Chapter Five: Auntie, You're Here Again

"Could it be that student?" Zhang Changlin rose to his feet, gesturing for the fully armed team members to pack up and prepare to leave. With the dream disaster resolved, there was no longer any reason for the Dream Traverser squad tasked with conquering it to remain. The subsequent follow-up work would be handed over to the police.

"Although a third-grade forbidden artifact of the Strange Tier isn't particularly rare... how could that student, Du Fang—a mere ordinary person—manage to take the forbidden artifact from within the dream?" "Unless the strange entity within the dream disaster chased after him to give it away?" Zhang Changlin lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and exhaled a smoke ring. It was hard to comprehend.

He requested Du Fang's files. The records showed that Du Fang was just an ordinary person. He possessed some dream spirit concentration, but barely at a single unit—extremely weak. It was the minimum threshold for Dream Traverser assessment, barely qualifying him, and with no awakened special abilities, he was by no means a Dream Traverser.

"Then... could he have been parasitized by a dream demon?" "In today's society, dream disasters that erupt from time to time pose a significant threat, but those entities escaping from dreams—possessing humans, seizing bodies, devouring souls—are far more dangerous." "Yet, if someone was parasitized by a dream demon, their dream spirit concentration would spike dramatically in the early stages, and the resulting fluctuations would be difficult to hide..."

Zhang Changlin pondered. So, Du Fang really was just an ordinary person? Could an ordinary person take a forbidden artifact? It's possible, but exceedingly rare.

"Luckily, Chen Xi went along; she's right by Du Fang's side now..." "Perfect, she can discreetly use dream-probing to investigate whether Du Fang took the forbidden artifact." Zhang Changlin chuckled. If Du Fang really did take the forbidden artifact and resolve this third-grade Strange Tier dream disaster, it would warrant caution—a need to keep a close eye on him. Perhaps Du Fang was hiding something. But why would he conceal it?

With that, Zhang Changlin stopped ruminating. He pulled out his phone and dialed Chen Xi's number.

...

The air was filled with the rich aroma of cola chicken wings. Du Fang had prepared three dishes and a soup: besides the cola chicken wings, there was scrambled eggs with shrimp, shredded potatoes in vinegar, and a bowl of seaweed egg soup. All were simple home-cooked fare, but they looked and smelled delicious, whetting the appetite.

Four sets of bowls and chopsticks were arranged on the table.

Lin Liuli naturally took a seat, pouring the remaining half bottle of cola into a glass. "Luo Luo, let your sister pour you some iced cola," she said, her demeanor melting like a thawing iceberg as she placed the glass at an empty seat.

Chen Xi was speechless. No wonder she's a psychologist—she can talk to people or ghosts with equal ease. She played the part so convincingly! So saccharine!

After a moment's thought, Chen Xi picked up a chicken wing with her chopsticks and placed it in "Luo Luo's" bowl. "Sister is giving you chicken wings, Luo Luo. You're growing, so you need to eat more," she said sweetly.

Du Fang glanced at her, his smile gentle as he waved to an unseen presence on the distant sofa. "Luo Luo, stop playing and come thank your aunties."

Lin Liuli: "..."

Chen Xi: "..."

Du Fang paid no mind to these details, looking at the girl seated at the table, who was drooling over the chicken wings. "Eat more, Luo Luo. Both aunties like you very much."

Lin Liuli and Chen Xi forced awkward, stiff smiles at exactly the right moment. The atmosphere at the table was strangely... warm—though the warmth felt as unreal as a ghost.

Chen Xi shoveled a large spoonful of rice into her mouth, wishing for the meal to end quickly so she could return home for skincare and sleep. She had confirmed Du Fang's situation: he was utterly ordinary, his mind having suffered a minor trauma, but nothing suggesting dream demon parasitism.

Suddenly, her phone rang in her pocket. Chen Xi quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, flashing an apologetic look at Du Fang.

She walked to the entryway and answered the call.

"Hello, Chen Xi."

"Captain?"

"What are you doing?"

"Eating dinner," Chen Xi replied, puzzled by the captain's call. Was he concerned for his subordinate? There was nothing dangerous about this observation task, so why the concern?

"Find an opportunity to discreetly probe that student, Du Fang, and sense if there's any forbidden artifact dream spirit fluctuation on him," Zhang Changlin said gravely over the phone.

Chen Xi: "..."

Discreetly probe... Isn't that just spying? She, Chen Xi, pure and upright, how could she do such a thing?

