Realizing that the special presence before him was relatively friendly, Cheng Tingyu seized the moment to ask a few more questions, intentionally filling in the gaps in his knowledge of the secrets.
From the words of the lantern bearer in front of him, Cheng Tingyu learned that in this world, "Dream Makers" are considered one of the top-tier "domain" type ability users in the food chain. They single-handedly built a dream city called Endless City to house apostles and citizens. Each lantern bearer, as an apostle, possesses their own [Zoetrope].
The "dream seed," on the other hand, is a replica created by the dream maker, which is a very precious item for many players.
First of all, compared to regular instances, the mortality rate in the dream seed is low, allowing participants to repeatedly enter and exit to summarize patterns. Secondly, after breaking through the instance, one can gain tremendous benefits.
Cheng Tingyu was curious: "If someone submits a resume to Endless City and gets accepted, what happens next?"
The Lantern Bearer: "That person, at the brink of death, will be transformed by the Great Lord of Dreams into His apostle, becoming one of the [Lantern Bearers], henceforth wandering within the dreamscape, existing in another form."
Cheng Tingyu heard this and a vague idea arose in his mind. He confirmed, "The apostle of the Lord of Dreams... can interact with reality?"
The mask of a smiling face on the lantern bearer's visage shimmered with an otherworldly sheen: "We dwell mostly in dreams, but occasionally we venture into reality."
The other party did not mention the conditions required to achieve reality, clearly an industry secret that was inconvenient to disclose.
Cheng Tingyu also slightly understood the reason why the lantern bearer in front of him answered every question.
Those who can break through the dreamscape dungeons have entered the attention circle of the "Dream Makers." Even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that the person could be transformed into a [Lamp Bearer], it is unnecessary to prematurely sow the seeds of potential workplace conflicts.
Moreover, this kind of attention to some extent enhances the safety of the person being observed.
When players venture into dungeons, they inevitably face not only the inherent dangers of the dungeon itself but also the risk of betrayal from their companions. However, if they have the attention of the Master of Dreams, the likelihood of encountering such treachery significantly decreases.
Because they can be transformed into [Lantern Bearers] at the brink of death, and the [Lantern Bearers] dwelling in dreams can return to reality once certain conditions are met, if someone intends to harm their companion, it is highly likely that the person they attacked a second ago will come back the next moment to retaliate.
Just for this one benefit, those dream seeds are worth countless players frantically pursuing.
Cheng Tingyu: "I have one more question."
The lantern bearer in front of him remained silent, quietly waiting in place.
Cheng Tingyu slowly said, "For the Lord of Dreams, is there any benefit in creating seeds?"
She did not believe that there could be gifts in this world without any reason.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but after hearing Cheng Tingyu's words, the smile on the lantern bearer's mask seemed to grow even more exaggerated
"All the rewards were paid at the very beginning."
"..."
In the dreamlike realm of the night, Cheng Tingyu stood still, his deep, dark eyes seeming to flicker slightly.
The lamplighter's words gave rise to a certain suspicion in her.
Taking the dreamscape in Apartment No. 6 as an example, this kind of scenario is characterized by its ease of dissemination, the ability to enter repeatedly, and the substantial benefits upon success. Given sufficient strength, even knowing the significant risks, Cheng Tingyu would still be drawn in to participate.
From the design concept, it can even be said that "Dream Makers" actively encourage more people to enter the dream scenarios.
Cheng Tingyu watched the lantern bearer and voiced her conclusion: "Participants entering the instance can bring benefits to the 'Dreammaker'..." Her eyes were as dark as ink, hiding emotions difficult to discern. "And since we entered the instance in a dream, is the answer related to 'dreams'?"
"..."
After a period of silence, the length of which was indeterminate, the answer of the lantern bearer echoed in the boundless dream space: "Those who enter the instance will lose the ability to dream for a period of time."
The other party confirmed Cheng Tingyu's conclusion and provided more detailed supplements.
Cheng Tingyu did not speak.
The fact that the other party so easily revealed the answer to her proved that, for the power of these "Dream Makers," it was not a secret at all.
"When the copy is deciphered, the power of the seed will flow back to the Great Lord of Dreams, allowing the apostles to follow the flow of power and retrieve the lost seed."
Cheng Tingyu repeated the key information in the conversation: "The lost seeds?"
"The great being capable of maintaining control over a 'city,' able to receive an invitation from the city council, when the Lord of Dreams went to the council, the cunning messenger quietly took away the seed He had made. You helped Endless City retrieve the lost item, and the Lord of Dreams will grant you an additional gift."
As the words fell, the mist-like dream began to dissipate. A strange force, like seawater, surged towards Cheng Tingyu, with most of it converging in her right eye and a small portion flowing into her limbs and bones.
Realizing that he was about to leave the dream space, Cheng Tingyu hurriedly asked one last question: "Then why doesn't the Lord of Dreams come personally to find the seed He lost?"
The existence of Apartment No. 6 was no secret; flyers about it were printed everywhere. Moreover, with the "Dream Maker" having a bunch of apostles under his command, it was actually quite easy to obtain relevant information.
The lantern bearer, who had already turned away, froze in place and twisted his head around 180 degrees, staring at Cheng Tingyu with a posture impossible for a living person. He imparted one last piece of knowledge to his potential future colleague:
"Every type of power has its own uniqueness, and the realms at the top will repel each other..."
The voice of the lantern bearer grew fainter and fainter until it completely disappeared.
In the midst of darkness, Cheng Tingyu opened his eyes.
Her feelings were somewhat strange; the knowledge she had just acquired still lingered in her mind, but the associated impressions were gradually fading.
Just like how a person, upon waking, will quickly forget their dreams.
