[I've climbed the wall, feeling just fine.]
Having just descended from the wall, Xiaoguizi couldn't help but let out a sigh.
"This game is really keeping up with the times—now we even have fully 3D maps!"
The current space they were in was a grand, luxurious hall, somewhat resembling a hotel lobby.
And in every seating area, familiar faces could be seen.
Huangquan explained, "These voices… are merely shadows of the dream. Pay them no mind."
But Guinaifen didn't agree!
Because right in front of her were the Stellaron Hunters—Silver Wolf and Sam!
She immediately rushed over to them.
Silver Wolf was already an old acquaintance, having appeared many times before.
But this was the first time Sam had appeared in the game.
"Finally, we get to see Sam's in-game model!"
"Just look at that metallic texture, the intricate armor detailing, the explosive sense of power!"
"Silver Wolf standing next to him looks like a tiny figurine in comparison, lol…"
But these "shadows" weren't just static presences.
They even had dialogue between them.
Silver Wolf asked Sam, "How do you plan to drag them into this?"
Sam replied, "Show them the truth in full, and they'll come willingly."
Once the conversation ended, the two figures vanished instantly.
This only reinforced Guinaifen's suspicions.
"These dream shadows must be some kind of foreshadowing! They're definitely connected to the real motives of the factions coming to Penacony!"
Near the central Memoria stood Sunday and Robin.
Sunday said, "The stage of the 'Harmony Festival' belongs to you alone, little sister."
"But if I cannot sing… what meaning does the stage hold?"
Guinaifen was startled.
"Cannot sing?"
"Is that literal? Or is there some force at the 'Harmony Festival' preventing Miss Robin from singing?"
"Ugh, too bad they disappear after the dialogue ends…"
Nearby were Aventurine and Ratio.
Ratio asked mockingly, "What makes you think you can win, you damned gambler?"
"Three 'chips' are enough. All… or nothing."
When this scene appeared, Xiaoguizi froze for a moment.
...
Meanwhile, the chat exploded with excitement!
"Daddy Ratio!"
"And Aventurine too!"
"As expected, Aventurine's also part of the Penacony storyline…"
"Aventurine teaming up with Ratio? That's an instant win!"
"Ratio's gonna solo everything!"
"The IPC's desire to reclaim Penacony is an open secret."
"Oh no, now every time I see Aventurine, that song automatically plays in my head—'Outside the window, this night~'"
...
Among the Family, Sunday watched this scene with a thoughtful expression.
The IPC's intention to retake Penacony was practically an open declaration at this point.
And yet, their envoy—Aventurine—claimed to possess three chips.
"This must be a metaphor…"
"It can't refer to physical objects, but rather… different factions."
"The Astral Express group is likely one of them…"
"The Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection is another."
"But who is the third? The Stellaron Hunters… or the Masked Fools?"
"Hmm… If this man truly can manipulate all three forces at once, he could pose a major threat to the 'Dream of Taiji' plan."
"Indeed, he cannot be underestimated."
...
Hotel Lobby
Aventurine had no idea that Sunday had already marked him as a formidable adversary.
Hearing his own line at the very start of the story—
"Three 'chips' are enough. All… or nothing."
His heart immediately sank.
"Damn it, Yuling… Is this how you handle things?!"
"The plot hasn't even started, and you're already exposing my schemes?!"
Still, Aventurine was Aventurine.
After a quiet exhale, he maintained his usual composed demeanor.
No matter the reality, appearances had to be kept up.
Besides, this was just one line.
It could easily be misinterpreted—perhaps even misleading his opponents.
Aventurine silently prayed:
"Please, let there be less of my storyline from now on!"
"If all my 'cards' get revealed like this… this trip to Penacony will really just be a vacation!"
"When I get back, the higher-ups will demote me, cut my bonuses, dock my pay…"
"Just thinking about it gives me a headache!"
"Everyone else gets to shine in the game—hell, Topaz even got a whole promotional event!"
"But when it's my turn, my plans get exposed at the most critical moment?"
"Feels like I'm being singled out…"
Aventurine rubbed his nose.
"Seems like my usual luck doesn't apply in-game, huh?"
...
Back to the Story!
The last group was Black Swan and Sparkle.
Black Swan had already appeared in the previous PV.
Players' biggest impression of her?
"This Memokeeper's got insane presence—she dares to predict the actions of Aeons?!"
As for the Masked Fool—Sparkle—not much was known yet.
Here, Sparkle taunted Black Swan:
"Memokeeper… Do you really think you can leave unscathed?"
Black Swan responded calmly:
"Apologies. I've already chosen my dance partner."
After circling around and confirming no more hidden dialogues, Guinaifen finally approached the main door.
But the moment she got close…
The door suddenly moved away on its own, revealing a long corridor!
"This dream is getting weirder by the minute…"
Following Huangquan, she finally caught up to the door.
Huangquan said, "We're here."
Guinaifen tensed up slightly.
"If Huangquan's the final boss, now's the time for the big reveal, right?"
She selected [Open the Door].
With a bang, the door swung open.
A blue-haired bellhop stood on the other side, bowing politely.
"Welcome to the Reverie Hotel! May your stay be unforgettable. For check-in, please proceed to the front desk."
After speaking, the bellhop also vanished.
Guinaifen rubbed her arms.
"If I had to experience this dream myself, I'd be scared to death!"
"Feels like this hotel's full of ghosts!"
She even glanced around nervously.
"I used to think this hotel suite was cozy and comfy…"
"But after this quest, it's starting to feel wrong!"
...
Chat Reactions:
"Hey streamer, the cabinet behind you just moved!"
"My favorite Xiaoguizi quote: 'The immersion this time is off the charts!'"
"Penacony's ghosts: 'Why isn't this person asleep yet?'"
"What happened to 'relaxing, sunny vacation'?!"
Huangquan stood by the door.
"Leave this place. Wake as you usually do, forget this chance encounter, and return to where you came from."
"But before we part… I have a request."
"It may sound strange, even rude… but I must ask—"
"Have we met before?"
The moment this line appeared, Guinaifen froze.
Because—
This text was different from all previous dialogue—it was bright red.
Guinaifen stared at it, puzzled.
"Holy crap… I've never seen text like this in the game before!"
"The tension just skyrocketed."
But with just one line, it was hard to guess the meaning.
She selected an option to proceed.
[What do you mean?]
Huangquan explained:
"You remind me of someone. In my fading memories, she stood beside me… much like this surreal dream—so close, yet untouchable."
This line was also red.
"May I ask you a few more questions? I… often forget things. So rather than memories, I rely on 'feelings' to grasp at fragments. The answers don't matter—only your immediate reaction does."
"This dialogue feels super important!"
"Getting chills!"
"Scared me half to death in the middle of the night."
"Sis Huangquan, your symptoms… sound a lot like Mara-struck."
"Did the protagonist know Huangquan before losing their memories?"
...
Aboard the Astral Express
Welt's hand trembled slightly.
If Huangquan revealing her name had initially eased his suspicions…
Now, with the story's progression, that familiar feeling was back.
"If her identity can be faked… then perhaps her name isn't real either."
"Hmm… The more I think about it, the more she resembles her."
His gaze lingered on Huangquan in the story, emotions swirling.
If he could cross the Star Gate and travel the cosmos…
Then Mei… why couldn't she?
And surely, she had experienced far more unimaginable things along the way.
To be continued…
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