Chapter 94: Better to Ease Than to Block

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The next day, midnight.

Li Nanke carried his suitcase and arrived alone at the hotel. Following the room number given in the text message, he knocked on the door.

Soon, the door opened automatically.

He stepped inside, his gaze resting on the young woman seated on the sofa.

She was dressed in a formal business suit and skirt, black stockings outlining her slender legs, presenting an image both capable and alluring. Yet, her face—both beautiful and familiar—left Li Nanke momentarily stunned.

Through Torina’s recommendation, he had sought out a specialist in mental health to treat the imbalance caused by his beastly nature.

But Li Nanke had never anticipated that this mental health specialist would turn out to be Lina herself.

Surprised inwardly, he maintained a composed exterior.

Wearing a synthetic face, a voice modulator at his throat, and subtly altering his physique with his superhuman physical power, even those familiar with him would not recognize his true appearance.

“Doctor,” Lina greeted him with a professional smile.

“Patient,” he replied.

After exchanging code words, Lina lightly tapped the sofa beside her, signaling for Li Nanke to sit.

“Speak freely. I need to understand the specifics.”

Li Nanke presented the rehearsed explanation: “Doctor, it’s simple. I am a ‘physical-type’ superhuman. In my haste to advance, I took a risk. Now my powers have successfully reached the second tier, but I’ve noticed something is wrong.”

“Specifically, I’m irritable, impulsive, and... I feel an uncontrollable urge to vent. These emotions flare repeatedly. At night, I cannot sleep without alcohol.”

Lina stood and said, “Classic early signs of physical-type disorientation.”

“For ordinary superhumans, maintaining one’s sanity while seeking power enhancement is indeed a challenge.”

“However, second-tier powers are quite respectable. Have you considered joining the Control Bureau?”

Li Nanke forced a wry smile. “It’s not that I prefer freedom... I actually applied to the Control Bureau but was rejected. You know physical-type ratings aren’t favorable.”

Lina nodded and approached him. “I can alleviate your symptoms, but you must not attempt to increase your powers further in the short term.”

“Since you were referred by a friend, the prearranged discount applies... two hundred thousand.”

Li Nanke winced. As a research intern, his monthly salary was only two hundred thousand, and he had been employed less than half a month without receiving pay yet. Bonuses from two research achievements were still pending.

Fortunately, he had some modest savings, originally set aside for medical treatment. Now... it would serve that purpose after all.

At last night’s dinner, Li Nanke had not immediately accepted Minian’s request but told her he needed a few days to rest and consider, speaking gently, as if inclined yet hesitant.

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Minian, sensing his subtle reply, said she would return in a few days with ‘compensation.’ After seeing the reward, they could discuss further cooperation.

Li Nanke understood his current mental state was very precarious; he would frequently lose composure. Before entering the forbidden dream again, he had to suppress the beastly imbalance completely.

Otherwise, entering the life-threatening forbidden dream in such a state would be reckless.

Lina took the suitcase from him, inspected it, then said:

“No issues. Next, you need to relax your mind, do not resist, and follow my guidance.”

Lina lit several peculiar aromatic candles, arranging them in a circle around him. The candles emitted a faint, delicate fragrance, filling the air with a soothing atmosphere.

She turned off the lights; the room dimly lit by flickering candlelight seemed to slow time itself.

Li Nanke closed his eyes as instructed, relaxing his entire body, feeling a slender hand press gently on his forehead.

“Do you know body scanning?”

“No.”

“Then do as I say: focus your consciousness on the soles of your feet, tense the soles first,” Lina’s voice became ethereal and deep, echoing softly, “then slowly relax, completely releasing every muscle in your soles.”

“When you sense your soles ‘disappear’ or ‘detach,’ that means you have truly relaxed.”

Li Nanke tried to relax his soles, but his inner restlessness and anxiety made it impossible to calm his mind.

The more he tried to concentrate, the more intrusive thoughts arose.

His mind even conjured up the silhouette of Lina’s stockings-clad legs.

His mouth dried, and an impure fire flared wildly from his core.

At that moment, a wave of mental energy surged from the hand on his forehead, soothing his inner turmoil.

“Feel this power; it will help you relax,” Lina’s voice softened further. “Now, once again focus on your soles, feel their weight and their contact with the ground.”

The mysterious mental energy flowed like cool water, extinguishing the inner fire and guiding his body to relax.

Under Lina’s guidance, he tried again to relax his soles, feeling the muscles loosen from tension.

Until his soles were completely relaxed, he could no longer sense their presence.

Startled, Li Nanke immediately tensed his whole body, sensing the soles’ return—and breaking the ‘body scan.’

Lina’s face hardened; her tone grew stern: “If you don’t trust me, stop treatment and leave.”

“If you want to continue, don’t make such rookie mistakes again. One more time, and it’s an extra fifty thousand!”

Li Nanke nodded helplessly. Lina usually smiled brightly, but now she was all business. He wasn’t sure if it was the ugliness of his synthetic face or if Lina was just giving him a friendly price because he didn’t earn much.

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“Let’s continue...”

“Good, your soles are fully relaxed now,” Lina continued, “Next, shift your focus to your calves, feel the muscles loosen.”

Step by step, from feet to head, his limbs gradually faded and detached.

When his torso completely vanished, only pure consciousness remained, without a physical shell.

Li Nanke could no longer feel the hand on his forehead.

The chill mental energy from Lina continuously soothed the restless turbulence in his mind, like smoothing out a crumpled sheet of paper.

This method could never restore the paper’s original smoothness; visible creases remained, and repeated crumpling and smoothing would eventually cause damage.

But compared to Li Nanke’s own haphazard suppression, this mental comfort was a much better form of relief.

After a long while, the cold mental force faded, and the long-held restlessness quietly subsided.

With a thought, Li Nanke’s body returned.

Opening his eyes, Lina stood before him, drenched in sweat.

She breathed lightly: “You won’t risk getting lost for now, but until you fully adapt to second-tier powers, you cannot advance further.”

“Some adapt quickly; others never truly adjust in a lifetime. If you cannot adapt, your superhuman path ends here.”

“Here’s a final tip: find a stable anchor—an emotional support, a warm refuge, or a specific person. With an anchor’s support, it’s less likely to lose direction.”

An anchor... also means a weakness. When the anchor collapses or is destroyed, losing direction becomes even easier.

Li Nanke nodded. “Thank you.”

Exhausted, Lina wiped the sweat from her brow. “These scented candles have calming effects. The room is yours—rest well... I’m leaving.”

With that, she waved and carried her suitcase out.

Li Nanke locked the door, inhaled the peaceful fragrance, and lay down on the bed. Surrounded by soft bedding, he soon fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

That slumber was unusually peaceful and sweet.

(End of chapter)