Chapter 815: 412 The Secret of the Kingdom

Snow Maiden...

Upon hearing the red-haired Director's question, Li Ang followed her gaze toward the Snow Maiden lying in the desert.

According to the rules of this world, Nightmares that enter reality possess physical bodies. When the King of Nightmares entered his "second stage" earlier, the Snow Maiden had been knocked unconscious by him and had yet to wake up.

"Let's send her back to the Dream Realm."

After a moment of hesitation, Li Ang spoke:

"I've checked with the Black Goat's soul vision; her soul is actually purer than many humans'. She was mainly controlled by the King of Nightmares and isn't inherently evil. In fact, she helped me quite a bit this time.

Besides, her companion nightmare was polluted, and her nightmare core was destroyed by the King of Nightmares. Her strength has fallen drastically; aside from being able to traverse through nightmares, she has basically no abilities left. It won't matter if we let her go back."

"Very well."

After nodding to approve Li Ang's proposed solution, the red-haired Director pondered for a moment before speaking:

"Forget it, let the remaining Nightmare Messengers go back too. After the Dream Realm was ravaged by you, it has suffered a major blow. Moreover, before the King of Nightmares is resurrected, the ratio between nightmares and sweet dreams will be severely imbalanced.

Sending back a few more high-tier nightmares might help balance things out, preventing any negative impact on the real world. Besides, after the overlap ends, they won't have the capacity to invade reality, so there's no need to worry about any harm."

Before the King of Nightmares is resurrected...

Upon hearing the red-haired Director's words, Li Ang's expression sank slightly.

Although he knew these "True Gods" were nearly immortal and that after being finished off this time, the King of Nightmares would be born again from a new River of Nightmares in the future...

But recalling the painful scenes the King of Nightmares had shown him using the Mirror Crown—scenes that made his heart ache just by a brief recollection—a deep sense of unwillingness still surfaced in Li Ang's eyes.

"Director."

After calling out to her, Li Ang frowned and asked:

"Is there really no way to finish off the King of Nightmares completely?"

To think he would ask such a question... It seems the King of Nightmares offended him quite deeply...

After looking at Li Ang with some curiosity, the red-haired Director pondered what exactly the King of Nightmares had done to make the usually steady Li Ang lose control, then shook her head and replied:

"It's impossible... Sweet dreams and nightmares are both cornerstones of the Dream Realm. The result of completely finishing off the King of Nightmares would be similar to finishing off the Master of the Dead Realm, leading to an imbalance in this vassal world."

"Vassal world?"

"Simply put, worlds are not completely isolated from one another; they are interconnected based on utility and rules."

Using the tip of her shoe to draw a large circle in the sand and then a bunch of small circles around it, the red-haired Director explained:

"If the world we inhabit is this large circle in the middle, then the Dead Realm, the Dream Realm, and these small circles can be seen as 'vassal worlds' derived from our world, serving it specifically.

"Among them, the Dead Realm is responsible for receiving departed souls, returning them to their source and granting them new life, while the Dream Realm is responsible for bearing human memories and fantasies; things like art and inspiration are also related to the Dream Realm to a certain extent."

After finishing the explanation of the Dream Realm's purpose, the red-haired Director said with some helplessness:

"Whether these vassal worlds can operate stably is of great significance to us. Sometimes, when trouble arises, we even have to go back and help out, though that kind of work usually doesn't fall to us."

"If it doesn't even fall to you... then the Board of Directors?"

"Yes, the Board of Directors. Most directors are not in the Bureau year-round; they are basically out doing this."

The red-haired Director said:

"If the task of the directors of the eighty-seven branches of the Cleanup Bureau is to guard human settlements and prevent opponents from breaking in to steal or rob, then the duty of the twelve directors is to ensure the stable operation of those vassal worlds, so that no major mishaps occur that could affect reality."

"The strength of the Zodiac Directors might not be weaker than the directors, but the Star Palace they govern is one level lower than the twelve directors. They cannot enter or exit these vassal worlds at will, so these cross-world matters are generally handled only by the directors who can utilize the 【Star Dome Compass】."

So that's how it is...

Understanding why they couldn't let the bugs completely devour the Dream Realm, and why the directors of the Cleanup Bureau were always away, Li Ang hesitated slightly and then tentatively asked:

"Then... what if we find a way to replace the new Master of Nightmares? Didn't the Master of the Dead Realm change hands before?"

"It is possible... but it is not only extremely troublesome, it is also exceptionally dangerous."

The red-haired Director sighed and said:

"The ancestor of the Kingdom's royal family was the one who once repelled the King of Nightmares, resulting in his own bloodline being cursed.

He tried to do something similar to your idea, wanting to use it to lift the curse the King of Nightmares left in his bloodline, and he even received support from the Bureau, but he didn't succeed in the end, and it caused very serious consequences."

Very serious consequences?

Upon hearing this, Li Ang clenched his fists and asked with some curiosity:

"What happened in the end?"

"..."

"Li Ang, let me ask you."

Without answering Li Ang's question, the red-haired Director sighed and asked:

"What kind of kingdom is the kingdom we live in?"

What kind of kingdom?

Li Ang was slightly taken aback.

"A kingdom is a kingdom, what do you mean by what kind of kingdom?"

"My meaning is, don't you think there should be a prefix before 'Kingdom'?"

The red-haired Director said:

"For example, the Kingdom of Ice Plains, the Kingdom of Koroque, the Kingdom of Thousand Sails, the Kingdom of Thunderstorm, and so on. Other countries should all have specific names, so what should the prefix or full name of this kingdom be?"

The name of the kingdom?

Upon hearing this, Li Ang was stunned. He then opened his badge interface and found the Prince badge that makes people bow to look at it.

His own badge is called 【Prince of Traveling Thrush】, so the full name of the kingdom is the Kingdom of Traveling Thrush, right? What's so... Wait! Why did I have to look at the badge to remember the name of the kingdom?

Seeming to have discovered something extraordinary, Li Ang's pupils contracted instantly, and the red-haired Director, who was watching his expression, sighed at the right moment:

"You realized you can't remember, right?"

"..."

"That ancestor of the royal family, in the process of trying to replace the King of Nightmares, accidentally destroyed the stability of the Dream Realm, causing a world-wide memory loss, which led to the name of the kingdom being forgotten by everyone."

"And to solve this trouble, the Bureau had to open the 【Fantasy Can】, modify the Brain of the Evil God soaking inside, and require it to erase this question at all times, making everyone subconsciously ignore this issue."

"That is why you and everyone in the entire kingdom call it 'the Kingdom' every day, but don't feel that there is anything wrong with calling it the Kingdom without a name."

"..."

After looking at the shocked Li Ang, the red-haired Director reached out and patted his shoulder:

"Li Ang, now do you understand how troublesome it is to want to replace these 'gods' who occupy important rules?" ===== CHAPTER 816 =====