Mysteries: Arcana Wars

Carlow Psychological Clinic, afternoon.

It was already late autumn, and the nights in Backlund had become longer. Before one knew it, it was already the season when the sun went down earlier than humans.

According to the appointment schedule, Audrey Caro had another patient before leaving get off work today. It was getting dark outside the window, so she took this time to make herself a pot of tea to refresh herself. Like her peers, she started to check her phone, using the joy of fast food to temporarily heal the fatigue of working non-stop.

At the same time, as a radio host, keeping abreast of hot topics on social networks is also a professional quality.

Audrey's program "Morning Tea Room" was broadcast on the Loen Royal Radio Station between 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning. This was not a prime time. Backlund's morning rush hour was at least 7:30. The people who listened to her program at this time, apart from a small number of special workers who worked the early shift, were those who had stayed up all night and urgently needed advice due to various problems.

Even so, Audrey would actively prepare for the show every day.

Backlund was not at peace this month—or rather, Backlund had never been at peace, but this month it was even more shocking.

As a result, some absurd and weird new online legends began to emerge on social platforms.

"Shocked! Snow in Backlund in September! Is it God's censure or human power?"

"Hundreds of people trapped in the same nightmare? Is the abuse of hallucinogenic drugs just a smoke screen?"

"Follow-up: Does 'Cyber ​​Ghost Kewawu' really exist? Or is it just a group hoax?"

"Satellite technology - a beacon of human civilization, or the culprit for doomsday? Here are the top ten unsolved mysteries related to satellites!"

"Write down your wish - with just two coins, your dream can come true?"

Audrey paused on the last video and then clicked on it.

This is an unpopular but relatively new weird story. Recently, many listeners have left messages talking about this "fully automatic online wishing machine."

From the personal experience of this video blogger, this is a mysterious website. Normally, when you enter the URL, you can only get an empty page of "not found", but at a certain time, this URL will suddenly connect, and a "coin" button and three input fields will appear, telling you that as long as you pay two pounds, you can realize your three wishes.

This is slightly different from the situation mentioned in the comments section and in the message left by Audrey's listener.

One listener said that he did not know the URL, but when he was surfing the Internet, he clicked on a normal link and was hijacked by the signal, jumping to the page of the "fully automatic online wishing machine". However, after closing it and entering the URL again, he could not find it anymore.

Another netizen even left a message saying that he had encountered a similar thing about a month ago. A retro magician with a strange box stopped him on the street corner and repeated the same words like a stuck robot, which roughly meant the same thing as "fully automatic online wishing machine".

However, the netizen thought the retro magician was very strange and lifeless, like a dummy. He was either a lunatic or a liar, so he didn't even bother to give him two coins. He quickly ran away. After a while, the strange stories about the "automatic online wishing machine" gradually increased on the Internet, and the netizen never saw the retro magician and the strange big box again.

After watching this series, it really does have a bit of the flavor of a horror movie... As a form of fictional literature, these ghost stories are written at a pretty high level.

People always like to make up some false and impossible stories for themselves, and try to get some shallow excitement from these crude ghost stories to spice up their daily lives.

As Audrey clicked on the next message, the lights in the clinic suddenly flickered, and then all the lights went out at once. Her screen suddenly blurred, and the expected video did not jump, but a few large words suddenly appeared.

"Welcome to the fully automatic online wishing machine."

I didn't expect this kind of thing would happen to me.

Audrey stared at the sudden page for a while, moved the mouse around and clicked, then decisively closed the browser.

This prank is most likely a hacker's trick.

Just as it is said on the Internet, they will hijack your signal first and then show you a fake website to trick you into paying money or entering your personal information so that they can obtain your account password and transfer a large amount of money from your bank.

As a highly educated psychologist, Audrey would never be fooled.

The lights flickered again and the lights in the clinic came back on.

...Is there something wrong with the lights in the clinic again...

Audrey glanced suspiciously at the ceiling light and took a careful sip of her tea while staring.

Before she put down her teacup, the doorbell of the clinic rang suddenly.

...It's not the agreed time yet...

Audrey opened the door puzzled, only to find a magician standing at the door.

He is obviously a street artist. His outfit, though a bit old, is still very eye-catching. The combination of modern and retro styles is refreshing.

Judging from the large backpack behind him, he might be a wandering magician. A corner of his folded thick cape vaguely peeked out from the backpack, looking weathered but still clean and tidy.

Such nomadic performers are not uncommon in Loen, and the most common form is the mobile circus that tows a trailer and a motorcade to perform around. They use the RV as their home and perform in various cities or villages. They can also be contacted in advance to be invited to perform in a specific place.

Although this ancient form of performance does not bring in as much income as circuses that have fixed theaters or perform mainly in city theaters, it does not cost money for venues and houses, and in the eyes of some people it is even a romantic lifestyle. Of course, only the wandering artists themselves know the hardship of living in the open air.

But what surprised Audrey was that the magician didn't seem to have a circus, but was just wandering and performing alone, which was very rare.

Some flyers and souvenirs were inserted into the magician's waist bag, and Audrey recognized that they were from her neighbor's shop. It seemed that the magician knocked on doors along this street and asked if they needed performances. If he met some restaurants, the owners and diners were happy to pay for the wonderful performances.

"Good afternoon...oh, it's time to say good evening, miss!"

The magician took off his hat and saluted.

"I'm a wandering magician, Merlin Hermes. Is there a need for a great magic show here? My performance is very cheap!"

As he spoke, Merlin shook his hat, as if to prove his ability, and flowers and birds popped out of the hat.

"Thank you for your kindness, but this is a psychological clinic, so I'm afraid we can't use magic tricks..."

"Shouldn't a psychiatric clinic need a magic show more?"

The enthusiastic magician put down his bag and did not back down because of the rejection. Instead, he performed more fancy tricks.

"For those patients who are depressed, I think a happy magic show can help them. Please rest assured that my fee is not expensive. You can give as much as you want, and I will accept any form of feedback!"

…But in fact, a psychologist’s job is not just to listen to people’s complaints. Most of my patients suffer from very complex mental illnesses…

But Audrey did not interrupt the magician. Even though she knew that these "magics" were tricks made up of sleight of hand, props and psychological guidance, Audrey still thought the performance was excellent and was even fascinated by it until the magician completed his final curtain call.

"...Hmm...I don't quite understand the rules of street performers...Should I put some cash in your hat now?"

Audrey came back to her senses and touched her coat awkwardly. Few people carry cash these days.

"I'm sorry, I don't seem to have any cash with me today. Can I give you some other way to help you?"

"I am honored, ma'am, and thank you for your generosity."

"As a street artist wandering alone, I think you must have suffered a lot along the way, and accumulated a lot of fatigue and pain. This is a very common problem among vagrants. This group generally encounters some problems because they have no fixed place to live, especially those who travel through the city alone...

"Many problems are just temporarily put in the corner of your memory but never solved. Maybe you are facing some confusion in your mind but don't know what to do..."

Audrey put on a professional smile expertly.

"Perhaps you need some brief psychological counseling before my next appointment arrives."