Chapter 213

Chapter 213

"What?" He said in disbelief, "He really has this name?"

"I'm not forgetful enough yet," the feline deity Bastet rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that's his name, but if he gave a false one, there's nothing we can do about it."

Lan still found himself deeply astonished. Could this name have appeared so coincidentally? Was there really a legendary investigator named Randolph Carter in this world?

Lan's emotions were in a complicated tangle.

Randolph Carter

This was indeed a renowned name among Lovecraft enthusiasts, originating from one of Lovecraft's original works. Previously, during a prank, players had even managed to sneak the original text into Harvard's library, but at that time, it was all in jest; no one expected to actually encounter this name in such a manner!

As Lane was still in shock, Best continued, "The place where I found you was in the Core Basin of the Dream World, the original birthing ground for all the Old Ones. It had been abandoned since the consciousness of the Dream World fell into slumber. I never imagined we would welcome another sibling there."

Lane barely managed to regain his composure and cautiously asked, "Hold on... Didn't you ever suspect that I might not be an Old One?"

Best chuckled softly. "Are you referring to your unique resilience to corruption compared to the Old Ones?"

Lan: ...

Aren't you aware of that?

Best: "Not at all. We wouldn't mistake our own siblings, and the Dream World wouldn't mistake its children." He said casually, "You must have felt the authority of the Old Ones after returning to the Dream World."

Indeed, Lane thought. If the Dream World were compared to a game, the Old Ones would be like game moderators with god-like powers—abilities far beyond those of ordinary players, such as unlocking maps, boosting buffs, rapidly healing, and even banning other residents (kicking them out of the Dream World).

"Only those who were personally nurtured by the Dream World can wield such authority. Thus, I couldn't have mistaken your identity," Best continued. "Though you might be slightly different from us."

Different? Lane mused. To some extent, he even felt like a hybrid of an evil god and an Old One...

No, he couldn't rule out that possibility even now.

Lane took a deep breath and asked hopefully, "Do you know where that man, Randolph Carter, went?"

Best shrugged. "No idea. I haven't heard anything about him since then."

Another lead had come to a dead end.

Lan sighs and presses on with his question: "After that, did you hand me over to Ogur?"

Bestr doesn't answer immediately but clicks his fingers. In no time, a feline servant standing on its hind legs brings over a refreshing drink and a seat. As Bestr leans back into the chair, the cat instantly offers the juice to his lips.

Still standing, Lan: ...

After taking a delightful sip, Bestr leisurely speaks, "Hmm, I'm tired of explaining. You can see for yourself."

Like a cat, Bestr's mood shifts abruptly. Before Lan can say anything, the scene before him transforms once more into the one he witnessed in the forest—only this time, Bestr is the protagonist.

The goddess holds a baby in her arms as she traverses half the continent, seeking an isolated island surrounded by shadows, frost, and the sea.

Upon this island lives a solitary giant.

Lan's pupils constrict. It's Ogur.

However, this Ogur differs greatly from the one he encountered in reality. First, the size—while the nearly seven-foot-tall Ogur in reality could be considered a minor giant among men, the Ogur now is a genuine giant.

The island was actually quite spacious, but under Ogul's towering figure, it appeared like a small garden. When Beast brought the infant over, the giant on the island lifted its head and coldly watched Beast approach. "Leave."

Beast hesitantly halted his steps. "Don't be so cold. I have something to discuss with you."

"I won't participate in the war," the giant said wearily. "What happens between the Old Gods and the Perfects has nothing to do with me."

Lain furrowed his brows in confusion. "Not related to Ogul? Isn't He one of the Old Gods?"

"Hmm." The elegant black cat crouched by his feet raised its head at the sound. "Well, not really. Strictly speaking, all the races that emerged in the Dream World at the beginning are children of the Dream World. It's just that the Old Gods and the Perfects were favored the most. The Old Gods were nurtured by the Dream World, while the Perfects received preferential treatment from the Old Gods after their birth."

"And Ogul, His race should be giants," the black cat continued. "Like the race in Norse mythology that creates the world from their corpses after death. They were among the first creatures to be born in the Dream World, with unparalleled physical strength surpassing even the Old Gods. However, most of them have simple minds and behave savagely, which is why they aren't well-liked."

Lain narrowed his eyes. "You live in the Dream World but know about Norse mythology..."

"Cough, cough. Let's continue watching," the black cat promptly changed the subject.

Beast spoke loudly while holding the infant, "I didn't ask you to join the war. There's another request, but it's inconvenient to talk here. If you don't trust me, we can discuss it in your domain!"

The giant on the island fell silent for a moment before willingly opening its domain to let Beast in.

Bester was initially stunned by the icy expanse and shadows that permeated this realm. However, she quickly cast an extra layer of insulation for the infant in her arms.

"Business?" the giant rumbled gruffly.

"Nothing too pressing," Bester replied, lifting her head as if discussing the weather, "But I have a favor to ask. I'd like you to take care of a child."

"Get out."

"Hold on! Let me finish!" Bester hurriedly raised her head to block the gusts of wind and blizzard attempting to expel her. Struggling to speak, she continued, "I know you don't have much affection for us, but consider this: if the malevolent deity corrupts this world, it would cause inconvenience for you as well, wouldn't it? And, after all, the Dream World did nurture you."

The giant replied coldly, "As long as the malevolent deity doesn't utterly destroy this world, it makes no difference to me. In fact, if you hadn't granted the Perfect Ones excessive authority, the Dream World wouldn't have been harmed in the first place. Now, They're merely reclaiming the favor They once bestowed upon you."

Lane, curious, asked, "What does he mean by that?"

