Rules of the Strange: I Became a God in a Bizarre World Through Taoist Arts

"Strange, didn't it stop hurting a long time ago...?"

Shen Guantang murmured, clutching his chest as if sensing something.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xingzhuo looked over, and a look of pity reappeared on her face.

"If you can't accept that, I can temporarily shut down your hearing."

She had to tell Shen Guantang's story, but out of humanitarian considerations, she could make sure Shen Guantang couldn't hear it for the time being.

Unexpectedly, Shen Guantang only paused for a few seconds before shaking his head.

Shen Xingzhuo didn't say anything, but turned around and slowly opened her mouth:

"When Shen Guantang became Liu Jin's second wife, my mother should have already been imprisoned in a well."

She was unaware of the secrets within the Pei family and must have had a period of happiness at the beginning.

But as time went on, she gradually began to notice some strange things.

For example, why did Liu Jin treat his son and daughter with such a desire that he wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible?

For example, why does Liu Jin, despite seemingly wielding power in the mansion, actually remain so calculating and cunning?

Shen Xingzhuo paused briefly, then continued:

"When a normal person notices something is wrong, and has not been harmed by the other party, their first reaction will definitely be to ask someone for clarification."

Therefore, Shen Guantang must have asked about what happened at Liu Jin's residence.

Issues such as the whereabouts of the late wife and the education of the two children.

But Liu Jin is a person who appears strong on the outside but is weak on the inside, and his position is inherently unstable.

He will definitely lash out if anyone asks a question that undermines the carefully constructed image he has built.

I think that once Shen Guantang knows that nothing has happened, he will be "coerced" by Liu Jin using various means.

After she finished speaking, she saw Shen Guantang nod slightly and tighten her grip on Pei Jinxiu's sleeve.

"In our Xuanmen (Taoist school), there is a corresponding technique for this behavior, called the Mind-Control Technique."

But I don't think Liu Jinyuan is that level of expertise. His methods, in the scientific community, should be called the "gaslighting effect," right?

Shen Xingzhuo spoke with some uncertainty, her tone naturally carrying a sense of doubt.

Wow!! We still don't know exactly how many fields Sister Shen is involved in!

There is indeed such a concept in ancient psychology, roughly meaning that the controller uses repeated denial of facts to distort the controlled person's perception and cut off their connection with the outside world, making the controlled person believe that what they say is true, gradually making the controlled person afraid to resist. This method was very common in the past, but after the end times, especially after the interstellar age, people's mental perception has evolved, and this method has naturally become ineffective.

She looked away and turned to Shen Guantang. "So you stopped asking later, not because you didn't care. It's because every time you asked, he made you feel like you were 'overthinking,' 'misremembering,' or 'being too sensitive.' Over time, you just stopped asking."

Shen Guantang's fingers clenched even tighter. She didn't speak, but she nodded slightly.

Shen Xingzhuo didn't press her any further. "It's his fault, not yours." After she finished speaking, she paused for a moment, letting her words linger in the air and also in Shen Guantang's heart.

"Liu Jin's control over Shen Guantang never relied on force. It relied on making her constantly doubt herself." Shen Xingzhuo's tone lowered. "He didn't need to actually hit her. Every time she asked for the truth, he would deny, distort, and belittle her. After a few repetitions, Shen Guantang would herself think—'Am I really overthinking this?'"

"When a person begins to doubt their own judgment, they lose the ability to resist."