Translator: SumTLMan
Claiming they couldn’t handle the convicts was basically an excuse. Even though Freud was a mere mortal here, his experiences and insight were more than enough to outmatch any ordinary scheming. What he said afterward probably revealed his true thoughts.
Nevertheless, after some careful consideration, Angel agreed with Freud’s concerns. After all, Sunny and Alda were children and might be at a disadvantage in front of the convicts. During the initial development of the Wilderness of Dreams, it would indeed be more beneficial to allow good-hearted people in, rather than convicts who would only stir up trouble.
“Has Delilah’s physical body already died?” Angel asked.
Freud nodded. “Yes. When I found Delilah, she was already on the brink of death. I asked her if she still wanted to live but in a different way and if she was willing to leave the Revelation Continent forever. She agreed in the end, so I brought her here.”
Angel nodded in approval of Freud’s actions, but still cautioned him, “Even though there probably aren’t any extraordinary beings left in the town of Borel, be careful not to get caught in anyone’s crosshairs.”
Particularly since the Song of the Deep Sea’s two prodigious disciples, Jiebo and Midnight, had both appeared in Borel town.
Freud nodded in understanding. “I get it. I’ll be more careful.”
Angel continued to observe Delilah and noticed that she was constantly grinding an iron rod with a deep focus. He couldn’t help but ask, “What is she doing?”
Although Freud didn’t possess Angel’s ability to observe and deduce, he imagined Delilah’s current activity just by listening to the sound of metal friction. “She’s sharpening a needle.”
“Sharpening a needle?” Angel raised an eyebrow.
Freud sheepishly explained, “The day before yesterday, Sunny sang a lovely song, and I promised her a beautiful dress in the Wilderness of Dreams… But after searching all the buildings here, I couldn’t find a single dress that would fit her.”
Freud gestured with the divine robe he was holding. “So I asked Delilah, and she said she could make a dress. I then scoured the place for some clothes for her to resize. However, there were no tailoring tools here, so Delilah decided to sharpen her own needle. She’s been at it since yesterday morning. It’s been over ten hours now.”
Freud sighed. Fortunately, in the Wilderness of Dreams, there was only mental fatigue and no physical exhaustion.
“Ah, I see,” said Angel with a dawning comprehension. They maintained a similar attire in the Wilderness of Dreams as they had in reality before entering it. For Sunny, who existed as a soul, her clothing was simulated yet irrevocably set, unchangeable. It was natural for a little girl to desire a new dress.
“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll place a batch of silk and sewing tools in the Mushroom House soon. Keep an eye out for them,” he proposed.
A look of gratitude spread over Freud’s face.
“Delilah, being the first test subject, seems to be a success thus far,” Angel reflected. “However, a single sample isn’t sufficient to validate the results of an experiment. You could continue searching for more subjects and carry out a long-term investigation for feedback. I’ll also bring in some individuals in the next few days. Make sure to manage them well.”
Freud nodded, “Rest assured, my lord.”
“There’s another matter I’d like to discuss,” Angel voiced his intentions for this particular visit to the Wilderness of Dreams: one was to ascertain the distance limitation of the realm, and the second was to inquire Freud about the situation of the Softworm eggs.
Angel sketched out an outline of the Softworm’s situation.
After listening to his account, Freud mulled over it for a moment: “The Softworm’s eggs mutating, growing larger and changing color? This is quite unusual.”
“Do you have any leads?” Angel asked.
“I’m afraid not, I’m not particularly familiar with Softworms. However, I’ve heard that Softworms are insects with a highly hierarchical structure. Perhaps, this egg belongs to a higher-ranked Softworm,” Freud speculated.
Angel had heard the same: Softworms were not only insects with a hierarchical society, but they were also ruled by superorganisms, similar to how ants have workers, soldiers, queens, males, and even the queen ant. Morphing Softworms were merely one form of Softworm.
As Freud suggested, this egg might indeed belong to a new class of Softworm.
Angel harbored the hope that it would hatch into a Morphing Softworm, which held the highest value among Softworms.
He continued his conversation with Freud about potential requirements, such as whether he should utilize the Dream Conch to send more resources. After all, there would be more people becoming permanent residents of the dream world, living long-term in the Wilderness of Dreams.
“Rather than bestowing finished products directly, I propose we provide the base materials instead. Take Delilah, for example, she was at a loss upon her arrival here until she started crafting needles; having something to do gradually cleared her mental fog,” Freud sincerely advised, “These mortals are inherently not averse to labor, pampering them with a luxurious life may just lead to their idleness. A structured, routine life seems more fitting for them.”
…
Not long after leaving the Wilderness of Dreams, there came a knock at the door.
Upon opening it, Angel saw Ollie, her eyes red-rimmed, standing outside with a food cart.
