Chapter 513: The Liberation of Minggui

Chapter 513: The Liberation of the Discerning Ghost

Wang Qi felt as though he had been trapped in an exceptionally long and winding dream.

In that dream, he sat within the carriage of an earth-dragon train. Inside the otherwise empty compartment, save for himself, were two men who looked anything but benevolent, sitting across from him and murmuring in low voices, occasionally casting gesturing glances in his direction.

The only bizarre detail was a strange suit of armor that had somehow 'grown' straight out of the carriage floor.

It was wedged head-down, feet-up—a sight that carried a touch of pathos beneath its sheer absurdity.

If it had been nothing more than that, Wang Qi felt he could have accepted it.

It would simply mean his recent mental stress had been too great, conjuring such a grotesque spectacle; he could always find a fortune-teller who had officially entered the Sequence of Yin and Yang to help him decipher the dream and break the ill omen once he returned.

Wang Qi’s face filled with utter consternation, his shocked gaze sweeping past his own crotch before he said disconsolately, "Then name whatever compensation you desire. Just say the word, and I will surely comply without fail."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

Ao Hu was stunned for a moment by this scolding, anger surging within him until he wished for nothing more than to plunge his blade straight through Wang Qi.

A flush of shame and resentment surfaced on Wang Qi's face. Having already embraced the prospect of death, a sudden surge of courage flared within him, and he stood up abruptly, facing the blade before him.

It was indeed that kind of formulaic plot; it was getting a bit cliché.

Wang Qi smiled knowingly, extending his hand before Ao Hu. "I accept this mission of yours. Hand it over."

This little bastard’s words were truly a motherfucking assault on the ears.

What absolute, rotten luck. It really was a Yellow Millet Ghost!

But something wasn't right. He had no recollection of ever purchasing a Yellow Millet Dreamscape themed around armor.

Engaging in wanton acts with a pile of female armor? When had his tastes become so profoundly heavy?

Furthermore, given his personal rule of never enduring masochism, every dreamscape he bought always cast the entrant as an invincible powerhouse destined to sweep across the four seas and eight wildernesses. It shouldn't have granted him the template of a common civilian. How was he supposed to play this?

Could it be that the grotesque-looking armor before him had already usurped the host’s position, mastering this Yellow Millet Dreamscape and stripping away his privileges?

"A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. Why don't you just seize my body directly?"

One man, one suit of armor; one standing, one seated.

Yet now, he had clearly awakened from the dream, and the scene before him had shifted from the earth-dragon train to the interior of a civilian residence.

What was going on here?

Had this Yellow Millet Ghost suddenly experienced a change of heart?

He stared at Wang Qi until the hair on the young man's body stood on end, before suddenly shouting in a cold voice, "You, an otherworldly demon, broke into my world to rape, pillage, and commit every imaginable evil, leaving a trail of bloody atrocities that outrage both gods and men. Now that death is upon you, you think pretending to have amnesia will wipe all your sins clean? Is there truly such a cheap bargain in this world?"

Death was inevitable either way. Rather than enduring these humiliations, it was better to seek a swift and painless end.

Though Wang Qi could not recall his identity in the real world, he remembered having entered many Yellow Millet Dreamscapes, and he retained numerous concepts regarding these dream realms.

"What courage. Truly a man worthy of my appreciation."

Under the oppressive weight of Ao Hu's murderous intent, Wang Qi did not hesitate, hardening his heart.

For ordinary people like them, if they remained immersed in low-quality Yellow Millet Dreamscapes for extended periods, they were highly likely to encounter bizarre and strange entities, collectively known as Yellow Millet Ghosts.

He might as well just assassinate that man named Liu Xianzhou, venting some spleen on behalf of these ink-armors, while simultaneously enjoying the refined quality of this dreamscape.

Wang Qi suddenly recalled a piece of life-saving wisdom that his fellow 'dream-friends' constantly kept on the tips of their tongues.

Wang Qi's mind was a torrent of silent complaints, and he said testily, "Then how am I supposed to activate it?"

"Who is this grandson of a bitch? To think he could commit such bestial acts, not even sparing you pieces of scrap metal."

With a sharp, metallic *clack*, a foot-long, snow-bright blade snapped out from Ao Hu's wrist, its tip pointing directly at the space between Wang Qi's legs.

Ao Hu turned back to look at Wang Qi in utter incomprehension.

"The liberation of the Discerning Ghost... that's rather interesting."

"Brother, I truly cannot remember what I did, nor did I know this place was your domain."

"Standard villain behavior, no big deal. But for my identity as an assassin to be exposed right from the start is a bit ridiculous. This is practically a hell-mode start."

Ao Hu ground his teeth and said, "He enslaved and persecuted my brothers and sisters, treating us as cannon fodder and tools for his climb to power and wealth!"

