Chapter 922

Following Lu Mian's prompt, Franca quickly reviewed the surveillance footage of the mall's fourth floor from the previous three minutes.

During this process, Jenna and Anthony hid in the area being burned by the "Flames of Destruction" to avoid the residual occult pathogens and decay forces.

The former also made clusters of quiet black flames spring up in other parts of the monitoring room to assist Lu Mian in eliminating necessary traces; the only problem was that she could only create six to seven clusters at a time.

Ludwig, relying on the fact that he still had a "Mirror Substitution" unused, seized the time to eat snacks—those flesh and blood carrying occult pathogens and decay forces.

Soon, Franca pulled up the corresponding surveillance footage.

Within the scene that should have been dark, quiet, and empty, two figures were fighting intensely; the crimson flames quickly ignited that area, causing thick smoke to billow upward.

However, there seemed to be some discordance between the fighting scene and the original environment, as if it had been forcibly inserted using outdated special effects technology; both Lu Mian's and his enemy's figures were quite blurry, showing signs of interference.

"Your fight in the monitoring world really did become part of the surveillance footage, while in reality, no such thing actually happened; the fourth floor of the mall is completely intact..." Franca pulled up the current surveillance feed from the cameras corresponding to that part of the mall's fourth floor to make a comparison.

She took a breath and said:

"This, the monitoring world really isn't just a mirror world; this clearly has the characteristics of an information world..."

Lu Mian nodded lightly and said:

"Our occult knowledge regarding different-dimensional spaces and illusory worlds is still quite superficial. The abilities, authorities, and knowledge in this area seem to be scattered across the 'Witch,' 'Secrets Supplicant,' 'Apprentice,' and 'Painter' pathways. Among them, 'Apprentice' is the main trunk, and I'm not sure if the 'Painter' pathway can rival the 'Apprentices'."

"Pathways good at summoning should also have some understanding of different-dimensional spaces and illusory worlds." Franca turned her body halfway and said, "Surveillance footage like this won't allow the police or the Celestial Worthy's subordinates to reconstruct your image; we don't need to specifically destroy the monitoring equipment."

At this time, Lu Mian, with Jenna's assistance, had wiped away the various traces they had left in the monitoring room, and Franca also began to use the "Witch's" black flames to clean up the fingerprints she had left on the equipment just now.

"Let's go back; we must hurry with the spirit mediumship." Lu Mian withdrew his gaze and said.

"Mm." Franca withdrew her palm covered in black flames.

Lu Mian immediately took his teammates back to the rented car through the mirror world. Franca had just fastened her seatbelt and was preparing to start the car when she suddenly shivered.

She began to feel cold, as if the heat in her body had been extracted; her head also became dizzy, her vision occasionally turning black and popping with golden stars, and she could faint at any moment.

Franca understood that this was the negative effect of the "Spear of Inevitability" taking effect—if one of the two effects, "Inevitably Death" or "Inevitably Hit," was triggered, the user would inevitably be plagued by serious illness. If an effective healer wasn't found afterward, they could even die from it; even if one was found, the serious illness state would still persist for a period of time.

Similarly, every time Anthony finished using the "Winter is Coming" revolver, he also had to find a "Pharmacist" or "Physician" to provide treatment, otherwise, he would inevitably contract a terminal illness that low-to-mid sequence Beyonders were helpless against.

Seeing Franca's complexion turn white to the point of near-transparency, Lu Mian reached his hand into the "Traveler's Bag" and took out two bottles of healing potions.

These were operational resources provided by the "Tarot Club," said to be items not sold externally by the Fool Pharmaceutical Company and produced in very small quantities.

For this operation, the Major Arcana cards gave Lu Mian and the others a total of twenty-five general-purpose healing potions. Most were kept with Lu Mian, the team leader, while Jenna, Franca, and Anthony each carried two, and Ludwig had none.

Children need supervision, otherwise he would drink them secretly!

Franca opened the cap of the healing potion with trembling hands and gulped it down.

The cold liquid slid down her esophagus and entered her stomach.

Not long after, the feeling of coldness disappeared rapidly, and a layer of sweat seeped out on her skin without her noticing.

"Much better..." Franca let out a breath and said, "It's just that my head is still a bit dizzy, my forehead is quite hot, and my body has no strength."

Anthony, who hadn't fallen ill yet, also finished his healing potion and was as fine as ever.

"I'll drive," Lu Mian said.

"Can, can you drive?" Franca really didn't feel that her current state was suitable for driving, but Lu Mian, who had never learned to drive at all, made her even more worried. "How about we take a taxi?"

Lu Mian smiled and said:

"I watched you drive carefully today; I've mastered the basic operations, and it's the middle of the night, so there aren't many cars.

"More importantly, I still have the driver's license given by Ms. 'Justice'."

"Fine, classmate Li Ming." Franca weakly unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed open the car door.

Li Ming was Lu Mian's pseudonym in the dream world.

As soon as Franca's feet touched the ground, her knees went soft, and she nearly fell. Fortunately, Lu Mian was already waiting outside the driver's seat and grabbed her arm in time.

"Is this what a serious illness feels like... and this is under the premise that the negative effect is suppressed to Sequence 7..." Franca leaned on Lu Mian, walking slowly toward the passenger seat while preparing to give guidance later, muttering as she spoke.

