Doctor Sun, around forty years old, had fine crow's feet at the corners of his eyes and exuded a calm demeanor that blended the qualities of a physician and a scholar. His smile was warm and approachable.
Seeing Zhang Yuanqing's stunned expression, he smiled gently.
"Likes and dislikes are the most revealing indicators of a person's mental state. One's personality is often reflected in their preferences, and sexual orientation and kinks offer even deeper insights than ordinary preferences.
"There's no need to feel embarrassed. A doctor's heart is like a parent's. I've asked patients far more shameful questions and heard even more difficult answers. In our eyes, all beings are equal."
In the eyes of people like you, all beings are just meaningless lumps of flesh, Zhang Yuanqing thought inwardly, recalling how his aunt had excitedly described the process of dissecting cadavers during her medical studies.
The details had nearly made Zhang Yuanqing vomit, while his aunt remained as calm as an old dog.
If this were the influence of an Item or skill, Zhang Yuanqing could transfer it to Little Goofball. But a Scout who could see through people's hearts essentially possessed lie-detection abilities, rather than exerting some kind of force on their targets.
Therefore, even the Spectral Servant was powerless.
Zhang Yuanqing patiently answered Doctor Sun's questions. "For action movies, I watch them occasionally. I mean, who hasn't seen them? But finding good ones is getting harder, so I joined a bunch of gaming groups to expand my sources."
Doctor Sun nodded, his hands clasped. "That's perfectly normal. When I was younger, I was really into that stuff too."
"Oh? Is that just because you're older now?" Zhang Yuanqing chuckled.
"No, it's because I have a wife now. She's beautiful, has a great figure, and I love her very much." Doctor Sun smiled back.
Zhang Yuanqing felt like he'd just been subtly mocked.
He continued answering the follow-up questions:
"I generally don't watch black-and-white stuff. I prefer Korean films, or the ones made by those guys who live the good life in Japan. Compared to black-and-white, the Japanese really know what they're doing. Just the titles alone can hit your sweet spot. As for the actresses' ages, I don't really care as long as they're adults."
Doctor Sun nodded slowly. "You like women of all ages. Hmm, that's perfectly normal."
"Exactly! Men don't have complicated tastes. As long as they're pretty and have a good figure, that's all that matters," Zhang Yuanqing said confidently, his natural extroverted personality resurfacing.
"I always fast-forward through movies. Who watches them at normal speed? When I'm watching a film, I usually don't seek out girlfriends—they're the ones who approach me. Honestly, I find it a bit annoying."
Doctor Sun looked surprised. "They? Well, given your status and position, it's natural to have many female companions."
"No, I meant them." Zhang Yuanqing raised his hand, answering truthfully, "Actually, I don't have a girlfriend."
Doctor Sun's eyes lit up with sudden interest. "Why not? You don't seem like an introverted person."
Zhang Yuanqing scratched his head. "In the past, I always found girls annoying. They weren't worth the time and effort it took to deal with them."
"And now?"
"Now I've met a few I'd be willing to spend time and effort on, but that feeling always fades."
"Why?"
"..."
"As I mentioned earlier, all beings are equal. I'm not just a Deacon, but also a trained psychologist. I've undergone rigorous training to ensure that no answer will elicit any unusual emotions from me, nor will I judge you."
"I eventually realized that maybe sows are better than them."
Doctor Sun froze, completely unprepared for such an answer.
The esteemed Primordial Heavenly Venerable, a seed-level genius, harbored such a twisted sexual fetish? What had warped his mind? Childhood sexual abuse? The betrayal of his first love? Some perverse habits of his parents?
In that moment, Doctor Sun's eyes held both pity and wariness.
Undoubtedly, this was a psychological abnormality, and such abnormalities were inherently dangerous.
After years of medical practice, encountering such a perverted patient was truly rare.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Zhang Yuanqing protested angrily. "You said you wouldn't look at me with those weird eyes!"
Doctor Sun felt a sudden pang of embarrassment.
Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "Actually, it was the price of using that Item. Since I stopped using it, my orientation has gradually returned to normal. I've even been actively flirting with the women in my group lately, slowly rekindling my masculine urges through them."
Doctor Sun sighed in relief. "Good. Let's move on to the next question. Tell me about your family situation. You don't need to give me names, addresses, or even professions. Just a brief overview will do."
