Operator#∞·[Sweet Dreams Dream]
Pushing Ms. Duran aside, Jiang Xueming scrambled to her feet in a disheveled state.
He felt his eyes were swollen, and his head felt like it was filled with a symphony orchestra, with gongs, drums, and cannon fire.
He lowered his head, and immediately dark veins appeared on his hands. The faintly visible spirit crawled up the decaying black spots. The spirit essence of Ming De was eroding him. The new life in the cocoon was about to become something completely different!
"Duran!" Sixty-Three said viciously, "Why? Why did your Soul Power betray me? Why did it side with the enemy?"
Ms. Duran covered her mouth, still immersed in a strong sense of dizziness. She dared not disobey Sixty-Three in any way, but she could vaguely feel the fury of Soul Power.
"I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry! I'm so sorry, Sixty-Three, I'm so sorry." She just kept apologizing, not daring to raise the flag of rebellion against the Demon King at all. "I think, I think this is a good thing. Look at this kid! Look closely at Jiang Xueming's spirit! He's undergoing the transformation of the Red Mountain Stone! He will definitely not awaken the [Regret Pill]!"
"So that's how it is?" Sixty-Three remained hidden in the shadowy corner, not daring to get close to Wood Plark. "It seems [the Modern Siren] has completed its mission, and everything is arranged? I'm finally going to heaven."
Instead of heading to first class, Wood helped Duran up and moved to the safer economy class.
Duran was struggling to get back to first class.
"Let me go! Train conductor! You have no idea how powerful he is. I'll die! My lover will die too! Please, please stop hurting me! Please!"
Wood's expression was serious. He put one arm around Duran's waist and the other around Duran neck. "Beautiful lady, are you scared?"
"He can turn back time! Everything we do is in vain!" Duran stared in horror at Sixty-Three in the dark room, certain that things wouldn't be so simple. "It's no use. Conductor, it's no use. Nothing we do will make a difference. He's a wheel that keeps moving forward and then turning back, and we're just ants beneath it."
Flavia, in the customer service room, pressed herself tightly against the mirror, yet dared not summon her soul power to attack Jiang Xueming. It was as if a terrifying behemoth lurked within the black mist; the terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from her physical body alone completely shattered Flavia's will to fight.
Wood cautiously retreated to a safe distance, beyond the range of his Sixty-Three Soul Power attack.
"You must trust [Modern Siren]'s plan, Ms. Duran —she entrusted the Red Mountain Stone to Jiang Xueming, surely hoping you would live a peaceful and happy life, instead of falling into the hands of Sixty-Three and continuing to spend one meaningless cycle after another in the endless purgatory."
Duran's eyes widened. "Is that so?"
When she heard about Sixty-Three's plan, she was already convinced that this demon king was a complete madman.
He was like an addict, constantly cursing the downsides of the "Regret Pill," yet completely unable to resist its benefits.
The act of repeatedly killing Wood Plark by [Modern Siren] is also a form of drug abuse, no different from that of a drug addict.
"You grey-robed monk of the Little Brotherhood, you should know better than I how wondrous the pull of fate can be." Wood released Ms. Duran and then waited. "When your [worldline] evolves into a [Modern Siren], it will have almost ascended to godhood, becoming a true god—there's probably only one reason to abandon such divine power."
Duran: "Yes, yes! It's already arranged everything?!"
"It will change your fate and rescue you from the clutches of Sixty-Three." Wood settled Duran, rushed into the black mist, and pulled the terrified Flavia out. "Ladies, what we must do now is do nothing—leave it to fate."
Flavia was terrified. Just now, she seemed to have seen the true form of the Taowu beast, and her mental world was almost crushed by that violent spiritual pressure.
"You want Jiang Xueming to deal with Sixty-Three?" Duran asked, his face full of worry. "He can't do it."
"If I'm not mistaken, the next time time reverses will be at [Still Wind Point]—" Wood interrupted, "—[Modern Siren] have already shown me the reference answer! As long as the Red Mountain Stone is put into Jiang Xueming's mouth, it will definitely produce an amazing change. This stone can stir up a huge wave in the Sea of Time. No matter what Sixty-Three does, he cannot change this outcome."
