"Ci Rong? Does your interest society usually use code names when you meet?"
Hearing this name, Dorothy, controlling Mr. Brandon, asked Naifnis, and she nodded in response.
"Hmm... It's said that one year the president said that true members of a secret society all have code names, so starting from him, the Secret Knowledge Society followed suit. During meetings, everyone wears masks and addresses each other by code names. But in reality, besides a little novelty at first, everyone quickly found this method troublesome, and since we all attend the same school, even with masks on, everyone knows who is who, so this rule isn't really seriously followed by anyone.
"But Ci Rong is different. Ever since he joined, whenever he appears, he always wears a mask and is heavily covered. Although he is also a student at the school, no one has ever known his real name. We can only call him by his code name."
After listening to Naifnis, Mr. Brandon thought for a while, then continued.
"So, keep talking about this Ci Rong."
"Okay." Naifnis nodded and continued to speak.
...
Ci Rong joined the Secret Knowledge Society more than half a year ago. As soon as he joined, he showed extraordinary levels of mysticism, completely different from the level of the original hobbyists in the society.
Not only was Ci Rong highly skilled in mysticism, but he was also willing to give guidance, so he quickly became the focus of the society and gained a high position within a short time. More importantly, he also demonstrated true Extraordinary abilities in front of the students in the society, revealing his identity as a true Extraordinary. This earned him the respect of many students in the society.
Afterwards, Ci Rong, who had joined the society, frequently instructed students in mystical knowledge and demonstrated his abilities. This caused Ci Rong, who was just a newcomer, to gain higher and higher status and win the support of more and more society members. Furthermore, Ci Rong even took out his precious collection of mystical books and lent them to students in the society to read.
...
"Collection of mystical books?"
Hearing some key terms, Dorothy, controlling Mr. Brandon, asked in confusion, and Naifnis explained.
"Yes... According to Ci Rong, these are valuable books that allow us to glimpse deeper mysteries and even seek the Extraordinary. There is a whole set of eight books. He lent these books to us to study, and they really contain a lot of mystical knowledge that we are very interested in. After reading one, we want to read the next one... No... To be precise, we strongly want to read the next one, and the more we read, the more we want to continue reading...
"To be honest, the desire for new books among the members who have read a few is somewhat too intense, intensely terrifying."
Naifnis finished with worry. Listening to her words, Dorothy, far away, frowned slightly. She knew what this phenomenon was; it was clearly Spirit Sight infection.
Those eight books must be secret transmission, highly diluted into eight books. That person named Ci Rong wants to use Spirit Sight to corrupt the Secret Knowledge Society.
"Do the members of the society show some strange mental symptoms after reading those books, and the more they read, the worse it gets?" Dorothy, controlling Mr. Brandon, asked. Hearing Mr. Brandon's words, Naifnis was slightly startled.
"Ah... Yes, that's right. Just as you said, those who have read the books seem to become increasingly indifferent and unsociable... Everyone who was usually easy to get along with seems to have become a bit extreme and violent, often resorting to physical violence over trivial arguments, which was impossible before.
"More importantly, they seem to respect Ci Rong more and more the more they read the books, to the point of worship later on. There was once a member who hadn't read the books who complained about Ci Rong during a meeting, and then several people attacked him with punches and kicks. It was truly terrifying..."
Naifnis said with lingering fear, while Dorothy also thought silently in her heart.
'Spirit Sight that makes people violent and worship someone?'
...
After that, Ci Rong relied on his abilities, knowledge, and book collection to gain unparalleled status in the society. Under semi-compulsion, almost everyone in the entire society had read his books and were more or less influenced to feel admiration for him. Then, Ci Rong, a newcomer who had joined the society for less than two months, naturally had the old president step down and became the president himself.
After becoming the leader of the society, Ci Rong began to drastically transform the society, issuing a large number of rules and regulations, establishing ranks, organizing regular meetings, turning it from a loose hobby group into a tightly organized society.
Afterwards, Ci Rong began to order the members of the society to do various things, such as covering for a large number of people from outside the school to enter the campus. For example, showing members a few mystical symbols and then having them search the entire campus for traces of these symbols. For example, helping to carry knives or even guns into the school. For example, forcibly donating to the society. For example, using those books as a medium to secretly recruit others into the society. Many of these things violated school rules.
At this point, the nature of the Secret Knowledge Society had completely changed, becoming a tool for Ci Rong to achieve some goal. However, most of the members had already read his books and become his worshippers, executing his tasks without complaint. But there were exceptions. For example, there were once two male students who resisted the semi-compulsory reading and did not acknowledge the change in the society. They openly conflicted with Ci Rong, saying they wanted to withdraw from the society and threatening to expose Ci Rong and the society's violations of school rules.
Then, these two people disappeared the next day without a trace. No one knew where they went. After the police investigated, they found no clues at all. The society members who worshipped Ci Rong remained silent when faced with the disappearance of their former companions, and no one provided any clues to the police. Someone once tried to report it secretly, but the result was the same in the end.
It was at this time that Naifnis truly realized Ci Rong's danger.
...
"By then, I finally saw that Ci Rong was using us as tools. After completely controlling the society, he tore off his disguise and revealed his true nature, becoming increasingly tyrannical. He often had contact with many people from outside the school and brought them in. He trusted those outside people more than us.
"For us original members of the society, the more we read those eight books, the closer we can get to Ci Rong. We need to read at least four books to gain his trust. Unfortunately, a friend of mine in the society, unable to resist the temptation of those books, has now read five books and become a fanatical worshipper of Ci Rong, but this also allowed her to get closer to him and learn more of Ci Rong's secrets.
"It was by secretly flipping through my friend's diary that I learned the true name of the organization Ci Rong belongs to, called the Eight Point Nest. They seem to be looking for something in King's Campus..."
After speaking, Naifnis took a sip of tea, then took a deep breath, her expression full of helplessness. Seeing her like this, Mr. Brandon asked.
"Your friend and the original society were turned into that state by Ci Rong, and even companions disappeared. Is this why you want to resist the Eight Point Nest?"
"More or less... Because of Ci Rong, I am very uncomfortable in the society now. Because of the previous examples, I neither dare to withdraw from the society nor report it. I live every day in fear, so I also want to do something, more or less.
"I saw the lost and found notice you published in the school newspaper, Mr. Brandon. The eye symbol on the lost item you described is almost identical to the symbol Ci Rong once made us search for all over the campus, so I thought that the item you found was the one Ci Rong wanted.
"I didn't want Ci Rong to succeed, so I had the idea of claiming the item first. But I didn't expect that you, Mr. Brandon, are actually an Extraordinary, and behind you is also a secret society. This lost and found notice was a trap set by you, and both I and Ci Rong's people jumped into it."
Naifnis finished speaking, then fell silent and looked at Mr. Brandon in front of her, indicating that she had said everything she needed to say.
After listening to Naifnis, Mr. Brandon nodded and slowly said.
"Very good, you have generally explained the matter clearly to me. I now have some conclusions in my mind. Thank your own conscience, Miss Boyle, because of it, there is still a turning point in all of this.
"However... there is one more thing I am very confused about and want to ask you. You said that all members of the society were semi-compelled to read Ci Rong's books, and those who didn't disappeared, and you are also a member of the society and are here now. May I ask how you resisted the influence of that book?"