Chief Stone's words sounded so familiar—I'd heard them before. Hugh Thompson had said the same thing when persuading Sophie Su's father. I couldn't help but smile faintly. So, it was both Chief Stone and Hugh Thompson who spoke these words.
Chief Stone told Hugh Thompson in the Ghost Burial Squad's car that his son had become a substitute for a ghost and was already dead. However, if he was willing, there was a way to find his son and try to help his son's soul reincarnate.
"Ethan, it's not very ethical to peek into other people's pasts, you know." Just as I was about to keep looking, Hugh Thompson's voice sounded behind me. I turned my head.
This was a restaurant in a bustling part of town, with plenty of people inside. Hugh Thompson sat at a two-person table right in front of me, drinking a bottle of soda. I glanced around—the people here were the same as always, their faces completely indistinct.
"Sorry, Hugh, I..."
"Let the past go, Ethan. Tell me, what's your situation in the dream now? I'm sleeping right next to you, and everyone else is here too. I see you frowning from time to time, so I know you're having trouble in the dream, aren't you?"
I first told Hugh Thompson about my previous two dreams, then briefly explained everything about Vivian Ouyang, and what her sinister side had said about the dream dwellers. I shared almost everything I'd experienced with Hugh Thompson.
Hugh Thompson took a sip of cola, then smiled and pulled out his little notebook.
"Seriously? We're in a dream, you know."
"It's a habit, Ethan."
Then Hugh Thompson jotted down what I'd said in his little notebook, circling the part about the dream ghost in particular.
Then Hu Tianshuo jotted down what I said in his little notebook, circling the part about the dream ghost.
"To put it simply, Qingyuan, Lord Dream wants to torment you. First, he has to take control of your mind. If I'm right, he uses dreams to shatter your sense of self, and then lets the dream ghost possess you, so he can control you."
Hearing this, I couldn't help but think it sounded impossible. If the dream ghost could possess me, I would've been finished long ago.
"It's not possession in the usual sense. Let me put it another way, Ethan—he wants to turn you into his dream ghost."
I let out a sound of surprise and stood up. The way Hugh Thompson explained it, it did make sense. That was the only explanation that fit.
"First, Ethan, your mind has to break down. Once it does, he'll strip away your consciousness, then use some method to make you submit, turning you into a dream ghost he can command. After that, he'll enter your core dream and get his Nightmare Stone."
"First, Qingyuan, your mind has to break down. Once it does, he'll strip away your consciousness, then use some method to make you submit, turning you into a dream ghost he can command. After that, he'll enter your core dream and take the Nightmare Stone."
"The second point came to me after hearing you talk about the dream dwellers. These people aren't under the Ghost Sovereign's control—they can move freely in the dream world. So you have to find them."
"How do I find them?"
Hu Tianshuo smiled, and then the surroundings changed again. I stared in surprise. Now, Hu Tianshuo and I were in a rooftop bar, surrounded by people. We sat at the edge, in a spot with a great view where we could see the starlit city.
"You can control your own dreams?" I looked at Hu Tianshuo in astonishment. He held a glass of red wine, took a sip, and nodded.
"It's actually quite simple."
I smiled helplessly.
"So, how do you do it?"
"Let's not talk about that yet, Qingyuan. I'll tell you later. I'm afraid the Dream Dwellers—those people—can travel through dreams. You have to find them. They understand much more than we do about fighting Lord Dream. Actually, not just fighting; they know more about everything in the dream world. You mentioned it just now, didn't you? You still have two good dreams left."
I nodded. Hu Tianshuo reached out a hand, pointed at me, and said:
"Don't use them up, Qingyuan. If you lose those two good dreams, you might not be able to get out at all."
"Why do you say that?"
Hu Tianshuo tilted his head back, gazing at the sky, and took off his glasses.
"A good dream can always turn into a nightmare, can't it? People often say dreams are the opposite of reality. So, until you figure things out, don't use them lightly. I asked Granny Zinian in detail—she told me that the purpose of these good dreams is actually for those who dwell in Naraku. Since they deal with ghosts all day, they're plagued by nightmares and can't rest or practice their arts. That's why they rely on good dreams to lift their spirits."
My heart skipped a beat.
"Granny Zinian gave me these?"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures."
Grinding my teeth, I could only sigh in the end. Hu Tianshuo walked over, patted my shoulder, and said:
"Controlling dreams is actually very simple, Qingyuan. Most of the time, when we have nightmares, it's because we wake up—either startled awake, or we control our consciousness to break the nightmare, or we just sleep until morning, exhausted."
I responded with a simple 'Oh.'
"When you're having a nightmare, just use your own willpower—don't follow what happens in the dream. If the dream tells you to go east, you go west. It's that simple. If you run into a ghost in the dream and can't beat it, then run. If you can't run, then fight. As long as you rely on your own awareness, I think if you can successfully control your dream, you'll be able to use your powers too."
I seemed to understand, and smiled.
"So how do I find the Dream Dwellers in the dream world?"
I woke up again, still in the apartment room. The Nightmare Stone was clutched in my hand, but now, I felt nothing from it.
"Is it because of the time?"
I muttered to myself, thinking it over. It seemed clear now—the Nightmare Stone only worked at night, when I was asleep. During the day, Hu Tianshuo was awake, and I was human. Even if I wanted to enter someone else's dream, it just wasn't possible during the day.
I placed the Nightmare Stone on the bed, then left the room and drifted toward the place with the violet glow. I looked around, thinking that my next move had to be a proactive one—I couldn't stay passive any longer.
My first goal was to find the Dream Dwellers and learn more about the dream world. I retreated to the small pavilion and gradually shifted some of my ghostly parts back into human form. The process left me mentally exhausted.
I decided to rest for an hour, letting my mind fully relax.
After a while, I felt refreshed. I walked step by step toward the violet glow. As soon as I stepped in, I felt myself falling, like stepping into empty air. No matter how many times I experienced it, I still didn't like it—it made my heart pound with fear.
Gradually, my consciousness was enveloped by the violet light.
Once again, I entered a dream.
"Qingyuan, what's wrong? You look unhappy."
Lan Ruoxi's voice came from beside me. I turned my head and looked at her in surprise. She seemed genuinely happy. We were on a bustling street, surrounded by people.
"No, I'm really happy." I smiled. Even though it was a nightmare, seeing Lan Ruoxi made me genuinely glad.