Chapter 302 : Chapter 302

Chapter 302: The City and the Natives

“Big… Big Sis Xiao Han, she… went over first?”

“Yang Yuehan, ah. She suddenly came over here yesterday and then fell asleep. When this was reported to me, I have to say, that girl is even more of a troublemaker than all of you.”

At this moment, Lina explained from the side.

For a time, the people gathered here didn't know how to feel.

Just a moment ago, they were complaining that she was a coward unwilling to take risks with them, and now… she had gone a step ahead of them.

“Alright, don't just stand there in a daze, students. Don't forget why you've gathered here. But before that, I must remind you of one thing: the Dream World is very dangerous. Any bizarre or grotesque thing can happen, even death.”

“You're all so concerned about the Sleeping Curse, so you must know about that case of death during sleep. Even though it has only happened at Holy Angel Academy so far, it doesn't mean it will only happen at that academy. You are all the top students of the Witch Academy's newcomer grade. To be honest, after going crazy with you all, I don't even know if I can keep my position.”

“Teacher Lina…”

“It’s fine. Even if I lose my position as the grade director, I’ll still be your counselor. Do what you want to do. I’ll go negotiate with the Academy Head for the rest.”

Lina patted Tan Han’s head.

This was the first time she had patted such an obedient Tan Han.

Perhaps only when Tan Han felt she was in the wrong and indebted would she show a bit of weakness.

“Are you ready?”

With a wave of her hand, Lina plucked out the Nightmare that had emerged from the unconscious person.

“This is the main body of the Sleeping Curse. So your goal is to completely eliminate these things. In my opinion, this should be the main culprit of this incident. But you must be careful. According to my tests, a curse of this level alone cannot cause death. This means there is another unknown anomaly causing the deaths. So you must be careful, this is no joke, understand?”

“Understood!”

The students nodded in unison, indicating they understood.

“Alright then. Come over and make contact with the curse. If you regret it now, give up immediately. This is your last chance. This isn't forcing you into something you're not ready for. To be frank, the Witch Academy doesn't need a group of you little girls to save it.”

“Alright… it seems you’ve all made up your minds…”

……

“Ruins, ruins… it's all ruins here. What exactly happened here? These ruins have been weathered for a long time. In some places, the plants grow taller than the ruins, and in others, not a blade of grass grows.”

After spending the night in the Dream State, we began to explore this place again.

Unfortunately, this was the Dream State.

Although we had our storage equipment, it… couldn't be used.

It had become a complete decoration.

Otherwise, if we had our flying brooms, our exploration speed wouldn't be so slow.

Although Big Sis Bai seemed to have a flight spell, being carried while flying… I still rejected that idea.

Being carried while flying in the sky was simply too embarrassing.

More importantly, flying in the sky was too conspicuous.

What if it attracted enemies?

“Wait! Big Sis Bai, what is that?”

I suddenly lowered my voice and asked Big Sis Bai.

The thing I was seeing at this moment had a protective coloration similar to the surrounding ruins.

If its movement hadn't attracted my attention, I almost wouldn't have noticed it.

It was a creature the size of a car.

“Be careful, it might be some kind of monster.”

Big Sis Bai also became alert at this moment, subconsciously shielding me behind her.

“It’s not a Nightmare… and not a Nightmare demon. Are there other monsters here?”

I was also a bit curious about this suddenly appearing creature.

After all, the Academy Head had told me that there were many dream creatures in the Dream State, and even existences like the Fool’s Dream were the most common type of dream creature.

As we continued to approach, the monster also discovered us.

It was currently using its hooves to constantly rummage through the ruins.

It suddenly turned its head to look at us, as if curious about what we were.

“It doesn’t have a strong desire to attack… It doesn't look like a creature that preys on large organisms like humans.”

Big Sis Bai quickly made a judgment about the creature.

“But it's still better to be careful.”

“It’s fine, we have spells. The transcendent energy in its body is not much, and it's evenly distributed throughout its body. It’s not a big threat.”

I also said, “But… I didn't expect to encounter such a gentle monster?”

“Just to be safe, let’s kill it first.”

As Bai Yu said this, the sword reappeared in her hand.

“Mm.”

But the next moment, Big Sis Bai’s strike cut through empty air.

The sword in Bai Yu’s hand passed straight through the monster’s body without any resistance.

