Chapter 155
Chapter 155
“So it really is…”
Qin Lan sucked in a cold breath.
An instance built around dreams wasn’t especially frightening. One built around multiple dream layers was another matter.
“So we know of two layers. This one is deeper.”
“If I die in the shallower, ‘upper’ dream, what happens to me here? Do I die too?”
Death alone wasn’t frightening.
Qin Lan could resurrect and reset to several minutes earlier.
But if something else happened…
[I once studied dream-related Talents,] Yin Manqing warned.
[Their characteristics were highly consistent. Death within a dream doesn’t kill the person. Instead, their consciousness sinks into a deeper layer.]
[Like the brain’s self-protection mechanism, danger causes it to construct a more complex, deeper, safer region.]
[I can’t confirm whether an instance controlled by an anomaly uses the same mechanism, but it likely does.]
[Sink too deeply, and escaping by yourself becomes nearly impossible. You’ll wander forever inside a prison tailored specifically for you.]
[Until your consciousness fades and disintegrates.]
Yin Manqing’s tone was grave.
[The deeper the dream, the faster time passes inside. You might experience a year while only days pass in the upper dream and seconds outside.]
“I know that concept. An old movie used it…”
“I even searched for the same spinning top, but I was too poor to buy it.”
Qin Lan sighed weakly. “Is the situation really this bad?”
“So I need to pretend I’m immersed to avoid alerting the dream itself…”
“While guarding against the ‘thing’ disguised as someone or something from my memories?”
“And finally locate this layer’s inconsistency before I can leave…”
Merely listing everything exhausted him.
“What a pain… Why couldn’t this be an erotic dream? Then dying inside would at least complete my life.”
Qin Lan complained inwardly.
“Instead, it’s simulated school life. Damn it, my school days held nothing nostalgic beyond being ignored and mocked…”
“Those sweet, tangled romances where people chase and separate and make each other cry belonged to everyone else.”
“Every day, I only thought about getting the fullest meal for the least money.”
“Being trapped here really would be worse than death.”
[At least I can keep you lucid.]
[Stop wasting time and find the dream’s flaw before your body swells into a giant corpse from soaking.]
Qin Lan sighed, understanding the danger.
Without Yin Manqing, this layer alone could have trapped him.
Qin Lan didn’t fear death.
But if dreams prevented death and trapped him in an illusion for years or decades…
That genuinely frightened him.
Even if his consciousness eventually disintegrated and triggered resurrection, his mind might already be shattered.
One resurrection could require decades inside a dream.
After several repetitions, could he still distinguish reality from illusion?
Qin Lan refused to gamble.
“An inconsistency… Everything looks normal so far.”
Qin Lan casually swept his gaze across every face but noticed nothing unusual.
Everyone wore a miserable expression. Their occasional glances toward him carried disgust.
Some looked longer only to treat him as a joke, whispering to companions before snickering.
It perfectly reproduced the past.
“Damn… It’s a miracle I never turned evil after living in this environment…”
Qin Lan was speechless. “Looking back, it wouldn’t have been surprising if I snapped one day and quietly attacked them with a knife.”
Nothing seemed abnormal yet.
If anything, his dream classmates were showing restraint.
Qin Lan vaguely remembered that when his Talent was first assessed, practically everyone mocked him to his face. Even the dog behind the cafeteria dared bark at him.
Only after he grew furious, covered the loudest mockers with sacks after school, and beat them one by one did things improve.
“Is their excessive politeness the inconsistency?”
Qin Lan was suspicious. “Surely it isn’t that ridiculous?”
Then he heard a familiar voice.
“Qin Lan?”
He spun around.
Su Xiaoyue stood at the rear classroom door in a light-gray hoodie, long hair falling casually over her shoulders.
Holding milk tea, she regarded Qin Lan with mild confusion.
“Why are you still here? Weren’t you going to see Principal Wu?”
Her tone, expression, and even the slight tilt of her head perfectly matched reality.
Her thick lashes trembled, and her eyes were exactly as beautiful as Qin Lan remembered.
That face never grew tiresome.
Qin Lan froze briefly.
“Su Xiaoyue?”
“Did sleeping in class make you stupid?” Su Xiaoyue approached and gently rubbed Qin Lan’s head with concern. “If you don’t go soon, the principal will get angry.”
Her hand was cool and her touch light.
“This head-patting experience is genuinely excellent…” Qin Lan enjoyed it openly. “It fills the void left by having no contact with girls in high school.”
“Five-star review.”
“The only flaw is that I’m too lucid.”
Qin Lan sighed regretfully. “Back then, Su Xiaoyue barely spoke to me.”
“I interacted more with members of her admirers’ alliance.”
“More importantly… She was too shy to do this.”
It was a sinister design.
Without Yin Manqing keeping him lucid, if Qin Lan had entered with blurred memories, he might truly have fallen for it.
The gentle school beauty adored by everyone had come over to affectionately pat his head.
Few could resist.
[Since you found the problem, why haven’t you awakened?]
[What are you waiting for?] Yin Manqing demanded.
“Tsk… Don’t rush me. Let me enjoy this first…”
Qin Lan smiled. “An experience like this is rare. Fake or not, I can’t miss it!”
“If I wanted her to pat my head publicly in reality, I’d probably wait until my next life.”
“Could I try kissing her here? Dream-Su Xiaoyue probably wouldn’t refuse.”
Qin Lan grew eager at the sudden idea.
“Or something more excessive? Sneak into an empty classroom–”
[Wake the hell up already!]
[Is this the time for that, bastard?!]