Chapter 207

Chapter 207

In the Dream World, during a time of great change in the world lines.

A towering figure, draped in a hood, suddenly sensed something and lifted its head to look at the sky.

The sky, veiled by mist and a blood-red moon, was suddenly streaked by a shooting star. If this were Earth, someone might have started making a wish on it. But in the Dream World, no one would do such a thing. For the inhabitants here knew that the red moon hanging high above and the twinkling stars were not as harmless as they appeared on the surface.

These celestial phenomena were manifestations of the evil gods' power. If one were to make a wish upon a star, there might be one fewer resident in the Dream World the next day, replaced by another servant of the evil god.

As for shooting stars, they were occurrences that had never been witnessed before. If stars represented the evil gods, what did shooting stars symbolize?

The tall figure lifted its hood, revealing Ogar's face. He whispered, "An evil god has fallen?"

Why? There hadn't been any indication of a battle between the old gods and the evil gods lately. The two sides had maintained a peaceful coexistence for quite some time.

Moreover, it seemed not just an evil god was involved.

With a thought, Ogar looked ahead. The area he intended to investigate, the city of Eternal Aurora, had actually darkened for a brief moment?

Though but an instant, in the Dreamworld, any land untouched by the Malevolent God's madness was a manifestation of the Old Gods' power, including one of the Thirteen Perfect Ones whom Ogier was about to approach.

Considering this, Ogier hastened his pace. Though he didn't understand the reason for this shift, it was evident that such a change would lead to disorder in governance – an opportune moment for Ogier to probe this individual's true nature.

If this entity was indeed Judas, sooner or later, their true colors would show.

...

In the real world.

Lane opened his eyes, but instead of returning to reality, he found himself directly in the Realm of Dreams.

To be honest, while it had been exhilarating to give Judah a piece of his mind at the time, Lane couldn't help but feel a bit anxious afterwards. He didn't regret his actions, but after all the effort and time invested, there was a chance it could amount to nothing...

However, upon arriving here, Lane froze, instinctively rubbing his eyes.

"One layer, two layers, three layers, four layers, five layers, six layers, seven layers??" Lane looked up in confusion at the additional levels that had appeared in the Realm of Dreams above him. He counted again, just to be sure. Yes, there were indeed seven layers.

What was going on?? How did it suddenly gain two extra layers??

Lan immediately realized something and turned his head towards the approaching speck of light, indeed finding another one there.

It was Amos's speck, abnormally enthusiastic, that approached Lan without waiting for him to reach out.

Unconsciously, Lan immersed his consciousness into the light, revealing an image.

It seemed to be the campus of Michigan University in reality, where Kerry was busy recording a set of data in a research facility. However, his expression appeared utterly hopeless at the moment. The reason was none other than the humanoid creature named Amos who wouldn't stop talking beside him.

"Too bad, Kerry, you couldn't come along on this trip. I mean, after all, Lord Lan specifically requested my company," Amos said with a broad smile, seemingly oblivious to Kerry's irritation or, if he noticed it, not caring.

"Oh, I almost forgot. We're now official colleagues, and I'm also a believer of Lord Lan. Hmm? What's that look on your face? Are you angry? Worried that I'll take away Lord Lan's attention? Don't worry; we're friends. I'll speak highly of you in front of Lord Lan."

"Shut up, Amos."

"Ahaha, I knew you'd be jealous of me spending so much time alone with Lord Lan," Amos shook his head and sighed. "But I understand. Still, don't you want to know what Lord Lan has been doing? If you really don't know about the great deeds accomplished by that Lord, you'll surely regret it!"

"Cough, cough!" Seeing Amos was about to boast about the previous dungeon, Lan hurriedly interrupted. After all, he hadn't done anything significant in the last dungeon; most of the achievements were thanks to the players. It would be awkward to take credit for himself.

"Lord Lan!" Amos's eyes brightened as he spoke sentimentally under Kerry's disdainful gaze. "Can you sense my devotion, Lan..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he sensed that the gaze had shifted away from him, causing him to freeze on the spot.

Cyril, observing his reaction, guessed what had happened and said with a mocking tone, "Heh, it seems someone has only barely managed to become a devotee. I suppose they rank at the very bottom in Lord Lann's estimation."

He had expected Amos to be discouraged, for since he had known this man, Amos had never failed to win someone's favor. He always effortlessly gained people's trust. Logically, Amos should feel disappointed for not having secured a place in Lann's heart yet. Instead, all Cyril saw on the man's face was obsession and fervor.

"The merciless side of Lord Lann is equally enchanting," Amos mused.

