CHAPTER 151: CHAPTER 151: THE TRAP OF THE DREAM WEAVER (PLEASE SUBSCRIBE)

Lu Luo’s footsteps gradually came to a standstill. After surveying the surrounding landscape, he confirmed that he had arrived atop a high wall. Looking at the scenery here, with forest outside the wall and buildings inside, it must be the Explorers’ Wall, East Ring.

BOOM!

A fierce collision made the entire high wall tremble, and Lu Luo had to rely on his Constitution to maintain his balance and not fall.

He looked back and saw a group of people fiercely battling a gigantic deformed creature. One of them had already soared into the sky, holding dual swords as he slashed at the Exotic Species’ massive mouth. Normally, none of this would be a problem, but the issue was that the person charging at the Exotic Species was himself! And those people at the foot of the wall were all dressed in Circle Studio’s clothing.

"What the hell!"

The remaining time didn’t allow Lu Luo much room for thought or hesitation. He had to quickly find Gu Fangyi and take him away.

Pulling down his hood, Lu Luo tried his best to conceal his appearance from these people. He quickly rushed towards the crowd.

But before he could get halfway there, the Exotic Species caught ’his other self’ in one grasp and instantly crushed him into pulp; his head even flew off.

Did I actually die so miserably in Brother Gu’s dream?

Following the death of ’Lu Luo,’ the members of Circular became somewhat bewildered, and a burst of energy breath from the Exotic Species instantly killed off a swath of the crowd.

Standing in the center of the crowd, Qi Xinzhu raised both hands high, releasing Holy Radiance, enveloping all the wounded.

Soon enough, their injuries gradually healed, with the sole exception being ’his other self’ who had been crushed into pulp.

Watching these scenes unfold, Lu Luo couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

If this is Brother Gu’s dream, is my image and final outcome in his mind like this? A heroic death? Isn’t that too tragic?

Lu Luo finally entered the crowd, swiftly weaving through the people. Very soon, he arrived within the area covered by Qi Xinzhu’s Holy Radiance. The warmth of the Holy Light made him feel comfortable, even giving him a reluctance to leave.

Lu Luo looked up at Qi Xinzhu, and that look made him hesitate for a moment.

In theory, this should be Brother Gu’s dream, and the only real person should be Brother Gu alone. But when I actually saw Qi Xinzhu, I still hesitated. For some reason, I feel that everything in this dream is much more realistic than in my own dreams.

[The host’s location of Gu Fangyi has been locked, at a 31-degree angle to your left, 400 meters from you. However, we are unable to confirm if Little Brother Gu is genuine.]

"Understood."

Lu Luo pulled his hood lower and prepared to move on, but someone suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Lu Luo? You’re not dead? Then who was that person just now?"

"You are... Chu Qi?"

Lu Luo did not expect to meet Chu Qi again in this place. The Chu Qi in front of him looked astonished, seemingly surprised that Lu Luo was not dead.

Although I know everything here is part of a dream, I have no clarity on whether these dream constructs were deliberately created or are actually operating on their own. Do these characters in the dream have their own consciousness, their own thoughts? Do they know they are merely characters in a dream? If they are unaware that they are dream figures, does that count as another form of being alive?

Lu Luo couldn’t find the answers he was looking for, nor did he have the time to ponder them.

But soon, he was forced into combat as Chu Qi had already begun to question him harshly.

"Did you fake your death? You were never dead at all, were you? Trying to flee and abandon us, is that it?"

Lu Luo looked at Chu Qi’s stern expression, knowing that explaining any further would only waste more time. He needed to wake Gu Fangyi.

"Get lost," Lu Luo said coldly.

BANG!

He kicked Chu Qi away, but his violent act caught the attention and dissatisfaction of others.

More people started to surround him.

"What’s your deal? Everyone’s fighting, and you’re trying to desert?"

"Let me see who you really are."

More and more people approached Lu Luo until someone finally ripped off his hood, revealing his true face.

"Boss? I thought you were dead?"

Looking at the current situation, Lu Luo felt somewhat agitated. He instantly activated the Second Gear state, wielding his sword with one hand.

The people here are all just part of a dream, Lu Luo told himself.

"Those who block me shall die!"

The greatsword, wrapped in steaming Qi He, spun like a meat grinder, continuously tearing through the crowd.

Many people died before Lu Luo, several of whom he even knew well.

These people were just too real, entirely different from his dreams—their panic, their despair, and the disbelief in their eyes upon seeing Lu Luo seemed nothing like an act.

Lu Luo’s resolve was repeatedly challenged until Qi Xinzhu also stood before him.

"Lu Luo, what are you doing? They are all our comrades."

Lu Luo gripped his greatsword tightly.

"They are not my comrades, and neither are you."

Although I don’t know why, I feel that everyone I’ve killed was a flesh-and-blood person.

But he knew his goal and that he had no other choice.

Staring at Qi Xinzhu, Lu Luo’s expression instantly turned cold!

Qi Xinzhu was very strong. If they tangled, it would take a lot of time. Lu Luo had only a little over 2 minutes left; he couldn’t afford to delay.

Steam, Second Gear.

