Trade

"I'm here to 'end' all of this?"

Lin Yu frowned upon hearing this.

"But what do you want me to do?"

He asked softly.

However, before Will Valetti could reply, Sherlock started shouting.

"Why do you only talk to May? And what's with all this talk about him being the smartest...?"

"Am I not qualified?!"

"I'm not happy about it, "Sherlock said.

Will Valetti glanced at Sherlock, his brow furrowing slightly.

"You? You do have some Wisdom... but you can't end this 'monster' created by the company. Only he can do it!"

Hearing Will Valetti say that, Sherlock's expression softened slightly, but he still couldn't hide his anger.

"Of course I'm Wisdom —but your contemptuous attitude is definitely suspicious!"

Sherlock looked at Lin Yu with a serious expression.

" In May, I felt this guy might not be a good person—he's also an employee of Truth Company, and B-3 is already a pretty high level... There are four authority levels: A, B, C, and D, with three levels in each level!"

"He's practically a manager now, you can't trust him!"

"This guy might just be trying to trick you into going to your death!"

As Sherlock spoke, Lin Yu nodded.

Although there was some element of impulsiveness in those words, Lin Yu understood...

What Sherlock said was reasonable and the result of his rational analysis.

In reality, Lin Yu didn't completely trust Will Valetti either.

He looked at the researcher and sighed.

"To be honest, I do have some doubts about you..."

Will Valetti wasn't surprised. "I understand. After all, I now seem to share the same origin as this monster, or even come from the 'company' that created this tragedy. Whether I'm on the monster's side or the company's side... there are various possibilities that I might have 'malicious intentions'."

"But I can only beg you to believe me!"

He said earnestly.

"Time... is really running out!"

As Will Valetti spoke, Lin Yu and Sherlock were puzzled.

What does "time is running out" mean?

"I asked eagerly, "Sherlock asked.

"It has now grown to a terrifying level; your discovery of this place has already alerted it," Will Valetti said. "Soon, it will forcefully activate the Dream Manufacturing Device ... It can already control some of the instruments here!"

"And once it's activated, you will all be trapped in the dream it creates—including the other survivors who appeared with you at Winter Mountain!"

"It will start in two or three minutes at most!"

As Will Valetti spoke, Lin Yu's expression changed slightly.

"This monster sounds like it's come to life?"

Upon hearing this, Will Valetti looked at Lin Yu again.

For the first time, a conflicted expression appeared on the researcher's face.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he spoke.

"Alright, I'll tell you then—it's not really alive now, it's just acting based on the aggregated consciousness formed by the 'devoured souls'—but that's exactly what it's aiming for... to gain 'true life'!"

"This thing wants to digest and integrate all souls, so that it can give birth to its own true soul and life."

"For this, it needs to devour even more souls!"

"And once this thing truly 'comes to life,' transforming from a simulated consciousness and life activity into Make It Real organism... it can completely detach itself from these instruments, and—it's very likely that it will gain 'Wisdom' through the souls it devours!"

"At that time, none of us can predict what it will do!"

As Will Valetti spoke, Sherlock and Lin Yu exchanged bewildered glances.

"This is insane!"

"Sherlock murmured."

"I see," Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief, "That completely explains it!"

"But I still have one last question—why me specifically, and what do I need to do?"

"Is it just because of 'that' on my body?"

Lin Yu asked.

Will Valetti nodded.

"Yes, what you need to do next... is to find the monster's true form within the 'dream'."

"Destroying it in reality isn't easy. It's now tied to the Winter Mountain underground base. To destroy it, we'd have to find a way to destroy the entire base!"

"However, what it reveals in dreams are the Consciousness Entity formed by those devoured and imprisoned souls."

He seemed to realize that Lin Yu didn't want to reveal the "Deity's Mark" on his body to Sherlock, so he spoke vaguely as well.

"And the one you have will guarantee you find it."

"However... I don't know how you'll destroy it once you find it! But I believe you can find a way—with your combined intelligence, you'll definitely find a way!"

Will Valetti stated frankly.

"Aren't you kidding me?" Sherlock couldn't help but curse, "Although I don't know what kind of riddles you and May were playing, or how you're so sure May can find that... soul..."

"But we don't know how to destroy souls!"

