【Erosion Has Deepened】
【Your erosion progress has reached 4/9. Please avoid death.】
"Hah! Cough—hoo!"
Zhou Kai sprang up from the floor, as if an invisible hand had been throttling him before suddenly releasing its grip, his lungs burning with a desperate craving for air.
His vision broke free from a chaotic mass of blood-red. The flames in the fireplace danced in his pupils. The light was warm, yet it could not dispel the chill that had penetrated deep into his soul.
His face was deathly pale. Sweat mixed with the fine dust of fireplace soot, leaving streaks of wretchedness across his face.
It had been a long time since he last died.
But Zhou Kai had no time to collapse or grieve.
That tearing agony still seemed to linger at the ends of his nerves, and the sensation of being ripped apart by monsters, the feeling of death, clung to him like a shadow.
"The monsters are all in the clock tower... I must seal the main door immediately!"
Zhou Kai staggered, practically lunging toward the door that had been smashed to pieces, his palm slamming heavily against the wood riddled with cracks.
"Repair! Not a single ray of light can get through!"
A bit of experience evaporated from the panel.
Wood chips rolled back, fibers restructured, letting out creaking sounds, until finally—with a bang—the door shut tightly without the slightest gap.
The texture of the entire door had become even tighter and denser.
It seemed one point of general experience was more than enough to repair the door, and it had even conveniently refurbished it.
Having secured the door, Zhou Kai turned around and picked up from the ground that severed armored arm, thicker than an ordinary person's waist.
He neatly removed the amulet hanging from the iron gauntlet.
Then, without hesitation, he threw that heavy severed arm into the fireplace.
【Burn Duration: Six hours and fifty minutes】
Seeing this number, Zhou Kai's taut nerves relaxed slightly, and he smacked his lips.
"One arm lasts longer than an entire Wanderer. This tin can is practically a mobile premium fuel pack."
The orange-red flames reflected in his eyes. That suppression and fury of being surrounded and killed were fermenting slowly but firmly.
Overall, this unexpected temporary operation had gains far outweighing the losses.
He had lost an oil lamp, a two-handed sword that had cost five experience points...
But he had slaughtered three monsters.
In exchange for twenty-four experience points and a memory fragment.
Of these, seven points he had unhesitatingly dumped into Falcon Strike Technique, and one point used to repair the door.
Now, the panel displayed [General Experience: 16].
"Tonight ends here."
The fireplace's flames could dispel erosion and restore the number of revives available.
But the effects were clearly diminishing...
Perhaps after this time, to fully restore one life would take several more days.
Then a dozen or so days... until forever.
"Revive opportunities are more precious than life itself. From now on, unless I'm cornered at the edge of the board, I absolutely can't play like this again!"
For the rest of the entire night, Zhou Kai stayed before the fireplace, practicing almost frantically.
He was like a lone wolf that had retreated to its den to lick its wounds after being injured, desperately sharpening its claws and fangs.
That tiny trace of self-satisfaction in his heart had long been crushed to dust. All that remained was the most primal and arrogant desire to survive.
And, the surging rage born from boundless fear!
"Once I grind my current skills to max, and acquire more usable skills..."
"I'm going to slaughter my way through this damn town!"
...
Twelve-forty.
At Chu Siwen's home.
She snapped her eyes open, her complexion pale as paper, her pajamas completely soaked through with cold sweat and clinging tightly to her body.
In the living room, members of the Dreamless Organization heard the movement, their gazes snapping over in unison.
Chu Siwen's lips trembled, her voice carrying a sob. "Help me... please, help me."
She had died in her dream.
Even though Huang Zhang had already branded techniques for resisting nightmares into her subconscious, before that indescribable terror, she remained as fragile as a tissue soaked through.
Yet another wretched death had made her completely believe in the existence of Nightmare Syndrome.
Ding San's palm was rough, but warm.
She sat down next to Chu Siwen, gently covering the girl's cool, soft face with her palm.
"This is a nightmare."
"Whether you're a man or a woman, good or bad, rich or poor..."
"Despair will select anyone, letting you walk toward death through day after day of suffering without good dreams."
"Even if you're lucky, capable, and make all the right choices... at most you'll merely live a little longer than others."
