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n13 Attempt

nIt was the dead of night, and all was quiet.

nLumian stirred in his dream once more. The first thing he glimpsed was a faint gray mist.

nOn impulse, he reached into his shirt pocket with his hand.

nThe frigid sensation of cold, hard metal immediately registered in his mind.

nHe retrieved the object he’d felt. A glint of gold illuminated his eyes.

nIt was a gold coin.

nA Louis d’or.

nIt’s still here… Lumian sat up and peered down at himself.

nHe still donned the cotton attire, pants, and leather jacket from his last expedition. The nearly two-meter-long steel pitchfork and sharp, iron-black axe rested within arm’s reach.

nThis was precisely the same condition as when he’d exited the dream.

nIn other words, this dream is persistent. It doesn’t reset with each entry… Lumian fiddled with the Louis d’or and slipped it into his cotton shirt’s inner pocket.

nThough it couldn’t be actualized, it was still a joy to have.

nLumian rose from bed and gazed out the window for a spell, ensuring the red mountain peak in the ruins hadn’t changed.

nHe hoisted his axe and pitchfork, departed his chamber, and entered the dimly lit corridor.

nAurore’s bedroom and study doors remained ajar.

nLumian studied them briefly, then suddenly conceived an idea.

nIn the dream, my room is practically identical to reality. It contains all the expected elements. Aurore’s room appears the same at first glance.

nHowever, can I locate her witchcraft notebook, secret potion formula, or learn how to become a Warlock in her quarters?

nThis notion was akin to a devil’s whisper, causing Lumian’s heart to race. He was tempted to try.

nCompared to exploring the unknown, hazardous, enigmatic ruins, sifting through Aurore’s room was the simpler, safer option.

nNo, no! Lumian shook his head vigorously and cast the idea aside.

nHe’d rather take his chances than violate Aurore’s privacy. He wouldn’t venture into her bedroom without her approval.

nThis was due to his respect for Aurore.

nIf it weren’t for Aurore, he would have perished as a child on the streets five years ago.

nLumian withdrew his pained gaze and made his way to the stairs.

nIf the occupant of the room wasn’t Aurore, he would have already delved in to search for useful information.

nOnce downstairs, Lumian didn’t hasten his departure. Instead, he inspected the provisions in the kitchen.

nThe olive oil, corn oil, and animal fat that Aurore had amassed were neatly arranged in buckets and cans, just like in reality.

nAlmost instinctively, Lumian lifted the bucket of corn oil and positioned it near the stove.

nHis sole reason for selecting it was that animal fat and olive oil were pricier.

nThen he adeptly kindled a blaze in the hearth with coal and wood, and fashioned a couple of torches to ignite.

nHe was preparing to incinerate that monster.

nNaturally, it would be preferable if there were other options. That was a last resort.

nAfter completing these tasks, he retrieved his axe, opened the door, and departed.

nLumian then observed something unusual.

nThe faint gray mist that suffused the dream felt more humid than before. The ground beneath his feet was also slightly muddy.

nIt rained? This place persists and develops naturally according to certain laws when I’m absent or dreaming? Lumian was somewhat taken aback, but he had an inkling that it was only fitting.

nRecalling Aurore’s bizarre tales, he suddenly had a notion.

nThis can’t be the real world, can it?

nMy dream is connected to the genuine world. That tarot card enables me to traverse the barrier between dream and the ruins while conscious?

nLumian swiftly surveyed his surroundings and realized that an endless gray fog bordered both sides of the ruins, on the dream’s periphery.

nI’ll check later. I won’t venture into the ruins. I’ll stroll out of the gray fog and see if it’s a surreal and irrational dream after passing through the gray fog, or if there’s tangible land, sky, village, and town…

nIf it were the former, it signified that this place was still a dream. If it wasn’t, Lumian had to confirm which world this was.

nHe surmised that based on the usage of the Louis d’or, this place still appeared to be in the Intis Republic, but it might not be the present era. It could be a location that had vanished decades or centuries ago.

nHowever, Lumian sensed that there was a high likelihood that he wouldn’t be able to exit the encompassing gray fog.

nHe gathered his thoughts and proceeded toward the ruins.

nHe didn’t forget that the purpose of entering the dream was to attempt to contend with that monster.

nAfter traversing a hundred to two hundred meters in the muddy wilderness riddled with gravel and crevices, Lumian abruptly halted.

nHe thought of a problem.

nHe’d overlooked something in his preparations earlier!

nPreviously, his two-story abode lacked any flames. It was quite secure in this world cloaked in gray fog. But now, it had a blazing furnace that emitted light. Would it draw in a swarm of monsters and render the safe zone unsafe?

nLumian instinctively turned his head and peered in the direction he’d come from. He observed that a scarlet gleam had been etched on various glass windows at the base of the half-submerged two-story structure in the faint gray mist.

nIt was akin to a beacon in the dark world.

