Chapter 318: The Struggle Against Nightmares in Ninglan New City
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 318: The Struggle Against Nightmares in Ninglan New City
At this moment, a rare and heated discussion broke out in the Underground District. For many days, the calamity of the Nightmares had hung over their heads like a dark cloud; this was the first time they had seen a Nightmare attack resolved so swiftly.
The Ground Patrol’s newfound efficiency undoubtedly gave the residents a massive boost in confidence. Of course, this was bolstered by the Ground Patrol’s own PR machine. Having essentially stumbled into a major achievement by resolving this Nightmare incident, they were naturally going to milk the publicity for all it was worth to elevate their prestige.
They didn't forget to mention the scholars from the Beyonder Research Base who had addressed the root of the problem, boosting the reputation of the base's academics and spreading word that the scholars were working on a permanent solution to quell any long-term anxieties.
The announcements didn't stop there. They included stern warnings against those who had insulted the base's scholars or obstructed personnel during the Nightmare incident, further solidifying the Beyonder Research Base’s unshakeable image in the minds of the common folk.
Finally, they debunked rumors regarding a connection between the Fool's Dream spirits and the Nightmares. They even highlighted that certain Fool's Dream spirits were highly valued by the scholars and had been brought into the base as apprentices.
This wasn't just to raise the status of these spirits; the primary goal was to hint to those fools out there that they shouldn't mess with the Fool's Dream spirits. Any one of them might have a scholar backing them, and if someone caused trouble, they might end up dead without even knowing why—and the Ground Patrol didn't want the extra paperwork.
* * *
While the outside world of the Underground District cheered for the swift resolution of the Nightmare, the atmosphere inside the Beyonder Research Base was much the same.
After all, I had brought a pitch-black Nightmare back to the base. I had walked in quite brazenly, nearly scaring the guards half to death and triggering an emergency security alert.
In the end, the base had to scramble to prepare a sealed containment room to help me secure the creature.
That night, the base was practically in a state of total mobilization. They knew how dangerous Nightmares were; if containment failed and the Nightmare broke loose inside the base, the casualties would be the elite minds of the city! Not a single person could be lost; they couldn't afford even the slightest oversight.
Though I ultimately received a severe warning from the base's high-ranking officials, due to various objective reasons and a series of "uncontrollable factors," the final punishment was downgraded to a written review. In the end, the Fool's Dream spirits wrote the review for me. It was several pages long, filled with childish apologies, but the base held their noses and accepted it, even posting it on the notice board.
I didn't particularly care about that, though.
Instead, because of the captured Nightmare, far too many people in the base were now begging me to start research projects on it. The existential form of a Nightmare was simply too fascinating for those who had spent their lives studying the Beyonder domain.
To them, this was a brand-new, unknown field, much like the Rune Rituals I had introduced!
In fact, it was arguably even more popular than the runes I taught. Even with the runes, most people here still identified more with Inscriptions. Having reached a high level of study, they could naturally see that runes were simply an integration of Inscriptions into a more systematic framework; the essence was the same.
Their thinking wasn't entirely wrong. After all, I had only skimmed through the runes myself, and I hadn't even seen all of them, let alone had the time to study each one in depth.
As for the cage used to contain the Nightmare, I had solved that as well.
To trap a Nightmare, the core problem was how to construct a permanent container atop a dream—ideally a binding device that would facilitate future research.
The answer was simple: manufacture a physical replica of the dream container in reality. I used a Dream Rewriting Spell to communicate with information channels and replicated the container. It was very convenient.
Even if the effect of my rewriting spell faded, as long as there was a stable information reception channel from reality within the dream, the cage would not vanish.
A few days later, the application for the Nightmare research project was approved. The lead applicant was, naturally, me—it could only be me. The base had to evaluate the risks of researching such a monster within its walls, but for me, it was just a formality. I used those few days to handle some minor chores.
"Sister Xiao Han~ someone is looking for you."
"Hmm? Who is it?" I asked instinctively, looking at the cute Fool's Dream spirit entering the room.
"It's Sister Ninglan Qiuyue."
"Hello, Teacher Xiao Han." Following the spirit's voice was the familiar tone of Ninglan Qiuyue.