"Chief, isn't that inappropriate? Du Fang is just an ordinary person. The Dream Traverser Code says we can't casually probe ordinary people's dreams," she protested, trying to preserve her integrity.

"Probe? Who said probe? I'm asking you to investigate discreetly—don't confuse the terms. The code says 'not lightly,' not 'never.' We're on official business, investigating a case. Stop dithering. Get in, get out, quickly—probe, no, investigate, and report back. I suspect Du Fang took the forbidden artifact from this dream disaster," Zhang Changlin's tone grew stern.

This little rookie was getting hung up on the Dream Traverser Code. Clearly she'd only recently become certified—young and naive. But once one's integrity is compromised, one gets used to it. Time will teach her to grow.

Chen Xi was conflicted. She wanted to defend her integrity, but Zhang Changlin ended the call after saying, "I have high hopes for you." As a rookie, she was embarrassed to refuse orders, especially since the captain had given a reason.

"Du Fang took the forbidden artifact from the dream disaster? That can't be..." Chen Xi murmured. She peered through the entryway at Du Fang, whose face was full of doting affection as he served "Luo Luo." Aside from some mental issues, he looked every bit an ordinary person. Could an ordinary person take a forbidden artifact? Chen Xi couldn't believe it.

Still, a direct order from Zhang Changlin was hard to ignore. She'd have to probe, but not now. She'd wait until she and Dr. Lin left Du Fang's apartment, then sneak back for the investigation. Although it was her first time, Chen Xi knew—spying must be done quietly.

She adjusted her mood, put on a smile, returned to the table, and gave "Luo Luo" another chicken wing. Seeing the untouched chicken wings in "Luo Luo's" bowl, her heart relaxed. As expected, it was all fake. All a figment of Du Fang's imagination.

Afterward, Chen Xi blended back into the warm, loving dinner atmosphere with laughter and conversation.

...

Dinner ended.

Lin Liuli, in high heels, took the elevator down to the parking garage and left Du Fang's apartment complex. She had intended to give Chen Xi a ride home, but Chen Xi blushed and declined, saying she lived nearby and could walk.

Lin Liuli understood. Before leaving, she gave Chen Xi a deep look. She said nothing—her warnings had already been given.

This woman was as stubborn as ever; it was no longer her responsibility. Recalling her own past experiences, Lin Liuli's cool face showed a hint of lingering fear. Without hesitation, she floored the gas pedal. The engine roared.

The red luxury sedan shot out of the complex like a streak of crimson lightning in the night.

...

Chen Xi wandered beneath the complex's lights, waging an internal battle. As a professional Dream Traverser, she shouldn't spy on ordinary people. But as a squad member, she had to fulfill her mission. So conflicted.

After a long time, she sighed. In the end, she chose to return to Du Fang's building. In truth, Chen Xi was a little curious herself—why had Lin Liuli advised her against probing?

Why indeed?

...

Night deepened. Everyone was asleep. The lights in Du Fang's apartment quietly went out.

"Ping—thirteenth floor." The elevator's electronic voice echoed.

Chen Xi slipped out of the elevator. The entire floor was pitch-black and silent, save for the sound of water dripping from some forgotten tap. Chen Xi stood before Du Fang's door. She took a deep breath.

"Sorry for the intrusion," she whispered.

Then, with a sense of ceremony, she closed her eyes, raised her hand, and touched her brow.

Dream spirit release!

In the next moment, the space around her brow rippled like a stone cast upon water.

Chen Xi opened her eyes. Now, she had become a being of pure mental energy. As soon as she entered within a meter of Du Fang, she would be drawn in by his mental fluctuations, entering his dream. This was the basic dream-probing ability of a Dream Traverser.

She stepped forward, passing through the door into Du Fang's apartment.

But her body suddenly froze.

Because, in the dim, unlit living room, a little girl in a pleated skirt stood by the window. The girl hummed a gentle lullaby, clutching a pink pig plush under her arm. Sensing Chen Xi behind her, the girl slowly turned.

The cold moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating a face pale as death. Two drops of blood-red tears slid from her eyes, tracing crimson lines down her cheeks.

The girl's tongue suddenly extended from her mouth, unnaturally long and covered in backward-facing barbs, licking clean the bloody tears as one might lick the sauce from cola chicken wings.

She left behind horrifying red scratches, gouged by the barbs, across her pale face.

Then, she cocked her head at Chen Xi, grinned wide, exposing rows of sharp, downward-pointing triangular teeth.

"Giggle, giggle..."

"Auntie, you're here again?"

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