Nightmare

The rain kept falling, The atmosphere wasn't exactly pleasant.

Outside the west gate of the gymnasium, the small team's nerves were taut as they watched the sky gradually lighten.

This night, Rain Alley City had been engulfed in flames, with roars and screams echoing, making one's heart pound with fear.

And after 3 AM, the entire city gradually fell silent.

It could even be described as "deathly silent."

It was bone-chillingly eerie!

"Wooooo~~~"

A low, long alarm sounded, reverberating through the city's streets and alleys, carrying an indescribable sense of sorrow.

"It's six o'clock." Jiang Ruyi stood on the steps, gazing at the silent city in the rain.

Trees were toppled, fences were broken.

The traffic lights at the intersection were now in several pieces.

On the walls of distant buildings, traces of damage were faintly visible, with rubble and broken tiles scattered everywhere.

The heavy rain had washed away any potential bloodstains, but it couldn't erase all the mess.

"Time's up, your mission is over." Zhang Feng suddenly spoke.

"It's over?" Tian Tian stood behind Jiang Ruyi, like a little follower.

"Mm." Jiang Ruyi reached out and gently patted Tian Tian's head with a smile.

Jiang Ruyi, as their captain, was undoubtedly very competent.

Even though she herself had been terrified and spent the night in fear, she had always tried her best to stay calm.

Gentle and strong, Jiang Ruyi influenced and changed the overall demeanor of the team, and was Tian Tian's pillar of support throughout the night.

"Yes, it's over." Zhang Feng confirmed. "There might still be wandering evils lurking in the streets and alleys, but it's been daylight for a while, and there won't be any new evil invasions."

"Finally!" Lu Ran sighed inwardly, leaning against the wall and slowly sliding down.

As a 17-year-old high school student, staying up all night was nothing.

Who hadn't pulled an all-nighter in front of a computer?

Fighting in the airport, laning in the canyon.

Explain to me, what is tiredness?

But after experiencing the Night of the Fifteenth, Lu Ran's nerves had been constantly on edge, and he had often entered combat, which was extremely draining.

Not to mention, Lu Ran had also been captured by the Yanzhiren, and had teetered on the brink of death.

He was quite satisfied with his and the team's performance.

Over the past night, under Zhang Feng's proper arrangements, the team members had taken action appropriately, fighting against the Mist Realm's evils.

When they encountered evils of Stream Realm or higher, they had obediently stayed behind the Moon Watchers, not causing trouble for the warriors.

They would definitely get the points they deserved.

Lu Ran had experienced everything he should, and even things he shouldn't have.

At this moment, he was physically and mentally exhausted, and just wanted to sleep soundly.

"Someone will be here to relieve you soon." Zhang Feng continued. "You can choose to rest inside the gymnasium.

If you wish to go home to recuperate, we will also have dedicated personnel to escort you back."

The evil race that invaded the city would not simply disappear on their own.

From the 16th to the 18th, the authorities would search the entire city to ensure there were no remaining evil remnants.

Only on the 19th would people in the shelters be able to return home, and society would begin to function again.

"Sister Ruyi, are you going to the shelter to rest?" Tian Tian asked softly.

Jiang Ruyi held her forehead with one hand, her ring finger and thumb pressing on her temples, looking weary.

"No, I'm going home."

It would naturally be more comfortable at home, and with the shrine and god statue there, the believers could rest assured.

"Oh." Tian Tian was a little disappointed and replied softly.

This parting would likely be for a full three days, and they wouldn't see each other again until the 19th, at school.

As soon as the alarm stopped, a team arrived punctually to take over.

Lu Ran and the others were all heading home, and under the organization of the authorities, they boarded a large bus with many classmates.

"Class Monitor Jiang!"

"Good morning, Class Monitor Jiang! Oh my god, what did you guys go through last night?"

The classmates greeted them, chattering excitedly.

Scholar Jiang was a prominent figure on campus, drawing attention wherever she went.

Jiang Ruyi simply smiled and nodded, not saying much.

The student squad stationed inside the gymnasium was naturally unaware of what had transpired outside.

But the members of Team 98 were all visibly exhausted, their clothes disheveled, and bloodstains from the rain that hadn't washed away were evident. They had clearly been through several fierce battles!

Lu Ran, in particular, was the most disheveled of the squad!

His clothes weren't just messy; they were tattered.

Seeing him in such a state, the surrounding students secretly gasped.

Other students were guarding the gymnasium, but Lu Ran...

"Lu Ran, what happened?" a guy asked, looking at the miserably battered Lu Ran. "Did you go wrestling with an evil?"

Lu Ran was considered a rising star. Ever since he summoned an evil at the God-Worshipping Platform and took first place in the Evil Dog Village assessment, he had made a name for himself.

Lu Ran didn't recognize the guy, so he just smiled and remained silent.

He put on an air of profound mystery.

The other students were stunned!

"You're that messed up? Your clothes are all torn, what kind of evil was it?"

"Huh? Look at Lu Ran's arm, that large patch of skin looks newly grown? The color is different."

"It must have been torn by some evil, right? Damn, just thinking about it is terrifying."

Amidst the murmurs, Lu Ran remained silent, slumping into a seat.

Undeniably, Lu Ran was physically and mentally exhausted, too tired to speak.

But on the other hand...

There were three thousand ways to act cool!

Lu Ran casually took out the "Silent" card. Its effect was indeed quite good.

Tsk, that felt good~

Last night, I flew with the Yanzhiren like butterflies, fluttering and chasing each other.

I almost lost my life, so what's wrong with acting cool for a bit?

