Psychological doctors directly enter the deep-seated psychological shadows of severely ill patients, naturally facing a higher chance of being affected; every surgery must be carried out with extreme caution.
After a long period of practice, psychological surgery also has several rules that must be absolutely adhered to—
First, there must be a minimum three-day interval between surgeries for the same patient;
Second, the interval between surgeries for different patients must be at least one month;
Third, if a psychological doctor's mental energy is exhausted during surgery, even for the same patient, they must rest for a week;
Fourth, during surgery, one must not deliberately seek out [Occupation Card] or [Monsters].
Mental contamination has always been a major concern for psychological doctors, but [Shepherd] can consume this contamination, especially within the psychological shadows, without the need to return to the real world for recovery, thus enhancing the ability to continue fighting.
"We will still follow the rules for the number of operations, considering the mental health of your second group and to prevent any outside detection of issues," Zhuang Jing said.
Gu Ran had no objections.
When facing mentally ill patients, whether as a doctor or a nurse, protecting oneself is the most important.
Gu Ran suddenly realized: "Mrs. Jing, not letting me work with Chen Ke and Jiang Qi in a team isn't just because they have boyfriends, is it?"
"What do you think?" Zhuang Jing asked with a smile.
Without waiting for Gu Ran to answer, Zhuang Jing said, "All right, chitchat can wait until later, now focus on familiarizing yourself with your [Occupation Card] and quickly stabilize your first dream."
"Okay!"
Finding [Occupation Card] and [Monsters] within the psychological shadow, one cannot bring them out without [Spiritual World];
Taking them out doesn't mean they can be used;
Being able to use them isn't something that happens in an instant.
Dreams, elusive and fog-like, need some time to stabilize.
Gu Ran pressed the flower to his forehead, like a fish that had slipped the hook, the flower whooshed into his brain.
Gu Ran touched his forehead, feeling nothing.
He began to fall asleep again.
Soon he felt drowsy, yawning in a daze.
"Maintain a state as if asleep yet not, half-dreaming," came Zhuang Jing's voice, faint and distant, "and hold on to whatever you see in your dream."
Gu Ran did as instructed.
He reached out and grasped—an object that only appeared in the dream, the Crook Shepherd's Staff, now truly in his hand, tangible, with clear texture.
Whether entering the [Mind World] or embodying dreams within the [Mind World], only psychological doctors could do it.
More accurately, only those capable of lucid dreaming could achieve it.
The drowsiness was irresistible.
"Clack!" Gu Ran's head drooped as if falling.
The symbol of the [Shepherd] profession, the Crook Shepherd's Staff, vanished in an instant, and he entered his own second layer of dreams.
Although his first layer of dreams was still in [Bloom Paradise], as he followed his main consciousness in the fall, entering his own dream, he could no longer use the [Occupation Card - Shepherd].
This is also why the [Spiritual World] is one of the foundational elements for setting up a clinic, as vital as a field for farming.
Zhuang Jing reached out and patted Gu Ran's shoulder.
Gu Ran opened his eyes, a bit stupefied.
"Today is August 3rd, around 8:30 AM, you've just acquired the [Occupation Card - Shepherd] and practiced in [Paradise in Rage]," Zhuang Jing helped him regain clarity.
Lucid dreaming combined with a dream within a dream is very serious but not to the extent of getting lost.
However, if one falls deeply enough, and for a long enough time, it's hard to distinguish reality from a dream in the short term.
There have been a few cases reported of people going mad.
This risk is negligible, not because incidents won't occur, but because there's no need to worry; one can live and yet die suddenly from a heart attack, nothing is absolutely safe.
Gu Ran was indeed in a daze, but it wasn't because he was confused from sleep.
"Mrs. Jing, I just saw the Crook Shepherd's Staff in the brief second layer of the dream!"
"When you think about something during the day, you dream about it at night. Don't take it too seriously; it's just a common dream you had because you just got the [Shepherd] and were excited."
Gu Ran actually knew this as well.
In psychology textbooks, there is a special section that discusses the psychological reactions of psychologists after obtaining [Profession Cards], [Monsters].
Among them, dreaming about [Profession Cards], [Monsters] is one of the most common psychological states.
"Remember," Zhuang Jing reminded him repeatedly, "[Profession Cards], [Monsters] only appear and work in psychological shadows and the Mind World; they are ineffective everywhere else."
"Hmm!"
"Continue."
Gu Ran re-entered a state that was like being between dream and wakefulness, holding the Crook Shepherd's Staff in his hand.
"Don't be too hasty to swing it; stabilize both dreams slowly..."
Before she could finish, the Crook Shepherd's Staff disappeared again. This time, Gu Ran didn't fall asleep. Like placing weights on a balance scale, this time he tipped too much towards [Bloom Paradise], so his consciousness leaned more towards [Bloom Paradise], and there was no second layer of the dream.
"It's difficult, isn't it?" Seeing his failure, Zhuang Jing seemed very happy, with a smile on her face.
"Yes." The smile on Gu Ran's face also showed excitement mixed with a bit of unwillingness and eagerness to try again.
"Next, I'll teach you Jinghai's special therapy."
Gu Ran's spirit was lifted.
The special therapy allows psychologists to use [Profession Cards] more easily, to control [Monsters].
It also helps psychologists clear psychological shadows after surgery — the sheep of [Shepherd] directly nibble away the psychological shadows during the surgery.
"Jinghai's special therapy is called 'Iceberg', which is an extension of Hemingway's 'Iceberg Theory'."
As Zhuang Jing spoke, she gestured for Gu Ran to sit down.
The two sat opposite to each other among the flowers, like the legendary goddess imparting the scriptures to the Yellow Emperor.
"Hemingway said, 'An iceberg moves through the sea with dignity and grandeur because only one-eighth of it is visible above the water', and my Iceberg Therapy follows the same principle.
"The second layer of the dream is the ocean, you are the iceberg. No matter how the sea changes and fluctuates, you must stand firm like an iceberg, and also focus on the first layer of the dream..."
Zhuang Jing's voice was gentle, her words clear, flowing smoothly as she explained.
————
"Personal Diary": August 3rd, clear skies, starting from today, becoming a [Shepherd], the new century's Jesus.
Once again, I am the god of the new world!
Ha ha ha ha!
Postscript:
...After reading today's diary again, I suspect my mental state, could I have delusional disorder?
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
I am the god of the new world, how could I possibly have a delusional disorder!
Additional note:
Well, this part of the diary can be treated as a joke now, a pity it can't be shared with a second person.
————
"Doctor's Diary": Who will wake from the great dream, I know my own life — Luo Guanzhong must have been able to do Lucid Dreaming, if he lived in the modern era, he would likely have become a psychologist.
Acquiring the [Occupation Card - Shepherd], the mastering process hasn't gone smoothly, keep it up, Gu Ran!