A Nightmare descended. Piercing sirens echoed across the city. The roads were gridlocked with countless vehicles, forcing passengers to get out and flee alongside screaming pedestrians. The once-bustling city plunged into chaos.

However, the commotion didn't last long. On the streets, terrified people were swallowed by an expanding, hazy curtain of dreamlight, plunging them into an eternal Nightmare.

The Star Association activated its emergency protocols. Within Hong City, seven dazzling pillars of light shot into the sky. They then expanded, opening like giant umbrellas in the night sky, each forming a safe Barrier spanning three kilometers.

They were like lighthouses lit in the darkness, torches ignited to give the terrified people courage and hope. It kept them from running around aimlessly like headless chickens and gave them a clear destination to strive for.

The Star Association had deployed extremely high-level safe Barriers in every city. Once activated, even a Crowned King would have to expend considerable effort to break through them. At the same time, the Barriers could effectively isolate all external Extraordinary Power and block infiltration from the Spirit Realm.

Emergency summons were sent via satellite to the personal communication devices of every Ascender within Hong City. Some silently deleted the message and vanished into the night. Others did their best to escort civilians to the Barriers. And some stepped straight into the Nightmare, intending to eradicate the source of the contamination...

On the overpass, an engine roared. Zhou Chen slammed the accelerator to the floor, and the car shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Even though they were in the lanes heading toward Hong City, countless vehicles were driving against traffic. After realizing something had happened in the city, they had decisively turned around to flee.

Fortunately, Zhou Chen was a good driver and managed not to crash despite the high speed. But once they got off the overpass, the situation looked grim. The streets were completely blocked by haphazardly parked vehicles, and panicked people were fleeing toward the nearest Barrier.

The two of them decisively got out of the car. Zhou Chen placed a hand on Li Xiye's shoulder and activated Flame Jump. Plumes of pale flame ignited in mid-air, extending rapidly into the distance in a straight line.

After his Essence had been depleted to one-third of its total, Zhou Chen stopped their movement. Before them stood a residential complex, already enveloped by the hazy curtain of dreamlight.

"Angela's in there. She'll be fine," Zhou Chen comforted her softly.

To Li Xiye, the dog was family. If something happened to her, the blow would be no less than if something had happened to Xia Lan. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"I know." Li Xiye took a deep breath, composed herself, and her gaze became calm and steady. "Are we going in?"

Zhou Chen took a few steps forward to examine the curtain of dreamlight. It wasn't pure white. Countless images flickered across its surface, reflecting scenes from within the Dream Realm, as hazy and ephemeral as dream bubbles.

He stepped back a few paces. "These Dream Realms are essentially sources of contamination. To solve this, we have to eradicate the source within. We have no choice but to go in.

"The inside of a Dream Realm isn't a place we're familiar with. It's a bizarre Dream World where you can run into any kind of strange thing. The most important thing is that we have to stay awake. Otherwise, we could be influenced by the dream, fall asleep, and become Energy batteries for the Dream Realm."

"Stay awake..." Li Xiye hesitated. "When the Skinless attacked me in a dream, I woke up in time. I knew I was dreaming. But I don't know if I can stay awake after entering a Dream Realm."

"That can be arranged."

Zhou Chen reached out and placed his hand on Li Xiye's shoulder, making a wish inwardly: 'I wish that we can remain awake within the Dream Realm.'

Motes of starlight lit up, and the wish took effect.

Li Xiye let out a gasp of surprise. Her mind felt cool and clear, and she was suddenly wide awake.

"Let's go."

Zhou Chen took a few steps forward, approaching the slowly expanding Dream Realm. Li Xiye stood beside him, took a deep breath, and allowed herself to be swallowed by the vast, white expanse, ready to face the Nightmare.

·

The scene changed. The two of them were still standing side-by-side, but the scenery around them was no longer that of the beautifully landscaped residential complex.

A barren land, a sky shrouded in haze, a gray storm towering to the heavens, and flashes of scarlet lightning within it... Everything here was rendered in oppressive hues. This was no colorful, pleasant dream, but a Nightmare constructed from the inner Fear of countless people.

Ahead of them stood a school. A dense flock of crows perched on its roof. The entire school was pitch-black, save for a single classroom that was brightly lit.

"It's Third Elementary School..." Li Xiye recognized the building at a glance. She looked around, unable to contain her surprise. "This place is much bigger than the outside. Look over there, there's a huge Pyramid..."

Zhou Chen followed Li Xiye's gaze and saw a majestic Pyramid standing under the dark sky. However, the Pyramid flickered and then vanished into thin air the next second.

"What's going on...?" Li Xiye was stunned.

"That was someone else's dream," Zhou Chen explained. "This is the Dream Realm, an extension of the Spirit Realm. It's built from the subconscious minds and dreams of countless people. When ordinary people are swallowed by the Dream Realm, they fall asleep and begin to dream, and their dreams are then reflected here."

"Then what about us?" Li Xiye looked at her own hands. Her mind was clear; she didn't feel like she was dreaming.

"The Dream Realm is special, and I just used a little trick, so we aren't dreaming. Instead, we've entered with our physical bodies, just like a Dreamwalker. We can use our own Abilities, but it's best to use them sparingly, just to be safe." As Zhou Chen spoke, he produced a Lapis Iron Ingot, about the size of a cell phone, as if by magic.

"This is a piece of equipment I forged for you. I was planning to find some time to give it to you tonight, but I didn't expect this situation to come up. We've entered with our physical bodies, so take this to protect yourself," Zhou Chen said.