"Vroom~" The vehicle started and slowly pulled away from the gymnasium.

Due to the special circumstances, students and social volunteers on board would be dropped off at their doorsteps.

Lu Ran was no exception. As the bus stopped at the Rain Alley Home Community, he bid farewell to a few teammates and, escorted by a Moon Watcher, entered the community until he reached his own front door.

"May Xianyang bless me." Lu Ran, dragging his weary body, went to the small bedroom and bowed repeatedly before the shrine.

"Disciple has returned alive. Last night was truly perilous."

"It's strange, though. Do you think the Yanzhiren tribe really took a liking to me?"

Lu Ran muttered to himself, and after reporting the situation, he went into the bathroom, stripped off the clothes torn by the Yanzhiren, and took a thoroughly hot bath.

Only when he felt clean and refreshed all over did he return to the small bedroom and collapse onto the small bed.

Before falling asleep, Lu Ran picked up his phone from the bedside table. As expected, his mother and sister had sent several messages.

Lu Ran replied to each message to reassure them, apologized, and then fell into a deep sleep.

He fell asleep quickly and slept soundly.

Until noon, Lu Ran, who was fast asleep, stirred slightly, his expression growing increasingly grim.

It seemed he was having a nightmare.

"Where is this?" Lu Ran frowned, looking at the dim environment, at this world shrouded in mist.

Wait!

Lu Ran's expression stiffened. This environment felt so familiar.

I think I've been here before?!

Lu Ran was shocked!

Memories buried deep within gradually surfaced in his mind.

That's right, I've been here before.

After the Evil Dog Village assessment, I had the same dream. In the dream, I saw the souls of dozens of evil dogs!

I also saw giant sculptures of the Demon Race's evil dogs!

"Ugh." Lu Ran clutched his head.

Why?

Why couldn't I remember anything that happened here after I woke up that time?

Is this really a dream?

Lu Ran, filled with heavy doubts, slowly took a step forward.

After walking only a few dozen meters, Lu Ran stopped.

This world was dim, shrouded in a thin mist, and visibility was low.

The reason he stopped so abruptly was that in this dead silent world, Lu Ran saw a familiar figure.

"Yanzhiren?"

Lu Ran's eyes widened as he looked up at the sky.

Through the wisps of mist, the graceful figure stood in mid-air.

Honestly, if he hadn't known she was from the Demon Race, with her peerless elegance, Lu Ran might have respectfully called her "Celestial"!

"This..." Lu Ran's emotions surged.

Was this the Yanzhiren who was beheaded by Deng Yuxiang last night?

"Hm?" The Yanzhiren, standing still in mid-air, seemed to sense the arrival of the tiny human.

She slowly floated down, her crimson xiapai fluttering lightly, a breathtaking sight.

Lu Ran's mouth hung slightly open. Unlike last night, the Yanzhiren now appeared as an ethereal soul.

Her pale yet beautiful face seemed a little blurry.

"Eee!!"

The Yanzhiren finally revealed her true face, letting out a piercing shriek from her red lips.

Her eyes were fixed on Lu Ran, burning with an intense desire that was almost overflowing!

"Whoosh!"

The Yanzhiren rapidly floated over, lunging straight at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran retreated repeatedly, but his feet tangled, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Eee!"

Another shriek, and the Yanzhiren's forward momentum abruptly halted.

Her body trembled, struggling as if trapped by invisible shackles, unable to move further.

Lu Ran's face turned ashen as he watched the Yanzhiren fly backward.

The mist cleared slightly, and Lu Ran's eyes snapped open!

He saw a colossal demon sculpture.

It was a statue of the Demon Race's Yanzhiren!

Its immense scale and majestic aura exerted immense pressure on Lu Ran!

She was bizarre and seductive.

Her face was as pale as paper, yet her expression was charming and alluring.

The Yanzhiren's soul was drawn into the giant sculpture's red lips, disappearing without a trace.

The world returned to silence, devoid of the piercing screams.

"Where is this place?!"

Lu Ran roared inwardly.

He didn't believe this was just an ordinary nightmare.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, sending a chill down Lu Ran's spine.

"Gulp."

Lu Ran swallowed and slowly turned his head to look behind him.

A massive, pitch-black sheep's head appeared before his eyes.

Yes, there was no body, only a black goat head suspended in mid-air!

"Whoosh~"

Black fire flickered.

The large, dark sheep's head glowed with a faint black flame.

Its horizontal pupils perfectly embodied the phrase "dead sheep eyes," utterly terrifying.

"Immortal Sheep?" Lu Ran inquired tentatively.

What kind of creature was this?

In Lu Ran's knowledge base, neither the Gods nor the Demon Race had any record of such an existence!

A burning black goat head with flickering black fire?

This was a joke.

Lu Ran addressed it as "Immortal Sheep" in an attempt to call out to his own gods.

At the same time, a sliver of hope flickered in his heart.

What if this Black Fire Ram Head was actually the frequently changing Immortal Sheep?

"Baa~"

A sheep's bleat echoed from the Black Fire Ram Head's mouth.

Lu Ran's hair stood on end, and he even held his breath.

It was just a sheep's bleat, Could it really be this eerie?

"Hoo!!"

Lu Ran had no time to react before the Black Sheep Head smashed down!

Insignificant human, Completely submerged by the sea of black fire.

Thank you Yu Jin Da Meng for the 100,000 reward, boss is generous, thank you for your support!

Boss is generous, handsome, and invincible!

There will be extra updates after it's put on the shelves, (`) sending hearts.