Because I don't truly belong to this world, Red Path can't send me back directly. I have to walk back, step by step. My Deathbane Aura still hasn't fully recovered.
Recently, I've been forced to think about how to make my power truly stronger. Time is running out—there's only one day left. I have to stop the last Dreamborn from dying, and somehow get the Endbringer Shard.
The sky overhead is a bleak gray-black. After walking for a while, I stopped to rest; my body felt wretched. I tried drawing earth energy from the ground, hoping to turn it into Deathbane Aura, but here, not a trace of earth energy could be absorbed.
The Deathbane Aura within me was nearly gone. I raised my trembling hand, trying to summon it, but nothing happened.
John Chou had already warned me not to use Deathbane Aura these past few days. I can only go back and ask him properly. My stomach rumbled with hunger; my mouth was parched.
During these days here, I've gradually realized that in this world, there is no real physical body. All my wounds have healed completely, but in their place is a crushing fatigue. Standing in the wind, my mind was blank.
The gray-black sky was lightening, shifting from black to gray. The final day was almost upon me. I rose and walked toward Dream City, its outline just visible ahead.
After walking nearly an hour, I reached the east gate of Dream City. The gate slowly opened. I stepped inside, greeted by the calls of Dreamborn and other inhabitants.
Looking at them, an indescribable sadness welled up in me—especially for the residents here. Red Path never told me directly, but in this dream world, they are like the Endbringer Shard: an anomaly, an unnatural presence.
If this world ever returns to normal, I'm afraid they'll be completely cast out. Though it's just my guess, in a few days, it may become reality.
"Master, why did you take so long to come back?"
Nolan dashed out of the crowd, two AK-47s slung across his body, and excitedly ran over to me. I shook my head at him and managed a smile.
But right now, I'm more worried about Nolan's father. After all, I noticed the faintly suspicious gazes of many people, as if they held some prejudice against him. Not just the residents—even some Dreamborn did too.
A crowd gathered, asking questions. Nolan hadn't told anyone the whole truth. Instead, he said: I went to check the forest; Nolan saw his father there a few days ago and ran over. He encountered a crimson Dream Wraith. I happened to be there and held off the Dream Wraith so Nolan and his father could return together.
This story was hard for many to believe. Most people cared more about me defeating the Red Wraith.
"Ah, Ethan, I heard you defeated the Red Wraith. I was wondering..."
Nathan Ouyang came over as well. I glanced around and called out.
"Please, everyone, make way. I'm really exhausted. I didn't defeat that Red Wraith."
I didn't say much more. Facing all those expectant gazes, I found it hard to bear. It felt like no one wanted to try themselves—they just hoped someone powerful would help them survive.
As I walked, I suddenly noticed only one person—Henry Cole—looked at me without expectation, as if it were just an ordinary thing. He carried a large box of ammunition, intent on hauling it up to the city wall.
Still, crowds chased after me, asking questions and blocking the road until it was completely clogged. I didn't see any sign of John Chou, but I knew he was waiting for me.
"Enough! Haven't you made enough noise?"
Suddenly, the noisy crowd fell silent. Everything stopped abruptly as everyone turned toward the angry shout. It was Xiaoxing; he set down the box of ammunition he was carrying.
"If you don't want to die, then hurry up and move the ammunition the Dreamborn retrieved to the city walls."
That was all Xiaoxing said, but immediately it drew criticism. Many people ridiculed him, saying he was foolish to still think about escaping and returning to the real world at a time like this.
I took advantage of the moment, squeezed out of the crowd, and headed toward the city center—the palace. As I got closer, my gaze fixed on a small building. Sure enough, I spotted a figure. When I reached the palace entrance, I saw John Chou standing on the balcony, watching me.
I quickly entered the building and went up to the third-floor balcony. John Chou stood with his back toward me, speaking.
"Brother, what you're looking for, I'm afraid you won't find it among these people. Heh."
