After one long string of persuasive nonsense from Ye Jinran, the five people standing before him exchanged uneasy looks.
What on earth was this charlatan even talking about?
No matter how they listened, it still seemed like the villagers were the ones acting strange, not them.
Zhao Qian was the first to catch hold of a fleeting idea. “Wait… could it be that our perception’s been mixed up? Maybe it’s the villagers’ state that’s actually normal?”
His thoughts were running so fast that he didn’t even realize his phrasing didn’t match the “game era” they were supposed to be in.
Ye Jinran didn’t bother correcting such details. He simply nodded. “From my perspective, yes, that’s how it is.”
“But you seem to be the same as us…” someone muttered.
“That’s right. Because I only arrived today. Maybe tomorrow, the me you see won’t be the same as the me standing here now.”
He was still smiling as he spoke but that smile made everyone’s skin crawl.
Zhao Qian forced down the instinctive chill climbing up his spine. He couldn’t understand why this seemingly kind man made him feel such a primal sense of dread. Mulling over the words carefully, he caught onto something important. “The key lies… in the dream?”
Ye Jinran blinked, a flicker of genuine surprise flashing across his eyes. As expected of the team’s reasoning specialist, talking to smart people was so much easier. He already grasped the implication beneath Ye Jinran’s words.
Silence meant agreement. So Zhao Qian continued along his train of thought. “We used to think those dream changes were caused by toxins from the mountain plants. The scenes we saw in those nightmares were… unbearable to recall. If we missed something back then, that might explain everything.”
As soon as he mentioned the nightmares from the past two nights, everyone’s expressions shifted with fear.
The girl with twin ponytails was the most affected. Her face went pale as she trembled violently. The tall woman pressed her lips together and remained still, while the thin, monkey-like man shrank back into a corner as if the wall itself could protect him.
The high schooler clutched his head and shouted, “If we have to explore during that kind of nightmare again, I’m out! Who could even do that?”
Ye Jinran didn’t know exactly what they’d dreamed but he could guess. The dreams must have reflected the deepest fears within their hearts, replaying them again and again until there was no escape. The harder one struggled, the deeper they sank.
He glanced at them with fleeting sympathy before clearing his throat. “You’re still new here. You just haven’t been using the right method.”
Seeing that Ye Jinran seemed completely unaffected by nightmares, Zhao Qian understood their situation was merely a special case and humbly asked, “Then… what did we do wrong?”
“That,” Ye Jinran said lightly, “touches on another problem.”
He had no intention of explaining further. The Main God did not wish for players to pass these dungeons too easily. If he handed anyone an advantage, there would be consequences. Not death, perhaps but punishment all the same and this group hadn’t paid enough to make it worth his trouble.
Zhao Qian, realizing what he meant, quickly opened the system shop panel and scrolled through the items, desperate to find something valuable to offer.
Ye Jinran watched him search in panic, barely holding back a chuckle.
“Ah… so lost within the mountain itself,” He murmured after a while, losing patience. “If the nights are too hard to endure, prepare some calming incense. It might make things easier.”
And with that, he ignored their pleas to stay and sauntered off just as lazily as he’d arrived.
He had barely reached the edge of the village when the system’s notification chime rang out. Zhao Qian had just purchased a mental-stability item.
Good choice. With that, their emotions would stay steady tonight, their thoughts less likely to spiral and exploration would go much smoother.
He could get a head start on the next location.
Standing by the edge of the mist surrounding the village, Ye Jinran reached out on a whim and brushed his fingertips against it. The nightmare lurking within tried to cling to him but he pulled back immediately.
He wasn’t foolish enough to attempt leaving this way.
Dreams, layer upon layer of dreams, were what made up this space.
When Zhao Qian had said the word earlier, Ye Jinran had admired his quick wit. But even so, the man hadn’t reached the core of it.
The mist was the manifestation of dreams overlapping each other, the collective unconscious of humans blending together into a vast and bloated dreamscape. Dreams also had depth and Ye Jinran was currently in one of the shallow layers.
The villagers in this place had long since fallen into a deeper dream. The ones left behind here were like sleepwalkers, empty shells, incapable of reacting like normal people.