The powerful, charged-up attack instantly caused Bai Yu to lose her balance, but she stabilized herself with a swift movement the next moment.

“What?”

This was the first time Bai Yu had shown such a shocked expression during an attack.

And the monster, as if frightened, ran away “at high speed.”

“Little Han… just now… you saw it, right?”

Bai Yu turned her head to look at me.

“Mm.”

I nodded.

Big Sis Bai’s sword had clearly struck the monster’s body, but the attack passed through as if it were an illusion.

There was no wound, and… the creature was only frightened.

“The Dream State! Yes… we might be separated from that creature by a layer of the Dream State. That monster is real!”

“But aren't the Dream State and reality…”

“Isn’t the Fool’s Village secret realm just like that? The Dream State and reality are superimposed. No wonder… I was wondering why the surrounding environment didn't look like a dream creation. It turns out… this place is reality!”

“But… Little Han, have you ever thought that since that monster is real, and we are in the Dream State, these ruins are also real…”

Saying this, Bai Yu picked up a stone.

“What about this stone? Is it real or a dream?”

“This…”

I looked at the stone Big Sis Bai had picked up… it was undoubtedly part of the environment.

If the Dream State and reality were separate, then we shouldn't be able to pick up this stone.

So the stone was actually a dream creation?

But everything here, according to the feedback from my Spirit Vision, was based on real matter, not just a simple dream creation…

“I… I don’t know… Maybe the Dream State has invaded reality, or maybe…”

“Alright, Little Han, there’s no need to get so hung up on this. The Dream State is too mysterious. We don’t need to understand everything. We just need to accept it.”

“Mm…”

I nodded, hoping to shake off this thought.

The Dream State was indeed not something I could comprehend at my current stage.

As we continued forward, or rather, as the area we explored grew larger, we encountered more of those monsters.

But we were like outsiders, unable to touch them.

“Is that… a city?”

I looked at the faint outline in the distance, like a city built upon ruins.

This city looked exceptionally dilapidated under the morning sun.

As we headed in that direction, we gradually saw the city’s appearance more clearly.

The stone bricks of the outer walls were mottled and weathered, bearing the marks of time.

“There are… people here?”

I said in disbelief.

Even Big Sis Bai was a little shocked at this moment.

This development was a bit too… bizarre.

The closer we got to this city, the fewer of those monsters we had encountered earlier we saw.

It seemed that the ecosystem here had formed a sphere of influence, and they didn’t dare to approach the city.

“Big Sis Bai, should we go take a look?”

I turned to ask Big Sis Bai.

Since there were signs of intelligent life here, we definitely had to go check it out.

“Mm, of course, we have to go see. I hope they don't treat us like monsters.”

“Big Sis Bai, do you think they are in reality or the Dream State? If they are in reality, they should only be able to see us but not touch us. Oh, no, no, what we should be worried about is the communication problem!”

“Yes, that’s right. That is indeed a very important issue.”

Big Sis Bai also nodded at this moment.

If we couldn't even communicate, then we couldn't proceed with any further contact.

Even if they probably couldn’t harm us.

Just as we were about to get closer to the city, both Big Sis Bai and I sensed something approaching us.

When they walked out from the ruins, we saw that it was a team of… people?

Dressed in strangely shaped outer armor.

“Big Sis Bai, they’re really people,” I said in a low voice.

“Who are you!”

The person leading the team instantly became vigilant, their long spear pointed at us, ready to attack if we made any strange moves.

But what surprised us even more was that the language they spoke was a common tongue that we could understand!

“Don’t be nervous, we’re not bad people,” I explained with what I considered to be a gentle smile.

“Hmm? This is outside the city. Your clothes… don’t look like… wait, are you outsiders?”

“Huh? Outsiders?”

I was stunned for a moment by their term for us.

The tone of their voice sounded like… they’ve seen people like us before?

That made sense.

After all, if the Nightmares had pulled all those people into this “world,” it was inevitable that they would come into contact with them.

So it was understandable that they weren’t surprised.

“Meaning people who are not from our world. And we can't touch you, right?”

“That is indeed the case. Have you encountered many outsiders like us?”

“I don’t know, and I won’t answer your question. Until I confirm whether you are outsiders, I will not reveal any more information.”

