Chapter 348: If You Die Then, Don't Blame Me for Not Stopping You
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 348: If You Die Then, Don't Blame Me for Not Stopping You
"Are those your last words? Heh. Too bad for you—I don't like complications."
I openly mocked the Dream Demon’s flight of fancy. She really was a devoted "sister," wasn't she? Stuck here and still worrying about her dear sisters—how touching.
But as I just said, I didn't like complications. Even though I was confident that if the Dream Demons she summoned were all at her level, not a single one would leave alive.
"I’m not speaking last words; I’m making a declaration!" The Dream Demon lowered her head, something flickering in and out of sight in her hand. Ever since she produced it, even the tone she used to speak to me had changed.
"I admit your strength and methods are superior to mine. So, before you kill me, why don't you guess what this is?"
"The... Anchor that Ninglan Qiuyu originally obtained?" I stared at the small statue. I couldn't tell what material it was carved from, but it was shrouded in a pure, extreme power. It gave me the illusion that if I destroyed it, I would trigger some kind of catastrophic energy imbalance.
"Exactly. Give me a chance. Just one chance. Regardless of whether you give it to me or kill me right now, I will crush it. This is an Anchor; once shattered, it will gorge itself on energy to create a summoning channel. I admit you are strong, but you cannot contend with space itself. Even if my sisters come here just to die, they can still inflict massive losses upon you all..."
"Then why should I agree? Wouldn't my losses be minimized if I don't?"
"A gamble! Let’s have a gamble! Regardless of who wins or loses once we join forces, I will tell you a secret regarding your world!"
"A secret of the world..."
Hearing her words, I reacted instantly. I recalled how the previous Dream Demon had unhesitatingly revealed the truth—that Ninglan New City was once part of the Main World.
The secret she was talking about now most likely concerned Luck and the Script.
I instinctively looked at Tan Han, because this seemed to be the very answer she was longing for.
Tan Han met my gaze and understood the implication immediately. She wasn't blind to hints, but she quickly suppressed the flash of excitement in her eyes.
Now was not the time to be reckless. Heaven only knew what the Dream Demon’s trump card was, or if these "sisters" would be a game-changer. If Xiao Han lost, it would mean throwing away the massive advantage we currently held.
No one could bear such a cost. It was a mindless risk, and it wasn't a decision she could make alone.
I shifted my gaze away from Tan Han. It was just a hint—an indication that there was a chance to get her answer. The rest depended on her obsession with that answer and whether she could convince the others. Simply put, it was up to her own performance.
I just wondered... how the Academy would view such behavior. However, when the last Dream Demon leaked historical secrets and the fact that this place was once part of the Main World, the Academy hadn't reacted. The Dean had even gone out of her way to explain it to me in detail.
The Dean didn't seem to care if Tan Han knew the truth, but Tan Han wasn't the only Child of Destiny gathered here!
There were even students from other academies present!
If word of this got out, the struggle for Luck would be like playing poker with all the cards face up.
I couldn't take the fall for this myself.
Even if the Dean could understand me, what about the other teachers? Like Lina, for instance.
Teacher Ji Niang probably wouldn't say anything, but if those Transcendent Witches who had their own ideas about the Script took offense, my life at the Witch Academy would become quite difficult.
Therefore, anyone who wanted the answer had to have the resolve to be the "bad guy." I wasn't going to volunteer for that role.
As I prepared to strike, my gaze swept over the individuals possessing Luck Seeds. I noticed that almost all of them were looking at the Dream Demon with curiosity and a searching gaze.
With that, I had a fair understanding of the situation.
I took a punching stance and threw a ruthless blow toward the Dream Demon.
I didn't hold back at all. Even the Dream Demon wore an expression of disbelief, wondering why I had made such a decisive choice so abruptly.
"Wait!"
"Stop!"
"Have mercy!"
As several voices rang out, I instinctively let myself be distracted. My fist whistled past; the Dream Demon barely managed to dodge by slipping into a dream. The wind from the punch in reality created a thunderous boom, and even within the dreamscape, the Dream Demon felt a lingering fear from that strike.
"What? You all want to know the secret? Are you prepared to bear the consequences of that choice?" I looked impatiently at those who had spoken, acting as if their interference was the only reason I hadn't killed the demon in one hit.
If these people flinched even at my questioning, they had no right to bear the cost of such a choice.
At least... that was how the act had to be played on the surface.
"Do you have any idea how troublesome Dream Demons are? Do you know how many she’ll summon? Do you know how strong the summoned demons will be?"
