Chapter 23: The Noble

Survivors have organized themselves into guild-like alliances, rebuilding civilization and exploring the world. Yet within the tides of corruption, there lie deeper secrets.

After his meal, Fan Bei sat in the living room, a book in hand, leaning back against the sofa. Occasionally, he stretched out a foot to nudge the iron ball across the carpet. Dabai would then push it back with his forepaws, foolishly and aimlessly, but the iron ball was the only thing he could play with his master now.

This creature not only loved to eat but was also fond of playing. If you wanted to keep its favor, you had to cater to these two needs. Grand promises were useless; after all, it was just a dog. It could not see distant dreams, only the bones before its nose.

“Dabai, you’re a capable dog now. You should learn to read…” Fan Bei mused aloud after a while, his voice tinged with emotion as he gently admonished the creature.

Dabai drooped his ears, pretending not to hear, only pushing the iron ball desperately to Fan Bei’s feet.

Fan Bei instinctively wanted to kick it away but, at the last moment, withdrew his slipper and pushed it aside slowly, relieved that he had avoided causing trouble for himself.

He returned to his book.

“The term ‘evil spirits’ is imprecise, arising from our panic and fear of the unknown. Scientifically, they should be called psychic entities. Their exact origin remains unclear, but they can be tentatively divided into two categories: chaotic and uncommunicative, and rational and communicative.”

“As it stands, both types prey upon the living of this world, extracting spiritual energy from them, though their methods differ. In fact, the latter, those who are rational, pose a greater threat to humanity. In this sense, calling them evil spirits is not entirely mistaken.”

“These psychic entities have been on Earth for thirty-five years since the invasion. Recent explorations have revealed that in certain places, they have established dwellings suited to their nature. These dwellings are anchored to material reality, yet transcend it, much like dimensional spaces in science fiction or instances in video games. In short, normal people should stay as far away from these places as possible.”

Fan Bei spent two hours finishing “Speculations on the Origins of Evil Spirits,” then fetched another book from the bedroom—“The Latest Architectural Designs for Defending Against Psychic Invasions.”

Just as he settled back onto the sofa, he noticed Dabai stretching his head out to snatch the book he had just finished reading.

“Oh, Dabai, are you really about to start reading?” Fan Bei asked, feigning surprise.

Dabai ignored him, quietly carrying the book to his dog bed, then flipped it open with clear disdain, turning pages for the little wooden dog figurine beside him, as if showing it the contents.

Ah, perhaps he was helping his companion better understand human perspectives on their kind.

Perfect, thought Fan Bei. He was eager to know how these psychic entities viewed themselves.

---

Fan Bei continued the act: “Oh, your little friend likes to read too? Could it be one of those psychic entities described in the book—the kind you can communicate with? But the book says all psychic entities are dangerous. Maybe we should burn it and toss it outside, Dabai?”

He spoke and pretended to be terrified, playing the role of an ordinary person uncovering the true nature of supernatural beings.

Dabai immediately protected his friend, shaking his head and barking wildly.

“Master, my little companion isn’t harmful. Besides, it says your acting is terrible—you’re not afraid at all, you know it’s weak and can’t hurt you.”

“Really? Maybe I should talk to it directly and judge its intentions myself,” Fan Bei responded, annoyed that Dabai’s communication skills left much to be desired.

“No, it says you’re too useless—if you talk to it directly for too long, you’ll go insane…” Dabai barked worriedly.

“Oh, so it’s actually quite considerate. Still, Dabai, remember: nothing comes for free. Anything that drops into your lap is either a scam or a trap. The real treasures—delicious cans, fun toys—always require hard work.”

“Oh, I understand, Master. I’ll try even harder tomorrow,” Dabai replied obediently.

Fan Bei, having made his point, returned to his reading.

A few minutes later, Dabai brought him some unexpected news.

“Master, Xiao Bai says the book you’re reading is full of conjecture and slander, dripping with arrogance and prejudice. It claims to be a higher spiritual lifeform, drifting through the cosmos, arriving on Earth not to harm humanity but to help purify minds, unlock human potential, and open genetic locks, hoping to build a marvelous world together. It’s not here to persecute humans—who would travel so far just to torment you country folk…” Dabai lectured seriously.

Fan Bei’s expression soured. Why did this sound so familiar, like Western colonizers arriving in the Americas? This was not something he, a man of Shenzhou, wanted to hear—let the Westerners believe it if they wished.

Though he found it amusing, he appreciated the new information.

If this unknown being was telling the truth, then it was indeed a lifeform from the tides of corruption, migrating from the depths of the universe.

The kind that possessed intelligence and could communicate—and deceive at least a dog. That meant it was not to be underestimated; many honest folk couldn’t even fool a dog, let alone one as smart as Dabai.

Fan Bei countered earnestly, “Then have it explain, if its intentions are so noble, why are we forced to hide in these sunless shelters, afraid to venture out?”

---

Dabai was stunned, scratched his head, and nodded. “You’re right, Master. I’ll go confront it.”

After a while, Dabai trotted back.

“Master, Xiao Bai says every group has its bad apples. The current state of Earth is caused by the villains in their own ranks, but they’re working to help us clean them out.”

“It also says, to compensate humanity, many rational, kind, and noble psychic entities like itself are now teaching us methods for cleansing evil. Various bronze, silver, even gold-level meditation and exorcism techniques are being selflessly shared. They promise to abide by human commercial rules, to develop peacefully together, to build a beautiful world, and never leave us with unfinished business.”

As Fan Bei listened, his mood shifted from amusement to a growing seriousness.

Keeping this creature around truly had its advantages.

Such high-level intelligence must be extremely valuable outside, and the books he’d read hadn’t mentioned any of it.

“So that’s how it is… Why did things end up this way? Couldn’t they have purged those bad apples before coming? If they’re so noble, kind, and powerful, it should’ve been easy,” Fan Bei said, deeply pained.

“Uh, good point,” Dabai barked, “I’ll go question it again.”

After some time, the messenger dog returned.

“Master, it told me to get lost…”

Dabai drooped his head, dejected.

“Looks like we’ve touched a sore spot. Never mind, I won’t press you further. In time, true intentions will reveal themselves; the wicked can’t hide forever,” Fan Bei concluded.

He stopped there, lest the creature lose its reason and things turn for the worse.