“Then how do you plan to test it?”

I looked at this five-person team.

They looked like they were on patrol outside the city?

“It’s simple. We just need to try and see if we can touch you. If we can’t, we won’t be so vigilant.”

“Alright…”

“Little Han, let me do it.”

At this moment, Big Sis Bai blocked me behind her and stepped forward.

With both sides being very nervous, the other party confirmed our identity.

It was obvious that they were also relieved.

It seemed they were even more nervous than we were.

“Thank you for your cooperation, outsiders. Are you here to enter our Ninglan New City?”

“Ninglan New City? Is that the giant city up ahead?”

Bai Yu asked.

“Yes, that is our last home, Ninglan New City, built upon the ruins.”

The soldier became subconsciously emotional when he said this.

“By the way, I don’t know your name yet. Are you a soldier of this Ninglan New City?”

“My name is not important. We may not have any interactions in the future. But I am a squad leader in the Ninglan New City City Defense Army. Since your identities have been confirmed, if you wish to enter Ninglan New City, I can take you to see our City Defense Army officer. After all, matters concerning outsiders are of great importance, and we cannot decide on our own. So please forgive us.”

“I see. That’s fine, we will cooperate,” I said with a wave of my hand.

After all, their attitude towards us outsiders was already very good.

Faced with such an anomaly, it was already great that they didn’t issue a warrant for our arrest or anything.

Of course, it was also possible that they had tried and paid the price to learn that they couldn’t imprison or suppress outsiders.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Please follow us. Also, please do not act too radically, to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“Understood, I am very well-behaved. We are just looking for a place to rest right now. We are new here and need to understand the situation. Could you give us an introduction?”

I also asked at this moment.

After all, it was very important to learn some things from them.

This was someone else’s territory, and even if we knew they couldn't do anything to us, who knew if they had some kind of trump card?

Faced with the unknown, we naturally had to remain vigilant, but for now, the natives here were showing us considerable goodwill.

Perhaps within this so-called Ninglan New City, we could even meet those unlucky people who were pulled in by the Nightmares.

“An introduction? Is it about history? I only know a rough outline, I haven't studied it in detail. Hey, do any of you guys know history?”

The squad leader said with some difficulty, then asked his team members.

But they quickly indicated that they were not familiar with it either.

“It's fine, just a general understanding. For example… how long has Ninglan New City been established? What happened in your history to cause it to become an apocalyptic ruin like this?”

“These things… I don't really understand them either. Maybe over a thousand years ago? As for what happened… I'm not too clear on that either.”

“Over a thousand years ago… what a vague statement.”

It seemed I had encountered someone illiterate in history.

“By the way, didn’t you have history classes when you were young?”

“History class? Why would there be such a class?”

“Alright, forget I said anything. But, you’ve been developing here for over a thousand years, has it always been like this?”

After all, it had been over a thousand years!

In my previous life, during the technological explosion, it only took a few hundred years to go from learning how to boil water to modernization.

They built a city on ruins and developed for a thousand years.

They couldn't have just stood still…

Or was it… the intervention of the ruling class?

After all, who could resist the temptation of being a local emperor?

“Yes, it’s always been like this. What else would you expect? We don’t want this life to be disrupted.”

“I see…”

Unenterprising.

That was my thought about them.

Content with the status quo.

That was the thought of many ordinary people.

It seemed… there was nothing wrong with that.

“Then has your technology developed?”

“Technology? Developing technology…”

“Yes, has there been no breakthrough in technology over a thousand years?”

“What does a technological breakthrough have to do with me? As long as it’s enough to get by, it’s fine.”

“Alright…”

I didn’t ask any more pointless questions.

Their technology was locked, and they had no desire for breakthroughs.

Then what they had developed… should be transcendent magic, right?

My gaze fell on the strange armor they were wearing.

I could feel the fluctuations of transcendent energy and a rune ritual on it.

This technique was somewhat similar to alchemy… but also very different.

It had a very wild development direction, feeling as strange as if an alchemy apprentice had put points into the wrong skill tree.

So… they relied on this method to establish themselves in these ruins?

The standard-issue long spears they held seemed to use a similar technology to this set of armor.

After all, I was an entry-level alchemy apprentice.

Even if I had only tried to concoct potions, I hadn't learned runes for nothing.