Chapter 156: The Appearance-Obsessed World Consciousness

Minister Xing listened as the presenter continued to explain: "This 'Angel Project' is an initiative formulated by hundreds of our experts and scholars. From the catastrophe three months ago, we already know that Channing, the newly emerged ESPer of the youngest known age, has not yet grown emotionally detached or disdainful of the law like other ESPers. Psychological analysts believe that Channing is a candidate who can be won over. Furthermore, according to the analysis of battlefield strategists, Channing may very well be a multi-attribute ESPer..."

At this point, a commotion rippled through the audience below, and a heavy weight settled in Minister Xing's heart. He understood the implications of being a multi-attribute ESPer.

Throughout history, recorded instances of multi-attribute ESPers did not exceed twenty in total. The vast majority of them possessed peerless abilities capable of sweeping across all other ESPers. If they so desired, they could become the monarchs of this land, or even gods!

Whether it was a blessing or a curse remained unknown, but this power had now fallen upon a mere eight-year-old child.

Eight years old!

A child who should still be in school, who had yet to fully distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, actually possessed such terrifying power?

The presenter continued his speech: "According to data, Channing previously ordered his subordinate hacker (codename X) to rescue disaster-stricken civilians, and later led him to eradicate the heinous 'Jester'. Therefore, we judge that Channing can be influenced and won over. Moreover, residual surveillance cameras captured the following footage."

As he spoke, a projection appeared on the giant screen before them. The murmuring, restless crowd fell silent once more, all eyes fixing upon the face of the child.

The subordinate's face was blurred and failed to be captured by the camera, but Channing's features were exceptionally clear. He lazily allowed himself to be held in the subordinate's arms, floating high in the sky while looking down upon the devastated earth. There was a trace of pity and a hint of helplessness in his expression—entirely devoid of the indifference Minister Xing had witnessed when he first saw him at the breakfast stall.

In truth, Zhang Ning had simply been wondering how to strike up a conversation with his Master, never imagining that a single facial expression of his would be interpreted in such a wildly unrelated manner.

Minister Xing felt a surge of pleasant surprise.

"That's wonderful!"

Minister Xing thought he had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud, only to realize that someone sitting directly in front of him had blurted it out. Immediately afterward, he heard several people around him uttering similar sentiments.

Minister Xing knew everyone was thinking the exact same thing: Thank goodness this child can be won over; thank goodness he still retains basic humanity and a sense of morality; thank goodness he currently stands on the side of humanity!

The presenter seemed genuinely moved from the bottom of his heart, yet he maintained his composure as he declared: "Therefore, we have formulated this plan—the Angel Project! From this moment on, we will control the people the ESPer Channing can come into contact with, the channels through which he can obtain information, and so on."

"From the random television channel he turns on to the passersby he encounters while taking a walk, everything must make him feel the beauty of human nature. We will make him cherish this beauty until he develops a sound, healthy worldview—and most importantly, one that serves our interests—ensuring that in the end, he stands on our side!"

The presenter's words were truly deafening. At that moment, his gaze could be described as both sharp and resolute, as if even a mountain of blades or a sea of fire could not make him frown.

Minister Xing knew that this man was by no means an ordinary figure. Even if he were merely standing here as a host, he was undoubtedly a member of the elite class at the apex of human society—though that was stating the obvious, for everyone seated here today was unquestionably the elite of the elites!

And right here, through the hands of these elites, a time-consuming, massive project meticulously tailored for a single individual was born.

It was precisely because of this project that they reaped the absolute military might they relied upon to combat current and future ESPers, along with the artifact-crafting techniques that allowed them to grasp their own destiny. They reaped the bridge of the future—one that would use technology to commune with the divine, explore the universe and the unknown, and truly connect with the boundless worlds—securing a future belonging to humanity, belonging to every single person!

Even hundreds of years in the future, this document would remain a vital historical record that required a certain level of contribution and clearance within the human government to browse, and everyone would marvel at the decision made at this very moment. They would marvel at how they had won over and mastered this future, marveling at how they had truly forged an angel and created a glorious future for humanity!

Yet, was this angel truly forged by them?

Uh, actually, no.

If one had to give credit, it could only be attributed to Aquamarine Star for fostering Zhang Ning's correct worldview.

Naturally, Zhang Ning was completely unaware of these events. He was too busy being astonished, especially after learning the truth about this ESPer world.

"So, Master, you mean... um, these ESPers are all artificial?"

"They cannot strictly be called artificial," Chu Hanju shook his head and said.

"Indeed, phrasing it that way doesn't quite fit," Zhang Ning nodded and said. "Um, created from Prime Energy Crystals? Why does that sound so awkward?"

Chu Hanju was amused by his reaction.

Yet Zhang Ning was still reeling from the news he had just received from his Master. He and his Master had not been in this world for long, and his Master—who notoriously struggled with machinery—had long since abandoned conventional methods of understanding this world, reverting instead to his old ways of analyzing reality.

Zhang Ning had only left him for a few days to visit the original body's parents, and yet his Master had already deciphered the truth of this world, though he had only confirmed it after slaying the Jester "deity."

As it turned out, a world consciousness had been born in this realm long ago, and this world consciousness had instinctively attached itself to the Prime Energy Crystals inherent to the world itself.

As a mysterious, unknown conglomerate possessing infinite rules and energy, the Prime Energy Crystals in the Azure Realm were temporarily used entirely to withstand grand terrestrial tribulations or to elevate the world. In this world, which lacked much potential for sublimation, however, they served as the source of all higher energies.

Yet, how vast and boundless was the consciousness of an entire world? The Prime Energy Crystals could not withstand such a massive consciousness entirely, so it fractured into numerous pieces, scattering across various living creatures throughout the world.

According to his Master, there were also creatures possessing supernatural abilities in this world that humans were unaware of or had not recorded, such as supernatural cats and dogs, though they were extremely rare. Moreover, those human ESPers were simply the result of personal "selection" by the world consciousness. As for what criteria it used for selection... one only needed to look at the common traits shared by all those ESPers!

Zhang Ning's imagination ran wild as he guessed: The consciousness of this world must have its own preferences. It favored primate animals, which currently held the upper hand, and had a particular fondness for attractive young people, thus creating the current state of affairs in the world.

To sum it up, this world consciousness was still an absolute superficial appearance-obsessed creature!