Come Play with Me, Backing

She pulled me through the alleyways at a run. I had no idea how many alleys we darted through before she finally stopped, but she still did not let go of my hand.

She panted softly, a flower-bright smile on her face. "That dead fatso probably won't be able to find us now."

I gently pulled my hand free from hers. "Where is Abe Ichinan?"

She pouted. "You're being so ungentlemanly. Can't you play with me for a while first?"

Just as I was about to speak, she stepped forward and took my hand again. "In this world, you're the only person I know. Only when I'm with you do I feel safe and happy. Just play with me for a little while, okay?"

Seeing how pitiful she looked, I could not bear to refuse her. I nodded helplessly. "What do you want to play?"

"I want to go to an amusement park! I want to ride the pirate ship, the roller coaster, and the Ferris wheel!"

I took her to the amusement park and granted those wishes. Then I swore I would never set foot in that place again. After that whole experience, I vomited so badly it felt like I was about to throw up bile.

When we rode the pirate ship and roller coaster, I gripped the handrails almost the entire time with my eyes squeezed shut. It really had little to do with whether I was brave or not. I just was not used to that feeling.

It was thrilling for other people, but for me, it was practically torture.

"Now that we've played, it's time to get down to business, right?" I finally calmed down and spoke while drinking mineral water.

The smile vanished from her face. "Do you hate me? Do you think I shouldn't exist in reality at all?"

I did not answer her. Instead, I asked myself whether I truly hated her. Did I really think she should not exist in reality?

The truth was, I did not hate her. I was just afraid of being with her, because it made me feel as though I was letting Xu Qiuyan down. She was exactly the kind of woman who could easily make a man's heart flutter, especially with that pitiful expression of hers.

As for whether she should exist in reality, existence itself was truth. She already existed, so what was there to debate about whether she should or should not?

Even if she had appeared because of me, I did not regret it.

I shook my head. "That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I..."

She had rendered me speechless.

"Fine. I'll take you to find her."

With that, she released my hand and silently walked ahead alone.

Watching her walk barefoot along the road, I said, "How about we buy you a pair of shoes? Walking barefoot is uncomfortable."

She turned around and smiled at me. "You care about me?"

I rolled my eyes.

"I know you care about me. Do you like me? Do you want to date me? Tell me honestly, what does dating feel like?"

My head started to ache. I really had no idea what kind of thought process she had.

She gave me the impression that she was simple and innocent, but that feeling was far too unreal. At the very least, that nightmare could not possibly have been simple or innocent. Could it be that the replica created by the Twin Fish Jade Pendant could change its personality?

"Can you stop overthinking? I have a girlfriend."

"Really? The woman who went to the hospital with you? She's so pretty, and I can tell that she really treats you well."

So she knew everything.

"But you can like her and like me too. I don't think that's a contradiction. I can be very good to you too."

I truly had no idea how to continue this conversation.

So I simply stopped talking.

"She's in that building." Purple Clad pointed at the building across the street—Jinyuan Century Apartment.

For a moment, I did not react. She said, "Abe Ichinan is in that building, twelfth floor, Building B, Room 1202."

I asked doubtfully, "How do you know?"

"I entered her Dreamscape before. I can receive the information about everything she thinks and feels."

I nodded slightly. Speaking of entering dreams, I suddenly wondered whether I could ask her how to enter other people's dreams. "Um, I have a question."

"Go ahead. Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you." Her face was full of smiles, making me feel as though she wanted to please me.

"It's just that I seem to be able to enter other people's dreams too, but every time it happens without any rhyme or reason. In other words, what should I do if I want to enter someone else's Dreamscape on my own?"

She burst out laughing. "Why not just ask me how to enter someone else's Dreamscape? It's actually very simple. There are two ways to enter dreams. One is to enter someone's Dreamscape while they're asleep. The other is to hypnotize someone while they're awake, making them drowsy as you enter their Dreamscape. The method of entering is the same either way..."

