Shen Xinran officially joined Ren Fanxing's task force.
She received the report.
And she also obtained the video footage.
The moment she opened the video, Shen Xinran recognized Young Master Cao.
Even though it was just a side profile, she knew it was him.
After all, their connection wasn’t distant.
Shen Xinran had a very close relationship with Ren Fanxing’s eldest sister, Ren Chenxi, and had heard stories about how Young Master Cao had entered the Ren family and risen to his current status. She had witnessed it step by step.
Ren Chenxi had shared these details with her.
Moreover,
Young Master Cao was also the one who cured Ren Chenxi’s illness.
Shen Xinran knew this as well.
However,
when she had coffee with Ren Chenxi, the eldest sister mentioned that Young Master Cao had given her a pill that healed her condition.
Though curious, Shen Xinran didn’t dwell on it.
After all, it had nothing to do with psychology or hypnosis.
Who would have thought
that Young Master Cao was also skilled in hypnosis—and seemingly at an unfathomable level?
In the video,
Cao Cheng lit a cigarette while casually chatting.
Shen Xinran focused on the flicker of the flame as he lit it, then on the way he spun the lighter afterward.
Combined with his tone, pacing, and choice of words…
There was indeed a guiding undertone.
But it felt natural.
Far more natural than her own techniques.
When Shen Xinran had hypnotized Guo Yi, she needed his cooperation.
But Young Master Cao required none of that.
He simply talked, and before anyone realized it, the conversation slipped into a hypnotic trance—no one could pinpoint the exact moment it happened.
Shen Xinran was stunned.
Utterly shocked!
She never considered herself the world’s greatest hypnotist, but she believed she wasn’t far behind the best. Maybe just lacking a bit of experience.
Now, though, it was clear—
this wasn’t just a matter of experience.
This was an entirely different system.
...
Consider this:
Milton, hailed as the "Father of Modern Hypnosis,"
had numerous techniques.
But they all required the patient’s cooperation—or at least minimal resistance.
From there, much like traditional Chinese medicine, he tailored the hypnosis based on the patient’s physical state, family background, and personal history.
Through carefully crafted narratives and linguistic interruptions, he disrupted ingrained thought patterns, making the subconscious more receptive to suggestion.
The methods were varied.
But…
none resembled Cao Cheng’s approach.
...
After rewatching the interrogation footage over ten times,
Shen Xinran felt completely numb.
This wasn’t right!
By now, she could recite every word, every inflection, from memory.
She could even reenact the entire exchange, playing both roles flawlessly.
Yet,
it contradicted everything she had learned.
This wasn’t just a different method—it was a different paradigm.
Her mind was in chaos.
And this state of confusion made her highly susceptible to hypnosis—exactly what "interruption techniques" aimed to achieve.
Her rigid beliefs and perceptions had been disrupted.
The door to her subconscious was wide open.
If Cao Cheng were here now, a single glance would be enough to pull her under.
But,
if Young Master Cao were present, he might have found it amusing.
Their systems were fundamentally incompatible.
Add to that the "Soul-Drifting Incense" he had obtained from a treasure chest, and it was no wonder modern hypnosis psychology couldn’t decipher his methods.
In truth…
Hypnosis, as a practice, has only existed for a few centuries.
Modern hypnotherapy is barely a hundred years old.
What Cao Cheng wielded was future hypnosis—and even then, only at an "intermediate" level.
Calling him the "Father of Future Hypnosis" wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
To simplify:
Hypnosis has three evolutionary stages.
The first was ancient hypnosis, akin to brainwashing or divination—a crude process that took years to indoctrinate tribes, not unlike modern-day PUA tactics.
Modern therapeutic hypnosis went deeper, altering beliefs, emotions, and behaviors through the subconscious—but still required cooperation.
The future, however, belonged to the third stage (though not the final one).
Here, cooperation was unnecessary—a natural progression.
After all, how many people truly relax and surrender completely to hypnosis?
This limitation is why modern hypnotherapy remains niche.
Future hypnosis, however, starts by declaring the hypnotist’s intent. Resistance is irrelevant. The process seizes control from the outset, reshaping the subconscious even amid fierce opposition.
...
Put simply:
When resistance is strongest, hypnosis seems impossible.
But there’s a catch.
Intense resistance demands immense mental focus, rapidly draining psychological energy and accelerating fatigue.
This exhaustion weakens the mind’s defenses, creating vulnerabilities.
Paired with specialized drugs,
the hypnotist can penetrate the deepest layers of the subconscious—with even greater efficacy.
Even without the "Soul-Drifting Incense," Young Master Cao had access to advanced pharmaceuticals for hypnosis.
This was the way of the future.
How could Shen Xinran possibly understand?
...
"Shen-jie."
Ren Fanxing’s voice snapped Shen Xinran out of her thoughts. She hadn’t noticed her approach.
Shen Xinran was a year older, the same age as Ren Fanxing’s eldest sister.
Startled, Shen Xinran realized how close she’d come to losing herself.
If a malicious hypnotist had been nearby, she could’ve been exploited in this state.
