I created a safe zone in the nightmare world.

Another location, about several dozen nightmare zones away from the Giant Tree Camp.

Yishi Village Camp.

This camp was built on the original site of the former Stone Village, with the village's ancestral hall at its core. This ancestral hall, imbued with supernatural power under the influence of nightmares, is Stone Village's greatest asset.

Stone Village is also the strongest camp within the Red Maple Alliance, below Red Maple Town.

at this time,

Inside the ancestral hall, Shi Wannian, the strongest and leader of the Stone Village camp, convened a secret meeting. He summoned two other extraordinary individuals and three of his direct subordinates to discuss the safe zone and the auction.

The second leader was a burly man with a thick beard, and he frowned.

"There seem to be rumors that there are hidden dangers in the shops in the safe zone, that it's a devil's temptation."

Of course, such rumors might fool ordinary dream sufferers, but to them they are obviously fake.

But Red Maple Town's attitude is very clear.

Leaving aside the fact that they are hostile to the safe zone, at the very least, the entire alliance within Burning Maple City maintains a distance from the safe zone.

Their Stone Village camp, nominally under the jurisdiction of Red Maple Town, was actually subject to Red Maple Town in many ways.

The three leaders hesitated for a moment before saying, "It seems that the strength of this safe zone camp is no weaker than that of Red Maple Town..."

The second leader said, "That's true, but as far as I know, the safe zone headquarters is far from here, in the Baijiang City area. Red Maple Town, on the other hand, is very close to us."

The two had long suspected the purpose of today's secret meeting.

Because there is another extraordinary expert in the Stone Village camp, but that person is very close to Red Maple Town.

Chief Shi Wannian said, "It's not about befriending the safe zone. It's just that, according to my information, this auction contains items that can help one advance to the extraordinary level. Any camp that acquires these items could see a significant increase in strength!"

These Nightmare Camp forces are very familiar with the surrounding area. For those at the peak of the Third Refinement Realm who come from the camp, advancing through the extraordinary ritual is easier for them than for Dream Fallers in the mortal world.

However, the camp's forces also have their weaknesses. They lack basic supplies, especially recovery medicines. Being from the camp, they must frequently fight against the supernatural and face waves of supernatural beings from time to time.

Over time, many experts at the third level of the Refinement Realm were covered in hidden injuries.

Currently, there are eleven peak-level cultivators in the entire Stone Village camp, but only two have reached the transcendental ritual. The other nine are mostly veteran peak-level experts, and their basic physical conditions are clearly not up to standard.

"Not only that..."

Shi Wannian said, "You all know how scarce our medicine resources are in Shicun camp. We lack raw materials, facilities, and personnel to manufacture medicines. Therefore, we are at the mercy of Red Maple Town in every way."

"Furthermore, Lord Ranfeng has repeatedly tried to inquire about our Stone Village's ancestral hall, so we must find a way out!"

The ancestral hall is the biggest asset of the Shicun camp.

To outsiders, including most of the dreamers in the Stone Village camp, the ancestral hall was somewhat mysterious but far from being a spectacular building.

But the three leaders present knew perfectly well that the ancestral hall was a marvel of architecture!

It is a wondrous building born from a mutation with an extremely low probability, influenced by the rules of nightmares.

"Seokmura Ancestral Hall"

"Ability: Can grant revelation, indicating the location of rare treasures and special areas in the vicinity. The scope is limited to the area around the shrine. This revelation has a cooldown period."

After Shi Wannian fell into a dream in Shicun, he spent several months figuring out how to use the ancestral hall.

Despite lacking a geographical advantage, Shicun camp, relying on the ancestral hall, gradually developed and grew.

Now, he has to make another somewhat risky, but necessary, decision.

The three leaders said, "Boss Shi, do you mean we should go to the safe zone to hold an auction and purchase supplies? Secretly negotiate some cooperation with the safe zone to break free from the oppression of Red Maple Town?"

Shi Wannian: "That's right. Of course, we must keep this operation secret. After I leave, you need to create the illusion that I am still in the Stone Village camp to avoid arousing suspicion in Red Maple Town."

"Understood."

The second leader paused and said, "But since the risk is quite high, why don't we change our approach and hire a top-notch team to go to the safe zone to bid on our behalf?" Shi Wannian shook his head: "No. The auction items are too tempting, not only for us but for everyone else. Besides, we want more than just the auction items; I won't feel at ease unless I go myself."