“Master, the fried rice is ready,” Ollie’s voice was a bit hoarse, her head bowed low.
“Then, bring it in,” said Angel. As Ollie placed the fried rice and a few appetizing side dishes on the table, he paused before suggesting, “Would you like to join me?”
Ollie quickly shook her head, anxiously refuting, “I couldn’t possibly… It’s against the rules…”
Her words trailed off, and in a whisper barely audible, she murmured, “Yes, how could I overstep?”
With her head downcast, she softly said, “Master, I’ll take my leave now. The head maid Mana just summoned me to the tea garden. I better head over…”
Having said that, Ollie left in a fluster.
Angel sat at the table, took a few moments to register her rapid departure, then shook his head with a wry smile. He had merely invited her on a whim, seeing her appearing so downcast. He had not expected Ollie to interpret it so profoundly.
Angel didn’t eat alone; instead, he invited Toby to dine with him.
Ollie’s fried rice was not as good as Jon’s, but it had its unique charm. Angel enjoyed it, and Toby was quite fond of it too. However, Toby was more inclined towards the various side salads rather than the greasy fried rice.
After this somewhat sentimental meal, Angel went to the room where Nano was staying. He had promised Freud to bring some silk and tools, and he was not one to break his word.
As he pushed open the door, he saw Nano and Auchanchan from the Kulakuka tribe locked in a glaring contest and heated argument.
The moment Angel arrived, he inadvertently became a venting outlet for both parties, caught in the crossfire of their bitter complaints and underhand tactics.
After a brief pause, it dawned on Auchanchan that she had come for the 23rd issue of the silk. Nano was reluctant to hand it over, arguing that he had given up his share of silk for every previous issue, and that he now lacked silk for his bed curtains and window curtains. This time, he was determined to keep it.
Auchanchan’s task, as dictated by Leon, was to rescue the silk from Nano’s clutches. As a newcomer to the town of Grud, she naturally had to obey the commands of her lord.
The two sides were at a deadlock, creating a scene of utter chaos.
Angel coughed twice, attracting their attention.
Angel, with a grin, proposed: “Since the situation is at such a stalemate, how about this… In order not to affect the rapport between the two of you, neither of you should claim it. Just leave it to me.”
With that said, Angel took hold of the pile of silk, as light as a veil, and disappeared from their sight.
Auchanchan and Nano looked at each other, each letting out a sigh of lament. If it were anyone else, they might have argued back, but when it was Angel who took it… they decided to let it go, considering it a wash for the week.
Angel took the silk and then left the manor.
He planned to visit Watford, delivering some basic materials and corresponding tools to the Wilderness of Dreams.
Angel, in his Gondola, set off towards Watford. Sitting atop the airship, he could see a lush green forest beneath him, a cascading waterfall, and undulating mountains. The familiar scenery gradually lifted his spirits.
However, unbeknownst to Angel, as he took in the landscape, someone was watching him.
The waterfall group that Angel had seen from the airship earlier was indeed the Dread Mountain Waterfall. The volume of water was plentiful and the height difference was quite astonishing. Within two hundred meters of the waterfall, almost no other sounds could be heard, just the thunderous roar of the water.
Beneath a less imposing waterfall within this chilling curtain of cascading water, there lies a man, stark naked. He reclines on a rock, his chest heaving with exhaustion.
The average individual would undoubtedly be shredded to pieces under the waterfall’s mighty force. Yet, his physique remains mostly intact, save for the numerous terrifying red welts that have begun to surface across his skin.
By an intriguing twist of fate, as Angel navigated the Gondola, his airborne vessel, across the sky, the man beneath the waterfall chanced to glance up.
Catching sight of the Gondola, his countenance turned from perplexity to a faint trace of delight, “Could it be… Angel’s Gondola? Has Angel returned?!”
If Angel were present, he would immediately recognize the man beneath the waterfall as none other than Leon.
Leon practices an extreme method of physical refining—a technique of mental will refinement through physical hardship, as taught by Suis. By enduring extreme physical conditioning, one hones their mental strength, eventually transcending the limitations of natural talent.
Such training cannot be abandoned until one steps into the realm of transcendence.
Over the years, Leon had been diligently training, yet, due to the extreme nature of his regimen, he chose to withhold his methods from Angel to spare him any concern.
At this moment, he was conducting his physical refining beneath the waterfall.
What was originally a routine session of refining, the sight of Angel induced a moment of joy in Leon, causing a slight lapse in his mental focus.
His resilience under the waterfall was built on the symbiosis of mind and body. A crack in his mental shield now threatened the harmony, causing an imbalance.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a manageable situation. However, beneath the violent deluge of the waterfall, the formidable force quickly swept him off balance.
With a few tumultuous tumbles, Leon found himself plummeted into the pool below.