Surely that couldn't be it?

"As expected, cheap goods never bring quality. Saving money always leads to a massive loss!"

Moreover, the realism and plot design of this dreamscape were quite excellent. One could tell a great deal of capital had been poured into it; it was vastly superior to those low-grade products he had entered in the past.

"As long as you help me complete a mission, all your previous sins can be wiped clean. Not only that, but I can also grant you a wish."

"As long as you successfully break the lock and advance into a sequence, becoming a follower of any sequence, you will be able to activate it. However..."

The sudden, drastic turn of events left Wang Qi’s mind reeling, his eyes staring blankly at Ao Hu.

It seemed the higher-ups had guessed correctly; Wang Qi truly regarded this place as a mere dreamscape.

But if that sphere of light inside his body was indeed a protagonist's item, then his past half-year of living as a 'labor slave' must have merely been the narrative buildup.

Yet that suit of armor had not vanished. Instead, it sat before him with an imposing, authoritative posture!

This could not help but make Wang Qi suspect whether he was trapped within a dream within a dream, or if even the present moment was simply another Yellow Millet Dreamscape from which he had yet to truly awaken.

"Is it necessary?"

For some reason this time, he felt he had failed to maintain the detached perspective and casual gaming mindset he usually held while traversing other Yellow Millet Dreamscapes. Instead, he felt a deep resonance with Ao Hu's words, experiencing a peculiar sense of empathy.

In any case, now that he was certain this was a Yellow Millet Dreamscape still functioning normally without the presence of any Yellow Millet Ghost, there was nothing left to worry about.

"Hand over what?" This time, it was Ao Hu's turn to freeze in place.

To think it was actually a realistic type of dreamscape! If the Central Branch in the real world ever found out someone dared to slander them like this, wouldn't they skin the creator and seller of this Yellow Millet Dreamscape alive?

Wang Qi instinctively squeezed his legs together, his eyes filled with terror as he cried out piercingly, "Brother, brother, can we change the form of compensation?"

"What kind of clusterfuck of a Yellow Millet Dreamscape did I even enter? How does it contain this sort of content?"

Looking at it this way, the scope of this dreamscape was far too long, and its pacing was terribly sluggish.

Furthermore, what was the point of such a buildup? Bitter before sweet, holding back before unleashing?

To go through so many pointless maneuvers just to smear an opponent using a Yellow Millet Dreamscape was truly tedious.

Wang Qi's expression stiffened, his head shaking like a rattle. "The back... the back won't do either."

Wang Qi's head was still filled with a few lingering doubts, but he promptly tossed them all to the back of his mind.

Ao Hu spoke with a tone of disdain, "Looking at your pathetic state, you must have been an insignificant, shiftless nobody in your own world. Why would I ever abandon my power and status here just to suffer and endure hardships in your world?"

"Furthermore, the people from the Central Branch have already locked onto you. They are highly likely to send agents to track you, or even hunt you down. You must be psychologically prepared."

"His name is Liu Xianzhou, the Deputy Director of the Central Branch of the Ink Sequence in Jinling City."

"Only able to provide assistance in the later stages, then..."

However, those dreamscapes were almost always set against the backdrop of struggles between Buddhism and Taoism—either a holy monk destroying a demonic sect, or an immortal slaying a licentious priest—all designed to elevate oneself while blackening the opponent's name.

Wang Qi muttered to himself, "The critical issue is that this dreamscape actually blocks and locks away most of the entrant's memories of the real world, as well as the authority to freely exit the dream. Isn't this setting a bit too absurd? Damn it, once I force my way out, I will definitely settle scores with that bastard who sold me this dreamscape! Fuck, I must get a refund!"

"What did the target do?"

Not until Ao Hu had already reached the door did Wang Qi, snapped from his deep reverie, suddenly look up and shout: "Hey, Ao Hu, is it? Does this mission you’re handing me even have a name?"

Ao Hu added: "During this process, you can only rely on yourself. I cannot provide you with any assistance."

"Walking often in dreams, how can one's pants stay dry? If it's a female ghost, take it for free; if it's a male ghost, trade shots."

Yet the latter merely flashed a sly smile: "That's where you're clueless. A mission's name can contain a wealth of useful information."

"This won't do, that won't do."

Eyes locked, a clash seemed imminent.

"Possess you? Are you even worthy?"

The forward-thrusting tip of the blade paused, swaying from side to side.

"Fine, then turn around."

A person who was not even afraid of being targeted, possessed, or killed by a Huangliang ghost would naturally not fear entering this kind of specific, biased, and extraordinary dreamscape; it might even stir his curiosity and empathy, prompting him to investigate it to the very end.

This sort of thing was something Wang Qi had heard people mention before.