If the players went to sleep within the village, they could voluntarily sink into a deeper dream, briefly glimpsing fragments of the true reality of this space.
But even that wasn’t the end.
Twelve teams, twelve full human exploration teams, had all been stopped at the threshold of the entrance.
Because they were too used to the perils of the game world, every player entered the village expecting horror.
Everything they encountered in the dreams, every monster in the mist, was born from their own imagination.
The more fearful they were, the more real the dream became and the deeper they fell into panic, a vicious cycle that only ended when they forcibly tore themselves awake.
Falling asleep in the village only crossed the first shallow layer. This space was like a Russian nesting doll, one dream inside another and only the very center was solid.
Ye Jinran doubted whether this team could reach the final layer in the remaining two days.
Well, not his problem. Once he got what he wanted, he could simply leave.
He turned back into the village, found an empty house and eyed the dusty wooden bed. Unable to bear it, he pulled a set of thick bedding from his inventory and spread it neatly over the bed until the original wood was no longer visible. Only then did he lie down, content.
No need for sleep aids. In dreams, whatever you wished for would answer you, including the desire to enter another dream.
The moment he closed his eyes, he opened them again.
The house was gone. He was standing in a thick white fog.
At a mere thought, the fog rolled back on its own, parting to reveal a narrow path.
At the end of the road lay a village identical to the last but newer, cleaner. The air was cooler too, the breeze across his face carrying the chill of autumn.
Who said everything in dreams was false? Dreams could be as real as any world. With that pleasant thought, Ye Jinran began to walk forward.
He reached the central square. The melon rinds and footprints the players had left behind were gone. A few children were playing hopscotch, laughing as they jumped, paying no attention to the stranger who had arrived.
Time flowed differently in different dreams. Ye Jinran didn’t know whether the team above would wait until nightfall to sleep or attempt it right away.
He wasn’t in a hurry. Mimicking the players’ earlier actions, he dragged a small stool over and sat by the square, watching the children play while idly checking the shop inventory to pass the time.
It might have been a long while or maybe not long at all, before a subtle ripple ran through the space.
Most people would never sense it but Ye Jinran, accustomed to traversing countless dungeons, caught it instantly.
The players had arrived.
He could hear doors opening across the village, villagers greeting their unexpected guests with gentle curiosity. Unlike before, the villagers here were friendly, their smiles warm and harmless.
They explained, in their simple way, that their ancestors had fled here generations ago to escape war and had since lived quietly, passing down a custom of rarely leaving their mountain home.
In other words, they were timid by tradition. If a handful of strangers suddenly appeared, they’d simply assume the newcomers were fellow refugees and welcome them with kindness.
Zhao Qian’s group was probably still reeling from the shock. Ye Jinran decided to let them adjust before showing himself.
After what felt like ten or fifteen minutes, he finally heard five sets of footsteps approaching.
“Are you sure we should be going this way, Zhao-ge?” the high schooler muttered, arms crossed and scowling. He had been the last to escape his nightmare, hardly surprising, given his overactive imagination. Even with the item’s help, convincing himself that the horrors he’d seen weren’t real had been nearly impossible.
Zhao Qian nodded firmly. “No mistake. I can feel that the master we seek is this way.”
In his mind, Ye Jinran had already become a wandering sage, a reclusive master who roamed the world.
The only thing puzzling him was why none of the previous teams’ reports mentioned such a distinctive NPC.
Maybe it was like waking from a dream, people forgot. Had everyone simply forgotten Ye Jinran’s existence? Why…?
When they reached the square, Zhao Qian saw him at once: that same figure in azure robes, sitting exactly where they’d eaten melon seeds last time, drowsily gazing up at the sky.
“Hello,” Zhao Qian greeted. “I didn’t expect the dream to look like this in truth.”
The “real” villagers were almost too kind. Zhao Qian had explored many secluded village dungeons before, most of which had greeted intruders with axes and knives or with blank, malicious stares.
This time, the villagers had opened their doors and invited them in. They didn’t seem to know they were in a dream, just going about their lives as always.
