Chapter 299 : Chapter 299

Chapter 299: Consciousness Trapped in a Dream

“I don't know. Just as you think this matter will be resolved by the academy, I also feel that it's not as simple as it seems on the surface.”

“What? Are you trying to drag me into this to investigate?”

I asked tentatively.

Although I hadn't seen Tan Han for a while, I didn't know if it was an illusion, but I felt that Tan Han as a whole had undergone a… curious change, I couldn't put my finger on it.

“You still haven't changed. You're still so direct when you talk to me. Yes, are you interested?”

Tan Han asked directly.

“Before I answer, I want to ask what it is that made you have the impulse to investigate this matter?”

“Is this answer important to you?”

“Not important, just asking.”

I waved my hand casually, as if I were just asking casually.

“Then I'm sorry, I may not be able to explain the whole story to you directly.”

At this moment, Tan Han also directly refused to answer my question.

“Then can I ask what means you plan to use to investigate? With all due respect, if it's just some child's play, then it's a waste of my time, and I won't agree.”

I shook my head and said.

I didn't expect Tan Han to refuse to answer.

It seemed that Tan Han also had her own secrets, but this didn't prevent me from continuing to test Tan Han.

As for going to the dream state, even without Tan Han, I was going to go anyway.

It was related to too many things that concerned me.

“Those people are not asleep. Their consciousness must still be active elsewhere, right?”

“Hmm? You…”

I was surprised that Tan Han used such a tone to ask me back, as if she was certain from the beginning that I would know.

But when I realized this, I understood that it seemed too late.

“You really know.”

“I don't know what you're talking about. Besides, what do I know?”

I played dumb at this moment, but I understood that it didn't seem necessary to play dumb or not.

In response to my playing dumb, a flash of ill will crossed Tan Han's face, so fast that I thought it was an illusion.

But the next moment, she did not rush to expose my lie, but began to talk about her own affairs.

“Actually, when the sleeping curse really broke out, I was also at the scene. That friend of mine, who was on good terms with me, told me the day before that she had a nightmare. And the next day, I saw her fall down right in front of me, and she’s… been asleep ever since. It can be said that this accident interrupted my study rhythm. Between continuing to study and my friend, I chose my friend.”

“When she was sent to the infirmary, she was diagnosed with deep sleep, but no means could wake her up. But from her occasional ferocious expressions and her movements as if she were frightened, I knew that even if she was just sleeping and dreaming, it must have been a nightmare. During this time, I came to the library to learn a lot of things. I learned about the dream world and understood the relationship between the dreams people have and the dream world.”

“So what?”

I was unmoved and continued to ask.

“I also asked Teacher Lina. These days, I have been trying to figure this out. I know you don't want to know what I did, but in short, I came to this very simple answer. Their consciousness must have been lost in the dream world, right? It’s similar to how we use dream devices to enter the dream state.”

“And then?”

“And then… you knew it all along, right?”

“And then?”

“Since you knew, then you should have told me. I'm sorry, maybe that's a bit too much to say… but I think with our relationship, if you knew, but you didn't want to do anything, even if you just mentioned it to me a little, I would be very grateful to you…”

“You’re too emotional, Tan Han. I know what you want to blame me for, but I just want to ask you one question… Tan Han, are you… the savior?”

“The… savior?”

Tan Han was a little stunned when I said this. “I have never claimed to be the savior. I know I don't have that ability, but now the problem is right in front of us. There is no savior in this world, only ordinary people who step forward.”

“So… you think you’re very powerful? More powerful than a transcendent witch? It's a very simple matter. If you think that just by keeping yourself busy, you've made a contribution, then I won't play along with your nonsense.”

“This is not nonsense. The academy… I don’t see the academy taking responsibility for this matter. The academy has never cared about the life and death of ordinary people. Even the Academy Head's speech that time, I could only hear a strong sense of perfunctoriness. I am too familiar with this kind of rhetoric.”

At this moment, Tan Han’s words stunned me.

It wasn’t that Tan Han’s words were very reasonable and changed my mind, but that Tan Han’s understanding of the academy was too far beyond my expectations.

She didn't seem to have broken away from the perception of an ordinary academy when looking at a transcendent academy.

She saw many things too simply.

For example, the Academy Head being perfunctory was probably the funniest joke I had heard this year.

