# Chapter 31: Entering the Dream
Seeing this prompt, Su Xiao felt things were getting troublesome. Certain areas of the Dreamy Mist Forest, specifically the final green zone, were divided into two layers: reality and dream.
The so-called dream wasn't illusory. The trees, buildings, and other things there were equally solid, just constructed on different principles, likely formed from soul energy or spiritual energy.
If Su Xiao entered this dream pocket world, he would enter physically, not spiritually like when entering the Greed Chapter.
Death within the dream world also meant the end—his body truly dying there, not just spiritual damage or soul injuries.
To put it simply, it was an independent space or pocket world.
The reason Su Xiao found the situation troublesome was that he wasn't sure whether the Grand Sage was in the real world or the dream world.
"This mist... has the dream world appeared again?"
Seeing the surrounding thin fog, the old hyena, who had been constantly vigilant, actually relaxed considerably.
"Dream world?"
Although Baha already knew of the dream world's existence, he wanted to learn more through the old hyena.
"The final green zone connects to the dream world. The dream world isn't vast—by human regional standards, it's about half a city in size. I don't know the specifics, only that it exists independently. Since the dream world has opened, it's not dangerous here. The betrayers prefer to stay in the dream world."
The old hyena walked into the fog ahead. Sure enough, Su Xiao traveled far without encountering any enemies, not even a sense of being watched.
After continuing for several more hours, the surrounding thin fog completely dissipated. The withered jungle took on a hint of green, and large stretches of ruins appeared around them.
Walking through the overgrown ruins, Su Xiao noticed the air was much fresher here. That obscure, oppressive feeling had vanished.
Wooden houses of varying heights appeared in the distance, forming a large cluster of buildings. It was now nighttime, and each wooden house had a lantern hanging in front. Most lanterns were extinguished, with only a few lit.
Seeing this, the old hyena relaxed. Extinguished lanterns meant the house's owner had entered the dream world.
"We've reached the final green zone. The journey was too smooth. I can't just take your payment for nothing. I have an old friend living here. She's... somewhat strange, but she has no hostility toward humans. Shall I take you to meet her?"
The old hyena looked ready to flee at any moment. After all, it had only come here for payment—it would naturally leave as soon as possible.
"Alright."
"Follow me."
The old hyena ran through the streets between the wooden houses, twisting and turning many times before finally stopping in front of a pure white wooden house. A lit lantern hung by the door.
"Good luck to you."
Leaving these words, the old hyena quickly disappeared into the darkness and left shortly after.
At this point, Su Xiao was deep in enemy territory, yet the Grand Sage remained motionless. Either he was extremely cautious, or he was brewing some big move in the shadows.
After a moment of contemplation, Su Xiao pushed open the wooden door ahead and entered the pure white cabin.
The cabin's interior wasn't large. Various hanging ornaments dangled from the ceiling. Three shelves stood side by side, displaying many strange and curious items—lizard eyeballs in bottles, dried carnivorous plants with teeth, and half a heart still beating while immersed in solution.
"This pale aftertaste... you're from... White Town. How troublesome."
A lazy female voice came. Su Xiao turned to look and saw a half-human, half-snake woman. Her upper body was completely human, while her lower body was a serpent's, covered in blue scales. She was a major figure in the "final green zone," respectfully called Lady Snake by all beast tribes.
Lady Snake wore blue-purple clothing that accentuated her slender waist. The neckline was daringly low, reaching above her navel, held by only a single button. Moreover, this form-fitting soft garment had a hood, though it was short and didn't cover Lady Snake's face.
"Hoo~"
Lady Snake took a light draw from her long smoking pipe and exhaled light purple smoke.
"Lady Snake!"
Yueling showed a bright smile, ran forward, and hugged Lady Snake's waist. Lady Snake affectionately patted Yueling's head.
"Little Yueling, aren't you protecting the Light King?"
"It was the King's order, to help Lord Bai Ye in battle!"
"Oh? Then you must have had a hard journey."
"It was... tolerable."
Yueling blushed slightly. Throughout the journey, there had been no fighting, but she had eaten quite a lot.
"Little Yueling, you need to understand our position. I'm... barely on the Grand Sage's side now. I owe that old fellow a favor. Though I've repaid it, leaving is still difficult."
Lady Snake barely freed herself from Yueling, who was clinging to her like an octopus, and turned her gaze to Su Xiao.
"Tell me, do you want to enter the dream or have a divination? My fees are high—2000 Lang crystal resin to enter the dream, 1000 Lang crystal resin for divination."
"Divination."
"Very well. Sit here."
