Nightmare Despair

Chapter 34 This is the Nightmare

The erosion has deepened.

Your erosion progress has reached 4/9. Please avoid death.

"Ho! Cough cough—whoosh!"

Zhou Kai sprang up from the floor, as if an invisible hand had grabbed his throat and then suddenly released him, his lungs burning with a thirst for air.

His vision snapped out of the chaotic blood-red blur, and the flames in the fireplace danced in his pupils. The light was warm, yet it couldn't dispel the chill that seeped into his soul.

His face was deathly pale, and sweat mixed with soot from the fireplace left streaks of disarray on his face.

I haven't died in a long time.

But Zhou Kai had no time to collapse or grieve.

The excruciating pain of being torn apart seemed to linger in the nerve endings, and the near-death feeling of being ripped apart by the monster followed him like a shadow.

"The monsters are all in the clock tower... We must seal the gate immediately!"

Zhou Kai stumbled and almost lunged at the smashed door, slamming his hand heavily onto the cracked wood.

"Repair! Not a single ray of light can get in!"

A little experience points evaporated in the panel.

The sawdust rolled back, the fibers reorganized, making a creaking sound, and finally the door slammed shut with a "bang."

The texture of the entire door has become denser and finer.

It seems that a little general experience points are more than enough to repair the door, and even give it a quick renovation.

After securing the gate, Zhou Kai turned around and lifted the severed arm of the armored soldier, which was thicker than a normal person's waist, from the ground.

He deftly removed the amulet hanging from the iron glove.

Then, without hesitation, he threw the heavy severed arm into the fireplace.

Burning time: 6 hours and 50 minutes

Looking at the number, Zhou Kai's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he smacked his lips.

"One arm burns hotter than a whole Prowler. This tin can is practically a mobile, high-quality fuel pack."

The orange-red flames reflected in his eyes, and the frustration and anger of being surrounded and killed were slowly but steadily fermenting.

Overall, the benefits of this unexpected and temporary operation far outweighed the losses.

He lost an oil lamp and a two-handed sword that cost him five experience points...

But he killed three monsters.

In return, I gained 24 experience points and a memory.

Of those seven points, he unhesitatingly devoted them to the Falcon Strike Technique, and used one point to repair the door.

The panel now displays [General Experience Points: 16].

"That's it for tonight."

The firelight from the fireplace can dispel corruption and restore the number of times one can be resurrected.

But the effect is clearly diminishing...

Perhaps after this, it will take several days to regain a life.

Then it's ten days or so... until forever.

"The chance to revive is more precious than life itself. Unless we're cornered at the edge of the board, we must never play like this again!"

For the rest of the night, Zhou Kai stayed by the fireplace, practicing almost frantically.

He was like a wounded lone wolf retreating to its den to lick its wounds, desperately sharpening its claws and teeth.

The tiny bit of self-satisfaction in my heart had long been crushed to pieces, leaving only the most primal and arrogant will to survive.

And, the raging fury born from boundless fear!

"Once I've maxed out my existing skills, I'll acquire more usable skills..."

"I'm going to slaughter this damn town!"

……

12:40.

At Chu Siwen's home.

She suddenly opened her eyes, her face ashen white, her pajamas soaked through with cold sweat and clinging tightly to her body.

In the living room, the members of the Dreamless Organization turned their gazes in unison upon hearing the commotion.

Chu Siwen's lips trembled, her voice trembling with tears: "Help me...please, help me."

She died in her dream.

Even though Huang Zhang had imprinted the techniques for fighting nightmares into her subconscious, she was still as vulnerable as a soaked napkin in the face of that indescribable terror.

Another tragic death made her completely believe in the existence of nightmares.

Ding San's palms had rough skin, but they were warm.

She sat down next to Chu Siwen and gently covered the girl's cool, soft face with her palm.

"This is the nightmare."

"Whether you are a man or a woman, a good person or a bad person, rich or poor..."

"Despair will choose anyone and lead you to death in the agony of having no good dreams day after day."

Even if you're lucky, highly capable, and make all the right choices... it just means you'll live a little longer than others.