Perhaps this was the effect the Academy Head hoped to achieve?

The dream state held a gluttonous feast for the distribution of destiny.

As a Child of Destiny… it seemed they would be instinctively attracted.

But I didn't expect it to be in this form.

“May I ask, besides asking Teacher Lina and researching on your own, where else did you get this information?”

“I even went to ask the Academy Head in person, but she…”

“Wait? You went to ask the Academy Head? How did you go?”

My eyes widened at this moment, somewhat incredulous.

To see the Academy Head, to say it so easily, even when I went, I still had Teacher Ji Niang accompanying me.

Was this Tan Han’s treatment?

Perhaps it was precisely because of this treatment that she had such thoughts…

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt a little like laughing, but I held it back in this situation.

“You haven't been there? I see…”

“I’ve been there once. The Academy Head gave me a pretty good feeling. So what do you plan to do? Foolishly fall under the sleeping curse yourself to take a look?”

“Why not?”

“Hmm?”

I looked at Tan Han’s meaningful expression at this moment, finding it hard to believe that these were words spoken by Tan Han.

“You’re simply a madman.”

“Thank you for the compliment. If I’m wrong, then even I will be affected by this matter. Will the academy still sit by and do nothing? If I’m right, then I’ll find a way to save them all.”

“Don’t you think you’re overestimating your value?”

“How could I? I am very clear about my value.”

Tan Han was very sober when she said this, but her words were very crazy.

“Then… what about the consequences? The worst consequences, can you afford the price you have to pay…”

“If you have to anticipate the worst consequences for everything, then there is nothing in the world that can be done.”

“Alright…”

I shook my head.

Had I really not recognized the real Tan Han before?

Or had the current Tan Han already become a puppet of destiny?

Just like during the battle.

“Little Han… have you ever… forget it…”

At this moment, Tan Han seemed to have a moment where she wanted to confide in me, but she quickly took it back.

“Our meeting today was just a coincidence. I’ve said what I needed to say. I won’t force you for your answer. I will try tomorrow. Not just me, but also the others who participated in the exchange competition… even… Lucianne from your class. They will be with me. I will unite a force that even the academy cannot ignore.”

“In short, today’s matter was my presumption. If you still feel it’s meaningless, then please forget what I said to you… I hope we can still be friends in the future.”

“Hmm… so in your heart, you’ve always considered me a friend?”

“Of course. A friend… a friend is not an unattainable existence for me. If even being a friend has to have such a high threshold, then it would be very tiring for anyone. This is a bit of advice from me to you, my… academic friend. This is your name for me, but in my heart, you don't have the prefix of academic. You have given the concept of a friend too heavy an expectation. Perhaps you can relax a little.”

“Is that so? Thank you for your advice.”

As Tan Han said, I seemed to have taken the two words "friend" too seriously.

“Mm, I’m leaving first. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye. Also… I’ll consider what you said.”

After bidding farewell to Tan Han, all of this was like an interlude.

But this also told me a piece of news, and that was that tomorrow, they would make a move.

But there was one more thing I didn't quite understand.

Tan Han didn't seem to be such an irrational person.

But then again, girls seemed to be mostly emotional creatures.

Perhaps… that friend was really important to her…

Or perhaps… that friend was just the last straw?

In the Witch Academy, along the way, perhaps I had overlooked too many things, to the point that now, I seemed to not understand anyone very well.

I didn't know what kind of mentality Tan Han had to go and risk her life to save her friend so crazily.

Perhaps… similar to Big Sis Bai being trapped in the dream state?

But if that were the case, I might be even crazier than Tan Han’s current behavior.

After calming down, I once again recalled my conversation with the Academy Head.

This was a "mutually beneficial" transaction.

With the goal of helping me escape the script, it extended to a once-and-for-all severing of the Earth Vein Chains.

All that the Academy Head had told me before was actually just painting a big picture.

Now, I could see it a bit more clearly.

Of course, I hadn't forgotten one thing, and that was to help the Fool’s Dream completely sever the connection with the Nightmare, and use the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Spell on them, to start them on the path to becoming true life.

Yes… just the beginning.

There was still a long way to go for the Fool’s Dream.

“Perhaps I should be more proactive.”

