Chapter 2: Entering the Dream Realm, Venturing into the Lilliputian Kingdom

Hearing that sound, Feng Yan felt doubtful and hurriedly asked Chen Hao, "Is this a dream? Or reality?" "Of course it's a dream; that blindfold is the client that links to the game," Chen Hao said to Feng Yan. "Ah, I see—no wonder I felt something indescribably strange when I received that thing," Feng Yan said softly, as if talking to himself. Chen Hao glanced at Feng Yan and finally said, "No matter what, we're here now, so let's give it a try. Let's see what fun this so-called dream game has—after playing so many games, this type is still a first for me!"

The victory conditions of this game are two: form your own teams, find a world‑class artifact to restart the world, or use the power of the Dream Continent to unify this continent—achieving either one grants the ultimate victory! Below are the items, map, and badge officially given to you to prove your adventurer status. So then, adventurers, good luck!

After the voice disappeared, each person had an extra map and a badge on their chest. "So, Feng Yan, which country should we go to first?" Chen Hao asked. "Look at the map," Feng Yan said, "head to the nearest one." "The nearest, then it's only the Lilliputian Kingdom." "Yeah, let's go there." In their back‑and‑forth, Feng Yan and Chen Hao set off toward the Lilliputian Kingdom. On the way, Feng Yan asked, "Do you know what that place is like? Should we just go straight there?" Chen Hao countered, "Do you think it would be interesting if everything were clear from the start?" "That's true too," Feng Yan replied, "if everything were obvious, it wouldn't be fun." And so the two set out on the road to the Lilliputian Kingdom.

Along the way Feng Yan gazed at the scenery beside the road—sky‑blocking forests, beautiful flowers, winding secluded paths. "This is also nice scenery!" he thought, "Will these only be able to exist in the dream from now on?" Thinking that, he felt a bit upset, stopped thinking about it, caught up with Chen Hao, and headed to the Lilliputian Kingdom.

They had arrived—Chen Hao, the map's final point was here. "Don't kid me, what does this look like a country?" Feng Yan asked Chen Hao, saying, "Take a look yourself—this place isn't much different from the slums shown in history‑book illustrations; can this really be called a country? It's laughable, haha...." The sight made Feng Yan and Chen Hao burst into laughter intermittently, which struck Chen Hao as odd, since this was clearly the place. He said to Feng Yan, "This is the Lilliputian Kingdom, a beautiful, prosperous, wealthy and stable…… country?" Chen Hao hadn't finished speaking when he saw the city wall about to collapse, the long‑neglected beacon tower, as if a gust of wind would topple it. At last, both burst out laughing; Feng Yan tried not to laugh, clutching his stomach and said, "This is the year's best joke—wealth and stability in this country? The king must be an idiot! Hahaha...." Their laughter attracted the Lilliputian Kingdom's guards; one soldier asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in our country? What's your motive?" "What do you want? How should I answer to satisfy you?" Feng Yan smiled, a flash of light in his eyes, and said, "My friend and I intend to unify the whole continent—hahaha… hey, wait, this isn't the Lilliputian Kingdom—how can people be so big, so tall?" Ignoring the soldiers, Feng Yan continued, "I'm saying, Xiao Hao, does this even qualify as a country? If it does, I'm really curious what the other nations' architecture looks like—this place is just like a garbage dump."

The guard found it odd; the two had already been surrounded by spear‑wielding soldiers, yet they felt no panic. He thought, "We are the nation's warriors, chosen by duel as the finest fighters—are we here just to endure humiliation?" His anger mounted, his grip on the spear tightened, he gritted his teeth, and finally could bear it no more. Ya! With that shout the soldier lunged, spear aimed at Feng Yan and Chen Hao. Chen Hao felt a chill at his back, sidestepped to dodge; Feng Yan couldn't evade in time, his clothes were pierced but it was no serious harm. Then Chen Hao sidestepped, seized the soldier's spear shaft, wrested it away, and flung the soldier aside. Chen Hao exclaimed in astonishment, "So the so‑called elite amounts to only this?" He then said, "Is this even worthy of being called a soldier?" He hurled the spear, which drove straight into the center of the soldier's chest; the soldier vomited blood, kept struggling, and the blood pooled beneath him, staining the ground red. "Yo, this physics engine isn't bad—the blood‑splatter effect is nice!" Chen Hao remarked, "This game has sparked my interest." Feng Yan stared, mouth agape: "Hey, Chen Hao, I remember you never studied martial arts—how can you be so vicious?" "Are you an idiot? You're taking the game seriously? Without some combat skill how can you play? We adventurers are supposed to have some ability. Did you even read the manual? Maybe just one page, or not at all?" Chen Hao said while walking toward them. "Well, actually I haven't read a single page," Feng Yan replied. "Don't want to lecture you—first dispose of these cannon fodder, then we'll talk. Even the sharpest power is laughable," Chen Hao scolded Feng Yan sharply.

