Dream Travel

Chapter 497 can only be done twice

Serafis has devised some plans regarding information about 'anime/manga' entertainment.

After reality developed into a technological era close to that of the alternate dream world, she planned to invest resources in the 'anime/manga' field.

Although this may be a hundred or two hundred years from now, that amount of time is nothing to demons.

However, she never expected that Bai Mu would be such a person.

"You're lying to me!" Serafis realized.

Bai Mu might enjoy the entertainment in the Dream World, but it's highly unlikely that he would become obsessed with Dream World because of those works.

"Perhaps we need a new blood pact."

"Let's talk about this after this is over. You probably can't even beat me. Wouldn't it be a loss for me to make a contract with you?"

Serafis smiled indifferently. She couldn't win now, but things might change once she gained control of the Hellish Realm.

Moreover, without her, Bai Mu would have difficulty providing a haven for those demons.

"Since you've explored the Dream Realm, you must have quite a few Dream Erosion items, right?"

“Not many.” Serafis shook his head.

"What about the ingredients for Dream Erosion?"

"Do you think I would use something like that?" Serafis glanced at the white curtain. It was fine for dream visitors to use dream-eroded items, but the items they used did not include dream-eroded ingredients.

Although some dreamers tried to solve this problem, they undoubtedly failed.

The reason why Dream Erosion items can be used is because those items are carriers of Dream Erosion, and they do not directly come into contact with Dream Erosion.

Consuming Dream Erosion ingredients is simply asking for trouble. Directly integrating Dream Erosion into oneself, even if it is benign, is deadly to those who have strange dreams.

"I can eat it," Bai Mu said without any hesitation.

"Eating too much Dream Erosion food is not good for you," Serafis reminded White Curtain. "Although there are no restrictions on the consumption of Dream Erosion food, eating it means using yourself as a vessel for Dream Erosion. Do you think there will be a good end if you eat too much?"

"Have there been any people who got sick from eating Dream Erosion ingredients?"

The white curtain changed the question.

So far, he hasn't eaten many Dream Eater ingredients: those that enhance recovery, fire resistance, provide a slight wind manipulation effect, and most importantly, Dream Eater mushrooms.

“Yes,” Serafis replied. “I know a fool who wanted to combine the power of light and darkness, then collected two special Dream Erosion ingredients, ate them together, and died.”

"...It sounds like Luxembra."

Serafis laughed upon hearing this: "The light-based power of Luxenbra is not a normal light-based power."

"Dream Eclipse ingredients should be of high quality. For extraordinary individuals, ordinary Dream Eclipse ingredients are not necessary to pursue unless they are specially paired with other ingredients."

"...To put it bluntly, you don't have it here, right?"

"Do you think that kind of thing is easy to obtain?" Serafis doubted that White Curtain had ever experienced the hardships of acquiring resources from otherworldly dreams.

Even though she can influence a small country and develop many different dreams through that country, she hasn't obtained many Dream Erosion items normally so far.

From the time she took control of the country until now, at least ten years have passed, and during that time, fewer than thirty Dream-Eroded items have been obtained through legitimate means…

Don't be fooled by the fact that you can easily find Dream Erosion items. Even if you do find them, there has never been a stable and reliable source for them.

The idea that someone got rich after obtaining a Dream Erosion item is a case of survivorship bias.

In reality, most of the items from Dream Erosion are not very useful.

"To develop Dream Realm normally, acquiring Dream Erosion Items is gambling. Instead of gambling in this way, it's better to collect high-quality Dream Erosion Crystals and artificially create Dream Erosion Items."

Besides, there's a more stable way to obtain it: simply buy it with real money.

Serafis described the standard way to obtain Dream Erosion ingredients.

Thinking of investing in developing your own Dreamscape to obtain Dream-Eroded items would only result in losing everything.

Even if you obtain rare Dream Erosion items, how much of the cost can you recoup?
Dream-eroded items aren't something that can easily cost hundreds of millions or even more. Compared to normal Dream items, Dream-eroded items don't have that much of a price advantage.

If you want Dream Erosion items or Dream Erosion ingredients, the best way is still to buy them; there's no more reliable method.

If you don't have that kind of luck yourself, you can spend money to buy someone else's luck.

Or perhaps it's an artificial dream-eroded item. Dream-eroded items are rare, but dream-eroded crystals are quite common...

Most Dream Erosion Crystals are of low quality, but occasionally some high-quality Dream Erosion Crystals will appear. Collecting these Dream Erosion Crystals can make decent artificial Dream Erosion equipment.

Even if those Dream-Eroded items are different from natural Dream-Eroded equipment, they still have Dream-Eroded attributes.