His fingertips and arm rotated slightly, a strange spinning force mixed with his Qi He gradually transmitting towards the blade.

Sword Heart Style One: Spiral Sword.

Lu Luo suddenly accelerated; his still-usable jet device provided him with a sufficient burst of speed.

The force of the Spiral Sword was already damaging his own arm, but his Constitution had now reached 30, making him more resilient than before.

Moreover, a month of swordsmanship practice, swinging his sword 300,000 times, was certainly not a waste.

He had mastered the basics of this Spiral Sword move.

WHOOSH!

CLINK.

The force of the Spiral Sword struck Qi Xinzhu’s Holy Radiance directly, the powerful outward tension shredding it to pieces.

The ordinary greatsword, carrying an unstoppable momentum, pierced through Qi Xinzhu’s chest in one blow.

Under the astonished gazes of Qi Xinzhu and the others, Lu Luo didn’t even pause but vaulted over Qi Xinzhu’s body and rushed past.

Lu Luo’s heart was like unyielding rock.

But before he could reach Gu Fangyi, the similarly stunned Gu Fangyi had already raised his sniper rifle towards him.

Dark Energy gathered.

"Gu Fangyi, you idiot, wake up!"

Lu Luo threw his greatsword. WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH! The spinning blade collided with the bullet fired by Gu Fangyi.

Gu Fangyi had been preparing this shot for a long time; it penetrated Lu Luo’s Qi He-infused greatsword and struck him.

The sniper rifle with the highest single-target destructive power, the sharp Shooting Path energy bullets, combined with Hawk Eye’s weak point targeting—

The combination of the three allowed the bullet to penetrate instantly; even Qi He and his resilience could not withstand it.

Lu Luo’s body faltered slightly, but his steps didn’t stop. He kicked the gun from Gu Fangyi’s hand and swept him to the ground with a leg.

"Brother Gu!"

"Who on earth are you?"

"You’ve forgotten: we’ve bled together."

"Huh?"

Gu Fangyi’s expression was briefly perplexed. That sentence recorded the story of the three of them, but because everyone had been busy recently, it had been a long time since anyone had spoken it.

Behind him, the large Exotic Species was already bringing down a palm. If it landed, Lu Luo and Gu Fangyi would both die. At this critical juncture—

Lu Luo slapped Gu Fangyi again.

"Brother Gu, wake up! Have you forgotten New Hope?"

Gu Fangyi’s eyes snapped open. The space violently collapsed, like skin being torn away, and the world changed.

The two finally returned to the red-carpeted room’s entrance.

Gu Fangyi slightly raised his hand, but he found his body stiff and exhausted. He couldn’t perform any drastic movements and could only speak slowly.

"Lu Luo? What’s happened to us? Where is this place?"

"I don’t know."

He glanced at the Purple Beads in his hand; there was one more, making it the second one.

Lu Luo glanced at the door to his right. That brief delay had brought the time to around 9 minutes.

"Brother Gu, stay here. I’m going to find Qi Xinzhu."

"Got it. Be careful."

Lu Luo didn’t waste any time. He charged straight for the door on the right. But after he left, the numbers reappeared on the middle door.

Gu Fangyi, who remained, naturally saw the numbers on the middle door.

The middle door... 5 minutes left?

「The scene shifted.」

The spatial transition was the same as before, but Lu Luo was much calmer this time.

After the space stabilized, Lu Luo found himself outside the C13 area, at the boundary between the urban district and the gravel wasteland.

It was where the Maternal Hydron had appeared before.

Lu Luo scanned the surroundings but didn’t spot anyone.

"Observer, are there any human traces?"

[Yes. Traces of 15 humans have been found, along with a Fifth Tier Lord Exotic Species, the Maternal Hydron.]

Lu Luo’s first reaction was one of surprise. Why would Qi Xinzhu’s dream be here? Was the incident with the Maternal Hydron something she couldn’t forget? No matter. I still need to find her quickly and wake her up.

Lu Luo dashed forward, his speed naturally much greater than before.

Following the Observer’s location instructions, Lu Luo quickly found the trio crouching in a dark corner by the wall.

As in his previous memories, the trio would hesitate here before deciding to leave, after which Chu Qi would be killed by the Maternal Hydron.

The ’Lu Luo’ of the trio spotted the mysterious, hooded person with a greatsword on his back approaching them and immediately became alert.

The ’Lu Luo’ opposite him drew the Wraith Blade, looking vigilant.

"Who are you, sir?"

"I am Lu Luo."

"Ah, same name?"

The Qi Xinzhu opposite him was somewhat stunned, but when Lu Luo lowered his hood, she was even more astonished.

"You’re really Lu Luo? Two Lu Luos?"

The Gu Fangyi opposite him also appeared confused. He looked from the ’Lu Luo’ at his side to the real Lu Luo with the greatsword, his steps involuntarily retreating, widening the distance.

"What’s going on? What do you mean by this, sir?"

The ’Lu Luo’ across from him gripped his blade tightly, rough Qi He beginning to gather on his body.

Lu Luo looked at this past version of himself, somewhat moved by his own former weakness. At this level of strength, I could now kill him with one hand.

