Chapter 321: Pride Pretends to Be Pride

Duanmu Qing lowered her head in slight embarrassment.

"I've come because I need your help."

"Mr. Su, just say the word. I'll do anything I can."

"Help me brew the Bloodshed Berserk and Demonic Heart Baleful Soul Silver Law Potions. The transcendent materials the Blood Moon Empire has accumulated over the years are vast, and they include everything needed to brew these two."

Duanmu Qing hesitated, looking as though she wanted to speak but couldn't. "Mr. Su, could it wait a little?"

Su Mu's eyes flickered. She had been such a handy tool, yet after just a few days apart, she was actually learning to make excuses. It seemed his brainwashing was losing its edge.

His smile grew even gentler. "What is it? Have you been working too hard lately? It's fine, I'm in no rush. If you're tired, go out for a stroll and get some rest."

Duanmu Qing quickly shook her head. "No, Mr. Su. I recently sensed a Nightmare Omen. I expect to be pulled into the Nightmare World in the next few days, so I can't help you brew the potions right now. I'm sorry."

A Nightmare Omen?

Going by the timeline, it was about due.

Su Mu had almost forgotten about Nightmare Omens entirely, mainly because he had never experienced one. He never waited for a Nightmare Omen to appear before actively entering the Nightmare World.

Wait!

A thought suddenly struck him. He could now open a passage to the Nightmare World. If he actively sent Duanmu Qing into the Nightmare World and immediately brought her back, wouldn't that count as surviving a nightmare?

If that truly worked, the dilemma plaguing countless Nightmare Apostles would be solved.

They would no longer have to worry about dying in the Nightmare World. Popping in for a single second and instantly returning would absolutely guarantee a long, peaceful life.

"Come, I'll take you to the Nightmare World."

"Huh?"

Before Duanmu Qing could react, the space before her eyes blurred and shifted.

When she could finally see her surroundings again, she realized she was no longer in the base. Instead, she stood amidst the endless Black Fog.

"This... is this the Black Fog of the Nightmare World!?" Duanmu Qing exclaimed. She subconsciously searched for Su Mu and only felt relieved when she found him standing right beside her.

"That's right. This is the Black Fog of the Nightmare World," Su Mu's gentle voice rang out. He stood amid the Black Fog, wisps of mist drifting around him and blurring his figure.

Duanmu Qing curiously examined her surroundings. To her surprise, the ground beneath her feet was a layer of brown rock, completely bare without a trace of vegetation. She looked up and found the exact same sight above her. There was no sky in this world of Black Fog, only layers of rock.

It felt as if they were standing in a crevice over ten thousand meters deep within the earth.

Just as she tried to take a closer look, the scenery before her eyes shifted once again, and she was already back in the underground base.

"Is the Nightmare Omen still there?"

Duanmu Qing paused. She reached out with her senses, and her eyes suddenly went wide. "It's gone!" she said in pleasant surprise. "The Nightmare Omen is gone! Does this mean I've survived the Nightmare World once?"

Such a bizarre turn of events would have been utterly unbelievable to her if she hadn't experienced it firsthand. Every Nightmare Apostle knew how dangerous the Nightmare World was.

Not even Gold powerhouses could guarantee they would return alive every single time, yet she had survived the Nightmare World this time so effortlessly, in a mere matter of seconds...

She looked at Su Mu, her large, clear eyes unblinking.

Mr. Su was truly incredible!

"Mr. Su, I know I've said this many times already, but I still have to thank you," Duanmu Qing said gratefully. "You saved me again. To be honest, I really wasn't confident I'd make it back alive."

Su Mu smiled gently. "You are also a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. Helping you is what I should do as your Leader. There is no need for thanks. Alright, now that the nightmare crisis is resolved, you can take a real vacation. Go out and walk around."

"No, Mr. Su," Duanmu Qing said earnestly. "I'm going to help you brew the Transcendent Potions. I know these Transcendent Potions must be very important to you. I can't delay your business just out of a moment of laziness."

Su Mu nodded in satisfaction. "Then I'll leave the hard work to you."

After that, he left Star City and returned to the Imperial Capital.

Walking down the street, he saw people discussing the Seven Deadly Sins everywhere. Many were even wearing Seven Deadly Sins masks in public. In just a short while, he, the real Pride, bumped into several other Prides.

Logically speaking, the Chiyan Authorities should have cracked down on this. But miraculously, no one intervened at all. The authorities seemed to have gone dormant, allowing the public to freely discuss and imitate the Seven Deadly Sins.

Su Mu found it somewhat amusing. He understood the Royal Family's mindset perfectly: they were simply afraid. They didn't dare offend the Seven Deadly Sins.

Anyone who saw the tragic state of the Blood Moon Empire would change their attitude toward the Seven Deadly Sins.

At this thought, a sudden mischievous urge swelled within him. He simply took out the real Pride Mask and brazenly put it on his face.

The silver-white metallic texture, the deeply etched contemptuous smile, and the sharp cold light glinting along its edges—its quality was streets ahead of the other cheap masks.

His clothes also transformed into a black tailcoat, a top hat, and white gloves.

He walked down the street with elegant strides. His distinctive aura quickly caught the attention of the surrounding pedestrians.

"Look! That guy looks just like Pride! Where did he buy that mask? It looks completely real."

"Could he actually be Pride? He looks way too similar," someone said in fear.

"Tch, you make it sound like you've seen Pride before. You've never even met him, and you dare say they look alike?"

Su Mu walked down the streets of the Imperial Capital as if no one else was there. The pedestrians around him, whether curious or panicked, subconsciously kept their distance and didn't dare approach.

However, there were bold people out there. A girl who looked like a student, wearing her hair in a bun, gathered her courage and walked over.

"Sir, could I take a picture with you?"

The corners of Su Mu's mouth curled into a smile. His voice beneath the Silver-White Mask was exceptionally aloof, exactly the same as Pride's.

"You may."

Overjoyed, the girl quickly stood next to Su Mu and snapped several photos. Then, she thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you, sir! Your cosplay is really good. I actually thought the real Pride had appeared."

"What if I am the real Pride? Aren't you afraid?"

The girl paused before breaking into giggles. "Sir, you're so funny. How could the real Pride just walk down the street like this and take pictures with me? Besides, I don't think there's any need to be afraid. Even though many people say the Seven Deadly Sins is the largest terrorist organization in the world, I've read all the reports about them. They only kill nobles and the Blood Clan; they never indiscriminately slaughter civilians. If you ask me, the Seven Deadly Sins are much better than those noble lords. They're good people."

"Good people?" Su Mu chuckled softly. People truly were fascinating.

He continued on his way, and more and more people came up for photos. The girl from earlier had evidently set a great example.

Su Mu found it slightly overwhelming. He didn't really enjoy the feeling of being a huge celebrity, so he took off the mask. As a result, even more people wanted pictures with him.