Chapter 766: Chapter 640: Lecture and Purpose_2

"Symbolism."

"The images presented by the supernatural are often not random but have certain symbolic meanings. They choose wooden sailboats because wooden sailboats represent the ’ancient ocean.’ They choose steamships because steamships represent the ’conquest of the industrial age.’ They choose metal cruise ships because metal cruise ships represent ’modern prosperity and luxury.’

"Behind this symbolism lies a deeper question: why do the supernatural entities imitate? Where do their models come from? How do they know new types of ships have appeared in human society?"

Vito put down the chalk and turned around, scanning the entire lecture hall.

"The answer might be complex, but today I want to tell you the most mainstream hypothesis in academia: the goals of the supernatural entities are significantly related to Spiritual Wisdom."

Jeming’s eyebrows slightly raised.

"You should all know that Night Mysterious does not affect animals. At night, the cats, dogs, and mice in your home can move freely in the dark, unharmed."

"Similarly, in many recorded supernatural incidents, there are numerous cases of pets surviving. A family dies, but the cat at home still lives, casually walking around the corpses."

"Why?"

Vito paused, seemingly giving the audience time to think.

"Because animals do not have Spiritual Wisdom. Or rather, the level of Spiritual Wisdom in animals is far lower than in humans. The supernatural... at least most of the supernatural do not attack animals, plants, or organisms without self-awareness. Their target is humans. More accurately, it is human Spiritual Wisdom."

Jeming squinted his eyes, becoming more focused.

"Thus, academia has proposed a hypothesis: the birth of the supernatural should also be related to Spiritual Wisdom. They are born from human Spiritual Wisdom, feed on human Spiritual Wisdom, or in other words, use human Spiritual Wisdom as ’soil.’

"When a large number of humans live in a place for a long time, an invisible, immeasurable ’Spiritual Wisdom field’ is formed. When this field reaches a critical point, it gives birth to the supernatural."

"This is why supernatural phenomena are far more common in cities than in villages, and more common in villages than in the wilderness. It is not that the supernatural prefer cities, but that cities have large populations congregating, ideas colliding, desires intertwining... all of these provide the richest soil for the birth of the supernatural."

Jeming leaned back in his chair, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers unconsciously.

He had already learned some basic knowledge about the supernatural from the memories of a bandit, but that knowledge was scattered and lacked a theoretical framework.

What Vito talked about today, although for ordinary people it might just be gaining some knowledge,

for ordinary people at most they would know what the supernatural is about, how to avoid it, and what to do if encountering danger.

But for him, these theoretical frameworks were extremely valuable research material in themselves.

They could directly accelerate his research progress on the supernatural.

It can be said that this is the summary and distillation of thousands of years of coexistence between humans and the supernatural in this world, crystallized through time and experience.

Jeming looked at the blackboard on the podium with the words "Symbolism" and "Spiritual Wisdom," especially the enthusiastic lecturer, nodding inwardly.

Even a casual lecture could arrange such knowledgeable lecturers to give a talk, a snippet shows why this world still forms a normal society, hasn’t collapsed, and has even developed to a decent level of technology, thanks to the Spirit Communicator Association.

The lecture lasted about two hours.

Vito Rain finished explaining the basic classification of the supernatural, common methods to evade the supernatural, emergency measures in dangerous situations, and the Spirit Communicator Association’s alerting and help-seeking channels.

The content was detailed, logically clear, and provided both theoretical depth and practical utility.

Jeming noticed that the students in the audience listened particularly earnestly, some even taking notes in their little notebooks.

Finally, Vito concluded the lecture with a sentence: "Everyone, the supernatural is not scary; what is scary is knowing nothing about it. Knowledge is the best protection. Thank you all."

Applause rang out, although not enthusiastically, but sincerely.

After the lecture ended, Jeming did not leave immediately.

He sat in his place, observing the movements of people around him.

Most people stood up and began talking to those next to them.

The atmosphere in the lecture hall quickly shifted from "listening to a lecture" to "socializing."

The well-dressed gentlemen and ladies gathered in groups of threes and fours, exchanging business cards, engaging in pleasantries, and occasionally letting out restrained laughter.

Indeed, as Eric said, these lectures were more about upper-class people exchanging ideas and expanding networks.

Most people didn’t come here to listen to the lecture but for the socializing afterward — meeting people, discussing business, building relationships.

Once they’d had enough of exchanging pleasantries, they would leave in groups of three or two to continue their social activities in nearby restaurants or clubs.

Someone glanced at Jeming, their gaze sweeping over him without lingering, as if seeing a piece of furniture that didn’t quite fit with the lecture hall.

No one approached him to talk.

Jeming was indifferent to this; after all, he wasn’t there for socializing.

He leaned back in his chair, patiently waiting.

Soon, most people in the hall left, but a few remained.

Jeming observed these "remaining individuals."

They were scattered around the lecture hall, both male and female, age ranging from early twenties to fifty or sixty.

Their attire varied greatly, some being meticulous, others plain.

Yet no matter who they were, their "air of presence" was similar.

Each person carried a certain "force."

Like a steel blade repeatedly quenched and hammered, even lying quietly in its sheath, one could feel its sharpness.

These people were not the same type as those laughing and talking among the upper-class circle during the socializing segment.

Jeming sat quietly in place, continued to wait.

Minutes later, a waiter dressed in a black vest emerged from a small door on the side of the lecture hall.

He nodded slightly to the "remaining individuals" without speaking, then turned and walked back to the small door.

People began to move.

The scattered individuals stood up, some carrying briefcases, some empty-handed, some alone, some in pairs or threes, and moved towards the small door.

No one glanced around; everyone seemed to follow an unspoken rule.

Jeming picked up his small suitcase, stood up, and joined the end of the group.

Behind the small door was a narrow corridor.

The corridor’s walls were exposed red bricks, and the floor was paved with gray stone slabs, contrasting sharply with the lecture hall’s luxurious decorations.

Every few meters, a light hung overhead, casting mottled shadows in the corridor with its orange-yellow glow.

Jeming followed the crowd, twisting and turning through the corridor for about five minutes.

The corridor bent several times and passed several intersections, yet those ahead seemed very familiar with the route, showing no hesitation.

Finally, at the corridor’s end appeared a double oak door.

The door was open.

Beyond the door was a vast hall.

This hall was even larger than the outside lecture hall.

The floor was laid with dark wooden boards, polished very smoothly, reflecting warm light under the illumination.

The hall was furnished with hundreds of chairs scattered randomly, as though deliberately arranged to be "informal."

Several large oil paintings hung on the walls, depicting various eerie and unsettling images.

At the front of the hall was a slightly raised platform with a long table covered in deep red velvet.

Behind the platform, the Spirit Communicator Association’s emblem was magnified several times, nearly occupying the entire wall.

People trickled in and found places to sit casually.

Jeming chose a spot on the right side of the hall near the wall. Sitting down, he scanned the entire hall.

It’s evident the atmosphere here is much more oppressive than the lecture outside.

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