"Originally, I would have had reservations, hesitated, and considered the safety of this matter—" Wood Plark continued to explain, "—I wouldn't have dared to rashly feed the Red Mountain Stone to Jiang Xueming. If this kid turned into Chang Ghost, into a mindless and senseless monster, I wouldn't be able to give the BOSS a satisfactory explanation. But at this moment, Claudia Ars Duran, your soul power has shown me the way."
The spirit of [Sexy Bomb] burst forth with raging flames, bursting forth from Wood's body!
It was a demon made of fire--
--Like the goat monster in <The <Witches' Sabbath>>.
It has a long, pointed face, its eyes emit a white light from high temperatures, and its body is composed of pure energy, displaying different colors at different temperatures.
The cool, dark red flames are its fur, the scalding golden-orange flames are its flesh, the steadily burning blue flames are its horns and hooves, and the blinding, whitish, high-temperature flames are its eyes.
The ram's body was covered with writing, essential clues left by Wood Plark and Sixty-Three in their repeated duels and cycles of reincarnation.
At this very moment, the writing is fading away.
Duran, rubbing his chin, screamed, "Conductor! What are you doing? If Sixty-Three turn back time again, won't you remember nothing?"
"It wasn't my intention to do this," Wood Plark said. "It was my Soul Power that made it happen. It believed that even if Sixty-Three activated the [Regret Pill] superpower, it wouldn't matter anymore; it was safe. It had deactivated its combat state and lowered all its guard. It was safe—it was over the moment Jiang Xueming swallowed the Red Mountain Stone, FE204863. I am very relieved now."
A pair of fluffy, jet-black cat ears emerged from the black mist.
Then came Jiang Xueming's messy, tousled hair and large, bright green eyes. These features of the Chang Ghost made Wood Plark's heart leap into his throat, and he was sweating bullets for the young man.
Fortunately, Xue Ming's pupils remained round and full, unlike Duran's which had turned into the slits of a wild beast.
As the black mist dissipated, his winter clothes were stained with a layer of dirt resembling dark clouds. Mingde's remains burst forth with incredibly intense flames, like lightsabers from Star Wars. Xue Ming slightly raised his hand, and the nearly 3,000-degree heat immediately burned charred marks onto the aluminum door frame.
The pair of cat ears on his head were still twitching unnaturally, as if he had just received these organs and the extra ear muscles were being stimulated by the cold wind, making them very sensitive to the slightest sounds.
"Professor Wood, what exactly is going on?"
Jiang Xueming looked at his divine attire, completely unaware of what had happened. He remained on guard in the customer service room when a large, furry tail peeked out from under his clothes. He was immediately terrified, his face turning pale, and he couldn't even speak clearly.
"Holy crap? What is this thing?"
The wind stirred things up for a moment!
A dark figure suddenly leaped out of the first-class cabin; it was none other than Sixty-Three, who had arrived with overwhelming power.
His eyes gleamed; he could sense the birth of new life within Jiang Xueming's body!
"Summon your soul power! Jiang Xueming! Let me see! I want to see it with my own eyes!"
The sudden iron fist slammed into Xue Ming. The [Regret Pill]'s attack was so fast and so swift that the steel arm broke the sound speed when it struck the air, unleashing a large ring of Mach waves.
In the blink of an eye, Xue Ming gripped the steel mace with both hands, held his breath, and remained calm and focused. Then, a thunderous explosion was heard.
My the Unworthy Work, having encountered the rotten iron fist of the [Regret Pill], immediately began to engage in a fierce battle with this lightning-fast soul power.
"Why? Why? Why!?" Sixty-Three walked forward step by step, his eyes becoming increasingly bloodshot. At this moment, he didn't want to leave any regrets. Risking having his soul power shattered by Mingde's remains, he wanted to see the shimmering butterfly on Xue Ming's body. "Why won't you summon your soul power? Why?"
Xue Ming didn't say anything. During the fight, he was always a silent and shy boy with social anxiety.
The chaotic, rain-like attacks seemed to follow a pattern.
--This strange spirit doesn't seem to have any special abilities, but its destructive power and speed are astonishing!
The spirit does not need to take a step, and every punch it throws is of very high quality. It has six basic routines, which are very similar to the combination attacks that the British and American navies made in their leisure activities based on the cross steps used to rescue hostages.
We can't back down any further!
Thinking this, Xue Ming switched his grip on the steel mace to his right hand.
--It is always more flexible to hold with one arm than with two hands. Just by turning your body slightly to the side, the enemy's effective attack targets will immediately decrease.
