Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 460 - 258 Psychological Investigation

Chapter 460: Chapter 258 Psychological Investigation

On this day, Zhang Yuan, on his way to the Unreal Laboratory for a routine psychological evaluation, unexpectedly encountered his former senior, Zhao Qingfeng!

Zhao Qingfeng looked slightly different from before, possibly due to slight facial genetic adjustments, which made Zhang Yuan hesitate before speaking up.

"Old Zhao?!"

Zhao Qingfeng turned around, a bit unsure himself, "Zhang Yuan?"

This truly was a delightful surprise, and the two of them excitedly embraced for a while. With a population scale of twenty million, most of whom were in hibernation, it was not easy to meet someone here.

Old Zhao had chosen to become an electric power engineer; he was the first Transcendent to return, about fifty years before Zhang Yuan, and after so many years of hard work, he had risen to a high position within civilization and was even a member of the Scientific Council.

In his spare time, Zhao Qingfeng was a part-time comic artist, beloved by a vast audience of young people.

When he heard this fact, Zhang Yuan’s face turned red with surprise, "So it turns out the bestselling comic ’Nine Dragon Bead’ on the spaceship is your work?! My goodness... you didn’t plagiarize some comic from the Virtual World, did you? Plagiarism doesn’t exactly show much taste in life, right."

"How could I possibly plagiarize! I drew it myself!"

"That’s a relief!"

But thinking it over, it seemed quite understandable. Zhao Qingfeng had always enjoyed reading comics in the past, and now choosing to lead a readers’ revolution by drawing comics was also a fine choice. It must be said that with the advent of new technologies, the difficulty of creating art had been greatly reduced. As long as one had ideas, the speed of drawing comics was now incredibly faster than in the past.

"...The myriad aspects of life, conveyed to our next generation through the form of comics, is quite a nice choice... It’s good to share these life experiences by drawing them for all to see. Such a test is too difficult, I think modern people would find it hard to pass."

Zhao Qingfeng said, "Today’s children, immersed in the joy of social progress, haven’t experienced a great social stagnation or regression. How should I put it, there’s still a sort of pervasive innocence. They think too little about other matters, all their thoughts are on scientific research. Of course, this innocence isn’t bad... It’s hard to explain in just a few words."

"By the way, have you read my comics?"

Zhang Yuan recalled the past with a smile, "Of course, I have. I think it was when I was 11 years old, my head was all muddled, and I especially loved ’Nine Dragon Bead’... Back then, my subconscious was in control, not sure why I liked these things, maybe because they resonated with me."

"According to the comic script, you staged a revolution in the Virtual World, right? And you were even captured by the enemy midway... Even though the comic has a perfect ending, in the Virtual World, it wouldn’t be that easy, right?"

Zhao Qingfeng shook his head as if recalling a nightmare, "The Virtual World... most attempts end in failure. The so-called ’Golden Finger’ often leads you into a trap. It can let a single person thrive, but changing the entire world, that’s exceedingly difficult."

"Your psychological examination must be coming up shortly, you better go! We can talk more once you’re out."

Zhang Yuan waved his hand and entered the grand entrance of the Unreal Laboratory.

These people who had returned were subjected to a comprehensive psychological evaluation every year. The psychological state of the Transcendents had always been a long-term tracking and research target.

Zhang Yuan entered the room, where several psychology professors were seated. In the center sat Ms. Tasia, the expert responsible for this field of psychology, with her main research direction being the psychological changes of humans under prolonged lifespans.

Zhang Yuan’s five cycles in the Virtual World should all be added to his psychological age, making him over eight hundred years old now, and indeed very different from a normal human.

The oldest among them, such as Zhao Qingfeng, had a psychological age exceeding a thousand years. Having experienced all facets of life, those chosen by "Xi Ta" must each possess a unique character trait.

"Mr. Zhang Yuan, hello, please take a seat here. We will keep the contents of this conversation confidential."

Tasia, one of the few who knew Zhang Yuan’s true identity, spoke with great respect. "Have you had any particular thoughts lately? Do you have any views of your own regarding the whole society, including the current situation?"

"Including your recent psychological state, compared to when you were in the Virtual World, have you noticed any difference?"

"Particular thoughts? There are so many, I don’t know where to begin," Zhang Yuan replied, slightly taken aback. "A person’s state of mind fluctuates with their physical health and the environment around them."

"Even though I’ve been through several cycles, my state of mind still changes with my physical age. I am quite satisfied with my life now; it feels just like when I was young, full of vigor. Or perhaps... I am still young!"

Tasia commented, "It’s good that you feel this way; it’s a healthy sign. I heard that you’ve become a diplomatic representative?"

"Yes, in three years, I’ll reach the trading market. I’ve also applied to be part of the diplomatic team. I’m really looking forward to that day... In fact, back in my time, I always regretted not being able to reach the journey’s key point myself. And now, in the blink of an eye, the destination is upon us. It’s quite nostalgic..."

"I feel that returnees like you generally have a very open-minded attitude..." Tasia noted while making records and joked, "From the high and mighty Captain to an ordinary researcher at Institute 13, you’ve lost a lot of power. Do you feel any reluctance or sense of grievance?"

"With your talent, you could actually engage in higher-level work."

Zhang Yuan pondered for a moment and said with a smile, "Power is a poison, and absolute power stalls the progress of a society. Isn’t this a crucial part of the Extraordinary Test?"

"In the Virtual World, the birth of most worlds is beautiful. The Virtual World is not a place for suffering, but for enjoying glory and wealth... Some people gain some power, experience desires they’ve never felt before, and become carried away. They are quickly assimilated by the world."

"The mediocre who can’t escape these feelings probably can’t come back from the Virtual World."

At present, the number of Transcendents who have returned is less than one in five hundred thousand!

This probability is far below expectations, because the Pangu Brain Artificial Intelligence "Xi Ta" has very strict standards for control. These pioneers are all first batch of experimental subjects and require further experimental research.

This is understandable. Sufficient data must be collected before return standards can be set. This group was selected under the most stringent conditions, and humans must ensure enough caution with this technology.

After so many cycles, a person’s ideology will differ from that of a normal human to some extent. Society cannot allow a large number of Transcendents to return until these differences are understood.

Tasia sighed and said, "The returnees are indeed very elite talents. Within just thirty to fifty years, without any help, they can climb to the upper echelons of society... In light of this situation, do you have any special recommendations, and do you think exposure of this issue could trigger a rift between the returnees and the general public?"