nConsidering that a considerable amount of time had elapsed, it was evidently too late to attempt to extinguish the fire. Lumian hastened his pace and entered the ruins, taking refuge in the building that had crumbled due to a conflagration.

nHe clipped the axe to the back of his belt and agilely scaled a wall, concealing himself in a shadowy nook separated by bricks and timber.

nLumian gazed at his home on the other side of the wilderness.

nAs time ticked by, he didn’t witness any monsters lured by the fire.

nSeems like the fire won’t trigger any changes. At the very least, my house won’t be besieged by monsters… Lumian breathed a sigh of relief.

nThis meant that even if he encountered any peril, as long as he could flee home promptly and slumber as soon as possible, he could successfully elude it.

nHe began to contemplate how to entice and eliminate the previous monster.

nFrom their brief skirmish, he’d deduced that its strength, speed, reaction time, and agility were similar to his, but he could sense that it fought on instinct. It lacked sufficient experience, expertise, or corresponding intelligence. That’s why he’d been able to counter and slay it when it ambushed him…

nIt’ll also be bewildered and taken aback. It’s not dissimilar to humans…

nOther than combat techniques, I have two other advantages over it. Firstly, I possess superior intelligence. Secondly, I know how to wield weapons and utilize tools. This is the greatest advantage humans possess over such monsters…

nAs long as I’m cautious, defeating it again won’t be arduous. The most crucial aspect is how to eradicate it completely…

nJust as Lumian was about to deliberately stir up some commotion to see if he could lure over some monster, he spied a figure stealthily approaching the utterly ruined house on the side.

nThe figure was crimson and devoid of skin. Its muscles, blood vessels, and fascia were exposed. It was the monster from last time.

nUnlike before, this monster was wielding a manure fork.

nA manure fork!

nIt knows how to wield weapons too… Lumian’s countenance stiffened as his expression turned grim.

nUnwittingly, his confidence waned a bit.

nAs the monster drew closer and turned, Lumian perceived exaggerated wounds on its back, neck, and the nape of its neck. However, the fissures were no longer oozing pus, and it appeared to have mostly mended.

nIt’s indeed the one I encountered previously…

nIts self-healing ability is many times superior to that of ordinary humans…

nLumian gasped soundlessly.

nHe compelled himself to compose and expeditiously assessed the situation.

nIn the twinkling of an eye, Lumian arrived at a determination.

nThis was a prime opportunity, and he had to seize it when he encountered it. He couldn’t let it slip by!

nHe silently retrieved a stone brick beside him and awaited the monster’s arrival at the desired location.

nIn just a few strides, the monster entered Lumian’s kill zone.

nLumian abruptly hurled the stone brick at the ground behind the monster.

nThud!

nThe stone brick clattered, causing the monster to swivel around and scrutinize the assailant.

nUpon beholding this, Lumian seized the axe with both hands and pounced fiercely from the wall towards the monster.

nBang!

nThe axe descended heavily onto the monster’s neck, cleaving it in two.

nWith twin thuds, Lumian and the monster plummeted to the ground simultaneously.

nLumian sprang up nimbly, seized his axe, and darted over, delivering weighty slashes to the monster’s neck.

nOnce, twice, thrice. The monster didn’t even get a chance to resist before its head was lopped off.

nAs the head rolled aside, the skinless body convulsed twice and ceased movement.

nLumian didn’t halt there. He took a diagonal step, rotated his axe, and pulverized the vicious head with its thick back, reducing it to fragments.

nSubsequently, he pivoted and hacked at the exposed muscles, blood vessels, and fascia, crushing the heart and other vital organs.

nAfter accomplishing all of this, Lumian took two paces backward and surveyed his handiwork. He panted and chuckled softly.

n“I thought you were truly invincible. Who’d have thought you possessed so little ability!”

nAmidst the subdued laughter, the decapitated cadaver abruptly jolted upward.

nLumian’s pupils contracted, and he instinctively wished to pivot and flee.

nHe forcefully quelled this impulse and strode forward once more, brandishing his axe.

nAfter the corpse bounced twice, it reverted to immobility, as if it had writhed in vain.

nLumian scrutinized it a while longer and ultimately verified that the monster was wholly deceased.

nHow tenacious… Lumian sighed inwardly. Then, he leaned over and crouched down. He employed his axe to pry open the muscles and fascias and scrutinized the corpse.

nThe monster’s bodily structure wasn’t dissimilar to a human’s, but its muscles were evidently more animated. Even though it was already dead, some of its incisions were still wriggling slightly.

nThere’s no treasure, nor is there any supernatural power transferred into my body… Lumian assessed his present state and felt somewhat disenchanted.

nThe adage that one grows stronger with each monster they slay indeed only existed in Aurore’s tales.

nHe then relocated the monster’s corpse and head into the ruined building and entombed them with bricks and timber.

nSubsequently, he scoured the burnt-down house, hoping to discover something.

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