**Chapter 8: The Dreamscape**
Naturally, the wood they had gathered was only enough to last until midnight. Although Lu Li had found some more, time was short and he couldn't carry much on his own. The remaining wood would only last three or four more hours, but dawn was at least five hours away.
[TL: Author doing meth instead of math]
The ghouls might have retreated, but Lu Li knew there were other creatures lurking in the darkness. If the fire went out, those monsters wouldn't hesitate to make a meal out of him and the old man.
The old man clutched the marionette, but Lu Li noticed that the tear in the marionette's eye had grown more vivid and eerie. A heavy atmosphere filled the temple, making him feel drowsy. He saw the old man's eyelids drooping, and as he added more wood to the fire, the old man's head fell forward, and he fell back asleep.
A wave of dizziness hit Lu Li, but this time his vision sharpened: Brain capacity release 10%...11%...12%...15%!
With his brain's capacity released, Lu Li's thinking speed increased, and his ability to process information enhanced greatly. He could sense even the smallest changes in temperature, air, scent, light, sound, and an almost intangible feeling. As all this information flooded his mind, he squeezed his temples, eyes brightening. "Got it…"
Then, Lu Li passed out. Blood trickled from his nose as the temple began to disintegrate, turning into dark brown ash that floated away. Reality faded, and illusion became more tangible. This was a dreamscape, yet it wasn't, existing somewhere between reality and fantasy.
When Lu Li reopened his eyes, he saw the marionette across from him, still gazing longingly at the sleeping old man. Lu Li found the situation cruel. It was like the story of the flower and leaf, eternally missing each other. In the waking world, the old man was oblivious to the marionette's consciousness, and in the dreamscape, the old man could only sleep while the marionette watched over him.
For decades, these two had depended on each other, yet never truly communicated. It was a tragedy, Lu Li thought. He then turned to the marionette, "Continuing our last conversation, what do you need me to do?"
"Greetings, young master," the marionette said, bowing slightly. "As I mentioned before, everything here has meaning. The temple that should exist here has vanished, not because it lacks significance, but because someone hid it. It symbolizes safety. If we find the temple and move the fire there, we will be safe. The real-world temple's safety will also be enhanced."
"The temple, huh?" Lu Li eyed the marionette deeply but didn't question further. Instead, he said, "The firewood in the real world is running low. You know better than I how many creatures lurk in the darkness. Do you have a solution?"
"Do not worry, young master. I will handle that," the marionette reassured him with a smile. She turned away, adding, "Hurry and prepare. Our time is limited, and the flow of time here in the dreamscape is unstable. If we don't finish in time, things could get very bad!"
Lu Li tore another piece from his pant leg to make a simple torch. He found the dreamscape peculiar. He had previously torn a piece of his pants here, yet found them intact in the real world. Now, back in the dreamscape, the torn piece was gone, leaving him with shorts.
Fortunately, the red snowflakes were not too cold; otherwise, the temperature alone would be a problem. The marionette led the way, talking about the dreamscape as Lu Li followed with his torch.
"The dreamscape is like a series of bubbles, each with its own area, but not absolutely separate. While monsters usually stay within their zones, they can cross boundaries. Living beings, when asleep, project a shadow here. These projections remain unconscious, but if harmed here, the real body is affected as well."
"Everything here has symbolic meaning. Houses represent safety, and monsters cannot enter them willingly."
"Willingly? So, there are ways they can enter without consent?" Lu Li asked, intrigued.
"Monsters find it difficult to exist in the real world and cannot easily interact with it. However, they can create disturbances. Normally, people won't notice, but those with weak vitality or fragile nerves might hear them. For example, knocking sounds—if the person opens the door, the monsters can then enter the house."
"You said monsters struggle to exist in the real world. What about the pale-skinned ghouls?" Lu Li inquired. Despite their fear of fire, they could exist in the real world's night.
"They are different due to special circumstances," the marionette hesitated, then continued, "Unlike us spirit types, their physical bodies are human corpses."
"The dreamscape has phases. During the day, it's in a low tide state, making it hard for monsters to move or harm human projections. But at night, without shelter or a fire, you're likely to become a monster's meal! Although, when many humans gather, their life energy acts like a fire."
"One crucial point: the dreamscape and the real world are not entirely separate. Special humans like you can enter here. We can also use abilities to influence the real world. Certain actions can break the barrier, summoning dreamscape monsters into reality."
"This world is not safe," the marionette concluded.
"It certainly is…" Lu Li mused, then chuckled, "An interesting world!"
End of the chapter.