Lu Mian laughed:

"If this were the real world, I might have to carry you."

Franca imagined that scene and suddenly said:

"No, carry me on your back instead!"

Lu Mian glanced at her and said nothing more.

Jenna, who had already gotten out of the passenger seat, watched the two of them approach step by step, listening to their conversation; her eyes were somewhat dark, and her expression was a bit gratified.

After they sat down separately and closed the car doors, Franca gave a simple explanation:

"This is the steering wheel; turn it whichever way you want to go. This is the gas pedal, used to control speed. This is the brake, used to stop the car; it can also be used for emergency deceleration... In short, don't overtake, change lanes only when there aren't many cars, stop at red lights, go at green lights, turn when you're supposed to turn; automatic transmission is very simple..."

Lu Mian stepped on the brake, released the handbrake, and shifted the lever to the corresponding gear.

The gray sedan moved slowly and gradually picked up speed.

After passing two traffic light intersections, Lu Mian already looked very proficient.

Franca watched with her mouth slightly agape, saying weakly and powerlessly:

"You learned it just like that?"

And you don't even need me to guide you from the side?

"It's very simple." Lu Mian smiled and responded to her using her own words.

He then released one hand and pointed to his head:

"You have to believe in the 'Hunter's' spatial perception and hand-eye coordination."

Franca suddenly felt that being the one who could drive in the squad wasn't something worth being so proud of.

Just like that, Lu Mian successfully drove the car back to the old residential complex they rented, and then, under Jenna's direction, spent quite some time finally parking the car, which made Franca feel proud again.

—To save money, they rented an older model car without an auxiliary parking system.

Inside the rented apartment, Lu Mian took his teammates into the mirror where the resurrected female corpse was hidden.

Except for Lu Mian and Ludwig, Franca and the others didn't dare to look closely, fearing they would suffer new contamination. But even with just a glance, they all discovered a tiny bit of dark light flying out from the tattered female corpse, slowly gathering toward her right eye.

"Beyonder characteristic precipitation?" Jenna blurted out.

Because she was weak, Franca was a beat slower than her, and said in astonishment:

"Is this dream too realistic?"

Beyonders can also precipitate characteristics?

Without waiting for Lu Mian and the others to respond, Franca had a sudden thought:

"If I obtain a Beyonder characteristic in this dream, formulate it into a potion, hold a ritual, drink it, and successfully advance, what kind of changes will happen to me in the real world?"

Hearing this question, no one in the area behind the mirror spoke; it was unusually quiet.

"I can't answer that for you." Lu Mian pondered for a few seconds and said, "Maybe we need to consult the Major Arcana cards, or take this Beyonder characteristic, exit the dream, and see if it 'follows' us to reality."

After arriving in this city, Lu Mian and the others no longer needed Ms. "Justice's" help to exit and re-enter the dream; they could do it directly using the lucky coin instead of needing a train.

"Frequently entering and exiting the dream seems like it will also attract the Celestial Worthy's attention." Anthony reminded Lu Mian.

Lu Mian said "Mm":

"It's not that there aren't other ways; try not to exit. We'll contact the Major Arcana cards first thing tomorrow morning."

Although the Major Arcana cards were all subject to various restrictions in the dream, and some couldn't even enter here, there were still ways to penetrate the dream and contact them; that required going to a certain place.

While the few were talking, the dark Beyonder characteristic gathered in the resurrected female corpse's right eye, dyeing it black with a faint, ghostly blue glow.

During this process, the three "Witches"—Lu Mian, Franca, and Jenna—had already created multiple clusters of black flames, burning the occult pathogens spread by the female corpse and the characteristic.

Following the requirements of the "Despair" potion formula, Lu Mian collected the black eyeball, the bile of the resurrected female corpse, and a cluster of coarse, long hair that had been stained gray-white and hadn't returned to its original appearance, handing them to Franca to put into the "Traveler's Bag."

Ludwig, who had endured for a long time, finally found an opportunity and pointed at the female corpse, saying:

"Can I eat a few bites?"

He had already obtained the "Mirror Substitution" ability through "Deprivation," and by eating a few more bites of the female corpse's flesh, he would have a chance to fix this ability to himself.

Of course, limited by the dream and the fact that "Deprivation" was currently only at the Sequence 7 level, he couldn't obtain "Mirror Substitution" permanently; he could only use it for two or three weeks.

"Go ahead." Lu Mian nodded.

Ludwig ran over excitedly and leaned close to the female corpse's head, his target being her delicate, small ears.

"After she died, the 'Witch's' charm is concentrated in her ears, and even Ludwig is attracted?" Lu Mian had just had this thought when he saw Ludwig lie down, snap off that ear, and start gnawing on it, his mouth full of blood and filth.

"..." Franca and the others were all silent, turning their bodies to the side and no longer looking.

After Ludwig ate both of the "Witch's" ears and reluctantly returned to Jenna's side, Lu Mian began to set up the ritual.

Because he lacked a target to pray to, he could only perform "spirit mediumship" in the simplest way, while carefully guarding against strong contamination from the Celestial Worthy on the target.

Soon, the vague phantom of the female corpse emerged.

Lu Mian asked in a low voice:

"You woke up from the morgue at the Dawn Hospital; what was your purpose?"

(End of chapter)