122: Chapter 122: Quantum Immortality and Infinite Parallel Universes

Not only Steel Rain, but even the viewers felt a sense of creeping dread and a touch of lingering fear.

"Brother..." Steel Rain pulled her neck back, tugging her beige trench coat closer around her throat to feel a bit warmer. "Does this choice... really exist?"

"I've had it before. Once last year while crossing the street, a voice in my head told me, [There's no one here anyway, hurry and run across]. But I restrained myself; I didn't listen to it. Then, the next second—from a corner on the left side of the road, a red car suddenly sped out, running a red light."

"If I had listened to that voice in my head back then..."

"Would I be dead already?"

Jiang Zhe didn't speak; he just narrowed his eyes and gave a slight nod in affirmation.

Suddenly!

Steel Rain felt a strange sting in her nose. She had previously thought it was just a coincidence, but she hadn't expected that in her brother's eyes...

This was actually something of immense horror!!!

Jiang Zhe's words made Steel Rain tremble all over, and she subconsciously tucked her puppy-paw hands into her pockets.

Her puppy brain was buzzing.

Choosing A, I agree, and then I die?

That voice in my head wasn't intuition or luck at all, but a form of guidance? Is there a mysterious force guiding me, Steel Rain, toward death?

The more she thought about it, the more her scalp tingled; she felt an incomparable sense of terror!

Not just her, but every viewer in front of their screens felt a chill run down the back of their necks.

"Holy crap!!"

"My scalp is tingling, my legs are weak."

"[There's no one here anyway, hurry and run across]—I've heard that phrase many times, right at intersections!"

"Last year, I was working late and driving home. When I passed a deserted crossroad, a voice in my head said, [There are no cameras anyway, just speed through and you'll get home sooner]. Then, as if possessed, I stepped on the gas. Suddenly, an out-of-control electric bike darted out from the bushes. I almost killed him!"

"Damn it, even though our brother is talking about daily life, why am I breaking out in a cold sweat?"

"So, did all those people who died in accidents agree to that voice in their heads?"

"The more I think about it, the scarier it gets, damn it!"

"I don't even dare to make choices anymore!"

"Seriously, what the hell is this? Who exactly is talking to us in our heads?"

At this moment, inside the principal's office, there was a deathly silence.

Even though Principal Fu was wrapped in a fleece-lined jacket, he couldn't stop his body from shaking.

Old Wang's face was pale, his lips moving slightly but making no sound.

He remembered a night ten years ago when he was driving late. At a curve, a thought surfaced: just speed through.

At the time, he felt an inexplicable sense of panic and forced himself to slow down. A few seconds later, an out-of-control dump truck barely grazed his small car as it roared past.

Xiao Wang curled his body up even more. He remembered a time in university when he returned to the dormitory late and took a shortcut through a small grove. A voice appeared in his head: [Go this way, it's faster]. But he was afraid of the dark and restrained himself.

He only found out the next day—a killer had been committing a crime there.

Inside the office, no one spoke. All the teachers stared fixedly at the large screen, feeling an inexplicable chill blowing against them.

It felt like something was constantly guiding them toward death!!!

...

On the other side, inside the faculty residential compound of Kyoto University of History.

Professor Chen Runzhi said with a look of shock, "This is terrifying. Old Wang, Old Qian, Old Liu—it seems like we've been experiencing these countless 'choices' throughout our lives?"

He turned his trembling gaze toward his colleagues, his eyes filled with lingering fear. "If—if we had followed that voice even once, if we had chosen wrong just once, wouldn't our lives have ended long ago?"

Professor Wang Shouren's Adam's apple bobbed as he nodded forcefully.

Old Qian took a deep breath and pulled back his neck, as if trying to drive away the chill.

Old Liu opened his mouth, attempting to use the instinct for risk aversion to explain what Jiang Zhe was saying, but he found that the term seemed incredibly pale at this moment!

That voice in the head was clearly guiding everyone toward risk, not avoiding it!

...

Elsewhere, in Qingfeng Temple.

Zheng Ming hesitated to speak, habitually thinking of inner demons or the invasion of external evils. But as the words reached his lips, goosebumps involuntarily covered his body.

Even he couldn't speak up to refute it now, because his body was being very honest and had already told him—he believed in the 'mysterious force' Jiang Zhe spoke of.

He also thought back to a few years ago when he went on a desert expedition with his teacher. An enticing voice in his head said, [Go on, such an opportunity is rare].

