to a soul vastly different from his physical appearance."
    "Shen Tingyu remained silent."
    "In this disadvantaged position, he could only be at the mercy of another, with no room for negotiation. He had let his guard down today; there was nothing more to say."
    "He would settle this score when Xu Qingran officially enrolled; there was no rush."
    "Xu Qingran glanced at him like a lamb, then suddenly asked, 'You said you used to see me as a potential Type E, what about now?'"
    "Shen Tingyu met his gaze for a moment, then countered, 'Now?'"
    "After a pause, he chuckled lightly, 'Now, I see you as just Xu Qingran.'"
    "Realizing that the concept of psychic and spiritual types no longer seemed adequate to define him."
    "Xu Qingran's eyes flickered, then his lips curved, and he punched Shen Tingyu in the face without holding back."
    "Then, nodding his head, Xu Qingran let go and stood up: 'Not bad, I'm quite satisfied with that answer.'"
    "Shen Tingyu: '...'"
    "System: '...??'"
    "'Host! Do you remember your mission is to seduce the target, not murder them?' the system wailed."
    "'I remember. That's why I didn't kill him,' he responded mentally."
    "System: '...'"
    "But with such a rough approach from the host, who would like that! How are we supposed to increase the affection meter!"
    "Before leaving, Xu Qingran picked up the small device Ming Hai used against Shen Tingyu. He pressed it teasingly at Shen Tingyu, but this time, there was no painful reaction like before."
    "'It's a one-time-use tool. Pressing the button releases a special wave that only affects those with psychic pool injuries. It's a punishment tool from the Evil Tower, specifically for dealing with mental patients. Probably stolen during his escape,' explained Shen Tingyu."
    "Normally, when his psychic energy is abundant and with suppressants, he can form a protective layer over the injured area, unaffected by such devices. Today, it just so happened that all the bad things converged."
    "'Okay then.' Hearing this, Xu Qingran tossed the device on the ground and crushed it underfoot."
    "With his flyer destroyed, thankfully Shen Tingyu had another. Given his current state, he wasn't fit to drive, so Xu Qingran's soul information had to be entered into Shen Tingyu's personal vehicle for the return journey."
    "Shen Tingyu, sitting in the passenger seat, felt somewhat unaccustomed."
    "For many years, it was his first time in this seat. Since childhood, anyone who dared to leave their mark on his personal possessions would be beaten to a point where they couldn't fend for themselves. Without others to intervene, it could even lead to death."
    "Shen Tingyu acknowledged his own coldness and selfishness, his nature rendering him incapable of empathy, not seeing any issue in fiercely guarding his belongings."
    "With these thoughts, he glanced at the person calmly operating the vehicle in the driver's seat."
    "Just for today, he would tolerate Xu Qingran's transgressions."
    ·
    "After Xu Qingran caused a scene at Xu Qing'an's graduation party, the incident quickly stirred up a storm online. In particular, a live-streaming post on Star Edge, which initially had few viewers, exploded overnight."
    "The post's content shifted dramatically from the host's initial departure, photo sharing, and praising the hotel, to covering Xu Qingran crashing the event, the chaos at the engagement party, exposing Xu Qing'an sleeping with Lu Cheng before their relationship ended, and even sending bed photos to Xu Qingran."
    "[Host: Xu Qing'an's mother fainted, the old head of the Xu family suffered a heart attack, Lu Cheng got angry with Xu Qing'an for the first time, and the party ended before it even began. Alas, I didn't get to taste any of the seven-star hotel's cuisine, was kicked out on an empty stomach. So infuriating, the Xu family has such a low standard!]"
    "What was just a graduation party sparked dozens, even hundreds of discussion threads, each bursting with activity."
    "Of course, most were arguments."
    "Onlookers debated the truth of the situation, while Xu family PR and staunch supporters of Xu Qing'an tried to whitewash, bringing up Xu Qingran's past in the Evil Tower as evidence. His disruption at the graduation party was seen as potentially spreading false rumors to stir trouble."
    "Online opinion was in disarray."
    "Most were mere spectators, and within the Silver Dragon Corps, where people believed in Xu Qing'an's character, the majority saw it as a misunderstanding. Some even dug up Xu Qingran's history of beating up numerous people at the Grandtis High School branch, citing serious character flaws."
    "Then someone else pointed out that those beaten by Xu Qingran were well-known bullies at the school, notorious for campus bullying."
    "This sparked another round of heated debate."
    "Intermittently, comments like this appeared:"
    "[Am I the only one curious about how Xu Qingran, once ridiculed online for being weak after a leaked test result, suddenly became so fierce?]"
    "Then there were posts discussing his academic advancement."
    "Main thread:"
    "I remember Xu Qingran being returned by Grandtis University's medical school for suspected cheating, right? He says he's advancing his studies, but what exactly is he studying? Red Xiang Excavator Academy?"
    "The reply section of the thread swelled to a few thousand comments."
    "[3728L: No matter which, none can match the prestige of Grandtis University's Medical School.]"
    "[5217L: Hahaha, you guys really shouldn't say that. Unless Young Master Xu gets admitted to Grandtis's Military Academy, he'll always be overshadowed by Xu Qing'an in this lifetime!]"
    "Among the trending posts, a tiny fraction had an odd attribute and a quirky style."
    "Main thread as follows:"
    "Sigh, I feel like I'm sick. Ever since I saw Young Master Xu last time, I've been restless without his quirky live streams daily. I don't care about the outside chaos; I just want to know—when will Young Master Xu go crazy... oh no, I mean, start broadcasting again!"
    "[1L: Silently following the thread.]"
    "[13L: Glad to see someone else shares my thoughts.]"
    【22L：......+1】
    "While discussions raged online, Xu Qingran, one of the main subjects of the buzz, slept till noon. Waking up with a groggy head and sullen eyes, he sat up in bed."
    "He had a fever again."