Around the same time.

In a secluded corner of the Whispering Forest, there exists a small camp unknown to outsiders.

Dark Hunter Camp!

The Dark Hunter Camp is not a faction within the Red Maple Alliance. Strictly speaking, the Dark Hunter Camp does not possess the conditions necessary for long-term human survival; it is merely a base.

The stronghold of the Dark Hunter Mercenary Group.

This is an elite team of all strong individuals. They are active throughout the Whispering Forest, taking on commissions from various factions. They accept all types of commissions, whether it's hunting down monsters, delivering messages across regions, or assassinating powerful figures of high status.

The Dark Hunter Mercenary Group consists of twelve members, and will always remain at twelve.

Among them, the leader and deputy leader are both extraordinary experts.

Such a mercenary group is not something that even the town of Red Maple would easily provoke.

this day,

The guild leader, Dark Blade, spoke up: "Get ready, we're heading to the safe zone camp."

"Safe zone camp?"

As a mercenary group active in the Nightmare Wilderness and with connections to many camps and factions, the Dark Hunters have extensive information channels.

The team members had all heard of this safe zone camp.

Some people have even heard of auctions.

"I remember the auction is in six days. Master, has some powerful organization commissioned this time? Is it for competing items, or...?"

The team member made a chopping gesture.

The Dark Blade leader spoke up: "None of those. Even if there were requests that might put us at odds with the safe zone, we absolutely cannot accept them." He said this with great seriousness.

Just like how he never accepts missions that would directly conflict with Red Maple Town.

The Dark Blade leader added, "It's my own idea to go. There are many excellent items at this auction. Among them are some rare items that we can't normally get our hands on."

"Isn't it easier to win a bid by paying money than to toil away on high-risk missions for powerful organizations and receive only a pittance in return?"

Others wholeheartedly agreed.

Their Dark Hunter mercenary group was renowned and treated as honored guests at any camp they visited.

But their lives weren't easy either; all their resources were earned through hard work.

The Dark Blade leader continued, "Not only that, our mercenary group makes a living by taking on various missions, and it's said that there are quite a few high-level commissions posted in the safe zone camp. Many forces in the three cities and many other places will post commissions in the safe zone. There is no place more suitable for us than the safe zone!" He seemed to see a brighter future for the Dark Hunter Mercenary Group.

At this moment, the deputy leader said, "Leader, I'm not trying to discourage you, but the auction in the safe zone does indeed not require invitations. In fact, you could say the membership card serves as the auction's invitation. However..."

The deputy leader shrugged: "We don't have a single member here."

The commander said under his breath, "This is indeed a problem, but there is a solution. Let's go to the Stone Village camp."

A camp under the Red Maple Alliance.

"An auction?"

One of the leaders hesitated and considered for a long time before saying, "Fine, since Lord Burning Maple has issued a ban, let's stay away from the safe zone. It's just an auction after all."

Another camp.

The leader, who wasn't very well-informed, muttered, "How strange. I feel like Old Chen from Giant Tree Camp and Old Shi from Stone Village Camp have been acting a bit mysterious lately. Oh well, never mind."

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, only two days remain until the start of the second auction in the safe zone.

News of the auction is still spreading, and during this time, many forces and extraordinary experts are preparing for it.

In the present world,

The Countermeasures Bureau is the largest and wealthiest force.

But in large organizations like the House of Wizards, the Grey Robes and Lady Lowe, who are the second and third in command, are equally wealthy.

They have raised a large sum of Dream Crystals, which they intend to use at the auction.

This auction featured even more rare items, but the extraordinary individuals who attended were primarily bidding for treasures for their juniors.

Among the auction items, there weren't many that were truly attractive to the extraordinary, only a few items such as second-tier rare cursed artifacts, blood-regenerating and rebirth potions, and rare-grade spell scrolls (actually, there were already quite a few).

Auctions are far more attractive to powerful leaders than to lone wolf extraordinary beings.

However, there are almost no lone wolves among those who can enter the extraordinary realm.

Compared to the leaders of organizations in the real world, the camp leaders are much more strapped for cash.

At this moment, at the Giant Tree Camp.

"Chief, we've only managed to gather 600 Dream Crystals so far. That's probably not enough to acquire many rare items, and we still need to purchase a large amount of supplies. But if we gather even more Dream Crystals, I'm afraid it will attract the attention of the other two."

The three leaders of the Giant Tree Camp each lead a faction.

