The room was silent; the chaos had vanished. All eyes stared blankly at me as I struggled to maintain the visible, smoke-like Deathbane Aura.
I couldn't endure it any longer. Faced with the current situation, I'd lost all control. No one among the Settlers could restrain themselves now. They must have realized this is a battle we cannot win—and Nathan Ouyang is missing.
Not even a full day had passed before the Settlers' minds collapsed, crushed by fear of the Dream Wraiths. Now, their actions are driven by terror—they want to vent their rage on the Dreamborn.
Suddenly, I saw a Settler raise an AK-47, mouth agape, ready to attack. I glared at him, channeling Deathbane Aura to form a small blade that instantly severed his hand.
With a sharp thud, the AK-47 dropped to the floor. He clutched his severed hand, screaming in pain.
I warned you—don't move. If anyone acts on their own again, I'll kill them.
In an instant, my anger surged; Deathbane Aura transformed into sharp, black spikes that spread around me, aimed at the Settlers. They hesitated.
"They're traitors—if we don't execute them..."
One of the Settlers shouted. I glared at him with fury.
Listen up—I don't care what you think. Tomorrow, the attack will be even worse than today.
As soon as I finished speaking, sobs and cries erupted. Many Settlers wailed, "I don't want to die!" The chorus of grief grew, filling the room.
The sobbing spread uncontrollably. Pent-up emotions finally burst into tears—men, women, children, elders, all wept. I understood; their lives here had been peaceful for centuries.
Many Settlers came here from war-torn lands; for them, this place was a paradise. Despite its simplicity, the city offered joy and entertainment.
In an instant, the Settlers fell from paradise to hell. Years of stability had dulled their fighting spirit; their courage had faded.
Gradually, the cries ceased. I said nothing more; I had already told them what tomorrow would bring—a truth they refused to accept. Many likely dreaded the coming day.
I'm not here to give you empty promises. This city can hold out—the chaos will end, and life will return to normal. But…" I paused, scanning the crowd.
I just want you to know—life or death is your choice. After midnight, the Dream Wraiths will return. If you want to live, run as far as you can. If you won't run but don't want to die, help repair the city gates.
As I spoke, I withdrew the Deathbane Aura and began untying Nolan and the villagers. The silence was complete as some began to flee west.
"Is this really okay?" Susie asked, looking at me in confusion. I untied Nolan's father, Da Shan, who gave me a grateful look. I nodded.
Nolan is fine.
I simply replied to Susie's question.
That's all there is to it. For those who've completely lost the will to fight, their presence will only hinder us.
As I spoke, Big Mountain smiled at me. I was surprised; he seemed different—especially since he could turn back into a Dreamborn after being a Dream Wraith.
Can you tell me what happened in the forest? Why did you become a Dream Wraith?
I asked quietly, but Big Mountain shook his head, pointed to his mouth, and tried to speak. No sound came—he seemed unable to talk.
I didn't press further. As more people headed to West City, we hurried to block the city gates—the only weak point in the five-meter-thick walls.
At that moment, I noticed seven or eight hundred Settlers, led by Henry Cole, descending from the walls to help repair the gates and set up barricades.
Nathan Ouyang's whereabouts were a mystery. I asked those close to him, but no one had seen him. Even the Dream Wraiths he controlled were gone, as if he'd vanished.
Big Mountain tugged at me, as if he had something important to say. I followed him to the east gate, where he pointed into the distance, gripped his neck, and gestured with crossed hands.
Will the Dream Wraiths come from the east tomorrow too?
I immediately understood what he meant and asked a question. Big Mountain nodded.
I quickly shouted to those nearby. Dusk was falling, and we climbed down ropes from the walls, heading to other gates to move barricades.
Fortunately, with over 800 people, we worked quickly. Before nightfall, we placed hundreds of barricades at the east gate, reinforcing it with stones and bones—layer upon layer.
I sat quietly on the ramparts, resting. Time was running out, but many were still busy. Henry Cole and others discussed the order of shooting—Dream Wraiths must not reach the walls.
The east gate's ramparts couldn't hold all 800 people, so after the first volley, the next group would take over. The gunfire couldn't stop. Everyone had seen the massive Dream Wraiths—they couldn't climb the walls, only attack the gates.
Boxes of bullets were brought from other gates and stacked high. The Settlers kept busy.
Gradually, everyone finished their work, resting wherever they could. Yet many couldn't sleep—they stared blankly at the darkening sky, which grew steadily grayer.
I couldn't sleep either, having witnessed the power of the Ember Wraiths yesterday. They wielded fire, ice, and one was fast enough to dodge my Ghost Web. Their bodies were extremely tough.
I pondered solutions for a long time. The only way was to gather massive Deathbane Aura, twist and compress it, increasing its density to defeat them.
Success or failure hinges on one path—fight. If we survive the second day, John Chou should be able to find Nathan Ouyang. Right now, Nathan's whereabouts are critical.
Ethan, get some rest.
Susie walked over, muttering. I shook my head, unable to sleep.
Susie, too, looked exhausted but couldn't sleep.
I used to hate this world. We Dreamborn live only in the margins, but slowly, I learned to accept it—because this world is ours, the place we live.
I nodded and replied.
Don't worry. Tomorrow, I'll find a way.
With that, I closed my eyes—any bit of Deathbane Aura I could recover was precious. Slowly, I lost consciousness and fell asleep.
When I woke again, Susie was the one who roused me. I had slept deeply. Opening my eyes, I saw only gray—the sky was completely dark.
Everything had been discussed. If any Ember Wraiths appeared, I had to stop them from reaching the walls and protect the gates in the crisis.
At that moment, everything changed. The Settlers, calm and focused, stared into the distance, showing no fear. They held their AK-47s expressionlessly. I was satisfied with their resolve.
With no way out, I climbed up to the ramparts, crouched, and stared into the distance.
Time ticked by as everyone waited, faces tense, as if awaiting the apocalypse. In the distance, a mass of gray slowly approached.
The ground rumbled, as if declaring the end of the world. There was no reason, no conversation, no understanding between us.
All units, prepare!" Henry Cole shouted. Everyone raised their weapons and took aim.
As the Dream Wraiths charged forward, I saw many Ember Wraiths—yesterday there were only three, but today there were over a dozen. I swallowed hard, clenching my fists.
This felt like the final battle—there was no room left for retreat.