Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

# Chapter 53: Regarding Jessica’s impending social death The next morning.

The group, who had slept soundly last night, had no idea that a group of ghosts had been partying around their tent in the middle of the night.

And when Lucas Reeve told Franka and Liskarm what happened last night, and Franka in turn relayed it to Magallan.

Just as Lucas Reeve had guessed.

Fear was not an option.

Upon hearing this, Magallan became even more excited. She felt that she might make an unprecedented great discovery on this trip! Who knows, maybe her name would appear in future textbooks.

The great pioneer of exploration—Miss Magallan~

For an explorer, life was no longer the first priority; exploring the unknown was the highest meaning of life. There was no such thing as giving up exploration out of fear. And as mercenaries, Franka and the others were the same. If they were afraid of losing their lives, they might as well find a factory to work in, or find a rich husband to marry. Why be a mercenary...

With Franka’s looks, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a handsome corporate executive for a husband.

After a simple breakfast to replenish their energy.

The five people and one soul took all their exploration gear and followed the wide river into the depths of the cave.

”I’m not bragging, but I’ve explored countless caves like this alone. I’m very experienced...”

The group walked into the cave. It was pitch black inside with not a sliver of light. They could only rely on the headlamps on each person’s head to barely illuminate the surroundings. The ground was extremely damp, and they could hear the gurgling sound of the stream nearby. There were no insect chirps, no sounds of other creatures.

The sound of the water and the howling wind from outside the cave mixed together, creating a somewhat terrifying atmosphere.

As an explorer, Magallan naturally walked at the very front.

”...”

”Is that so? I don’t believe you...”

Franka, as expected, did not give Magallan any face.

If it had been at the beginning, Franka might have believed her. After all, the penguin girl was indeed a famous explorer. But after these past few days, Franka decided to trust her own judgment rather than Miss MacArthur’s experienced judgment...

Magallan quickly explained.

”Generally speaking, the inside of such a naturally formed cave will be intricate and complex, and there seems to be some kind of inexplicable magnetic field that affects one’s memory, which is why various situations of getting lost inside occur. But, everyone, be careful. I have already left marks along the way, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost.”

”Um...”

Franka suddenly froze.

She stared blankly ahead, and Liskarm, Jessica, and the others all stared blankly ahead as well, motionless.

”Miss Mac, are you sure... it’s intricate and complex in here?”

”Of course!”

Magallan patted her chest, extremely confident.

”But... are you sure?!!”

Franka tapped Magallan on the forehead, grabbed her head, and forcefully turned it around.

The next second.

Magallan also froze on the spot.

The scene before them was truly breathtaking.

There were no so-called intricate and complex paths. Right now, at the end of the river not far away, was a vast area that was like another world.

The black river water was not deep, only reaching up to Jessica’s knees. And in this vast grotto, countless ancient trees stood tall in the river. The number of trees was so great that it reminded everyone of the word ’sea of trees’.

Blackflow Sea of Trees?!

So this is the Blackflow Sea of Trees...

”Fuck! This is just... too magnificent....”

Even Magallan, who had been to many places, couldn’t help but be shocked by the spectacular scene before her.

Each tree was at least a hundred meters tall. Placed anywhere outside, they would be the most ancient of trees, but here, they were incredibly common. The ancient trees stood close together, their roots soaking in the shallow river water.

Magallan could no longer hold back.

She immediately activated her drone, hoping to capture this breathtaking scene.

Even Franka couldn’t resist and quietly took out her phone to record a video.

”Something’s not right...”

Among the group, only Lucas Reeve furrowed his brow. He had had a strange feeling ever since they entered the cave. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it at the moment, but it just felt very strange. And all the souls he had seen ’partying’ last night were nowhere to be seen.

He wanted to call out to Ceobe and ask about the situation. Ceobe should probably be able to see souls too, but just as he was about to, he was surprised to find...

Ceobe was gone!!

She had been right by Jessica’s side!!

Something’s wrong...

Something’s not right....

This place is definitely not right...

”Jessica! Ceobe is gone...”

”Huh?!”

”Jessica!!!”

Lucas Reeve called Jessica’s name, but Jessica gave no response.

Through Jessica’s eyes.

Her gaze was currently fixed on the tallest and thickest tree in the middle of the black river before them.

”.....”

Lucas Reeve quickly floated out of the necklace.

