# 183
Chapter 183 – Nightmare
Yuan Gang’s face darkened even further when he saw that smiling visage.
“So this earthquake and mudslide weren’t natural disasters,” Yuan Gang said grimly. “I was already wondering why, both being in Cangnan City, the magnitude at Jinnan Mountain was so different from downtown… Looks like it was all a ‘nightmare’ you created.”
Yiyu clapped lightly, still smiling. “As expected of Chief Yuan—spot on.”
“Your target is Lin Qiye?” Yuan Gang frowned. “A rookie in the ‘Pool’ realm—worth an ancient ‘god’ like you taking action personally?”
“Personally is overstating it. The ‘me’ standing here is only a nightmare projection; my real body is still being hunted by those lunatics from Team Spirit Medium.” Yiyu sighed in frustration. “Worthy of Special Team No. 002. Ever since I stepped into ‘Klein’, I haven’t been this miserable in ages.”
“So someone else is moving against Lin Qiye? Your Believers?” Yuan Gang caught the key point at once.
Yiyu merely kept smiling and said nothing.
“Looks like I hit the mark.” Yuan Gang’s voice was calm. “You sent this nightmare projection just to stall me, which means the Believers you dispatched aren’t above the ‘Sea’ realm. You’re afraid that if I intervene I’ll ruin your plan—am I right?”
“They all say the deputy captain of Shangjing is brave but brainless. Seems that’s not true.” Yiyu gave a theatrical sigh. “Even if you’ve guessed correctly, it’s useless. The strongest man in Cangnan is now trapped, and Team 136 has orders from the top brass to stay in the city center—they won’t come. Against a bunch of green recruits, ‘Sea’ realm is already overkill.”
Yuan Gang’s pupils shrank. “How do you know the orders Night Watch high command issued?”
Yiyu smiled without answering.
“You’ve indeed planted Believers among the higher-ups.”
“That’s unimportant.” Yiyu lifted a hand like a poised conductor and flicked his wrist.
Sky, earth, mountain peaks, rain—everything trembled as though suddenly alive. At the same time Yuan Gang felt an unprecedented chill seize his heart.
“Sink into my nightmare,” Yiyu whispered.
……
“Chief? Chief?”
An instructor stepped out of the tent and looked around; Yuan Gang was nowhere in sight.
“Strange—where did the Chief go? He was here a moment ago…” He scratched his head in puzzlement.
“Maybe he went to rescue one of the villages?” another instructor suggested.
“No idea.” The first instructor shook his head, thought for a moment, then said, “Wait a bit, then contact every rescue team. At a critical time like this the Chief wouldn’t vanish without reason…”
“Mm.”
……
Jinnan Mountain.
In torrential rain a canvas-topped military truck sped along the mountain road; its headlights barely pierced the curtain of water, illuminating only a few dozen meters ahead.
Lin Qiye and the others sat inside, studying a complicated map, constantly marking their position while working out the best route to the village.
Screeech—!!
The truck braked violently, almost flinging everyone forward. It skidded through the mud, tracing a half-arc before stopping steady.
“A landslide ahead blocked the road—this is as far as we can drive!” the driver-instructor shouted.
Lin Qiye and the others exchanged glances, quickly rolled up the map, and jumped out. Instructor Hong rapped on the windshield and said, “We’ll disembark here.”
Splatter—splatter—splatter…
Dense raindrops fell from the sky; in the silent valley only the unbroken drumming of rain could be heard. Figures in black army greatcoats leapt from the tailgate one after another, splashing mud, black cases holding Starry Sky blades on their backs, sprinting into the forest.
With the truck stopped, there was no point wasting time on the road. They had already planned the fastest route to Village No. 1. To ordinary people, tackling such terrain in this weather was suicidal, but for them it was nothing.
Nine people formed a single file, racing through the dense woods.
Lin Qiye ran at the front, not Instructor Hong. With dark clouds blotting out the sun, the forest was almost pitch-black, rain further obscuring vision; an ordinary person couldn’t see a tree two meters away. Such conditions would normally slow progress drastically.
But Lin Qiye possessed the Mortal Divine Realm, allowing him to avoid every obstacle perfectly. With him leading, the rest only needed to follow his steps at full speed.
Bringing up the rear was Instructor Hong, the only one in the team at the “River” realm and incomparably experienced. His presence at the end gave everyone a strong sense of security.
No one spoke, no one complained of fatigue; even the normally restless Baili Pangpang kept silent, running hard.
This wasn’t the time for chatter or jokes—human lives brooked no jest.
Every second they saved might save one more life; they had to pour all concentration into advancing, conserving every scrap of stamina.
They passed through two stretches of woods, followed the valley stream. The once-gentle brook, fed by the rain, had become a raging torrent flowing the opposite way.
Rumble—!
Thunder rolled within the clouds. Soil on one valley side, soaked loose, began to slide, pulling more earth with it like a brown wave. The roar mingled with thunder as it surged toward the narrow valley!
Lin Qiye noticed first; he whipped his head around and shouted, “Left!! Landslide!!”
Molly swiftly raised her hand, ready to use her Forbidden Ruins to shatter the onrushing earth, but Baili Pangpang in front grabbed her wrist, deadly serious:
“No! The mountain’s structure is too fragile; using Myriad Resonance will only accelerate the collapse. Let me!”
He stepped forward; the Jade Ruyi at his chest flared gold. Light condensed on the left of the nine to form a thick golden wall. The mass of earth slammed into it; the glow flickered but ultimately held.
Beneath his black coat Baili Pangpang stretched a hand again; the brilliant light returned to the pendant at his chest. This time he didn’t show off as usual—he simply rejoined the column without a word.
Behind him Molly stared at his silent back, feeling something she had never felt before…
This version of him… actually looked kinda cool?