The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 174: Follow-up

"How did you know I was here too?" The voice of "Justice" was filled with a hint of amusement.

Lumian glanced at the seat across from him, not sure if anyone was actually sitting there, and smiled as he responded, "It doesn't cost me anything to say hello."

Susie then chimed in, "Congratulations on completing the first step of your revenge. How about we talk about it briefly?"

"No problem," Lumian didn't show any emotional fluctuations at the mention of the word "revenge."

Of course, part of the reason for this calm was that he wasn't carrying his "Interrogation" gloves. This follow-up consultation was primarily a psychological assessment, and external influences had to be minimized to avoid misleading the doctors' judgment.

He recounted everything from the process of finding helpers and making plans to the events of the past few days. He left out the secrets of the "Curly-Haired Baboon Research Society," but shared most of the rest.

After a brief silence, Susie's gentle voice sounded again:

"Your mental state is holding up well. Although you still have some overreactions in certain scenarios, that's perfectly normal. Psychological treatment isn't about eliminating emotions or feelings; it's about helping you let go of burdens, learn to reconcile, and find inner strength, so that nightmares no longer overwhelm you. Otherwise, as some unreliable psychiatrists might suggest, cutting out your frontal lobe would make you permanently calm."

"Frontal lobe removal?" Lumian was hearing about this treatment method for the first time.

Susie's tone turned slightly disdainful. "This idea has only come up in the past two or three years, and it can't possibly achieve the intended results. It would only cause serious harm to the patient. I sense obvious malice in such a treatment plan, as if some inhumane individuals spread it on purpose to mock both doctors and patients."

"A cruel prank with no regard for life?" Lumian then remarked, "Ms. Susie, you haven't asked me about my feelings or analyzed my thoughts, yet you already think I'm almost recovered and don't need another follow-up?"

Susie's mood improved quickly as she smiled and said:

"Sometimes, a person's actions reflect their mental state more accurately than their thoughts. You need to understand that humans are very good at deceiving themselves, always finding reasons to justify their actions. This isn't as real as their behavior. To assess someone's psychological state from their complex and contradictory thoughts requires deep analysis, which can easily trigger issues. That's why I focus on your actions.

"Clearly, whether you admit it or not, you've started to rebuild your social relationships. You trust others to some extent and are willing to let others trust you.

"Before you hunted down Guillaume Bénet, you could think calmly and prepare carefully. During the action, although you showed some impulsiveness and slightly twisted behavior, that's unavoidable. If you didn't, we'd need to consider if there were more severe psychological issues. After it all ended, you quickly returned to a more normal state, resuming your life and continuing your investigation.

"Based on these behaviors, congratulations. You no longer have strong self-destructive tendencies and have genuinely climbed out of the abyss of pain.

"Of course, the pain won't disappear entirely. It will only ease and fade. One day, it might resurface and take over your mind again. But don't panic. With your experiences, I believe you'll handle it well. From a psychological perspective, this is what recovery looks like.

"Likewise, the past will inevitably leave its marks on us. Your self-destructive tendencies, extreme behavior, and pathological signs may be stronger than most people's, but they remain within a reasonable, normal range."