It almost felt like the players had finally entered the real village.
“I think I understand now what you meant by truth and falsehood being interchangeable,” Zhao Qian said with a wry smile. “So this is the answer, isn’t it?”
Ye Jinran nodded… then shook his head. “It’s one answer. Not the final one.”
Of course not. If this were the final mystery, they would have triggered the True End long ago and escaped the dungeon.
Having reached this layer, there was no going back. Their only path was forward.
Ye Jinran was pleased. The deeper the players went, the harder it would be to escape and the more likely they’d turn to the mysterious system shop for salvation. The Main God would watch the mortals perform their desperate little play, Ye Jinran would earn his profits and the players would achieve the endings they craved. Everyone won.
Humans were so predictable. Give them a hint of hope, a taste of curiosity and they would walk willingly into the jaws of danger. It was almost too easy.
“Oh, right,” Ye Jinran said suddenly, “I remember you mentioned trying to dig into the village’s soil before?”
Zhao Qian blinked, surprised that Ye Jinran had overheard. “Yeah. We bought a really good shovel from the marketplace and wanted to test it out.”
The shovel their team had purchased could dig automatically without consuming stamina, faster than any ordinary adult and sturdy enough to be used as a weapon. Zhao Qian had always thought it a great investment.
Ye Jinran inwardly regretted not entering the dungeon sooner to mark up the shovel’s price. Outwardly, his expression didn’t change. “You should try again,” he said smoothly. “You might discover something new this time.”
With that, he turned to leave.
“Wait.”
The voice came from the girl with twin ponytails.
Ye Jinran paused and looked back. “What is it?”
“Who exactly are you?” she demanded, trembling but determined. “Why are you trying to lure us deeper into the dream? If we reach the deepest level of the subconscious, we’ll never wake up again, will we?”
Her companions stared at her, stunned. Such boldness! It was the equivalent of pointing at an NPC’s face and accusing them of being the murderer. Was she not afraid he’d lash out?
Even she didn’t know why she’d spoken. It was as though she’d suddenly broken free from a thick fog clouding her thoughts. Courage and adrenaline surged and the words tumbled out before she could stop them.
Ye Jinran watched her in silence for a long moment, then narrowed his eyes in approval.
Impressive. This was the second time they’d surprised him.
He remembered the last shopkeeper, poor fool who’d met a tragic end and had learned his lesson. This time, Ye Jinran was far more careful. Appearing before the players personally, he’d taken every precaution: layering disguise items to conceal his identity, altering his voice, scent, even his body shape and surrounding himself with a faint field that reduced hostility in nearby creatures.
That was why, despite his suspicious behavior, none of the players had instinctively viewed him as an enemy.
Of course, the item wasn’t invincible. It was a pitiful D-grade trinket, easily overcome by a flash of insight or strong willpower.
And the twin-ponytailed girl had been the first among them to sense something wrong and break free from the influence.
The moment the invisible chains shattered, her suppressed emotions burst forth, spilling out as unfiltered words.
Ye Jinran hadn’t expected the effect to last long anyway. Instead of anger, he felt amused. “Not bad,” he said, smiling faintly. “You’re sharper than I imagined. Someone like you could reach even the deepest dream and still find a way back. It seems you don’t need my interference after all.”
To escape a dream, the first and most crucial requirement was willpower.
If your desire to awaken was strong enough, no dream, no matter how real, could stop you from reclaiming control over your own mind and body.
Seeing her reaction, Ye Jinran’s opinion of the team rose even higher. A spark of hope flickered brighter in his mind.
“I’ve answered your third question,” he said at last. “As for your first… I’ll answer that now. The second, however, you can’t yet afford the price for that one.”
He took a few steps closer. The girl instinctively backed away in equal measure, heart hammering.