"Swish—swish—"
The sound of tiny limbs scraping the ground outside continued, as if the barbed tentacles of a silent root creature were brushing against nerves, bringing excruciating mental pain.
Cheng Tingyu also heard the sounds in the corridor, but her mental state was not as severely affected as it had been at the beginning.
After receiving the gift from the "Dream Maker," she felt her defenses had significantly improved.
Cheng Tingyu took out the newly acquired [Music Box - Lullaby] and tried to appraise it
[Music Box - Lullaby: A cursed tool created by ***, capable of inducing sleep within a certain range. The lower the target's mental value and the more chaotic their thoughts, the faster they fall asleep. Direct contact with the tool can exempt one from its effects.]
This time, the information identified was exceptionally detailed. Cheng Tingyu initially thought it was because his abilities had improved, but when he touched the base of the [Music Box - Lullaby], he discovered that the instructions for using the item were engraved right there.
...Her ability is quite adept at slacking off.
Cheng Tingyu opened the music box switch, and as the gentle melody began to play, his restless mood seemed to slowly settle. The sounds outside the door gradually became faint, until they disappeared altogether.
The sounds in the corridor were gradually fading, but she had no intention of going out. After some thought, she took out her phone and sent a group message to Qin Luosong, Wei Xugui, and Shen Xingliu, who were on the same floor: "Don't rush out yet." However, the signal was poor at the moment, and she watched the "Sending..." status, unsure if the message would reach the other three in time.
Room 608.
Wei Xuguang was only three days away from the end of her residency. Her mental state was far from optimistic, but she could barely hold on until she left the apartment.
...provided that nothing unexpected happens during this period.
When Wei Xuji realized something was wrong in the corridor, he felt he shouldn't have had such normal expectations for the future. After all, this was a world with superpowers, and surprises always came unexpectedly.
Her reason had been severely eroded by the death in her dreams and the murmurs outside the door, reaching a state of moderate madness, making it increasingly difficult to control her actions.
"Swish—swish—"
A strange voice was calling her. Even though she knew she shouldn't, Wei Xugu stood up from the bed and walked step by step towards the door.
Her face twitched, and the muscles beneath her skin seemed to be endowed with a peculiar vitality, starting to wriggle like worms.
The fire of Wei Xugui's rationality was like a bonfire that hadn't been fed new wood for too long, now on the verge of completely extinguishing.
"...!"
A kind of serene music, difficult to describe with words, suddenly emerged from the depths of the night. Wei Xugu's mind, previously dominated by madness, finally cleared for a moment. She lowered her head and discovered that her hand had somehow already pressed against the door lock.
Wei Xu Gui took a deep breath, stepped back two paces, and wiped her face with her hand—her ears, nostrils, and the area beneath her eyes were already oozing a bit of blood.
——Madness not only drains sanity, but also health.
The noise in the hallway outside was repulsive, yet it possessed a certain alien allure. If a guest's mental state was too low, they would find themselves irresistibly drawn to it.
The music coming from an unknown place brought a sense of calm, and the sounds outside the door grew fainter, though they did not completely disappear.
Xu Gui Wei stood behind the door, still able to feel the mental impact coming from the corridor.
At that moment, her phone suddenly vibrated.
[Cheng Tingyu (606): Don't rush out just yet.]
Wei Xuguang looked at the text message, as if something had occurred to her. With a hoarse voice, she began to narrate, "Just a little bit more, and those invisible tenants would have broken through the door. At this point, there definitely won't be any issues with their actions."
The monsters outside the door had originally been gradually soothed by the music. However, after Wei Xuguan finished speaking, they began to grow restless again. Yet, this new agitation was merely the monsters' final, unwilling struggle, and it completely vanished within two seconds.
Wei Xu Gui took a deep breath and slowly sat down.
If she hadn't guessed wrong about how to use her abilities, then it should be safe now.
Room 602.
Although Qin Luosong did not yet know that the source of the anomaly was in Room 604, she undoubtedly already felt an immense psychological pressure.
The inspection team was not lacking in rigorous training, but this only allowed them to endure a bit longer under the same conditions.
Qin Luosong turned on the desk lamp and described his current experiences on the back of the "Check-in Instructions."
They habitually carried paper and pen with them, partly to help those who came after them understand the situation, and partly to write their wills in time, to avoid major disputes after their death.
Qin Luosong sighed, "If I had known this day would come, I should have visited Grandma more often."
Just as Qin Luosong was engrossed in his paperwork, a serene melody drifted in, and the commotion outside suddenly quieted down.
The test paper hanging in the room showed that the surrounding pollution level was actually receding from severe to moderate.
——The ominous mutation outside was halted by some kind of force.
As a conscientious member of the inspection team, Qin Luosong instinctively wanted to go out and investigate immediately. The blood vessels in her head throbbed, but at that moment, she received a text message.
[Cheng Tingyu (606): Don't rush out just yet.]
Communication with humans brings reason back.
Qin Luosong looked at the text message for two seconds and finally decided to respect Cheng Tingyu's opinion.
The monsters that appeared outside the door actually retained a certain amount of instinct and intelligence. When they realized they couldn't resist the power of the music, they would lie in wait, trying to lure the occupants out of the room for a final counterattack. If the occupants were not rational enough, they might be tricked into opening the door to check the situation, leading to an unfortunate end.
Qin Luosong took a few steps back. Listening to the tranquil music, her previously frenzied mind began to gradually calm down.
Morning, half past six.
Cheng Tingyu stopped the [Music Box - Lullaby] in his arms.
In fact, when she used the item last night, she could feel that the [Music Box - Lullaby] was not always effective. The first ten minutes had the strongest effect, but afterward, it was like an ordinary music box without any special power.