Chapter 413: Let Me Handle It
Chapter 413: Let Me Handle It
Indeed... these True Gods are indeed rather uncooperative...
Upon learning the reason for the Kingdom's namelessness from the Red-Haired Commissioner, Lyon's brows furrowed uncontrollably.
It seemed that the role of these True Gods was somewhat akin to "wedges" stabilizing the world. If they were to be rashly replaced or entirely uprooted, it could lead to a displacement in the once stable world.
Therefore, even with the Purification Bureau's formidable strength, they could only temporarily eliminate the troublesome True Gods, forcing them to lie low before their resurrection, without daring to directly uproot their roots...
"Don't even think about it."
After observing Lyon's furrowed brows, the Red-Haired Commissioner advised, "This time, we not only directly eliminated the Nightmare King, but also sent insects to devour most of the Nightmare River. We've also killed off more than half of the Nightmares under its command. It won't recover for at least a decade or two."
The Nightmare King, who had always been slippery, had rarely suffered such a devastating blow. The last time it was in such a sorry state, it probably dated back to the time of the Royal Ancestor. You've done an excellent job."
"..."
A decade or two to recover... meaning it could recover in twenty to thirty years?
Lyon couldn't help but recall the Nightmare King's appearance through the Mirror Crown, where he saw himself numbly flipping through a photo album. Hearing the hidden meaning in the Red-Haired Commissioner's consolation, Lyon's heart ached with determination.
Twenty years is not enough! Lyon, who had been thoroughly humiliated by the Nightmare King, clenched his teeth without realizing it. Though he didn't say anything further, he silently vowed to remember this grudge.
When the Nightmare King resurrects in the future, if I'm still alive, I'll likely be at the level of a Zodiac Bureau Chief. At that time, I must visit the Dream Realm again... No! I'll go to the Dream Realm every decade or two to send it back to its death!
Once I'm capable of single-handedly infiltrating the Dream Realm, I'll ensure it stays dead for as long as I live!
...
In his mind's notebook, Lyon fiercely marked a note about the Nightmare King. With an irritated expression, he found the unconscious Snow Maiden and pinched her philtrum with all his might.
"Ah!!!"
Snow Maiden woke up with a start and asked in a daze,
"You... what happened to me?"
"You're still alive, and the Nightmare King has been eliminated."
"Huh?"
Snow Maiden had fainted during the Nightmare King's most arrogant moment. When she opened her eyes, the Nightmare King had suddenly disappeared, leaving her utterly shocked.
"What happened? But it wasn't..."
"It's dead, and considering the temporary imbalance in the Dream Realm after the Nightmare King's death, we'll send you back."
Lyon, feeling slightly dissatisfied with his revenge, didn't answer Snow Maiden's question. Instead, he sternly announced her fate and then instructed her,
"Additionally, the Dream Realm will be devoured by the Dream Devouring Scarab for the next week. Be cautious when you return."
"Ah???"
Snow Maiden was completely stunned by the series of news, first shocked, then delighted, and finally bewildered. After a moment of silence, she asked, her ice-blue eyes slightly widened in disbelief.
"But... weren't we being chased by the Nightmare King just a moment ago? How did everything turn around so quickly? What about the Dream Realm? How long have I been unconscious? A week?"
"You... I..."
"From your reaction, it seems you have no further questions... If there are no issues, let's get moving quickly!"
Lyon, who had been awake for over thirty hours, glanced at the faintly fish-belly white sky and couldn't help but yawn. He then urged with a tired expression,
"At most, we have one more hour before the sun rises, and then you won't be able to leave even if you want to."
"Oh! Right!"
Upon hearing Lyon's words, the Snow Maiden trembled slightly, and just like before when she had led Lyon through the dream realm, she hurriedly puffed out her cheeks... but only managed to blow out a gust of air.
???
Unfazed, the Snow Maiden puffed up her pale cheeks and tried blowing several more times, but despite her red face, she couldn't produce the chilling wind that could transport them through the dream realm.
Seeing her futile attempts, Lyon frowned.
"What are you doing?"
"I... I don't know either!"
"I think I know what's going on."
Observing the Snow Maiden's anxious state, the Red-Haired Commissioner spoke thoughtfully, "Has your Nightmare Core been destroyed by someone?"
The Snow Maiden glanced fearfully at the Red-Haired Commissioner, whose hair was a dark red like blood, and it seemed as if she could hear the countless Nightmares' screams. She instinctively hid behind Lyon and then nodded cautiously.
"Yes... My Nightmare Core was crushed by the Nightmare King..."
"Then it's not surprising."
The Red-Haired Commissioner explained with a knowing expression, "The Abyss of Fallen Souls hasn't completely left, and the real world and the Dream Realm are still overlapping. With your Nightmare Core gone, according to the rules of the real world, you're now almost like a normal human. Humans typically find it difficult to enter the Dream Realm when they're awake."
The Snow Maiden hesitated, "But... I was able to bring him through the Nightmare Realm before..."
"But the Nightmare King wasn't dead then."
The Red-Haired Commissioner spread her hands, "Previously, you could travel through the Nightmare Realm with Lyon mainly because of your status as a Nightmare Messenger. The Nightmare King took your Nightmare Core but granted you limited access to Nightmare Powers.
Now, with the Nightmare King, the symbol of Nightmares, defeated by us, the Nightmare Powers themselves have weakened to the extreme. The remaining Nightmares have mostly returned to the depths of the Nightmare River, busy trying to resurrect the Nightmare King. They have no time to heed your call."
"... "
Understanding her current situation, the Snow Maiden pleaded, "Then... can you send me back...?"
"No."
The Red-Haired Commissioner smiled, "Don't be unreasonable. You invaded my territory with the Nightmare King, and I've been lenient by not eliminating you. What right do you have to make demands of me?"
"But... but dawn is almost here..."
"Yes, dawn is approaching, but what does that have to do with us?"
"I... I..."
...
What was the Commissioner up to now? Lyon wondered. She wasn't killing the Snow Maiden, but she was putting pressure on her. Lyon was certain the Commissioner had something up her sleeve.
As expected, the Snow Maiden soon fell into the Commissioner's trap.
Her mind, never particularly sharp, was easily confused by the Commissioner's words. First, she signed some document, and then an old collar was placed around her pristine neck.
Lyon recognized these items; they were anomalies used to control people. The Snow Maiden had unknowingly sold herself, probably without even her underwear left.
However, after tricking and manipulating the Snow Maiden, the Red-Haired Commissioner still didn't send her back immediately. Instead, she pointed at the Invader of Dreams pendant on Lyon's neck and asked with a smile, "Lyon, can I borrow your pendant for a while?"
(End of Chapter)
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