Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Chapter 742 The Real Purpose

As the sun gradually sets, the light of the moonflower turns bluish-green under the overflowing darkness, while the base of the calyx remains pink. Bright red pollen drifts from the petals, its magical properties manifesting in the night. As the moon slowly rises, the floating pollen becomes increasingly lighter under the moonlight. The moon is the pollinator, and tonight, on this once-a-year full moon night, the moonflower will complete its pollination. During this process, the drifting pollen will adorn the night with breathtaking beauty.

The fluttering red pollen has become the agreed-upon end time for the Mooncrown Council. Next comes the Dryad Forest Spirits' celebration. Even if the Dream Elves don't go to sleep, they would rather spend this most beautiful night with their loved ones.

The ancient tree stretched out its roots, which wove a net above the druid's head. Fluorescent resin was applied to the fine vines as Tiffany instructed. Newly promulgated laws appeared above everyone's heads and would spread to every blade of grass and every tender leaf by the forest's mouth tomorrow.

New rules for dream games

[Rule Number 1: Real-name registration for Dream Game players.] Players can still change their virtual names, but their appearance in the Dream Game must match their real-life appearance. Despite player complaints, Tiffany firmly enforced this rule. The Dream Game is not a way to escape reality and act recklessly; this rule essentially eliminates the possibility of unscrupulous players swindling others without consequence. For players like Dordo who are open and honest, or like Kylo who disdains hiding their real names, real-name registration has little impact. However, some Windfury players who made their fortunes by swindling others will have to be careful from now on; now it's time to settle scores and seek revenge.

[Article Two, Game Time Reward System.] Players' active time in the Dream Game is no longer an unlimited right, but a reward, a form of compensation for their labor. Dream sprites working in the Druid Elder Council and the Royal Court need to complete work quotas to exchange for game time; underage sprites and Druid apprentices can only play for four hours a day, and must complete an equal amount of study time in the Dream; unemployed but adult individuals will have temporary assignments issued by the Elder Council based on their profession, using a task system similar to the Adventurers' Guild to help unemployed sprites find work. For those naturally undisciplined individuals, this form of labor is perfect—yes, we're talking about you, the disobedient Witherers.

[Article 3, clauses 1 and 2 apply to all Dream Spirits; everyone in the Dream Game is equal.] Regardless of status or power, this is an essential additional requirement for implementing a real-name system. Players in the Dream Game are equal; you are not required to be humble to the noble in the game, nor will you tolerate anyone forcing the weak to submit. When Tiffany repeated her words, her eyes seemed to burn with a flame—the majesty of a queen.

"Together, we have established these 'fair and just' rules and terms. You should all remember these provisions. This is an agreement I, Tiffany, the mistress of the Dream Forest, have reached with you. Under the witness of the spirits of nature, the covenant of the spirits is eternally pure." Tiffany did not speak of the other side; that would be the job of Consul Susanna, the Queen's godmother, who was accustomed to handling the darker side of royal power. Even though Tiffany had come of age twenty years ago, Susanna was still reluctant to delegate some discordant tasks to her, even though Tiffany had already learned them.

The Elf Queen crossed her legs, propped her smiling face up with her hand, and watched the druid slowly leave. Tiffany beckoned, and Kylo Ren came to her side. The outwardly calm Kylo Ren assumed his mistress was going to settle scores later; he had indeed obeyed the druid and contradicted her in the council.

Tiffany sized up her captain of the guard with a look of curiosity; in the game, the Queen's Eye had become a ruthless killer. Tiffany didn't seem to care much about the loss of face for the Queen's faction.

“My mother gave me a spot in the Dream Game, um… a month ago.” Tiffany found it amusing to watch Carol’s ever-changing expressions. “I’m laying my cards on the table. From now on, I want my own independent game time. Squeeze it out from government affairs. As for the extra work, you can distribute it internally.”

Playing with toys leads to the loss of ambition! A sign of becoming a useless person!

