Dreamland Doll

Deep within the Ruby Base, at the Medical Center.

Nastaya, who has lost both arms, is imprisoned in a separate hospital room whose walls are firmly sealed off by thick steel pipes.

This has been going on for two months now, since the failed assassination attempt at the Red Ridge Mine, where she has been receiving treatment and supervision.

Nastaya initially sought death, but quickly settled into a numb calm—she would live as long as she could, since the enemy couldn't extract any valuable information from her anyway.

Perhaps she will even witness the day when these demons are destroyed and her companions tear through the cage to rescue her.

Therefore, Nastaya is now quite cooperative. Apart from her lost arms, which cannot be restored, her body is otherwise fine.

They also get a short break each day to stretch their muscles in the limited space.

At that moment, Nastaya was lying on the cold, hard wooden bed, resting with her eyes closed. The metallic scraping sound of the door opening disturbed her, and a caregiver pushed in a food cart.

"Your lunch." The caregiver said in a flat voice, picked up a tray, walked to the pass-through opening in the iron fence, and slipped the tray in.

Nastaya used her remaining arm to carry the plate to the small table. Then, she lowered her head, placed a specially made soup spoon under the end of her right arm stump with her chin, and began to eat in silence.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the caregiver had not left as usual, but was still standing there.

"Nastaya!" the caregiver suddenly whispered, "At 7 PM tonight, she proactively reported that you have important information, but she'll only speak if Su Ming comes in person!"

Nastaya paused in her chewing, raised her eyelids, and looked at the unfamiliar face outside the fence with a strange expression. "Whose side are you on?"

"The Cardinal Speaker sent me!" the caregiver's voice was filled with anxiety. "Nastaya, this is your only chance to redeem yourself!"

Nastaya simply lowered her head, scooped up a spoonful of thick soup, and said, "Then tell me our emergency communication code."

"Nastaya!" the caregiver almost growled, "You acted without authorization this time, there was no code!"

"Yes," Nastaya said slowly, tearing off a small piece of bread. "You gave yourself away. Next time, find someone who can act more convincingly."

****

Outside the window, Su Ming said to the miniature Jade Dragon phantom floating beside him, "Let's end this."

The dwarf dragon flicked its tail, creating a ripple-like wave.

The scene in the ward dissolved; the caregivers, food carts, and plates disappeared without a trace. Nastaya lay on the bed, her chest rising and falling slightly with her steady breathing.

The illusory image of the Jade Dragon dissipated, and the true form of the Zhimeng Weaver Elder appeared, its emerald scales shimmering with luster.

The entire corridor was filled with identical rooms, each with its own "residents." They had arrested quite a few prisoners of various kinds during this period, Final Bone Mad Machines had not yet established a dedicated prison area, they were all housed here.

"Wait ten minutes, allow me to erase this trace of Nastaya's memory," Zhimeng said, bowing her head.

With a gentle flick of her Dragon Claw, tiny specks of emerald green light drifted toward Nastaya on the bed, seeping into the depths of her consciousness.

In the world of dreams, Zibiao is actually asleep, and his memories can be easily erased, allowing the two to repeatedly try and fail.

Faced with Nastaya, who was unyielding and prone to suicidal thoughts, Su Ming decided to try to extract information from her using this method.

"We need to change the script." Su Ming stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "How about a more melodramatic plot this time?"

"As you wish!" Zhimeng.

The dream world is reconstructed once again, still a scene of food delivery, with a caregiver pushing a cart in.

This time, however, the caregiver suddenly reached through the iron bars, grabbed Nastaya by the collar, and pulled her back tightly!

Nastaya wore a restraining ring around her neck that suppressed Magic Power and Dou Qi, leaving her powerless to resist.

The caregiver drew a short blade with her other hand, the cold edge pressed against her vulnerable throat, her voice filled with hatred, "Traitor! Who gave you the audacity to act on your own?!"

"I didn't!" Nastaya's voice was hoarse from being choked, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "You—which branch do you belong to?"