I nodded and walked over, standing beside John Chou. Earlier, I'd been filled with hope, expecting that the people here would become aware of the mass Dream Wraith attacks. After bringing back weapons, many were once hopeful, and with weapons, their worry about Dream Wraiths faded bit by bit.
"But it's only been a few days, right?"
I muttered, and John Chou reached out and patted my shoulder.
"Brother, some things aren't so simple. This place is on the verge of destruction. You'd better start planning how to get that Endbringer Shard."
As John Chou spoke, I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, looking down at the Dreamborn and residents gathering at the city gates. Not just the residents—even the Dreamborn were in the same state. As for the invasion starting after midnight today, lasting three days, they had no awareness at all.
"Brother, don't you know? People, since ancient times, once they're penned in, are no different from livestock awaiting slaughter. It's been hundreds of years here. The residents and Dreamborn are just like livestock waiting to be killed. How can you make a herd of livestock fight desperately against their butcher, as you would?"
I couldn't refute John Chou's words. After getting weapons, in just a few days, the atmosphere here turned lifeless again. Everyone wanted to rely on others to get through; not a single person wanted to depend on themselves.
Here, aside from Nolan, his father, Susie, and Xiaoxing, everyone else just sought to offload their problems onto others, passing the burden around.
I once heard a story: five invaders drove over two thousand people to an execution ground and slaughtered them one by one like animals. No one resisted, because everyone knew the first to resist would be killed. So they waited, and in the end, none of the two thousand survived.
Such stories—worse than animals. In fact, it's harder to kill two thousand animals than two thousand people. I used to hear it and just feel surprised, but now, thinking about it, I find it horrifying.
"What's wrong, brother? Have you lost your resolve? Your..."
"No," I answered resolutely, meeting John Chou's gaze. He looked at me with a half-smile.
"Good, as long as you haven't wavered, brother. That's not easy—you've grown. Rest now, brother. Rest until midnight and your Deathbane Aura should recover somewhat."
John Chou said nothing more and drifted off the balcony, heading into the distance.
I ate some food in the room, drank a little water, and lay down. I desperately needed rest. Right now, I couldn't worry about anything else. This is a war with no chance of victory—I'm not exaggerating. I can't see any hope of winning, because the will of the people is dead.
I don't know how long I slept. I woke to shaking and opened my eyes. Nolan and Susie were standing by my bed. Nolan's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and Susie's face was full of worry.
"What's going on?"
"Qingyuan, hurry and go see—my dad, they've... they've branded him a traitor and said they're going to kill him."
"What?" I shouted, immediately jumping out of bed. The sky outside was gray but bright—it was likely midday.
The three of us hurried to the east gate. Nolan's father—everyone called him Big Mountain because of his burly build—was there. Behind the gate, a crowd had gathered. When we arrived, we were stunned.
On a wooden stake, Big Mountain was covered in wounds, bleeding, as a guard whipped him relentlessly. Many people stood nearby, laughing—none seemed to find it objectionable.
"What are you doing?" I shouted. Nathan Ouyang walked over, accompanied by several others.
"This is what everyone agreed on. Hmph, he's not really that kid's father—he's a Dream Wraith."
Nathan Ouyang said this, and I shot him a fierce glare.
"What's your evidence?"
"The evidence is, how could he possibly survive alone in that forest? Coming back like this—he must be an agent of the Dream Wraiths."
Nathan Ouyang insisted that Nolan's father was a Dream Wraith. I clenched my fists, ready to tell everyone what Red Path had told me about the relationship between Dream Wraiths and Dreamborn.
"Listen, everyone—the Dream Wraiths and Dreamborn..."
Suddenly, a hand grabbed me and pulled me back. It was John Chou, smiling at me. Nathan Ouyang and the others turned their eyes toward us.
"Go on, keep going. Let's go, brother. Once the Dream Wraiths' attack is over, the truth will come out. Heh."