This Is Nightmare

[Erosion deepened]

[Your Erosion progress has reached 4/9. Please avoid death.]

"Gah! Cough, cough—huff!"

Zhou Kai sprang up from the floor, as if an invisible hand had been squeezing his throat before suddenly letting go. His lungs burned as they desperately craved air.

His vision broke free of a blur of blood-red haze. Flames from the fireplace danced in his pupils. Their warmth couldn't dispel the chill that had seeped deep into his soul.

His face was deathly pale. Sweat mingled with flecks of fireplace ash, leaving streaks of grime across his face.

It had been a long time since he'd died.

But Zhou Kai had no time to collapse or grieve.

The agonizing pain of being torn apart still seemed to linger in his nerve endings. The feeling of being ripped apart by the monster, of hovering on the brink of death, clung to him like a shadow.

"The monsters are all in the Clock Tower... I have to seal the front door right now!"

Staggering, Zhou Kai almost threw himself at the battered door. He pressed his palm hard against the cracked wood.

"Repair! Not a single ray of light can get through!"

One point of experience evaporated from the panel.

Wood splinters drew back in, fibers reknit with a creaking groan, and finally the door slammed shut, fitting seamlessly into its frame.

The entire door had become denser and sturdier.

It seemed one point of Universal Experience Points was more than enough to repair a door. It had even given it a quick renovation.

With the door secured, Zhou Kai turned and lifted the armored knight's severed arm from the floor. It was thicker than an ordinary person's waist.

He deftly removed the talisman hanging from its iron gauntlet.

Then, without hesitation, he tossed the heavy severed arm into the fireplace.

[Burn time: 6 hours 50 minutes]

At the sight of the number, Zhou Kai's taut nerves relaxed a little. He clicked his tongue.

"One arm burns longer than an entire Wanderer. This tin can's basically a mobile pack of premium fuel."

The orange-red flames reflected in his eyes. The frustration and fury he'd felt when the monsters had surrounded and killed him were slowly but surely building.

All in all, the impromptu mission had brought far more gains than losses.

He'd lost an oil lamp and a Two-Handed Sword that had cost him five experience points...

But he'd killed three monsters.

In return, he'd gained twenty-four experience points and a Memory Fragment.

Without hesitation, he'd spent seven points on Falcon Strike Technique and one on repairing the door.

Now the panel showed [Universal Experience Points: 16].

"That's enough for tonight."

The fireplace's flames could ward off Erosion and restore the number of times he could resurrect.

But the effect was clearly diminishing...

Perhaps after this, it would take several days just to replenish a single life.

Then a dozen days... until forever.

"Resurrection chances are more precious than life itself. From now on, unless I'm trapped with my back to the edge of the board, I can't pull a stunt like that again!"

For the rest of the night, Zhou Kai stayed by the fireplace, practicing almost frantically.

Like a wounded lone wolf retreating to its den to lick its wounds, he desperately sharpened his claws and fangs.

The tiny trace of self-satisfaction in his heart had been utterly crushed. All that remained was his most primitive, reckless will to survive.

And a towering fury born from boundless fear!

"Once I've ground my existing skills to the max and gotten more usable skills..."

"I'll slaughter my way through this godforsaken town!"

12:40.

At Chu Siwen's home.

She jerked her eyes open, her face pale as paper. Her pajamas were soaked through with cold sweat and clung tightly to her body.

In the living room, the members of the Dreamless organization heard the commotion and turned to look at her in unison.

Chu Siwen's lips trembled. Her voice broke as she pleaded, "Help me... please, help me."

She'd died in her dream.

Even though Huang Zhang had etched the techniques for fighting Nightmares into her subconscious, she was still as fragile as a soaked paper napkin in the face of that indescribable terror.

Another gruesome death had finally convinced her that Nightmare Syndrome was real.

Ding San's palm was rough-skinned, but warm.

She sat beside Chu Siwen and gently cupped the girl's cold, soft cheek.

"This is Nightmare."

"Man or woman, good or bad, rich or poor..."

"Despair can choose anyone, driving you toward death through the pain of having no good dreams, day after day."

