Chapter 549: Traitors (1)

Sending Ye Bing away was Chen Jiuge's worst move. He underestimated her importance to me, simply assuming it was a task requirement or a request from the Plush Bear on my back.

Now that Ye Bing had successfully left, I no longer had any worries holding me back. Once the Dream Wing Gu broke out of its Dream Cocoon, I would stand in an invincible position, completely unconcerned with this mirror that symbolized hope. That was why I acted so fearlessly, putting on a front like I was ready for mutual destruction.

"I don't believe you'd dare smash it. If you break this mirror, let alone escape the Deep Dream Layer, we won't even be able to walk out of this Despair District." Chen Jiuge's face darkened completely. Ever since he took over the Hunchbacked Boy's body, this was the first time he had been threatened and extorted.

"Your words are bullshit. I only trust my own eyes. Give me the notebook so I can see what's inside, otherwise how can I be sure you aren't lying? What if this mirror leads to death? If I listen to you, wouldn't I just be walking into my own grave?" Thick veins bulged on my arm. "If you won't let me see it, it means you're hiding something. This route is a dead end!"

"Xia Chi, you're bullying me too severely!" Chen Jiuge's voice seemed squeezed through his teeth. He was truly furious. "I've already made concessions again and again, so don't be ungrateful! Although you're also a live show streamer and definitely have plenty of trump cards on you, I learned my skills at the Xiao Zhuang Taoist Temple and specialize in killing in dreams. If we really fought with magic, your win rate would be no more than thirty percent."

"Since you're so incredible, I'd like to see whether I smash the mirror first, or if you can kill me before my fist falls." Staring at Chen Jiuge, I didn't yield an inch, my stance unyielding. "I've already made myself very clear, and I've given you plenty of time to think."

"Impossible! Target A's dream notebook is incredibly hard to collect even with points. Its value far exceeds the thirty points required to exchange for it. It's my private property! Xia Chi, excessive greed invites disaster and death!" Chen Jiuge was mad with rage. He had prepared for a long time to enter the Deep Dream Layer this time, scrutinizing every detail to ensure no accidents occurred before he entered the dream. But who could have known that before his live broadcast task was even complete, he would encounter a life-and-death crisis? Once the last mirror broke, his retreat would be cut off, and he would likely be trapped in the Deep Dream Layer forever.

He took a few deep breaths, adjusting his expression to look as calm as possible. "Change the condition. I have plenty more I can give you. Think about my previous proposal—that hundred-point task? We only have a chance of finishing it if we work together."

Even now, Chen Jiuge was still trying to get something for nothing, using the task of killing Target A as bait. I couldn't see any sincerity from him, so I stopped wasting my breath and held up a finger. "Three!"

This scene felt awfully familiar to Chen Jiuge. Hearing this, he immediately cursed, veins bulging clearly on his face. "Xia Chi! Don't think I only have this one way out! Think it through! If you smash the mirror, you'll forever lose the right to leave the Deep Dream Layer."

"Two!"

"Fuck! Are you determined to fight me to the bitter end?! I swear, if you dare smash that mirror, I'll use every method at my disposal to kill you!" Chen Jiuge's eyes were totally bloodshot, looking like a wild beast backed into a corner. "I mean what I say. I will kill you, even in a dream!"

I didn't take his threat to heart at all. After experiencing true despair, the last vulnerability in my heart had been patched up. My personality no longer possessed any exploitable weaknesses.

I knew very well that I would definitely be the victor in this psychological gamble, because Chen Jiuge couldn't afford to lose. But I was different.

"One!"

"Stop! Stop!" As my arm swung forward, Chen Jiuge shouted twice in a row, as if draining all the strength in his body. "Don't smash it! I'll let you see!"

He couldn't smile anymore. His face, originally piled high with hypocritical expressions, was now entirely rigid and crossed with several bulging veins.

Reaching into his jacket, Chen Jiuge decisively pulled out the notebook left by Target A and walked toward me through gritted teeth.

"Halt! Step back! Toss the item over, and don't even think about pulling any tricks." I remained highly vigilant. The closer we got to the final moment, the more likely the other party would fight until the fish dies and the net breaks, doing something irrational. Because of that, I had to be careful to prevent capsizing a boat in a drainage ditch.