Three of the leaders also have close ties with Red Maple Town.

Chen Shouyi frowned: "We can't raise any more funds. This time, we need to prioritize safety when going to the safe zone, but..."

If he went to the auction empty-handed, just going through the motions, Chen Shouyi would feel unwilling.

If you miss this opportunity, who knows when the next safe zone auction will be.

"Since that's the case, then we have no choice but to..."

After a few hours,

Chen Shouyi, along with his only two loyal followers who held memberships, once again arrived at the safe zone.

This is his third time entering the safe zone.

As the camp leader, he couldn't stay in the safe zone for too long, so he didn't stay there for very long.

But every time he comes here, he is amazed.

"With the auction approaching, it seems there are even more extraordinary experts appearing in the safe zone."

Chen Shouyi seemed quite familiar with the safe zone.

He first made an appointment to queue at the training ground, and then went on a buying spree at the trading house.

He didn't stop until he had filled several of his carry-on storage suitcases to the brim.

He glanced at the training field next door and sighed softly.

"It's a pity that the vast majority of people in my Giantwood Camp are not members."

The training ground was indeed useful to him and his two trusted subordinates, but this training ground was more suitable for newcomers.

That is indeed the case.

Many newcomers in Baijiang City have undergone a rapid transformation through the training grounds.

However, in the real world, many dreamers can enter the safe zone through portals opened by members as long as they form a team.

Those of them, trapped deep within the nightmare, cannot.

The newlyweds can't get in.

Only the portals that randomly appear in the Nightmare Wilderness within the safe zone are completely unrestricted, allowing anyone to enter and exit at will.

"Next time, if we happen to encounter a shop in the safe zone, we must bring all the promising little guys from the camp there."

Chen Shouyi thought to himself.

He walked deeper into the corridor on the side of the hall and came to a place called the "Authentication Room".

He walked into one of the testing rooms.

"I heard this place can appraise treasures?"

"Yes, sir. If you wish to consign your items for auction, you can do so directly here. We will charge a 15% fee for successfully auctioned items, and no handling fee will be charged for items that do not sell."

The staff member said, "In addition, if you don't plan to consign the item for auction and just want it appraised, there will be a small appraisal fee. Our prices are fair."

Chen Shouyi had some understanding of it.

He immediately took out more than a dozen boxes containing treasures, all of which were rare items.

Materials, elixirs, and props.

Chen Shouyi initially thought the staff member was very young and didn't seem like an appraiser.

Unexpectedly, the staff member turned around and placed the treasure on a machine next to him.

In just a few seconds,

"Beep~!"

"Analysis complete."

A line of small text appeared word by word on the display screen above the machine.

Chen Shouyi immediately went over to take a look.

This is a rare and precious medicinal herb.

Both are rare-grade medicinal herbs, but the lower-grade ones might only be worth 30 Dream Crystals, while the higher-grade ones might cost hundreds of Dream Crystals.

Even for the same type of precious medicine, the price can vary greatly depending on the year, harvesting method, and preservation method.

Precious medicines are the most difficult to identify!

"Clear Herb (Rare)"

"Description: A type of precious medicine, it enhances mental strength, illusion magic, and resistance to erosion. When used in potions, it can exert even greater effects. Based on assessment and considering current regional price fluctuations, this Pure Heart Grass is valued at 130 Dream Crystals."

"Suggested purchase price...; Suggested starting bid price..."

Chen Shouyi thought to himself, "This price is very accurate!"

He then examined all the remaining items and discovered that the amazing machine's appraisal was both fast and accurate.

If it were an appraiser, they probably wouldn't have even finished appraising the first item yet.

"and……"

He glanced at one of the red blade materials: "This material can actually be used in medicine, almost like half a precious medicine? I misjudged it before." Regaining his composure, Chen Shouyi asked:

"If I don't intend to put these treasures up for auction, could they be used to make up the difference in price after the bidding?"

The staff member said:

"That's fine, sir. If you don't have enough Dream Crystals during the auction, you can use treasures to offset the cost at any time. But then you'll have to make up the difference in Dream Crystals at the purchase price." Chen Shouyi nodded slightly.

His main concern was that he couldn't bear to put all these treasures up for auction, as some of them were rare items that were difficult to buy even with money.

He had no idea how much he would spend at the auction.

After looking at the reasonably priced offers, he thought for a moment and decided to consign these few items for auction first.