"I lived with my grandparents and my aunt. My uncle, aunt, and cousin lived across the street. My father died when I was very young, and my mother didn't want to remarry because she thought it would be difficult with me around and feared a stepfather might mistreat me. So she raised me herself, which meant leaving me with my grandparents while she worked tirelessly outside to earn money. She didn't pay much attention to me, just gave me money. When I was little and needed her for school events, she'd always tell me to ask my uncle instead, saying she was too busy working to earn money."
Doctor Sun listened patiently before suddenly asking, "Do you hate her?"
"No, I don't!"
"You're lying."
"...I don't hate her, but I do resent her."
Doctor Sun nodded. "Next question: Did you ever torture animals as a child?"
"Sure. I used to squat at the alley entrance, toss out a piece of fatty meat I didn't want, and watch the ants swarm to carry it away. Just as they were about to succeed, I'd piss on them and wash them all away. I did the same with grasshoppers, frogs, dragonflies, and stuff like that."
"What about cats or dogs?"
"Never touched them."
Doctor Sun scrutinized him for a few seconds before moving on to the final question:
"After this, our conversation will end. Primordial Heavenly Venerable, what are your thoughts on the Evil Class?"
Zhang Yuanqing paused, choosing his words carefully. "Hatred and pity."
Doctor Sun's eyebrows shot up. "Pity?"
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "As a Nightwalker, I've seen the pasts of many Evil Class members. Their twisted mentalities often stem from childhood trauma, while a smaller portion are driven to nihilism and criminality by witnessing too much injustice in society. A philosopher once said that for every demon born among humans, countless others lurk nearby.
"The Evil Class members are the demons that have been born, and the people who drove them down that path are the hidden demons. I believe every sin is humanity's own karmic fire. With the internet's reach, a demon's birth might not just be due to local persecution, but also the influence of demons from all corners of the world.
"So I pity them, but that doesn't stop me from cleansing their sins when the opportunity arises."
Doctor Sun fell into deep thought.
After a long pause, he sighed. "You're a thoughtful person. I've met many Spirit Realm novices, and their views on the Evil Class are simple and uniform: they see them as criminals, the embodiment of human depravity, sources of danger, and enemies to be eradicated."
"That's certainly true, but few people bother to consider the origins of Evil Classes and reflect on what they reveal about humanity," Zhang Yuanqing said with a smile. "Perhaps they're not incapable of reflection, but rather too lazy or unwilling to engage in such thought."
His own contemplation stemmed from two sources: his encounter with the Ashamed Father, an Evil Class, and the Nightwalker's Soul Inquiry ability, which granted him intense empathy by absorbing the memories of Spectral Entities.
After all, human emotions are often disconnected. Another's suffering might seem like a joke to you until you truly empathize with their experience. It was the Nightwalker profession that provided Zhang Yuanqing with the conditions necessary for such reflection.
"My questions are finished!" Doctor Sun nodded with a smile. "Thank you for your cooperation. You may leave now."
After Zhang Yuanqing exited and closed the consultation room door, Doctor Sun wheeled his chair over to the computer screen. He first checked the "Primordial Heavenly Venerable" option under the mental evaluation section.
Then he added a note:
"Mentally stable, possesses a strong sense of justice. Suspected family issues lead him to habitually mask his inner isolation and depth with an outwardly cheerful and enthusiastic demeanor. An idealist; currently, it is not recommended to assign him positions of significant authority."
Idealists prioritize upholding their inner sense of justice over maintaining order.
To put it simply, when faced with a conflict between procedural justice and consequential justice, they tend to favor the latter.
Consequential justice is often more easily accepted and resonates with the majority of people. However, for law enforcement officers, procedural justice must take precedence above all else.
Zhang Yuanqing returned to the second-floor waiting area, where participants in the Grand Inspection were already beginning to leave in small groups.
Aside from the late-arriving Second Team members, only two or three stragglers remained in line.
Li Dongze sat on a public bench, leaning on his cane with both hands, and smiled. "From your expression, I can tell Deacon Sun's questions were quite... inelegant."
Zhang Yuanqing shrugged and chuckled wryly. "He actually asked if I watch porn and what kind of actresses I prefer! Why didn't you warn me the psychologist would ask such intrusive questions?"
As he spoke, he noticed the Second Team members and several nearby officers turning to stare at him in unison.
Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat. "Wait, these aren't standard questions?"
Second Team: "No!"
Fuck! Can I take back what I just said? Zhang Yuanqing suppressed his rising embarrassment and feigned sudden realization. "Ah, they must have seen my youthful good looks and extraordinary presence. That's why they asked such questions. Ha ha ha."
