Nightmare Despair

Chapter 93 Core
Nightmares are an irresistible force, even more powerful than death; we may never be able to conquer them.

Opening the fourth volume of the journal, the very first sentence sends a chill down one's spine...

But then Chenxing's pen took a turn, revealing a glimmer of hope.

However, we can at least prolong the nightmare's erosion time, slow down its progress, and even... outrun it.

[If you've obtained the other parts of the journal, you'll surely be curious about the Nightmare Spirit I've mentioned repeatedly. Therefore, I've recorded some of my rudimentary understanding here.]

This notebook has no inserts or mysterious, enigmatic writings; it is entirely a detailed record of Morning Star's self-reflection.

It mentions a being that is very likely the trigger for the nightmare's arrival and the core of the nightmare's formation.

The spirit of nightmares, or rather...

【source】

Among the densely packed characters in the handwritten note, only this one character was circled in an unusual color.

Zhou Kai's gaze was fixed on that word.

My heart skipped a beat.

This is it.

He immediately connected the word to the intelligence report sent by Lin Sheng...

[A patient suffering from a nightmare of reality].

In his journal, Morning Star describes that it is difficult to determine whether someone became the "source" first, which attracted the nightmare, or whether they were infected by the nightmare first, which dragged the nightmare into reality.

The information Lin Sheng extracted from the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs' database filled this crucial gap perfectly.

"According to research... it is highly likely that the person was first infected by the nightmare, which then led the nightmare into reality."

Zhou Kai's eyes flickered, and countless fragments of information began to collide and piece together rapidly in his mind.

"The Bureau of Paranormal Affairs and related agencies in other countries once believed that negative emotions such as pain, despair, and sadness brought about nightmares. As a result, regions around the world with sufficient productivity vigorously developed the cultural and entertainment industry in an attempt to divert public stress... but it was all for naught."

"The nightmares come without any pattern...it's all about luck."

Thinking of this, Zhou Kai paused for a moment.

"However, what happens in a nightmare is largely related to the infected person... If it is a real-life nightmare, the location of the nightmare is usually a place where the infected person lives or frequents."

"The monsters that appear in the nightmares are also related to the deep-seated obsessions of the infected."

The people and things that nightmare sufferers fear, loathe, cling to, hate, or even desire but cannot obtain can be distorted and alienated by the power of nightmares, turning into all sorts of monsters.

"so……"

Wow.

Zhou Kai turned the page, and the content he most wanted to see appeared.

Therefore, besides using various opposing forces to kill and eliminate the terrifying entities, finding the Nightmare Core and ending the source that draws the Nightmare's power to erode everything around you can also greatly help you survive the Nightmare.

The core of the nightmare in this area seems to have been divided into four parts. The presence of the secondary spirits poses no threat; the key lies in the more important part...

In past nightmares, killing the source could reduce the difficulty of survival.

In the real-world nightmare, killing the source before the nightmare arrives can even interrupt its arrival...

Of course, if it has already arrived, then just like the nightmares of the past, killing the source can only weaken the nightmare, but cannot change the fact that reality will be dragged down with it.

Having read this, Zhou Kai understood many of the key points.

Sure enough, his painstaking efforts to uncover the truth about the town had not been in vain. When he finally found and killed [Source], that was when he could roam freely in this nightmare.

Judging from the current progress of exploration, that day may not be far away...

Two names that were very likely the core of the nightmare were already forming in his mind.

【Evelyn】or 【Elizabeth】.

Zhou Kai tucked the notebook into his pocket and paced slowly in the cramped room, pondering as he waited for time to pass. From various clues, the truth he had been longing for seemed to be becoming increasingly clear.

"Elizabeth, who became pregnant out of wedlock, gave birth to Evelyn. She was regarded as a harlot by the townspeople and suffered all kinds of cold looks. In the end, she abandoned her family and lived alone in the mansion... Then one day, she was infected with nightmares."

"After the nightmare descended..."

“Those townspeople who spoke ill of her became, in her hatred, wanderers with their mouths nailed shut.”

“My daughter was forcibly taken away by the church… The guards who were supposed to protect the Soraka family stood by and did nothing, so…”

But soon, Zhou Kai seemed to realize something, and chuckled softly, rejecting the storyline he had just pieced together: "No, it's too smooth. The story is too smooth, like a third-rate script, with each character playing their part in a routine way. There must be some details I've overlooked."

Zhou Kai knew that there were still several questions that had not been answered.

The words left by Adams in "The Silent Puppet Master," the townspeople's bizarre sacrificial rituals, and the ineffable hints.

Even Zhou Kai experienced a double dream after escaping a nightmare.

All of this suggests that the core of the nightmare is definitely not that simple.

"But it doesn't matter."

"The truth? Who cares..."

In the darkness, Zhou Kai slowly clenched his fist, his eyes cold, and a slightly ferocious smile spread across his face.

“Kill them one by one. Evelyn, Elizabeth... Whoever dies changes the nightmare, that person becomes the source. It’s a consistent, simple, and efficient method.”

……

Time passes minute by minute.

Zhou Kai hid deep inside the mansion, completely unaware of whether the Willow Man had left.

Outside the mansion, the monster's claws were still scraping against the stone wall, and the sound came through the building structure.

If someone else were here, they would undoubtedly be stuck.

Without being in the shelter, one cannot escape the dream. If one wants to go back, there are two major obstacles on the way: Elizabeth and the Willow People. The probability of dying halfway is extremely high, and the corruption level will increase again.

But Zhou Kai had another way.

"Twenty-four experience points should be enough..."

Twenty-four experience points are not enough to upgrade any of the main skills.

But... that's enough to create a chance to turn things around.

So far, the item Zhou Kai has invested the most points in is the Moonlit Orchid Sprout, which he upgraded into an amulet with nine experience points. The second most valuable item is the cheap and effective heat-resistant gauntlet.

Now, it's time to create new items to assist us.

Zhou Kai silently recited to himself.

"Representation."

A gun that was originally hidden deep in his inventory and could not be seen without deliberately searching appeared in his hand, and the cold metallic touch made him feel refreshed.

[Gran Industries Anti-Material Sniper Rifle RK]

This big thing is inventory from the underground warehouse of Shangpinzhai Teahouse.

How powerful are anti-materiel sniper rifles?
In theory, they can penetrate armor plates several centimeters thick remotely...

As for a dream monster whose defenses could be broken by his sword, this thing's damage is absolutely excessive.

The weapon, entirely black, gleamed with a chilling light in the dim light; every part was designed for maximum efficiency in killing.

As the main long-range weapon for the foreseeable future, Zhou Kai needs it to become even stronger.

"Add some points. Goal: Make it usable and absolutely silent."

(End of this chapter)