Ding San stroked Chu Siwen's face: "Go to sleep for a while."

“You might think that all of this is just a nightmare, and that everything will be gone when you wake up…” Ding San gave Huang Zhang a wink.

Huang Zhang understood, and drew a four of spades from the deck, gently covering Chu Siwen's eyes with it.

A strange peace descended upon her, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Ding San then stood up and, in an almost indifferent and calm tone, finished the second half of his sentence: "However, when the day ends again, you will find that the nightmare never ends."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the room became a little heavier.

"Three sisters."

Park Hyo-yoon's eye twitched slightly as she looked at Ding San.

Ding San waved his hand and tilted his head towards Ye Zi: "She failed."

"How many times has this nightmare happened to the 11th?"

Ye Zi paused, as if recalling: "The third time... or the fourth time."

Ding San sneered, "She'll die within five days."

"Ding San!"

Huang Zhang clenched his fists, unable to listen any longer.

Just then, another member strode into the bedroom.

He lowered his voice and reminded them, "There's a case; the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs wants us to go to the police station."

Ding San nodded: "Xiao Yin, you and Ye Zi stay."

“Let’s go.”

Looking at Chu Siwen's sleeping face, Park Hyo-yoon felt his face burning. He took a deep breath and softly hummed in agreement.

With Ye Zi around, it's not like a man and a woman alone in a room, so it should be... alright.

Ding San and his group quickly packed their gear and set off immediately.

Just before leaving, Ding San suddenly turned back and added, "As is customary, if the little girl has any requests after she wakes up, we should try our best to fulfill them."

"The expenses for this trip will be deducted from my account."

"Also, note down the type of nightmare she has."

Park Hyo-yoon's lips twitched involuntarily, and she nodded vigorously: "Okay, Third Sister."

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

……

"Hey, isn't this Detective Huang, the one who got taken down by the college student?"

"Old Huang, how's the recovery going these past few days?"

At the Xishan City Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, several clerical staff members greeted Huang Zhang with winks and eye contact.

Among them was the one who went with Park Hyo-yoon and Hwang Jang to follow Zhou Kai that day, and this matter has obviously become a new joke in the bureau.

Huang Zhang's face flushed, and he deliberately avoided the topic.

He cut to the chase: "Enough with the small talk, what about the case?"

Upon hearing this, the man pressed a button on the walkie-talkie: "Team Leader Li, the second team is here."

After saying that, he smiled slightly at Huang Zhang: "Police officers, you two talk."

The Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs refers to itself as Team One, while the civilian organization "Dreamless," which it incorporated last year, retains its designation and is internally referred to as Team Two.

A few minutes later, Huang Zhang and his group met with Li Xiangqian from the police force.

He was of average height and build, with a stubble beard and wearing a wrinkled police uniform, looking like he hadn't slept for days.

He seemed to know Ding San, and went straight to her as soon as they met.

"The thing you told me to keep an eye on... has popped up again."

Upon hearing this, Ding San's fingers twitched involuntarily.

"Go to the scene."

2:20 a.m.

Li Xiangqian, accompanied by a young policeman and Wumeng and his group, arrived at the traffic control parking lot.

He shone a flashlight and led Ding San to the lone yellow bus.

"Bus No. 105. Last night, a police report was filed saying there was a car accident. The front bumper of the bus was bent, but the driver couldn't be found."

"I think... it's probably that kind of thing you mentioned again."

"I never expected it to appear in Xishan... This..."

Ding San frowned: "Was there only the driver in the car at the time?"

Li Xiangqian said, "Two... no, one passenger. He was knocked unconscious and is still in the hospital."

Ding San's eyes narrowed: "How many exactly?"

The young policeman next to Li Xiangqian was displeased: "What kind of attitude is this? Don't shout here."

"Get lost! Talk to your third sister with some respect!"

Li Xiangqian glared and kicked the young man hard in the buttocks.

The young man immediately cried out "Ouch!" and dared not utter another sound.

Li Xiangqian then said somewhat uncertainly, "There are most likely two passengers. One of them ran away for some reason."

"That person...could he be related to the mirage monster?"

(End of this chapter)