[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-972":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2298941,4496,"Chapter 972","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-972",972,"\u003Cp>In the dark ward, where only a sliver of moonlight entered, Lu Mi saw An Xiaotian’s fingers, comatose for over a year, twitch slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprised, he felt no fear—instead, a smile spread across his face:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An anomaly is good; only an anomaly can reveal more information!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How can I decipher the secrets hidden in this if nothing changes at all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi leaned against the window, staring at An Xiaotian’s bed, waiting for further anomalies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xiaotian’s fingers twitched again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness in the room seemed to deepen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi’s gaze snapped toward the ward’s doorway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened silently, and a nurse in a white cap stepped in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi did not immediately “teleport” away—he hid within the shadows cast by the curtains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the nurse mechanically moving around the bed, adjusting instruments, replacing IV bags, yet her hands remained empty, and no bags hung on the IV stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the open door, Lu Mi noticed that the dimly lit corridor outside had suddenly filled with over a dozen people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were nurses pushing empty carts, women in patient gowns pacing back and forth, a man walking while swinging his arms—busy and lively, as if it were noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was deep night; they made not a sound, and not a single face showed any expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause, Lu Mi stepped out of the shadows himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nurse attending An Xiaotian didn’t even glance at him—as if he were nothing but air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi walked calmly out of the ward, stepping among the nurses and patients moving to and fro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the man swinging his arms nearly collided with him, he naturally stepped aside, never looking at Lu Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi kept his hands in his pockets, watching them, as if he existed in a world apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nurse pushing an empty treatment cart turned toward Lu Mi and walked straight toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they were about to meet, the nurse suddenly stopped, opened her mouth, and spoke one word:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice cut off abruptly; her expression blank, she stepped around Lu Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her stood the female patient walking, who now approached Lu Mi and spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xin…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao… Xin? Be careful of what? Lu Mi’s spirits lifted—he felt this trip had not been in vain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female patient spoke only one word, then stepped around him; behind her came another nurse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the nurse opened her mouth, Lu Mi suddenly heard a buzzing sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lights at the end of the corridor, already dimmed, flickered violently—bright, then dark, alternating rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, Lu Mi felt a nauseating sensation—as if the environment itself was rejecting him, pushing him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the nurse before him rapidly stepping backward; the female patient who had just passed him now retreated to his front, then continued retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this way, everything Lu Mi had seen and experienced reversed at breakneck speed—like accidentally pressing the rewind button on a surveillance video.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fierce terror erupted within Lu Mi, so intense even his “Ascetic” endurance could not suppress it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt that if he stayed any longer, something horrific would happen—perhaps even direct targeting by the Celestial Lord, costing him all future chances to enter the Dream City!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he activated the black mark on his right shoulder and vanished from the corridor of the ward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi’s teleport destination was not the rental apartment in Xinhong Community, but the entrance of Star Dream Convenience Store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The store was closed, but nearby stood the Dream City Police Department, where several rooms still glowed with light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi calmly assessed his sensations: the fear was rapidly fading, the sensation of being rejected by the environment was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was this anomaly—or rather, that gaze—limited to that area? Leaving solved it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were those nurses and patients controlled by An Xiaotian in his vegetative state, trying to tell me something—and triggering a dream anomaly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The message he wanted to convey must be critical—it provoked such a violent reaction, denying him even a chance to finish speaking… If Fu Lan Ka had tried to tell Zhou Mingrui the full story last night, she’d likely have met the same fate: barely started, then forcibly rewound or kicked out of the dream…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly was An Xiaotian trying to warn me about… Be careful of whom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too many possible targets—Lu Mi could not find a clear direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt he needed to “contact” An Xiaotian again—but only if he could find a way to bypass the restriction, so the man could say at least two more words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If An Xiaotian’s message was truly critical, Lu Mi would not hesitate to sacrifice his remaining chances of re-entering the dream—even if it meant losing his last opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being completely kicked out won’t matter—I still have teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I can obtain the critical information, sacrificing myself is worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trust your teammates!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep night, Dechuang Garden, Room 2303.