After all, Ave was one of the very few people in the Empire.

"If Ave were born in the Holy City and became a leader of a family, she would not be facing just a few cities, but dozens of peripheral worlds controlled by the family, those are places you have never been to, only known through the words in reports about the lives of the locals. By then, even if she never slept, she wouldn't be able to popularize reforms in every world within the family's jurisdiction, let alone, for certain specific worlds' groups and lifestyles, excessive kindness can lead to even more serious consequences."

At this point, Lindong's face showed a smile, "You see, this is where you are the smartest; you have repeatedly refused invitations from the Royal Family and the new cabinet because you know these troublesome things would greatly drain your mind, oh, or perhaps I fed you well enough to avoid those people placing you on a cold throne, burning yourself out to become a beacon illuminating the road ahead for them."

The incident in Oasis City was the same.

Mary ascended to become the new god, and this land, which had been ruled by the Church Court for hundreds of years, finally welcomed a turning point.

And after that, they would return to the Empire, keeping that moment of utmost hope deep in their hearts.

"Thus, people have found a path from this — intense faith and worship, like the appearance of the True God, just like Ave's written 'Imperial Truth', in fact, for the Imperial People, that book's significance has already surpassed yourself; a firm and powerful belief can make people feel nothing even while suffering, and even enable some to transform pain into a driving force, making them unafraid of sacrifice and death."

Lindong calmly narrated, bathed in the morning light, "So I say, the human brain is very strange, isn't it? In certain specific circumstances, even if they are in pain, living without dignity and hope, their brains will release signals completely opposite to their situation, which can distort their perception of pain and happiness, allowing them to continue living at ease."

For scientists, the next steps would be much simpler.

Extracting a portion of special individuals as research subjects to analyze the secrets of their brains.

As long as they could grasp those subtle signals, it would be equivalent to holding the key to happiness in their hands.

"The paradise brought by the Messiah is a product under this thought process, providing everyone with a choice — if the current status cannot be changed, how do you wish to face life?"

Skipping the process, directly reaching the result of happiness.

From the outcome, the world under the Messiah's influence was undoubtedly successful.

"The birth of the Paradise Society for the first time truly eliminated crime; even those peripheral worlds ruled by families appear thriving on the surface... From the result, isn't this the future every ruler wishes to see? Even Ave is like this."

Now, all the reforms being implemented in the Empire are to ensure happiness is no longer in the sole grasp of nobles and wealthy merchants.

However, the arrival of the Messiah enables Ave to skip the process and directly reach the result.

"That would be an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity... Yet, even if everyone gained happiness, you can vaguely feel something isn't quite right."

Lindong looked into Ethan's eyes directly, "Can you imagine, when you have completed an unprecedented study academically, the feeling is no different from drinking a glass of water, or even accidentally tripping while walking, what is that feeling?"

Everyone seemed to be wrapped in happiness, yet happiness itself seemed to lose its meaning.

She suddenly drew close to Ethan, holding Ethan's face in her hands, "And just like now, I am so close to you, but our emotional feedback is no different from when we don't see each other."

"That's why you must use the Omega Blocker."

Ethan realized suddenly.

This was not just to evade the scrutiny of the legislature and the Messiah, but more importantly, to restore her perception of "happiness" to normal, with the "amnesia" brought by the blocker being an essential withdrawal reaction.

This is why she mentioned Super Little Lintong cannot know the whole truth.

Even if Super Little Lintong's feedback is close to human, its essence is still artificial intelligence created by humans, and the structure of happiness via the Messiah precisely fits their way of thinking.

This is their way of understanding happiness.

By observing humans, by structuring the signals released by human brains at moments of happiness to define happiness with the utmost precision.

Once they mastered the definition, they could replicate the same emotions at any time and any place, even for death row prisoners about to be sent to the execution ground, allowing their brains to convey signals of happiness at the moment of imminent death.

"I want to find another answer."

Lindong slumped a bit back to the chair, holding the amber medication in his hand, observing the colors refracted by the medication bottle under the morning light.

"Have you found it?"

"Not yet."

The other end of the medicine bottle came Lindong's muffled voice, "This is the only way to defeat the Messiah; otherwise, even flattening the First District would only be the act of terrorists... Shattering people's happiness machines but finding no replacement solution, the only result of doing so is to make those people realize they are living in immense pain."

"…When did you take the antidote?"

Ethan switched the subject.

Because he also found it difficult to find an alternate solution to the Messiah at the moment.

From the snippets Lindong revealed, it was not difficult to infer that the Holy City, unlike the Empire and the Far West, had hundreds of peripheral worlds, and bringing change would mean facing hundreds of thousands of Julius and Mayor Hakimi.

Just like what Lindong said, even if they spend their entire lives fighting and struggling, it would be to no avail.

"You mean this?"

Lindong raised an eyebrow, "This is a conspiracy."

"A conspiracy?"

"Because I know you very well, it has been this way from before you came here, so I used you, because I knew once you learned the truth from Super Little Lintong, you would certainly choose to tell me everything."

This was the cheating method she left for herself at that time.

"So, you must bear the consequences of confession — no matter what I became after taking this pill, even becoming your enemy, someone like you would eventually accept it calmly."

Lindong showed a sly smile on his face, "You see, honest people are so easily utilized, unknowingly even having their feelings deceived… However, I changed my mind."

Now, she planned to retract Ethan's right to choose.

"Ethan."

She had never been so serious before, taking a deep breath, "I have a terrible personality, always self-centered, immersing in my world, may not come home for several days once I am engrossed in a project, and many other issues I can't recall at the moment… can you tolerate such me?"

Upon finishing, Lindong held her breath.

For her, her cross-dimensional adventure was nearing its end, she was awaiting an extremely important answer.

All changes should begin with willingly bearing the consequences.

Lindong silently recited in her heart, maybe influenced by the theological atmosphere of the Far West, she suddenly felt like a devout believer confessing to a priest in a confessional.

"I can deliver meals to you."

"Huh?"

Lindong was taken aback.

"When you're working overtime in the lab,"

Ethan said seriously, "I am proficient in wind elements and flour elements, delivering meals is my specialty."

"I want a chicken leg burger and fries."

Lindong's lips curled up, she seemingly forgot the passing of time, feeling the warmth of the sun, and the gentle song of birds outside the window, she pondered for a moment and added, "And make the cola iced."