"Oh? What are you doing here?" Ninglan Qiuyue hadn't been in the Underground District for the past few days. As the daughter of the City Lord of the surface's Ninglan New City, she was likely quite busy.
"I naturally heard of your glorious deeds, Teacher Xiao Han. Venturing alone into a Nightmare disaster zone and capturing a complete Nightmare... and I heard your research project regarding the Nightmare is about to begin."
"Oh? You're well-informed. Why? Do you want to join the research group too?"
"I know my own limits. I'm not qualified to participate in a project of this level."
"Then what are you here for?" I asked curiously. Unless she had business, she didn't seem like the type to wander down here for a stroll.
"Teacher Xiao Han, do you remember when you brought those Fool's Dream spirits to the Ground Patrol for registration?"
"Oh, that was several days ago, wasn't it? Is it settled? Why are you the one notifying me?" I thought for a moment before looking up at her.
"Yes. Because the interests involved behind the scenes reached the surface factions, I took over the case. Naturally, I've brought those Fool's Dream spirits back to you unharmed."
"Really? Sister Ninglan Qiuyue?"
"Thank you, Sister Ninglan Qiuyue!" Hearing this, the spirits around me immediately began to chirp their gratitude.
"Thank you. I didn't expect to trouble you with this," I added.
"It's fine. It was... convenient. I used the opportunity to weed out a few... well, you understand."
"I see. It seems your life on the surface is quite colorful."
"You aren't doing too badly yourself, are you? I hear you've made quite a name for yourself here. Many people respect you deeply," Ninglan Qiuyue replied with a bit of flattery.
"They're just geniuses who like to split hairs over academic matters. I find I get along with them quite well," I said with a nod.
My passive talent for being a "conversation killer" seemed perfectly suited for academia. Leaving others speechless was no problem at all; academic exchange doesn't require much emotional consideration. Right and wrong have clear boundaries. Even if there's a difference in perspective, if your eloquence is lacking and you can't out-argue me, your own convictions will start to waver.
"By the way, I've met quite a few Outsiders in Ninglan New City lately. Or rather, their arrivals have become more frequent, so I've had more contact with them."
"How is it? Have you witnessed the 'biological diversity' yet?"
"Biological diversity... Haha, I didn't expect you to make that kind of joke, Teacher Xiao Han. It's true, though. Those Outsiders have brought quite a bit of trouble to Ninglan New City. We can't really interfere with those unscrupulous types, so we've even had to hire other Outsiders to restrain the unreasonable ones." Ninglan Qiuyue was stunned for a moment before laughing softly and beginning to vent her frustrations.
"Hiring them? Aren't you afraid the Outsiders will turn it into an industry? One group causes destruction, while the other coordinates with you to fleece your resources?"
"That... I've naturally considered it. So, the Outsiders we hire are people we trust relatively well. However, I've heard your name from them. It seems you are quite famous among the Outsider community?"
"Famous? How could that be? I'm just an ordinary student. But... since you've chosen to team up with Outsiders, I assume dealing with the Nightmares has become quite easy for you?"
"Easy? If only." Ninglan Qiuyue shook her head with a bitter smile.
I wasn't sure if she was denying that it was easy, or denying my description of myself as "ordinary."
"Is there a problem? The existential form of a Nightmare should be something Outsiders can handle quite easily," I asked, frowning.
"Progress on clearing the Nightmares hasn't been smooth. The methods they possess aren't very effective against them, and..."
"And? And what?" I asked, intrigued.
What concerned me more was that their methods weren't working. Was my assumption that Outsiders could easily handle Nightmares just a personal delusion?
Then again, I used spells. A significant portion of the other affected academies weren't casters.
But... we Outsiders and the Nightmares are both "creations" within the dream. Can't they just use physical dispersal?
Of course, it was also possible they had recruited the "wrong" kind of Outsiders.
I remembered that the "unlucky guys" the Academy Dean initially chose to be haunted by Nightmares were those who slept in during the day. In the Witch Academy, for instance, most of them were poor students. Aside from a Mana Source, they might not even own a spellbook.
"And... it's not just the Outsiders. There are also those 'Dream Demons' you mentioned. Although they seem to feed on Nightmares, they also bring us disasters on a scale no less than a Nightmare invasion."
"Dream Demons... Oh, that explains it," I said, nodding.
