Overturned Tower

Let yourself just exist, and you can help others.

Make yourself "useful".

——That may be Russell's original wish.

Gazing into Miss Morgan's tear-filled eyes...

Russell seemed to see his former self.

That was the desire of my own self, long before I came to this world, that was born and germinated from childhood.

The increasingly surging mood is like the tide in the high tide period.

The pale wild flame was finally uncontrollable.

Burning attached to the fundus of the eyes, completely burning Russell's entire field of vision.

The whole world is scorched and curled by white flames, like a photo placed on a candle...

The roar of the machine in the ear gradually dissipated.

The dim world in front of my eyes became relatively brighter.

The original Lower Town and Miss Morgan disappeared.

The hands are clasped tightly, and the touch is real and unmistakable.

Rather than hallucinations, it was more like being transported and appearing somewhere.

- But this is certainly not the present world.

Because when he looked down, Russell couldn't see his own shadow.

The place where he is now is the "sacrifice hall" with many empty photo frames and white candles that are high and low...

The photos of Alice, the blue songbird and the father of the bird of paradise are still in front of his eyes.

Only this time, his consciousness was extraordinarily clear. He even has his own real body, not just a vague idea without hands.

The original Russell was like the protagonist of a horror game.

I walked over and pressed a survey button, but I didn't see my hand stretched out, and the thing was picked up in the air, and I was even able to flip through the survey...

At this moment, Russell realized... what happened to him.

This is... the shifting ceremony.

Blueshift = Redshift, the ritual of awakening the name of psionic power.

This means that Russell's redshift value has just increased by one level.

It also means that before Russell's "rationality" breaks through the limit of ordinary people, there is already a possibility that he may lose control and become a demon at any time...

And at this time, Russell was finally able to do what he had always wanted to do, but had never been able to do in the illusion before.

He looked back for the first time, wanting to see what was behind him.

After all, his previous perspective was fixed... only the photos in front of him and on both sides can be seen.

But as soon as he turned around, he froze in place.

I saw no white candles behind me.

On a big table, there are only two photo frames next to each other.

Although the environment of the room was a little dim, Russell could recognize at a glance... who was the person in the photo frame.

In the photo frame on the right is a boy with golden cat ears, green pupils, and a bright and confident smile.

He seems to be stretching out his right hand, putting another person's shoulders on each other - because there is also such a hand on his left shoulder.

The right arm of the boy with cat ears pierced through the photo frame he was in, and appeared on the shoulder of the person in the photo frame next door.

It was a shy boy with short black hair that reached the ears, a more handsome appearance than the cat-eared boy, and a thinner figure, and a girlish and feminine face.

That was...the self in my previous life.

It was my student self when I first entered college.

Russell and "Russell" are like partners, holding each other's shoulders. Although it is two different photo frames, it is like a group photo.

…That is.

"My Photos?

- Then who am I?

"...Why are you so useless.

"I can't study, and I can't make friends."

There seemed to be scolding from my parents when I was childish in my ears.

Maybe it was just a casual complaint, but the child quietly remembered it.

He didn't show any abnormality on the surface, just went to play with himself as usual, like a stupid child who couldn't even understand the meaning of the words of blame.

When I was depressed, I heard the angelic voice of my friend: "Don't hold back if you are unhappy."

But when the real tears burst, the comforting voice became boring: "I don't understand...what is there to cry about such a trivial matter?

"One by one, you are too sensitive."

Indeed.

The young Russell also knew that he was the one with the problem.

His emotions are too sensitive, like a spider web... The struggle of a mosquito can cause the entire web to vibrate, awakening the spider named "fear" to come to prey.

Even when he was sleeping, he would have nightmares because of it.

Dreaming of being driven far away for being too useless, and being thrown away... like a stray dog.

Dreaming that I was not allowed to go home because I was too useless, and I cried and banged on the door, but there was no response.

I dreamed that my throat could not speak, and I tried to explain it to someone, but the other person's expression was concerned at first and then became bored.

...Ah, it was that time.

He muttered to himself silently.

indeed so.

From that time on, the young Russell understood...no one can truly understand the position of others, and no one can empathize with others' psychology.

This is taken for granted because no one can "be" anyone else. Everyone's life is independent.

Therefore, it is very reasonable for people to have disputes and quarrels, misunderstandings and contradictions.

If it is an ordinary person, maybe it will become more mature and sensible...

It may also become less sensitive and less vulnerable. It is also possible to simply become inferior,

Introverted, no longer communicate with people.

Either way is reasonable.

But that's where Russell's is different.

...his reaction was simply too violent.

One by one, if you can't understand the position of others, if you can't experience the thoughts of others, find a way to "become"

other people.

With the same hobbies, similar thinking patterns, and similar levels, you can become friends with anyone.

——If your own failure is too painful, go to realize the wishes of others.

Only realize the wishes of others... You can also share the joy when you win, and you will not let yourself down when you fail.

One by one if you are too incompetent.

Then don't be yourself, but be someone else.

From the very beginning, it was not a passive "pleaser personality".

But something weirder, more abnormal than that.

Learn other people's strengths, experience other people's preferences, feel other people's sorrows and joys, and realize other people's wishes.

Then, become someone else's "other self" in the world.

Being loved by people is a matter of course.

It is natural to be feared and disgusted by a few sensitive people.

…not so much making friends.

Rather, to replace it.

During the student period, the "leader" who had many friends generally had a fixed circle of friends.

And Russell can get into it naturally through observation, imitation, and learning.

But the people imitated by Russell did not progress as fast as Russell.

So soon...

Originally only on the fringes of the circle ~www.wuxiahere.com~ But soon Russell became the center of the circle.

Later, the original center is alienated and becomes the periphery.

Because the position of that person is exactly the same as that of Russell, but the performance is far inferior to Russell.

The circle that would be gathered because of his hobbies and his personality would naturally be plundered by Russell. Even people whose identities have been robbed don't hate Russell...

Because how can one hate another self?

He can only look forward to—because Russell is exactly his "ideal self".

Like a magic mirror driven by desire, everyone can see the most suitable and "ideal" friend in it.

Not acting, but "becoming".

What game do you like to discuss with your friends, I will go to understand and learn;

You like friends who are good at cooking, so I will learn to cook;

You like a friend with a good personality, and my personality is soft and gentle;

You like friends who are cheerful enough, I become active and enthusiastic...

As long as everything is done at its best, it is impossible to become "useless".

One by one, because on every road, he cannot be the last one.

The man Russell imitated will eventually be surpassed by him.

"Russell" may not be the best, but he will never be the worst.

And if you go back to the source...

Such a "Russell" was born from whose wish?

"…It's me."

Russell suddenly realized. One by one, becoming such Russell was born out of his own desire.