Chapter 321: Regulation and Wanted Orders for Outsiders
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 321: Regulation and Wanted Orders for Outsiders
Underground District Beyonder Research Base.
With the successful implementation of the first Primitive Rune Ritual, research into Nightmares had reached a breakthrough.
However, the direction of my research seemed to diverge significantly from what the others had expected. Naturally, the people here hoped to study Nightmares with the ultimate goal of exterminating them. To me, however, their value far exceeded mere destruction.
Nightmares are entities that exist within dreams—they are the part of former dream creatures that belongs strictly to the dreamscape.
Yet, they can use human consciousness as a springboard to bridge reality and dreams. Even if that connection is merely informational, it is a formidable ability.
At the very least... they possess a talent for trapping a person's consciousness within a dream. This talent can be expressed through runes. Any manifestation of transcendent power can be deconstructed into runes, just as any arithmetic problem can be broken down into formulas and theorems.
Did I want to wake up from the dream myself?
Perhaps I did initially, but thinking about it now, that seems meaningless. Risking a journey into a dream just to find a way out? It sounds like a joke no matter how you frame it.
Waking up from the dream holds no significance—or rather, for the current me, it would be effortless.
I needed to define a goal for my time here. I had entered this place filled with uncertainty, lacking any clear objective until now. I had simply been waiting for the Academy Dean to make arrangements, envisioning the success of the plans she had laid out for me. To put it bluntly, I was just waiting for fate to take its course.
And now... I was weary of it.
The Dean’s arrangements would not change, as her goals aligned with my own desires. However, I wanted to accelerate the distribution of this Luck.
On a chessboard like the Script, a figure like the Academy Dean wouldn't care about the specifics of the process. With her extraordinary foresight, she could easily see whether the final outcome met her expectations. If the end result was the same, the journey didn't matter. This led me to a conclusion: in principle, I possessed a high degree of autonomy.
Therefore, I had no time to waste on the petty squabbles of those above ground.
If I wanted to interfere with the direction of the plot here, merely existing as an entity trapped in a dream was certainly not enough.
Of course, the Script node I was currently experiencing would undoubtedly end with the total annihilation of the Nightmares. I had to ensure the Script led to that conclusion, as only by leveraging the power of the Script could I sever the connection between the Nightmares and the Fool's Dream.
Then there was the timing for severing the Ley Line Shackles. Theoretically, this was a step the Academy Dean should help me complete. After all, it involved the life level of a Transcendent, something far beyond what my Floating World level Spirit Vision could interfere with. But that didn't mean I wasn't interested in understanding the nature of the Ley Line Shackles myself.
Before that, however, I had to wrap up the matters at hand.
I didn't care about finding a way to destroy Nightmares through research; for me, destroying them required only a single spell.
But I needed a trump card that ordinary people could master to eliminate Nightmares—something to act as a safety net. I couldn't afford to waste my own time on such tedious tasks.
That was one of the primary reasons I was tied down in the laboratory. I had to teach them, in a way they could comprehend, how to utilize the iterative Primitive Rune Rituals to create a Nightmare Killing Weapon.
Didn't they already have Type I, II, and III Beyonder Killing Weapons?
I had applied to the base for an off-book model specifically designed for Nightmare incidents: the Nightmare Killing Weapon project. I estimated it would pass review quickly.
After all, the people in charge of the review weren't blind; they could see the havoc the Nightmares were wreaking.
So, even before the application was officially approved, we had already begun the preliminary preparations.
This was my unique prerogative. Since the launch and preparation of this project didn't rely on their funding, I didn't have to beg for their money. And when you aren't asking for money, you can be as arrogant as you please.
A significant number of talents in the base often found their research and projects stalled because they weren't favored, leading to restricted funding. It was a common occurrence.
Even the series of studies I was conducting on Nightmares—did they not cost money?
They did, and quite a lot. The equipment used to contain that single Nightmare alone was incredibly expensive. But the consumption of these resources wasn't something I bothered to worry about.
Essentially, all the resources of the Underground District were supplied to the base without regard for cost—at least for projects related to Beyonder Arts that were deemed valuable.