Kylo was absolutely loyal to the Queen and had a deep and clear sense of hierarchy; he almost couldn't help but point his finger at Tiffany and yell at her. The disappointment and anger of a strict parent watching their child fall into such a state of depravity consumed Kylo's entire being. Then, he fell silent.

Kylo Siren pondered for a moment. Just a few minutes ago, he had joined the other dream elves in promoting dream games as a beneficial form of entertainment and a stepping stone for dream elves' progress. Now, criticizing Queen Tiffany for being unlearned and indulging in frivolous pursuits, wouldn't that make him seem hypocritical? Kylo relaxed his clenched fist, looking at Tiffany with a complex expression.

"That's why you're discussing the Dream Game at this Mooncrown Council meeting..."

"In order to... in order to prevent the Queen's faction from refuting your actions."

The seemingly conservative ruler opposes new ideas, instigates the Queen's faction and the discordant Elder Council to unite against him, and sets clear terms to strengthen the rules of the dream game. In the end, everything is to allow Tiffany to play the game better.

The way you rack your brains and jump around is just like Susanna, and your simple and pure purpose of playing games is just like Ira Songn.

The queen, who possessed both wisdom and innocence, impressed Kylo with the successor nurtured by the two leaders, and her humble demeanor became even more respectful.

“My Queen, you are truly…surprising.”

Tiffany patted her skirt and rose from her throne. The elves had left, and the air in the Mooncrown Council was filled with a bewitching red glow. The Elf Queen moved with light, graceful steps, as if dancing. With each touch of her toes, red pollen rose around her with each leap. The sounds of trees stretching, fairies singing, and monsters screaming filled the air; the night came alive.

Kylo Siren dodged the dancing flower fairies and tree spirits and followed his mistress out of the nature carnival.

With the majesty of a queen seated on her throne and the vivacity of dancing among the fairies, Tiffany now presents a completely different image. The Elf Queen clasps her hands together against her left cheek, her large, bright eyes utterly adorable, and her pouting lips make her voice sound like it's hidden in pink bubbles.

"Boss, please mentor me."

Kylo Shiren smiled. He reiterated that the Shiren family were staunch supporters of the royal family, and Kylo, ​​their most outstanding member, was a steadfast Queen's bodyguard, absolutely loyal to the Queen and faithfully carrying out every order she gave. Regarding the third rule of the Dream Game—abandoning differences in status—Kylo Shiren vowed to let Tiffany experience the warmth of the game.

He gave a standard assassin-style response.

"Get out, and don't take any trash with you."

Chapter 743 The Beginning of the Nightmare

The spirits of nature are in a frenzy, celebrating the Mooncrown Festival. Although the dream elves cannot dance with them, they have their own way of celebrating.

Entering the dream from the Druid's crypt, the spirit sank into the glowing dreamland beneath its feet, wondering if the administrators would secretly update the game on special holidays, adding new content to celebrate. The dream sprite, now a player, looked around, a mixture of regret and relief washing over it—nothing had changed.

"The developers have been slacking off! Fellow players, let's make the most of the Mooncrown Festival and have some fun!" In high spirits, the players couldn't help but tease the few administrators who didn't know how to adapt to local customs while fighting monsters. It was in this atmosphere that a special player set foot on the land of the Dream Kingdom.

Tiffany tossed her long hair, gripped her hunting bow for a moment, and then slipped into disguise. Her class was Hunter, specializing in Ghost Hunter. As a core member of the Queen's faction, Tiffany's class choice leaned towards the archer, a role more representative of the elven race. She was athletic and enjoyed solo play immensely. Political affairs and the Queen's faction's lax discipline meant she had little time for gameplay, and her equipment level lagged behind the vanguard, but Tiffany accepted it until she was backstabbed several times by assassin squads.

