"If a person is dreaming and dreams that they are asleep and having another dream, what would happen?"
Several people next to Schiller were lost in thought, and he continued to explain, "In such a situation, most people actually just transition from one dream to another, like jumping from one point to another on a plane."
"But there are also rare cases where one can descend vertically from a starting point, breaking through this plane and entering a deeper layer of consciousness."
"In the dream you created for Hugo, if he wants to enter someone else's dream, where would he go?" Victor muttered to himself.
"That's exactly what I'm studying."
"Let's go back to the beginning. Previously, I used the Crazy Wine to bring all of your consciousness into my dream space, right?"
"Then I went on to bring Hugo's consciousness into my dream space. Although he and you were on different floors, you are all now in my dream space."
"And now, in this situation where both you and Hugo are in my dream space, if he wants to connect his consciousness with yours by entering your dreams, will he directly open a pathway to your deep consciousness?"
"That's the topic I've been focusing on recently: how to maintain a stable dream within a dream state and establish a stable pathway to the deep consciousness. If we can achieve this, we can address many psychological issues at their root."
"That's right. The world of consciousness is a very complex concept. Everything is possible here, and yet nothing is possible. Here, there may be ten thousand keys corresponding to one door, or one key that can open ten thousand doors."
"So, any research related to the space of consciousness sounds like a fantasy, but it actually exists. It's fascinating, isn't it?"
"Really boring," Jack said, poking his ear.
"Yes, it's indeed boring for you because your surface consciousness and deep consciousness are all mixed together like a lump of dough. You can easily slide from the surface consciousness to the deep consciousness and then bounce back up like a spring..."
As they spoke, the group noticed a bubble suddenly appearing above the treatment room where Copperpot and Hugo were. Inside was another space—a restaurant on an iceberg. Schiller sighed with regret, "This should also be the surface consciousness... It didn't work. Why?"
"The deep consciousness space won't be so specific and orderly. The surface consciousness space tends to be more stable because you're still a relatively normal person, not completely insane. The most terrifying memories are likely hidden in the deep consciousness space."
"Let's send a few actors in..." Schiller arranged, saying, "I suspect that Hugo's desire for exploration is not strong enough, and his 'belief' in what he perceives is not firm enough..."
Then, one of Copperpot's clones walked out of the ice restaurant, inviting Hugo in. Victor followed, entering the restaurant, and Schiller entered as well. Everything unfolded like a fast-forwarded movie, and in an instant, it froze on Hugo's finger pressing a button.
"What does this represent?" Victor asked from the audience, "What does that button represent?"
Schiller looked at the yellow button and said, "It should represent confidence in one's own theories and the desire to manipulate others' minds..."
In the moment the button was pressed, an Earth globe on Schiller's head spun rapidly. He said, "The pathway to the deep consciousness space has opened... What is that? Fear?"
"It seems to be fear indeed."
Schiller looked at the screen, where a gigantic old woman covered in blood, wielding a knife, appeared. He turned his head and caught a glimpse of Copperpot's figure flickering.
Suddenly, Schiller's figure became enormous, and he leaned into the screen, crushing the bubble above the treatment room with a snap.
Then he pulled back and said, "It seems that is something coming out from the deep consciousness space. This method is effective, but unstable..."
"Is it my turn next?"
A few minutes later, Schiller once again crushed the bubble filled with storms, and then said, "The situation is completely consistent. The pathway can be opened, but it's unstable."
Jenkins raised his hand and asked, "Is it my turn next, right?"
"I feel like his consciousness can't handle another round of exhaustion. If we try again, he might wake up, just like a person jumping off a high-rise building in a dream."
Schiller continued, "Well, let's give it one last try."
When they saw Hugo retreating, Schiller concluded, "It seems to be his brain's self-protective mechanism kicking in."
"What do you think? Do you want to give it another shot?"
"Of course, I think this method can work, but the fundamental issue of the unstable pathway might not lie in the method itself but in the nature of your conscious world."
"What do you plan to do then?"
Schiller's Earth globe model on his head spun faster and faster. He said, "Jack, cooperate with me for a moment. Maybe you'll have some fun later."
Without waiting for Jack's agreement, Schiller snapped his fingers, and a medical record fell onto Hugo's desk. It had a name without a surname written on it, "Jack."
The scene shifted once again, with Jack sitting in the chair of the treatment room, crying incessantly. He said, "Doctor Hugo... please, you have to save me! That dreadful Doctor Rodriguez keeps torturing me. He forces me to dye my hair green, put on clown makeup, and perform for him. He's a devil, you must save me..."
"Don't cry, Jack! Don't cry..." Hugo held Jack's shoulders and said, "I also suspect that he's secretly torturing his patients, manipulating their minds. Listen, Jack..."
"I'll call him here under the pretext of official matters, and when he's not on guard against you, who he sees as just a pitiful victim of his abuse, we can..."
Schiller touched the Earth globe model on his head and said, "I don't know whether to praise your superb acting skills or to say... well, let's just say your acting skills are superb."
"What are you talking about?" Jack in the audience wiped away his tears and said, "You, this dreadful psychologist, a devil, have imprisoned our minds here and are using us for your horrifying experiments!"
"Stop crying. Your favorite part is coming up soon."
While covering his eyes with his hand, Jack peeked through his fingers at the screen. Inside, Schiller walked into the office, with Hugo standing opposite, attracting his attention. Then a figure with green hair appeared, holding a baseball bat and viciously hitting Schiller on the head...
"Hahaha!!" Jack in the audience burst into a series of laughter, tears streaming down his face.
"Do you see it? That's the ordinary person Schiller! Hahaha!"
"Do you know the funniest part? It's... hahaha... your posture when you fell down was completely wrong! Ordinary person Schiller! You've never been knocked out before, you can't even fake it, hahaha..."
Victor turned to look at the Earth globe on Schiller's shoulder and said, "It seems like Texas did turn its eyes white because of you."
The scene on the screen shifted once again, with Schiller sitting on the interrogation chair, and Hugo turned on the light, saying, "You're awake..."
And in that split second before Hugo closed his eyes, Jack, leaning against the wall, revealed a mocking smile.
Zooming in on Jack's expression, he was looking up, as if seeing everyone in the audience from the lower stage to the upper seats, and the smile at the corner of his mouth wasn't mocking Hugo, but rather... self-mockery.
Jack in the audience also made the same motion of looking up at the sky and smiled.
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