Chen Jiuge scoffed coldly. Right in front of me, he pulled out a few Blue Talismans from the notebook. He was already too lazy to keep up the act. "Xia Chi, now I'm actually looking forward to you making it out of the Deep Dream Layer alive. My things aren't so easily taken. This isn't over!"

"Do you think you can kill me that easily in reality?" Catching the notebook Chen Jiuge tossed over, I confirmed it was Target A's. Reading through all the records regarding the Despair District, I realized Chen Jiuge hadn't lied. This last mirror was indeed the only gateway of hope.

"Can you believe me now?" Chen Jiuge was on the verge of collapsing. His fingers tightly gripped the talismans in his palm, as if this alone could vent the raging fire in his heart.

"Let's talk about the specific details of our deal." I naturally tucked the notebook into my own jacket. Seeing this action made Chen Jiuge's eyes blaze with fury again, his mouth twitching.

Knowing he wouldn't get the notebook back, he tightened his face, his tone turning cold. "Keep it safe. I'll just temporarily store it with you. Someday, I will come to retrieve it."

"Sure, I'll be waiting." In truth, the killing intent in my eyes had never diminished. The only reason I didn't attack right now was that the Dream Wing Gu hadn't woken up yet. And since Chen Jiuge clearly understood the Deep Dream Layer better than I did, I just didn't have full confidence in my ability to kill him.

"Let's leave the rest aside. Give me the items you obtained from the room on the fifth basement floor, and I'll send you away immediately."

"You'd be that enthusiastic?" I sized up Chen Jiuge. "Not going to discuss teaming up to kill Target A anymore?"

"Team up? I don't want to look at you for a second longer! Once the deal is done, you better leave right away!" He gnashed his teeth at me. "Didn't you say you saw Dream-Entangling Grass in that room? Hand it all over, and I'll send you out."

"Dream-Entangling Grass? I'm afraid I can't give you that. All those things have already..." Before I could finish my sentence, the Dream Cocoon inside my Liver Aperture suddenly trembled. The first crack appeared on its surface. At the exact same time, a shocking burst of vitality surged out of my Liver Aperture, and a green halo symbolizing hope radiated outward with me at the center.

"What's going on? Is the Dream Wing Gu's breakthrough causing this much of a commotion?"

I was somewhat surprised, but Chen Jiuge, who was standing not far away, was even more astonished. He couldn't even speak clearly: "Vitality in the Dream Realm? Damn it! Just how much Dream-Entangling Grass did you steal? Do you have any idea? In the Despair District, anything harboring hope and vitality is targeted! You've stirred up a massive disaster!"

Before Chen Jiuge could finish speaking, a terrifying change swept across the Despair District. Wherever the green halo touched, faint flashes of fire flickered beneath the ashes, and charred corpses began crawling out from the bottom of the ruins.

There were far too many of them. It was as if the entire district had come alive to host a corpse party.

"Fuck!" Chen Jiuge cursed, his face twisted in horror. Forgetting all about our deal, he bolted!

I stood in place for a moment. To be honest, I thought that in a desperate situation, Chen Jiuge's first choice should have been to leave directly through this last mirror. Yet he chose an extremely risky, highly unsafe escape route instead.

"Is this mirror symbolizing hope not the path back to reality? Then Ye Bing..." I shook my head. Now was not the time to think about this. Time was limited. I scanned my surroundings and spotted Chu Men tossed in a corner against the wall. By now, I was absolutely certain that he wasn't the real Chu Men, but a manifestation of a wisp of evil intent from the vicious entity beneath Bridge No. 3 Crematorium.

A stir came from my shoulder. The red string pointed the way, and the Plush Bear was also urging me to leave.

"Hold on."

I walked up to Chu Men. His eyes were tightly shut, a blue Talisman Paper stuck to his forehead. His body was slowly melting away as if made of wax.

"That Blue Talisman looks somewhat familiar?" My optional tasks included killing a nightmare. With ten points sitting right in front of me, how could I let them slip away in vain? "Chen Jiuge left in a hurry, but he left me a massive gift. I'll just have to force myself to accept it."

Raising my left hand, I channeled all my merit into this strike, and a World-Salvation Lotus seemed to bloom in my palm.