Tiffany didn't show it, but Her Majesty the Queen's imposition of those restrictions was entirely self-serving; even she couldn't tolerate the players' outrageous behavior. Before the real-name system, Tiffany had been frustrated by her own guards' repeated mobs—the equipment level was far too low, she was completely outmatched, and they even camped her corpse. She could certainly reveal her identity and punish those king-killers, but self-destructing when she couldn't win would be too shameful. Now, with the real-name system, although Tiffany herself emphasized that real-life social status shouldn't be brought into the game, these guards' assassins would at least think twice before gripping their blades after seeing her face.

Tiffany suddenly felt a little uneasy as she recalled Kylo Siren, her most loyal retainer who had so gracefully disappeared into the shadows.

"Never mind, the game is the priority. Finally, I don't have to play secretly anymore." Tiffany walked into the jungle to begin her adventure.

……

Tonight, the dream realm is noticeably more lively; the players' clamor almost pierces the Emerald Dream's barrier, reaching that towering wall that isolates the ocean of the subconscious. The light of justice shines in the dream, like a beautiful lighthouse, while beneath the chaotic tides, profound whispers are brewing.

The sleeper... is about to awaken...

We... are the vanguard...

The churning ocean of the subconscious began to churn, and roaring waves of souls crashed against the barrier, the power of dreams isolating the chaos within. As the waves receded, twisted limbs clung to the base of the barrier.

Limbs covered in pustules crawled like worms, supporting the twisted nightmare body beneath the ocean. The nightmare monster, the size of a small hill, throbbed. This mutated heart monster had matured, its evolutionary level infinitely approaching that of the nightmare behemoth that Susanna existed. After Lyle took away all the children of the invisible, the evil god's immune system made a new response.

[Erosion...Incubation...] The pointed tentacles tapped against the barrier, and the pus-covered mass began to glow, silently passing through the barrier formed by the combined power of dreams and holy light, unnoticed by anyone. The writhing nightmare did not climb the barrier; its body shrank with a soft explosion, like a bursting bubble. The towering barrier returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

……

Susanna was restless tonight. She wasn't sure why, but the Dream Kingdom had too many people entering the dream world tonight, and the Blue Dragon server was already running at super-fast speed. Irason was slacking off somewhere, and Lyle was just adding whatever new things he wanted to the bottom layer of the dream world at will. The spell codes that kept getting errors were all thanks to this evil god's larva and his group of invisible children.

"Thank you for refusing Lyle's suggestion to add content tonight, Madam Archon." The mirrored blue dragon, who was close to Susanna, continued its work of surveying the spell model, and took a moment to express its gratitude to the aloof archon.

Susanna finished exploring the dream and, recalling Lyle's recent enthusiasm for preparing a big gift for the dream sprite, softened her voice considerably when speaking to Christo.

“I rejected him out of personal reasons; we just happened to have the same goal.”

Christo's mirror image paused in a human-like manner, perhaps as if to break the silence.

"Madam Consul, you are still concerned about those unseen children."

Susanna didn't hide anything, nodding in agreement. "Subduing them was Lyle's most absurd decision. I have a connection with those young, and I understand the difference between them and me. Lyle is playing with fire..." The tall governor looked somewhat vulnerable; this display of inner turmoil was something he should never have shown to the blue dragon before. Christo was certain Susanna was truly exhausted. "He's indirectly confusing my beliefs. There's always a voice inside me telling me to stop being hostile to my own kind. But I can't do it. If I accept them, I'll also accept that assimilative love... I need a rest."

Christo agreed and bid farewell to Susanna, who was beginning to rise. The blue dragon was now in a deeper layer of the Emerald Dream, an area where one would absolutely get lost without the guidance of a dream druid. The skilled arcane blue dragon had already set up magical channels along the way, so even without the power of the dream realm, he could transform into magic and return to the Emerald Dream by following the channels.