"So this place doesn't appeal to me at all." Bai Mu waved his hand. "Hurry up and finish your business."

“Soon.” Serafis arrived at her residence with the white curtain.

He pulled out a map: "The demon we're dealing with is in a nearby country."

After glancing at it, Bai Mu said knowingly, "So they're neighbors?" Sure enough, Serafis wasn't trying to show off her 'home'. Judging from the map, the two small countries weren't far apart, and there were even areas of conflict between them.

If we can kill this demon first, then Serafis can naturally take over that demon's territory, right?

"You demons all live in groups?"

“It’s relatively close.” Serafis pointed to the map: “This place used to be under the control of Luxembra.”

Luxembra is somewhat far from the territory controlled by Serafis, but it is still within the 'near' range, at least compared to the Maple Crown Republic.

She then marked several more locations.

That demon was skilled in researching 'technology,' but not normal technology. Instead, it was technology developed by combining demonic power with the technology of discovering otherworldly dreams.

As for these demonic technologies, they were not made public. Serafis was able to obtain relevant information because the two sides were located close to each other.

"The advantage of small countries is that it's easy to impose technology blockades. I've also researched some special technologies here, which haven't been circulated outside yet, and some of them are quite interesting. Would you like to give them a try?"

Serafis gradually brought up his own story.

"Get down to business, stop promoting yourself," Bai Mu said with a stern face.

But Serafis continued, "You may not need it, but what about the people around you? Many of the things I develop here have very few side effects."

"I have an alchemist with me, you can't fool me."

"Hehehe, you'll see later." Serafis chuckled and continued talking about demons.

These demons are able to gang up and cause trouble precisely because they live close together.

Unfortunately, the existence of the White Curtain ruined their plans and killed many of the original demons from the Otherworld.

However, there aren't many native demons who can directly control a small country.

"After dealing with this 'neighbor,' I will invite other demons to conduct an investigation."

Then the invited demons will be our second target. Kill as many as possible; we only have two chances.

Serafis chose his 'neighbor' not only because the other party was nearby, but also because the other party was the more troublesome among his many targets.

The demon technology created by that demon is very troublesome, but the other party has hidden it well and has not revealed it so far.

Serafis didn't know much about him either. If he didn't eliminate him beforehand, he would likely become a troublesome target in the upcoming competition in the Hellish Realms.

The demonic technology possessed by the other side can also be used in the struggle for the Hellish Realm.

“I will proactively probe their demonic technology, going there in the name of cooperation, and then you will find an opportunity to attack ‘us’.”

Serafis's plan included herself, otherwise the other party wouldn't have fallen for it so easily.

Without taking action herself, she couldn't be sure if the other party's true form was there.

After killing the opponent, information about the demon technology will be leaked. In order to deal with the White Curtain, the 'attacker,' she will invite other demons to help her eliminate the opponent and take over the demon technology legacy.

With enough incentives, other demons can easily be attracted, and then the White Curtain can continue its massacre.

If he had the ability, he could kill all the demons present—except her.

However, such an action can only be carried out once. Other demons are not stupid. There is no third time. They have already tricked other demons twice.

Doing it a third time means you're underestimating your own intelligence.

Therefore, the second step of the plan, regardless of whether the White Curtain can kill all the demons that gather later, will not happen again.

This matter could not be kept completely secret, and Serafis was not so concerned about the subsequent damage to his reputation.

First of all, she's a demon. It's perfectly normal for demons to do this kind of thing. Besides, her goal is clear: to seize control of the Hellish Realm.

If other demons found out, they might just curse her a few times, but those who wanted to be envious would still be envious.

To other demons, Seraphine simply found a good partner, eliminated other demon competitors, and naturally obtained what she wanted.

As for the cost incurred in this process... does that matter?

Since she got what she wanted, the price she paid was naturally acceptable to the demon involved.

"It still has to be you guys."

"Hehehe, it's not bad for humans to hurt each other either." Serafis laughed lightly. "If you have no objections, then the plan will proceed as scheduled."

"I have no objection, but when making the plan, shouldn't I first go there to infiltrate and investigate?"

“You do need to arrive early, and the helpers you bring can also be useful. Hmm...hehe, you haven’t tasted their flavor yet, have you? When you make your move, I will mainly ‘target’ them.”

"Don't make it too scary."

Bai Mu understood what Serafis meant. When Bai Mu made a move, Serafis would naturally retaliate, but the target of the retaliatory attack could be Bai Mu or Leone and the others.

Even after retaliating, she can still deliver a backstab, and it remains to be seen how the target demon will respond.

(End of this chapter)