After she finished, I suddenly understood. It all came down to willpower. She said my willpower was powerful, powerful enough to control many people's dreams.

So-called dream control meant constructing a framework within the Dreamscape—characters, events, settings, and so on. Through those elements, I could influence the dreamer to dream according to my design. It was like making a movie, and I was both the screenwriter and director.

As we spoke, we crossed the road and arrived downstairs at the apartment building.

"I don't recommend that you go looking for her. She's dangerous." We had already reached the elevator when Purple Clad grabbed me. The smile had vanished from her face, replaced by a look of grave seriousness.

"I have to go."

She released me, hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked out of the apartment building.

Watching her retreating figure, I felt somewhat disappointed. I had thought she would go up with me, but she had simply left.

I got off the elevator on the twelfth floor. Building B, Room 1202.

I pressed the doorbell. Before long, the door opened, and a woman appeared before me. She was beautiful, but icy cold. Her temperament was very much like Sister Hong's.

I had heard Yin Wuyu say that Abe Ichinan was a very beautiful woman. If Purple Clad had not lied to me, then the woman before me should be Abe Ichinan.

"Who are you looking for?" the woman asked coldly.

I smiled. "You don't recognize me?"

The woman merely said, "Psycho!" Then she moved to shut the door.

I frowned. "I'm looking for Abe Ichinan."

"There's no such person here."

Bang! The door slammed shut.

I stood there stunned. Could it be that Abe Ichinan was not here after all? Had Purple Clad played me?

Anger rose in me. I went downstairs and rushed out onto the road, wanting to find Purple Clad and ask why she had lied to me.

But Purple Clad was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, a black Mercedes-Benz pulled up by the roadside beside me. The window slowly rolled down. "Get in."

I saw that the driver was actually a Black-Robed Man. I still could not make out his face.

I hesitated, scanned my surroundings once more, then opened the car door and got in.

I sat directly in the passenger seat and fastened my seat belt.

"You were looking for me?" His voice was cold, though it sounded like a hoarse male voice.

I glanced at him. "You're Abe Ichinan?"

"If I said I was Abe Ichinan, would you believe me?"

I shook my head. "As far as I know, Abe Ichinan is a stunning beauty. How could you possibly be her?"

The Black-Robed Man said nothing more. At that point, I noticed that the car had already driven into the outskirts.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there."

About half an hour later, the car stopped. There was almost no sign of human habitation here. As far as the eye could see stretched a riverbank.

"Get out," the Black-Robed Man said as he stepped out of the car.

I got out after him. He walked ahead and stopped on the mudflats.

I stood quietly beside him.

"You've got guts. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" There was a trace of arrogance in the Black-Robed Man's voice.

I remained calm. "What's there to be afraid of?"

"You've got balls, kid."

"Of course. Compared to someone like you, who doesn't even dare show his real face, I'd say I really do."

He froze, clearly not expecting me to strike back with such sharp words.

He said, "Haven't you already seen me?"

"The woman who opened the door at the apartment?"

He neither confirmed nor denied it.

"As someone from Unit Nine, aren't you afraid of breaking the rules by dealing with me in private?" he asked.

I shrugged. "What am I supposed to be afraid of? Even now, I don't know what rules Unit Nine has. Since I'm responsible for investigating Xie Xiaotang's case, I have an obligation to investigate it thoroughly and clearly. You're a key figure in this case, so there's nothing wrong with me coming to find you."

"We're enemies. Aren't you really afraid I'll kill you?" he asked again.

I shook my head. "You won't, and you don't dare."

"You're quite confident. I'm curious—what exactly are you relying on?"

At that moment, a voice sounded behind us. "He's relying on me."

I did not need to turn around to know that Fatty had arrived.

Purple Clad had wanted to shake Fatty off, but I knew she could not. There was a tracker on me, and Fatty could find my location at any time.

Purple Clad did not know that, though. She knew far too little about this real world.