Chapter 269
One figure to be wary of is a "dream thief" named Ma Li. She is a seasoned practitioner, having remained at the second tier for nearly a decade. While her condition of murmuring has not worsened significantly, she has been unable to advance.
The ritual to manifest a "subverter" is not an easy task, especially for the timid and the foolish.
Upon seeing Xia Er, everyone quickly halted their conversations and retreated to the sides of the corridor, watching as she passed through their midst.
“The ‘key person’ is inside, my lord ‘Faceless One.’”
A man with black-framed glasses stepped forward, his right palm slightly raised, gesturing invitingly toward the door on his right.
He was one of the "blood painters" in the group, capable of creating artworks that could be constructed within dreams, producing tangible effects.
This was a specific termination method of the "Chaos Squad." By using the "blood painter's" creations within the dream of a "dream thief," those dragged into the dream would go mad, becoming vegetative in reality.
However, this combination of abilities has its limitations: if the "dream thief" sees the artwork in the dream, they too will fall into varying degrees of mental chaos, and the dream may collapse quickly.
In previous simulations, had Xia Er been just a moment later, she might have seen that painting and been affected.
But... who would go mad? That was uncertain. Xia Er had been to other realms; she didn’t believe a mere painting could be that sinister.
Xia Er nodded, then paused at the door. After two seconds, she looked up at the bespectacled painter and asked, “How do you open this door?”
“Uh?”
The man froze for a second, then stepped forward, reaching out to help Xia Er open the door.
But in the next moment, Xia Er suddenly raised her hand, twisted the door lock, and pushed the door open forcefully.
The scene inside instantly unfolded before the "blood painter." His gaze followed the luxurious carpet, revealing a figure standing at the center. He caught a glimpse of leather boots and quickly shut his eyes, retreating several steps.
“Hey, hey—”
With her eyes closed, Xia Er swayed her head, as if calling out to someone in the wilderness. “What did you see? Pikeman, is everything okay, Private Pikeman?”
Xia Er's right ear twitched slightly; she heard Pikeman's breathing grow heavier. Curiously, she opened her eyes and looked in his direction.
At that moment, Pikeman had his head down, gasping for breath. His eye sockets were hollow, the eyeballs long gone, and blood dripped from his cheeks onto the carpet, resembling tears of blood.
The lenses of his glasses were shattered, the bloodied shards reflecting the flickering light of the gas lamps on the walls.
What kind of seal? Or was it the ability of the "subverter"?
She hadn’t heard or felt anything.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk…”
“Sorry, Pikeman,”
Xia Er lowered her head slightly, speaking sincerely with a hint of regret. “Stop crying; I’ll buy you a new pair of glasses later.”
She raised her hands to shield her eyes, stepping forward into the room, her heels pushing the wooden door shut behind her.
“Freak.”
A voice laced with amusement rang out. Though the words were derogatory, the tone was filled with admiration.
Yet this voice seemed layered, causing a buzzing sensation in her eardrums just from listening.
But this voice...
A child? A woman?
Xia Er's fingers slightly parted, peering through the gaps at the figure before her.
The moment she clearly saw the person's face, Xia Er froze for a moment.
It was a face that seemed to have sprung from a Picasso painting.
The left half was a normal human face, while the right half was a grotesque visage with no mouth, its chin connected to tentacles, the nasal bone protruding, and a gaping maw where the eye should be, facing the left side.
The right side of the head exposed nearly half a brain, as if a chunk had been pushed out—almost immediately upon seeing this face, Xia Er's mind began to hum softly.
But soon, the blood-red pupils of the gaping mouth on the right side reminded her of something she had seen before.
To be precise, it was a similar creature from another realm.
That was the fleshy, tentacled mass with gaping mouths and eyes she had sacrificed in the underground exchange of the Deyton Manor when she first gained spiritual summoning.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
The creature’s mouth opened and closed where the eye should be, its layered voice echoing in Xia Er's ears, tinged with surprise.
“You should let the painter see you more often; it might help refine his abilities.”
Xia Er couldn’t help but retort.
“He can’t handle it,” the key person shook their head, then pointed to a nearby sofa, continuing, “Let’s sit and chat.”
Xia Er lowered her hands and followed the key person to the sofa. As she sat down, she couldn’t help but scrutinize the key person.
Aside from the head, the key person had a curvaceous figure, the kind that would attract attention on video-sharing sites... but the face was too abstract, making it hard to associate her with any beautiful woman.
Xia Er slightly raised her palm, covering the right side of the key person's face from her view.
However, the moment the right side was obscured, the left side morphed into the monstrous visage. When Xia Er lowered her hand, the monster's head returned to the right side.
The key person didn’t interrupt Xia Er; instead, she watched with interest, waiting for her to tire of the game.
“By the way, what do you want to talk to me about?”
Finally stopping her actions, Xia Er asked, no longer trying to focus on the key person's normal half.
Having seen the notebook, Xia Er knew why the key person sought her out, but she intended to let the key person state it, giving herself a moment to think.
“Congratulations, ‘Faceless One.’”
The key person’s right eye slit opened, “This plan has succeeded again... To be honest, I should have introduced you to the higher-ups by now, but we’re at a critical juncture, and we can’t leave. I hope you understand.”
Introduce?
Xia Er wasn’t clear on how the Joy Society was managed, but from her perspective, she could only draw one conclusion.
The key person wasn’t introducing her to the higher-ups; she was staying close because she saw the future Xia Er depicted in the simulation, wanting her to continue working for her.
Because the key person knew that once she left Xia Er, she might accomplish nothing.
As for why Xia Er dared to think this way?
Just look at the key person's face... the degree to which she had digested the potion indicated that she had barely advanced to the "subverter" level, just managing to resist the potion's murmurs. She only saw the potential to stabilize the potion through Xia Er.
As for the “critical juncture”... which one was she referring to?
“I don’t care about that,”
Xia Er shrugged, speaking nonchalantly. “As long as I mess things up, I’ll just report the Joy Society’s name. Whether I get introduced or not doesn’t matter.”
“Hahaha.”
The key person chuckled, her tone remaining steady. She looked at Xia Er and said, “Sometimes, I really envy you.”
“You have unparalleled talent... You’ll eventually become a high-ranking member of the Joy Society,”
the key person continued, “At that point, you’ll have access to more resources and be able to realize other bold ideas in your mind.”
Xia Er didn’t comment on this, appearing indifferent.
As long as she got through today, she would leave this simulated world, and what happened afterward would be none of her concern. She wouldn’t take these empty promises to heart.
The key person seemed to notice Xia Er’s lack of interest in her words, but she showed no displeasure, merely smiling as she asked:
“Are you prepared for the ‘dream thief’ manifestation ritual? It feels like it’s about time.”
“Manifestation ritual?”
Xia Er shook her head, replying, “I don’t know what the manifestation ritual entails, and I feel like the ‘inciter’ is quite useful.”
“The ritual requirements and the potion should have been sent together,”
the key person shook her head, speaking earnestly. “Strengthening your abilities is equally important; you can’t overlook that.”
This key person completely viewed herself as a subordinate...
The slightly preachy tone stirred a rebellious feeling within Xia Er, but she suppressed it well, showing no outward emotion.
“Fine.”
Xia Er reluctantly nodded.
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