Chapter 53
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Chapter 53: A Feast in Dream
As the flesh blob reactivated, even El, who lacked enhanced observational skills, could sense something was amiss—
The creature was moving far too swiftly, clearly targeting the two of them.
The anticipated decisive moment never came. The flesh blob completely disregarded the motionless Zhuang Mian, charging directly toward the pair.
El glanced at the curly-haired youth who stood half a head taller than him:
“Just now, Captain Zhuang mentioned, what’s the range of her ability?”
Ji Yongxing paused for a moment, recalling:
“I believe it’s within ten meters.”
El turned to the still-unconscious Zhuang Mian and asked the seemingly well-educated man:
“So, we can’t let the monster escape the circle, right?”
Ji Yongxing nodded grimly, and the two began circling, luring the monster away.
As the distance between the flesh blob and Zhuang Mian grew, subtle changes began to manifest.
—
In the dream.
“What’s going on?!”
“Is it an earthquake?”
Inside the A5 laboratory, the unfortunate researchers, having already endured a man-made disaster, now seemed to face a natural calamity as the entire lab began to tremble violently.
The monster had already consumed two researchers and was now heading straight for Zhao Kai’s feet.
At that moment, the previously stumbling old man, like a superhero regaining his strength, shoved aside the surrounding researchers and sprinted toward the door where Zhuang Mian stood.
He was the most lucid individual in this Chaotic Dream, aside from Zhuang Mian herself.
Seeing the old man act so out of character, Zhuang Mian swiftly shut the laboratory door, hoping to let the old man fall victim to the rampaging monster.
Of course, that was assuming the monster could still form appendages resembling “hands.”
By now, Zhuang Mian had pieced together the situation.
Li Xia and Walk were both doctors who had gone missing in the eastern part of the outer city. Combined with the flesh blob’s grotesque, superhuman limbs and organs, and the fact that this dream was far larger and more complex than any single-person scenario, Zhuang Mian concluded they were in a composite dream.
In other words, the consciousness controlling the flesh blob was the collective formed by nearly thirty people, centered around Zhao Kai.
So, who was the monster devouring everyone?
There could only be one answer—Wang Xiao.
Having figured this out, Zhuang Mian resolved to aid the monster.
Though it seemed like she was abetting evil, this was, after all, just a dream—one that was the complete opposite of reality.
In this place, Zhuang Mian, with her unshakable mental fortitude, felt no guilt for her actions.
Just then, Zhao Kai’s anxious expression suddenly vanished. He seemed to recall something crucial and abruptly regained his composure.
Looking around, Zhao Kai nodded thoughtfully. He ignored the screams and dying researchers, instead focusing on Zhuang Mian, who was straining to pull the door open, his lips moving as if speaking:
“Is this a dream?”
Before Zhuang Mian could answer, the incredibly calm old man stepped back two paces and then lunged toward the edge of the experiment table.
“Bang!”
After the dull crash sound, there were no bodies falling nor brains splattering; Zhao Kai simply vanished into thin air.
He realized he was in a dream and successfully detached himself, forcefully waking up in the most primal and painful manner.
Meanwhile, the screaming, wailing consciousnesses became the monster’s dinner.
Zhuang Mian did not rush to end the dream; she understood that for Wang Xiao, dealing with one Zhao Kai would be easier than dealing with a crowd.
She decided to wait until the cluster consciousness here completely dissipated before ending the dream, creating a one-on-one situation between Zhao Kai and Wang Xiao.
—
In the outside world, the massive body of the flesh blob suddenly shook.
At that moment, Ji Yongxing and El were on their third lap with the flesh blob.
Although at first, the monster didn’t realize why it couldn’t see Zhuang Mian standing still, from the second lap on, it discovered the delicious living target.
The two took a great risk to rescue Zhuang Mian from a heap of limbs.
Now, one lifted her wrist while the other held her ankle, circling around the basement like doctors rescuing an injured person.
It seemed something unexpected happened with the flesh blob.
Its left half suddenly stopped, while the right half jerked due to inertia, then both sides simultaneously extended dozens of hands and feet, starting to attack the other half.
El stared blankly for two seconds before excitedly shouting,
“Brother Wang Xiao has succeeded!”
“But it seems not entirely successful.”
Ji Yongxing remained calm and analyzed seriously,
“It’s clear he is contesting control of the body with the monster.”
El’s excitement instantly diminished, returning to a tense state.
Despite the tension, there was not much they could do right now.
Ji Yongxing’s abilities were practically useless except for reconnaissance, and even streamlining was beyond reach.
El was equally cautious, unsure which half of the body belonged to Wang Xiao, fearing he might inadvertently make things worse.
Outside the research institutes building, the first fire crews were nearly arriving and would soon discover the researchers in a collective stupor (asleep).
Such unusual occurrences, once reported, would prompt a superhero team to investigate within fifteen minutes.
However, this time, Lin Qingliu did not plan to help his little crops anymore.
After all, they needed to weather storms to grow, and he was a shrewd farmer, not a selfless philanthropist.
Why grow crops?
Of course, it was for reaping!
If the crops could deal with the flesh blob, the approachable Reverend could help with the aftermath, but if the faithful perished unexpectedly…
Then sorry, please call me Dr. Lin while working.
—
In the dream world.
Every time the monster, like a cancer cell, consumed a living person, the entire dream would crumble a bit more.
Recalling the unlucky nurse who could not stabilize the dream due to burns, drugs, and excessive fright, Zhuang Mian felt her understanding of powers and dreams deepening yet again.
“That is to say, a cluster of consciousness can construct a much larger dream.”
She muttered to herself while tightening the laboratory door until the monster devoured the last screaming researcher.
The monster, made purely of flesh and blood, would only be driven by instinct, entirely incapable of dreaming.
As the last researcher disappeared, Zhuang Mian felt the dream shatter.
—
“What is happening?”
When Zhuang Mian opened her eyes, she saw two flesh blobs struggling against each other.
It was no wonder she felt confused; anyone who worked hard only to see more and more monsters would feel a deep-seated despair.
Fortunately, the two flesh blobs were too engrossed in their fight to notice Zhuang Mian.
Zhuang Mian quickly crouched down and stealthily approached Ji Yongxing and El.
“What happened?”
“The monster ate Brother Wang Xiao, and then it started fighting itself.”
Zhuang Mian automatically ignored the half-illiterate statement and looked to the clearly more persuasive researcher.
