### Chapter 9: Dreamland (12)
Summer was in full swing, and even the morning sun had a hint of warmth that made it feel like a cozy hug.
Lin Nan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his study, a gentle breeze refreshing his face. The morning light rose in the east, and light beams danced on his eyelashes, creating a soft halo in front of his eyes.
Outside, the scenery was picturesque with the pond shimmering like diamonds. Occasional morning joggers zipped past, blending motion and stillness seamlessly, making it a joy to behold.
But today, Lin Nan felt like he just jumped out of a fridge—he was cold all over.
He hadn’t slept a wink.
Wang Xue had sleepily come over to nudge him to go to bed early, but he shoved her back with the excuse of brainstorming for a new book.
The truth was, he just couldn’t sleep.
Really, who could remain calm after witnessing that scene? If someone could, it’d mean they’d wholeheartedly accepted it.
The activities of their little family in the seaside city were all captured in a tiny wooden carving.
Of course, this depiction was nothing like his own memories; it was far beyond anything he imagined.
The airport was about ten kilometers from their hotel, and after touching down, the trio hopped in a cab straight to check in.
Just like the airplane’s landing, everything within Lin Nan’s sight sense in the seaside city—people, cars, birds, flowers, gentle breezes, chirping bugs—was frozen in a state of stiff stillness, only to come back to life at a visible speed once they arrived.
Every time they waited for a taxi, all signs of life would freeze again.
And it wasn’t just today; it was like this for a full week.
It felt as if the entire seaside city existed solely around Lin Nan, with him as the center point—within a ten-kilometer radius, crowds surged, laughter filled the air, bustling streets echoed with vendors’ cries, hotel guests came and went, and beachgoers frolicked in the waves.
Outside that ten-kilometer bubble, everyone and everything, including nature, lay frozen. Only when he brought his family did the world spring back to life, as if they had never been frozen at all, burning through their lives like candles.
The whole week’s escapade was compressed into a mere hour-long video thanks to the tiny wooden carving.
But the more he watched, the more his heart raced, even feeling like he might wake up screaming from a nightmare.
This was the sort of sci-fi scene you only see in movies, frame by frame flashing before him, making his hands and feet feel icy and his whole body shudder.
Suddenly, he realized something, trembling as he held the wooden carving.
“So after we leave this city, will things here also fall back into a frozen state like the old seaside city?”
The wooden carving flashed an enigmatic smile.
Lin Nan couldn’t figure out if it meant yes or no.
He had previously checked with special effects studios, asking how long it would take to create similar still frames.
He was shocked by the answers. A short project would take one to two months, a long one could last half a year, costing millions at the very least.
Yet he had been in the seaside city for a full week without feeling like anyone was trailing him for filming.
But those detailed scenes, sometimes even featuring extreme close-ups of his face—how in the world were those shot?
Could it be that a hidden team was spending millions just for a little prank on him?
That seemed illogical.
And the truth was probably known only to the wooden carving.
Recalling the first time the carving disappeared in the seaside city, could it have been plotting since then, just to stretch its tentacles into every corner of the seaside city to unveil the truth?
If it was all real…
No doubt, that would open a philosophical can of worms.
Who exactly is this world for?
Centuries ago, idealists claimed the world existed solely around them.
Lin Nan used to scoff at that notion, but now it didn’t seem so far-fetched.
Because the world can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched—our six senses tell us it’s real; that’s the living state that makes us aware of the world.
But what lies beyond everything he could touch?
Is the world running on specific laws autonomously? Are the flora and fauna there experiencing life and d*ath, flourishing and withering?
He used to firmly believe everything has its own path of operation.
But now, after watching the video provided by the wooden carving, he couldn’t be sure anymore.
It’s even possible that in this city where he’s lived for nearly twenty years, everything he can touch is operating just fine. But there are nearly nine million others outside of him—are they all just doing their thing, following their routines?
“Little wooden carving, can I see what’s happening outside my reach in this city?”
The carving’s expression quickly shifted to one of pained amusement, as if to say, “Not happening.”
Just then, Wang Xue’s voice floated in from outside.
“Darling, today’s the performance class exhibition for our daughter. Are you free?”
Under normal circumstances, Lin Nan would’ve jumped at the chance to go.
But today, he confidently replied, “Honey, you go for me. I’ve got a bit too much inspiration swirling around; I really need to sort it out.”
“Well… okay then.”
Wang Xue’s footsteps faded away in the living room.
Lin Nan pressed against the window, confirming she had left before frowning back to his desk.
At that moment, he noticed the wooden carving’s expression had noticeably lightened.
Was it because of Wang Xue?
The first disappearance of the wooden carving also coincided with Wang Xue meeting him in the seaside city. Was there a connection there?
He quickly threw on a jacket, sprinting to the entrance of the complex before hailing a cab.
Wang Xue was headed to a building in the city center, so he told the driver to go in the opposite direction.
After two hours of driving, the cab came to a stop in what seemed to be the suburbs.
Lin Nan hopped out, ducked into a small grove, and, ensuring no one was around, pulled out the wooden carving.
Just as he had predicted, the carving looked much less tense, even sporting a smile.
Before he could say anything, that familiar white light enveloped the carving once more.
Lin Nan concentrated, peering at the projection. Before long, the screen displayed the scene of him riding in the taxi.
Then the camera shot straight up.
This supposed metropolis of nine million was essentially no different from the seaside city; only everything within his area was normal while everything beyond his perception remained frozen.
Lin Nan watched in a cold sweat, feeling chills racing down his spine.
d*mn it! No wonder those readers are easy to fool; the internet commenters must all be fake!
