“I want to protect people,” Qinglong stated bluntly. “The ‘Heavenly Moment’ will cause widespread casualties, and I need to prevent that from happening.”
“Then I’ll lower the intensity,” said the young Tianji. “As long as it reduces the death toll, I’ll have fulfilled my task, right?”
“Oh?” Qinglong raised an eyebrow before lowering his head to fiddle with his fingers.
“We’re just caught in the middle,” the young man added. “Whatever conflict you have with the ‘Heavenly Dragon,’ we don’t care. We just want to protect ourselves.”
Several of the “Heavenly” figures cast earnest glances at Qinglong. After all, Tianji’s words had been quite humble.
All they sought now was a way to fulfill the Heavenly Dragon’s task without offending Qinglong.
“Impossible,” Qinglong chuckled, scanning the room before locking his gaze on the two still-sleeping “Heavenly” figures. “Wake up ‘Tiantu’ and ‘Tianzhu.'”
“What…?” Tianshe was taken aback.
“Tonight, I’m here,” Qinglong grinned, his voice chilling. “No one gets to keep dreaming.”
The air grew tense once more. Everyone sensed that something significant was about to happen.
But why would Qinglong suddenly oppose the Heavenly Dragon’s methods?
What did it matter if all the “Participants” here died?
Hadn’t the two of them aimed from the very beginning to eliminate all the “Participants”?
All they knew was that they had to tread carefully now—neither of these two could be provoked. Though they were “Heavenly,” standing above all the “Zodiacs” and “Participants,” there were still those they feared.
If they handled this poorly, the only fate awaiting them was disappearance.
“Tianzhu and Tiantu… they’re the ‘Dreamwalkers’…” Tianshe said hesitantly. “Qinglong, you want to wake them…?”
“‘Dreamwalkers’ or not, it doesn’t matter,” Qinglong replied. “Make them open their eyes and look at me. From now on, no one contacts the Heavenly Dragon.”
“You…” Tianshe frowned. “No, that’s not right… I…”
“What?” Qinglong said. “Are you content? There used to be so many ‘Dreamwalkers,’ but they all woke up one by one. Only these two remain lost in their sweet dreams. Why should you all do the hard work while they get to sleep forever?”
“But the condition for them becoming ‘Heavenly’ was to stay in their dreams,” Tianshe argued. “The Heavenly Dragon promised—”
“I never agreed to that,” Qinglong interrupted. “Make them look at me.”
A tall, muscular woman—Tianniu—slowly stood up.
Her eyes flickered briefly before she walked over to Tiantu and Tianzhu, gripping their collars with her powerful arms and tossing them into the air.
The two plummeted back down, crashing hard onto the floor just before hitting the ceiling.
“Well done,” Qinglong said, resting his chin on his hand. “Again.”
Knowing she couldn’t defy Qinglong, Tianniu grabbed them once more and hurled them upward.
The repeated impacts finally jolted the two dreamers awake.
They yelped as they hit the ground, staggering to their feet moments later.
Tiantu was a middle-aged woman, while Tianzhu was a tall young man.
“Wha…?” Tianzhu blinked in confusion, staring at the round table and the people around him. “Who are you…?”
Tiantu, visibly shaken, hid behind Tianzhu, too nervous to speak.
“Hah…” Qinglong grinned, his gaze icy.
Tianzhu scanned the room again, noting the mix of men and women, young and old, and grew even more convinced he’d been kidnapped.
“Don’t do anything rash…” Tianzhu said warily. “You… you want money?”
“You’ve got some nerve…” Qinglong kept smiling, touching his own cheek. “After decades of sleep, you’ve forgotten even me?”
“What…?” Tianzhu blinked again.
“No wonder…” Qinglong mused. “Lost in your dreams, you thought you’d escaped this filthy, stinking place and returned to the ‘real world’… I just made you open your eyes to the truth. Look around—where are you really? Where are your loved ones?”
Tianzhu froze as if struck by lightning, memories flooding back.
Yes… those memories were just buried deep, not erased.
“Ah!” Tiantu suddenly screamed.
Her memories had returned too.
“Qing… Qinglong…” Tiantu stammered, staring at her hands. “I… I’m awake…?”
“Welcome to the real world,” Qinglong laughed. “Take a seat, both of you. After all, you’ve been sitting here for decades—no need to be shy.”
The two looked on the verge of mental collapse. They had forgotten this horrifying place countless times, even living out peaceful lives in their dreams—only to wake up to their worst nightmare.
“It’s ‘Peach Blossom Spring’…” Tianzhu finally remembered. “I never left… My family…”
“All gifts from the Heavenly Dragon’s sweet dreams,” Qinglong said mockingly. “I’m much kinder—I want you to see reality.”
The room’s atmosphere grew suffocating.
“Sit down already!” Qinglong waved impatiently. “No need to stand on ceremony!”
After a brief hesitation, Tianzhu and Tiantu slowly took their seats.
Everyone present had once been trapped in the Heavenly Dragon’s dreams. Unfortunately, they had woken up earlier—and despaired sooner.
“Qinglong,” Tianniu said, flexing her wrists. “I woke them up. Let me leave now.”
“Oh…?” Qinglong examined his fingers again. “Did I ever promise that?”
“I need to release the ‘Ants,'” Tianniu insisted. “Even if it’s not about the ‘Heavenly Moment,’ I have my own duties. If I’m delayed, I can’t bear the consequences.”
“Denied,” Qinglong said. “Stay seated. Tonight, even the ‘Ants’ get a break.”
Only now did the others realize what this oppressive atmosphere reminded them of.
A mutiny.
They were practically being held hostage by Qinglong.
Yet, strangely, the Heavenly Dragon’s throne lay just on the other side of the room. Was Qinglong really staging a rebellion this close?
“Qinglong… what’s the point of this?” Tianniu demanded. “Even if you control everything tonight, what happens at dawn? Can you keep us from falling asleep forever?”
“At dawn… the real show begins,” Qinglong said, waving her off. “Sit down. Let’s all enjoy an unforgettable and delightful night together.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage