Chapter 66: Dream Arena

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Dream Arena

"Welcome to the [Dream Duel Arena]!"

"The game will begin in 30 seconds. Please prepare."

A crisp, synthesized electronic voice startled Chen Qi out of his daze.

Chen Qi looked around and found himself suspended high in the sky.

Below his feet was the empty Chaotic City.

Not far from Chen Qi, Felix stared at him in mild surprise, amazed that he had regained consciousness so quickly.

"What just happened?"

"The Dream Duel Arena... what the hell is this place?"

In the sky not far away, Feng Xingyun had also regained consciousness.

He was terrified and uneasy. Everything that had just happened was completely beyond his understanding.

"Hmph, Feng Xingyun, a small fry like you should consider it the highest honor just to be here."

"The Dream Duel Arena is a combat game set up by Lord Game Monarch. It has only one purpose: to start a fair duel where the winner takes all!"

"If you can kill your opponent in the duel, you can devour and fuse with their Spirituality."

"As long as I kill you two, I can accumulate enough Spirituality to advance to LV3."

Felix was quite displeased with how Feng Xingyun referred to the Dream Duel Arena; it was an offense to Lord Game Monarch.

This punk must atone with his life.

"What?"

"You can get another player’s Spirituality just by killing them?"

Feng Xingyun, who had been struggling with insufficient Spirituality, felt his eyes instantly blaze with greed.

’This isn’t a crisis at all! It’s clearly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!’

More importantly, he realized it was only his Spirituality and primary consciousness that had been brought to the Dream Duel Arena.

’In other words, Red Heart 7 has lost its control over me!’

"That’s right. You’re free!"

"This game space has cut off my control over you."

Seeing Feng Xingyun staring at him with ill intent, Chen Qi gave a straightforward, affirmative answer.

His frankness, however, only made Feng Xingyun more suspicious and uncertain.

But Chen Qi wasn’t lying. After the Puppet Threads had parasitized Feng Xingyun’s body, they were a form of remote control, far from the seamless responsiveness he’d had before.

The Dream Duel Arena had cut off Chen Qi’s connection to those three Puppet Threads.

Without Chen Qi’s commands, they would just lie dormant inside Feng Xingyun’s body.

"20, 19, 18..."

The Dream Duel Arena’s countdown kept flashing, and a stream of information suddenly appeared in Chen Qi’s mind—the rules of the game.

However, before he could examine them in detail, Felix underwent an incredible transformation.

"Hahaha! To feel young again, at last!"

"I savor this feeling every single time!"

Before Chen Qi and Feng Xingyun’s astonished eyes, Felix instantly reverted from a sickly, dying old man to a young man in the prime of his life.

The transformation was truly astonishing.

’Dream Duel Arena... Dream... Dream... so that’s how it is!’

Witnessing Felix’s reversion to youth, Feng Xingyun was greatly inspired, as if he had grasped some profound truth.

Chen Qi, on the other hand, remained unfazed, seriously analyzing the game rules.

The rules of the Dream Duel Arena were simple. Within the city below, there were 1,000 Dream Gems.

These Dream Gems had an extremely mystical effect in this space. Once absorbed, they could directly increase a player’s power.

Once the game started, the three of them would be randomly dropped into the city.

Thus, the slaughter would begin, and it would not end until a final victor emerged.

...

"3, 2, 1."

Before Chen Qi could analyze the rules any further, the game officially began.

An immense force suddenly appeared, knocking the three of them down into the city below.

BOOM!

The three of them crashed down like meteorites, but they were completely unharmed thanks to the protection of the game’s mechanics.

’This seems to be the South District?’

Chen Qi scanned his surroundings. It was indeed identical to the real Chaotic City.

’However, this is no help in winning the game.’

’I don’t even know what the Dream Gems look like, let alone where to find them.’

’In terms of game experience, that old bastard Felix is way ahead.’

’At least he definitely knows what the Dream Gems look like.’

But from the very beginning, Chen Qi had been brimming with confidence—he was almost unnaturally calm and composed.

It was as if it was impossible for him to lose this game.

"Go. Hunt for the items that trigger a Special Sensing."

A purple light emanated from Chen Qi as he summoned ten giant metal pythons, each sparking with violet electricity.

Each of these ten metal pythons was two meters thick and thirty meters long—true behemoths.

’As expected of a dream game. Interesting... very interesting!’

’I still underestimated the Game Monarch. To think he could borrow the power of the [King’s Game]!’

’This isn’t a Dream Duel Arena at all! It’s clearly a private server for the [King’s Game]!’

’The Game Monarch actually stole—or rather, borrowed—a sliver of the [King’s Game]’s power.’

Because he had detached three of his Puppet Threads, Chen Qi’s abilities were not at their full potential.

But here in the Dream, he once again possessed his complete abilities.

Of course, it wasn’t that the Dream Duel Arena had restored his abilities to their full state.

Rather, the Dream Duel Arena had once again granted him the abilities of [Red Heart 7].

As for his original abilities, however, they had been "suppressed."

Chen Qi could sense the existence of the [Card], but he couldn’t use its power.

Whenever he tried to use the Card’s ability, he felt as if a great mountain were pressing down on him.

Chen Qi’s abilities came from Red Heart 7, and Red Heart 7 came from the [King’s Game].

Within the Lanyu Kingdom, if there was anything that could restrain the Card, it would have to be the [King’s Game] itself.

And so, Chen Qi came to an incredible conclusion: the Game Monarch could somehow call upon or steal a portion of the [King’s Game]’s power.

There was definitely a trace of the King’s Game’s power woven into the Dream Duel Arena.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for it to grant Chen Qi his [Abilities] again, even if these abilities might just be a [Replica].

This was truly an incredible discovery.

...

’Hahaha, so that’s how it is!’

’In the Dream Duel Arena, our original abilities are sealed.’

’That means what Red Heart 7 said was true—he really has lost control over me!’

’A heaven-sent opportunity! The advantage is all mine!’

’What bullshit Dream Gems? I don’t even know what they look like, so how am I supposed to find them?’

’Red Heart 7 is an easier target, on the other hand. I know the secrets of his ultimate attack now. If we fight again, I’ll definitely be able to kill him.’

’And according to the Dream Duel Arena’s rules, I can devour his Spirituality after I kill him. That way, I’ll make up for my deficit and use the chance to advance to LV3!’

’Once I advance to LV3, Felix will be no match for me, even if he finds a few Dream Gems.’

’This way, victory is guaranteed!’

’Quickly, I have to be quick!’

In the West District of Chaotic City, after piecing all this together, Feng Xingyun felt his confidence surge.

When they were falling earlier, he had clearly seen the direction the other two were falling.

Having made his decision, he didn’t dare to delay and flew toward the South District of Chaotic City.