The black cat fell silent for a moment before whispering, "Literally. The Perfect Ones were initially just one among many races born from the Dream World. But because they resembled the Old Gods and possessed intellect surpassing other races, They and the Dream World favored them, granting them privileges second only to the Old Gods themselves, even a 'Godhood Ceremony'."

"I know that part. What I'm asking is, why does the malevolent deity not want to destroy this world?" Lane inquired. "I thought that was their goal."

"Oh, They don't. Their descent will bring despair, chaos, and madness, destroying all existing races in the process," the black cat said, stamping its paws on the ground. "It's like a reset of civilization. But tell me, do you think the ground beneath our feet, this world we inhabit, cares whether the civilizations atop it are orderly or maddened with despair?"

Lane pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

"That's it, actually. Perhaps all the races in the Dream World feel that it has weakened, but in reality, its size has expanded." The black cat helplessly spread its claws. "Though the Dream World's consciousness is asleep, the Dream World itself hasn't been affected much. It's only us native races that have suffered, having our living space squeezed by the evil gods. However, due to their inherent strength, giants were the least affected."

"In addition, the Old Gods and the Perfects don't particularly favor the giant race," the black cat said tactfully.

"But if they just disliked them, why would Ogler be so cautious around you?" Lane keenly observed.

"…Alright, it's not just dislike. At the start of the war, because of their large bodies and natural resistance to mental corruption (stupid, failed the Inspiration check), giants were essentially born weapons of war. Under the command of one of the Old Gods, most of them were killed…"

Under Lane's deathly gaze, the black cat Bestia struggled to utter her next words. "Almost extinct."

"Well, aren't you something," Lane remarked. "Ogar not throwing you out shows remarkable patience."

This patient giant then reached out with an arm that seemed to blot out the sky, aiming for Bestia, who was holding the infant.

Bestia dodged with great difficulty, but as the island belonged to the giants, the very land itself seemed to conspire against her. She cried out, "Hold your anger, I can help knock Balth out cold! That old god who commands your kin, I could even tie Him up and let you vent on Him if need be!"

"You seem to misunderstand," the giant said coldly. "I don't like you, nor do I care for my own kind. I left the tribe long ago. It was their foolishness to be used by you, and your conflicts have nothing to do with me."

"Why are you so unyielding...?" Bestia the cat looked at the massive arm that could easily toss her over the mountain, and, in a split second, she decided to back down. "So invulnerable?"

"Wait, wait, just give me one more chance."

The giant didn't halt his arm, reaching out indifferently towards Bestia, ready to cast her away. In response, Bestia extended the infant in her arms towards him.

The giant's fingers paused, his digits as colossal as palace columns. Next to the tiny infant, it seemed a mere gentle press would spell disaster.

This moment of hesitation allowed Bestia to finish her plea. "He's like you, an existence that shouldn't have been born. Neither the evil gods nor the old gods have a place for Him. If His existence were to be exposed, countless evil gods might hunt Him down, even the old gods themselves. No perfect beings would follow Him, and all races and their followers would likely reject this anomalous god. This world is anything but kind to Him."

The giant's expression remained unchanged, but Bestia knew that by not casting them away yet, He was listening.

Softly, Bestia continued, "So, don't you want to hold Him?"

The giant's fingers trembled, a movement barely noticeable on a human, but with His colossal size, even the slightest quiver produced a loud sound.

The infant stirred from his slumber. Unlike human infants, his appearance, even at birth, appealed to both the old gods and the perfect beings. Enhanced by some unknown genes, there was an unsettling allure in gazing upon him for too long. His eyes were a vivid green, resembling the largest lake in the old dream world, the source of life for all races.

The infant gazed intently at the towering finger before him for a long while, and the giant, in turn, observed the baby's reaction. After a pause, the infant curiously reached out, its tiny digit tapping Ogrel's massive fingertip, a contrast akin to a mountain against a pebble. The child found it amusing, and his little face lit up with joy, giggling delightfully.

The giant was slightly startled. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen a smile, for his innate dark power, resembling an eternal shadow over the world, had driven him away from his tribe. No creature dared approach him; only this isolated island offered him refuge.

Yet, this island had been blanketed in ice and snow for so long that he had given up hope of ever seeing spring again.

Noticing the giant's softened demeanor, Beast eagerly watched the infant, hoping that the baby would use its power to transform this frozen wasteland into a garden blooming with spring. He urged the infant to win over this secluded giant.

Whether it was due to Beast's prayers or not, after the baby's laughter, it puffed up its cheeks, seemingly curious about something, much like a human infant exploring its surroundings. The infant began to experiment with some sort of power within its body.

With a sudden "puff," a strange plant emerged in the giant's domain.

Beast looked on expectantly. Would it be flowers? Green leaves? A sapling?

It was a massive blob, covered in black whip-like tentacles, and around it were enormous mouths, dripping green slime continuously.

A monstrous creature, grotesque and sanity-diminishing, rose from the ground, letting out a deafening roar that echoed through the world: "Woof!"

Beast's pupils dilated in shock. What was this? A plant? Why was it making noise? Why this noise? Why did it bark???

As the deity protecting cats, He despised dogs!

The giant's chest rumbled, as if laughing. Bestia stared in shock at the giant, who simply gazed at the infant and calmly said, "Give Him to me."

"You... agreed?"

The giant remained silent. Fearful that he might change his mind, Bestia hastily placed the baby on the giant's raised fingertips.

The giant looked down at the tiny infant resting on his digits:

He had once been the sole oddity in this world, but now it seemed there was another just like him.

It was as if the world had given them a gift, enabling them to find warmth in their shared isolation.