Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

Chapter 597: Chapter 37: The Flaw of Control Human

Some people grow so accustomed to following orders that without them, they are utterly lost.

For others, desires suppressed for hundreds of years suddenly erupt, turning them into tyrants more fearsome than their former rulers.

A classic example is the aftermath of the collapse of a major Eastern European power.

People who had spent their entire lives under a command economy were suddenly confronted with a market economy and had no idea what to do.

Some sold off factory equipment as scrap metal to buy alcohol.

Some carved up state assets, becoming the new elite.

Some, under the banner of freedom, re-established an oligarchy even more brutal than the old regime.

Why?

Because when people who have been deprived of the ability to think independently for a long time are suddenly granted freedom, they often become more frenzied, more shortsighted, and more easily swayed than those who were never enslaved.

They are like prisoners who have been locked away for too long, suddenly released from their cages.

They either freeze, huddling in a corner, too scared to move.

Or they run frantically until they smash themselves to death against a wall.

Or they cling to the first person who shows them kindness, even if that person is their new jailer.

This was what Murphy feared.

’What would happen to those administrators who have been under the influence of Control Human for decades, if one day they were suddenly freed?’

’They would become a mob of walking corpses, with no ability to think for themselves, no capacity for value judgments, and no spiritual pillars to support them.’

’In a new era, they would become the easiest group to incite, exploit, and mislead.’

’They would become fertile ground for demagogues, a source of chaos, and an obstacle to civilized progress.’

’They wouldn’t thank the one who unshackled them.’

’They would only feel fear.’

’Only confusion.’

’And they would only search for the next master to whom they could pledge themselves.’

This was not what Murphy wanted.

He wanted a civilization that could operate, grow, and heal on its own.

Not a parasite that had to rely on him forever, one that would collapse the moment he was gone.

He wanted every person to remain an individual.

He wanted everyone to have the ability to think independently.

He even wanted a future where, one day, everyone would truly understand his methods and choose to follow him from the bottom of their hearts.

Or even point out his shortcomings, identify his flaws, overthrow him, and usher in a better era.

In a sense, the actions of people like Adrian and Ambrosius were part of this process.

Not necessarily a good part, but definitely a part that drove social development.

The Ironspine Duke was no different.

Therefore, Murphy would not use a method like Control Human, which would only stifle future development.

This was also why he believed Margaret had never been controlled, and why he eventually stopped using Control Human on her altogether.

Because that woman’s wisdom, insight, and inspiration were completely flawless.

Advancing to an Official Wizard and becoming a Second-Level Wizard through Elementalization was as simple for her as eating or drinking.

Margaret was, in fact, just playing along with Murphy.

Or perhaps, Murphy was playing along with Margaret.

But that was all in the past now.

Besides, when he had been gravely injured and was heading to the New Realm, Margaret had sent him the Withered Heart, which had made her feelings for him perfectly clear.

So, in a way, Control Human was just a little game between the two of them.

Murphy’s gaze returned to Rodrick.

That face had already cycled between white and red dozens of times.

Finally, at a certain moment, Rodrick stood up.

He stood there, ramrod straight. The blood on his forehead had dried, and the expression on his face was no longer one of anger, humiliation, or hatred.

It was reverence.

A reverence that was heartfelt, pure, and utterly without impurity.

Murphy watched him and spoke slowly.

"Very good."

"A reverent heart will not feel humiliated."

Rodrick bowed deeply, his voice steady and devout.

"Yes, my lord."

"I understand."

"Before, my heart held too many improper thoughts. Those thoughts were the source of my humiliation."

"Had I remained reverent toward you, my lord, those words would never have left my lips, and I would never have performed those actions."

"Therefore, it was not you who humiliated me, my lord. It was I who humiliated myself."

Murphy nodded slightly.

Rodrick continued, "Rodrick will take my lord’s lesson to heart. From this day forward, I will feel nothing but reverence for you, and no other thoughts."

When he finished, he straightened up, raised his head, and looked at Murphy.

As expected, the complex emotions from before were gone from his eyes.

There was only calm, reverence, and devotion.

However, Rodrick’s inner world was another story entirely.

He stood perfectly straight, his expression reverent and devout, but the thoughts in his mind were roiling like boiling water.

He understood.

He finally understood Murphy’s method.

It wasn’t direct control. It was using his own strength against him.

The Dao Pattern Murphy had planted in him didn’t forcefully twist his will. Instead, it embedded a mirror in his heart.

A mirror that reflected all his negative emotions back onto himself.

If he felt anger toward Murphy, he would angrily curse himself.

If he felt contempt for Murphy, he would contemptuously curse himself.

If he felt indignation toward Murphy, he would indignantly curse himself.

This wasn’t control.

It was reversal.

It made his own emotions into weapons that attacked him.

The corner of Rodrick’s mouth twitched slightly, but he quickly restored his reverent expression.

He couldn’t have any negative emotions.

Not even a single trace.

Because the moment he did, he would immediately fall to his knees and begin that performance of self-abuse.

That was worse than death.

No, it wasn’t just worse than death.

It was ten thousand times more agonizing than his current "reverent" state.

Rodrick quickly weighed his options in his mind.

What was his current state?

He was standing, his expression reverent, his tone devout, like a loyal servant.

Was this humiliating?

It was.

Of course it was.

He was an Imperial citizen, a First-Level Wizard, one of the noble Imperial People.

And now he had to bow and scrape before a creature from an Otherworld, acting like a slave.

The sense of humiliation was like needles piercing his heart.

But—

What about the state he was in just now?

Kneeling on the ground, smashing his head against the floor, screaming that he was a "beast," a "mongrel," "trash," a "bedbug," "filth from the sewers."

Was that humiliating?

That was even more humiliating.

So humiliating it made him want to die.

No!

It was something far, far worse than death.

Besides, the weak cannot decide whether they live before the strong, so naturally, they cannot decide whether they die either.

This meant that given Murphy’s power, Rodrick couldn’t even kill himself.

And so, Rodrick quickly made his comparison.

’Standing reverently while feeling humiliated inside: minor humiliation.’

’Kneeling in self-abasement, wailing and cursing: severe humiliation.’

’Of two evils, choose the lesser.’

Rodrick’s choice was self-evident.

He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the flicker of anger that had just risen in his heart.

’I can’t be angry.’

’I can’t hate.’

’I can’t have any negative emotions.’

He could only view Murphy in his mind in a way that was almost rational, calm, and completely devoid of emotion.

As if looking at a stone.

As if looking at a tree.

As if looking at an objective fact that he simply had to face.

Rodrick chanted in his mind.

’He is Murphy.’

’He is the strong one.’

’He controls me now.’

’I must be reverent.’

’I must be obedient.’

’This isn’t humiliation. This is the rational choice.’

’Yes, rational.’

Only rationality could allow him to maintain his current state and prevent him from falling back into that deeper, more terrifying Hell.

’So this is my rational choice.’

Rodrick raised his head and looked at Murphy.

His eyes still held that same calm, reverence, and devotion.

But beneath that placid surface was a sober, calculating mind, working at a frenzied pace.

He was calculating.

Calculating how to maintain this state.

Calculating how to prevent any negative emotions from sprouting.

Calculating how to ensure the minimum possible humiliation in front of this creature from the Otherworld.

Yes, it was no longer about survival.

It was about enduring the minimum amount of humiliation.

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