There's a chance! Su Ming and Zhimeng quickly exchanged a glance.

The dream continued. The caregiver tightened his grip, the blade almost digging into her skin. "You've brought annihilation upon our entire branch that was lurking in the Dwarf Kingdom, and you still have the nerve to ask who I am?!"

"----To sacrifice oneself for the light, is this not the destiny of us believers?" The surprise and doubt in Nastaya's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a mocking sneer. "Ha, a clumsy cliché."

4

Zhimeng sighed silently, ended the dream, and began another round of memory erasure.

"If the dwarves who infiltrated the Temple of Light managed to escape, they'd be too busy hiding to seek revenge," Zhimeng said. "Your story doesn't make sense."

"This guy's really wary," Su Ming sighed, but then he quickly came up with a plan, "Let's try again!"

****

Outside the window, continuous artillery fire rained down, destroying numerous buildings.

After a long while, faint shouts of battle could be heard, growing louder as they approached, like waves crashing against rocks. Several hours later, everything finally fell silent. The heavy, halting footsteps of military boots echoed in the corridor; foreign soldiers had taken over the area.

With a creak, the heavy iron door was pushed open, and blinding light instantly flooded into the dimly lit ward. Several paladins stood in the doorway, scrutinizing the only prisoner in the cell.

"Who are you?" The leading knight officer's sharp gaze swept over Nastaya.

"Nastaya, the instructor of the Dark Side of God." She raised her head, trying to make her voice as calm as possible.

The officer paused, then scrutinized him, "What evidence do you have to prove your identity?"

Nastaya gently shook her head.

The officer's gaze lingered for a moment on her severed arms. "Then, please wait here while we verify your identity."

Just as the paladins were about to close the door and leave, Nastaya suddenly called out to them.

"Can you tell me—was Su Ming defeated?" she asked.

The officer paused. "Gu Ni and that fake saintess, overestimating themselves half a month ago, invaded the Northern Continent Jurisdiction of my temple."

He was personally killed by His Holiness the Pope and Ashen Repentance Hui!

The door slammed shut again, and heavy darkness once more engulfed the small space.

Nastaya lay back on the cold bed, the faint shouts of soldiers echoing from outside the corridor. A warm tear slid from the corner of her eye, seeping into the rough fabric. Exhaustion overwhelmed her consciousness like a tide, and she unknowingly drifted into a deep sleep.

When Nastaya opened her eyes again, the scenery around her had completely changed. Before her eyes was a clean, soft white ceiling, and beneath her was a soft touch, with warm, fluffy bedding enveloping her.

She instinctively tried to sit up, but felt an unusual heaviness in her arms.

Nastaya looked down and discovered that two alchemical arms had been attached to the previously empty space!

"Instructor Nastaya, please don't move!" A woman in a healer's robe rushed forward and gently pressed her shoulder. "The surgery isn't finished yet, and the hand hasn't been fitted with a device. It will take at least three more days before we can begin initial training."

The healer carefully helped her sit up, placing a soft cushion behind her back. "You've been unconscious until now, would you like something to eat?"

Hot tears welled up in Nastaya's eyes; the long and desperate nightmare was finally over!

Zhimeng stared at all in disbelief. "Your story isn't that great either!"

"It has nothing to do with how clever the story is," Su Ming replied. "People are always more willing to believe what they expect to happen!"

Thrilling, satisfying stories are the way to go!

Within the dream world, Nastaya's emotions surged uncontrollably. The door to the ward was pushed open, and a figure dressed in the highest -High Rank robes of the temple, seemingly shrouded in a holy aura, slowly walked in, bringing with him an invisible pressure.

Nastaya's vision was instantly blurred by tears.

She struggled to kneel on the bed, bowing her head deeply. "Ashen Repentance! Your subordinate has failed in her mission. Please—please punish me, my lord!"

Outside the window, Su Ming raised his hand and gave a high five to the tiny claw of the miniature Jade Dragon floating beside him.

****

In the depths of the Silent Dawn Cathedral in Bubing City, Katharine's office.

