Chapter 32: Our Responsibility
Chapter 32: Our Responsibility
“Given this, how can such a person be recruited?”
The entire office fell silent for a moment, filled with a stifling atmosphere. After a long pause, the stern-faced Minister Shen was the first to leap to his feet. He declared loudly, “We must conduct comprehensive surveillance on him immediately, even…”
“No!”
Professor Bai cut him off. “My personal decision is to approve the recruitment. Moreover, agree to provide guidance!”
“What?”
This time, it wasn’t only Minister Shen; even Chen Jing and others at the meeting clearly showed astonishment.
“This young man’s risk of loss of control is indeed quite high, but it’s evident he has been striving for self-control!”
Professor Bai continued, “I’ve reviewed his file. Ten years after the Red Moon Orphanage event, he showed no further abnormalities. Instead, he studied diligently, worked hard, and persistently helped with the reconstruction of Red Moon Elementary School. I believe this demonstrates a rare character. It, at the very least, indicates that despite his high psychic magnitude, he has consistently made efforts to restrain himself! If we offer him proper guidance and support, there’s a strong possibility we can help him maintain stability and reduce his risk of loss of control!”
Minister Shen instinctively retorted, “But he—”
“Extremely dangerous? Incomprehensible?”
Professor Bai shook his head. “When a person’s psychic magnitude reaches a level unimaginable to ordinary people, various abnormal states are inevitable. Viewed from the perspective of a normal person, forget about his having Multiple Personality Disorder; just the fact that he possesses spiritual mutation abilities could be considered profoundly abnormal. They might even be directly labeled as Mental Patients, or… Maniacs!”
“But this very outlook should not form the basis of our judgment.”
“We should face these changes with humility and reverence, not with a sense of superiority and prejudice!”
“In comparison to them, we are the normal ones!”
“But from another angle, we are merely ordinary people!”
“…”
Professor Bai’s words brought a moment of silence and hesitation to the meeting. The atmosphere felt oppressive.
Not everyone could accept and face this transformation as frankly as this professor.
“Of course, there is a more crucial reason!”
Professor Bai turned at this point to look at the plump, round-faced old man at the center of the conference table.
“Attending the Alliance Research Institute’s symposium this time, I discovered that in other Highwall Cities, and within organizations like the Church of Technology and the excavation companies, some have already discovered S-Class Mental Aberrants. Though the specific intelligence remains unknown, just imagine: when these groups fully harness the abilities of such S-Class Mental Aberrants, no longer content with merely handling Psychic Contamination Incidents within their own cities, but decide to employ them militarily, casting their gaze towards other Highwall Cities… what will we have to resist them with?”
“…”
“S-Class Mental Aberrants…”
The mention of S-Class Mental Aberrants by Professor Bai visibly alarmed many, fear coloring their expressions.
The round-faced old man remained silent for a while before speaking. “Doesn’t Doll possess great potential?”
“Doll has immense potential among Mutants with a low Risk of Loss of Control!”
Professor Bai’s gaze seemed weary. “But many have already turned their attention towards those with a high risk of loss of control.”
Minister Shen suddenly interjected, “What they are doing is very dangerous!”
“Yet not doing it is equally dangerous!”
Professor Bai softly sighed. “Everyone else is doing it. If we don’t, we fall behind.”
Everyone in the conference room fell silent.
For most present, who had experienced the hardships of the Highwall Cities’ early days, the cost of falling behind was deeply understood.
Minister Shen, after a period of silence, stated, “I acknowledge Professor Bai’s position. However, I still firmly believe that facing someone with such an extraordinarily high psychic magnitude and such a significant Risk of Loss of Control, we absolutely must enhance the monitoring efforts. Furthermore, until his mental state is confirmed as stable, he is categorically forbidden from entering the Main City. I bear responsibility for the millions of residents of the Main City!”
“I understand your concerns!”
Professor Bai chuckled lightly. “But there’s no need to be so tense. I believe we can find a better approach.”
