Chapter 22: Entering Dreams

Chapter 22: Entering Dreams

With this performance, Fu Changxun further solidified his image as a decorative vase.

Despite Jixing’s strong objections, Zhao Jie insisted on bringing these two masterful actors.

Xu Zhengyi naturally joined them.

In the afternoon, the remaining somber old player led the others to gather information about the former general.

"My ability is somewhat similar to entering dreams, but it leans more towards excavating the dreamer's deep-seated memories. It’s especially useful in a mission with scant information."

Zhao Jie to the four determined individuals—Xu Xiao inadvertently included—"We have a five-minute time limit, so we need to find clues quickly."

With a nine-day deadline for the mission and only on its second day, they had just a little clue.

Not enough.

As night fell, the five quietly approached the alley where the woman's house was located.

Dong Zi said, "This is it, the third house on the left."

Despite having scouted the location earlier in the day, Jixing, extremely suspicious of Dong and Fu, stealthily infiltrated to confirm only one woman was inside. He then returned to signal the group to sneak in.

Under the cover of darkness, several figures crossed the wall, landing in the narrow courtyard.

“Is she asleep?” Zhao Jie whispered, “If so, we don’t need to enter; within ten meters is enough.”

Jixing nodded affirmatively, "I checked; she’s already in bed."

“Alright, I’ll try.” Gathering everyone around, Zhao Jie’s fingertips emitted a beam of light that meandered through the window into the room.

“...Entering the dream!”

*

Fu Changxun opened his eyes, drifting above the dreamscape, searching for the dream's owner.

She was smiling radiantly, leaning on a table, casting longing glances at a scholarly young man.

This was her, but younger.

More beautiful than her in-game appearance, her voice was also softer and more seductive: “My lord, why won’t you look at me? Am I not pretty?”

The scholar blushed deeply.

Too shy to look up, he stammered, “No, no, no, the lady is as beautiful as a goddess, I dare not be presumptuous.”

“What if... I allow you to be presumptuous?” The woman moved closer.

The scholar, intoxicated by her fragrance and laughter, stared blankly and murmured, “I, I, if the lady doesn’t mind, I naturally…”

The woman lost interest, seeing how easily he took the bait.

"Enough, it's getting late, I should go."

She left the scholar heartlessly, floating away under his stunned gaze.

The allure of such women lay in their unpredictability. Unlike sheltered ladies, they never cared about reputation and often teased handsome men for fun, sometimes even indulging in brief romantic encounters.

The scene blurred and then came into focus, transitioning to the woman arriving home.

As she entered, she saw her sister holding a knife, appearing lost in thought.

"Yun Qing?"

The girl didn’t hear her voice.

It wasn’t until the woman teased, "That fool is so boring, did you actually fall for him?" that she snapped back to reality.

The girl turned around, not denying it, and mumbled, "But Yun He, you go out to meet people every day too, why do you care who I like or don't like…"

Yun He frowned, "How can you compare? I've seen countless men, I naturally know which are good and which are not. You're only sixteen, what do you know!"

Yun Qing was unfazed by her words, "When you were sixteen, you were pretty much the same as now."

The sisters argued for a while, and then Yun Qing left with the knife, while Yun He stayed where she was.

Her flirtatious eyes were filled with worry.

"Ah Qing, don’t get in too deep."

Fu Changxun wanted to take another look at “Yun Qing,” but the scene blurred again.

Five minutes were up.

*

Sister Zhao gasped for air, simultaneously inducing dreams for six people, including herself, which was very taxing on her abilities.

Xu Zhengyi immediately supported her, letting her rest against the wall.

"The former general is named Yun Qing, and the lady in the dream, her sister?" He looked at his teammates.

Dong Zhi nodded: "Seems right. We're lucky to have found a key NPC immediately."

Zhao Jie, regaining some strength, mused: "Yes, thanks to you. But who is the 'simpleton' Yun Qing fancied in the dream? Where do we dig up gossip about a general who vanished eight years ago? Wait, the NPCs only mentioned her disappearance, not death. Could she still be alive?"

Dong Zhi, however, dampened her hopes: "It's unlikely. Once their use is fulfilled, such founding generals are often eliminated or perish. She's probably dead."

Zhao Jie sighed: "Just a thought."

They all fell silent.

"It's the emperor," Fu Changxun spoke after a pause, "The emperor built the General's Terrace. Even if he's not the 'simpleton,' he's undoubtedly linked to him."

He chose not to reveal the hint from Dong Zhi's flyer, "A heart stirred at first sight, in the realm of wanderers; most heartless is the imperial family."

Combining the story from the dream and this line, the saga of former General Yun Qing and the current emperor unfolded clearly.

Zhao Jie agreed: "I think so too. We have to confront him anyway."

"All in all, a good haul tonight."

With the backstory of the instance filled in, Ji Xing was excited: "Great, where do we head now?"

His excitement got the better of him, his voice rising, and suddenly a light flickered on in the house.

Everyone was startled.

A woman's shadow faintly appeared inside: "Visitors are welcome. Why don't you come in and talk?"

The players stood still, their eyes communicating rapidly.

"What should we do now?"

"We've been discovered, Zhao Jie, Dr. Fu, Dong, any ideas?"

"Let's improvise..."

"She's moving, she's sitting up! Should we run?" Ji Xing was ready to flee using his ability, just waiting for Zhao Jie's signal.

However, Zhao Jie, in the dim moonlight, saw Fu Changxun's composed profile and made a quick decision, biting her lip: "No, let's wait a bit more."

Outside the game, viewers watching the live stream were sweating bullets for them.

"Why aren't they running yet, hurry up!"

"Hey? How come I can send comments now? I'm a human and haven't entered the game, what's going on, can anyone else do this?"

"Me too! Focus on what you want to say, and it materializes on the screen!"

"Interesting, it's magical."

"So why are they still standing there, that's clearly a boss inside!"

"It's not necessarily the case. We don't know what they saw in the dream..."

"Oh, these low-dimensional humans are so silly, I can't even be bothered to explain to them."

"Whoa, was that comment just now from a high-dimensional being? That's scary. So, they can see what we're saying too?"

"Hehe, of course."