Seeing the first soldier's grisly state, the troops fell back one after another, none daring to step forward. At that moment Feng Yan told Chen Hao, "I'll have a go too—you just watch." "What, your wild side's coming out?" Chen Hao looked at Feng Yan and gave a faint, amused smile. The soldiers, seeing that smile, grew even more terrified; they dropped helmets and armor and fled, shouting as they ran, "Hurry and report to the National Preceptor!"

"Oh jeez, that scared me—so many coming at once, we can't hold them off!" Feng Yan said, "How's this acting?" "You jerk, what's good about you? You're half‑smart, half‑clueless." Chen Hao teased Feng Yan, "I'm getting less and less able to figure you out." No worries, you'll understand soon, Feng Yan thought, while a figure flashed in his mind and he muttered wistfully to himself, "Is she also playing this game?" "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing, nothing," Chen Hao continued, "This place is called the Lilliputian Kingdom—why are the people no different from ordinary folks?" "Maybe this 'little person' isn't little in stature but in spirit," Feng Yan said, "This 'little person' probably refers not to the body but to the mind, which explains why after you killed that NPC they fled, though their National Preceptor likely opened the gate on purpose to let us in and have us killed in the city."

That said, it still gives me a little motivation to keep going—otherwise how would we play? Sure enough, the National Preceptor soon arrived with another group of soldiers; one of the leading soldiers said to him, "Sir, these are the ones who killed our nation's warriors. Please arrest them and mete out the ultimate punishment!" Instead, the National Preceptor slapped him hard across the face and said, "National Preceptor, what is this?" "Are you blind? You didn't notice the badges on their chests indoors—they're adventurers!" the National Preceptor said. "But—" "There's no 'but'—get out at once!" Feng Yan and Chen Hao were bewildered, wondering what was going on; this whole scene left them puzzled about what the National Preceptor actually wanted. They continued following him toward the nation's residential district, and in an instant they understood, thinking, "The answer is clear."

"I'd like to ask you two for a favor," the National Preceptor finally said, "Please praise our Lilliputian Kingdom before the King."

They understood. Looking at the National Preceptor, he smiled and nodded at them. They saw the surrounding dilapidated houses, walls on the verge of collapse, and recalled the city wall they'd seen upon entering the country. Feng Yan thought, "How ironic—what kind of life do the people of such a nation lead?" He finally spoke, "Take us to see where the common folk live." "Of course, please."

Feng Yan and Chen Hao continued following the group forward; he noticed the surrounding houses looked a bit newer. He kept walking, keeping pace with the National Preceptor's party, when the Preceptor halted and said to the two, "This is our nation's residential area." Feng Yan and Chen Hao felt it strange, as if a conspiracy were afoot, and began sizing up the Preceptor: he was of average height, deep‑set eyes, a pointed reddish‑tinged nose, a smug smile on his lips, dressed in a green robe, now bent over, waiting for them to speak.

"Wait a moment," Feng Yan said, pulling Chen Hao aside and asking, "What should we do now—go with him to the palace?"

"We have no choice," Chen Hao said, and the National Preceptor, seeing them, flashed that same amused smile.

Feng Yan and Chen Hao approached the National Preceptor and said, "We've seen enough here. Since you're acting on the King's orders, we'll accompany you on a trip so you can report back properly—except for the matter outside the city gate……"

"All right, all right—we'll just say he's blind and bumped into you," the National Preceptor hastily replied.

"All right, let's go." "This way, please," the National Preceptor led Feng Yan and Chen Hao toward the palace, then gave the guards a look; the guards saw it and stopped following the Preceptor, disappearing somewhere unknown. The Preceptor took the two by another route to the palace; they noticed the scenery differed along the way, understood, and didn't ask further. But the Preceptor halted again, and before him appeared a person—he stood there motionless, and facing him was merely a madman!

The madman soon walked away, saying as he went, "Born into the human world, falling into the human world—not for nobles and officials, but to plead for the people. I and they live in dark, filthy rooms with doors and windows shut tight; later I opened the window, became a criminal, and turned into this wretched state."

Feng Yan and Chen Hao watched his disheveled attire and his maddened behavior, then Feng Yan asked Chen Hao, "What kind of person do you think he is?"

Chen Hao replied, "I don't know."

"I guess he's either not a madman but a divine person!" he told Chen Hao. Meanwhile the National Preceptor remained standing there, watching him recede until he vanished from sight.

"National Preceptor, let's go," Feng Yan urged, "Aren't we supposed to go to the King's palace?" Before he finished speaking, Feng Yan and Chen Hao's bodies gradually turned translucent, slowly fading into the air; the National Preceptor watched them disappear and, frightened, sat down on the ground.

He thought, "Could I have seen a ghost today?"