CHAPTER 90: CHAPTER 86 THE HAIR-RAISING TRUTH BEHIND_1

Maria Hospital, a decent hospital in Los Angeles, incurred relatively high expenses; only those with sufficient medical insurance and assets would choose to be treated here.

It was only when Dean arrived that he remembered. How could Jerry’s daughter afford to stay here?

After inquiring at the front desk, Dean saw Anthony through the observation window of an intensive care unit.

He looked quite healthy, apparently unaffected by his career setbacks, and was dressed in casual clothes. Ignoring the scar on his throat, Anthony looked like an ordinary, retired man from next door.

"You’ve come..." Anthony heard the movement, glanced at Dean, then turned his gaze back to the ward. "Her surgery was very successful, but her psychological state is just so-so. I’m planning to adopt her. What do you think?"

Dean followed Anthony’s gaze.

In the ward, a little girl with a pale face and closed eyes lay in a deep sleep, wearing an oxygen mask, her body connected to various electronic monitoring devices.

"This is..."

"Jerry’s daughter, Carol, and soon to be my adopted daughter," Anthony said with a smile, "she is the answer to your doubt."

Upon hearing this, Dean’s expression changed slightly.

He remained silent for a moment.

Then he said hesitantly, "So, Jerry knew all along that Carol wasn’t his biological daughter?"

Because of his past experiences, Dean had a very clear, albeit pessimistic, view of human nature. He was conflicted over whether Jerry knew Carol wasn’t his own because, in his understanding, very few people would willingly take on someone else’s child and then sacrifice themselves for others. Such people existed, but they were exceedingly rare. This inclination stemmed from a genetic imperative: to propagate and protect ’one’s own’ bloodline! But in this case, Jerry had acted with astounding nobility. Not only was he willing to sacrifice himself to save a child he wasn’t sure was his, but he also gave Amody, Carol’s biological father, a choice, allowing him to frame Dam and thus seek revenge. What was this? A saint! Dean didn’t believe such selfless individuals truly existed in reality. If they did, it certainly wasn’t the Jerry who used to numb himself with gambling. A person’s core values are largely set by adulthood. Although they might change with experience, they definitely wouldn’t shift so extremely! Unless... Jerry didn’t know Carol wasn’t his biological daughter. But the likelihood of that was extremely low. Any man of normal intelligence, upon realizing someone had deliberately set him up to raise another’s child, would first verify the child’s paternity. Countless private, underground organizations offered such services, and they weren’t expensive. Beyond that, due to her health conditions, Jerry’s daughter had detailed medical records, including her blood type. Jerry’s ex-wife, who gave birth in a hospital, also had her blood type recorded. Jerry, having dealt with these matters, should have known. Dean had checked. Both Jerry and his ex-wife had type O blood, while Carol was type B... Even if Jerry wanted to deceive himself, he couldn’t... That’s why Dean had been so troubled.

Using the ’psychological analysis framework’ he had just developed, he’d concluded there was a significant problem with Jerry’s martyrdom. But the System Panel and the actual situation confirmed the truth, running contrary to the results from Dean’s ’psychological analysis framework’. This made him doubt himself a bit. That’s why he had been fixated on whether Jerry knew Carol wasn’t his daughter.

It now appeared that his ’psychological analysis framework’ wasn’t flawed. The problem lay with Jerry’s daughter!

Anthony confirmed Dean’s speculation. "Yes, it was all a setup by Carol. She’s a genius."

His tone carried a hint of ruefulness. "After I returned to Los Angeles, I went to inspect the construction progress at Morgan Prison No. 15. I noticed Dam was troubled, and by following his inadvertent gaze, I found Jerry."

"I saw Jerry’s determination to die," Anthony said with a smile. "This fellow wanted to stir up some trouble on my turf, so I did a simple investigation on him and discovered Carol."

"She’s quite interesting. Only thirteen, but because of her frail health, she’s much smaller than her peers, looking almost eight or nine years old.

But she is well-liked by the neighbors.

Even the rebellious kids who are stronger and older than her treat her very well.

This situation isn’t normal.

So, she piqued my interest."

Anthony turned his head, looking at Dean with amusement. "Guess what I found in her bedroom?"

"Psychology books?"

"Correct, but not just psychology books," Anthony spread his hands wide.

"Over a thousand books in total.

They included sociology, ethics, religion, psychology, social etiquette...

If medical books weren’t so expensive, I’d even suspect she might have taught herself medicine to try and heal herself.

The most terrifying part is, she not only learned it all but also put it into practice.

As for the subject of her practice, it was Jerry."

Anthony sighed. "That poor fellow was thoroughly brainwashed by Carol. She had arranged everything before I got involved."

In Carol’s plan:

Jerry would commit suicide and leave behind evidence sufficient to frame Dam.

Regardless of whether Amody used it or not, he would feel indebted and guilty.

Plus, Carol was his biological daughter.

The rest would naturally fall into place:

Carol would be saved and regain Amody’s protection until she came of age...

As for the ultimate fate of Amody and the others... well, just look at poor Jerry.

A self-made genius, with such a troubled upbringing and history of suffering—perhaps even enduring retaliatory abuse from Jerry before she matured—such a person is devoid of warmth.

Dean looked at Anthony with some concern. "Old Man, she’s already thirteen. I don’t think you can change her. Such people are dangerous!"

Those who play with psychology are dirty, especially geniuses. Such people can subtly change and warp your mind, ultimately achieving control through brainwashing.

Anthony shrugged. "I know, but have you forgotten my background, Dean? If it weren’t for you, someone like Carol would be the most fitting successor to our Kaz School. I plan to send her to the Commonwealth for training by those old-timers once she recovers a bit."

With that, he winked at Dean. "The academic world, that’s my greatest network. You’ll understand once you’ve completed your apprenticeship."

He’s drawing another pie in the sky for me!

Dean rolled his eyes and voiced another doubt. "Old Man, how did you know Jerry would commit suicide precisely at ten o’clock at night?"

"Simple. It’s called a hypnotic anchor!" Anthony explained.

"Hypnosis is actually quite a complex affair.

Any form of hypnosis requires setting an anchor for activation.

This anchor can be a phrase, an item, anything.

Carol was born at exactly ten o’clock.

So, the hypnotic anchor she set for Jerry was his phone’s alarm, timed for exactly nine fifty-nine."

Enlightening! That explained why the System Panel hadn’t factored Carol into its calculations—Anthony had already ’apprehended’ her.

Dean expressed his genuine admiration. "Old Man, you are truly erudite."

"HAHA," Anthony let out a harsh, unpleasant caw-like laugh. "This is the first time you’ve complimented me, Dean. Remember, this is one of the cores of the Mind Reading Technique."

"Sufficient information, psychological analysis and deduction, and microexpressions—combine all three, and you have true Mind Reading Technique. I hope this lesson has been of some benefit to you."

As Anthony finished speaking, a piece of information popped up in Dean’s mind.

After reading it, he smiled faintly. "Thank you, Mentor. This lesson has indeed been greatly, profoundly beneficial!"