Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 142 - 136 Void Realm 3

Chapter 142: 136 Void Realm 3

Upon hearing footsteps again, Number Five’s reaction was still somewhat vigilant. It might have been because Xuanming had just appeared, coupled with our discussion about "people from the future," he had some bizarre expectations for the next visitor.

Could it be Number Two, Little Bowl, showing up this time? I watched expectantly in the direction of the sound.

However, reality did not meet my expectations.

The owner of the footsteps quickly approached us; the dark figure that emerged from the gray mist was not Number Two, Little Bowl’s petite frame, but a tall, thin shadow. I recognized him at a glance—it was Number One.

"New here?" Number One looked at Number Five.

Number Five was also observing the other: "Hello, I am Number Five."

Number One nodded and declared his own numerical identification: "Number One."

I did not continue to pay attention to their interaction but looked back into the depths of the mist.

Number Two, Little Bowl’s prolonged absence made me anxious. Although it might simply be that she was running late, considering her terrible situation, I couldn’t help but worry.

And the more I thought about it, the more I felt that the situation was not optimistic. In Doomsday World where Number Two, Little Bowl was, time flowed unevenly. Although she claimed she could only hold on for a maximum of ten days, what if she entered a region where time moved very quickly? Perhaps only a few days had passed here while weeks, months, or even years had gone by there.

No, after all, comparing the flow of time between "now" and "the future" itself was unreliable. They were not two different places, but two different times; how could I assume that just because a few days had passed here, the corresponding number of days should also have passed there?

The operational mechanism of this Mist Dream Realm was also full of mysteries. If the condition to enter the Mist Dream Realm was sleep, what would happen if one of us happened not to sleep or simply did not need to sleep at all? Or was it because someone among us hadn’t slept over the past few days that the Mist Dream Realm had not been activated?

Considering that there were even people from the future among us, could it be that Number Four, Xuanming, with whom I had just conversed, was misaligned in time, like, in reality, Xuanming might be awake while the Number Four, Xuanming I talked to, was experiencing sleep a few hours before or after?

Truly intriguing, I was eager to dive deeper into this... No, no, I should first be concerned about Number Two, Little Bowl.

"Has Number Two not arrived yet?" Number One asked me.

"Not yet." I shook my head while observing Number One.

He seemed quite concerned about Number Two, Little Bowl. Perhaps because he and Number Two, Little Bowl were the first to meet in the Mist Dream Realm; I could vaguely sense his care for acquaintances despite his usual indifference.

Could he be Ying Lingyun?

Physically, there was no visible difference between Number One and the Weirdo Maker. It was difficult to judge based on personality, especially since the personality Number One showed in the Mist Dream Realm might not be his real one.

Number One did not continue talking to me but walked to a spot far from Number Four, Xuanming. Number Four, Xuanming, also paid no attention to us, continuing to stare at the giant. The atmosphere fell into silence for a moment. Number Five seemed to want to ask Number Four, Xuanming something but hesitated perhaps due to apprehension.

Guessing that I might be more approachable, Number Five turned his attention to me, leaned in, and quietly asked, "Are you close with Xuanming?"

"I’ve only met him once before and exchanged a few words. It was also in this place." I had questions for him too, "From what you said earlier, does it seem that the two Impermanences attacked by Xuanming both possessed Divine Seal Fragments? Are the Impermanences collecting Divine Seal Fragments?"

Number Five cautiously said, "...I’m unsure, I had only suspected it before. After all, the divine seal is just a legend..."

"Is that so, but I had mentioned earlier that you were pulled into this dream because of a Divine Seal Fragment, and you didn’t seem to doubt that."

At that point, I also realized for the first time that everyone gathered in this Mist Dream Realm, who held fragments they believed to be from a ’legendary divine seal,’ never doubted it. Even Number One, who had once vehemently declared that the idea of a ’wish-granting machine that fulfills all wishes was merely a dreamer’s fantasy’, never questioned holding a Divine Seal Fragment.

The term "Divine Seal Fragment" initially came from Number Four, Xuanming. Number Two, Little Bowl, might have confirmed it with Mazao much earlier, so let’s not mention that. Number One had immediately accepted it, and the same went for Number Five in front of me. As for myself, I rather treated the Divine Seal Fragment as a tool to keep Mazao by my side, without ever holding any expectations for its legendary power to change the world.

"Of course," said Number Five, "After all, having personally used the power of the Divine Seal Fragment, it’d be hard not to believe in it."

