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“…There exists a possibility that the commonality forming the Collective Unconscious is indeed generality. However, considering that universality, unlike commonality which merely serves as a property of localized meaning, transcends time and space, the hypothesis that the Collective Unconscious is a collection of universality can be said to carry significant implications…”

“…Do you remember that numerous researchers once stated that the unconsciousness of people with diverse cultures and thoughts converges to form an intangible space known as the ‘Collective Unconscious,’ and that ‘fragmented dreams hold no substantial meaning, thus performing the role of raw materials’? This hypothesis was regarded as quite credible, and many researchers based their studies on it. However, progress in research has been rather stagnant…”

“…Perhaps we have been building our fortress on a fundamentally flawed foundation. Since the start has been wrong, we are unable to derive proper results. Just as one cannot extract sound data from contaminated samples, the contamination of ‘false premises’ has prevented us from obtaining valid outcomes…”

“…We must acknowledge that the Collective Unconscious is closely related to human consciousness, and it is necessary to view it from various perspectives, including not just scientific or special ability approaches but also philosophical and humanistic ones. Yet sadly, records approached from philosophical and religious viewpoints were dismissed for being unscientific or for being related to magic, remaining dormant in other categories…”

After the hypothesis of “Is the Collective Unconscious a collection of universality?” emerged, the tone of the records completely changed.

Words laced with reflections from various researchers began to fill the records, going beyond merely listing research outcomes to include personal opinions.

“…If we take universality as our criterion, it will elucidate all the contradictions regarding the Collective Unconscious that were previously unexplained. Universality is a quality that transcends time and space, meaning it must inherently exclude the heterogeneous properties of ideologies or religions from the start. The Collective Unconscious can thus be described as something ‘that can serve as raw materials while being compatible with all humans’ rather than being ‘fragmented to the point of holding no meaning’…”

“…We have an inkling of the surface of the Collective Unconscious. Through countless records and experiments, we know that its surface resembles that of dreams, and we also realize that it is, without guidance or judgment, bewildering and dreamlike. Those who have studied the Collective Unconscious previously defined its eclectic appearance as ‘a natural phenomenon arising from an unconscious fragmented to the point of meaninglessness,’ yet…”

“…It is essential to ponder again the fact that the surface of the Collective Unconscious appears similar to dreams. The surface is the part furthest from the core and represents the boundary that interacts with the outside world. Therefore, naturally, we can propose this hypothesis.”

“Could it be that the surface of the Collective Unconscious resembles dreams precisely because it encompasses ‘non-universal’ elements?”

“Let us assume that the Collective Unconscious is a colossal organism. If human unconsciousness acts as the sustenance that maintains the Collective Unconscious, we could liken it to nutrients or food. Thus, we can naturally discern the identity of the surface.

When we consume fruit, we discard the skin, seeds, and stems, only partaking of the flesh; similarly, the ‘Collective Unconscious’ would have discarded all parts except for what it could absorb…”

“…Refined consciousness—what we may call the universal human consciousness—moves toward the interior of the Collective Unconscious, while the ‘non-universal’ and ‘heterogeneous’ elements remain on the surface. Those elements that reside on the surface do not simply evaporate or weather away; they serve as the shell and barrier that protect the Collective Unconscious from outside attacks and shocks…”

“…If this hypothesis holds true, then the exclusive, closed, and exceedingly efficient system that maintains the Collective Unconscious is, in fact, quite beautiful…”

Universality.

Universal human consciousness.

An exclusive and closed system.

The expression on Park Jinseong’s face grew grim as he read the records.

‘…If this hypothesis is correct.’

What surfaced in his mind was the pre-rewind image of Anastasia.

The curious witch who attempted to explore the Collective Unconscious, only to vanish without a trace.

‘…It seems that she could never succeed in exploring the Collective Unconscious from the beginning…’

If it is said that excluding everything non-universal equates to ‘the interior of the Collective Unconscious’, then what Anastasia did before her rewind was akin to throwing herself into a grinder.

Her act of willingly tossing herself into a situation where she would be shredded, discounting everything but what could be utilized as nourishment, is scarcely different…

With a stern expression, Park Jinseong continued to read the records.

