Chapter 176: Tonight, Return to the Hunt Again

Yinhuanshe: 【Excuse me, may I ask if Ms. Dazhenhan is here? I have some questions about spirit and dreams I'd like to ask.】

Dazhenhan: 【I'm here, but I haven't researched much on dream-related questions, so I might not be able to answer your question.】

If you need… I can forward your question to the academic circle.】

Yinhuanshe: 【…That might be overthinking it; I'm just asking about the multiplayer aspect of dreams, huh, may I ask if you've experienced that kind of entertainment?】

Dazhenhan: 【I have, and even a senior from Origin Energy Middle School is quite into this, but the rules of dream rooms vary from one to another…… Are you asking about breaking out of the framework?】

Yinhuanshe: 【Yes, I want to ask if there's a way to bypass the original framework 'infiltrate' or 'invade' it, not limited to a specific room, but to infiltrate its foundation.

Because I've heard that the underlying foundation of most dream rooms is the same.】

Dazhenhan: 【Indeed, although different races have slight differences in body structure and soul composition, the foundation remains unchanged, and the spirit itself is more consistent, so the basic framework of dreams is the same.】

【But I also indeed need to ask that senior; I haven't researched this area, but she definitely has done it, I hope she's not busy right now.】

Yinhuanshe: 【Sorry to bother you.】

Dazhenhan: 【No trouble at all, and I think the reason Lin Dun trainer is asking this is also related to that "I".】

Yinhuanshe: 【Guess or…】

Dazhenhan: 【Feeling, or rather, spiritual perception.】

Yinhuanshe: 【Excellent spiritual perception.】

Dazhenhan: 【So I should also lend a hand. As always, Lin Dun trainer, if you need anything, you can ask me for help; my research on dreams isn't extensive, but I can still assist you.】

【Ah, the senior replied; wait a few minutes, I'll organize the files she sent.】

Files? A few minutes?

Why would there be a need to organize files that take a few minutes?

The method to invade a room shouldn't be just a few words; it's either success or failure, right?

……Aomo felt subtle as various speculations arose in his mind, yet he couldn't help but sigh:

——

Indeed, it still comes down to connections.

——

He lightly tapped the silver bell on the low streetlamp with his staff, watching the white mist rise from the ground stained with fallen leaves and ash, Aomo recited the unique string of pronunciation from the information given by the other party.

The pronunciation applicable to dream rules is no different from the "secret manual" in early games that could trigger hidden commands.

And the meaning of this string is:

【Open Assistance】

Then, in the next second, some black particles in the white mist coalesced, combined, and refined facial features and attire, eventually forming Dazhenhan, who slightly bowed in greeting to him.

Already blackened (crossed out).

In appearance, it resembled a companion of the negative-energy humanoid. Dazhenhan, clad entirely in black, was even shrouded in a hint of black aura; despite her delicate features, she looked like a dangerous figure.

And in fact, she is indeed dangerous.

"Aoou!"

The werewolf that lunged from behind with a low growl failed to catch Aomo's figure, but it saw that there was still prey before it that hadn't moved, enough to vent its ferocity—then it was punched, shattering its skull, and a swift kick followed, sending its corpse flying several meters away in a clearly broken posture.

Only splattered blood remained, falling on the bricks.

Does she usually not use weapons in her records?

Aomo, standing not far away, gazed at Dazhenhan's phantom, whose cyan-blue flames in her eyes were fading, and didn't mind the trait of her eyes blazing fire when she attacked.

When horse girls enter their domain stance, they generally exhibit a visual effect similar to shattered pupils, with energy from their eyes burning like flames.

This is a realm that horse girls generally master to some extent; it would be more surprising if Dazhenhan couldn't do it.

Looking back, even the little chestnut cap and Special Zhou would enter the domain state just from eating more in a competition, showing that this isn't much of a trump card for horse girls—it's merely a passive that triggers once one has mastered it and taken it seriously.

Compared to that, Aomo is more concerned about Dazhenhan's phantom's attack style.

This is still Yanan, and this place isn't meant for solo action only.

Players who have played Blood Origin Curse should understand the summoning system; thus, Aomo was guided to use the rule inherent in this dream server itself, with the result that others can summon teammates, while he summoned a phantom.

It is the mental remnant left by Ms. Dazhenhan from when she previously played those dream rooms; simply put, it's the data stored by the server.

This allowed Aomo's summoning to shift from a living person to an AI, and fortunately, the AI here doesn't reduce intelligence.

Mental remnants faithfully reproduce the original's appearance, attire, and behavioral style, but lack a substantive self.

"Can you use it?"

He held out the staff in his hand, Aomo asked her, and was met with the silent gaze of her cyan-blue pupils, then he took the staff.

Thrusting, transforming, waving—she indeed knows how to use it; it seems she's unarmed only because Dazhenhan's latest retained image lacks a weapon.

"Just use the whip form, keep your distance as much as possible," Aomo instructed in a tone of advice, and meanwhile pulled out a pack of tissue paper that clashed with the local aesthetic from his pocket, "Wipe your face."

The girl silently lowered her head in thanks, took the tissue, and wiped the blood from her face.

Each time the tissue touched her black cheek, black particles would scatter on her face, and the underlying void continually proved she was merely a phantom, not even stable.

But at least her face was cleaned.

Aomo's biggest complaint about this training ground is that it's too realistic.

Blood doesn't naturally disappear, clothes soaked with too much water become heavier, and even without mentioning the narrow terrain causing blade slips, pure terrain issues alone would hinder combat.

When he first fought Ludwig, he nearly slipped several times in that blood pool.

He wasn't sure whether Ms. Dazhenhan could access the records of the mental remnants. He had heard that the dream server had a similar replay function, even a simulated experience of recalling Ultra Dream; if Ms. Dazhenhan came once, she would experience the feeling of being covered in blood……

Quite troublesome; just throw the staff and firearm to her.

Magic…… oh, there's basically no magical medium.

No longer logging in with Zhouri Ningjing's account number, but instead sneaking in from the outside and returning, Aomo this time broke free from the dream world's system control.

To get closer to the game's flow, I killed my way to A Nan; the backpack I carried and this hunter outfit I'm wearing, including the weapons, were all given by the enemies.

Only the clothing and underwear beneath the coat, plus small items like toilet paper, count as brought along.

That's not important; what matters is strongly condemning that there's no doll lady here! It's nowhere near enough blood source!

Of course, upon further thought, this place is also called a trial ground rather than anything like a blood source, and the version has even been updated.

Therefore, he still needs to explore further to confirm the situation here.

He gave up rummaging through the backpack that was already too small, wiped at his collar that had hardened from blood, and Aomo still gave up the idea of changing clothes.

Only one set of spare coat remains.

His grasp of the technique of using magic to rinse and air-dry isn't yet perfect enough to have his clothing sorted out, and this place is full of werewolf monsters with no clothing to strip, so he must head further into the buildings.

"Let's go, Miss Dazhenhan."

Although it's just an illusion, he still gave a normal greeting while simultaneously undergoing a silent demonization.

Before, he disliked the other equipment's poor quality, not even considering them as backups, so before finding a new weapon he decided to use claws and sharp tail as substitutes; anyway, demonization in dreams won't cause breakfast expenses to exceed.

The horse girl illusion also didn't mind the summoner suddenly taking on a demon's form; upon receiving the command, she merely nodded obediently and followed closely behind his steps.

Moreover, the trial-goers who were supposed to be served by this trial ground are still lost at the Yanan entrance.