“I,” Ye Jinran said softly, “am a merchant who can grant you any desire you have.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
You clicked all the way to the end. That deserves one final button press. ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Blood Moon Town: ShhhChapter 2 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (1)Chapter 3 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (2)Chapter 4 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (3)Chapter 5 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (4)Chapter 6 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 7 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (6)Chapter 8 · The mist over Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 9 · The Mystery of Nanjin Village (The End)Chapter 10 · Real WorldChapter 11 · Riding The Wind (1)Chapter 12 · Riding The Wind (2)Chapter 13 · Riding The Wind (3)Chapter 14 · Riding The Wind (4)Chapter 15 · Riding The Wind (5)Chapter 16 · Riding The Wind (6)Chapter 17 · Riding The Wind (7)Chapter 18 · Riding The Wind (8)Chapter 19 · Riding The Wind (9)Chapter 20 · Riding The Wind (10)Chapter 21 Part 1 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 21 Part 2 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 22 · Real World (1)Chapter 23 · Real World (2)Chapter 24 · Golden Sands Fade Away (1)Chapter 25 · Golden Sands Fade Away (2)Chapter 26 · Golden Sands Fade Away (3)Chapter 27 · Golden Sands Fade Away (4)Chapter 28 · Golden Sands Fade Away (5)Chapter 29 · Golden Sands Fade Away (6)Chapter 30 · Golden Sands Fade Away (7)Chapter 31 · Golden Sands Fade Away (8)Chapter 32 · Golden Sands Fade Away (9)Chapter 33 · Golden Sands Fade Away (10)Chapter 34 · Golden Sands Fade Away (11)Chapter 35 · Golden Sands Fade Away (12)Chapter 36 · Golden Sands Fade Away (13)Chapter 37 · Golden Sands Fade Away (14)Chapter 38 · Golden Sands Fade Away (15)Chapter 39 · Golden Sands Fade Away (16)Chapter 40 · Golden Sands Fade Away (17)Chapter 41 · Golden Sands Fade Away (18)Chapter 42 · Golden Sands Fade Away (19)Chapter 43 · Golden Sands Fade Away (20)Chapter 44 · Golden Sands Fade Away (21)Chapter 45 · Golden Sands Fade Away (22)Chapter 46 · Golden Sands Fade Away (23)Chapter 47 · Golden Sands Fade Away (24)Chapter 48 · Golden Sands Fade Away (25) The EndChapter 49 · Main God’s DomainChapter 50 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (1)Chapter 51 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (2)Chapter 52 · Item FactoryChapter 53 · Defrosted Friendship (1)Chapter 54 · Defrosted Friendship (2)Chapter 55 · Defrosted Friendship (3)Chapter 56 · Defrosted Friendship (4)Chapter 57 · Defrosted Friendship (5)Chapter 58 · Defrosted Friendship (6)Chapter 59 · Defrosted Friendship (7)Chapter 60 · Defrosted Friendship (8)Chapter 61 · Defrosted Friendship (9)Chapter 62 · Defrosted Friendship (10)Chapter 63 · Defrosted Friendship (11)Chapter 64 · Defrosted Friendship (12)Chapter 65 · Defrosted Friendship (13)Chapter 66 · Defrosted Friendship (14)Chapter 67 · Defrosted Friendship (15)Chapter 68 · Defrosted Friendship (16)Chapter 69 · Defrosted Friendship (End)Chapter 70 · The Real WorldChapter 71 · Matching TimeChapter 72 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (1)Chapter 73 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (2)Chapter 74 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (3)Chapter 75 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (4)Chapter 76 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (5)Chapter 77 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (6)Chapter 78 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (7)Chapter 79 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (8)Chapter 80 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (9)Chapter 81 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (10)Chapter 82 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (11)Chapter 83 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (12)Chapter 84 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (13)Chapter 85 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (14)Chapter 86 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (15)Chapter 87 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (16)Chapter 88 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (17)Chapter 89 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (18)Chapter 90 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (19)Chapter 91 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (20)Chapter 92 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (21)Chapter 93 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (22)Chapter 94 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (23)Chapter 95 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (Complete)Chapter 96 · The Main God Invites You for TeaChapter 97 · The Player ForumChapter 98 · Training GroundChapter 99 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (1)Chapter 100 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (2)Chapter 101 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (3)Chapter 102 · Eternal Night · The One Who Strikes the Stone (Finale)