**Chapter 355: The Letter from the Nightmare**
Ah, the Love Water; when wielded correctly, it’s an absolute gem! Unfortunately, the vast majority of the time, it’s just gathering dust. If it were in a sc*m Game and Bai Yu got her hands on it, you can bet your bottom dollar she’d treat it like poison!
And when there’s absolutely no way to utilize it? Well, it turns out the “poison” factor is pretty decent! It deals a heck of a lot of damage, and it’s damage that keeps on giving!
Now, why would I suggest our good ol’ Dark Moon God should get a taste of this delicious concoction? That’s Bai Yu’s brainchild after careful consideration.
She realizes her Achilles’ heel lies in her inability to communicate with others. Instead of using words like a normal human being, she’s much fonder of using knives! More often than not, those shiny, pointy things are a way better problem-solver than words ever could be.
But alas, kn*fe tactics aren’t suited for every scenario—like the one with the Dark Moon God, for instance.
Once she gets rid of the Dark Moon God, what’s going to happen with Bai Sisi? Will she still have her memories? If she does, would she even remember her “brother” now? After all, Bai Yu has swapped identities, which in this world often means little to nothing. Just look at how the Goddess views the Mechanic; even if the Mechanic suddenly sprouts a new set of lady parts, the Goddess wouldn’t bat an eyelash.
This is just a delightful “fix” from the sc*m Game. If not for this delightful little identity swap, things could really get complicated.
But! The catch is that all these fixes usually just apply to the locals. With the Dark Moon God, Bai Yu isn’t sure if she even qualifies under that umbrella.
If she doesn’t, well darn, that would mean she hasn’t been “fixed” at all!
So what happens if Bai Sisi wakes up and doesn’t recognize her?
What if she distances herself even more?
And let’s not forget: the poor girl might have lost a chunk of her memories due to severe soul damage.
Oh, and here’s the cherry on top—what if Sisi has been heavily influenced by the Dark Moon God’s philosophy?
Now, that saying about “birds of a feather flock together” doesn’t quite fit, but you get the idea. Spending too much time possessed by the Dark Moon’s essence could warp her soul. And Sisi, being just a kid with her mind still developing, might not have a clear grasp on many things.
So it would be super easy for the Dark Moon God to lead her astray. Trying to set her back on the right path would be quite the hassle.
This is where the Love Water would come in handy; it won’t mess with the body after all.
Sure, using it seems a bit unscrupulous, like something a typical “villain” would resort to. But Bai Yu couldn’t care less, as long as the Love Water doesn’t forcefully brainwash Bai Sisi into being a mindless dolt—hey, it might be worth a shot!
As they cruise into the city, Dragon Lady lets Shen Shuyun out.
Once the car drives off, she gasps, “Shen Shuyun isn’t exactly the best buddy material. She’s more suited to be a partner in manipulation!”
“Why’s that?” Zhao Mingyue asks, confused.
“Too much explanation might fry your circuits. Here’s the deal: if you and she become close friends and face a monster you both can’t handle, she’s not gonna think of how to escape together. Nope! She’d just ditch you to save her own skin!”
As soon as Dragon Lady finishes, Bai Yu glances at her, “Isn’t that how we old friends roll?”
“Ah haha, seems spot on!”
“Wait a second…” Zhao Mingyue’s eyes light up. “That pitiful sister named Zhou Wan we met today—she’s your old friend, right? And the ten tasks Bai Yu’s taking on, they’re related to your old pals too?”
“Bingo!”
“Wow, you old friends must have some wild stories, and you’re all so strong!” Zhao Mingyue muses, recalling the Mechanic’s impressive skills and the elaborate thrill of all those weapons laid out before her. Honestly, she could totally get arrested for that!
But after having faced Evil Gods countless times, g*n play seems like child’s play.
“It’s not just us old-timers with stories. Everyone has their past—just like you, Mingyue! Eternal Life Village? That’s your story!”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
Zhao Mingyue doesn’t quite know how to respond. She’s torn between the excitement of the upcoming redemption mission and the gut-wrenching dread that it’ll probably end in tears. Whenever she reads a novel, she craves those bloody plot twists, but when they hit, they hurt way more than she anticipated.
Such a deeply conflicted psyche!
“It seems all the tragedies we’ve seen are tied to the Evil Gods, one way or another.” Propping her chin on her hand, Zhao Mingyue reflects. “Without those Evil Gods and evil spirits, there’d be way fewer woes—like tonight’s shenanigans!”
“And don’t forget about the Store Manager! If there were no Ghost Gate, his kids wouldn’t be in trouble!”
Dragon Lady and Bai Yu exchange glances. Zhao Mingyue’s got her thinking cap on; she wants to tackle the core issues here. And what a tangled web that’ll be!
Just like they reasoned, Zhao Mingyue starts again, “If I could close all the Ghost Gates in this world and restore balance, maybe we could clean up the remaining Evil Gods and spirits, then we’d lower the chance for more tragedies!”
