65: Chapter 65 The Heart's Three Questions

The spiraling stone steps extended downward, seemingly without end. The surrounding air grew increasingly cold and damp, and the faint blue candlelight on the walls became sparse, leaving the light so dim that one could barely see. Only the steady shimmer of the Taiji diagram on the forehead of the [Yin Yang Star Pivot], along with Zhang Hao's [Origin Heart-Wall] sensing the energy from the depths with growing clarity, guided the way.

Finally, they reached the end of the steps.

There was no road ahead. A massive, rough-surfaced gray stone wall completely blocked the downward passage. The wall's material was ancient; unlike the deliberately aged decorations inside the haunted house, it radiated a genuine, heavy sense of history that had settled over ages.

To the left and right of the stone wall were not solid rock faces, but three ancient stone pillars symmetrically distributed on each side. Atop the three pillars on the left, embedded crystal balls emitted soft yet vibrant colored light—red, yellow, blue, green... constantly shifting, reflecting a dreamlike kaleidoscope onto the left passage. The crystal balls on the three pillars to the right emitted a steady, monotonic light that was strictly black and white, with clear boundaries, enveloping the right area in a depressing black-and-white tone. The entire passage was thus clearly divided into a vibrant, colorful part and a monotonic, gloomy part, creating a strong visual contrast.

Each crystal ball was about the size of a fist, with light swirling inside as if containing some kind of rule-based power.

What truly caught Zhang Hao's attention were three lines of faintly glowing text slowly emerging in the center of the stone wall—three questions that struck straight at the heart:

First Question: Were you happy before coming to [Dreamland]?

Second Question: Have you been happy since coming to [Dreamland]?

Third Question: Do you want to be happy forever?

Below each question was a circular indentation similar in size to the crystal balls, clearly intended for them to be placed within.

As Zhang Hao concentrated on reading these questions, a distortion appeared in the shadows above the stone wall, and a bizarre clown head slowly poked out. Its face was split down the middle by an invisible line; the left side bore a brilliant smile with bright makeup, while the right side was a sorrowful, weeping face with black tear stains and makeup consisting only of black and white. Like a decoration embedded in the wall, it used two completely different tones blended into a strange harmony, abruptly speaking:

"Answer the questions on the stone wall. Place the crystal ball you believe to be the correct answer into the corresponding indentation." Its left colored pupil and right black-and-white eye stared at Zhang Hao simultaneously. "A colored crystal ball represents [Affirmation]. A black-and-white crystal ball represents [Negation]."

As the words fell, the clown head froze, as if it were merely a pre-set mechanism waiting for the visitor's response.

There was no threat and no coercion, but these three simple questions and the choice between color and ink formed an invisible mental barrier.

Zhang Hao did not act rashly. He stood in place, his gaze sweeping over the three questions again. His brain, driven by the [Logical Connection] Talent, began a high-speed analysis, while dense data streams flowed through Silver Star's eyes on his shoulder, assisting him in processing the information.

"Silver Star, record the questions and analyze for linguistic traps and potential Logical Connections," he thought to himself.

"Command confirmed. Analyzing questions..."

First Question: Were you happy before coming to [Dreamland]?

"This is a retrospective subjective evaluation," Zhang Hao thought calmly. "The definition of 'happiness' is vague and varies from person to person. Before entering the Dream World, life as an ordinary urban youth had its mundanity, its pressures, and its small satisfactions; it cannot be summarized with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. If measured by extreme emotions, the answer leans more toward 'no'—after all, ultimate 'happiness' is not the norm of life." But this question seemed to be guiding the thinker to admit their previous "unhappiness."

Second Question: Have you been happy since coming to [Dreamland]?

"This is a question about the current state." Zhang Hao recalled his feelings after entering the park; that omnipresent power indeed amplified sensory pleasure and brought relaxation. "Objectively speaking, under the influence of that power, my physiological and psychological states have indeed experienced a 'sense of pleasure' significantly higher than normal. If this is defined as 'happiness,' the answer is yes." But this happiness carried an unnatural sense of being guided and amplified. This question seemed to be reinforcing the perception that "Dreamland brings happiness."

Third Question: Do you want to be happy forever?

"This is a question directed toward the future, regarding desire." Zhang Hao's thoughts paused here. "'Forever happy'... it sounds beautiful, but it defies common sense. Emotions are like peaks and valleys; without the contrast of pain and tranquility, happiness itself would become numb and lose meaning. This is more like a spiritual 'domestication' or 'stagnation.' Moreover, 'wanting' is a desire, and desire itself can bring the pain of dissatisfaction." This question was the most deceptive, like a sweet trap.

The three questions seemed independent but were actually interconnected. The first two established a contrast (previously unhappy vs. currently happy), while the third guided one toward a seemingly logical conclusion—the desire to stay in this "happiness" forever.

"The design of the questions is very purposeful," Zhang Hao concluded. "It is guiding the respondent to choose three [Affirmations] (colored crystal balls), thereby completely identifying with the philosophy that 'Dreamland is the source of happiness and should be held onto eternally.'"

But this was completely contrary to his original intention of exploring the secrets of this place. He had come here precisely because he suspected something was hidden behind this "pure happiness."

Thus, the answer seemed obvious.

He looked at the vibrant crystal balls on the left representing [Affirmation], and then at the monotonic, firm black-and-white crystal balls on the right representing [Negation].

"Logical deduction shows," Silver Star's voice echoed in his mind, "if you wish to seek the truth rather than be assimilated by appearances, choosing the [Negation] sequence fits the current objective with a 94.8% probability. However, the risks are unknown."

Zhang Hao's gaze grew sharp. He no longer hesitated and stepped toward the stone pillars on the right that emitted black-and-white light. What he needed to give was not the "correct" answer that met social expectations, but the "true" answer based on his own cognition and the purpose of his search.

He reached out toward the first black-and-white crystal ball, preparing to answer the first question.