I closed the book, put the borrowed book back on the shelf, and then contacted Big Sis Bai again to meet at a certain place.

Although the Academy Head said she wanted me to be a spoiler and prevent the Abyssal Demons, that is, the Nightmares in the dream state, from obtaining destiny, the Academy Head did not tell me how to get there.

It was as if she didn't care about all of this, or as if everything was developing naturally, and everything would be pushed forward by the power of the script.

But I was very clear that this incident was actually caused by the Nightmares.

To enter the dream state, we needed those Nightmares to pull our consciousness in.

So this required me to personally go and see those who had been pulled into the dream state by the Nightmares.

Last time I went to see, I was bumped into by Lucianne, and I didn't pay much attention to what was going on with that girl named Mingyun.

My Spirit Vision could see many things.

I had to try it to know if I could find a way.

Thinking about it this way, I actually knew what was going on, so I would go and carry out my thoughts without hesitation.

But all of this was unknown to Tan Han, so where did she get the courage to try?

I had no way of knowing, nor did I need to know.

Many things didn't seem to need a reason.

Just as Tan Han said, if you had to consider whether you could bear the worst consequences for everything, then there was nothing in the world that could be done.

From the library to the infirmary, when I arrived at the infirmary, I could see with my naked eye that it had become much busier.

“Big Sis Bai, you’re here so quickly.”

I looked at the familiar figure and immediately said.

After all, I had agreed to meet Big Sis Bai here.

“Mm, Little Han, are you ready to take action?”

“Mm, so I wanted to come and see. With you accompanying me, Big Sis Bai, I’ll be very relieved.”

“Then let’s go over together.”

When I came to Mingyun’s room again, Lucianne did not appear in front of me again.

At this moment, she was lying on the hospital bed just like Mingyun.

This contrast made me not know what to say for a moment.

Did she get herself involved while accompanying someone?

It seemed that Lucianne was going to enter the world of dreams one step ahead of Tan Han.

I walked forward and looked at them sleeping so “peacefully.”

Perhaps only their beating hearts and their ferocious facial expressions proved that they were still alive.

I reached out my hand and gently waved it over their bodies.

In my eyes, an invisible existence like black smoke was coming out of their bodies.

This was the manifestation of being possessed by a Nightmare, but there seemed to be no further discoveries.

“Little Han, did you find anything?”

“Mm… their bodies are exuding the aura of a Nightmare. The Nightmare… is an existence in the dream state, and we are in reality… I’m very curious, what means does the Nightmare use to cross the boundary between reality and dream, and pull us into the dream state.”

“Is that so? I'm sorry, Big Sis Bai, I don't quite understand this aspect either. I can't give you any meaningful advice.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

I shook my head and comforted Big Sis Bai, but my gaze was still constantly scanning them who were in a deep sleep, trying to find the pattern of the Nightmare’s attacks.

After all, I couldn’t just wait slowly for the Nightmare to pull me into the dream state.

“It’s here…”

I looked at the black shadow that was gradually condensing in front of me and said.

“Wait, Little Han, what did you say is here?”

“It’s the Nightmare. I’m sorry, Big Sis Bai, I forgot you can’t see it… is it… breaking through the boundary between dream and reality? This is really a magical process…”

“Little Han, Little Han…”

Bai Yu looked at me talking to myself and called out a few more times.

“It’s fine, Big Sis Bai. This kind of thing is not something I can control. Even if only I go over in the end, I’ll have to trouble Big Sis Bai to take care of me.”

I looked at Big Sis Bai and said, then my gaze fell on this Nightmare again.

I could feel a pull on my consciousness, which manifested as my consciousness becoming blurry and my body feeling tired.

This feeling was like entering a dream state with a dream device, but the experience was much more violent.

“Wait, Little Han, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t we agree to go together?”

“Eh?”

Facing Big Sis Bai who had suddenly hugged me, my mind also exploded.

This seemed to be the first time Big Sis Bai had hugged me like this…

“Hey… don’t look like I’m going to abandon you…”

I closed my eyes and let the Nightmare attack us.

If Big Sis Bai was with me this time… that wouldn’t be bad.

After a while.

The part-time nurse in the infirmary who came to check on them finally discovered the situation here.

“Two more… isn’t this just giving us more trouble! Someone come and help!”