[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-987":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},2298956,4496,"Chapter 987: I Don't Believe It","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-987",987,"\u003Cp>Hearing Rosan’s question, Jianna froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why ask such a question all of a sudden?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could she suddenly feel this was a dream?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did she know? Who told her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After snapping out of it, Jianna carefully replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What dream?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan stared at her for several seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ‘Reporter’ has an ability to perceive truth—to observe different scenes within a certain area, though it can’t be sustained for long. Lately, I’ve been using it to check if anyone’s hiding at home or if there are traps.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I came back last night, I used it once and saw you talking with Luo Fu. I heard Luo Fu ask about being kicked out of the dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it could be done like this… This was how truth was observed… Jianna’s first instinct was “Don’t panic—I’ll fabricate an excuse right now,” but seeing Rosan’s eyes, heavy with sorrow, confusion, and pain, she fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan took a breath and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So when Luo Fu changed into someone else last time, it was because an outside consciousness was kicked out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… this really is a dream?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianna remained silent for several seconds, her voice growing low:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Zhou Mingrui’s dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan opened her mouth, but no words came out; her expression gradually emptied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianna continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some want Zhou Mingrui to remain asleep until the apocalypse arrives. Others want to wake him, so he can lead us against the apocalypse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Jianna felt pity for Rosan while focusing her mind intensely, waiting for the possible dream rejection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had nearly revealed the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Lumian already expelled from the dream, Furanca ill, and the police department heavily investigating the murder of Chalatustra, Jianna wasn’t ready for further experiments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she were to conduct one, the target would be Peng Deng or Zhou Mingrui—not Rosan. The truth needed gradual, careful preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one accepts that they’re fake, that their existence is meaningless. This would inflict unpredictable trauma on Rosan; Jianna couldn’t imagine what changes it might trigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to that, being kicked out of the dream wasn’t a serious issue—she could always re-enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was best not to be expelled at all; otherwise, the frail Furanca might not control Lumiana well enough to stop her from sneaking off to Mushi Hospital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan’s lips trembled, and after a long, shaky pause, she whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… I’m just a phantom image inside someone else’s dream?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jianna could respond, Rosan raised her hand to touch her own face, then shook her head violently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe it… I don’t believe it… I don’t believe it! This isn’t a dream, and I’m not fake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jianna wanted to urge Rosan to shift focus, to find new meaning—but the words stuck in her throat, unable to form a sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan muttered for a while, then fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked back at Jianna:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every time I observe truth, I see gray-white mist—present in every scene. What… what is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianna hesitated a moment, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It might be… the boundary of the dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan fell silent again, gripping the last straw as she fixed her gaze on Jianna’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, she lowered her head, turned her body, and murmured to herself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No… it’s not like this… I don’t believe it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned her back completely to Jianna, alone facing the translucent barrier and the monsters hidden beyond it in the deep darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trier, beside the Sailunzuo River, in a café with outdoor seating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian wore sunglasses and long hair, bathed in bright sunlight, holding a cup of Intis coffee, gazing blankly at the wide river, the classical buildings across the shore, the steel ships belching steam, the bustling river island, and the occasional flying airships, savoring rare peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had nothing urgent to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally planned to return to the real world and visit Banshi Island to find a special setting where corpse-oil candles could reach maximum effect—but after careful consideration, he abandoned the idea:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Banshi Port carried uncertain risks; if he got trapped there and couldn’t enter the ‘Fool’s’ true dream—or worse, died—it would severely hinder the awakening plan’s progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian still knew which of these two things mattered more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also considered going to New Baiyin City, descending underground, borrowing the “0”-rank sealed item “Earth’s Blessing,” and bringing it into the dream city to strengthen the team. After all, for him, falling asleep anywhere allowed him to return to the ‘Fool’s’ dream via the Lucky Coin—and New Baiyin City was equally safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Lumian chose caution and made no such risky attempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried Oumibela’s bloodline; the dream city had Green and other “Great Mother” devotees who regarded him as the “Great Mother’s” divine child; beneath Mushi Hospital lay the “Great Mother’s” influence and corruption over the dream city. Adding the true corpse of Oumibela, transformed into “Earth’s Blessing,” would be unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared that the moment he brought “Earth’s Blessing” into the dream city, his dream form would appear in the basement level of Mushi Hospital, and “Earth’s Blessing” would fuse with his body, allowing Oumibela to be reborn completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And such an Oumibela might even withstand the “Great Mother’s” divine descent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This couldn’t be done, that couldn’t be done—Lumian could only take a day off. As for crafting a new “Ice Mirror Talisman,” he’d have to wait; his misfortune hadn’t fully faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, though he used “The Man in the Ring” within the dream city, upon returning to reality, he still suffered the negative effect of misfortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Correspondingly, his “Ring of Binding” could only use “The Man in the Ring” seven more times. Two uses of “The Man in the Ring” had stacked his misfortune to six hours, and it didn’t activate immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The type of “The Man in the Ring” he used on Chalatustra’s mirror projection and historical fissure imagery differed: one reproduced the scene, the other fixed the location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The essence of negative effects manifesting in reality is that using extraordinary items in dreams triggers corresponding items in reality, thus activating the associated negative effects?” Lumian sipped his coffee, relaxing his body and mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He silently sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A stolen half-day of leisure…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Lumian gazed at the gently rippling, relatively clean water, breathing the cool breeze from the river, and wondered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is the other ‘me’ doing the same thing right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had considered the identity conflict of his female form being expelled from the dream, but he didn’t warn Jianna or Furanca—only told them to be cautious of Oumibela’s bloodline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought this situation might gradually awaken some of Aurora’s traits within his dream self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>8:00 a.m., Dechuang Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furanca had just woken, drowsy, when she saw Lumiana standing by the bay window, gazing at the brilliant sunlight outside, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a night’s rest, Furanca’s condition had improved significantly; she no longer felt weak all over or struggled to walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you looking at?” she asked Lumiana tentatively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumiana didn’t turn around, her voice distant:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I really want to go out for a walk. It’s not too hot yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait until the heat dies down,” Furanca suggested. “Or shall we play computer games?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What game?” Lumiana turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…” Furanca fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could they play computer games without a computer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even a console!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every penny they had was saved for renting useful items from Star Dream Grocery or completing critical tasks—non-essential expenses were always cut wherever possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mobile games then…” Furanca trailed off again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What games could you even play on a few-hundred-yuan phone without lag?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s play Landlord!” she finally said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jianna entered, helping her to the bathroom to wash up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After closing the bathroom door, Jianna kept watch outside, fearing Lumiana might suddenly run out, and whispered to Furanca about Rosan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furanca sat on the toilet, mouth half-open, utterly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Jianna out, she sighed deeply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We still don’t understand the ‘Reporter’ sequence’s abilities well enough…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood Rosan’s feelings now—if someone authoritative told her that her life since the transmigration was fake, her past was fake, that she was merely a phantom figure in a dream, she’d be shattered; not collapsing on the spot was already a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though she’d considered using Rosan to awaken the ‘Fool,’ Furanca had always hoped to convince her with fabricated stories—not the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some truths are better never known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They represent despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furanca thought for a moment, desperate and grasping at straws:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t we fabricate an excuse? Not by saying you lied, but by arranging events so everyone ‘discovers’ that the dream theory is just another layer of disguise—not the final truth. I think Rosan could accept this progression. People sometimes deceive themselves about certain things—she’s been saying she doesn’t believe it’s a dream, hasn’t she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, we can’t produce enough solid proof that this is a dream!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianna fell silent for a moment, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll have to handle it this way for now. We need to get Anthony to soothe Rosan—or have him provide direct treatment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furanca nodded slightly, then suddenly looked thoughtful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at Jianna and spoke slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to our earlier speculation, Rosan is a dream figure shaped by the ‘Fool’s’ subconscious, combined with memories of the corresponding image. Broadly speaking, she’s equivalent to a part of the ‘Fool.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet after hearing the truth about the dream, the dream city showed no anomaly, and you weren’t expelled…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1580,"2026-06-20T06:22:37.987Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","79b5efab5524cc8832fa2449de39f1cd278777c6836019bedf792ba7146b7fc9","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-988","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-986",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]