Bear School Astartes

”This is the most dangerous and deeply hidden nightmare.”

Simon said to Lann, who was half-sitting on the tombstone.

”The answers found in this nightmare must be incredibly important. That’s why I came here and dedicated my time running around.”

”You can’t even remember how many times this nightmare has reversed itself on you.” Lann clicked his tongue in amazement, ”To what extent have you explored this nightmare?”

Simon shook his head and said in a somewhat frustrated low voice, ”Honestly, I’m still not quite clear.”

The whole alley of people had died from the gray blood disease.

The gloomy sunlight from outside couldn’t come in, with only occasional gusts of ominous wind rustling through the weeds growing from the brick cracks in the alley, carrying the distinctive bloody scent of those plagued by gray blood disease.

”I only know that the time of this nightmare stretches from yesterday to the night of the hunt that burned down the entirety of Old Yan’an.”

”During this period, there were surely many sudden and dramatic changes.”

”But I’ve said it less than hundreds of times; I’ve never managed to delve into the core of events to observe what truly happened. And...”

Simon chuckled self-deprecatingly.

”I rarely live to see the conflicts and changes explode.”

Lann raised his head, somewhat surprised: ”What do you mean?”

Every conscious Hunter notices the time reversal, accumulating experience continuously.

Even among Yan Nan Hunters, few have fought to death as many times as they have.

Therefore, their level is completely above the common standard of Hunters.

Hunters like Henrik, whom even Erin would have to reverse several times to defeat, are truly rare.

Now, although Old Yan’an suffers from the gray blood disease plague, the situation isn’t chaotic. How could Simon not live to see the turmoil, even in such a calm situation?

”This nightmare is very dangerous, Lann.”

Simon didn’t directly answer the question, merely repeating his initial words with deep meaning.

”The secret within the nightmare... there’re reasons such secrets remain hidden, and there’re people who don’t wish them uncovered, especially those secrets that can’t see the light of day.”

Someone was chasing him within the nightmare.

Lann instantly understood his meaning.

Simon, with a warning and reminder, told Lann, ”The closer I get to the secrets, the more dangerous it becomes. He always manages to find me, no matter where I am. I don’t know how he does it, but every time before he appears, I hear the sound of a Shaking Bell.”

If Lann also wishes to explore the secrets of this nightmare, undoubtedly, he would have the same experience.

”Shaking Bell...”

The Demon Hunter frowned and couldn’t grasp the situation, initially considering it a technology product from Yan’an, capable of locking onto those who wish to explore certain secrets.

”It’s specifically because exploring secrets entails danger, and the hidden knowledge itself is dangerous, that I wear these things.”

Simon spoke while mockingly tugging the filthy bandages around his head, now tinted with yellow and black.

”I suggest you prepare as well. When you feel something amiss, close your eyes quickly; don’t hear, don’t look.”

Due to the danger of the knowledge itself, caution is necessary.

Yet, how can one solve the mystery without looking at the knowledge?

Yan’an, the irrationality, contradiction, and danger embodied by the city’s disaster, laid completely bare.

The Hunters’ actions here resemble acrobatics on a tightrope.

With one misstep, precious sanity transforms into irreparable downfall, plunging into madness.

Lann wasn’t overly worried about this.

The Holy Chant Gland in his brain had shown resistance against mental oppression and distortion in the Flame World before.

Back then, Lann only glimpsed the intrinsic essence of Profound Saint Elderidge, and his mind and spirit were tainted by profound forces.

Throughout the process, he demonstrated extraordinary endurance until he eventually slaughtered Elderidge, achieving purification of body and mind.

Additionally, Mentos had already devised solutions for dealing with mental contamination visions during the confrontation with Da Gun.

The biochemical intelligence brain smartly performed image filtration, ensuring that any pollution-triggering elements filtered out from Lann’s eyesight.

With double insurance, the Demon Hunter felt his chances of triumph far exceeded those of the Yan Nan Hunters who rely on sheer willpower.

”Nightmare...”

Lann’s fingers lightly tapped the tombstone half-sitting beneath him; the sensation of touch and the people he encountered along the way, young Henrik, Mark...

Can a Dream Realm created by Ancient Gods even be called a ’illusory dream’?

Yet, immediately, Lann shook his head.

”Is there any message that can be communicated?”

The Demon Hunter cautiously asked Simon.

Given that these messages might attract unknown enemies or the information itself is dangerous, Lann sought confirmation from the other.

