Chapter 782: Wandering Dream Lantern (Part One)

"Not bad."

After looking up at the sun in the sky, the old investigator nodded with satisfaction, then turned his head back and said with a smile:

"Although the strengthening effect brought by the Fallen Soul Abyss still accounts for the lion's share, being able to reach this step is already passable… roughly how many people are in this dream?"

"About… three hundred thousand or so?"

After checking the black fluorescent glow inside the glass lantern, the female reporter, wearing a wide-brimmed soft hat, answered:

"Many people dreamed tonight, but not many of those dreams involve the capital. Most people's dreams didn't take place in the capital, so the 【Wandering Dream Lantern】 only merged the dreams of these three hundred thousand people together… do you need to start over?"

"No need, this is already enough."

After hearing the female reporter's words, the old investigator chuckled confidently, then pulled his gaze back from the sun and began looking down at the dream-capital below him from his high vantage point.

In this false city, pieced together from the dreams of three hundred thousand people, most of the streets and alleys still kept their original appearance, without any major changes.

The green belt encircling the wealthy district remained verdant as ever, the sewage river cutting through the old city was still foul and filthy, and the industrial parks spread along the riverbanks, just like in the daytime reality, endlessly spewing rolling white smoke thick with acidic fumes.

Although the dream world need not be bound by reality, the owners of the three hundred thousand dreams that make up this dream world all come from reality. This capital, which doesn't differ much from the real one, is the shared perception of the capital held by all of them…

Except for one place.

……

"What's going on over there?"

Looking at the strange building in the center of the capital, which kept twisting and shifting yet could never fully settle into a definite form, the old investigator couldn't help frowning and asked, somewhat displeased:

"Why hasn't the royal palace settled down yet? Could it be that these three hundred thousand people haven't reached a consensus on their perception of the royal palace?"

"Let me check…"

After looking at the royal palace, whose appearance kept warping and shifting—now old, decayed, and on the verge of collapse, looking as if a single breath would topple it; now resplendent in gold and jade, dazzling and magnificent, looking noble and supreme—the female reporter carefully examined the glass lantern in her hand, then frowned and shook her head:

"The 【Wandering Dream Lantern】 is fine, it hasn't been influenced or invaded. It should be that among the three hundred thousand people who dreamed of the capital, some have impressions of the royal palace that differ from the others, and their perceptions are especially strong, causing the royal palace's appearance to never settle."

"Clean it up quickly!"

After hearing the female reporter's explanation, the old investigator didn't hesitate for a moment. He stood up directly, walked to the edge of the bell tower, and pointed at the royal palace as he said:

"Check the dreams related to the royal palace, find the people whose impressions of the royal palace differ too much from everyone else's, kick them out of this dream, and don't let them affect the royal palace's situation in the dream.

When the Fallen Soul Abyss fully descends, I'm going to swap the dream-capital with the real capital. If the two sides differ too much, the swap will be very troublesome. This part absolutely cannot go wrong!"

"Understood."

After silently acknowledging, the lantern in the female reporter's hand flickered slightly twice. A large number of dark fluorescent dots lit up inside the glass lampshade, then quickly extinguished again.

And as the large number of star-points were culled, the royal palace in the distance, which had been ceaselessly twisting and shifting, finally stabilized somewhat and took on a reasonably fixed appearance.

But unfortunately, before the old investigator could nod in satisfaction, the royal palace, which had only just stabilized, began twisting once more. And this time, besides alternating between ruin and splendor, a third situation even appeared: most of the buildings had been artificially razed, turning the place into a lush landscaped garden.

"Just now some more people dreamed of the capital and were added into this dream."

This time, without waiting for the old investigator to ask, the female reporter directly checked the 【Wandering Dream Lantern】, then began to explain:

"The ones whose impressions of the royal palace differ from the others are now mainly two people. The capital in their dreams is vastly different from everyone else's perception of the capital, and their situations are both rather special—I can't drive them away."

Two people who can't be driven away?

The old investigator frowned and said:

"What did those two dream of? Take me into their dreams and let me have a look."

"Alright."

After glancing at the old investigator's back, the female reporter nodded slightly, then gripped the handle of the 【Wandering Dream Lantern】 tightly and shook the lamp in her hand once more.

Immediately after, the capital before their eyes trembled slightly, then instantly transformed in appearance—from a once reasonably vibrant, bustling city, into a scene of desolation after enduring the ravages of war.

The once bustling streets of the commercial district were now covered in rubble and broken walls. The buildings at the street corners had collapsed into heaps of ruined wreckage, and the high-rises had turned into piles of worthless bricks and stones.

The air throughout the entire capital was filled with the smell of dust and scorched earth. The walls of the surviving buildings still bore the marks of having been baptized by artillery fire, almost completely destroyed by the flames of war.

Even the bell tower beneath their feet had half of it blown away. And on the giant clock face, over two people's height tall, behind the female reporter, a massive, unexploded cannonball was still embedded…

"This should be Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya's dream."

After looking at the royal palace, which though not completely destroyed had been ravaged by the war into a terrible mess and seemed liable to collapse at any moment, the old investigator deliberated for a moment, then stated with great certainty:

"This is the Nightmare King's curse. The members of this country's royal family will endlessly relive the greatest regret of their lives in their dreams. As for Nathan… hmm… he is the future Watching Watching Qiaoshuya, so his nightmare has been synced over as well.

Besides, I also know why you can't drive him away."

Turning his head to look at the lantern in the female reporter's hand, and at the pitch-black star-points connected in a patch inside the lampshade, the old investigator said somewhat helplessly:

"The power of the 【Wandering Dream Lantern】 has been strengthened by the Fallen Soul Abyss, which is equivalent to indirectly stealing the power of the Fallen Soul Abyss.

And as the true master of the Fallen Soul Abyss, the Nightmare King's curse personally placed upon the royal family members has an extremely high priority. It's perfectly normal for it to affect the 【Wandering Dream Lantern】 you control.

His problem, we can't handle it right now, but it's not that big a hassle. When the Fallen Soul Abyss truly descends, I'll find a way to keep him from being able to fall asleep…

Let's go, take me into the dream of the other person you can't drive away, and let me see what his dream looks like."

The female reporter hummed in acknowledgment upon hearing this, located the star-point glowing with a faint red light inside the lantern, moved it to the very center of the lampshade, then vigorously shook the lantern in her hand.

The world spun.

As if an ancient mural had been painted with color, the dim and ruined capital before their eyes instantly shed the yellowing and charred blackness brought by the war, and abruptly became vivid and bright.

(End of this chapter)