In the end, he felt it was strange and asked Wang Chongyang for leave. Consequently, Wang Chongyang, the Eldest Disciple, and the Third Junior Sister did not go to the desert either.

Ten days later, it was discovered that the team that went into the desert had been completely wiped out!

Wang Chongyang stared blankly at Zheng Ming. He too could not find a suitable answer to counter Jiang Zhe's 'mysterious force'!

Dr. Zhou Ming's expression was the most solemn of all.

As a doctor, he had seen too many deaths and accidents.

Right now, his brow was furrowed as he attempted a rational analysis: "From a psychological perspective, Freud proposed the personality structure of the Id, Ego, and Superego. That voice that suddenly pops up and defies common sense might be the 'Id' pursuing immediate gratification... or an impulse from the deep-seated fears of human nature!"

"It was later perceived and suppressed by the 'Ego.' The Ego is the adherence to morality developed as a child grows, while the Id pursues the wild... and finally, there is the 'Superego,' the purest, most essential 'Me'!"

As he spoke, his voice became as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Even though there was a rational answer, this answer couldn't even convince Zhou Ming himself.

If it were merely the impulse of the Id, recklessness, or a subconscious warning, why did the results so often lead to certain death?

Why would such an impulse be so clear, appearing in the form of a temptation?

And why would that voice guide a human to actively seek death at a critical moment? This didn't fit any psychological defense mechanism theory!

"No, that's not right; it doesn't make sense!" Dr. Zhou Ming murmured in bewilderment. "If it's all ourselves, why would the voice tell us to choose A when the consequence is death? The Ego, Id, and Superego are all parts of 'us.' Why would the Ego want to harm 'itself'?"

"Is this an internal distortion, or an external mysterious force?"

Celestial Master Zhang narrowed his eyes, his mouth twitching, but he was much like Zheng Ming—

The metaphysical knowledge in his head was also rendered speechless by his body's reaction.

On the large screen, in the living room.

Steel Rain was currently surrounded by that feeling of lingering fear and couldn't help but pull her legs up onto the sofa.

"Brother, this answer is too terrifying. Does such a mysterious force really exist?"

"Is it really always guiding humanity toward death?"

Jiang Zhe smiled slightly and didn't answer yes or no. He remained silent for a moment, then looked at Steel Rain. "To understand this, perhaps you should first look at an interesting hypothesis—an extreme conjecture about 'being alive'!"

"What hypothesis?" Steel Rain's fear dissipated slightly, her attention instantly pulled back.

"Quantum Immortality!!!"

Steel Rain blinked, a look of bewilderment appearing on her face. "Quantum Immortality?"

Clearly, the viewers were the same; none had heard of this concept.

In the Huaqing University lounge, Professor Guan's lips parted slightly. These two words reminded him of a theory mentioned by a former student who had transferred from the Physics Department to the Computational Engineering Department.

"That's right!" Jiang Zhe nodded gently. "It posits that the you who is alive at this very moment might be the luckiest one in the infinite multiverse parallel universes!"

"Huh?" Steel Rain's beautiful eyes widened. "The luckiest?"

Jiang Zhe didn't explain. Instead, he quietly stood up, walked to the TV cabinet, opened a drawer, took out a black toy gun, and sat back on the sofa.

Before the curious eyes of millions of viewers, Jiang Zhe twirled the gun a few times, then suddenly raised it, pointing the barrel straight at the forehead of Steel Rain, who was sitting across from him.

Steel Rain was startled and pulled back her neck. "Aiyoh, brother, what are you doing~"

"Don't be afraid, it's a toy gun!" Jiang Zhe turned his arm to show the toy gun's markings. "Now, Steel Rain, assume this is a real gun. The moment I pull the trigger, for you, are there only two possible outcomes?"

Even though it was a toy gun, it still made Steel Rain swallow hard as she looked at the dark barrel. "I either live or I die?"

"Correct."

Click! With a flick of his index finger, Jiang Zhe pulled the trigger, producing a slight clicking sound.

The living room fell silent for a moment.

A rubber bullet hit Steel Rain's puppy brain.

"Now!" He put down the toy gun and looked at Steel Rain, who was unharmed and rubbing her brow. "Are you alive or dead?"

"Brother, of course I'm alive." Steel Rain gave Jiang Zhe a roll of her eyes.

"Hmm, good." Jiang Zhe nodded, but his tone suddenly shifted. "However, just now, you already died in the infinite multiverse!"