Will Valetti explained, "In dreams, its soul also has Entities... and it can only take the form of a 'frightening monster,' and it must be the fear of the souls in the dream—like a Snow Monster yeti seven or eight meters tall!"

"You make it sound so easy," Sherlock said irritably. "This thing is not something we can handle!"

"There aren't just two of you, there are... there should be nine left now!"

"In the dream, the two of you can gather them together; you're sure to come up with a solution!"

"Valetti said eagerly."

Lin Yu, who had been silently pondering how to kill the Snow Monster, paused for a moment upon hearing this, and then asked, "You mean, all of us remaining survivors will enter the same dream!"

"That's right, that monster will also want to gather you all together and wipe you out in one fell swoop... After all, it doesn't need many souls anymore!"

Before Sherlock could finish speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from below.

"Buzz--!"

Will Valetti looked down at the spherical machine that was now in operation, his expression Cataclysm, and he shouted immediately.

"Oh no... the equipment has already started!"

"Remember, you must 'eliminate all fear from your hearts,' no matter how terrifying the image. Once fear arises, you're doomed!"

After he finished speaking, the spherical instrument below emitted a burst of bright light.

Sherlock collapsed to the ground with a thud.

But...

Will Valetti looked at Lin Yu in surprise.

Lin Yu stood there calmly, not falling asleep.

"You... how can you ignore the Dream Manufacturing Device?!"

"Because this is essentially a 'Rule' —when this device is activated, everyone will inevitably enter the dream created by this device."

"And I happen to have the ability to manipulate the Rule —and thankfully, the person who gave me that ability hasn't disappeared yet."

Lin Yu said with relief.

It was all thanks to him taking a thorough look at the "Rule type" Profession advancement guide.

The various "Item effects activated by non- Player" and "specific abilities of monsters and NPCs" in the Game can also be regarded as a kind of "Rule".

It can be invalidated by "Hooligan" and modified by "officials".

Otherwise, in those "survival" and "battle" type Instance with simpler Rule, these "Rule type" Profession would be ridiculously weak!

Just now, Lin Yu used his "official" ability to modify the effective range of the "Dream Manufacturing Device" and exclude himself.

Of course, Lin Yu was even more relieved that he had taken double precautions, making two preparations for his "Rule type" Profession.

After all...

The "Hooligan '" abilities have disappeared!

Will Valetti's surprise then turned to despair. "But if you don't Entering Dream, then... your companions will all die!"

"This monster named 'Chate' will also come to life completely!"

He collapsed to his knees, looking in Lin Yu's direction.

Lin Yu shook his head and said coldly, "I have an absolute reason why I cannot appear in the dream... or rather, I absolutely cannot appear with them!"

In that case, all of Lin Yu's contradictory lies will be exposed without any problem!

"As for those people's fate... I'm sorry, Researcher Will Valetti, I wasn't on their side. If they die, they die."

"As for monsters... all I care about is the 'Truth'."

"Killing it will do me no good!"

Lin Yu said calmly.

From beginning to end, he solved all the puzzles step by step, all in order to complete the Rank Advancement Mission.

The second requirement for Rank Advancement Mission is simply to find the "Liar" and expose the "scam."

From beginning to end, Lin Yu didn't need to "expose" or "destroy" this "deception".

He did indeed sympathize with the dead, but...

It's not worth risking your life for.

Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, Will Valetti was stunned for a long time.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, fine, fine... In that case, let's make a deal!"

"I've always noticed that you've given different 'identities' to everyone and don't want them to know your true identity—after all, you're favored by the God of Change, so your motives are quite clear."

"I can help you disrupt their communication in the next dream, ensuring your lie will never be exposed!"

"Although I retain my self-awareness, I am also part of this 'monster'... I was able to enter your dream to give you hints before, and I can also enter this dream!"

"Vill Valetti said."

Lin Yu looked at him, intrigued.

"It really touches my heart."

Indeed, even if I don't appear in the dream, there is still a risk that those people gathered together will see through my lie.

"But... it's not enough!"

"I can also promise you my 'Notebook' —a notebook that can't be damaged," Veil Valetti said. "That's all I can offer you!"

As he spoke, Lin Yu let out a sigh of relief.

"Then... it's a deal."