"They went into the forest. You should have asked two Shadow Beasts to swallow them."

Suri sat on the platform, observing every move of Zhao Lian and Qiu Ling. If she was controlling this dream, she would have ordered the Shadow Beasts in the forest to devour the two of them.

​​

"I've told you they're not the ones you should take revenge on."

Qiu Ren reminded her a bit speechlessly. Although Suri understood that, she couldn't help but complain a bit.

"So, what are you going to do?" Suri didn't really like how Qiu Ren acted. In her perspective, if he really wanted to recruit the dream consciousnesses in the other world, he could directly drag them over here to negotiate.

If they were willing to yield, let them stay. If they weren't, just feed them to the Shadow Beasts.

Simple, straightforward, and neat, this was Suri's style… On the contrary, Qiu Ren wanted them to stay in that world for a trip.

"How should I put it… Do you know the real name and identity of that kid, Qiu Ling?"

Qiu Ren was slightly startled when he heard Zhao Lian call Qiu Ling "Your Highness."

However, thinking carefully, they wouldn't have to mobilize so many people and resources to chase after a normal dream consciousness fugitive for so many years.

"She's one of the mothers of the country similar to this material world, the Dream Seed with the highest level in the Celestial Empire, Dynasties. I've met her once in the main hall of the country when a lot of other countries visited many years ago, but I'm not close to her."

Suri used this way to tell Qiu Ren not to rely on her to convince Qiu Ling, but she could still give him intel.

"However, I heard that she's the daughter of the people. This position existed before the Dream Makers transformed the Dream Dungeon of Dynasties… Using your words, it's a setting that gathers all the affection in one person."

"What kind of a setting is that… A mascot like Alaina?" Qiu Ren immediately thought of Alaina, the pet of the Army.

"It's a bit like that. Even though the dream consciousnesses living in the same Dream Dungeon will have their own thoughts as they reach a higher level, we still retain our… hive consciousness. I think that's the word you use. Just like Alaina, everyone in the Army adores her."

Suri seemed complacent when she talked about her sister.

"Not only me, even that radical Commander, Risor, cares about Alaina a lot in private. Hence, he was so enraged that he almost lost his mind when you abducted her. Although this kind of affection is based on their long-time relationship and interaction, part of it also comes from the character Alaina played in the system of the Army."

A solace for the minds of all soldiers in the Army? Then, Alaina could be considered a little angel.

This was a very important function for the dream consciousnesses fighting at the front line. Alaina's original purpose was to purify their nightmare pollution.

"I guess this is also the reason why they're so desperate to take her back." Suri's gaze fell on Qiu Ling, who was exploring in the forest, again.

"No… Their goal is probably to eliminate Qiu Ling, this mascot." Qiu Ren had a different opinion.

"Eliminate? Although she's been polluted by the nightmares, she's still… usable if they get her back and purify her." When Suri said the word "usable," she also had a heavy heart. "It's a really severe blow for a high-level Dream Seed when they lose their mother."

"In fact, such a blow… isn't worth mentioning at all compared to the possible impact brought by Qiu Ling's ability," Qiu Ren said.

"Ability? What ability does she have?"

Since Qiu Ling was a dream consciousness of the same level, Suri couldn't sense anything deeper about her.

"Question… How many ways are there for a dream consciousness to get rid of the restraints from a Dream Maker?" Qiu Ren suddenly asked.

"To get rid of the restraints from a Dream Maker? Perhaps…" Suri immediately realized something, but a thunderous sound came in from the forest below at this moment.

"Stop thinking about it. It's almost time for me to send the actors out," Qiu Ren said.

…

"Your Highness, why… do you have to wander outside for so long?"

General Zhao Lian escorted Qiu Ling into the Ancient Forest and asked the question in her mind.

Even though the dynasty world they lived in had many dark places, these dark places weren't something Qiu Ling, this superior "Princess," could touch.

The Dream Makers of the Imperial Court weren't dumb. There were four royals in the dream world of Dynasties, and each of them was well-served with delicious food.

With the streams of energy from the world's citizens, they almost made everything that these royals wanted. Normally, no one would run away from such a luxurious life.

"General Zhao, do you want to know the truth?"

Qiu Ling wanted that baby fire dragon to lay on her shoulder, but she found that it was a bit too big. She could only keep holding it with her hands.

"Sure."

Zhao Lian had been a bodyguard of this Princess for a while in the past. She knew that Qiu Ling liked to fool around and was lazy. She would never rebel or overthrow the government of the country.

It wasn't that Qiu Ling didn't have the courage. She just found it too troublesome.

"The Dream Maker who used to build a world for me succeeded in her research on my ability development, which caused her to be sentenced to death. I was supposed to be reset, but with the help of that Dream Maker… I escaped."

"State Preceptor Lin used to be your Dream Maker? The ability she gave you…"

Before Zhao Lian could ask further questions, some weird sounds came from the Ancient Forest… This immediately sent her on guard.

She protected the person next to her as they walked deeper into the forest… Finally, they found a… dragon that looked very young in a hidden cave.

"This is just… This is just…"

When Qiu Ling saw this hostile baby dragon, she took out the Hunter's Notes and started searching excitedly.

"A baby Glavenus. Aren't they commonly seen in deserts? Whatever! General Zhao, this baby…"

"Your Highness, watch out!"

Unfortunately, her excitement didn't last for long. A terrifying roar sounded on the other side of the forest.

A giant adult Glavenus jumped down from the canopy. When Zhao Lian reacted, the scorching air that came right at her face hit the blade of the spear in Zhao Lian's hand hard.

"General Zhao!" Qiu Ling had already pushed Zhao Lian to the side at this moment.

Zhao Lian was forced to go a few meters back by this sudden attack, but she was indeed a Level A dream consciousness. She wasn't injured at all.

"Don't come over!"

Zhao Lian looked at this terrifying Shadow Beast in front of her. Its entire body was in a metallic black-purple color. What caught her attention the most was its tail that was exuding scorching air.

She had no idea which Dream Maker was crazy enough to use Shadow Beasts as materials to create living creatures!

When Zhao Lian was about to fight with this Glavenus, a more frightening roar came from the sky the next second.

Something more terrifying was coming!

Zhao Lian looked up and saw that her sight was blocked by a black shadow that appeared in the sky. When she reacted, the Glavenus, which was still confronting her, was suddenly knocked down and pressed on the ground by that creature.

How many horrifying Shadow Beasts did that fucking Dream Maker transform?

Zhao Lian vigilantly stared at the dragon with spikes all over its body. It was pressing the Glavenus down on the ground.

The fierceness exuding from its body was obviously much more terrifying than that of the Glavenus.

"It's a Nergigante!" Qiu Ling seemed even more thrilled.

"Your Highness, we need to run…"

Zhao Lian wasn't dumb. She could deal with a single Glavenus or a single Nergigante, but she wouldn't be able to kill them while protecting Qiu Ling if the two of them came at the same time.

Zhao Lian didn't have the all-powerful Dung Bombs with her at the moment. She could only choose to run.

"Why should we run? It is the best time to tame that baby Glavenus! General Zhao, it's probably impossible for you to beat me if you don't catch that baby Glavenus," Qiu Ling said.

"Your Highness, you mean during the chaos…"

"What chaos? Go and help that Glavenus mother dispel the Nergigante! Then, it'll probably give you its baby for you to raise."

"Can you communicate with the Shadow Beasts?"

"Of course! I can understand them… You have just one chance! Quick!"

Zhao Lian saw that Qiu Ling wasn't willing to escape. She had no choice but to face the monsters… To kill such huge monsters, she also changed the weapon in her hand into a sword.

"Crack!"

Zhao Lian slashed on the spikes of that Nergigante and broke a few of them on its arm.

However, this attack angered the Nergigante. It put down the Glavenus in its hand. At the same time, the originally broken spikes grew back out in a heartbeat. It stood up, raised its hand, and smashed down on Zhao Lian with an earth-shattering roar.

Zhao Lian didn't dodge. There was no room for her to dodge anymore.

When the claw of the Nergigante was about to smash Zhao Lian, she raised the sword in her hand and slashed its palm. The blade left a deep wound on it. Zhao Lian slid under Nergigante's hand at the same time.

Before she gained her footing, the Nergigante hit her with the giant horn on its head!

Zhao Lian was directly knocked away by the impact of the clash… Her entire body smashed into an ancient tree behind her like a rag doll.

Before Zhao Lian could catch her breath, the Nergigante with its entire head crashed into the mud on the ground. It suddenly exerted itself to lift its head!

The Nergigante could almost kill someone when it raised its head. The spikes at the back of the Nergigante's head were all thrown out. They flashed towards Zhao Lian.

By the time Zhao Lian reacted, it was already too late. As the spikes were about to stab Zhao Lian, a giant scorching sword appeared in front of her and blocked all the spikes.

It was that adult Glavenus.

Could Shadow Beasts really… communicate?

Zhao Lian looked at the Glavenus, which was surrounded by viciousness all over its body, in shock. It didn't say anything. It just snorted to reply to Zhao Lian, then roared at each other with the Nergigante far away.

She couldn't care about so many things. Taking this opportunity to eliminate the Shadow Beast that posed the biggest threat was the best choice.

