Chapter 46: The Protagonist of This World Is Actually a Bird?

Chapter 46: Is the Main Character of This World Actually a Bird?

Considering the fragility of the paper, Sheng Qingquan didn’t dare to use the mech’s hand to pick it up himself. Instead, he gave instructions for the mech to carefully collect the calligraphy without damaging the paper.

Even after taking it home, to avoid revealing his identity, he couldn’t hang it in the most conspicuous place, lest visitors see it.

But he could hang it in his bedroom or carefully store it in a brocade box.

Sheng Qingquan was preoccupied with thoughts of how to properly preserve this piece of calligraphy and where to place it for the best effect.

Besides the bedroom and storing it at the bottom of a chest, perhaps hanging it inside the mech cockpit would also be a good choice?

As for that document, Sheng Qingquan didn’t dare to take it at all.

The cobalt-blue crystal mine was indeed discovered by him.

But if the reward were a large sum of money, or even a certain amount of cobalt-blue crystals as a one-time reward, or a guaranteed supply of cobalt-blue crystals for a certain number of years to ensure his mech’s energy usage,

Sheng Qingquan wouldn’t have hesitated; he would have accepted it with a thick face.

However, this was 1% ownership of the mining output.

And not just for a year or two; from the Great Leader’s words, it was clear that even if he retired and the leadership changed, this document would remain valid.

In other words, Sheng Qingquan would receive a long-term, possibly permanent share of the cobalt-blue crystal mine.

Don’t underestimate 1%; given the vast reserves of cobalt-blue crystals on Azure Star, even 1% of the annual mining output is extremely valuable.

Once Azure Star establishes contact with other planets, Sheng Qingquan could leap to become the richest person on Azure Star, and even secure a place among the interstellar billionaires.

You should know that a Cobalt Blue Crystal the size of a tube of toothpaste is enough to power a mech for more than half a month.

Not just for half a month of regular use, but for half a month of continuous battlefield operations.

If Sheng Qingquan so desired, he could even leverage this to assemble his own mech squadron.

It was precisely because he understood the value of a 1% mining yield that Sheng Qingquan didn't dare to accept it.

Concerned that the leaders might not fully appreciate the significance of Cobalt Blue Crystal, Sheng Qingquan quickly shared all the information he had obtained from the mech's AI without holding back.

As Sheng Qingquan candidly and clearly laid out these points, the leader gave a slight smile.

"We've already considered all of this."

"Don't worry, this isn't a personal decision. It's the result of careful consideration and a vote by the entire leadership team."

"Moreover, this document is non-transferable. As long as you're alive, whether it's hundreds or thousands of years, even if you become an ageless being, this document will remain valid for tens of thousands of years."

"However, once you pass away, even if you have descendants or heirs, this document will automatically become invalid."

The leader spoke with gravity, but Sheng Qingquan took it as a jest.

No one could possibly live for that many years.

Even if he had taken Gene Serum, and even if Tianlan Star developed Gene Serum in the future, it still wouldn't be possible.

But since the matter had reached this point, Sheng Qingquan decided to accept the document.

With ample energy at his disposal, Sheng Qingquan devoted several more days to fabricating mech components. As he assisted researchers in gathering additional samples, he also discovered that the magical core within the Nightmare's mind remained undisturbed.

In other words, the commemorative gift given by the golden finger was not 'taken' from the Nightmare's mind.

This completely lifted the heavy burden Sheng Qingquan felt, thinking he had intercepted official loot.

However, before learning this news, Sheng Qingquan first noticed other oddities.

Working on parts in the chief's courtyard by day and sleeping at home by night. As a freelancer, Sheng Qingquan had somehow ended up feeling like he was clocking in for work these past few days.

After a regular day off on the first day, Sheng Qingquan almost couldn't get up the next day.

It wasn't from being tired from assembling mecha parts.

Well, it could be said he was tired, but just mentally drained.

Sheng Qingquan was plagued by dreams all night.

In his dream, 'he' was lashed by the clan elder, holding a tattered sheepskin book, painfully learning characters all night.

Those characters were more complex than seal script, not only making Sheng Qingquan's head ache, but also causing the 'him' in the dream to be completely overwhelmed.

From morning till night, he only managed to memorize three characters.

When Sheng Qingquan woke up exhausted in the morning, his mind was haunted by the scene of 'him' being slapped by the clan elder, sobbing and wailing: Why do I have to learn this? When I reach a certain age and awaken my talents, I can easily acquire this knowledge from others' dreams.

What's the rush in learning characters a bit later?

One moment it was 'his' wailing, the next the clan elder's well-meaning advice.

Saying that falling behind step by step with each delay. Moreover, many species do not dream, and even if they do, they can often control their dreams. If you don't work hard to learn, you can easily be misled or ensnared in their dreams, and it will be too late for regrets.