"I've covered the basics regarding runes. The Nightmare Killing Weapon is essentially an extension of the Primitive Rune Ritual based on the rune system. Therefore, you'll need to study the fundamentals of runology as well. I'm not worried about you on that front. Now that I've finished assigning the sub-projects, I have nothing more to say. No pep talks. Once the project is approved, we'll officially begin construction."
After announcing the current phase of affairs, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.
These past few days, I had practically lived here. It was time to give myself a rare break. The scholars here might be used to this lifestyle, but I wasn't. If life consisted of nothing but the pursuit of the Transcendent and Truth, then such a life wasn't worth having.
Reflecting on my previous daily routine, I realized I had been obsessively making futile efforts. Looking back now, it was truly laughable.
I realized I had somewhat neglected Sister Bai lately. I wondered what she was up to.
With my departure, the Fool's Dreams in the base were also given a bit of a holiday. After all, they weren't professional scholars or masters in the Transcendent field. Even though they followed me and handled various chores, they lacked too much foundational knowledge of the Transcendent realm. That wasn't something they could make up for just by following me around.
Due to previous events, the troubles the Fool's Dreams encountered had decreased significantly, though they hadn't vanished entirely.
In this regard, the Ground Patrol had done an excellent job. As for what the Ground Patrol wanted from me, I had provided it. Or rather than saying I provided it, it was an application—an application for the upgrading of the Ground Patrol's armaments to better foster a safe and harmonious atmosphere in the Underground District.
I didn't have to lift a finger; the Fool's Dreams had even ghostwritten the application for me.
Just as I was thinking of heading back to see if Sister Bai was around, I bumped into an acquaintance at the base's main entrance.
"Hmm? Ninglan Qiuyue? I didn't expect to run into you again. What brings you to the Underground District this time?" I asked curiously.
Actually, I was quite looking forward to her coming down to chat more often. I was curious about what interesting things were happening in Ninglan New City—whether there were conflicts between students of the Transcendent Academies, if they had discovered any methods to quickly subdue Nightmares, and if those Dream Demons were up to any new tricks.
If I hadn't been tied down with work, I would have loved to go up and see for myself. Ninglan Qiuyue's arrival was exactly what I wanted.
Even though she usually had a specific purpose for coming down, I didn't mind. I would share what could be shared, but for things that couldn't be said, I wouldn't utter a word no matter how she tried to fish for information.
"Scholar Xiao Han, thank goodness. I didn't expect to see you as soon as I arrived."
"Oh? It seems you came specifically looking for me?" I looked at Ninglan Qiuyue and asked. I saw a trace of anxiety, worry, and... urgency on her face.
A simple deduction suggested that something had likely happened in Ninglan New City. I just didn't know what. Had a large-scale Nightmare covered the entire city? Or had the so-called energy tide and beast tide arrived early?
"Yes. It's not convenient to talk here. Are you free right now?"
"You've timed it well. I'm finished with my work for now. Is there something you want to say? We can go to my lab; no one is there," I said.
The place where the Nightmares were studied was a laboratory converted from a containment room, but the lab I had been assigned was currently empty.
After bidding farewell to the Fool's Dream beside me, I led Ninglan Qiuyue to the laboratory.
My lab was quite sparse. Most of the equipment had been provided by the base, but I rarely used any of it. Anything I needed in the dream could be created directly using Dream Rewriting Spells, provided I knew the object's structure. Having the concept in my mind and rewriting it into the dream as information was a bit of a hassle, but... in a way... it was also quite convenient.
As Ninglan Qiuyue closed the laboratory door, she didn't have time to comment on the simplicity of the room.
"Scholar Xiao Han, have you heard about the situation on the surface?"
"No. What happened?" I asked.
"My fath—the Ninglan City Lord has completely reversed his previous friendly attitude toward Outsiders. He has implemented regulatory measures against them and has even issued wanted orders for some..."
"Huh? What did you say?" I instinctively picked at my ear, unable to believe the words coming out of Ninglan Qiuyue's mouth.
My first reaction to her claim was disbelief. Who gave that City Lord the courage to make such a decision?
Daring to treat Outsiders like that—wasn't he afraid of provoking them all and casting an irreversible shadow over their lives?