Sixty-Three's eyes widened, almost bursting with rage. "Do you think you can defeat my soul power with your frail flesh and blood? With you? With your stick?! Show me your soul power! Let me see it!"
Xue Ming didn't know what the [Soul Might] that Sixty-Three mentioned was.
But just now, a name, a voice, did indeed echo in my mind.
But he still dared not call out to the spirit—
For Xue Ming, anything unfamiliar—tools, or firearms—if he hadn't used it a few times, then he assumed, "I don't know how to use it."
If one rashly summons a spirit to confront this powerful soul force, it would be disastrous if the spirit were to be pierced through.
He could sense that the Red Mountain Stone had granted him unparalleled dynamic vision, making it easy for him to even detect attacks that broke the sound barrier.
Even if the physical body decays, there Universal Elixir that can remedy it.
If the spirit is shattered, the ensuing Gate of Death effect will immediately defeat him, leaving him no room for maneuver.
If you are not familiar with your own soul power and cannot immediately master its usage, then just let it stay obediently in your body—that's exactly what Xue Ming thought.
With a "snap,"
The steel mace stabbed fiercely into the armpit of the [Regret Pill], forcefully restraining the rashly attacking spirit.
The sudden punch was killed halfway through, and the fierce counterattack almost cracked the upper arm of [Regret Pill]!
Sixty-Three immediately covered his arm, beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripping from his forehead, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"The remains of Mingde. The remains of Mingde."
He finally realized that the weapon in Jiang Xueming's hand was not simple, and he awoke from his fanaticism.
"The BOSS is actually willing to sacrifice himself to give you such precious elemental essence."
Jiang Xueming remained silent.
He was as cold as an ice sculpture, standing sideways with his body hunched over, carefully observing the amount of sweat his opponent was exhaling and the light emanating from his soul.
They were only seven steps apart, Sixty-Three could hardly advance even half a step further. He was even forced back by Jiang Xueming's steel mace, having to dodge the fiery shockwaves unleashed by the Unworthy Work.
"Why won't you speak! Why won't you answer me? Where is your divine power?!"
"Jiang Xueming! I want to see! I beg you, I'm kneeling down to beg you!"
The cracks on [Regret Pill] are multiplying. Having been attacked by this the Unworthy Work, it's like a porcelain doll, about to shatter.
"I don't have much time left, I have to go soon, please, let me take a look." Sixty-Three's legs went weak, and he finally knelt down. "Let me take a look, I really want to know, I'm so curious, my heart is itching! If I can see your soul power, I'll feel at ease, I'm sure I can."
Xue Ming completely ignored the stranger's pleas.
--What is this guy even talking about?
--My Soul Power? Peace of Mind?
--Are you leaving soon?
Is he showing weakness? Has he knelt down?
His spiritual power seems about to crack. Let's just wait and see, wait for him to reveal his Gate of Death, then subdue him, knock him unconscious, and then think about how to deal with him.
Our male protagonist is extremely cold-blooded, focusing all his attention on Sixty-Three's knees and thighs. If he wants to suddenly attack someone, he starts by launching himself from a kneeling position, and these are the first parts of his body to move.
Wood and Duran barely dared to breathe, both looking deeply worried.
Duran was completely terrified. The entire customer service room was like a storm had passed through; hardly anything was intact. But a thin curtain covered it up, and the economy class passengers only felt the noise and were completely unaware of the deadly battle.
What terrifying control! As the defender, Jiang Xueming had completely organized and contained all the energy released during the battle, properly storing it in the customer service room.
On the other side, the people in first class were scattered, all lying prostrate on the ground with their heads in their hands, crying helplessly. The seats and cups were cut to pieces by the air currents that had shot out during the battle, and many passengers were already seriously injured and on the verge of death.
Duran stammered, "Why is this juvenile form stronger than the Demon King?"
Compared to Duran's surprise, Wood seemed to be faking it—pretending to be overly frightened to comfort the young woman next to him.
The train conductor then said, "He probably received the Medal of Courage. He's evolved into his complete form."
This is no joke.
--Xue Ming's physical attributes are far greater than Sixty-Three.
He was twenty-three years old, in the prime of his life as a soldier.
More importantly, he possesses unparalleled courage and determination; once he enters battle, he is no longer disturbed by distractions or affected by his state of mind.
