Kafka: Got You!

The light from the movie flickered quietly across the room, its sound effects low and rhythmic.

At first, Sparkle watched with curious eyes, commenting on the plot. At some point, her voice gradually grew quieter, and her head came to rest gently on Lin Hai's shoulder.

She had fallen asleep.

Her breathing grew slow and even, her long lashes casting soft shadows beneath her eyelids.

Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Lin Hai couldn't help smiling.

He carefully paused the movie, then gently supported her shoulders and laid her down on the spacious sofa, placing a cushion beneath her neck.

With her slyness and flamboyance gone, she looked like a carefully treasured work of art, displaying a quiet beauty.

Lin Hai crouched beside the sofa and gazed silently at her.

Even in her sleep, the corners of her lips seemed naturally turned up, with a faint hint of playfulness, as though she were having a sweet dream with a touch of mischief.

An indescribable tenderness welled up in Lin Hai's heart.

He reached out and brushed a finger ever so gently across her cheek, feeling its delicate warmth.

Then he leaned down, treating her like a priceless treasure, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Lin Hai rose and went to the kitchen, where he carefully prepared a fruit platter.

When he returned to the living room with the platter, he found that Sparkle had already sat up.

She looked a little different, with a rare trace of fatigue and confusion between her brows.

"I think... I've gotten weak again," she said softly, as though taking stock of her condition. "I can't stay here for too long."

Her voice lacked its usual energy.

She had been sleeping soundly, but the weakness had woken her from her pleasant dream.

Lin Hai handed her the platter and sat down beside her. "Have some grapes first."

Sparkle picked up a few grapes and put them in her mouth. "I might have to leave in a little while."

Lin Hai looked at her. "Take me with you. I'm planning to visit Penacony too."

"It's a city of dreams. Are you really that curious?"

"I want to find some... more advanced scientific technology," Lin Hai answered seriously.

"To help your world develop?" Sparkle guessed.

That was the most logical reason.

"No." Lin Hai shook his head, his gaze calm. "It's to save a group of people, people who are in desperate straits and on the verge of death."

His words thoroughly piqued Sparkle's curiosity.

She studied the warm, comfortable modern living room, finding it hard to associate the place with desperate straits and death.

"This place looks fine, doesn't it? Who's going to die? Which people?"

"They aren't people from this world." Lin Hai met her gaze and spoke slowly. "They're from the same world as you."

The answer was clearly far beyond what Sparkle had expected.

The curiosity in her eyes turned into keen interest, along with a trace of gravity.

She quickly finished the few remaining grapes, dusted off her hands, and stood up to ask:

"Who's in such desperate straits?"

"A planet covered in ice and snow, on the brink of destruction."

Sparkle smiled. "I like exciting things. Interesting! Come on, let's go to Penacony now!"

Lin Hai nodded and held out his hand to her.

Sparkle gripped his hand tightly, holding the Lucky Star, its surface shimmering with a faint light, in her other hand.

The next moment, their surroundings faded, twisted, and rearranged themselves like an oil painting washed with water...

When their vision cleared again, they were standing before the entrance hall of a dilapidated theater.

The air was filled with the distinctive scent of old velvet and dust, speaking of the place's desolation.

As they stepped out of the theater, Penacony's true face unfolded before Lin Hai like a magnificent painting of a grand celebration.

He had seen images of the City of Dreams in the game, but they were nothing compared to experiencing it in person.

The sky was not a monotonous blue, but filled with flowing, iridescent auroras.

The buildings were not motionless structures. They rose and fell slightly as though alive, their outer walls flickering with a soft glow.

The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of candy mixed with ozone.

Faint, ethereal music drifted around them.

Lin Hai stood rooted to the spot. Everywhere he looked, dreamlike wonders met his eyes. His senses were flooded with an endless stream of novel sights and sounds, leaving him more awestruck than ever before.

Seeing him gaping, Sparkle gave a pleased little laugh and took his hand naturally. "Stop staring... Come with me!"

She led him through the streets awash with brilliant light and color, telling him all about the dream city.

Finally, she pointed to a magnificent, enormous building in the city center, seemingly constructed from crystal and starlight.

"Look over there. That's the entrance to every beautiful dream, the Reverie. If you want to truly dive into Penacony's dreams, you have to go through the Dream Pool there first..."

"So... do you want to go?"

Lin Hai recovered from his amazement and nodded vigorously. "I do! I really do!"

But then he remembered the primary purpose of this trip.

"Before that, though, we need to find a way to obtain enough scientific tech."

"Don't worry about that..." Sparkle interrupted, her face lit up with a confident, even slightly sly smile. "Leave the scientific technology to me. I have my ways. For now, just come with me and experience the ultimate Elation without worrying!"

The two of them set off for the Reverie.

The closer they got, the more they could appreciate the intricacy of its architecture.

The hotel's exterior incorporated a futuristic artistic style.

Its enormous dome seemed to hold the entire starry sky. Its deep-blue base, complemented by glazed glass and metal decorations, gave off an air of luxury and tranquility beneath the dreamlike light.

Lin Hai and Sparkle entered the hotel lobby, where the interior left Lin Hai even more awestruck.

Towering domed walls embraced the space.

Tier upon tier of floating-island balconies resembled gardens in the air, adorned with alien plants and soft lights.

An enormous mechanical construct rotated slowly in the air, its blue and white parts intricate and complex.

Staff members wore neat uniforms and professional, courteous smiles.

A young male attendant stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "Welcome to the Reverie. We hope you have an unforgettable vacation."

Sparkle knew her way around and was clearly a regular here.

She quickly completed the formalities at the front desk and led Lin Hai into a guest room at the Reverie.

The room's interior continued the hotel's dreamlike style. Most striking were two faintly glowing pods with streamlined forms in the center of the room.

They were the entrances to Penacony's dreams—the Dream Pools!

The Dream Pools had an extremely futuristic appearance.

Their material was crystal clear, with soft halos of light flowing across the surface.

Following the instructions displayed beside the pool, Lin Hai lay down inside.

The cold, special liquid in the pool slowly enveloped him, yet brought with it a strange sense of clarity and calm.

Beside him, Sparkle turned her head, an expectant smile curling her lips.

"Relax, Lin Hai. Maybe we'll run into each other in the dream down there."

With that, she immersed herself in her own dream.

Lin Hai felt his consciousness gently drawn away as the scenery around him shifted and flowed like ripples in water.

When his senses cleared again, he found himself in the legendary Golden Hour.

Magnificent buildings soared into the clouds, and brilliant dream bubbles floated in the air.

Iridescent auroras danced silently across the sky.

People laughed and talked in the streets. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly here, forever lingering on the eve of midnight, when the festivities were at their height.

Standing amid this boundless, wondrous dreamscape, Lin Hai keenly felt how small he was.

He reached out and touched a railing by the roadside with his fingertips.

It felt astonishingly real!

Sweet-scented air filled his lungs, and every detail was perfectly clear, so lifelike it was mesmerizing!

"It's... incredible."

Lin Hai murmured in amazement.

He finally understood why some people were willing to remain lost here forever.

Reality... was so pale by comparison!

A series of footsteps came from behind him. Kafka's figure rapidly approached Lin Hai, and she drew a dagger from her waist and pressed it against his lower back.

"Got you, disturber of causality!"

Lin Hai's breath caught, and he tensed instinctively.