My barrage of questions silenced them all. Taking advantage of the lull, several more pillars of light from the sacrifice ritual in the distance shattered. With the ritual damaged, the flesh energy gathered above us began to dissipate violently, filling the entire Underground District with a thick, bloody stench.
"Aren't you curious why you were brought here?! What if I told you none of this is a coincidence, but something orchestrated by someone behind the scenes!"
Faced with my decisive strike just now, the Dream Demon was forced to throw out more bombshell information, attempting to steady the resolve of those who had wavered.
Clearly, her words grabbed everyone's attention.
Of course they wanted to know why they were here. Was it really just because of a simple Sleep Curse?
Impossible!
There had to be a catch.
They had lost so many people on the way here!
Watching their classmates die before their eyes—even those who had no personal connection to the deceased—filled them with an inexplicable sense of grief.
Now, suddenly being told that this was all orchestrated, they naturally wanted to know why!
The simple question of "Why" was enough to solidify the resolve of many to find out.
The Dream Demon’s implication was already glaringly obvious, and Tan Han was certain that this was the answer she had been seeking.
She felt as if she were being toyed with. Whether it was by the ethereal hand of Fate or human arrangement, she was trapped in a massive deception, powerless to escape.
If these people had previously joined forces to fight these enemies just to go home, now that they realized they had been deceived... well, they were truly ready to drop everything and quit.
This sentiment was contagious. This kind of rebellious psychology was exactly what the Dream Demon hoped to incite.
Standing before all the students looking my way, I felt like a tyrannical, autocratic monarch. They needed my strength, yet they needed their answers, and they wanted me to bear the cost.
In the past, I would have long since stopped giving them the time of day in the face of such moral kidnapping. Even now, they remained silent, yet their actions wordlessly expressed their demands.
In this moment, each individual's curiosity for the truth had coalesced into a collective demand.
* * *
Ninglan New City, Surface.
Ian Garland followed the new City Lord, cautiously entering a hidden underground passage within Ninglan Township Castle.
Even he had never been here before. He hadn't expected there to be a path leading underground, but fortunately, he possessed a stealth Wizard Tool. Combined with his formidable tracking skills, the other party had yet to discover his presence.
Holding his breath, he followed her to the end of the passage. There stood a door—an ancient-looking thing. Just as Ian thought the City Lord was about to pull out a key, a low, heavy thud startled him!
The City Lord, whom he had always considered frail and weak, slammed a fist into the door's lock.
Then a second time, and a third, until the dilapidated door was violently forced open.
Hidden in the shadows, Ian Garland was absolutely stunned. Was this really the City Lord?
Why did she seem so fierce?
As expected, there was definitely something wrong with this City Lord, wasn't there?
Ian instinctively reached for the Wizard Tool used to contact his companions. The moment the connection went through, the City Lord, who had just finished her violent entry, sensed something.
"Who! Who's there!"
Hearing that angry roar, Ian urgently transmitted information through the Wizard Tool and chose to flee without hesitation. That person definitely wasn't the City Lord. Staying here would be dangerous.
Inside the secret room, "Ninglan Qiuyu" emerged holding a cluster of white crystals surrounding a Transcendent item formed from a Luck Seed. This was the goal of her trip.
Now that she had the item, she no longer bothered to hide. Since her actions had likely been seen by someone anyway, there was no point in maintaining the disguise.
With a shimmer, she transformed into her true form—a Dream Demon.
She didn't bother chasing the little mouse that had followed her. Scaring him off was enough. The mission was a success; she had the Transcendent item carrying the Luck of the entire Ninglan New City. With this, their trip was well worth it!
This was the Luck of an entire city, which also counted as Main World Luck. Once she returned and handed it to the Lord, it wouldn't matter even if they fell behind in the struggle for the Nightmare.
Furthermore... Dream Demons couldn't obtain Luck by killing Nightmares. Unclaimed Luck would be captured by Ninglan New City and eventually gather here. Thus, securing this item was equivalent to securing the majority of the Luck for this excursion.
Even if the worst happened and the Main Body that created her died, it wouldn't matter. She would inherit the Main Body's will and complete the task the Lord had given the Dream Demons.
Dream Demons were Abyssal creatures unacknowledged by Life. Their only way to survive in the Abyss was to rely on more powerful demons and become their playthings.