Cyril: ...

...

Glancing over, he confirmed that Amos had indeed become a True Believer, though he wasn't sure when exactly this occurred. This could explain the additional layer that had appeared in the Gap of Dreams.

As for the other layer...

Lane recalled his time at MIT. It was because he had altered MIT's original destiny, corresponding to the keyword 'Overturner of Fate,' that the fifth layer of the Gap of Dreams had opened up to him. Now, considering the significant changes in the fate of the new harbor, it seemed logical that this new layer had emerged for a similar reason.

For a moment, Lane felt a surge of excitement. Although he had anticipated the fixation of the dream and the subsequent rewriting of reality, he was still curious about the exact changes that had taken place in history and the present.

However, he suppressed the urge to immediately return to reality and decided to explore his newfound abilities first.

He started with the sixth level, which was identical to before: a stone table with two objects on it. This time, however, the items were somewhat abstract – a flower and an hourglass-shaped object.

Lane approached the flower first for inspection. As expected, it seemed to be the embodiment of Amos's Origin Ability. Reaching out, he touched the bloom.

Sure enough, the moment Lane's fingers brushed against the petal, he faintly heard Amos's voice in his ear. Then, as he opened his eyes, he was astounded by what he saw.

The platform in the Dream Gap, which had been empty before, was now adorned with countless flowers.

Blossom after blossom, a stunning floral sea blanketed the once-barren surface. Without even touching them, Lane knew these were part of Amos's collection.

Just like before, when Amos became Lane's True Believer, Lane could wield his Origin Ability. However, he had assumed that it would work the same way as Amos's power, allowing him to plunder others' abilities. To his surprise, it went beyond that – Lane could now freely use all the abilities Amos had amassed over the years.

"..."

For a moment, Lane felt a whirlwind of emotions. He waved his hand, and the flowers on the ground vanished from sight.

Having tested Amos's ability, Lane turned his attention to the other object – the hourglass-like structure.

This time, as soon as he touched the hourglass, a new ability description appeared automatically in his mind, leaving Lane with widened eyes in astonishment.

"Time Hourglass

Function: By consuming the sand within, it creates an imprint at a specific point in time. Inverting the hourglass later allows one to return to that recorded moment. Sand resets after 24 hours."

While the explanation might sound lengthy, Lane could convey its essence to anyone with just a brief mention.

"Save Point!"

Though usable only once every 24 hours, the significance of this ability filled Lane with immense surprise—it was as if he had gained an extra life!

Moreover, this was entirely different from the spatial ability he had awakened previously. If anything, it should be classified under temporal abilities. This realization made Lane's thoughts about his origins even more convoluted.

Recalling the players' speculations and jokes on forums, Lane felt a peculiar weight on his heart. No way, no way, he couldn't possibly be Bubble's child, right?

Time, space, doors – creations reminiscent of the Black Goat. The parallels were striking, almost as if the answer was staring him in the face.

After a moment, he managed to suppress his complicated emotions. Regardless of how intricate his background might be, the most pressing matter now was still finding a solution to the crisis at hand. Even if there was a connection between him and those two entities, at heart, he would still stand with humanity.

Surely, surely, there couldn't be anyone who would genuinely prefer a world tainted by an evil deity? A realm devoid of games and joy, where everything is a grotesque distortion—such a place wouldn't offer the slightest motivation to live!

Taking a deep breath, Len looked toward the seventh platform.

According to Amos's previous account, the seventh level marked humanity's current limit. Beyond that, the path was severed, and humans lacked the capability to progress further.

However, Len was already aware of the reason behind this, and it shouldn't greatly impact him.

Ascending the steps, Len found that there was no stone table on this level. Instead, a large, shimmering, multicolored orb stood in its place, emanating a comforting aura, akin to... a mother's embrace?

Before he knew it, Len had involuntarily approached the orb, which, sensing his arrival, opened its arms to him.

Len snapped his eyes wide open, realizing that the surroundings had undergone a drastic transformation. The Dream Gap was gone, replaced by a dark, warm, and moist expanse.

What happened? Where am I?

Startled by this sudden turn of events, Len broke into a cold sweat. Instinctively, he tried to employ his powers but found them sluggish and unresponsive. Before he could attempt to muster more strength, a magnificent and loving consciousness enveloped him.

In an instant, Len understood who or what It was.

Comparable to literary imaginings that attribute Earth's consciousness to a single entity called 'Gaia' or the collective subconscious of primates as 'Araiyah,' in this world, while the actual Earth lacks sentience, the Dream World indeed possesses one.

