Chapter Ten: A Forbidden Artifact? Won in a Game of Cards

Du Fang had many reasons for wanting to become a professional Dream Guide.

The first reason was simply because it was lucrative. Once you became an official Dream Guide, the state provided a basic salary of tens of thousands each month, along with insurance, housing subsidies, meal allowances, and other benefits. Most importantly, Dream Guides earned commissions: for every disaster conquered, the government rewarded you based on the severity of the dream disaster and your contribution. Such generous terms and elevated social status were clearly designed to attract Dream Guides, ensuring that most would work for the nation, and preventing betrayals motivated by profit.

Why would anyone risk everything for betrayal? Was it not for gain? If the state could offer so much, why turn against it? Besides, Dream Guides risked their lives to conquer dream disasters, benefiting the people and maintaining harmony. High pay and good benefits were well deserved.

The second reason was more personal. Du Fang was searching for “family.” Only by becoming a Dream Guide could he legitimately enter dream disasters. He understood well that his bizarre “One Big Happy Family” system required him to find other relatives—relatives like Luo Luo. But where could he find them? Based on his experience adopting Luo Luo, his future family members, now out of reach, would have to be sought within dream disasters. That was, in truth, the most important reason. Du Fang was not simply in it for the money.

…

The subway arrived at its stop.

Du Fang led Luo Luo, walking slowly through the bustling crowd. After exiting the station and walking two hundred meters, he stopped in front of a towering building. He raised his head; its glass exterior loomed like a colossal beast, imposing and magnificent.

The Dream Guide Tower.

It housed the Dream Guide Association and was now one of the iconic structures of Jiangling City. In this era, for the convenience of Dream Guides—so they could respond swiftly to random dream disasters—every city built its own Dream Guide Tower. Jiangling’s tower had eighty-eight floors; standing at the top, one could gaze over the city’s dazzling lights and prosperity.

“So tall.”

Du Fang swallowed nervously. He felt a bit like a country boy entering the city; the vast and imposing architecture pressed down, making it hard to breathe. Although this wasn’t his first visit, the grandeur always left him shaken and awed.

With a fluttering heart, Du Fang and Luo Luo climbed the steps and entered the ground floor.

As soon as he stepped inside, Chen Xi, who had been waiting anxiously, saw him and her eyes lit up. A radiant smile spread across her face as she rushed toward Du Fang.

…

Lin Liuli wore sunglasses and the white coat of a doctor—she was a psychologist, but a doctor nonetheless.

“The target has entered the Dream Guide Tower,” she said. “This is the first time since Du Fang woke up a month ago that he’s taken the target outside.” “Should we continue surveillance?”

She wore a headset glowing blue on her ear; her cool voice transmitted through it. Behind her glasses, her beautiful eyes watched Du Fang’s hand, held out in a gesture of leading, as Chen Xi greeted him with a bright smile.

The voice in her headset was silent for a long time before finally giving instructions.

“He’s entered the Dream Guide Tower… Could he be taking the Dream Guide assessment again?” “Continue surveillance. If possible, observe the assessment and evaluate him.”

Lin Liuli said nothing. Her face was cold as she abruptly cut off communication with the organization. Her red lips parted as she exhaled softly. Then she removed her sunglasses, slipped on high heels that exposed her fair feet, and walked toward the tower.

…

“Brother Fang! You’re here!” Chen Xi beamed. “I’ve already got your number. Get ready, and we can head to the Dream Guide assessment!”

Her face was all smiles, still round with a hint of baby fat, showing no sign of the psychological trauma from last night’s terrifying ordeal.

“Thank you,” Du Fang nodded earnestly. He had always been courteous and civilized, forever grateful to those who helped him—like the aunties in the dream disasters, like the enthusiastic Chen Xi before him.

Chen Xi was flustered by his gratitude. She glanced at Du Fang’s arm, held out as if leading someone. She immediately understood—Du Fang’s daughter Luo Luo was with him!

She forced a smile toward the empty air. “Oh, Luo Luo is here too?”

Du Fang smiled brightly. “It’s rare for us to go out today. Luo Luo’s in a good mood. Luo Luo, say hello to Auntie.”

Luo Luo said nothing, her face as exquisite as a fairy-tale princess, pure and innocent.

“You can call me ‘sister,’” Chen Xi protested softly, though it hardly mattered. Today she wore jeans and a crisp white T-shirt; with her youthful face, she looked like a high school student.