Ren Fanxing studied her, puzzled. "You’ve rewatched this over ten times. Did you find something?"
Shen Xinran took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure. She smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, I just realized your brother’s hypnosis is nothing like what I’ve studied. I’m… learning from the video."
"..." Ren Fanxing was speechless.
She knew Shen Xinran’s credentials.
Even if Shen Xinran had slipped up with Guo Yi, failing to make him "open up,"
that didn’t negate her expertise.
Hypnosis wasn’t foolproof, after all.
But the fact that Shen Xinran was now studying her younger brother’s techniques…
Ren Fanxing felt a flicker of pride.
"Fanxing, could I meet your brother?" Shen Xinran’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Huh?"
Under normal circumstances, Ren Fanxing wouldn’t mind.
But now…
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Shen Xinran’s gaze held something more.
Was she about to gain another sister-in-law?
It wasn’t paranoia—Young Master Cao had a track record.
This…
This was getting out of hand.
"Is there a problem?" Shen Xinran asked, noticing Ren Fanxing’s hesitation.
Ren Fanxing snapped back to reality. "He’s usually busy. I’m not sure if he’ll have time, but I can ask. Maybe he can spare a moment to meet you."
"Thank you!" Shen Xinran beamed.
"You’re… welcome." Ren Fanxing’s reply was half-hearted, but Shen Xinran, still absorbed in the video, didn’t notice.
Shen Xinran genuinely wanted to understand more.
She had a feeling the video hadn’t captured the crucial details.
Although the interrogation footage recorded everything from start to finish, the angle was from a slanted rear view, only showing half of Young Master Cao’s profile.
Who knew if Young Master Cao had pulled any tricks off-camera, or if there were subtle changes in his eyes or expression?
Hypnosis was delicate work.
...
Several days passed.
The task force was still organizing materials, with higher-ups keeping a close eye on the progress.
Working overtime, they compiled all the documents and finally submitted them to the procuratorate.
This included the indictment opinion, case files, evidence chains, and more...
At this stage, Second Sister could finally take a break.
Next came the waiting game—waiting for the procuratorate to review the case and interrogate Guo Yi (Guo Yu).
Only after that would the case proceed to court for prosecution.
The process was time-consuming.
Even with expedited handling, it would still take a while.
...
Then, one day.
Second Sister was drinking at home when Cao Cheng returned from the eco-park.
That’s when she brought up Shen Xinran.
"Do you know Shen Xinran?" Ren Fanxing handed him half a glass of liquor.
Young Master Cao occasionally indulged her with a drink, but never too much.
Mainly because the alcohol tasted awful.
Medicinal liquor, on the other hand, was quite nice.
Lately, Young Master Cao had been sorting through medicinal liquor recipes from the cultivation world, gathering herbs.
The taste was sweet and addictive.
But it needed time to steep, so it wasn’t ready yet.
"Shen Xinran?"
Cao Cheng raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Isn’t that the counseling studio we saw after tailing Eldest Sister last time? The 'Xinran Psychological Counseling Studio'? Did I remember that right?"
With his photographic memory, he recalled it instantly.
He even smirked smugly afterward, as if to say, "How’s that for a memory, huh? Impressive, right?"
But...
Ren Fanxing shot him a sidelong glance, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, you remember her that well? Got a thing for her?"
Tch.
This woman.
Cao Cheng suddenly realized—she was jealous?
Ridiculous.
Even Tang Xin wasn’t jealous, so what right did she have?
Besides.
Forget whether it was her place to be jealous—there was nothing going on in the first place! Young Master Cao wasn’t about to take the blame for nothing.
Cao Cheng chuckled. "You on something today? What does this Xinran have to do with me? Why the jealousy?"
"Who’s jealous?" Ren Fanxing denied it.
Cao Cheng shrugged. "Good. Then I won’t explain."
"..."
Ren Fanxing pouted.
She knew she was being overly sensitive.
But wasn’t it all Cao Cheng’s fault?
If he weren’t such a flirt, would she be like this?
She’d already lowered herself to sneaking around, sacrificing her dignity—couldn’t he at least humor her?
Wasn’t she still a princess at heart?
Ren Fanxing was still a woman.
No matter how tough she acted, her heart was soft.
Tender and vulnerable.
And when it came to Young Master Cao, she’d already shed so much pride and self-respect—wasn’t she allowed a little jealousy?
Even if it was irrational, so what?
She was pretty, after all.
Pretty women—as long as they weren’t surgically enhanced—deserved some privileges, right?
Seeing her sulky expression, Cao Cheng teased, "Eldest Sister’s back."
"..."
Ren Fanxing immediately straightened up, masking her emotions.
But after a long pause...
Nothing happened.
Young Master Cao just sat there grinning.
This was his way of handling a woman’s moods.
Sulking?
Cut the crap.
You’re just begging for...
He could make her laugh and cry in seconds, wiping away any negativity.
If a household wasn’t harmonious, nine times out of ten, it was because...
The man wasn’t man enough!
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