Unnamed, if one were to assign a title, it would be the very essence of Dreams. This entity transcends human, Old God, and even Evil God existence, serving as the origin of all life within the world.

At the sixth level, one awakens further to the nature and authority of the Old Gods.

Upon grasping the message conveyed by this entity, Lane completely relaxed his mind, allowing that lingering will to guide him deeper into the realm of dreams.

Somewhere along the timeline, dreams emerged before 'matter,' and after the birth of the Dream, or one might say, the spirit, soul, or Grand Will (by any name), It gave rise to materiality within the body, shaping the ancient continents of the Dream World.

Back then, the makeshift material world He created was minuscule and barren, until the emergence of the Old Gods and the Perfected Beings.

The Old Gods were born directly from the Dream World, inherently capable of wielding the power of dreams to reshape reality. The Perfected Beings, on the other hand, were a species spontaneously cultivated by the land of the Dream World. Over time, it was discovered that these beings possessed remarkable intelligence and, like others, they also dreamed. Their dreams would intertwine with reality, subtly influencing it.

The more diverse the life forms, the richer the spirits and souls became. Their active minds and dreams, in turn, expanded the Dream World. As creatures of the Dream World, the Old Gods had a particular fondness for this species, often engaging them in play. With the favor of both the Old Gods and the Dream World, the Perfected Beings became the dominant force within it. Some of their more willpowerful individuals even embarked on the path to divinity.

Until the arrival of the Dark Gods.

In his dream, Lane's brow furrowed slightly.

For the first time in the Dream World, a blood moon appeared in the sky.

The rest of the story, Lane had already known. Due to the malevolent deities' ability to corrupt minds, they were, to some extent, the nemesis of the Dream World. They corrupted the Perfect Humans, who in turn contaminated the world with their corrupted minds, causing chaos in the Dream World. As a result, the consciousness of the Dream World fell into slumber. Also, because the Dream World was tainted, its last offspring couldn't be born before it fell asleep.

That last offspring was none other than Lane.

Lane: ??

Then how did he come into existence?

However, that will didn't answer Lane's question. After all, it wasn't the true will of the Dream World but only a remnant fragment. It lingered around Lane's soul affectionately before dissipating like dust in the wind.

At the same time, a flood of knowledge entered Lane's mind, elevating his understanding of dreams to new heights. Now, if he wished, he could manipulate the dreams of all his believers. If he were sent back to before the harbor dungeon opened, he wouldn't need Amos's help to scare the cultists; he could directly plunge them into dreams. Even if he were to compete with Judas for control over dreams...

Well, he might still lose, but at least he could hold out for a considerable amount of time.

Some instinct also warned him that if he returned to the Dream World, his comprehension and manipulation of dreams would deepen even further. The real world was too "barren" compared to the Dream World, which was the antithesis of the material realm, opposing the spirit. For the Old Gods, who were the darlings of dreams, this place was indeed an unyielding wasteland.

Only in the Dream World could they truly flourish, like fish in water or birds in the sky.

Regaining his composure, Lane slowly exhaled. This harvest had far exceeded his expectations.

What changes had reality undergone in the meantime?

He closed his eyes, transitioning from the realm of dreams back to reality.

...

The Players' Forum.

With the dungeon cleared, players logged out of the game but not before boasting on the forum.

Milk Tea Dog: Dungeon cleared! Utterly satisfied!

Crazy Scientist: Did you guys see me at the end?! See me? I was on that hot air balloon! It was my first time making one, and believe it or not, it was in the game, and I succeeded!

Taibai Venus: You only managed it by borrowing an NPC's help (gossiping gesture)

Crazy Scientist: Hehe, still counts as a success, right? Wasn't I cool? I saved everyone in the city in the end!

Bloodthirsty Follower: Hmm, if I were to be precise, it was actually the big shots who saved the day, following their plan. @Divine Being on Earth.

Crazy Scientist: Yeah, that's true.

Divine Being on Earth: No, it's all thanks to everyone's efforts. (laughs) Especially the scientist, the timing was impeccable.

Crazy Scientist: Hehe.

Divine Being on Earth: And I'm not as capable as you all think. Most of the plans were actually told to me by Lane; I just supported his ideas.

Black Cat: ???

Druid: ???

Bloodthirsty Follower: ???

Milk Tea Dog: So many big shots were involved! Wait, you didn't mention this before. When did you start working with Lane? qwq

Divine Being on Earth: Well, after the hospital started operating normally?

Scientist Gone Crazy: ?