Inside the elevator, Chen Xi pressed the button for the eighteenth floor. Just as the doors were about to close, a hand reached in, reopening them.

Zhang Changlin entered, dressed in a black trench coat, his hair slicked back in a 7-3 part. The coat billowed, the scent of tobacco about him, and he walked silently into the elevator. He glanced at Du Fang, then fixed his gaze on Chen Xi, his eyes tinged with reproach.

“Chen, did you hang up on me last night?” he said. “You’re allowed a little attitude, but you have to know priorities. Otherwise, when you get a new boss, you’ll suffer. In the workplace, you can’t just do as you please.”

Zhang Changlin’s words were earnest and admonishing.

Chen Xi’s face turned red. She was bewildered; this was the first time in ages the captain had arrived at work so early—just because she hung up on him last night? Was he waiting for her? The captain was as eccentric as ever.

“Cap… captain…” Chen Xi mumbled awkwardly.

“Du Fang, right?” Zhang Changlin turned to Du Fang, smiling.

Du Fang, holding Luo Luo, nodded awkwardly. He recognized this middle-aged man—the captain of yesterday’s Dream Guide team, and Chen Xi’s superior.

“What brings you to the Dream Guide Tower today?” Zhang Changlin was friendly, pressing the elevator button as he spoke.

Chen Xi didn’t answer. She had wanted to quietly bring Du Fang for the assessment, but now the captain had caught them.

Du Fang glanced at Chen Xi, then smiled openly. “Miss Chen told me yesterday that if I could master a forbidden artifact, I could become a Dream Guide. So I asked her to be my sponsor—I’m here for the assessment.”

Zhang Changlin was startled, his brows furrowed, and he gave Chen Xi a meaningful look.

He pondered Du Fang’s words. So Du Fang had indeed taken the forbidden artifact from yesterday’s third-level nightmare disaster. But the question remained—

How could an ordinary person take a forbidden artifact?

Just as the elevator doors were closing, a slender, pale hand reached in, stopping them.

The doors opened again. Lin Liuli entered, clad in her white coat, her expression icy.

“Doctor Lin!” Du Fang said, pleasantly surprised.

Lin Liuli looked at him, feigning surprise, then offered a slight smile and nodded, as if their encounter were pure coincidence. Her acting was simple, smooth, unforced.

The battered elevator doors finally closed and began their ascent. The atmosphere inside suddenly grew oddly silent.

Zhang Changlin glanced meaningfully at Lin Liuli, then his gaze returned to Du Fang, breaking the quiet.

“Brother Du, so you really did take the forbidden artifact from yesterday’s dream disaster?” Zhang Changlin asked.

“Yes,” Du Fang replied with a calm, honest smile. He would soon be tested on the artifact anyway; there was no point in hiding it. Besides, he felt no need for secrecy—the artifact had been given to him by the aunties! Nothing to feel guilty about.

Zhang Changlin grew interested, chuckling as if making small talk. “Du, your dream spirit level is weak, less than one energy unit—just a bit above normal. May I ask, how did you manage to claim a forbidden artifact from a third-level nightmare disaster as an ordinary person?”

So direct—no preamble at all.

Chen Xi leaned against the elevator wall, her chest rising and falling anxiously; she knew well Du Fang’s terrifying nature. He was a Dream Guide of the domain type, hiding a demonic side—especially that long-tongued little girl, fierce beyond measure! Even though Captain Zhang Changlin was strong, if he angered Du Fang, would he be able to win? If a fight broke out, would she, a low-ranked Dream Guide, be caught in the fallout?

Lin Liuli was also surprised—the forbidden artifact from yesterday’s disaster was in Du Fang’s hands? She hadn’t known. She would have to add that to her evaluation.

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

Inside the elevator, Zhang Changlin, Chen Xi, and Lin Liuli all stared at Du Fang.

Du Fang, holding Luo Luo, still wore his bright smile, though now tinged with shyness and awkwardness.

He looked at Zhang Changlin, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“The artifact…” he said. “Let me be honest. After winning five rounds of Landlord, the aunties gave it to me.”

Perhaps thinking he’d made it sound too easy, as if the artifact came without effort and might make him seem like a freeloader, Du Fang grew serious and added,

“I played Landlord and gave the aunties five Spring rounds! That’s how I finally won them over. It wasn’t easy for me either!”

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