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned and subconsciously looked at the reactions of the others. Number Five had stated this openly, and both Number One and Number Four, Xuanming, must have heard it. Yet they had no reaction at all, as if what Number Five said was completely expected.

Wait, what does that mean, personally using the power of the Divine Seal Fragment? Is the power of the Divine Seal Fragment not only about pulling us into the Mist Dream Realm but also about not being able to get rid of it?

Although I had suspected that Ying Lingyun might have obtained some power through researching the Divine Seal Fragment, before this, Number Five had no idea what the Divine Seal Fragment was. Could it be that as soon as you possess a Divine Seal Fragment, you can use its power, making it a convenient Magic Treasure?

I wanted to inquire in detail but found it difficult to grasp the nuances. If what he said was considered common knowledge around here, then I, who did not know this common knowledge, would undoubtedly be seen as an outsider. Although I was unsure what that implied, recklessly exposing my anomaly might prompt Number Five to be wary and prevent me from obtaining the answers I sought.

"What’s wrong, did I say something odd?"

Number Five seemed to have caught something from my reaction, reflexively checking the reactions of Number One and Xuanming.

"Don’t worry, you just said something normal."

I casually brushed it off, and he seemed reassured for the moment by the casual attitudes of the others.

The next moment, footsteps sounded from afar again. The change drew my attention back into the depths of the mist.

Would it be Number Two this time? Or another newcomer?

Suddenly, Number One tensed up, whipped his head around, and hissed, "Who?"

Number Five, who had seemed to get used to the sudden footsteps, was startled by Number One’s intense reaction and tensed up as well.

I didn’t quite understand why Number One was reacting this way. However, remembering the past, it seemed that he always reacted like this to new sounds. The last time I came with Xuanming and the time before when I visited the Mist Dream Realm alone, he had abruptly turned and hissed.

Perhaps startled by the hiss, the footsteps stopped in the distance.

"What’s wrong?" I asked.

Number One stared intensely into the gray mist and after a moment replied, "Be careful, there are ghosts in this Mist Dream Realm."

"Oh, ghosts?" Xuanming turned, intrigued, "In this place?"

"Ghosts... do you mean Spiritual Bodies?" Number Five asked.

"I don’t know exactly what it is, can only refer to it as ’ghost.’" Number One said, "This happened before Number Three and Xuanming entered the Mist Dream Realm. Back then, it was just me and Number Two here, and Zero—the giant."

He pointed unhesitatingly at the giant in the distance and continued, "Zero once told me and Number Two that only he and the chosen holders of the Divine Seal Fragments could enter this Mist Dream Realm. The latter could be at most seven people, all humans.

"However, after he fell into a deep sleep, inexplicably, other bizarre entities entered the realm."

At this revelation, my interest intensified, "Bizarre entities?"

"That thing was formless and colorless, and Number Two and I could only sense its presence and gaze. It lurked in the mist like a ghost, and although it has appeared only once so far, its identity, origin, and purpose are unknown—probably a bizarre creature beyond Zero’s control," Number One said apprehensively, "And here, we can’t exert the powers we have in the real world; if it is a dangerous Demon, we are all helpless."

"Indeed..."

Hearing this explanation, I became anxious, yet curious. I had not realized the Mist Dream Realm harbored such dangers, and I had been trekking through the gray mist unknowingly, perhaps even passing by the bizarre entity without realizing it.

Wait, though, why does his description sound somewhat familiar?

Formless, colorless, appeared only once?

The first time I came to the Mist Dream Realm, I visited in a form that had no body, like a ghost camera angle in a shooting game, and that form has never appeared again after that.

Could it be that Number One was talking about me?

"Looks like there’s no movement?" Number Five said, puzzled as he stared into the depths of the mist.

"Right, the last time that bizarre entity appeared, it vanished suddenly as soon as I made a sound," Number One seemed to be listening to sounds in the mist, "But it seems it hasn’t disappeared this time; I can hear breathing..."

This made me even more certain of my guess, and then I said, "The bizarre entity you mentioned shouldn’t have footstep sounds or breathing sounds, right?"

"Exactly..." Number One nodded.

As soon as he finished speaking, the footsteps in the deep mist sounded again. Number One and Number Five stood on guard, while Xuanming, seeming to sense something, shook his head and turned away. I decided to take the initiative to move forward, to check if the newcomer was Number Two.

The figure soon revealed itself through the gray mist.

It was a shadowy figure, like a little girl.

"Um..." Number Two spoke carefully, "It’s me."