Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Young Wife Followed as Well

Zhang Changlin felt a rush of excitement and agitation. In the final, desperate moment before the dream calamity was destroyed, he summoned all his courage and reached into the box that sealed the blood-red hand, grabbing a handful of black substance. He had no idea what this black substance was. All he knew was that it had to be something extraordinary. After all, that hand was unimaginably powerful, and the substance capable of sealing it must surely not be ordinary.

So Zhang Changlin made his choice—

To risk it all,

To turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!

As he awakened, Zhang Changlin still could not suppress the thrill within him. It was a secret, sneaky kind of exhilaration—like the thrill of eating dumplings, or the forbidden delight of a sister-in-law. Although he knew this excitement was somewhat twisted, he couldn't help himself; he was simply too elated.

He opened his eyes.

The injuries and pain he had suffered in the dream calamity began to sync with his physical body in reality. Zhang Changlin gasped in pain, nearly shedding tears—damn, it hurt!

“Captain Zhang, you’re getting stronger! So hidden and deep, able to conquer such a high-level dream calamity!”

“Captain Zhang, looks like Sun Yaohai’s third-ranked gold squad will soon be replaced by your Wildfire Squad. From now on, we’ll call you Gold Zhang!”

“Every city can only have three gold squads; Sun Yaohai must be getting anxious.”

“No wonder Captain Zhang is a genius dreamwalker from the capital!”

One praise after another rang around him, leaving Zhang Changlin bewildered.

He listened for a while before realizing these people were crediting him with conquering the dream calamity. But he hadn’t been the one to break it!

“It wasn’t me.”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t spread rumors.”

Zhang Changlin hastily denied with three shakes of his head, making it clear the credit was not his; the other members of Wildfire Squad could testify! He didn’t accept undeserved praise or take the blame for others—those were his life principles.

“Captain, didn’t you battle that powerful ghost hand for three hundred rounds?” Si Nan asked, confused.

“If it wasn’t you, who could it be? You led the charge… and got hurt the worst,” said the rotund Zhao Lu.

“Oh, Linlin, it’s you, it’s definitely you! Like a cowboy wrangling horses, so mighty and strong.” Su Jiuming, holding a white rose, smiled ever more alluringly. “Amazing.”

Zhang Changlin: “……”

You all…

A bunch of lunatics!

The three hundred rounds—that was just his boasting! Back in the second layer of the dream calamity, these were the same people who laughed the hardest at his bruised and battered face.

Zhang Changlin scowled, unwilling to pay any more attention to these clowns.

Suddenly,

He felt something slick in his hand.

It was the black substance he had brought back from the dream calamity!

As the black substance appeared in reality, several dreamwalkers nearby glimpsed it, their eyes lighting up.

Zhang Changlin’s heart tightened.

He discreetly slipped the black substance into his pocket.

As for the credit for conquering the dream calamity—since it wasn’t his, he would never claim it. That was his professional integrity.

Zhang Changlin took out a pack of cigarettes, shook one out, and placed it between his swollen lips. After lighting it, he took a satisfying drag.

While smoking, Zhang Changlin began a mental review. Though he hadn’t responded, the crowd’s fleeting glance at the black substance, radiating dream energy, only confirmed their belief that he had conquered the dream calamity!

That thing… was clearly a forbidden artifact!

Only the one who conquers a dream calamity can obtain a forbidden artifact!

So, who else could have done it but Zhang Changlin?

At once, reporters crouched in the distance, like mad dogs catching the scent of blood.

They rushed to Zhang Changlin, their cameras nearly pressed against his battered face.

Zhang Changlin’s expression changed instantly—cigarette in hand, he shrieked,

“No!”

“Don’t film my face!”

…

…

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Du Fang applauded excitedly from the sidelines.

Watching Captain Zhang surrounded by reporters and spotlights, like a superstar, Du Fang felt a surge of admiration and aspiration.

“No wonder Captain Zhang is so incredible.”

“I heard this dream calamity was a double-layered one, with the potential to evolve into a high-level event, and Captain Zhang conquered it!”