"It’s pointless. I need to take Qi Xinzhu with me."

Lu Luo suddenly darted forward. He never held back in any fight.

Just like in Gu Fangyi’s dream world moments before, once he confirmed his target, even if it was Qi Xinzhu, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike. Now was no different.

Lu Luo’s fist collided with the other’s Wraith Blade while his hand spun his Qi He-infused greatsword.

The other ’Lu Luo’ reacted quickly, trying to dodge his attack, but the real Lu Luo was now a Second Tier master, unbeatable with the Outburst of Steam Second Gear.

Deliberate Bombardment Fist!

BOOM!

Lu Luo’s sudden Outburst shattered everything in sight, including the body of the other ’Lu Luo’.

Knowing that his counterpart also had high attributes and wouldn’t die so easily, Lu Luo immediately dived forward, delivering a follow-up Qi Union Slash.

One slash, two pieces. He cut the ’Lu Luo’ before him in half.

With the other ’Lu Luo’ dead, the remaining two were stunned.

Gu Fangyi tried to help but was kicked away by Lu Luo, crashing into a wall, his condition unknown.

The only one left, Qi Xinzhu, was stunned. However, it seemed ’Lu Luo’s’ death had alerted her enough for her to suddenly unleash an astonishing power of Holy Light! ’Mirror Flower, Water Moon.’

Watching her sword-wielding stance, it was the move Lu Luo had witnessed once before.

Soul Sunder Strike!

At this moment, Qi Xinzhu was weaker than she had been during the swordsmanship class, but not by much.

Most of the gap between them stemmed from the growth of Qi Xinzhu’s mental fortitude.

Unlike last time, when he had taken the Soul Sunder Strike head-on, Lu Luo activated Steam Second Gear and used the jet device to continually shift his position.

He dodged one of Qi Xinzhu’s Soul Sunder Strikes and then blocked another with a full-powered Qi Union Slash.

Qi Xinzhu was still in a daze; her combat experience was no match for Lu Luo’s. After her Soul Sunder Strike was evaded, she seemed utterly lost.

The continuous repositioning with the jet device had already brought Lu Luo right in front of Qi Xinzhu.

With a sweep of his large hand, Lu Luo slammed Qi Xinzhu’s head to the ground.

"Qi Xinzhu, we’re in C04 now, remember? Wake up!"

"What are you talking about? I don’t understand at all."

Lu Luo was somewhat surprised. Qi Xinzhu’s current state was completely different from Gu Fangyi’s earlier. The confusion in her eyes was so genuine that even Lu Luo’s overclocked senses couldn’t discern its truth.

A sudden unease rose in Lu Luo’s heart. Although he already had his suspicions, he still needed confirmation.

"Qi Xinzhu, do you remember what my ambition is?"

"How would I know your ambition?"

"Don’t you remember anything? That night, when we were at my place."

"When did I ever go to your place with you? Which place? Are you insane? Who the hell are you? Why did you kill Lu Luo?"

The Qi Xinzhu before him continued to struggle, even trying to reach out with her Healer abilities to save the ’Lu Luo’ who was already dead.

But as Lu Luo watched this unfold, all he felt was an endless sense of estrangement.

Is she real? Lu Luo didn’t know if he was asking himself or the Observer, but the Observer provided an answer.

[The Qi Xinzhu before you is identical to the Qi Xinzhu in your memory. The Observer Sequence has not detected anything amiss.]

"Qi Xinzhu, are you willing to serve me?"

"You’re truly mad! You just killed my comrade! Besides, I am a Believer of Light who serves Li Ming. How could I possibly serve you?"

Lu Luo’s eyes, which had previously held some light, suddenly turned cold. The pressure from his hand increased; while one hand pinned Qi Xinzhu, the other was already on her neck.

CRACK!

Her neck snapped, and the Qi Xinzhu before him died silently.

But after Qi Xinzhu’s death, everything around him remained unchanged; Lu Luo was still in this dream world.

Lu Luo stood up, looking at the dark streets around him, silent.

So, you’ve deceived all my senses? Quite impressive! How much time has passed?

[3 minutes have passed.]

"Understood."

Lu Luo, maintaining Steam Second Gear, rapidly headed towards the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals squad and the Maternal Hydron.

I’ve already guessed the nature of this dream world. This isn’t Qi Xinzhu’s dream at all! And the only woman here whom I could call a friend, and for whom I have immense regret, is Chu Qi! The master of the dream played a word game with me. The left door was for the ’boyfriend,’ the right for the ’girlfriend,’ but nothing was said about the middle door. A normal person would fall into this mental trap, assuming the person behind the left door was the missing Gu Fangyi, the right was Qi Xinzhu, and the middle was oneself. With less time for Gu Fangyi and more for Qi Xinzhu, saving Gu Fangyi first was the natural choice. Once I saved Gu Fangyi, the psychological suggestion that Gu Fangyi equaled ’boyfriend’ would be permanently imprinted in my mind. I would subconsciously assume the ’girlfriend’ must be the missing Qi Xinzhu. But the Dream Weaver never told me that the ’girlfriend’ definitely represented Qi Xinzhu. It was a trap set by the Dream Weaver.