Ding San caressed Chu Siwen's face. "Sleep for a while."
"You might think all of this is just a nightmare, and once you wake up, nothing will be wrong..."
Ding San shot Huang Zhang a look.
Huang Zhang understood, drawing a four of spades from the deck and gently placing it over Chu Siwen's eyes.
A strange serenity descended, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Only then did Ding San stand up, using a tone of calm that was nearly cold, to finish the latter half of the sentence. "However, when day ends once more, you'll discover that the nightmares never end."
As the words fell, the air in the room grew several degrees heavier.
"Third Sister."
Park Hyoyun's eyes twitched as he looked toward Ding San.
Ding San waved her hand and tilted her head toward Ye Zi. "She failed."
"How many nightmares has this been for Eleven?"
Ye Zi paused, seeming to recall. "The third... or maybe the fourth."
Ding San let out a mocking snort from the corner of her mouth. "Within five days, she'll be dead."
"Ding San!"
Huang Zhang clenched his fists, unable to listen anymore.
Just then, another member quickly walked into the bedroom.
He reminded in a lowered voice, "There's a case. The Paranormal Affairs Bureau wants us at the police station."
Ding San nodded. "Little Yin, you and Ye Zi stay behind."
"We'll make a trip."
Park Hyoyun looked at Chu Siwen's sleeping face, somehow feeling his face grow warm. He took a deep breath and let out a soft "Mn."
With Ye Zi present, it didn't count as a lone man and woman sharing a room together, so it should... be fine.
Ding San and the others quickly packed their equipment and set out immediately.
Before stepping out the door, Ding San suddenly turned back and added, "As usual, if the little girl has any requests when she wakes, satisfy them as best you can."
"Deduct this time's expenses from my account."
"Also, record her nightmare type."
Park Hyoyun's mouth involuntarily twitched, and he nodded vigorously. "Got it, Third Sister."
"Guaranteed mission accomplished!"
...
"Yo, isn't this Great Detective Huang who got taken down by a college student?"
"Old Huang, how's the recovery these past two days?"
At Xishan City Paranormal Affairs Bureau, several clerical staff greeted Huang Zhang with winks and knowing expressions.
Among them was someone who had followed Park Hyoyun and Huang Zhang to tail Zhou Kai that day. This matter had clearly become the bureau's new running joke.
Huang Zhang's face heated up, deliberately avoiding the topic.
He cut to the chase. "Enough idle chatter. Where's the case?"
The person pressed his walkie-talkie upon hearing this. "Captain Li, Team Two is here."
After speaking, he smiled faintly at Huang Zhang. "Police team. You chat."
Internally, the Paranormal Affairs Bureau called themselves Team One. The civilian organization "Dreamless" that had been absorbed last year retained its designation, internally called Team Two.
A few minutes later, Huang Zhang and the others met the police team's Li Xiangqian.
His height and build were both very average, his face unshaven, wearing a wrinkled police uniform. He looked like he hadn't slept for days.
He seemed to know Ding San, heading straight for her upon meeting.
"The thing you told me to watch for... has appeared again."
Ding San's fingers twitched subconsciously upon hearing these words.
"To the scene."
2:20 AM.
Li Xiangqian led a young police officer and several from Dreamless to the traffic management parking lot.
He shone his flashlight, leading Ding San to that solitary yellow public bus.
"Route 105 bus. Last night there was a report of a traffic accident. The front bumper was bent out of shape, but they couldn't find anyone."
"I think... it should be that kind of thing you mentioned again."
"I never thought it would actually appear in Xishan... this..."
Ding San frowned. "At that time, was there only the driver on the bus?"
Li Xiangqian said, "Two... no, one passenger. Knocked out, still in the hospital."
Ding San's gaze sharpened. "How many exactly?"
The young police officer next to Li Xiangqian was unhappy. "What's with your attitude? Don't shout here."
"Scram! Speak politely to Third Sister!"
Li Xiangqian's eyes glared, and he kicked the young man viciously in the butt.
The youngster immediately yelped, "Ow," not daring to make another sound.
Only then did Li Xiangqian say uncertainly, "Most likely there were two passengers. One of them ran off for some unknown reason."
"That person... couldn't be related to the mirage monster, could they?"