"Even if you're lucky, capable, and make all the right choices... all that means is that you live a little longer than other people."

Ding San stroked Chu Siwen's cheek. "Get some sleep."

"You might think all this is just a nightmare, and that everything will be gone when you wake up..."

Ding San glanced at Huang Zhang.

He understood and drew the Four of Spades from the deck, gently laying it over Chu Siwen's eyes.

A strange calm settled over her, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Only then did Ding San stand and finish the rest of her sentence in a voice so calm it was almost cold. "But when the day ends again, you'll find that Nightmare never stops."

When she finished speaking, the air in the room seemed to grow heavier.

"Sis San."

Park Hyo-yoon's eye twitched as he looked at Ding San.

Ding San waved a hand and nodded toward Ye Zi. "She failed."

"What number Nightmare is this for Number Eleven?"

Ye Zi paused, apparently trying to remember. "The third... or maybe the fourth."

Ding San gave a derisive snort. "She'll be dead within five days."

"Ding San!"

Huang Zhang clenched his fists. He couldn't listen to any more.

Just then, another member hurried into the bedroom.

He lowered his voice and reminded them, "There's a case. The Bureau of Anomalies wants us at the police station."

Ding San nodded. "Xiao Yin, you and Ye Zi stay here."

"We'll go."

Park Hyo-yoon looked at Chu Siwen's sleeping face. He felt his own cheeks growing warm, so he took a deep breath and murmured, "Mm."

With Ye Zi there, he and Chu Siwen wouldn't be alone together, so it should... be fine.

Ding San and the others quickly gathered their gear and set out at once.

Just before leaving, Ding San suddenly turned back and added, "As usual, if the girl wakes up and asks for anything, do your best to accommodate her."

"This time, take the expenses out of my account."

"Also, record what type of Nightmare she had."

Park Hyo-yoon's mouth twitched despite himself. He nodded firmly. "Got it, Sis San."

"I'll get it done!"

"Well, if it isn't Detective Huang, who got knocked down by a college student!"

"Old Huang, how's the recovery coming along?"

At the Xishan City Bureau of Anomalies, several administrative staff greeted Huang Zhang with teasing grins.

One of them had been with Park Hyo-yoon and Huang Zhang when they'd followed Zhou Kai that day. It had clearly become the office's latest running joke.

Huang Zhang's face warmed, and he deliberately avoided the subject.

He got straight to the point. "Enough small talk. What's the case?"

At that, the man pressed his walkie-talkie. "Team Leader Li, Second Team is here."

Then he smiled at Huang Zhang. "The police team's here. You can talk."

The Bureau of Anomalies called its own members First Team. The Dreamless, the civilian organization recruited last year, had kept its original designation and was known internally as Second Team.

A few minutes later, Huang Zhang and the others met Li Xiangqian from the police.

He was of average height and build, with a stubbly beard and a wrinkled police uniform. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

He seemed to know Ding San. As soon as he saw her, he headed straight over.

"The thing you told me to keep an eye on... it's shown up again."

At his words, Ding San's fingers twitched involuntarily.

"Take us to the scene."

2:20 a.m.

Li Xiangqian brought a young policeman and the Dreamless members to the traffic management parking lot.

He led Ding San to a lone yellow bus, shining his flashlight along the way.

"Route 105 bus. Someone reported a crash last night. The front bumper was bent, but they couldn't find anyone."

"I think... it's probably that thing you mentioned again."

"I can't believe it showed up in West Mountain... This is..."

Ding San frowned. "There was only a driver on board?"

Li Xiangqian said, "Two... no, one passenger. They were knocked unconscious and are still in the hospital."

Ding San's gaze sharpened. "So how many were there?"

The young policeman beside Li Xiangqian took offense. "What kind of attitude is that? Don't yell at people."

"Shut it! Watch your tone when you talk to Sis San!"

Li Xiangqian glared and kicked the young man hard in the backside.

The youngster let out an "Ow!" and didn't dare say another word.

Only then did Li Xiangqian answer uncertainly, "Most likely two passengers. For some reason, one of them ran off."

"That person... couldn't have something to do with a Mirage Monster, could they?"