Sheng Qingquan lay in bed, staring wide-eyed for a full two minutes before he realized what he had dreamed about last night.

It was the memory of that Nightmare.

"Is the Nightmare still alive?"

That was Sheng Qingquan's first reaction after waking up.

He couldn't help but shudder.

But soon, Sheng Qingquan realized.

"No, the Nightmare is dead. It's precisely because he died that I could 'see' this memory."

"Otherwise, no one could glimpse his past through a dream."

"Did I dream because I acquired the Nightmare's core?"

Sheng Qingquan instinctively suspected this.

It wasn't until he went to work at the chief's place after breakfast and heard the Guards reporting this matter to the chief.

Only then did Sheng Qingquan realize that he wasn't the only one who had dreamed.

In Yunteng City, everyone affected by the Nightmare's residual energy yesterday had dreams last night.

They all dreamed of the Nightmare's past.

But each person's dream content was different, as if randomly capturing fragments of the Nightmare's life.

Sheng Qingquan dreamed of learning to read and understand languages.

Some dreamed of a young Nightmare battling other demons, using hands, feet, and membranous wings, leaving both sides battered and bruised.

Others had dreams of the Nightmare roaming the continent and stumbling upon a really tasty wine.

Some dreamed of the Nightmare flying through the sky.

Some dreamed of the Nightmare discovering a small tribe whose dreams provided excellent energy, enslaving them as a source of power.

Others dreamed of the Nightmare's last moments before being transported, scared senseless by a great demon's forbidden spell. If not for the staff realizing something was wrong and providing timely rescue, the person might have died.

Dreams varied widely in length, from brief flashes to, in the longest cases (excluding Sheng Qingquan's), the duration of a short video.

Through these scattered dreams, Tianlanxing peeled back the mysterious veil of the Anba continent, offering a peek into its secrets.

Moreover, this phenomenon didn't last just one day; it took about three months for everyone to return to normal sleep.

Sheng Qingquan was unaware of the memories others later acquired.

Regardless, Sheng Qingquan not only learned the language but also mastered several magical incantations. More crucially, Sheng Qingquan delved deeper into the Nightmare's innate abilities.

Even though Tianlanxing is a magic-free world, with the help of the magic core, his control over dreams is far more effective than before.

If before he could only use his dream control to improve people's sleep or treat insomnia,

Now, Sheng Qingquan has learned to harness power from dreams.

Unlike the Nightmare, which can't dream and must siphon power from others' dreams,

As a human who can dream, Sheng Qingquan can even generate and utilize his own power!

Although, using only his own dreams, accumulating power is quite slow.

To date, Sheng Qingquan hasn't gathered enough energy to test even a basic spell.

"Even though I'm not strapped for cash, I can't shake this craving for a luxury car, saving every penny like crazy to finally drive it home."

Knowing this, the chief did suggest recruiting some volunteers for Sheng Qingquan to draw some dream power.

After all, as long as it's done in moderation, not causing people to sleep endlessly and dream continuously, drawing dream power is harmless under normal circumstances.

Dreams vanish upon waking, so converting them into power has no impact.

Yet, Sheng Qingquan doubts his own proficiency.

After all, he's not a real Nightmare; generating and utilizing his own power isn't difficult, but handling others' dreams, he fears he might cause someone to fall into endless sleep.

Considering the risks involved, Sheng Qingquan didn't dare to agree at all.

Crucially, Tianlanxing lacks magic. Only Sheng Qingquan can wield it.

With no chance for broad use, high risks, and the magic he gains from dreams being no match for modern tech, it's hardly worth the gamble.

Thus, taking risks just to determine whether humans can use magic in this world and the possibility of him becoming stronger is not worth it, and unnecessary. At least wait until he's more confident before considering experimenting with dream power.

After Sheng Qingquan's explanation, the chief dropped the subject.

However, the authorities have been organizing people to learn the languages, magic spells, customs, and other aspects from those dreams.

This is also a precautionary measure.

Currently, Tianlanxing has no magic, but who can guarantee it will always remain so?

Moreover, if Nightmares can come from the Anba Continent, who can guarantee that no second demon will arrive? Who can guarantee that the Anba Continent and Tianlanxing will never intersect?

Thinking of this, the chief and others felt a sense of urgency.

Time flew by, and another year rolled from winter into spring.

After a few months of busy work, Sheng Qingquan finally gathered enough dream energy to attempt the simplest water ball spell.

"It worked! On Tianlanxing, humans can also cast magic!"

A water ball, about the size of a ping-pong ball, formed in Sheng Qingquan's hand. Since there was no enemy or target to attack, the water ball remained in his hand without being launched.

Curious, Sheng Qingquan poked the round water ball in his hand with a finger.

His finger effortlessly penetrated the water ball, and a cool sensation touched his fingertip.