“Right! And the Ghost Domain and Gatekeepers? They use the power of ghosts to carry out who-knows-how-many unseen tragedies! These events are like uninvited guests just crashing into lives.”
“Life, d*ath, illness—normal human conditions. But to get wrecked by a vengeful spirit? That’s an uninvited disaster! It shouldn’t ever come to that; who knows, without the Ghost Gate fiasco, we might live nice, quiet lives!”
“Especially when some unscrupulous folks manipulate those vengeful spirits to wreck havoc!”
Zhao Mingyue’s thoughts venture into naïve territory, but who’s to say there’s no chance for success?
“What do you guys think?”
“Hmm… Mingyue, I get where you’re coming from. It fits your character perfectly! But in my opinion, we should really ignore stuff that doesn’t relate to us.” Dragon Lady glances at Zhao Mingyue through the rearview mirror.
“However, since it’s your idea, you can count on Bai Yu and me to support you!”
“Yay, just hearing that is enough!” Zhao Mingyue beams, her smile downright goofy. Dragon Lady slightly rolls her eyes and shares a knowing glance with Bai Yu, signaling her to go with the flow.
In the end, how hard could it be? If she wants to scare off a few rogue spirits, it can be seen as a tour! One town at a time, freaking out the unwanted guests—like Li Tianan, she could earn herself some fame so those folks stuck in paranormal messes come crawling to her.
Upon arriving at the community, Dragon Lady drops them off.
She’s headed back and likely won’t be available tomorrow since she’s checking on the Nightmare’s place.
As for the Nightmare? Dragon Lady won’t pass judgement; the best outcome would be for this creature to just drop dead. But the Nightmare’s family? Now, there’s a solid bunch, especially her little sis, Jiang Yutong. That girl’s a peach and quite sensible for her age.
If no one takes the time to guide her, she might end up heartbroken for a long time, possibly never getting over it.
Even now, just thinking about it makes Dragon Lady feel a tad regretful.
This Nightmare is too stubborn. Really, she didn’t have to meet her end. Teaming up could’ve been the answer to take down the Dark Moon God! If Lu Liangting just had to keep doing his thing, she could’ve twisted his thoughts through the power of dreams.
The idea’s tempting, but Dragon Lady knows the difficulties ahead. The relationship between the Nightmare and Bai Yu is like oil and water; getting those two to cooperate will be tougher than taking on the Dark Moon God! Bai Yu distrusts the Nightmare’s character while the Nightmare is hesitant to team up with Bai Yu.
“Man, I hope that gal leaves herself a way out…”
Back home, Dragon Lady freshens up and casually messages Jiang Yutong.
“Yutong, the teacher’s got some family matters and will be tied up for a bit. I’m afraid I can’t tutor you for now. By the way, has your sister come home yet?”
She knows she’s getting a bit nosy, but it’s a necessary lead-in.
What surprises Dragon Lady is Jiang Yutong’s response:
“Oh, okay, then take care, Teacher! Don’t overwork yourself. If you’ve got time, why not take a break and play?”
“Wait, I’m a bit puzzled. Who’s the sister you just mentioned?”
Dragon Lady pauses, staring blankly at her phone screen for minutes before replying.
“Probably a mistake on my part; I thought you had a sister.”
“I don’t have a sister! Maybe you mean my aunt?”
“Right, we met her last time? I mistakenly thought she was your sister! Alright, enough chit-chat; your teacher needs to rest.”
“Good night~”
Slumped on the couch, Dragon Lady never expected the Nightmare would go to such lengths, erasing her existence entirely from her family’s minds. True to form, the Nightmare didn’t only wipe her family’s memories; anything related to her has been deleted, making her presence in this world nonexistent.
To totally erase someone from the world, leaving no trace, zero memories—now that’s no easy feat!
Memories may fade, but technology doesn’t. Any footprint she left behind must still be stashed away in some surveillance hard drive. That’s not something she can easily squirm out of, is it?
But then again, the Nightmare is crafty as the head honcho of the Ghost Domain. She’s a ghost, rarely mingling with outsiders, always sporting that bunny mask.
What really baffles Dragon Lady is what kind of logic is behind the Nightmare’s actions.
Does she truly believe she’s doomed to fail and is simply preparing for the worst? Or maybe her methods have a delayed effect; if she hadn’t returned that night, this plan would have kicked in, and with just one dream, her family would wipe her from existence completely.
What kind of mentality can lead someone to such actions?
For her family to forget her as if she never existed? That’s just brutal!
However, there’s a cruel sense of purpose to it. After all, she’s already dead. Once she bites the dust, there’s no memory or soul left to worry about.
Rather than putting her family through pain and heartache, snuffing out her existence seems to serve a purpose.
Sighing, Dragon Lady can’t help but admire the Nightmare just a bit; if she were in that position, she wouldn’t have that kind of courage. Imagining Mingyue completely forgetting her sends shivers down her spine.
Is the Nightmare harsh? Not really; she’s tough on others but seems to have a soft spot for family. This formidable second-wheeler still gets her ears pulled by her father! If not for her age, she might find herself scrubbing floors!
