Chapter 565

Chapter 414 – Black Dream

“The dream cocoons of ordinary people are used as nourishment? Is there such a creature? What happens to people in reality when their dream cocoons are used as nourishment?!”

“Many creatures in the Dream Realm are beyond the understanding and imagination of ordinary people… If dream cocoons were used as nourishment, then the people in reality certainly wouldn’t have a good outcome. As for what that outcome would be, I’ll tell you. Just sit down and listen to me, Black Dog.”

Observing Gregor’s reaction, Little Fox calmly said to him. After a slight pause, Gregor steadied his emotions and sat back on the ground to continue listening to Little Fox. Little Fox then continued speaking with a serious tone.

“Under the capture of the pseudo-moths, ordinary people really do fall into blissful and painless dreams, becoming hopelessly entranced. The pseudo-moths then absorb the spirituality from the dream cocoons as nourishment for their growth. Generally, the more dream cocoons a pseudo-moth captures, the more nourishment it gains. Therefore, the Black Dream Hunter Group organizes secret underground churches in certain locations to privately spread the worship of moths.

“The Black Dream Hunter Group usually preaches to disillusioned or oppressed lower-middle class individuals in reality. Those who are lured into believing often become entranced by the beautiful dreams given by the moth, unable to extricate themselves. In these dreams, they can experience things they cannot have in reality, growing increasingly dependent on these dreams. They begin to despise the painful reality, gradually avoiding it and indulging in their dreams. This makes it very easy for the Black Dream Hunter Group to control those entranced by beautiful dreams, making them follow strict rules. To continue enjoying these dreams at night, no one will report them. They can easily control large groups of people to provide nourishment for the pseudo-moths.

“As for those entranced by beautiful dreams, their dream cocoons are extracted daily and nightly. Their spirits gradually deteriorate, moving towards nothingness, until their physical bodies in reality become hollow shells. These meaningless shells become puppets of the pseudo-moths.”

Little Fox solemnly told Gregor. Hearing this, Gregor’s expression became grave. He had previously encountered many evil societies, each with various methods to control ordinary people. Among them, he was most familiar with the cup medicine used by the Crimson Eucharist. It was an addictive drug that stimulated deep desires. His former colleague Brandon had been controlled by the cup medicine and became a mole within the Igwente An Yin Bureau. Now, another society was controlling others through dreams, and it seemed even harder to guard against.

“These guys… use ordinary people’s dream cocoons as nourishment to promote the growth of pseudo-moths… Is it to make the pseudo-moths mature and become their weapons?”

Gregor said seriously to Little Fox, who directly replied.

“It’s not just about weapons; the pseudo-moths are the foundation of the Black Dream Hunter Group. Unlike other extraordinary societies, they don’t have a conventional path of advancement. Their abilities do not come from the accumulation and elevation of spirituality but directly from the cultivation of the pseudo-moths.”

“Do they have no conventional path of advancement? Do they gain abilities from cultivating the pseudo-moths? What does that mean?”

Hearing Little Fox’s words, Gregor asked in confusion, and Little Fox immediately responded.

“In simple terms, their rank comes from the pseudo-moth rather than themselves. If we were to rate them by our usual standards, the entire group would be apprentices of the ‘Shadow’ tier. Their main abilities and ranks come from their connection to the pseudo-moth.”

“Do they connect with the pseudo-moth?” Gregor asked in surprise, and Little Fox answered directly.

“Yes, like the ordinary people whose dream cocoons are captured, their dream cocoons are also connected to the pseudo-moth, even more deeply. It could be said that they directly grow on the pseudo-moth. Their connection method with the pseudo-moth is different from ordinary people. The dream cocoon they link to is not only not drained of spirituality by the pseudo-moth but can also gain abilities from it. These abilities are similar to those on the Dream Eater Path, which are related to dreams. Through this special connection, they can even control the behavior of the pseudo-moth.”

Little Fox continued to patiently explain to Gregor, and listening to her explanation,

“This means… these guys’ extraordinary abilities actually come from the pseudo-moth… not from themselves?”

“Exactly. Many members of the Black Dream Hunter Group can establish this special connection with the pseudo-moth. Depending on the growth progress of the linked pseudo-moth, the number of special connections and the upper limit of the strongest abilities increase. That is to say, the more mature the pseudo-moth develops, the stronger the group of Black Dream members connected to it becomes.

“Some of them can obtain abilities of different ranks similar to the Dream Eater Path from the pseudo-moth. At the egg stage, they reach the apprentice level; at the larva stage, the black earth level; at the pupa stage, the chalk level. It is said that a fully developed pseudo-moth can provide a Red Tier rank slot to the Black Dream Hunter Group members it connects to. With a ceremony, a member can deeply connect with the pseudo-moth and become an almost Red Tier extraordinary being.”

Little Fox explained to Gregor. After hearing all these extraordinary knowledge beyond his comprehension, Gregor stood there in silence for a long time before finally speaking again.

“Incredible, in this world… is there really such a way to enhance extraordinary abilities? It’s completely different from the paths we take…”

“Of course it’s different. According to the old stories, there used to be many ways to embark on the path of the extraordinary, including symbiosis with extraordinary beings to obtain extraordinary abilities. The method of accumulating spirituality and advancing is merely a highly perfected and stable one adopted by most extraordinary organizations. The Black Dream Hunter Group uses this ancient symbiotic method because they have specific reasons preventing them from using the normal advancement method.”

“What are these specific reasons?”

Curiously, Gregor asked, and Little Fox shook his head in response.

“I don’t know yet. Because I need to counteract the poison, I don’t know everything about the Black Dream Hunter Group. However, I think I’ve told you enough.

“The small town the detective encountered should be the breeding ground for the pseudo-moths chosen by the Black Dream Hunter Group. It’s very dangerous there. You can tell the detective that if they don’t want to be in danger, they should leave as soon as possible.”

Little Fox earnestly instructed Gregor, who nodded in understanding after hearing her words.

The information about the Black Dream Hunter Group was now mostly gathered. After waking up, he should report this intelligence to the detective.