Susanna returned to the Dream Kingdom, back to the starting city where players gathered. Taking a few deep breaths, the governor felt much more relaxed. The Deep Dream was now full of glowing mana runes, but that dark, enclosed feeling still lingered. She felt like she had developed thalassophobia. Susanna mocked herself inwardly, thinking that she was born from chaos.

Having known Irason for so long, the Nightmare's Daughter has indeed changed a lot; she now loves sunshine and greenery. More than the whispers of nightmares, Susanna enjoys probing these lower-level energies—like now, the simple power of dreams, the slightly stinging power of holy light, and the sweet power of the evil god. That Lyle guy has actually used his own existence to erode so much…

!!!

Susanna felt a chill run down her spine. The scent was all too familiar; it was a power that filled her body with joy, a power that emanated from chaos. A dense power seeped from the environment of the dream realm, yet the Archon's heart, which was gradually strengthening, was sinking. Lyle could never achieve this.

Black and purple thorns surged forth in the pure white city of beginnings, distorting dreams and assimilating souls. She seemed to be burning, every ounce of power growing restless and agitated. With the help of her administrator privileges, Susanna immediately sounded a warning announcement throughout the dream realm.

[Everyone! Immediately approach the powerful NPC and return to the starting city with him! This is an order! Execute immediately!]

A powerful tremor was generated by Susanna's power, causing the entire dream realm to shake. This was not Susanna's doing, but rather the reaction of another being that had sensed the power of the evil god.

The reaction comes from the earth.

The dreamland has turned into a nightmare kingdom.

Chapter 744 Self-Salvation

Charles blocked the attack, using the rock spikes growing from the edge of his shield to plunge them deep into the monster's skull. With a soft splatter, the spray of dark purple liquid arced through the air.

[Vibrant Blessing]

The priest's blessing shimmered on the blood-covered armor as the defender raised his right arm and hurled a stone spear, piercing three bugs that were trying to harass the priestess.

There was a problem, a huge problem. Charles's eyebrows furrowed so tightly they almost met, his one-handed sword swinging with unwavering precision. There were too many of them; wave after wave of monsters were attacking the squad, and their numbers continued to grow. In the past, Charles would have laughed in his sleep at this situation, but facing these festering monsters, their forms like wax dissolving into sludge, a chill ran down his spine, calming even the most impulsive thoughts. These damned things were like the vomit of a mad designer in a drunken stupor; even the health bars above their heads were writhing, twisting, blurring, and becoming invisible. And it wasn't just these monsters turning into indescribable curry jelly-like substances; everything Charles saw, except for his fellow players, was decaying and decaying.

Rocks softened and bent, the land melted into swamps, and the upright woody plants shed their decomposed outer shells, yet their cores remained alive; branches inscribed with magical circuits had transformed into tentacles that lashed out at everything. Worse still, screams, a mind-numbing, dizzying whisper, echoed in every inch of the air.

The dream elf was very familiar with this feeling; many of his brethren had died under such torment during that war. This was the [whisper of God], the madness that inevitably one feels when nearing the true form of the evil god's kin. The only saving grace was that this gradually collapsing madness still gave them room to react. Realizing the dire situation, the commander immediately stopped his good brother, who had gone berserk and entered a state of frenzy, and prepared to gather the team to move away from the corruption of chaos.

The whispers were so clear that everyone would instinctively turn away.

Charles begged Essena to cast Clarity on the three of them again, damn it, the whispers were everywhere, as if they weren't facing Chaos, but inside Chaos's gut.

Vision began to blur, and the calls of their companions almost vanished along with their indistinct outlines. In this moment of peril, the towering black thorns became the only beacon amidst the vibrant colors, and the governor's cold, hard commands sounded like heavenly music.

"My brother, the time has come." The War Druid answered the call, and the Defender Knights paved a path of rocks through the chaos.

Elves are long-lived creatures, and long-lived creatures are all vengeful, but elves are the most vengeful of all long-lived creatures.