”I can’t say much.” Simon lightly said, as if utterly lethargic, ”All I know now is that the Healing Church is organizing a large-scale hunting event, gathering many Old Hunters. Perhaps there’s even a shadow of Byron Vis.”

”We’d better not investigate in the same direction; this way, the clues we gather will be more comprehensive. Maybe we can piece together the full picture in the end.”

Lann nodded, indicating his understanding of this statement.

In the midst of a ’kakakaka’ noise, Lann stood up.

”Be careful, Simon,” he looked down at the disheveled Hunter, ”don’t die too early. Otherwise, if we manage to escape the nightmare this time, you’ll miss it.”

”Better not boast too much,” Simon chuckled softly.

”I don’t know how powerful you are, but as I said, this is Yan’an’s most dangerous and deepest hidden nightmare. You’ll die dozens of times anyway. Are you trying to say you haven’t died even once before?”

”Just like that, without even having seen any {Blue Spirit Medicine}? You don’t look like an Old Hunter I’ve never met, more like a novice recently pulled into the nightmare.”

Saying that, Simon took a bottle of {Blue Spirit Medicine} out of his backpack and tossed it to Lann.

It seemed this was the method he used while standing still, barely perceptible even to Lann.

”I really haven’t died even once,” Lann said as he waved his hand, catching the glass bottle thrown to him without looking back, while walking toward the alley exit.

”I haven’t undergone {Blood Healing}, nor do I have Holy Blood, so dying once means truly dead for me, and I... I’m still standing in front of you, aren’t I?”

Lann put his hood back on his cloak and walked toward the alley exit.

However, deep in the alley, Simon suddenly widened his eyes, staring in astonishment at that tall figure.

Wait... he said he hasn’t undergone {Blood Healing}?

This means he’s ventured this deep into the nightmare without getting hurt?!

No, no, the point isn’t even here.

Simon wondered if he’d heard wrong.

—A person without Holy Blood... how can they enter this nightmare?

He was about to rush over and pull Lann to clarify things.

But right then... ”Dinglingling~”

A crisp and distant ringing bell sound echoed in Simon’s ear.

And Lann, who had just reached the alley’s mouth and turned out, seemed completely unaware.

It seemed the bell sound was entirely out of his hearing range.

Simon knew it was because he was still oblivious to everything.

Only those who wish to uncover secrets and have already made discoveries can hear the bell sound.

The steps meant to chase after someone abruptly halted.

Simon first looked at the alley’s mouth, then silently exhaled and shook his head.

And inside the alley, from a door smashed open by an Idiotic Giant, a faint red light began to emerge.

The bedraggled Hunter took out another bottle of {Blue Spirit Medicine} from his bag and downed it.

While drinking, he swiftly walked toward the alley’s exit, only turning into an entirely opposite direction from Lann after exiting the alley.

Just two or three seconds later, a soul body emanating red light stepped out from the house already completely dead from the Grey Blood plague.

This soul body looked much like the one that attacked Lann in the Flame World, exuding a hostile red glow with a semi-translucent texture.

The male Hunter wore a suit jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, wielding what seemed to be a single-handed page hammer constructed from numerous jagged blades.

However, the suit coat, originally a matching part, was missing.

It was replaced by skin peeled directly from a deer’s head, still dripping fresh blood. The fur covered his back from head to waist.

Rough fur and asymmetrically twisted antlers, perfectly placed on his head.

He held a shaking bell in one hand, without a bell inside, but he casually shook it. He then seemed to confirm the direction, gripped the fierce single-handed hammer, and walked out of the alley.

-----------------

After Lann walked out of the alley, he was organizing his thoughts with Mentos in his mind.

The current Old Yan’an is a nightmare belonging to the past. Once this was clear, many concerns regarding the power of time could be temporarily set aside.

However, this didn’t improve the situation much.

The Dream Realm isn’t a place that can be solved with brute force, or rather—if brute force is necessary, one needs to rationally and clearly understand when and how to use it effectively.

The key to the Dream Realm often lies in those hidden secrets.

According to Simon, the night of the hunt that burned down the entire city in Old Yan’an isn’t far off.

His main investigation is focused on the Healing Church’s gathering of Hunters during this period.

As for Lann, he thought...

”I really seem to be against the plague.”

The Demon Hunter smirked under the shadow of his hood.

Then, Mentos marked several medical centers established by the Healing Church along the way on a map, intended to treat severe Grey Blood disease patients.