Truly, you never disappoint with your shamelessness! the Second Team members thought.
Guan Ya asked eagerly, "So, how did you answer?"
Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her. "I said I don't watch porn. I prefer playing Guan Yu."
Guan Ya: "..."
Zhang Yuanqing sat down next to the Veteran Driver and waited silently.
Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and pondered.
The Tiger Tally was a Rule Item of the highest tier. Deception was virtually impossible before it; otherwise, Master Wuhen wouldn't have given such a definitive response.
The purpose of this Grand Inspection was to identify Official Walkers within the Songhai Branch who had been bought or controlled by the Night Rose and other Evil Organizations.
Therefore, the questions they would ask next would undoubtedly be related to Evil Classes and the Night Rose.
And I am neither.
If there were any blemishes on my record, it would be my brief association with Xiao Yuan and Wuhen, anomalies within the Evil Classes. However, Xie Lingxi can vouch that these encounters were purely accidental.
As an A-Rank Merit holder, this minor matter would at most result in a reprimand or warning—nothing serious. Besides, Fu Qingyang is my superior.
The investigation into the Successor of the Demon Lord is primarily being handled by the Taiyi Sect; the Five Elements Alliance shows little interest, so I likely won't be questioned about it.
After silently analyzing the situation, Zhang Yuanqing concluded that the risks were minimal.
About half an hour later, the Second Team members gradually completed the Tiger Tally's test. When Wang Tai emerged, Zhang Yuanqing instinctively walked toward the interrogation room at the end of the corridor.
The interrogation room was spacious but simply furnished. An office desk stood near the window, behind which sat Fu Qingyang, dressed in a crisp white uniform with his handsome ponytail neatly tied. A tripod-mounted camera faced the desk.
"Take a seat. You're the last one. Let's not waste any time," Fu Qingyang gestured.
Zhang Yuanqing nodded and sat down.
Fu Qingyang reached into the Void with his right hand and conjured a palm-sized bronze tiger, its head raised in a roaring posture. The tiger's head, spine, and tail formed a smooth, flowing curve.
Roar~
A soul-cleansing roar echoed in Zhang Yuanqing's ears. His pupils dilated abruptly as he saw deep within his Sea of Consciousness a lithe, fierce-eyed White Tiger lying on its side, its divine majesty and stern gaze overwhelming.
An unprecedented pressure, an unprecedented terror.
Zhang Yuanqing's face turned deathly pale, his limbs spasmed, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
This is a high-level Rule Item? He felt his soul shudder, as if standing on the edge of an abyss.
Fu Qingyang, holding the Tiger Tally, radiated an aura of supreme authority, like a Marshal commanding a million troops. He spoke slowly:
"Primordial, are you a mole for the Night Rose?"
As the words fell, Zhang Yuanqing "saw" the Fierce-Eyed White Tiger in his Sea of Consciousness scrutinizing him with a majestic gaze, as if ready to pounce and tear him to shreds if he lied.
Zhang Yuanqing's lips trembled slightly. "No."
Fu Qingyang waited a few seconds, observed no anomalies, and nodded slightly before asking his second question:
"Have you ever secretly associated with members of the Evil Classes?"
Hearing the question, Zhang Yuanqing wanted to curse inwardly. Reason told him to conceal the truth, but instinct took over. Under the Fierce-Eyed White Tiger's gaze, he blurted out:
"Yes."
Fu Qingyang's eyes narrowed.
"But... but I feel I should explain," Zhang Yuanqing stammered, his voice trembling like a traveler braving a freezing wind.
Fu Qingyang nodded slightly.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately recounted his encounter with Ashamed Father, how he had delivered messages for him, but he concealed the address of Wuhen Hotel.
"That's the whole story. Xie Lingxi of the Xie Family can vouch for me. Besides, I didn't have much interaction with them."
Everything he said was true, though he cleverly phrased "no further contact" as "not much interaction."
Under the Tiger Tally's oppressive aura, he couldn't speak freely, but choosing his words carefully fell outside the Item's power. As long as Fu Qingyang didn't nitpick, he was confident he could gloss over this issue without serious consequences.
Fu Qingyang's tone remained cold as he commented:
"I'll report this matter to Elder Miao. As for his reaction, you'll have to leave it to fate."
Though the tone was harsh, he moved on quickly.
"One last question! This comes at the request of the Taiyi Sect." Fu Qingyang straightened his posture. "Are you the Successor of the Demon Lord?"
Zhang Yuanqing's face turned as pale as paper.