Jessica’s expression was strange... she seemed very happy, and very blissful.

Lucas Reeve then flew ahead to call out to Franka, Liskarm, and Magallan. The expressions on their faces were different from Jessica’s, but they all shared one common characteristic: they were lost in a daze, their eyes vacant...

As expected...

There’s something wrong with this Blackflow Sea of Trees!

Based on the four’s expressions, this Blackflow Sea of Trees should be able to directly affect a person’s mind or soul. No wonder he had felt uneasy ever since entering the cave. It turned out that the environment here was constantly affecting his spirit. But even though he was a remnant soul, he was still much stronger than an ordinary person, which was why he hadn’t been affected much. As for why Ceobe had disappeared, Lucas Reeve didn’t know the answer to that either.

He had to wake them up as soon as possible... they needed to leave this troublesome place quickly...

Since their souls were bewitched, then he would have to start from the soul level. This was something Lucas Reeve was very good at.

Without a second thought, he drilled directly into Jessica’s body.

Accompanied by a blinding white light, Lucas Reeve seemed to enter a completely new world. No... it was the familiar Blacksteel Worldwide? Lucas Reeve seemed to have been here before. He remembered now, it was the training ground where Jessica had taken her assessment. And at this moment, he was like an outsider, floating in the air, but no one noticed him.

A dream?

Or rather...

A hallucination seen after the soul has been bewitched?

Just as Lucas Reeve was pondering how to wake Jessica.

An announcement came over the training ground’s broadcast.

”Will intern number 15263, Franka, please enter the assessment field. The examiner for this assessment is Jessica.”

”??!!!”

Ten thousand question marks flashed through Lucas Reeve’s mind.

Hey, hey, hey!! Isn’t that backward!!!

And as the loudspeaker sounded.

A very familiar figure walked out from the preparation room on the side.

”Ahhh!! Senior Jessica!!!”

”It’s our Blacksteel Worldwide’s strongest elite! Senior Jessica!!!”

With Jessica’s entrance, the other Blacksteel Worldwide Operators in the packed seats cheered wildly. The scene was even crazier than one of Sora’s concerts.

Wait a minute?!!!

This is Jessica!!!

Lucas Reeve rubbed his eyes, and when he looked at the ’Jessica’ in the field, he was completely petrified and froze on the spot.

The Jessica before him...

Was incredibly mature. Her originally somewhat chubby and cute little face had become a seductive and sexy older-sister type face in the dream. Her chest, which was non-existent in reality, was now incredibly ample in the dream, even a tiny bit more so than Franka’s. Truly a woman with great assets! Her originally petite height of 1.47 meters had grown to over 1.7 meters, with a fiery figure, long legs, and black stockings...

If it weren’t for the fact that her face was still recognizably Jessica’s, Lucas Reeve would have really suspected it was a different person...

The art style had changed drastically!

It was as if she had gone from a Q-version style to a proper manga style.

Her former timidity had long since disappeared. Her face only showed the arrogance of a strong person. She greatly enjoyed the adulation of her fanboys and fangirls around her, greatly enjoyed this stage. At this moment, she was the main character.

And beside the stage.

Lucas Reeve also saw an incredibly familiar figure.

Himself...

Himself???

He had a role too?

In this dream, he was like Jessica’s lackey, constantly cheering for Jessica from behind. And after Jessica went on stage, she turned her head and blew him a kiss with a charming smile that made the flowers wilt in comparison.

The dream version of himself was so excited he almost fainted. The people in the audience only had envy and jealousy!

Lucas Reeve could even hear the crowd muttering.

”Fuck”!!

”How could our Senior Jessica fall for a loser like Lucas Reeve!!”

”He clearly has no combat talent at all! He’s been at Blacksteel Worldwide for years and is still an intern...”

”I bet Senior Jessica is just playing with him. How could a loser like him win Senior Jessica’s heart...”

”I’m so envious, even if she’s just playing... I’d do it too. I really want to be Senior Jessica’s dog, woof woof woof!!”

”What a useless piece of trash?! Have some ambition! I want to be Senior’s servant. That’s a level higher than a dog. At least I’m still human...”

???

Floating in the air.

Countless question marks flashed through Lucas Reeve’s mind.

What kind of female-oriented power fantasy plot is this?!!

Lucas Reeve could already imagine Jessica’s social death on the spot if he told her about this dream.