When he pulled his finger out, it was completely dry, with no trace of water.

Sheng Qingquan squished and reshaped the water ball, finding some joy in playing with it like a stress ball. After his successful attempt at using magic, the staff members were secretly delighted. Even if they couldn't use it themselves, the possibility was now there.

Next door, the atmosphere was joyful, with someone even washing fruits to share as a celebration.

Just as Sheng Qingquan was enjoying himself, joy turned to sorrow.

The novel, dormant for months, suddenly sprang back to life.

This time, a new book appeared.

"A new Doomsday is coming?"

Startled, Sheng Qingquan lost control of the water ball in his hand. It splashed into a puddle, wetting his pants and the floor.

Sheng Qingquan quickly wiped the floor with some paper and sat on the sofa to read the new novel's plot.

Another Doomsday?

In the next room, the staff members, hearing this, found the sweet, juicy fruits suddenly hard to swallow. They felt choked up, and the taste was like chewing wax.

However, they quickly switched gears and listened intently.

The staff realized that the recent peace had lulled them into complacency, making them think the world might stay peaceful.

They had even mapped out their next steps after returning to their departments, but the unexpected had arrived.

"The opening describes a bird?"

"Emerald-green feathers, crimson eyes, with long tail feathers, flying gracefully and magnificently. Its wings are soft and shiny, dotted with pearl-like patterns, a magnificent crest on its head, and belly feathers as vibrant as a sunset."

Sheng Qingquan pictured the bird in his mind based on the description.

"It must be an incredibly beautiful bird. Sadly, I don't have the knowledge to identify it."

"It sounds a bit like a peacock, a kingfisher, or even a parrot, but the features don't quite fit any of them."

Hearing this, the staff also felt it didn’t match any existing bird species.

Maybe it’s a mutated peacock, like how a white peacock has albinism. The bird’s feathers don’t match a peacock’s, so maybe it’s something similar?

However, a peacock’s tail feathers aren’t exactly "elegant." The silver pheasant, nicknamed the "fairy of the forest," seems like a better match?

Weird, why is it always about birds? Is this the protagonist’s pet bird?

Sheng Qingquan couldn’t help but voice his doubts.

“I haven’t heard of anyone in the neighborhood having pet birds.”

“If it’s a pet, it’s probably a parrot? Parrots often have crests, bright feathers, and long tails.”

“But wait.”

Sheng Qingquan thought it over and realized he hadn’t seen anyone with pet birds. Actually, there aren’t many pets in this building.

“Plus, I never hear any birds chirping.”

Baojing Community’s soundproofing is just okay. The high prices are for the location, environment, and security.

Still, even with mediocre soundproofing, it’s not completely transparent. If someone had just one bird, you wouldn’t hear it unless you lived right next door or above or below.

Unless, of course, Sheng Qingquan had taken the Gene Serum.

After taking the Gene Serum, his senses got a major boost.

At home, to avoid overhearing awkward stuff, Sheng Qingquan usually keeps his senses in check.

But if someone had a bird, he’d have noticed by now.

The apartment next door is rented as a studio, packed with people. They don’t come and go much, but he’s still noticed them.

They’re quiet and seem legit, not like sketchy pyramid scheme types.

So Sheng Qingquan hasn’t bothered with them.

Offices in residential buildings aren’t unusual. Like the novel website he uses—its HQ is still in some rundown apartment building.

Compared to that, the neighbor’s boss is pretty generous. At least Baojing Community has a nice environment, and he’s shelling out for soundproofing.

Even with his sharpened senses, Sheng Qingquan wouldn’t hear anything unless he tried.

If someone had a bird, I’d definitely have noticed by now.

And usually, I don’t see anyone walking birds.

Thinking of this, Sheng Qingquan specifically asked in the community group. As far as he knows, those in the community who have pets usually have regular gatherings. They don’t do much else, just find opportunities to meet up, show off their treasures, and exchange compliments.

“Birds? No one in our community keeps birds. Last year, Old Wu from Unit 9 did keep one, but it wasn’t tamed yet. One day, the window wasn’t closed tightly, and it flew away.”

Seeing Sheng Qingquan’s inquiry, a resident who often organizes pet gatherings directly said, “Our community has a good environment, and there are many birds outside. Domestic birds are prone to run away with the wild ones outside, so basically, no one keeps them.”

“Old Wu didn’t believe it, and as a result, he was depressed for a long time. This year, he got a cat and finally cheered up.”

After chatting a few more sentences, Sheng Qingquan thanked them and exited the chat software.

“It seems no one really keeps birds.”

Or maybe it was just brought back a couple of days ago? Or maybe the bird hasn’t even been bought yet?

Alternatively, it could be a wild bird that often flies into the community and has been tamed by the protagonist?

Sheng Qingquan thought of many possibilities, and on top of that, he considered another point.

