What Kind of Dream Is Lanqi Having Now?

Basement Level 4 of Herrom Prison. "So that's how it is." Warden Selena slowly opened her eyes. She had finished surveying the general contents of Hyperion's dream. Generally speaking, only people with severe trauma sank this deeply into their dreams. Because what the illusions on this floor represented was the most fragile fantasies within a person's heart—or their irremediable regrets. They were sweet dreams destined never to come true in reality. Anyone who broke free from the illusion and managed to maintain their sanity could see what others were dreaming within a certain distance, inferring the deep wounds and weaknesses hidden within the other's heart. Outside of the cells on Basement Level 4 of Herrom Prison, every single step carried the risk of plunging into an illusion. And each plunge plunged deeper and harder than the last. The deeper one sank, and the longer one lingered, the more likely one's soul would dissolve entirely into the illusion. For any prison guard or inmate setting foot on this level, the moment they touched the ground, they would inevitably fall into an illusion at least once. Meanwhile, the warden waiting on Basement Level 4 could observe what unfolded inside. Although prison rules forbade direct attacks against one another, once the breach in someone's psychological defenses was laid bare, even mere words could inflict unimaginable trauma, driving them toward self-destruction and ruin. A pleased chuckle bubbled up in Warden Selena's throat. As a Tier 7 illusionist of the Empire, she naturally possessed exceptionally high magical resistance against illusions and was remarkably adept at breaking free of them. Likewise, should she need to deal with a prisoner, knowing their inner trauma allowed her to craft tailor-made illusions designed to torment them until their minds completely broke. For that very reason, even if she had to face a one-on-one duel on this level against the unbound great demon Antanas of Protection, victory was practically guaranteed. In fact, even if Antanas were left completely alone, she would never be able to walk out of the endless corridor of Basement Level 4, the "Gentle Land of the Fallen," by herself. To the Protos Empire, Selena was an irreplaceable talent. Yet to Selena, she had never viewed this place as an ordinary workplace. This was her playground. Whether coaxing inmates into suicide through "talk therapy" or occasionally breaking the guards, it was all an exquisite pleasure to her—and a privilege that belonged solely to her. *** Inside Hyperion's illusion. She saw her mother, Efatia, and her father, Mikhail, standing outside a newly opened shop, holding a cake box and seemingly preparing to head home as well. People she was supposed to see every day felt as though she had not seen them in many long years. She did not even dare to step forward, terrified that she might confuse dream with reality, that it would abruptly turn into a nightmare, robbing her once again of this tranquil yet intense happiness. Yet Efatia showed no hesitation. Catching sight of Hyperion, she walked over with a bright, beaming smile. "Look, Hyperion! We bought your birthday cake! Word has it that the pastries from this shop are super popular with the neighbors!" Efatia held up the cake box and grinned widely at Hyperion, as if she could hardly wait to celebrate her daughter's birthday. "..." For a long time, Hyperion did not reach out to take the box, paralyzed by an unknown fear. In the end, tears spilled from her eyes, and she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around both figures. "Oh my, what are you doing?" Efatia offered a bashful smile. Although she did not mind being hugged by her daughter, passersby on the street were already looking at them. For a human, the logical reaction in this situation would be embarrassment. Yet taking her daughter's feelings into account, she chose to indulge Hyperion. Mikhail helplessly held up his right hand with a shrug; after all, it was Hyperion's birthday, so she could do whatever made her happy. "Right, Hyperion. Tomorrow's the weekend and my day off. It's the perfect chance to take you to South Vantina—the ocean view there is gorgeous." "Ever since we took you there as a child, you couldn't stop talking about it for the longest time, though you probably don't remember it anymore." *** In the high-dimensional observation space, the Ice Snow Witch clenched her hands into tight fists. Never one to show emotion, she could not help holding her breath for Hyperion right now. Hyperion's current state looked terrible; there was no sign whatsoever that she was trying to break free from the dream. Based on their time together in the Kingdom of Asethelan, she had thought Hyperion had an optimistic and cheerful disposition, someone who would not sink too deeply into the Gentle Land of the Fallen. It seemed she had completely misjudged the situation. From here to the teleportation gate leading to the next floor, there were a total of one hundred and thirty-one flagstones. The moment anyone stepped onto a stone's space, it would trigger an illusion, though with a short cooldown. Under the rules of the prison guard assessment in Herrom Prison, guards could form a team and help one another. For instance, one person would step onto a flagstone and sink into a dream, while the others entered his dream across the flagstone to find a way to wake him within a set time limit. Then, the others would take turns stepping onto subsequent flagstones, doing their best to ensure that no single person fell into consecutive dreams and had ample time to rest. However, there was an absolute prerequisite: someone had to break out of an illusion relying entirely on their own strength first. Furthermore, the warden—whose mental state seemed deeply unstable—might also interfere with malice. As for the true Great Demon Trial, it demanded that a demon cross all one hundred and thirty-one steps alone, breaking free from one hundred and thirty-one consecutive illusions through their own power, without relying on the aid of any other living being. The vast majority of demons who undertook the challenge died within the first ten or twenty steps, drowning in their dreams as their souls melted away. Only demons whose hearts were evil and resolute to the extreme could see through the falsehoods here. Lacking any softness within, and devoid of flaws or weaknesses, they could find the threshold between dream and reality while they had not fallen too deeply, flipping the illusion back over. For a few extreme beings, there was hardly any difference between reality and a dream. Even in a dream, they could strike with the utmost cruelty, destroying everything in their path. As for other beings, the more inclined they were toward goodness and sentimentality, the more inevitably they were destroyed by this illusion. The Ice Snow Witch knew full well that even she could not pass this Great Demon Trial of the Gentle Land of the Fallen. Now, she could only pray that those three suspected Resurrection Church cultists might be able to help Hyperion. Yet so far, all three of them stood completely motionless. It seemed they were not thoroughly wicked people either, possessing massive vulnerabilities within their hearts. The only one... was the person lying on the ground, who seemed to show a faint hint of movement... *** Inside Herrom Prison, Warden Selena swept her gaze over the five guards. On this floor, she was practically invincible. Once she saw through someone's weakness, she could craft illusions to manipulate them like puppets, or even disguise herself as someone dear to them. She pressed her hands together like someone observing etiquette before a feast, practically burning to savor the silver-haired girl's delectable sorrow. "Still..." Selena muttered to herself, casting a glance at the black-haired, green-eyed girl lying on the ground. The illusion this girl had fallen into seemed strangely vast. It kept drawing upon the barrier's formations to deepen the dream's verisimilitude, to the point where even the entire prison's mana was beginning to mobilize just to sustain her illusion. Warden Selena could not help feeling baffled. What kind of unattainable dream could she possibly harbor in her heart? It couldn't possibly be world peace, could it? With that, Selena drifted a little closer to the masked girl with black hair and green eyes. She decided to take a look first at just what this girl was thinking.