The World Lanqi Wants

Warden Selena temporarily turned her attention to the young woman collapsed on the floor of the entrance hall on Basement Level 4 of the prison. Selena had never seen anything like this before. It took an unprecedented amount of mana to construct this illusion, presenting her with a "dream destined never to be realized in reality." Correspondingly, for the sweet dream to be so magnificent only proved how terrifying her psychological trauma truly was. "Whenever I see someone more unfortunate than me, it brings an unimaginably exquisite pleasure... It seems you are today's main course." An unusual gleam flickered in Selena's eyes, a blend of delight and obsession. The corners of her lips curved slightly upward, framing a smile that was sweet yet blood-chilling. She strode toward the Poet of Great Love, her steps laden with ritual, every movement like preparation before a banquet. Crouching beside the girl, Selena closed her eyes and gradually sank into an entirely new world, the surrounding space rippling with unstable waves. At that moment, the depths of Selena's soul were completely unleashed. She felt as though she had cast off the shackles of physical flesh to commune directly with the psychic realm. When she opened her eyes again, the scenery before her was entirely different from the entrance hall on Basement Level 4 of Herrom Prison. She found herself suspended high in the air. The ever-shifting sky of this world displayed an endless rotation of colors, from the soft pastel pink and blue of dawn to the golden reds of dusk; at night, the starry expanse looked like diamonds scattered across black silk, with occasional shooting stars streaking across as if granting wishes instantaneously. Regardless of whether time flowed swift or slow, the climate remained forever mild and pleasant. Sunlight filtered through wispy clouds, and gentle breezes stirred up floral fragrances and crisp, fresh air. A moment after arriving here, Selena naturally understood the nature of this world through the spell Gentle Land of the Fallen: here, people rarely had conflicts or inequality; everyone abided by rules and respected one another, and tragedies virtually never occurred. Most everything else was no different from the real world. "What a childish fairy-tale world..." Selena scoffed. She looked down with disdain. The buildings seamlessly blended futuristic fantasy with classical nature, appearing both as living spaces and surreal works of art. Looking around, she saw floating buildings and transparent skybridges everywhere. Portions of the city seemed to defy the laws of gravity, hovering in midair; standing on their terraces, one felt as though they could reach out and touch the starry sky. Light filtered through the intricate architectural structures, refracting dazzling, dreamlike colors. Occasionally, an unreal, hallucinatory haze shifted between the vistas, as if even the barrier magic of the Gentle Land of the Fallen could not flawlessly depict this world in its entirety. "Heh, just watch me make you emotionally collapse. I can't wait to see you completely broken." Selena was now utterly convinced that anyone who indulged in such a protective sanctuary of a dream was mostly a fragile, pathetic wretch. Just like that noble young lady earlier—the greater the internal trauma, the more beautiful the inescapable gentle land became. When observing another's dream, one initially existed as a ghostly onlooker, unable to disrupt the dream's operation. If one wished to interfere and delve deeper into the dream, one would be manifested as a rationalized character within it, able to initiate contact with the dream's master. After breaching the barrier of the dream, Selena's form materialized accordingly, appearing in another location. She found herself turned into a maid in a grand manor, holding a tray and a teacup. Looking ahead, on a spacious terrace on the manor's second floor, the silhouette of a youth sat before a canvas, a paintbrush in his hand. The surrounding world seemed to breathe in sync with his brushstrokes, each stroke reflecting the environment of the horizon. The youth seemed to notice her and turned his head slightly, offering a simple nod of greeting. He had jet-black hair and gentle green eyes. *Strange,* Selena thought. *The one lying on the floor is supposed to be a black-haired girl. Why does her inner landscape feature a handsome youth?* The youth's presence was like the core of this world. His brushstrokes effortlessly outlined the magnificent vistas of this hallucinatory metropolis while remaining utterly detached and serene. His painting did not seem bound by this world; rather, this world obeyed his will, striving to keep up with his canvas. Although she could not immediately discern the state of this youth's innermost psyche, Selena was in no rush to pry. She was well-versed in parsing someone's dreamscape. Selena stepped forward. "How much longer will Young Master be painting here?" She set the teacup down on a small round table not far from the youth, then folded her hands with the tray in front of her, standing to the side and asking with a smile. "I don't know either," the youth replied leisurely, entirely unconcerned with the passage of time. "..." Selena maintained her smile, her heart brimming with playful anticipation. *As expected, a fool helplessly trapped in the gentle land. Even ordinary tranquility like this is enough to satisfy him.* "Is there any woman Young Master wishes to see today? The weather is so lovely, I think it might be more suitable for a date?" Selena suggested, standing near the youth. In the Gentle Land of the Fallen, so long as she lured him into summoning the people important to him, she would inevitably uncover the deepest flaw in his heart. Those were also the people who could hurt him beyond measure. "...One of them is probably enjoying retirement, one is at a family gathering, and one is focusing on her career," the youth answered after a thought. "No, as long as you wish, I can certainly bring the one you most desire to see, and arrange today's itinerary for you," Selena hinted. *Wait, though... Why is one of them in retirement? Is going on a date with an old woman really that interesting?* "No need," the youth said, seemingly not caring in the least, without even looking back. "..." Selena fell slightly silent. She sensed that this fellow did indeed harbor feelings out of the ordinary toward three women, but he didn't seem to want to possess them—he merely wished for them to live happily. "What about a man, then?" she asked after hesitating for a moment. "You probably won't be able to find him," the youth answered. "..." Selena felt like swearing, but she held it in. *Why assert that even in a dream I wouldn't be able to find a trace of that man? Just how much do you look down on people from the bottom of your heart?* *It seems this fellow's psychic trauma really has nothing to do with other people. Then it must be connected to certain events and experiences.* "Does Young Master hope for anything good to happen today?" Selena continued the conversation in a gentle, pleasant tone. Talking to this fellow was a bit exhausting. His answers were completely beside the point, never giving her the responses she wanted. However, when prying into someone's dream, the most crucial virtue was patience. She knew that such direct hints carried a higher risk of making the subject realize this was a dream, but when dealing with an intractable case like the one before her, going straight to the point was the best approach. Selena was confident she would definitely find a clue today, and then savor the sight of this fellow suffering a total psychological breakdown. "I wish for world peace." "..." Selena stood to the side, silent for a long time. "Excuse me, Young Master. I will step outside for a moment." She walked out of the room, heading far enough away that sound wouldn't carry back inside. "***! ***! ***!!" She screamed three expletives in a row before leaning against the wall to catch her breath. Once again recomposing her expression and posture, she did her best to act like a maid and returned to the room.