Lady Snake swayed her serpentine tail and came behind a small wooden table. Su Xiao sat across from her. He chose divination to test Lady Snake's attitude. If she truly stood on the Grand Sage's side, he would kill her. He had no habit of showing mercy to enemies.
The two sat facing each other. Lady Snake removed the cloth covering the table, revealing a crystal ball. Her fair, slender fingers pressed down on it.
"What do you want to divine?"
Lady Snake's pupils turned into deep purple, as if stars filled her eyes.
"Divine what I'm thinking."
"Alright."
Lady Snake closed her eyes. Almost simultaneously, a faint light glowed within the crystal ball she pressed. After a moment, she opened her eyes.
"I divined that if I don't reveal some secrets and choose to stand on your side, I will die immediately."
Hearing Lady Snake's words, Su Xiao lifted his hand from the sword hilt. The calculation was accurate.
If Lady Snake knew what Su Xiao was thinking, she would have said that no divination was needed at all—the killing intent from earlier had already made her tremble.
"Divine again—when will you die?"
"Fine."
Lady Snake sighed lazily and continued the divination. Soon, her eyes opened.
"I divined that if I don't let you enter the dream immediately, I will die right now."
"Divine again—when will the Grand Sage die?"
"Sigh~ Why do you always deal with death?"
Lady Snake began her third divination. This time took exceptionally long. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, pupils rapidly contracting.
"I see... you fighting in black flames."
After saying this, Lady Snake looked exhausted. Her divination ability was limited. The stronger the person being divined, the greater the consumption. Earlier, she had tried to see Su Xiao's fate, but even divining just a few hours ahead nearly "drained" her dry.
Lady Snake rested for a moment, then decided to divine her own future. This divination was quick, completed in seconds.
"You're my type. I won't charge you crystal resin for those three divinations."
Lady Snake suddenly became generous. "My type" was complete nonsense. With Su Xiao's -3 charm attribute, romantic luck had nothing to do with him.
The reason Lady Snake said this was that, given her semi-hostile position toward Su Xiao, demanding 3000 Lang crystal resin for three divinations would not end well. She wouldn't die, but she wouldn't be able to maintain her lazy and elegant demeanor either. She had just divined this.
"To avoid being fitted with that strange collar, I've decided to help you enter the dream for free. Sigh~ Which bastard brought you here? I'll need to divine that later."
Lady Snake took a draw from her long smoking pipe, lowered her head, and blew the purple smoke onto the crystal ball. The crystal ball became dazzling, with a bright purple vortex spinning inside.
"Press your hand on it, and you can enter the dream."
Lady Snake stepped back. Seeing this, Su Xiao gave Yueling a look. But Yueling, being the simpleton she was, didn't understand at all.
"Lord Bai Ye, why are you looking at me?"
"..."
"Did I say something wrong again?"
"Yueling, if anything goes wrong with this crystal ball, kill Lady Snake immediately."
"Understood!"
Yueling unstrapped the blade-gun from her back. Her expression was complicated, but her gaze toward Lady Snake changed. Orders were orders—no personal feelings could interfere. When executing orders, she was a tool, a weapon.
Lady Snake knew Yueling well. She retreated to the bed and lazily reclined sideways on it. She clearly understood that if she made any suspicious move, Yueling would not hesitate to pierce her chest with the blade-gun, giving her a dignified death.
Su Xiao pressed his hand onto the crystal ball. According to Bubu Wang's earlier reconnaissance, there were only a dozen or so beast tribes in the final green zone, and all had their movements restricted. This clearly meant they were beast tribes that didn't support the Grand Sage.
Where had the other beast tribes gone? The answer was—they had all entered the dream world.
As Su Xiao's hand touched the crystal ball, thick fog appeared around him. A melodious bell sounded in his ears.
Footsteps emerged ahead. An aged figure walked out from the thick fog—it was Merlos. Behind him was the innkeeper of Gem Street, Marcia.
"Bai Ye, why didn't you come find me in Poho? Leave the dream world. We... don't want to fight you."
Merlos drew two hooked blades from his lower back, their edges lined with serrations. Marcia put on a pair of crimson gloves.
Black tentacles pierced out from both their bodies, dripping with blood-tinged tendrils. Their eyes turned blood-red, and their aura surged wildly. Within the dream world, this couple's strength had greatly increased.
"My friend, you are strong, but we... are stronger now."
Merlos broke through an afterimage, charging straight at Su Xiao. However, he had only cooperated with Su Xiao before—he didn't know what it felt like to be Su Xiao's enemy, especially when Su Xiao was fighting at full power.