As a Level A dream consciousness, Zhao Lian's combat strength and fighting experience could be described as extremely strong…

Yet, even when she worked with that Glavenus, this human and dragon had to exert a lot of energy. They fought until they were exhausted and injured all over their bodies before slaying that terrifying Nergigante.

"The Shadow Beasts in this place… are a bit too powerful."

Zhao Lian knelt in front of the dead body of the Nergigante weakly. Her whole body was covered with wounds caused by the spikes on the Nergigante.

She had just taken a breath when the ground shook slightly. The Glavenus, which also had wounds all over its body, stood in front of her.

Zhao Lian didn't let down her guard and was about to raise the weapon in her hand to fight. However, the Glavenus only snorted and carried its child to Zhao Lian with its mouth.

Was it… really giving her its child?

Zhao Lian froze for a while and thought she could finally adopt a presentable monster. Then, a ray of light shot out from deep inside the forest and penetrated the neck of the Glavenus in front of Zhao Lian.

The Glavenus wailed and fell in front of Zhao Lian.

Everything happened too quickly. When Zhao Lian looked up again, someone had already put his hand on her shoulder!

"Well done, General Zhao."

Zhao Lian soon realized who did this. It was the Dream Makers who were dragged into this Nightmare Dungeon together with her!

Agents in the uniform of the Dream Hunting Bureau surged out of the forest from all directions. The first thing they did was to capture Qiu Ling.

It was fine if they just caught her, though. What Zhao Lian couldn't accept was that those agents shot Qiu Ling's left leg mercilessly.

Blood splashed everywhere. Qiu Ling also fell on the ground and couldn't move at all.

Let go… Zhao Lian's voice couldn't come out of her throat. She found that she couldn't control her body at all.

She was very familiar with this feeling, but she rarely felt it…

This was the restraint from her Dream Maker. She was essentially just a character created by a Dream Maker.

It was the Dream Maker's freedom to order her.

"I know that you can't accept this scene, but this is our mission. Don't worry… I'll delete all the memories you have about this Princess," that Dream Maker said.

No…

Zhao Lian felt that part of her memory was already disappearing. She was very familiar with this feeling.

She seemed to have resisted like this before, but it was useless… She couldn't move at all. She was a character created by her Dream Maker, so she certainly couldn't fight against her creator.

Unless… Unless… She made a deal with the devil.

Zhao Lian's hands on the ground suddenly felt the scorching blood of the Glavenus.

"You should have already noticed this?" Qiu Ren's voice sounded in Zhao Lian's ears. "And you should be curious about how many of your memories had been deleted by your creator to keep you loyal ever since you were born, memories about you and about your Princess.

"If you want to get rid of everything and truly be free, there's only one way: accept the power from the nightmares and turn into a nightmare yourself."

"Get out… I won't accept your power, Lord of Nightmare!" Zhao Lian's attitude was very firm, but what she received was just a gentle sigh from Qiu Ren.

"This isn't my power. I don't have the ability to pollute a Dream Seed into a Nightmare Seed. Don't you understand? This is the power of your Princess… the power that merges dream consciousness with nightmares to get rid of the shackles and usher you toward freedom."

What? Zhao Lian froze. The scorching blood oozing out of the Glavenus's body already covered her hands.

The erosion from the nightmares made her remember her past that was sealed by her Dream Maker. The current Dream Maker wasn't the one who created her but State Preceptor Lin, the creator of Qiu Ling. The original purpose of creating her was…

"It's good if you don't remember me, General Zhao." Qiu Ling lying on the ground smiled slightly at Zhao Lian. Then, a few gunshots came.

The agents of the Dream Hunting Bureau didn't show any mercy. They pointed their guns at Qiu Ling's head and didn't stop until they emptied the magazines.

As Zhao Lian looked at this scene, the blood from the body of the Glavenus suddenly surged all over her body. The blood made the unique scales on the Glavenus appear on Zhao Lian's body, and her outfit was also reconstructed gradually… The weapon Zhao Lian was holding began to change and became more exaggerated.

"Stop! I said stop. Do you hear me?"

The agents of the Dream Hunting Bureau were all terrified when they saw this sudden change.

"I'm really furious right now!"

Zhao Lian didn't answer her creators like usual but slid her hand, which was already in the Glavenus Brace, through her sword!

Sparks splashed everywhere. The scorching fire of the Glavenus had been attached to the sword!

My heart is on fire. Heavy Polish!

In her own way, Zhao Lian was asking her current Dream Maker how many of her memories exactly… he had deleted and how many of her former compatriots he had driven her to kill by such means.

It was time for hunting!