Maybe the protagonist works at a zoo as a bird keeper?

Or maybe they work at a flower and bird market?

It’s not impossible. But when her colleagues asked, Tao Qingmiao shook her head: "We’ve checked, and it’s none of those."

Except for Sheng Qingquan, the other residents in this building said they don’t keep birds and don’t plan to anytime soon.

And they don’t work at zoos, flower and bird markets, or even vegetable markets.

So there’s no chance they’re selling pigeons, live poultry, or anything bird-related.

Could the protagonist be Sheng Qingquan himself? He hasn’t been asked yet—maybe he’s planning to keep a bird?

The staff exchanged glances—it seemed possible.

But Sheng Qingquan quickly shot that idea down from afar.

"Forget it, let’s not overthink this."

"These are all unconfirmed guesses. The only thing I know for sure is that the protagonist isn’t me. I’m definitely not keeping a bird."

Sheng Qingquan decided to continue reading the novel.

"After describing the bird’s appearance, the story shifts to the bird’s boredom."

Sheng Qingquan was confused.

"What does the bird being bored have to do with me?"

"For several chapters now, the focus has been on the bird."

This made Sheng Qingquan consider another angle.

"Could the protagonist this time not be a person, but actually a bird?"

"Should I check the rooftop, air conditioning shafts, or any corners of the building where a bird might’ve nested?"

"If a bird has nested here, it would fit the rule that the protagonist is in this building?!"

Sheng Qingquan acted on his thought—there were dandelions in the community garden. He made the dandelion seeds fly up and down, circling the building, but found no bird nests—not even the usual wild bee nests or termite mounds.

The property management is pretty thorough, doing regular inspections and cleanings every year.

"Now the story shifts to the bird finding a little toy."

"It decides to take the toy home as a keepsake."

"But the toy isn’t easy to carry, and grabbing it with sharp claws might damage it."

"So the bird decides to use an eggshell to transport the toy."

"For this, it flies back and forth, continuously carrying eggshell fragments to the toy, piecing the eggshell together, placing the toy in the middle. Once the eggshell is fully assembled, it can just grab the egg and fly away with the toy." "Wouldn’t the eggshell pieces fall apart?"

Sheng Qingquan was puzzled.

"I thought it was using an eggshell that only had a small opening at the top. I thought that was indeed a solution. But piecing it together piece by piece, could the bird's saliva act as glue? Or does it know how to use nearby sticky tree sap to glue the eggshells together?"

"If that's the case..."

Sheng Qingquan couldn't help but marvel.

"That's way too smart!"

"However, it's said that birds indeed have high intelligence."

"Huh, a name popped up?"

Hearing this, not only Sheng Qingquan, but the staff also perked up.

"Sang Yiming was chatting with a friend and suddenly remarked that the sky seems to be getting darker earlier these days. You'd think it was about to be winter. It's almost summer, so the days should be getting longer."

"The name Sang Yiming, I haven't heard of it."

"Not from around here."

Just as Sheng Qingquan thought this, he noticed new names appearing.

"Strange, the perspective was always on the bird. Dozens of chapters without a single human in sight. Now suddenly seven or eight names appear."

"Luo Yanghong, Lü Tianyun... Wen Chunjing."

"All unfamiliar names, none of which I've ever heard of."

Every time Sheng Qingquan mentioned a name, the staff quickly checked.

"No one in the community has these names."

Fortunately, Sheng Qingquan soon found their common point.

"These people have all mentioned, more or less, that it's been getting dark early and light late lately. Every day feels like not much gets done before it's dark. There's never enough time."

"What does it getting dark early have to do with a bird?"

Sheng Qingquan was completely baffled.

"The plot is all over the place, written too abruptly, with a jarring transition."

"You'd think it was two novels stitched together."

But the golden finger shouldn't mess up like that.

"So, the problem must be here?"

Sheng Qingquan was unbearably curious, and since he had bought the entire book with Qiankun Coin, he couldn't help but flip further.

When he looked, Sheng Qingquan's eyes suddenly widened.

"Holy crap, so the bird's collectible is actually the Blue Star? It's getting dark early and light late because the Blue Star is gradually being enveloped by the eggshell?"

"Once completely enveloped, the Blue Star will plunge into polar night?"

"That bird's vision isn't affected by the dark; it can see just fine at night. So it happily took the Blue Star home to play around with?"

Sheng Qingquan looked at this description and suddenly thought of the most popular gift during his student days.

They were crystal-clear glass snow globes, the kind that contained miniature trees, flowers, houses, and little figures...

There would also be snowflakes floating inside. Some featured mini oceans. Others had real plants, like moss, creating terrariums.

It hit Sheng Qingquan—could it really be...

"In the eyes of that bird, the planet Tianlan is just a snow globe?!"