Chapter 385: Entering Dreams to Find Someone

The chapter unfolds in shadowed halls where whispers linger, a relic of foreign attire clinging to the air, a fleeting glimpse of truth veiled beneath layers of silence, where eyes meet yet remain untethered, a dance of shadows where secrets pulse beneath the surface, each glance a thread woven into the tapestry of unspoken histories, where time bends to the weight of unvoiced truths, and the faintest flicker of recognition flickers within the veil, a fragile bridge bridged by unspoken understanding, where the echoes of past glances linger like unfinished sentences, and the unspoken pact between those who dwell in the margins, bound by unseen currents, their presence a silent current beneath the surface, guiding or obscuring, leaving only the resonance of what remains unspoken, a silent dialogue etched in the stillness, where the weight of unseen bonds presses gently upon the fragile edge of existence, and the faintest hint of recognition flickers, a spark in the dark, awaiting the moment it might ignite.

"This isn't uncommon in the Wa region!"

Shin'nan shook his head, not believing Zhou Si-jiu's explanation.

"The Empire has blocked the Wa region's access to dreams. To enter those fixed, large-scale dreamscapes, one must resort to smuggling. Even so, there's a high chance of being discovered by the Qin Heaven's Patrol, bringing unnecessary trouble."

Shin'nan's tone was firm. "Brain-computer silence is the norm here. I can't afford to expose myself because of such a widespread phenomenon!"

"While the Wa region can't link to large, elaborate dreamscapes, the vast majority still indulge in their own pleasures during the quiet hours of night, inserting all manner of strange, ancient chips into isolated, cramped worlds. Such practices, the Empire cannot control."

"Once a chip is inserted, the brain-computer interface no longer remains in silence. But you... you are absolutely silent."

When he reached that point, Shin'nan finally had an epiphany, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.

It was, after all, his own carefulness that made him an outlier among the imagined majority.

Evidently, they had seized upon this point, selecting individuals from among those who, despite having brain-computer implants, maintained absolute silence, and had finally identified him.

"Looks like you folks worked hard to dig me out!"

"Indeed, it was no small effort. While rare, people like you—whose brain-computer interfaces remain completely silent for extended periods—do number in the dozens, even hundreds, in a great city. Each one of them has been thoroughly vetted, and I've nearly lost my mind over the ordeal. But at last, it's come to an end."

Zhou Si-jiu folded the bloodstained handkerchief back into his chest pocket, tilted his head, and smiled at Shin'nan. "Now that your confusion is cleared up, perhaps we can discuss terms. Rest assured, you traitor won't be left to rot."

Shin'nan licked his lips and suddenly spoke. "Thank you."

"Huh?" Zhou Si-jiu was utterly bewildered by the remark.

"I won't make that mistake again next time."

SPLASH!

The icy light erupted again, piercing through Zhou Si-jiu's eyes.

Shin'nan's face twisted in agony as he leaned forward with all his strength, his body crashing onto the surgical table.

"I suppose we couldn't strike a bargain after all. These birds of a feather are the kind who wouldn't shed a tear even over their own coffins."

Zhou Si-jiu, his head pierced through, showed no sign of pain, speaking calmly to himself. Like a mere mirage of a dream, he was scattered by Shin'nan's impact and vanished without a trace.

Shin'nan felt as though he'd plunged into a vast lake, the sensation of suffocation and mental disorientation flooding over him.

The world upside down, the next moment, he broke the surface of the water.

CLANG.

The surgical blade, gleaming with a cold light, fell to the floor. Shin'nan pushed himself up from the operating table.

He looked around. The room was as it had been, save for the absence of the man with the greasy hair.

"Indeed. It was all a dream."

He stepped forward.

Before he could catch his breath, the sound of delicate footsteps echoed at the door again.

Shin'nan looked up. A tall figure stood by the doorway, holding a black umbrella, raindrops dripping from the tip onto the floor.

Shin'nan frowned. "Has the dream crafted by the Dream Eater Bird Mei yet not ended?"

"Dream?"

Li Jun smiled, twitched his wrist, and the black umbrella transformed with a clatter into a glowing, cold-light embroidered sword.

"Your pleasant dream is complete. I've come to meet your final rest, Honghui Guo!"

There will be a chapter, though it will come a little later.