God Among Us: Alright, I admit we didn't disclose our plan this time. Let me summarize: our main objective was to 'overthrow the Church's religious control and prevent the Chaotic Three Days.' All our actions were centered around this goal.

Black Cat: Yeah, yeah, we're aware. Your tricks are endless. (LOL)

God Among Us: We owe it to Pink Bunny, to be honest. I didn't expect things to progress so swiftly. Originally, we planned on needing five or six days to establish our network, but surprisingly, we achieved that in just two days.

Tax Collector: Master Notebook, so terrifyingly impressive.

Blood Acolyte: So terrifying, Master's artwork is truly exceptional. ( Applauding )

Pink Bunny: You're making me blush with all these compliments. I didn't anticipate this skill would come in handy either. It seems one sees everything in a long life. By the way, my new work is already up in the fanfiction section. Curious ones can check it out.

Human Peach: Already checked it out! (Happy)

God Among Us: As for the rest of the story, you all know what happened, so I won't elaborate. The lewd illustrations were merely a tactic to disrupt the Church's communication, and I didn't anticipate their swift response. We almost failed if not for the assistance of the evil god.

Matcha Milk Green: Dying laughing! The investigators actually relied on the evil god's help. He really did... I'm sobbing.

Not Crazy: This dungeon is too much fun, guys.

Nightly: Forget about the metaphor of old waves being crashed on the shore; the title 'Rebellious Masses' should be yours!

Baba: +1

God Among Us: Anyway, we managed to get the medicine, but it took its toll on the players, cough, cough. The main point is, after the Church announced their Sacred Feast, Lane suddenly contacted me that same night.

God Among Us: Our final plan was jointly established. Naturally, the core revolved around 'overthrowing the cult's faith.' From the start, we decided to 'expose' the cult's tricks, essentially attributing all their miraculous deeds to 'magic.'

God Among Us: Since our aim was to triumph with 'science' over 'religion,' it couldn't be Lane who saved the city in the end. Thus, our focus remained on establishing contact with the outside world. Lane informed me that due to Judas's interference, all communication channels, whether radio or otherwise, were intercepted. However, there was one thing Judas couldn't intercept.

God Among Us: Human sight. That's why we considered hot air balloons or signal flares. But with mercenaries patrolling the city, a hot air balloon would likely be shot down before it could ascend fully. Signal flares, on the other hand, might confuse the troops stationed outside the city with unclear messages. So, we had only one chance.

God Among Us: During the Sacred Feast organized by the Church. Everyone's attention would be focused on this unprecedented event, and we'd cause a disturbance to draw the entire city's gaze, providing cover for the science-minded players.

Science Student: Thanks to your efforts, the plan went smoothly.

God Among Us: Lane said he would handle Judas. Initially, I was quite worried because the plan hinged on 'denying mysticism.' Lane couldn't directly engage Judas in combat or display any supernatural powers. I had no idea how they would manage, but fortunately, they succeeded.

Nayi: Hehe, I feel like Lane is quite the connoisseur too. When multiple 'Lanes' emerged from the crowd during the live broadcast, it really amazed me.

Baba: Yeah, yeah, it was like one falls, and thousands rise in their place.

Shushu Hao: In the end, Judas must have possessed Amos, right? There must have been some unseen struggles we're not aware of.

God on Earth: Later on, as you all saw, Lane took control of Judas, and I was responsible for explaining the church's tricks. Luckily, everyone believed us, or rather, under those circumstances, anyone who thought carefully would realize that the so-called backstage machinery didn't move at all when they went to get food.

God on Earth: Also, some people were genuinely healed, so a lot of our success was due to luck.

Taxman: You're too modest, big guy. Your preparations weren't just that, were they? Hahaha, the plants in the crowd and the coughing blood that caused chaos were all our doing. Hahaha.

Black Cat: Ah, I was just about to say that. How convenient that someone started coughing blood at that exact moment, and others shouted about the Black Death.

Druid: So it was all your doing, huh. Hahaha.

God on Earth: (Smiles) Just some modern techniques. And it wasn't all thanks to me. Thanks to the development of information technology in that era, religion's influence on people's subconscious has been minimized. Hence, when I 'revealed the trick,' the crowd naturally filled in the blanks they didn't see.

Not Crazy: I'm just curious, will this be featured at the Church of the Stars? Can preset cards enter too?

The Strongest Man: "I'm not sure, maybe not? Didn't they say that the dungeon instances are virtual? (Scratching his head) And the players didn't seem to die in the end, right?"

While everyone was discussing their analysis of the dungeon, a player suddenly interjected:

Alon: "Are you all still in the game? Log back in quickly! It's completely different in reality now!"