Did Nothing

When the surging hatred in Luo Zhao's eyes faded, leaving only a blank obedience, Gu Chengyin took two steps back.

He stood at the boundary between moonlight and shadow, quietly examining his masterpiece.

The bedchamber was dead silent.

Moonlight continued to pour down like silver gauze, illuminating Luo Zhao suspended from the roof beam, as well as Shangguan Yunying standing behind her.

These two women.

One was the Crown Princess of Great Luo, peerless in her elegance.

The other was the Chief Court Lady, intelligent and gentle.

Yet at this moment, both had blank eyes and numb expressions, looking like the most exquisite dolls.

"Yunying," Gu Chengyin spoke softly. "Let her go."

The instant the command was given, Shangguan Yunying immediately let go.

The ropes were untied, and Luo Zhao's suspended arms slowly fell.

Her moon-white casual dress was slightly disheveled from her earlier struggles, the collar hanging slightly open to reveal a stretch of fair neck and collarbone.

But she had no reaction, merely staring blankly ahead.

The two of them just stood quietly under the moonlight.

And Gu Chengyin simply watched in silence, doing nothing else.

Because it wouldn't pass censorship.

This gave him a deeper understanding of the nature of hypnosis.

It plunged the original owner's consciousness into a deep slumber.

Then, based on the original owner's memories, personality, and behavioral patterns, combined with the hypnotist's commands, it simulated a conscious puppet.

The conscious puppet possessed the original owner's knowledge, skills, habits, and even their tone of voice and micro-expressions.

But it had no true self.

No desires, no fears, no love or hate, no soul.

Therefore, after the hypnosis was lifted, there would be no memories of the time spent hypnotized.

Because this experience belonged to the conscious puppet, not the slumbering original owner.

When the hypnosis was lifted, the puppet would dissipate, the original owner would awaken, and their memory would naturally have a gap.

Furthermore, this conscious puppet would automatically learn new knowledge and act according to its simulated conscious logic.

This was the most terrifying aspect of hypnosis; it was not simple control, but simulation plus learning plus adaptation.

The conscious puppet would think, judge, respond, and even learn and grow when exposed to new information.

It was just that all of this was built upon the underlying logic of absolute obedience to the hypnotist's commands.

Thus, even if the hypnosis was successful, they still had to interact as usual.

The only difference was...

A conscious Luo Zhao was disobedient.

While a hypnotized Luo Zhao was very obedient.

Gu Chengyin watched quietly for a long time until he confirmed the stability of the hypnotic state.

Only then did he speak: "Act as if I was never here."

The moment the command was issued, the two women immediately moved.

Luo Zhao turned, walked to the bed, pulled back the brocade quilt, lay down, and closed her eyes.

Her breathing quickly became even and long, and the expression on her face relaxed, as if she had fallen into a sweet dream.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Yunying walked toward the door.

As she brushed past Gu Chengyin, she acted as if she did not see him at all, keeping her gaze straight ahead and her steps unbroken.

Until her figure disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, her footsteps gradually fading away.

Inside the bedchamber, only the sleeping Luo Zhao and Gu Chengyin under the moonlight remained.

He took one last look at her sleeping peacefully on the bed, then turned and walked out of the hall.

Every step landed where the moonlight could not reach, every step blending his figure into the darkness.

Just like that, he left the bedchamber silently.

Everything fell into silence.

The moonlight remained, the bedchamber remained, and Luo Zhao sleeping peacefully on the bed remained.

Until...

A small figure slowly emerged from the deepest shadows of the bedchamber.

She stood in a corner untouched by the moonlight, her entire being merging with the darkness.

Only those large eyes gleamed faintly in the shadows, calmly watching Gu Chengyin leave.

It was Gu Xiaoli.

She did not turn her head to look at the sleeping Luo Zhao until Gu Chengyin's figure had completely disappeared.

Those large eyes lingered on Luo Zhao for a moment.

Then, she took a step.

She did not walk toward Luo Zhao, but instead chased after the direction Shangguan Yunying had left.

In the corridor of the side hall.

Gu Xiaoli's footsteps were very light.

She followed behind Shangguan Yunying, neither hurrying nor lagging, like a shadow.

Shangguan Yunying was completely oblivious.

She merely followed the command, walking toward her own side hall.

Her Foundation Establishment realm perception unconsciously spread out, sweeping over every corner of the corridor.

Yet her perception failed to detect Gu Xiaoli behind her.

It was as if Gu Xiaoli was just a puff of air, a gentle breeze, a ghost that did not exist in this world.

It wasn't until Shangguan Yunying returned to the door of her side hall.

She reached out to push the door open and turned to close it, only then seeing Gu Xiaoli behind her.

Standing in the moonlight, head tilted up, quietly looking at her.

Shangguan Yunying's movements paused.

In those blank eyes, something seemed to be turning.

Like a system identifying this suddenly appearing target, retrieving the corresponding memory data, and calling up the appropriate reaction mode.

Then, a smile appeared on her face:

"Xiaoli? Are you back from reading?"

But Gu Xiaoli did not answer.

She stared unblinkingly into Shangguan Yunying's eyes.

Being stared at made Shangguan Yunying a bit uncomfortable. She raised a hand to touch her own face, her expression confused:

"What's wrong, Xiaoli? Is there something on my face?"

Gu Xiaoli finally spoke, asking her first question:

"Who are you?"

Shangguan Yunying blinked, the confusion on her face deepening:

"I am Shangguan Yunying. Xiaoli, why are you asking..."

Before she could finish, Gu Xiaoli interrupted her:

"Who am I?"

Shangguan Yunying didn't mind being interrupted in the slightest. She continued to answer naturally:

"You are Gu Xiaoli, brought by Gu Chengyin from Lu..."

"Who am I to you?"

Gu Xiaoli interrupted for the third time.

Shangguan Yunying froze for a moment, but still answered:

"You are someone I need to protect."

Hearing this answer, Gu Xiaoli stopped pressing.

Taking a step forward and tilting her head up, she said softly:

"Sister Yunying, could you take a seat?"

Shangguan Yunying did not refuse, but sat on a chair, her eyes showing just the right amount of confusion.

Gu Xiaoli did not speak.

She raised her hand, lightly placing her small palm on Shangguan Yunying's forehead.

This action made Shangguan Yunying pause slightly.

But she did not resist or dodge; she merely sat there quietly.

At the same time, Gu Xiaoli's eyes began to glaze over.

It seemed as if, through the hand pressed against the forehead, she had entered a much deeper place.

Time slowed down at this moment.

Moonlight spilled in from outside the door, illuminating the large and small figures inside the side hall.

Gu Xiaoli remained motionless, her eyes blank, as if her soul had left her body.

Shangguan Yunying also remained motionless, her eyes blank, like a machine waiting to be rebooted.

After quite a long while.

Gu Xiaoli's eyes finally regained their luster.