[Explorer Assessment, Resting Lounge]
"Lin, Lin?"
Huan Qianying nudged Ye Shenlin's arm, signaling that it was time for her to wake up.
Although the assessment for Chen Kong and the others hadn't finished yet.
As the only remaining team of three, besides Tendo and Caroline.
They had a high probability of being the next team.
After all, an assessment can last as long as five minutes, or as short as under one minute.
Waking up Ye Shenlin at this time wasn't too early.
The holographic screen in the lounge was currently broadcasting the assessment footage of Chen Kong and his team.
In the abandoned factory, children mutated by the Star Energy radiation from the fallen zone were huddled behind the ruins. The camera operator's detector red light flickered continuously, and the scene had fallen into a brief stalemate.
However, in response to Huan Qianying's call, Ye Shenlin, sporting dark circles that looked like heavy eyeliner, leaned against the sofa, her head bobbing occasionally.
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Shenlin slowly opened her eyes, which still carried a hint of sleepiness.
She glanced at the screen above and casually tossed out a remark that stunned Huan Qianying.
"Qianying, whose memory is this? How can there be a survivor from the fallen zone?"
"Memory?"
Huan Qianying scratched her head, completely failing to follow her train of thought, and subconsciously said: "What memory? Isn't this the assessment venue? Aren't those children NPCs?"
Ye Shenlin didn't elaborate, instead turning to look in Caroline's direction.
Caroline, who had a good relationship with her, immediately provided the answer.
"Based on the existing data analysis, these scenes and characters should all come from the subconscious mind of the person named 'An Qin.' They are the product of her memory fragments being materialized within the dream illusion."
"I see."
Ye Shenlin nodded, and her head began to droop again. Within a few seconds, she closed her eyes once more, her breathing becoming steady, as if she had instantly fallen into slumber.
Huan Qianying sighed helplessly at her 'lazy fish' appearance.
However, the camera angle of the episode briefly shifted behind Ye Shenlin.
Strangely, despite being in the brightly lit lounge.
Ye Shenlin currently cast no shadow.
Dimensional viewers who noticed this, and then recalled Ye Shenlin's Star Source, 'Past Phantom.'
They understood instantly that this was a hint from the Stars production team.
'Strange, where did Ye Shenlin's shadow go? Isn't her Star Source "Past Phantom"? The shadow is a clone!'
'Her clone is probably already infiltrating the assessment venue!'
'The person above is right, none of the top ten ranked members of the Embers are simple. Even Liuli, who seems the laziest, has extraordinary talent and insight. And Ye Shenlin, ranked NO.5, definitely isn't that simple either.'
'Does Ye Shenlin's shadow have a special ability in the dream? Like being able to see through the essence of illusions?'
'Uncertain, but it's definitely foreshadowing.'
Just as the dimensional viewers were actively discussing Ye Shenlin, the camera moved to the little raccoon administrator in the assessment venue.
It walked through the ruined cityscape. Its short legs stepped over a piece of broken brick, strolling down the street as if out for a walk.
What was strange was that although every step it took was light, the air around it grew heavier with each stride.
As it passed a building ruin, the graffiti on the wall began to distort, black mist seeped out of the cracks in the ground, and the distant howls of Shadow Wolves became muffled, as if covered by a thin veil.
Just as the dimensional viewers were confused by this meaningless shot, the little raccoon suddenly spoke.
Its voice was no longer the previous childish tone, but rather carried a hoarse echo.
"Everyone hides fear in their heart."
"Some fear a certain person, some fear a certain event, and others fear some tiny, yet possible 'terrible future.'"
As it spoke, the little raccoon administrator suddenly lifted its small paw and gently waved it.
In the next second, the scenery around it abruptly changed.
The former city ruins turned into a burning forest, and children's cries could vaguely be heard within the flames.
The little raccoon administrator waved its paw again, and the surrounding flames transformed into a cold deep sea. Countless tentacles stretched out from the darkness, wrapping around the empty air.
Gazing at these endless tentacles, which seemed capable of dragging a person into the 'abyss,' it spoke in a playful tone: "Avoidance is the instinct of living beings, but the more one avoids, the more fear grows rampant in their memory."
"Eventually, what is feared is no longer a specific thing, but 'fear' itself."
"It's like an ant trapped in a window pane. After countless collisions, even if the cage that imprisoned it is removed, it will still collide with that non-existent 'wall.'"
Just then, the dimensional viewers saw a bizarre scene.
The left half of the little raccoon's body began to be engulfed by black mist. Its formerly cute fur turned into scales similar to a 'Nightmare,' and pale purple viscous liquid seeped from its claws. Only the golden bell remained bright, emitting a harsh light within the black mist.
Simultaneously, an ethereal, unsettling voice, carrying a slight echo, emerged from the little raccoon administrator.
"This is my true ability—Eternal Nightmare. Here, everyone's fear will be materialized. Unless you dare to confront it directly, you will never be able to leave."
"And the more you try to escape, the closer you will get to me. Only those who truly overcome the fear in their hearts can truly 'escape' me."
"But there are exceptions to everything—"
As it spoke, the little raccoon administrator suddenly turned its head to look in a certain direction.
In its line of sight, the Nightmare black mist, which had been like a black tide, began to recede.
In its place was an ordinary-looking, old-style residential building.
The building stood in stark contrast to the surrounding decay. The walls were so clean they had no cracks, and warm yellow light shone from the windows. White shirts could even be seen drying on the balcony, as if time had frozen it in its most peaceful moment.
Gazing at this unique, perfectly preserved residential building, which seemed to have fallen into a space-time rift and maintained its original appearance forever, a golden light flashed in the little raccoon's eyes, and its tone was expectant.
"...But you are different, Tendo Simei. What exactly is your fear? Or do you simply lack the concept of fear?"
"Otherwise, why have I never been able to find that thing that makes you evade and escape?"
"I hope you can give me an interesting answer soon."
"After all, the only other person with a similar situation was that old fellow who imprisoned me here."
Hearing these words, the bullet screen on the dimensional screen scrolled rapidly again.
'Seriously, they managed to rope in Tendo even here? They are really forcing in the screentime! (doge)'
'Got it: Human = has fear, Tendo = has no fear, therefore Tendo = not human. Case closed!'
'Is this the treatment for the Stars production team's favorite son? Even an assessment has to build up a persona for Tendo.'