Applause

"Cough..." The sound of a suppressed cough broke the stillness.

"Thud..." That was the noise of a teacup being lifted, only to be set down again almost immediately.

"Creak..." The chair scraped softly against the floor as someone shifted.

These scattered sounds, coming one after another, revealed the thick atmosphere of unease in the room.

Inside the vast conference hall, which could seat several hundred, not only the dozens of decision-makers at the center table—the so-called “United Nations Temporary Committee for Celestial Events”—but even the observers present were all figures who had weathered countless storms. To have climbed to their current positions, each had made decisions of significant consequence, time and again.

Yet all previous notions of “grave importance,” “urgent developments,” or “dire circumstances” seemed trivial now, when confronted with a celestial event that threatened the lives of seven billion people worldwide. Past experience offered little help; practical solutions were fraught with concerns; and as the spokesperson’s warning underscored the severity of the crisis, the room was filled with the sounds of repressed anxiety—yet not a single person spoke, nor was there even a murmur of whispered conversation.

A strange paradox unfolded: in the conference room existed both an uncanny silence and a continuous undercurrent of noise.

After a long, heavy silence—at least ten seconds—the chairperson at the head of the table finally rapped gently on the surface. “Do we all agree with the assessment of the medical office?”

“Agreed...” “Agreed...” “Agreed...”

Dozens of hands were raised one after another. A few raised their hands while simultaneously voicing questions:

“What are the consequences?” “How severe is ‘extremely severe’?” “What does ‘on the brink’ mean—how much time do we have left?” “Is medical treatment possible?”

The spokesperson from the medical office waited until everyone had raised their concerns, then began to answer. “First, the consequences.”

“In fact, the effects of depression are already manifest... We have compiled data on Mr. Wu Qingchen’s individual and group activities in the Medieval World…”

“During agricultural work, Mr. Wu’s proficiency should, in theory, have gradually improved, yet his efficiency has steadily declined. Furthermore, when treating oxen, as the time to return to Earth drew closer, his error rate showed a marked and abnormal increase..."

“The physiological indicators are equally stark: in the Medieval World, as Mr. Wu’s depressive symptoms developed, the peak frequency of his breathing during rest increased by 23%, he turned over an average of seven more times each night, and on the day he treated the most oxen, he exhibited adverse physical reactions such as dilated pupils and facial flushing…”

“Most alarming, according to the close medical team’s monitoring, Mr. Wu’s body—while asleep on Earth—has, in just these past few hours, repeatedly exhibited symptoms of rapid heartbeat, labored breathing, flushed head, and cold sweat on his back!”

"Cough..." "Thud..." "Creak..."

Coughs, the clink of cups, and the scrape of chairs and tables resumed in succession.

"The second question: time."

"According to the clinical psychology group of the medical office, we estimate that the time before more severe consequences—that is, before Mr. Wu Qingchen suffers a direct breakdown—is about one month to one and a half months."

"Ah..." "That's a relief..." "At least a month left..." A collective sigh of relief rippled through the room.

"One month to one and a half months refers to Medieval World time..." The medical office spokesperson mercilessly shattered their illusions. "…Converted to Earth time, that’s three to five days! Moreover, within these three to five days, if Mr. Wu encounters another unexpected event like the herdsman incident, he may break down at any moment!"

"And finally! Finally!" The collective gasp in the room forced the spokesperson to raise their voice: "The third question: medication!"

"Dependency, toxicity, memory loss, respiratory suppression, organ dysfunction! The side effects of all currently available antidepressants are a price we cannot afford to pay."

"Moreover... let me stress this again! Forty-one consecutive days of exhausting physical labor in the Medieval World, plus over a hundred hours of intensive training on Earth... Forget about medication. In Mr. Wu’s current physical and mental state, any medication would only worsen the consequences!"

"Ladies and gentlemen! We should all be grateful to Mr. Wu... In such harsh working conditions, under such immense psychological pressure, he has managed to persevere for forty-one days plus another hundred hours. The entire medical office believes this is an extraordinary feat, but it absolutely must not continue."

"If we do allow it to continue, there are plenty of examples of what awaits..."

"These past days, our own staff have been working extremely hard… Many have been working more than a hundred hours straight, resting only thirty minutes every eight hours..."

"The result: a sharp decline in efficiency and a rapid increase in error rates. In fact, when combined, these numbers are even worse than Mr. Wu’s, and in many departments, much higher!"

Looking around the room, the spokesperson gave a final statement:

"I trust none of us wishes to see Mr. Wu Qingchen re-enter the Medieval World in such a condition."

The attendees exchanged glances and nodded in firm agreement.

"Are there any further questions?"

After another stretch of silence, the chairperson at the head of the table once again tapped gently on the desk. "If there are no more questions, let’s move on and have the medical office present their proposed solutions."

"Very well..." The head of the medical office picked up the laser pointer and brought up several large screens at the front of the room once more.

"To gradually relieve—and ultimately cure—Mr. Wu Qingchen’s agitation and depressive symptoms, we believe four major measures should be taken..."

"First, we should acknowledge Mr. Wu’s achievements, thank him for his contributions, and provide comprehensive psychological counseling."

"No problem." "That’s already being arranged." "Dr. Ji has done excellent work in this area."

These were technical measures, leaving little to debate.

"Second, future plans should strive to keep Mr. Wu away from frontline physical labor, especially in harsh, dirty, or otherwise unpleasant environments."

"Agreed!" "Yes!" "No problem—the advisory team has already drafted a plan for further promotion."

On this point, the attendees were largely in agreement.

"Third, we should work to enhance Mr. Wu Qingchen’s sense of belonging and identity with the Medieval World and its native inhabitants, thus increasing the positive psychological stimulus he receives there."

"This..." "We’ll have to be careful with the details..." "We must also keep Earth’s interests in mind at critical moments..."

There was a clear sense of concern among the attendees over this aspect.

"Fourth, we should allocate more time to help Mr. Wu restore familiar relationships, his living environment, and some of his personal interests. Through these trusted channels, we must act with the greatest urgency and in the way that most truly touches his heart..."