Ao Hu suddenly erupted into a roar of laughter, retracting the cold blade back into his wrist before pointing at the seat behind Wang Qi, his voice softening: "Sit down, don't be nervous. That was just a test of mine just now, and you've passed."

"I want you to kill someone for me."

But why would he buy this kind of thing? Hadn't he always bought only 'gratifying' dreams? Could it be a free giveaway, which was why he had carelessly fallen for it?

Ao Hu bellowed sternly: "The dead cannot be brought back to life, so how can you restore things to how they were? Even if you could bring them back to life, would they still be their original selves?"

Once encountering a ghost, the odds were heavily stacked against survival.

With those words spoken, Ao Hu lingered no longer, turning to stride away.

"What else could it be? Something to help me grow, of course. You can't expect me to go and kill that Liu Xianzhou person right now, can you?"

"Yes."

As long as his own character died, he would naturally break through all restrictions and safely exit this dreamscape.

The more Wang Qi thought about it, the more he felt this was likely the truth, and he could not help but curse furiously in his heart.

Ao Hu stood up and said softly: "Take care of yourself."

This bastard really speaks with a foul mouth.

Wang Qi’s brow furrowed and cleared in an instant as he continued to ask: "Is there any other information or precautions you can provide?"

"Brother, are you an immortal or a monster?"

"But before I kill you, I will first sever your tool of crime to collect a little interest for those who died in vain!"

The person who constructed this Huangliang dreamscape must have had some grievance with the Central Branch, yet lacked the courage to confront them head-on, resorting to this method to disgust their opponent.

Ao Hu's emotions were exceedingly complex as his eyes stared fixedly at the other man.

"Everything that needs to be said, I have said. For what comes next, you can only rely on yourself."

Wang Qi stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before asking: "Then what can you do to help me? Right, I still don't know your name."

"What compensation do I want? A human life, naturally, can only be repaid with a human life!"

"You can call me Ao Hu. There is very little I can do; I will only appear after you become an Order-Follower. But when that time comes, my brothers and sisters will cast everything aside to ensure your safety."

"You are nothing more than a Huangliang ghost in a garbage dreamscape, yet you really think yourself some grand figure? Let me tell you, no matter how ordinary I am, I am a real human being. It's not the place of a fake ghost like you to put on airs and boss me around here. Don't you just want me to pay with my life? Come on, I'll let you kill me. If you're a man, give me a swift end!"

Or was this just a mission plot?!

After all, in the settlement after completing a mission, there were incredibly broad things like 'wishes'.

Wang Qi muttered to himself: "So in that case, the most difficult part of this dreamscape is the stage from being an ordinary civilian to becoming an Order-Follower. On one hand, avoiding the investigation and pursuit of the Central Branch, while on the other, searching for an opportunity to become an Order-Follower—the key is having no aid and relying solely on oneself. It's a literal survival in a desperate situation."

"Understood."

It really was a plot!

Wang Qi’s tense face suddenly relaxed, cold sweat pouring from his pores and instantly soaking through his undershirt; his footsteps stumbled backward as he slumped heavily into the chair.

Wang Qi's face turned abruptly pale, his voice trembling as he said: "How about this, you grant me a way out, and once I get out, I will immediately find someone to restore this world to how it was for you, how about that?"

Am I playing someone to death, or am I being played to death?

Looking at Wang Qi, who clearly already treated this place as a playground, Ao Hu said in a heavy voice: "In this world, apart from me, you must not easily trust anyone who attempts to approach you."

Since I am here, I might as well make the best of it.

"Then let it be called the Liberation of the Manifest Ghost."

Wang Qi’s eyes were crimson, panting heavily as he roared: "You better fucking pray that I drop dead in the other world too. As long as I have a single breath left, I will definitely come back and screw you to death! Come on!"

Wang Qi wiped the sweat from his face, the violent fluctuations of his emotions making him look somewhat weak, though the gaze he directed at Ao Hu no longer held any fear: "Speak, what mission do you want me to help you with."

Ao Hu flared up in a furious rage: "What, do you think you are in any position to bargain with me now? Today, I will chop off the front, and I won't let the back slip away either!"

Wang Qi finally realized at this moment why there were so many preset restrictions and such difficult trigger conditions here; it was likely all to filter the entrants.

Coming to his senses, Ao Hu hurriedly said: "The thing has already been placed inside your body, it's just that it hasn't been activated yet."

Wang Qi forced a hideous smile and asked: "We have no old grievances and no recent enmity. If I have offended you in any way in this world, I apologize to you first. Be magnanimous and don't bicker with me."

One targeted at the Mo Order like this was indeed exceedingly rare.

"The difficulty is a bit high, but no matter, there should be other characters jumping out to help me."

Left alone in the crude civilian dwelling, Wang Qi brushed off the dust that clung to his clothes, a confident smile upon his face.

"Then let me play the savior for you all just this once!"