"Those Dream Demons are extremely aggressive and invasive. They even harbor great malice toward you Outsiders, acting with total impunity..."
"Have there been casualties among the Outsiders?" I asked immediately. If an Outsider is killed by a Nightmare—or rather, has their Soul Essence drained—it is true death for us!
"No deaths yet, but many are heavily injured. After being wounded, they become extremely listless, and... their bodies even start to become transparent..."
"Transparent?"
"Yes. It gives the illusion that they might dissipate at any moment," Ninglan Qiuyue said somberly.
"I see..."
I nodded again, my expression unchanging. This battle for World Luck seemed to be getting cruel. Never before had I felt so directly that life was drifting toward death. In principle, I didn't want to deal with such heavy topics, but then again, what did it have to do with me?
Perhaps no one could choose whether to participate in this Nightmare incident, but once forced in, if one didn't have a clear understanding of their own limits, it was no different from seeking death. If I didn't have my current strength, I would have just gone into hiding.
"Is... is that your only reaction? They should be friends you know, right?" Ninglan Qiuyue asked, somewhat bewildered.
"At most, we're nodding acquaintances. I probably haven't even met most of them. What are you hoping to see from me? Sadness? Or should I clap and cheer?"
"That..." A flash of helplessness appeared in Ninglan Qiuyue's eyes, but she quickly masked it. "I'm sorry. I thought they were important to you, so I shared these things."
"Thank you. I do need information about Ninglan New City to satisfy my curiosity, but I won't waste sympathy on people I don't know. Since you've dealt with many Outsiders, you should understand that even among us, it's not all harmony and friendship."
I stared at Ninglan Qiuyue. Her emphasis on the difficulty of fighting Nightmares and Dream Demons was clearly highlighting a struggle. She likely wanted something from me.
"My apologies. I overthought it."
"It's nothing. You have other business, don't you? Just say it." Ninglan Qiuyue had been here for a while; she wouldn't have come all this way just to return some spirits and chat. She wasn't that idle.
"Alright... Actually, I heard you have the ability to kill Nightmares, and even captured one alive for research. I was hoping to learn what methods you used. It might serve as a good reference for the other Outsiders."
Seeing her intentions laid bare, Ninglan Qiuyue sighed and asked with a humble posture.
"Spells. It's purely a matter of individual capability. Casters have a very strong suppressive effect on Nightmares. Beyond that, there's nothing to reference. You can think of it as a total gap in power. I suggest you find stronger Outsiders to help you."
"This..." Hearing my explanation, Ninglan Qiuyue felt a headache coming on. Although the Ground Patrol's report had been understated, the person involved was even more blunt. "Then, could you help deal with those..."
"No. As you can see, I don't have the time," I refused flatly.
"However, I can recommend someone I trust. A girl named Tan Han. Her strength is beyond question; she is very powerful."
"Tan Han? We've met, of course."
"Good." I nodded. I had told Tan Han to take the initiative to contact the City Lord. With Tan Han's nature as a "script tool," she was a safe bet. "I have full confidence in her abilities."
"Is that so? Actually, that girl Tan Han is already among those we've hired to handle the Nightmares. Or rather, their goal is very clear—they came specifically to clear the Nightmares. It's less of a hiring and more of a partnership."
"Then isn't it simple? These things can't be rushed. Before long, we will begin the dissection and study of this Nightmare. We might find a way to solve the Nightmare problem once and for all."
"Really?" At the mention of a permanent solution, Ninglan Qiuyue's eyes practically lit up.
"Depends on luck~ If there's nothing else, I have my own work to attend to."
"Very well. I won't disturb you further. I'll take my leave."
"It's fine. No disturbance. I actually quite like it when you come down to tell me about the interesting things happening up there."
After seeing Ninglan Qiuyue out, I returned to my own affairs.
Meanwhile, as Ninglan Qiuyue left the base, her phone suddenly vibrated. She instinctively checked her surroundings for onlookers before opening the message.
The sender was labeled "Older Brother," and the content was brief.
“Traces of a Dream Demon have appeared in Father’s room at Ninglan Township Castle.”
"Strange... why would he be kind enough to tell me this..." Ninglan Qiuyue whispered. She deleted the message as if she had never seen it.