After the battle with the goblins came to an end, she returned here immediately to continue overseeing the Northern Lands and to begin preparations for the next military operation.

A magical communication arrived, containing Su Ming's report on the "interrogation" of Nastaya.

"The Ashen Repentance Friar?" Katharine's voice trembled, unable to hide her surprise. "He was the mastermind behind all this?"

The Ashen Repentance Friar, a Saint Rank battle priest, has always disagreed with the Divine Covenant Faction's ideology and has long stayed away from the center of power. During the New Divine Language incident, he unequivocally supported the acceptance of Zijin and held deep sympathy for Star Sand, a group of elites from commoner backgrounds.

Ashen Repentance Friar, a group of followers known as the "Original Sin Faction" had gathered. According to Katharine's plan, this group was the target she was striving to win over.

This is also intended to be retained in the integrated Temple of Light structure.

"Strange, why would Ashen Repentance secretly instruct Nastaya to assassinate Su Ming?" His deputy, Ge'enda'er, was equally puzzled.

"But Nastaya —does indeed have a deep connection with the Ashen Repentance Friar," Katharine pondered. "It doesn't seem like she secretly discovered it and then deliberately fabricated a lie."

After a moment's thought, a completely new "interrogation" script took shape in her mind, which she then replied via magical communication.

In this new scenario, Nastaya is once again successfully "rescued" and has her alchemical arms reattached. The difference is that Su Ming is not "killed," but rather "arrested."

Nastaya was assigned to torture Su Ming.

Inside the torture chamber, whips, red-hot branding irons, barbed iron brushes—all sorts of chilling instruments of torture were on display, at Nastaya's utmost discretion!

"If she gets carried away in her dreams, she might easily blurt out some random things in her excitement," Katharine wrote at the end of the correspondence.

When the message arrived an hour later, Su Ming was dealing with other matters.

After reading the letter, his eyes widened involuntarily.

"If you like this kind of thing, I can go along with it," Zijin said with interest.

"No, absolutely not!" Su Ming's tone was resolute. "My inclination is perfectly normal!" He neatly folded the letter and handed it to Ainuobia, "Give it to Elder Zhimeng."

Ainuobia nodded in agreement and left the office.

Su Ming turned to another person present, the Hechun Scholar.

"Firstly, regarding the study of clamshells, we discovered—" The Hechun cleared its throat, preparing to report.

Su Ming raised his hand to interrupt him, "I'm actually more concerned about what exactly happened that night?"

With a soft "thump," the Quail's body instantly transformed into Dog Form, turning its head to stare at the patterns on the wall.

****

On what should have been a beautiful night, Su Ming and Zijin were immersed in each other's tenderness, with the moonlight falling like silver frost.

If it weren't for the deafening heavy metal battle anthem of the Human Bone Machine Band, coupled with the constant ripples of Saint Rank energy mixed in with it!

Zijin activated a soundproof barrier, and the two tacitly decided to pretend that nothing had happened.

However, the number of Saint Rank fluctuations participating in the "melee" quickly increased from one to three!

Su Ming and Zijin were filled with murderous rage! When they finally arrived at the scene, they found two drunken dwarf Saint Rank being elegantly trampled by Queen Ghostly Flower with her hooves.

A group of necromancers lay sprawled on the ground, clutching their buttocks and groaning in pain Human Bone Machine duo played enthusiastic music nearby, while a little girl sat on a drawing board, sketching rapidly.

Su Ming's brain worked at an unprecedented speed. As the light swept across the majestic Queen Ghostly Flower in the arena, he instantly pieced together the original situation of the incident: it must have been the limited-time wanted mission issued by Younier that caused these energetic guys to target the wrong person!

As to why the two dwarven Saint Rank were so drunk, it was no longer important. Zijin had already made her move, pressing the two intoxicated figures completely into the ground—the world immediately fell silent.

After a few brief pleasantries between Su Ming and Queen Ghostly Flower, and an agreement to meet formally the following morning, this farce finally came to a "perfect" end!