“…Dr. Bobby presented an interesting opinion. He noted that our hypothesized ‘system of the Collective Unconscious’ shares several commonalities with the human brain.”

“…Dr. Bobby pointed out the exclusivity of the Collective Unconscious as crucial, likening its selective absorption to the ‘Blood-Brain Barrier.’ Just as Paul Ehrlich’s blue dye injection only colored the brain and spinal tissue by protecting them, could the Collective Unconscious also possess some barrier to keep ‘heterogeneous elements’ outside?”

“…If Dr. Bobby’s opinion is true, then the Collective Unconscious might possess a high degree of selective permeability similar to that of the human brain…”

As he read through the records, one particular section caught Park Jinseong’s eye.

“…If we assume the Collective Unconscious has selective permeability as proposed by Dr. Bobby, does that mean it functions as the brain in the colossal concept of ‘humanity’? If so, could it potentially carry the same instabilities inherent in the human brain?”

“…The Blood-Brain Barrier has flaws that allow harmful substances like alcohol, nicotine, and some viruses to pass through. Consequently, the Collective Unconscious might possess similar flaws in its selective permeability, allowing ‘heterogeneous elements’ that could harm it to pierce through…”

Reflections on the similarities between the Collective Unconscious and the brain.

And the suggestion that ‘certain elements’ might be able to bypass the barriers protecting the Collective Unconscious, much like harmful substances find a way through the blood-brain barrier.

Reading that content, Park Jinseong thought that perhaps what Danbi did before the rewind wasn’t entirely meaningless.

The difference between 0% and 1% is notably vast.

As long as there exists even a minuscule probability of something passing through the barrier to reach the inside, the actions of Anastasia before her rewind cannot be dismissed as futile…

Park Jinseong pondered this as he continued to read the remaining content.

The remaining sections contained records of opinions and hypotheses provided by various researchers.

And then…

“…If we could partially control or alter the Collective Unconscious, how would our future unfold…?”

“…Perhaps our research lies on the brink of a taboo we must not touch. Beyond merely crossing national or temporal boundaries, it could potentially chain humanity as a whole and lead to our downfall…”

“…Yet still, we cannot halt our research.

We have already boarded a train that will not stop until we reach our destination.”

…The lamentations of those who have come to grips with the heaviness of their subject matter.

‘…Hmm.’

Park Jinseong’s gaze fell on the last part of the records.

He then began to move an idle hand, tapping his fingers on the desk.

It appeared as though someone deeply engrossed in thought was fidgeting—an odd sight considering Park Jinseong typically did not exhibit such habits.

Tap.

Tap.

After a few taps on the desk, Park Jinseong pressed a button to conclude the record.

He then deconstructed his hand back into insects, rolling an eyeball into the air, letting it roll around.

‘The information from the lower-tier level was of more value than I anticipated.’

An insect-shaped eyeball stared at the monitor.

‘But at the same time, if I asked whether it holds high value, the answer would also be no. It’s an intriguing topic, yet it consists of records regarding hypotheses, opinions, and failed research.’

Valuable to an extent, yet lacking in substance, it was not as useful as it appeared.

Does something come to mind?

‘It feels like information that could be used as bait.’

Hahaha.

Park Jinseong erupted into a silent chuckle.

Yes.

The information that Anael presented as a reward was bait.

It served to entice Park Jinseong into helping her while simultaneously acting as bait to gauge his own information.

If Park Jinseong were to select three from the list, Anael would likely deduce his information based on the topics he chose.

‘Three topics of interest…’

Not just one.

A whole three.

Coming to China with just a tiny clue that the Water Ghosts use Korean, and now providing a significant three pieces of information to an AI that seized control of the network. All of which are strikingly specific and deeply detailed.

‘Choosing even one could be deemed innocent curiosity for evaluating the quality of the data or a test run, so that might be fine… but anything beyond that is risky.’

Other data?

Sure, he felt curious.

‘Research on the criteria of magic’ or ‘special purpose satellite 武靑娥 database’ piqued his interest, but…

The moment he selects those just out of curiosity, Park Jinseong would likely become very identifiable.

In the former case, he’d be feeding Anael information related to ‘magic’, and in the latter, he’d be providing insights related to ‘Contractors’.

Hence, the optimal behavior in this situation would be…

 

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