A surging frenzy enveloped his reddened, naked body. Doruro pulled his thigh from the mud, his suppressed rage driving away his madness. The Moon Priest condensed holy light in his hands, the power of justice dazzlingly bright. The pent-up anger within him was ignited. The Dragon's Kin once again faced his nemesis. The blood-and-tears-forged hatred, tempered by time, meant that no proud, aloof green dragon would allow his head to bow again.

The governor suppressed the whispers of nightmares, and the seasoned elves had already entered a state of war. But not all elves could adapt quickly to this chaos; the legacy continued, and the new generation was still quite inexperienced at this moment.

"What is this?! Run!"

"I'm sinking! Help me!!"

"Protect the others, Laurie, you idiot!"

It was a complete mess, a total disaster. The apprentices, still clinging to a playful attitude, were utterly panicked by the deteriorating environment. Overwhelmed by chaos, they screamed and fled, or were chased haphazardly by wild monsters. The slightly more mature, newly-adult elves tried to organize their companions like their mentors, barely managing to maintain formation against the onslaught of monsters. Wounds appeared on their limbs, chest, and abdomen; their dwindling stamina bars represented despair; their vision was a blood-red blur—they were victims of a nightmare.

The swift arrow pierced the monster's leg joint, and the still-charging, roaring monster immediately lost its balance and tumbled to the ground, becoming an obstacle and causing a series of bloody collisions. Tiffany, before even releasing her bowstring, immediately rolled forward to dodge the monster's attack, followed by a large horde of out-of-control monsters. Even with their health bars depleted, they wouldn't be killed; lacking weaknesses like heads and hearts, breaking joints to restrict mobility became the best course of action. This was the predicament the Elf Queen now faced. The monsters had corrupted the Dream Kingdom, and many players were besieged and in danger, not because they had disobeyed the Archon's orders, but because they lacked the power to carry them out.

"They promised there was no danger!" The Queen, her mood volatile, continued to mutter to herself while rescuing her subjects. The thought of her trusted subjects still in chaos tore at her heartstrings. Guilt and helplessness caused Tiffany's bowstring to lose its strength. Negligence was a fatal mistake. Tiffany broke out in a cold sweat; she had been distracted for a few seconds, and the space she could have used to dodge had been completely devoured by the twisted monster.

Her beautiful blonde hair was stained with the corrosive blood of her enemies, the nauseating smell making Tiffany's face even colder. She had to break through; her people needed her. Bowing, Tiffany picked up her short sword. The claw mark that had marred her beautiful cheek was less than an inch from her right eye, her emerald green eyes filled with a fierce, malevolent light.

Even faster than her came the shadow of death appearing in her field of vision. The blades of slaughter danced, blood splattered, and the monster's screams echoed the rhythm of the cutting. The corrupted monsters didn't truly die, but being nimbly chopped into a pulp was tantamount to death.

Powerful, sinister, and with a beauty that intertwines violence and death.

Tiffany held her breath, realizing why those players had developed such psychological trauma. The Deathblade sheathed its edge, bowing low before the queen it served.

"Kylo Shinobu".

"My Queen." The assassin captain, whose level completely overwhelmed the lower-level area, came to her rescue in time, cutting through everything with ease.

"You came very quickly." The assassin caught the joy in her voice, her expression indifferent beneath the hood, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Serving as the Queen's guard is my duty."

It's impossible not to be moved. Queen Tiffany also has her girlish thoughts; being rescued by a powerful man of the opposite sex in times of danger, the little flutter of hormones is indescribable. Although Kylo Shirou is usually a bit too controlling, nagging like an annoying old woman, and always has a stern face, his cool demeanor when he emerges from the bloodbath is quite captivating. While his blind loyalty can sometimes be excessive, he does have his merits.

As her adolescent mind began to stir, Tiffany's intelligence did not decline; instead, she discovered new clues.

"Kylo".

"My Queen".

Tiffany's expression was calm, her eyes looking at a dead person.