However, when Su Ming and Zijin returned to the dormitory area, they were met with despair to see Misaila's enormous body waiting there, carrying the drowsy Little Zisu on her back.

She stretched out her paw and tossed over a whimpering, dejected Newfoundland dog.

"It was Zisu who found him," Misaila explained. "Then the little guy hugged the dog and refused to sleep." She shook her head helplessly. "I had no choice but to bring him over first."

"Thanks!" Su Ming took the big dog with a lifeless expression.

"By the way, Zijin, long time no see!" Misaila turned to Zijin with great interest, "I heard you were officially crowned Dragon King yesterday?"

"Yes----"

"I made some delicious food, Hyacinth is here too. Would you like to come over and celebrate?" Misaila warmly invited.

Su Ming sighed helplessly and resigned himself to his fate.

"Why don't you go keep her company?" he whispered to Zijin, shaking the large dog he was carrying. "I'll go deal with this guy."

After all, these are highly skilled individuals; we can't just ignore them.

In front of Misaila, Zijin planted a light kiss on Su Ming's cheek, her eyes filled with longing, "See you later."

"Wow, how come you're with a human too—" Misaila gasped in surprise, then suddenly remembered something, "Oh, I forgot you're human now," she muttered.

***

Although everything eventually returned to normal late that night, Su Ming harbored deep resentment towards Chun, who had brought his girlfriend's mother there at a crucial moment.

The Newfoundland dog drooped its head, pretending not to have heard Su Ming's previous question, and forcibly brought the topic back.

Regarding the genus—we've discovered that they absorb a huge amount of sunlight! According to current data analysis, nearly half of the solar radiation reaching Taya is actually intercepted by them!

Su Ming frowned upon hearing this, as it meant that without these "mirages," the environment of the entire Planet Taiya would undergo drastic changes, and perhaps even more.

"These mirages had the same body temperature as the environment, and no abnormal radiation was detected." He pressed on, "Then, where did all that absorbed energy go?"

"It's still unclear; more in-depth research is needed," said the Hechun. "If your satellite program succeeds, that would be great. Observing them from outer space inwards, we're sure to capture more crucial clues!"

"I'd like to too!" Su Ming rubbed his temples in annoyance. "So, do you have any ideas on how to bypass these 'mirage' obstacles and successfully send the satellite into orbit?"

"There is one direction," the Hechun replied. "Scholar Chloe conducted simultaneous high-altitude observations in Northern Ice Island and discovered that the area above the North Pole is a 'vacuum zone' where mirages are distributed!"

"There are no species in the Arctic?" Su Ming said, which was indeed good news.

But it's not exactly great either.

Launching a satellite from the Arctic is a very troublesome matter. Not only is there no planetary rotation available in low-latitude regions, but orbital adjustments also become extremely difficult, since densely populated areas are distributed along the equator to both sides, which is the direction that a normal satellite should choose.

Moreover, due to power limitations, the Vermilion Bow electromagnetic catapult system is clearly no longer usable, and the entire launch plan needs to be significantly modified.

"Both poles of this planet are magic-poor areas," Zijin said. "If we go to these places and run out of our own stored Magic Power, we'll have to rely on Magic Power crystals to cast spells."

"Understood." Su Ming nodded. "Continue the research and make sure to thoroughly verify the distribution of the 'Mirage'."

"Okay!" the Hechun replied, then fled as if it were escaping.

Su Ming leaned back in his chair, began to think, and quickly shook his head. "Launching satellites from the poles is feasible, but it requires resources and time for deployment."

Zijin understood his meaning, "This way, our satellites won't be able to participate in the war against the Divine Covenant Faction."

With the war against the Divine Covenant Faction imminent, we cannot allow any setbacks to cause us to change course. This will inevitably lead to difficulties in cross-regional communication and enemy intelligence gathering.

Or rather, they won't be able to enjoy the benefits of technology in this regard for the foreseeable future.

"I'll revise the battle plan for this part," Su Ming said helplessly.