Yet, without knowing the Nightmare’s backstory, it’s clear she has been through some dark struggles. Joining the sc*m Game signifies she must have a painful past. And right now, it appears that past is intertwined with her family.
“Even Li Tianan figured out to make last-minute requests of his enemies before d*ath—why can’t she grasp that?”
“She doesn’t trust Bai Yu, so why would she trust me? Just a word from her, and I’d definitely look after her family.”
Dragon Lady flops back onto the couch, shaking her head and deciding to put her thoughts on hold.
No need for the Nightmare to say it; she’ll keep an eye on little Yutong.
This is less about the Nightmare and more about her sister.
Who wouldn’t adore a sensible yet quirky little girl?
—
Zhao Mingyue is back in dreamland, once again facing that gigantic Ghost Gate. Ever since she slightly pried it open, it’s been popping up more often—now nearly every night!
Tonight, she’s chatting with Li Xuener across the Ghost Gate, mostly trying to reassure her to hang tight just a bit longer before waking up.
Zhao Mingyue barely mentions Li Tianan’s situation; anyone would feel guilty if they thought they were responsible for a parent’s demise, right?
In the limited time left, Zhao Mingyue quietly examines the ins and outs of the Ghost Gate, though her knowledge is limited, and she can’t decipher a lick of what’s written above.
The next day, Bai Yu is deep in thought about which person to tackle next for a redemption mission.
Meanwhile, Dragon Lady arrives at the Nightmare’s house—curiosity pushing her to check it out.
Turns out, the Nightmare has indeed wiped every trace of her existence. Eavesdropping a bit, she finds out the entire family has erased any thought of her, and even her room stands empty, devoid of any remnants of the Nightmare.
Stepping into the once-inhabited space, Dragon Lady takes in the tidy room, and at a glance, you wouldn’t suspect anyone ever lived there.
But suddenly something catches her eye, and Dragon Lady strides over briskly.
By the bedside, a vanity table holds a piece of paper, boldly declaring “For Dragon Lady.”
How on earth did the Nightmare manage to leave such an obvious letter without anyone discovering it?
With a curious flick, she opens the letter, revealing several lines of text.
“When you read this letter, it means I lost. This is probably the last time I’ll admit defeat to the Doctor.”
“No sentimental value here, just stating the obvious—she’s stronger and luckier than me. Even if I tap into the Dark Moon God’s power, I can’t guarantee she’d be defeated; the facts are the facts. And about that Dark Moon God? Let’s not dwell too much—I’m pretty sure you know as much as I do.”
“In summary, she’s an outsider, not quite in our league. It’s like a bug existing in a game, and the sc*m Game is okay with that bug hanging around. Given our current abilities, the next matchup can only head one way.”
“So, I thought of an idea to deal with her: take Zhao Mingyue out and fuse her soul with Lu Liangting, then toss her into the Ghost Gate to become the Ghost Gate Lord. Using the power of the whole Ghost Gate might just allow us to put up a fight.”
“Ha! Joking! Harming Zhao Mingyue? Yeah, I’d never have the guts for that.”
“Only the Doctor would dare; let me wildly speculate: after I’m gone, I bet the Doctor will challenge the Dark Moon God in the Ghost Gate world. At that moment, your only option is to hand over half of Liangting’s soul to Zhao Mingyue for her transformation.”
“Trust me, this is way riskier than you think. However, a simple little item can reduce this task’s difficulty from SSS to A.”
“Let me break it down for you: open this bottle, and the gas inside will put anyone to sleep, no matter the situation. Believe me, it’s going to be a game-changer.”
“Reading this, you’re probably thinking I’m scheming again.”
“Yeah, I’d like to think so, but um, I’m dead, right?”
“I’m giving you this for a reason—on September 12th, Yutong will face a dire crisis from which she may not escape. I’m counting on you and the Doctor to help her out. Relax, by then the Dark Moon God will have croaked. If you can take her down, this task will be a walk in the park; if she’s still kicking, well, you won’t have that luxury.”
“Basically, Yutong’s gonna get targeted by a certain organization. I have no clue what it is; they hide too well. I’ve tried to track them down to no avail.”
“The deity they worship is another outsider, similar to the Dark Moon God, but trust me, this one is no match for her. If Bai Yu can take down the Dark Moon God, she could crush this newcomer with a pinky finger.”
“This foe is far worse than your usual evil god. If that’s not the case, I wouldn’t be asking for your help! Even in d*ath, I’d still have a way to save her.”
“So, that’s it—thanks a ton.”
“You might think of me as a pain, but you don’t have a grudge against Yutong, right?”
“To show my sincerity, I’ve completely erased every trace of my existence. This way, Yutong is essentially disconnected from me, so helping her shouldn’t weigh on your conscience.”
“The item is in the drawer below, needs to go to Bai Yu.”
“Believe it or not, that’s for you to decide.”
With the letter read, Dragon Lady opens the lower drawer, and sure enough, there lies a finely crafted crystal bottle.
Snagging the crystal and tucking Nightmare’s letter away, Dragon Lady nonchalantly exits the room.