Even if the two sides couldn't physically touch each other, imagine the scene when the City Lord tried to sleep at night, only to find a row of Outsiders standing by his bed. It was unthinkable. Even if he had the means to hire or even turn some Outsiders to his side, it wouldn't save him. I'd stake my word on it.
"I'm not joking. The City Lord issued the latest notice: any Outsider within Ninglan New City must submit to the control of the City Guard. They are forbidden from doing anything out of line within the city. He has also issued a final ultimatum regarding the reckless behavior of certain Outsiders."
"Where does he get the confidence? The Ninglan City Lord isn't such an irrational person. Can you elaborate?" I asked. Since Ninglan Qiuyue had repeated it, it carried a high degree of credibility.
When things go this far out of the ordinary, there's always a hidden reason. Had they mastered a weapon that could counter us?
But the research focus of Ninglan New City in the Transcendent field was entirely in the Underground District. Theoretically, the Underground District and the surface city were in a partnership of equals. If such a weapon had been developed, there was no way I wouldn't know about it. They couldn't have gone to such lengths to hide it from me.
After all, the finished product of the Nightmare Killing Weapon project I submitted hadn't even appeared yet.
What means did they have to counter those of us in the dream?
It was also impossible for those scholars to have conducted secret research behind my back.
"They..." At this point, Ninglan Qiuyue's voice dropped. she rested her forehead on one hand, leaning against the table.
"The City Lord used some unknown method to make at least half of the City Guard... like you."
"Like us?"
Hearing Ninglan Qiuyue's description, I was stunned for a moment before it clicked. Had they projected their consciousness into the dream?
"Did your City Lord use the power of the Nightmares to imitate us, trapping a person's consciousness in the dream?" I asked.
When I was capturing that Nightmare earlier, I had discovered that when people here were invaded by a Nightmare, their consciousness would indeed be trapped in the dream. However, they weren't Lucid Ones like us, and they didn't show any ability to act independently. It was as if they couldn't detach from their physical bodies even within the dream. It was a fascinating phenomenon, but I hadn't had the time to investigate the mechanics of it then, and I hadn't had the chance to experiment with a living person and a Nightmare since.
"No... the situation is worse than you imagine. The power the City Lord is using isn't from the Nightmares. It's... the Dream Demons!" Ninglan Qiuyue said grimly.
"Dream Demons?"
Hearing this answer, I was momentarily struck by how brilliant it was. It was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense!
"Genius! It seems your father finally realized that those Dream Demons are far more reliable than incompetent Outsiders who are prone to infighting."
I offered my sincere praise.
"You..." Ninglan Qiuyue looked at me in shock, momentarily speechless.
"What? Are you instinctively taking the side of us Outsiders? To you, both we and the Dream Demons are outsiders—invaders, even. Any kindness or malice they show is an individual act; it has little to do with the collective."
"But... your Nightmare friends, they've been caught up in this too."
"Them? Are you sure? Even if your entire Ninglan New City entered the dream, if they wanted to destroy the city, it wouldn't take them much time at all. You're worried about them?" I countered.
It wasn't that I instinctively looked down on the strength of the City Guard, but I truly did. They were entities that couldn't necessarily block a common Fireball Spell. Moreover, this world was special; the effects of spells were even more terrifying. What did they have to execute this plan?
Were they relying on those Dream Demons?
Fine, I'll admit those Dream Demons are a bit troublesome, but they aren't invincible. Although the Dream Demon I encountered in the city before was defeated with the help of the City Guard, and lacking their assistance in reality would indeed be difficult, isn't this exactly the kind of trial the Script uses to test its protagonists?
What's the difference between a Child of Destiny who only knows smooth sailing and a piece of trash?
"Destroy..." Ninglan Qiuyue's voice faltered at my description. This was the first time she had such a direct sense of an Outsider's power. Previously, there had been a policy of mutual non-interference; she couldn't have imagined it, nor would she have cared.
Should she be grateful right now that the other party could only exist in the dream?
"Tell me what you want. You didn't come down here just to share such explosive news without asking for something in return, did you? I wouldn't believe that for a second."
I broke her daze and asked directly.