North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws Chapter 224 156 Stanford Experiment, The Truth! (Extra for t

"That prison experint... the one that explores human nature?" A strange glint flashed in Dean's eyes.

The Stanford Experint existed in both his previous life and this one. It primarily used a prison setting to test the psychological changes between the 'guards,' representing the rulers, and the 'prisoners,' representing the ruled. In this world, the Stanford Experint was even bloodier, and its results were particularly cruel. The experints often ended with a total collapse of order. When you could do whatever you wanted... those 'guards,' initially well-educated, amiable, and highly self-controlled individuals, would gradually succumb to the false pleasure of controlling others' fates. They would descend into aningless mockery, humiliation, and even physical and psychological abuse far exceeding what so actual villains were capable of—it was truly disgusting. After the experints ended, most of those playing the guards devolved into thugs and criminals, unable to escape the moral decay triggered by the brief experint. Unfortunately for them, the real world didn't indulge such behavior. Consequently, these individuals were either shot dead or imprisoned. As for those who played the 'prisoners,' after the initial phase of differentiation, so suffered ntal breakdowns and developed psychological illnesses. Others chose submission, willingly becoming puppets for the 'guards.' They progressed from initial reluctance to self-soothing brainwashing, eventually deriving satisfaction from being exploited, humiliated, and abused. Even after the experint concluded, they couldn't escape this pathological mindset. Ultimately, pressured by societal judgnt, they reluctantly chose suicide. Due to its excessive violence and detrintal consequences, the experint was abruptly halted in 1979. It subsequently beca an unforgettable case study in psychology textbooks. Since then, the first page of every introductory psychology book in this world has featured the quote: 'When you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.' In layman's terms, it ans that those who manipulate the hearts of others will eventually beco slaves to their own hearts and suffer the backlash.

Daniel's brief statent was all it took for Dean to understand Mike Smith's mindset.

That bastard, Dean realized, wasn't trying to revive the fading 'Source of Pain' organization at all; he was rely indulging his own twisted, selfish desires.

Daniel's subsequent words confird Dean's suspicions.

"Initially, we didn't understand. But once we each achieved a certain level of expertise in psychology, we figured out the ga Mike Smith was playing. By then, however, we had beco just like him. We knew we weren't normal, but that psychological state, like a drug, compelled us to keep following his script.

"We'd often et in a secret place to tornt each other, heal, indulge our desires, or conduct extre experints on human nature using ourselves as subjects. So even contracted AIDS as a result. But none of us cared. We accepted Mike Smith's brainwashing, sinking deeper step by step, until we genuinely believed our physical bodies were re vessels for sin, destined for destruction. That is, until Mike Smith's son grew up."

Daniel paused. "I'd like another cigarette."

"No problem!"

Dean readily produced a cigarette, placed it between her lips, and lit it.

After taking a deep drag, Daniel continued, "That was twenty days ago. By then, we old mbers of the Source of Pain had already gone our separate ways. We were all in different places, secretly doing the sa things Mike Smith had done before. The only difference was that our experintal subjects were now holess black children.

"Beyond that, every January, we'd return to our old secret eting place to share our respective 'gains' from the past year. We were like a pack of twisted deviants; it seed this was the only way we could find any sort of camaraderie. But at this year's gathering, there was a problem."

"What problem?"

"Little Mike grew up," Daniel said with a self-deprecating laugh. "We were furious that Mike Smith had twisted our lives, while his son, simply because he had autism, got to escape the sa fate."

As children grow, they naturally develop a rebellious streak. The sa was true for Daniel and her group. They had beco what Mike Smith molded them to be, but now they were gradually slipping from his control. Pressured by Daniel's group, Mike Smith was forced to go back and bring his son and their family dog to the secret society's hideout. Then, in front of his twelve-year-old autistic son, he slowly tortured the dog to death.

Daniel exhaled a plu of smoke. "Due to our respective jobs, we only instructed Mike Smith to do it; we didn't monitor the entire process. This gave him a sliver of false hope. The bastard put a blindfold and earplugs on his son, made a show of torturing their Akita, then sent us the video. He even, quite uncharacteristically, apologized to us. He was scared! He didn't want to play this ga anymore!"

At this, Daniel began to laugh, a near-hysterical, scornful sound. The lit cigarette tumbled from her lips, landing on her, searing her skin, but she paid it no mind, the sll of burning flesh rising with her laughter. "That idiot! He had no idea we'd rigged the society's hideout with countless hidden caras. His attempt at deception was nothing more than a clown's act to us!"

Her laughter devolved into sobs, tears streaming down her face. "It's actually a very desperate feeling, you know? That bastard dragged us into a ga with no way out, and then he tried to bail midway, all because of his autistic son! It infuriated us."