The death of an individual was irrelevant; the survival of the collective was what mattered. Or rather, their very existence was an experiment by Abyssal Demon Lords to explore the Dreamscape. To be exceptionally included among the Transcendent Races of the Abyss as members of the Demon race and granted the name "Dream Demon" was already a supreme blessing.
The only pity was that she didn't know how the Main Body in the Underground District was faring. She hoped there wouldn't be any disasters.
But thinking of the gap between herself and the Main Body, she felt at ease. She acknowledged the Main Body's strength. The only real concern was likely that one Witch... her methods truly countered Dream Demons.
She didn't dwell on it further. She only needed to follow the plan and complete her task.
However, upon exiting, the Dream Demon was met with an assassination attempt—it was the people from the Wizard Academy.
But the strike failed to land.
"A Dream Demon after all. What is that in your hand!"
"Oh? Are you the little mouse that was following me just now? Who gave you the courage to face me alone?" Facing the interrogation, she showed no concern. The opponent was merely an outsider.
"As I thought, you Dream Demons have an even bigger conspiracy."
"So what if we do? You can't stop me, and the City Guard that could help you isn't here. What can you possibly do?"
Faced with the Dream Demon's arrogant attitude, cold sweat broke out on Ian's forehead. It was exactly as she said. This sense of powerlessness—as if the entire Ninglan New City had been outmaneuvered by the Dream Demons—was truly stifling.
He could only watch as the Dream Demon walked right through his body and past him, completely unconcerned. She didn't even care enough to attack him. He could only watch her leave; more importantly, he was afraid to die. Facing a Dream Demon alone in a desperate fight would be nothing but suicide.
The students from the Wizard Academy arrived late. Seeing the Dream Demon walking away so brazenly, they were struck with shock.
"Boss Ian, what's the situation? Is that a Dream Demon?!"
"Yeah... that Ninglan Qiuyu wasn't the new City Lord at all, but a Dream Demon's avatar... The real Ninglan Qiuyu is probably..."
"What? Does that mean the Underground District has fallen?!"
"Even if the City Guard retreated to the surface, the Ground Patrol shouldn't have! The Type III Beyonder Killing Weapons they carry should have..."
"I don't know... Come on! Let's go down and see what's happening in the Underground District!" Ian said. So many students from the Transcendent academies had gone down; even if the Underground District had fallen, he had to see the situation for himself.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the Underground District.
"Yang Yuehan, don't you want to know why all of this is happening?"
"We were sent here for no reason, with no preparation, facing the threat of death at every turn. After all the suffering we've endured here, don't we have the right to know the truth?"
"Yang Yuehan, you're just like us—someone caught in the Sleep Curse. I don't believe for a second that you aren't curious..."
As they spoke, their voices grew smaller and smaller. When they met my cold gaze, they realized one thing: their wishful thinking was useless.
Finally, a figure stepped forward, supported by someone nearby.
"Although I don't know exactly what you did, given the strength you now possess, I would like to represent the Holy Angel Academy in asking you to help us uncover the truth. We will do our utmost to face any consequences that may follow together. If we are fortunate enough to return, we of the Holy Angel Academy will bring our sincere gratitude to thank you for the help you provided to us all."
Archie, the representative of the Holy Angel Academy, walked over and spoke to me solemnly. The other academies followed suit. Since individual pleas were useless, they spoke in the name of their academies. If prestige wasn't enough, they offered sincerity—tangible, real sincerity.
They knew very well that a single Dream Demon had suppressed them to such an extent. Without Yang Yuehan, they wouldn't even have the right to seek the answers they wanted. Thus, after some had calmed down, their words became more restrained.
They had to remember that the person they were negotiating with was a Witch!
And a crazy one at that. No one knew how her mind worked. From the start of this incident until now, no one even knew exactly what she had done. All they knew was that she was... very strong. Even that suicidal act she performed in front of them—they didn't understand what she had done, only that she had become stronger and her methods more numerous.
The sensible ones knew that aggressive moral kidnapping would only be counterproductive.
"Xiao Han... I know you're... well, I really need this answer. For that, I am willing to pay any price." Tan Han walked over as well. She had started to say she knew it was difficult for me, but changed her mind.
"Any price?" I looked at Tan Han, who had finally stepped up. I felt she was exaggerating. "What if I want all of your spellbooks? Would you be willing then?"
"Yes," Tan Han said without hesitation.
"I was just joking." Sensing her resolute answer, I stopped looking at Tan Han and swept my gaze over the crowd.
"Do whatever you want. If you die then, you die together. Don't blame me for not stopping you."