“When will I become a powerful dreamwalker like Captain Zhang?”

Du Fang stood outside the crowd,

At twenty years old,

Gazing at Captain Zhang,

Like a nobody.

He couldn’t experience the terror of the dream calamity himself, but hearing the discussions and lingering fear from others, Du Fang could infer just how horrifying this calamity had been.

“Still, seeing Captain Zhang’s battered face, I guess conquering the dream calamity wasn’t easy—he must have gone through a life-or-death struggle.”

“Dream calamities… are dangerous. Even someone as strong as Captain Zhang nearly failed. Our family will just learn from others’ experiences.”

Du Fang said.

Luo Luo’s small hand was wrapped around Du Fang’s big hand. She turned her face up to look at him.

“Whatever Daddy says goes.”

Luo Luo was very obedient.

Du Fang beamed, turning his head toward his shoulder. “Isn’t that right, honey?”

Luo Luo squinted, smiling blissfully as her gaze fell on Du Fang’s shoulder.

There,

A slender, fair hand

lay quietly, like a spider.

…

…

The dream calamity had been conquered.

Yet the Jiangling First Girls’ High School remained sealed off.

However, the alert level had dropped considerably.

The police of Jiangling took over the cleanup, screening the surviving students for dream demon parasites.

Thanks to the early conquest of the dream calamity, none of the girls immersed in it suffered fatal harm.

Yet psychological trauma was inevitable—especially among the underachievers, who would now carry a deep shadow. Many of them were suddenly determined to turn over a new leaf,

Resolving to study hard when they got out.

After all, even in the dream calamity, they had to take exams!

Education in this era—

Was truly relentless!

Du Fang saw Su Xiaoyu on the ride back to the Dreamwalker Tower.

He didn’t ride back with Su Jiuming’s motorcycle, but chose Wen Ji’s car; somehow, Du Fang felt awkward riding with them.

Inside the car, Wen Ji enthusiastically informed Du Fang about Su Xiaoyu’s situation, and also requested a day’s leave for her.

Upon hearing, Du Fang couldn’t help but feel respectful.

Alone, she had resisted the expansion of the dream calamity…

Such admirable spirit!

“Sigh, to hold back the calamity’s spread, this girl used up three vials of Dream Spirit Spring—just to stop those five minutes… Five minutes, and two point four million spent!” Wen Ji sighed.

Truly, wealth beyond comprehension.

Du Fang: “Senior Wen, that’s not right—you shouldn’t tarnish Xiaoyu’s dreams with money!”

Wen Ji glanced at the earnest Du Fang, paused, then laughed at himself. “You’re right. Pure dreams shouldn’t be sullied.”

“The price of Dream Spirit Spring is just pocket change to her. I thought, perhaps, since she bought three vials, she might want to gift you one as a greeting.”

Du Fang: “???”

Why didn’t you say so earlier?

So,

Did I just lose eight hundred thousand?

His heart felt like it was bleeding.

Du Fang glanced at Su Xiaoyu, who lay limp and exhausted in the car seat.

The little assistant’s eyes were dazed, her face full of satisfaction.

Du Fang stared at her,

His gaze deep,

His tone earnest:

“Little assistant, next time something like this happens, don’t try to handle it alone. Take care of yourself.”

“You must know—you’re not alone anymore. You have me.”

“You’re my assistant; I have every reason to shield you from wind and rain. Your dream is my dream…”

“Next time, call me.”

“Give the Dream Spirit Spring to me, let me help you.”

“Many hands make light work.”

Su Xiaoyu’s mind was muddled,

But hearing Du Fang’s words, a warm current swept through her heart; she was moved.

Du Fang smiled gently. “Also, little assistant, in the future… give gifts early.”

“Okay!”

Su Xiaoyu was weak and fuzzy-headed, but vaguely felt Du Fang was looking out for her.

So, confused yet earnest, she nodded.

Wen Ji: “……”

He suddenly wondered if assigning Su Xiaoyu as Du Fang’s assistant was the right decision.

Would this girl be sold off by Du Fang one day?

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