Sixty-Three's spirit was very similar to Xue Ming's spirit, but Xue Ming didn't care about it at all, because on the battlefield where life and death were decided in an instant, there was not much time for the warrior to hesitate, nor was there much time for the gunman to say nice lines.
Even though Sixty-Three had already knelt down, decided to show weakness, and begged Xue Ming to invoke the power of the soul.
Jiang Xueming was also watching intently, crouching low like a tiger, ready to deal with any sudden attack from Sixty-Three.
He finally murmured softly, beginning to mutter—
--It's more like the brain repeatedly reading out what it's thinking while it's working at high speed to reinforce memory.
"I absolutely cannot summon his spirit. This guy keeps telling me to call upon his spirit. The special nature of his soul power is probably related to his spirit. Right now, I'm in my advantageous position. The Red Mountain Stone has transformed my physical body. In this state, I can directly tear his soul power apart with my bare hands—therefore, I don't need to call upon his spirit."
Ms. Duran finally realized that Sixty-Three was an absolute no-win situation!
Jiang Xueming's learning ability is like a black hole; even light cannot escape it, nor can time!
He won't argue with you, and he's not very angry.
There is only one outcome in fighting him.
He would do everything in his power to kill the enemy in the most efficient and direct way, without any unnecessary lines, actions, worries, or hesitations. All decisions, whether to advance or retreat, were made in an instant.
This little guy is so afraid of death, and cherishes his life so much.
Because he only has one life, he never thought of regretting it.
In the instant the [Regret Pill] shattered—
--Sixty-Three was still so unwilling to give up, he immediately reversed time, wanting to return to the Still Wind Point.
As long as he can go back and rest, and get a couple of hours of sleep, he will have many, many more opportunities.
Time began to reverse, and everything returned to its original place.
Wood Plark's Soul Power has no further combat records. To Sixty-Three, Wood is like an infant, needing to start identifying the energy remnants of time travel all over again.
They returned to where they had been four hours earlier --
Jiang Xueming had just stepped out of Huge Mountain Station, said goodbye to his friends, and boarded the bus.
Beside the Icelandic sunset, a blood-red afterglow hangs in the sky, while in the far distance, the lights of Green Church soar into the heavens, merging with the brilliant aurora borealis.
In the airport VIP lounge, Sixty-Three trembled all over, unable to sleep due to deep fear.
He could never forget Jiang Xueming's gaze, that burning, unwavering, and determined look, like an indestructible axe that would shatter him.
He knew where that power came from.
--It comes from the Steel Heart, from the brilliance, from Jiang Bailu, from Bu Liuxing, from David Victor and Wen Bucai, from Ming De and Jason Megan.
"I need to sleep for a while."
He had seen countless Jiang Xueming, fought and battled with these little beasts, and confronted these young beings who possessed the Regret Pill.
--But this Jiang Xueming from FE33031, it seems he can't win.
For a fleeting moment, Sixty-Three even had a very ridiculous and pathetic thought.
Should we just steal the Red Mountain Stone and then escape back to 2006?
Bu Liuxing hadn't been born! And I would never have met this little thing!
But he immediately dismissed the idea.
--If they were to simply flee, what awaited Sixty-Three was endless panic and sorrow.
In the future, if he encounters any difficulties or any invincible enemy, he will probably instinctively choose to run away.
Just one step away! Just one step away!
He has already reached the gates of heaven; to give up now would be tantamount to tumbling down the stairs of heaven into hell.
Jiang Xueming already possessed Soul Power, and even if he reversed those four hours, he still couldn't stuff the adult insect back into its cocoon.
For spirits, once a morpho butterfly is born, even if time were to rewind by several hours or days, it will not revert to its original cocoon state.
At this moment, before Jiang Xueming had swallowed the Red Mountain Stone realized its magical secrets, he had already awakened his soul power. If he could just take a look and force him to control his spirit, he could open the gates of Heaven!
"Brain. Listen to me, listen to me."
Sixty-Three wished he could punch himself unconscious.
"Go to sleep quickly, go to sleep now."
The result of the shattered soul power was the disorder of brain nerve function. Originally, he could control his sleep time, but the [Regret Pill] was cracked by his the Unworthy Work, and even at Sixty-Three, he found it difficult to fall asleep on his own.
Duran trembled beside her, crouching in a corner and hugging Flavia, who was equally frightened.
They weren't punished, and Sixty-Three didn't pursue the matter further; they simply curled up on the sofa.
--I gradually fell asleep.