“Professor Bai…”
Just as a sense of quietude settled over the group, the round-faced middle-aged man seated at the center suddenly spoke, smiling:
“I have a question. If the Mental Aberrants’ mental states are unstable, posing a high Risk of Loss of Control, and we have no means beyond observation—even unable to assess their loss of control risk—then how do we determine if they are safe?”
Professor Bai turned to him, remained silent for a moment, then smiled. “At times, the criteria for judgment may seem somewhat… absurd.”
“If we genuinely cannot determine their normality, yet find ourselves compelled to consider utilizing their abilities…”
“Then we are forced to rely on standards that might sound rather ridiculous.”
“For instance…”
“Is this person’s heart kind? Does he long for something beautiful?”
“…”
Professor Bai’s words once again brought a fleeting moment of stillness to the Office.
“Let’s decide on this matter later, Professor Bai. After you return, I hope to have a long talk with you.”
As the meeting neared its end, the round-faced middle-aged man spoke with a smile, effectively bringing the meeting to an end.
Shadows began disappearing one by one from the Conference Room. However, Professor Bai remained.
Chen Jing, knowing the professor wished to speak with her, stepped forward to give a private report.
“Professor, regarding his anomalous performance during the handling of the Source of Contamination incident—I already detailed it in the initial assessment video I sent you earlier. I still maintain my previous stance: while aspects of him certainly appear abnormal, this doesn’t equate to a high Risk of Loss of Control.”
“Based on the preliminary contact, it’s clear he is exactly the sort of very ordinary person we encounter.”
“He likes money, and also… women, and has a bit of sly deviousness about him. But these are all manifestations of Humanity.”
She paused briefly, then added, “Of course, back then, I didn’t realize his psychic magnitude… could be this high!”
“…”
“You make a very sensible point, and I trust your judgment.”
The old man in the white suit smiled. “But strictly speaking, I don’t believe potential loss of control is the paramount issue. You’ve been dealing with them too much; you’ve been influenced by their perspective. Those in our line of research need to approach problems from various angles. For instance: others deem him dangerous because he has Multiple Personality Disorder. But viewed differently…”
“He’s had this personality disorder for so long, his psychic magnitude is so immense, yet no problems have arisen? Doesn’t this precisely demonstrate his formidable self-control?”
“…”
“This…”
Chen Jing was slightly stunned by Professor Bai’s words. Hesitating for a second, conditioned by years of teacher-student dynamics, she immediately shifted into the City Defense Department’s mindset to respond: “Then… if it’s possible he could remain stable, but loses control after prolonged exposure to Psychic Contamination Incidents… wouldn’t that exactly become our responsibility?”
“Responsibility shouldn’t be understood that way!”
Professor Bai smiled. “It should be said: guiding him to utilize his abilities without losing control—that is our responsibility!”
Seeing Chen Jing momentarily lost for words, Professor Bai continued amiably, “Besides, among those we’ve recruited recently, who hasn’t suffered some form of Loss of Control?”
“Doll’s autism, Gecko’s lasciviousness, Drunkard’s delusions… and even yours.”
“…”that severe gambling tendency and obsession with pink?”
“…”
Hearing Professor Bai’s words, Chen Jing’s face flushed deep crimson. She lifted her head. “I have corrected them!”
“You merely rely on immense self-discipline to force yourself to keep them hidden!”
Professor Bai smiled gently. “I only wished to tell you: consider issues more calmly and penetratingly; don’t let yourself be easily swayed. Ultimately, we are scientists. We trust only facts and data. Everything else is mere conjecture and meaningless noise…”
“Of course, before this young man is formally recruited, let alone guided, he must undergo more detailed testing.”
“…”
Chen Jing frowned. “Those people in the Main City won’t agree to him going there for testing.”
“It’s all right!”
Professor Bai smiled. “We can arrange for personnel to go to him. Conduct the assessment and evaluation in the Satellite City!”
Chen Jing looked surprised, then smiled. “The professor carries such weight! You actually managed to persuade those old hardliners to go to a Satellite City.”
Then her expression turned concerned. “When?”
Professor Bai smiled. “As soon as possible. Honestly, Special Contaminant-041 gives me a bad feeling of foreboding.”