Chapter 1567 Lietz's Brother <TOC> Chapter 1569 Sharu
Translator: SumTLMan
“What’s his current condition if he’s inside the black mist? Is the mist affecting him in any way?” Freud inquired.
Freud’s line of thinking was that if they could determine the mist’s impact on Lietz’s brother, they might be able to deduce the mist’s function.
Angel pondered before responding, “His condition seems abnormal. Based on our current observations, his eyes are vacant, as if he’s lost his rationality. He wanders aimlessly within the mist, much like a walking corpse. But regardless of his wandering, he never leaves the bounds of the black mist.”
Angel’s statement was based on observed symptoms. It was still premature to make any judgments about the mist’s function based on this testimony alone.
“So, you’re able to observe what’s happening inside the black mist?” Sanders asked, “Aside from Lietz’s brother, is there anything else unusual in the mist? Can you identify its origin?”
Angel replied, “It seems that apart from Lietz’s brother, there’s nothing else unusual in the mist. As for its origin, I haven’t discovered anything.”
Sanders paused to contemplate. The information gathered so far pointed to two main conclusions. Firstly, the exact function of the black mist was unknown. However, based on Lietz’s brother’s listless behavior, some sort of effect must exist.
Secondly, Angel had no control over the black mist. Taking this into consideration, if it wasn’t an external intrusion, then the mist might have something to do with dispersed powers.
Sanders resumed, “Let’s set other questions aside for now. What we need to confirm at this moment is whether this black mist has any relation to the dispersed powers.”
Because only by establishing an intrinsic connection between the black mist and the powers could their experiment with the Scroll of Luck be considered a success.
But how to ascertain such a link?
Freud suggested, “Why not take a small group of people and venture into the dark mist area first to scout the situation?”
Given the current state of Lietz’s younger brother, it’s difficult to determine the precise effects of the dark mist. Having a control group would naturally make it easier to reach some conclusions.
However, sending more people into the dark mist area would only confirm what dangers the mist poses to humans; it wouldn’t necessarily ascertain whether it has any special powers or not.
After weighing the pros and cons, Angel decided to go with Freud’s recommendation. To be certain whether the mist has any special capabilities, he felt he had to personally observe it. Though he could protect himself using various defensive scrolls, it would be prudent to ascertain the mist’s effect on newcomers as a precautionary measure.
An hour later, two blindfolded individuals stood beside Angel.
These two were criminals who had self-exiled from Initial Heart City recently.
To find them roaming in the boundless wilderness and bring them here via the Gondola, Angel had actually expended a considerable amount of effort.
Given that they were to be subjects of an experiment, Angel, by his own standards, naturally prioritized those who were rebellious, disobedient, and had committed major crimes. People in Initial Heart City do commit crimes, but those are minor offenses that are disciplined according to the city’s laws.
Having roamed in the wilderness for so long, these two individuals had come to realize that Initial Heart City might be the only utopia in this world. The freedom they sought did not exist beyond the city walls; the endless wilderness turned out to be an even larger prison.
They were now quite eager to return to Initial Heart City.
Seizing upon their change of heart, Freud lured them into cooperating with the experiment by offering them a “chance to return to Initial Heart City.”
The two subjects sequentially entered the dark mist. The first had no defensive measures, while the second was given a defensive scroll by Angel for protection.
As the two of them disappeared into the dark mist one after the other, the experiment officially commenced.
Because Sanders and Freud were unable to observe the situation within the dark mist, they both turned their gaze toward Angel for insight.
Freud noticed that Angel initially wore a normal expression, but suddenly, it seemed as if he discovered something alarming. His brow furrowed deeply, and it stayed that way until the experiment concluded.
What Freud discerned from the experiment was that neither individual emerged from the dark mist.
“What’s going on inside?” Freud inquired.
“It’s not good,” Angel said, pinching the bridge of his nose, his expression grim.
“Not good? You mean there’s danger inside the dark mist?” Sanders asked as well at this point.
“Yes, it’s dangerous,” Angel nodded, gathering his thoughts. “The situation inside is extremely complicated. I initially thought there was nothing unusual in the mist besides Lietz’s brother. But I was wrong; there’s something else in there.”
Angel provided a brief account of what transpired after the control group entered the misty area.
The dark mist seemed to have a powerful impact on the denizens of the Dream Realm. Although it appeared calm at first, the mist underwent a transformation when the two individuals entered it.
The dense mist began to surge, churn, and coalesce.
Eventually, it gave form to various peculiar ‘entities,’ which then launched attacks on the Dream Realm’s inhabitants who had entered.
The attacking methods of these ‘entities’ varied, including both long-range and melee tactics. The two individuals from the Dream Realm did their best to resist but ultimately failed.
In the end, they were invaded by these entities.
“Invaded? What does that mean?” Freud questioned, perplexed.
Angel: “In layman’s terms, these monsters that have formed are infiltrating the bodies of the residents of the Dream Realm. It’s similar to possession. People who are possessed by these monsters become like Lietz’s brother, wandering aimlessly inside, devoid of reason.”
“Can’t the defensive scrolls protect against their attacks?” Freud remembered that one of them had been given a defensive scroll.
“They can protect you, but these bizarre monsters keep spawning inside. When they attack collectively, the frequency and intensity of the attacks exceed the defensive scroll’s limits. Once the scroll fails, the person is also possessed,” Angel paused, “However, because he lasted for a while, I managed to observe some things.”
Firstly, the person without a defensive scroll was possessed first, drawing Angel’s attention. After being possessed, he began to attack the person with the defensive scroll, until both were possessed and began to wander aimlessly. This means that including Lietz’s brother, all three are not harmless; they actively attack surrounding Dream Realm residents.
Secondly, Angel still maintains absolute control over the residents of the Dream Realm when they enter the misty area, and he can expel them from the Wilderness of Dreams using his ‘Gatekeeper’ power at any time.
This is significant; Angel plans to approach the mist closely. If something unexpected happens, he can leave the Wilderness of Dreams at any moment. It serves as a safety net.
After listening to Angel’s account, Freud appeared visibly uneasy: “Is this really related to special abilities? Could they be invaded by other monsters from the Dream Realm?”
Freud used to be an apprentice in the realm of dreams. Although he hadn’t interacted much with Dream Realm monsters due to his limited abilities, he had read many accounts from dream-related wizards and was well aware of their formidable nature. The power of Dream Realm monsters sometimes defies logic.
Because the concept of “dreams” inherently defies logic, it’s like when someone is lucid dreaming, they can transform into an invincible being within the dream, an idea that doesn’t adhere to rational thought. Monsters of the Dream Realm are the same; their power sometimes irrationally and inexplicably immense.
Therefore, Freud is deeply concerned that if the Wilderness of Dreams were to be invaded by monsters from the Dream Realm, it would spell serious trouble. There could even be the possibility of the Wilderness of Dreams breaking apart.
Angel closed his eyes, shifting his perception from a personal viewpoint to encompass the entire Wilderness of Dreams. At the moment, the Wilderness of Dreams exists in an inky void, utterly devoid of anything else.
After a moment, Angel opened his eyes and shook his head, saying, “I didn’t sense any foreign intrusion. I still think this might have something to do with some dispersed Dream Power.”
“I plan on going in to take a closer look. If the dark mist is related to Dream Power, I should be able to sense it.”