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Lan Ka woke to the vibration of her phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She picked it up and saw a voice call request from “Fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh… Before Fu Lan Ka could answer, Lu Mi had already hung up and sent a message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did this because messages and voice call logs could be deleted with the “Information Shredder,” but the content of voice calls could not—and might be monitored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Yu Jianna, who had just woken, Fu Lan Ka carefully read Lu Mi’s message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she read, her expression changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huang Zong might be compromised…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zarathustra has been pretending to approach Zhou Mingrui, but in truth he’s using the mirror’s Luo Saier to erode and influence Huang Zong… So damn sneaky!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna leaned over and finished reading Lu Mi’s message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could not help but frown slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Huang Zong sides with the Celestial Lord, things will be troublesome…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Troublesome? With manpower, money, and influence—he’s a powerhouse. How can we compete? Should we take Zhou Mingrui and rent near the police station, finding jobs Huang Zong can’t touch?” Fu Lan Ka’s head throbbed. “How do we confirm if Huang Zong is abnormal? If he suddenly announces he had gender reassignment surgery, does that mean he’s fully controlled by the mirror’s Luo Saier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna thought for a moment and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Huang Zong is truly controlled and beyond saving, we can sacrifice one person to kill him, making Huang Beibei the new CEO of the Indus Group.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good idea…” Fu Lan Ka’s lips twitched. “But if Huang Zong is controlled, he’s no longer human—he’s the mirror’s Luo Saier, a being of angelic rank, aided by Zarathustra and protected by elite security. Even all four of us together might not pull off an assassination, let alone just one of us trying alone…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, Fu Lan Ka forced a grim laugh:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, Huang Beibei has two younger brothers—she might not even inherit the CEO position…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Fu Lan Ka suddenly froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She and Yu Jianna exchanged glances—then both eyes lit up, blurting out together:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huang Beibei!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Beibei is the best candidate to confirm whether Huang Zong has been compromised!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Lan Ka and Yu Jianna themselves could only chance upon Huang Zong—if they forcibly infiltrated and spied secretly. Otherwise, even meeting him depended on luck, let alone testing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do we contact Huang Beibei and convince her?” Fu Lan Ka’s first thought was to ask Luo Fu if she had Huang Beibei’s phone or WeChat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes flickered, then she smiled triumphantly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got an idea!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What idea?” Yu Jianna asked eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Lan Ka cleared her throat:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We shouldn’t be looking for Huang Beibei—we should be looking for Bernadette.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll write to the Major Arcana tomorrow, asking them to contact the ‘Mystic Queen.’ If Bernadette still has access to the dream, she’ll handle it herself—no need for us to persuade or manipulate her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The dream and reality, online and offline—they can be linked!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna nodded slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the ‘Mystic Queen’ can no longer enter, then we’ll consider how to contact and ‘influence’ Huang Beibei.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can draft the plan now,” Fu Lan Ka said, fully awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna thought for several seconds:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is too critical—we can’t wait until tomorrow to send the letter. I’ll exit the dream now and inform the duty major at the villa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Lan Ka paused, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. Occasional exits, not frequent ones, won’t cause problems or affect your remaining dream-entry chances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna immediately shifted to a seated posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under current conditions, she could not use the dream’s rejection to exit voluntarily—she could only enter a blank-minded state through meditation, then imagine herself leaping down from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sensation of weightless freefall, Yu Jianna suddenly woke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She opened her eyes, rolled off the bed, and confirmed she had returned to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she opened the door and descended the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, the “Justice” Lady, dressed in a white gown with gold trim, guarded them in the living room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Emergency?” The “Justice” Lady rose and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed no further emphasis—she already sensed the gravity of the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Jianna nodded and recounted Lu Mi’s suspicions, Fu Lan Ka’s intelligence, and Zarathustra’s recent contact with Huang Tao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Justice” Lady gave a slight nod:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We will immediately contact the ‘Mystic Queen.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her right hand and swiftly sketched a small bird in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small bird was transparent and dreamlike; it chirped a few times, spiraled down toward Lady Justice, and vanished into her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a dream messenger I crafted; it can travel through the ocean of collective unconsciousness to reach a specific target,” Lady Justice explained briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, then continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’ve returned to reality, I’ll tell you directly about An Xiaotian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, I had already been expelled from the dream once and had begun preparing to film “The Great Pirate 3”—not only because I wanted to show Mr. The Fool the story of Germain Sparrow, in an attempt to awaken his memories and rouse him, but also to explore how to fulfill one of the things Mr. The Fool had told us:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When the World awakens, the Fool returns.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to An_Amanithis’s dog Nai for supporting Antigonus’s Silver Chest~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1702,"2026-06-20T06:22:37.987Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9b02c9b5d7f360cede399a5876284960a5681582b36e65229250aa86c53bac07","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-973","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-971",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]