Creating a Self, The Mute Disappears

"I asked you here because I know you have something."

Purple Clad refilled my tea and slowly spoke.

My heart skipped a beat. Was she also after the Twin Fish Jade Pendant?

I remained silent, watching her. What did she really want?

"I heard the Twin Fish Jade Pendant is in your hands, and that it's causing you a lot of trouble. Many people covet this pendant, and the Abe Family from the Island Nation has been relentlessly searching within our country for who knows how long without any success."

It seemed she knew quite a lot.

"What does this have to do with you? You only exist in dreams. Even if I had the item, I couldn't bring it into the dream, could I?" I didn't understand what Purple Clad was planning.

"No, you've already brought it," she said with a radiant smile, then pointed to the small bag I was carrying. "It's in that bag."

She had instantly revealed that the jade pendant was in my bag.

"What do you want to do with it?"

She pondered for a moment. "I want to use it to create another me, one who can freely enter and exit dreams."

This was her true motive for luring me in.

I took the jade pendant out of my bag. I thought to myself, this is a dream, and nothing in a dream should be taken seriously. Therefore, the Twin Fish Jade Pendant in this dream must also be fake.

Because of this, I had no reservations.

She looked at the jade pendant in my hand, her eyes shining.

"But do you know how to use it?" As I said this, I actually handed it over.

She took the pendant. "I don't know, but we can try."

After speaking, she began to study it.

"Have you seen Abe Ichinan?" I asked her. She turned her head and smiled at me. "I haven't, but I know what she looks like."

Just then, a black shadow flashed with lightning speed and suddenly appeared in front of Purple Clad.

He quickly reached out, intending to snatch the Twin Fish Jade Pendant, but Purple Clad remained unfazed. Before the shadow's hand could even touch the pendant in Purple Clad's hand, she punched him squarely in the head.

I had already seen clearly. The person who arrived was indeed that Onmyoji from the Island Nation, that faceless black-robed figure.

His attack lessened my suspicion of Purple Clad a bit more.

Because I could tell that Purple Clad and the black-robed Onmyoji were not acting.

Purple Clad was fighting desperately to prevent him from taking the pendant.

I found it somewhat amusing that they were taking things in a dream so seriously.

However, with the appearance of the black-robed figure, I couldn't just stand by. I stepped forward and blocked him.

"I want to see Abe Ichinan," I said to the black-robed figure.

My intuition told me that this black-robed figure was not the same person as Abe Ichinan I had dealt with before, only their attire was very similar.

The black-robed figure let out a cold snort and finally gave up struggling with Purple Clad, disappearing instantly.

Purple Clad ignored everything else and lowered her head to study the pendant again.

However, she said, "If you want to see Abe Ichinan, I can help you."

"In a dream?"

She didn't seem to notice the disbelief and sarcasm in my words.

"Don't underestimate dreams. Many times, they are closely related to reality. For example, if you were injured or died in a dream, you might not be able to wake up in reality."

She wasn't the only one who had said this. It seemed someone else had mentioned it to me, but I couldn't remember who.

Her words sent a shiver down my spine. If dreams were truly closely related to reality, or if what happened in a dream could manifest in reality, would lending her the Twin Fish Jade Pendant cause trouble?

"Let me teach you how to use it," I said calmly.

She looked up at me, a strange smile appearing on her face. "Are you regretting it?"

"What?" I was a little surprised. She could actually peer into my thoughts.

"I asked if you regretted giving me the Twin Fish Jade Pendant? You want to trick me into returning it to you, worried that I can really use it to create another you, right?"

I widened my eyes. Her mind was truly meticulous.

I gave a wry smile. "Something like that."

"So stingy. Here, take it back."

She indeed handed the pendant back. I took it, carefully put it close to my body, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

I asked again, "Can you really help me find Abe Ichinan?"

She nodded. I hesitated. "I hope it's not in a dream."

She smiled.

Then, the surrounding scene changed, and I found myself back in Wu Lun's hospital room.

Fatty leaned in. "See that woman?"

"To be precise, she isn't human, she's a Nightmare."

Fatty frowned, and Xu Qiuyan was also startled. "A Nightmare? How could he be plagued by a Nightmare?"

I gave a bitter smile and didn't answer her question.

Fatty said, "She came for him."

Fatty was indeed very observant. Xu Qiuyan immediately realized, "She also wants something from you?"

I nodded slightly, then said to He Li, "He should wake up soon."

He Li seemed a little disbelieving. Just then, Wu Lun opened his eyes.

"Wu Lun!" He Li's worried expression vanished, and she bent down to ask him, "Are you alright?"

Wu Lun's gaze, however, was fixed directly on me. "Her? Where is she?"

I squinted my eyes. He must be asking about Purple Clad.

I shook my head. "I don't know either. She suddenly disappeared."

"How did she suddenly disappear..." Wu Lun muttered to himself, looking utterly dejected.

He Li shook his shoulders. "Wu Lun, what's wrong with you?"

Wu Lun looked at He Li, his expression somewhat embarrassed. "Lately, I've been dreaming of a woman, a woman who could make anyone fall for her with just one glance. I... I think I've fallen for her, and I can't help myself. Ah Li, I think you understand what I mean, right?"

He Li bit her lip. "So that's why you've been so distant lately? If it weren't for our work relationship, you probably wouldn't even want to see me anymore, would you?"

I was speechless. This whole situation felt a bit melodramatic.

But I had to admit, Purple Clad did possess that kind of allure. She was like the embodiment of all beautiful women's best features, and few men could resist her.

Including me.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have so easily given her the Twin Fish Jade Pendant.

Of course, I didn't truly love her. It was just that when I was with her, I couldn't muster any defenses or reservations. I couldn't even refuse her requests.

Xu Qiuyan said softly, "Nightmares... they reflect the deepest good or evil within each person's heart. They aren't inherently good or bad. For a good person, they see goodness in it; for an evil person, they see evil."

I countered, "What if it gained sentience?"

Xu Qiuyan looked at me. I said softly, "You just said she came for my things. Do you know why? Because she's no longer content to exist only in dreams. She wants to break free from the dream world and appear in reality as a real existence."

Fatty chuckled. "If it could truly exist in reality, would it still be a Nightmare?"

Fatty's words left me stunned. He was right. If it could exist in reality, would it still be a Nightmare?

He Li looked at Wu Lun sadly, watching him quietly.

Suddenly, she turned her face, wiped away her tears without a trace, and smiled at me. "Are you still planning to return to Lin City tomorrow?"

I nodded. I had to go back. I needed to see Uncle Long and Aunt Qin. That dream about the wedding at Little Ancestral Hall Entrance was likely connected to them. I even suspected they were the ones who drew me into that dream. But what did they want to tell me?

"Okay, I'll book your flights right away."

With that, she stopped paying attention to Wu Lun and turned to walk outside.

Fatty also said to me, "Let's go. We should head back to the hotel and pack our things."

I glanced at Wu Lun, then said to him, "He Li is a really good girl. She was very worried when you were in trouble. Don't let a so-called goddess, who is nothing more than an illusion, make you neglect the person right in front of you. Get some rest. Maybe you'll figure things out after a good night's sleep."

Wu Lun's face was filled with bitterness. "In the dream, she was so real."

"A dream is still a dream, isn't it? You can't just keep dreaming forever, can you?" With that, I strode out of the hospital room.

Xu Qiuyan and Fatty followed closely behind me. When we got into the car, we discovered that Yin Wuyu, who had been playing games in the car, was gone.

I quickly called his phone. A cold, emotionless female voice came from the receiver: "Sorry, the number you have dialed has been switched off. Please try again later."