Su Su said, "The nightmare demon creates dreams in only two ways. One is nightmares, which require overcoming inner fears and eliminating obsessions and cowardice. If one becomes trapped in the dream, they will be guided to self-destruction."
"The other is beautiful dreams. They make people indulge in pleasant illusions, unwilling to wake up, sinking deeper and deeper. Ye Bingshang is currently in this situation."
Xiao Lin nodded.
Su Su continued, "To awaken someone from a beautiful dream, you need to make her feel that it is no longer a beautiful dream but a nightmare she must escape. However, this method is quite cruel, so think it over carefully."
Xiao Lin waved his hand, and a butterfly appeared in the air.
Most of the butterfly's body had turned red, with only its wings retaining their original white color.
"Time is running out," Xiao Lin said, looking at the butterfly. "Once the butterfly turns completely red, dawn will break. Let's proceed as you suggested and end this dream."
Su Su glanced at the illusory butterfly—clearly a tool given to him by a Monster Exterminator to guide his way. She hadn't expected Xiao Lin to be acquainted with a Monster Exterminator.
Xiao Lin, sharp-witted, understood what Su Su was implying. Without needing her to elaborate, he said, "Tonight, I will disguise myself as an assassin and go to assassinate Bingshang with a token. I've been here for some time now, and my current identity is the emperor's maidservant."
When he mentioned the word "maidservant," Xiao Lin seemed somewhat resigned, but his gentle nature allowed him to adjust his emotions quickly.
"I will pretend to fail and expose my identity, making her believe the emperor ordered her assassination."
Su Su nodded—this was exactly what she had in mind. Ye Bingshang refused to leave because she believed the dream's emperor, "Xiao Lin," still loved her and would return to her side.
To make Ye Bingshang leave the dream, she needed to be heartbroken and disillusioned.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Su Su asked, "Your Highness, are you really a woman right now?"
It wasn't without reason for her to doubt.
Xiao Lin appeared too "tall," and his mannerisms didn't match his delicate face. Su Su suspected he was cross-dressing as a woman.
Xiao Lin saw her clear, curious eyes fixed on him.
Those eyes no longer held the admiration of the past; instead, they held a hint of playful amusement.
A complex feeling suddenly stirred in Xiao Lin's heart. He answered truthfully, "The body I've possessed is indeed that of a woman."
There was no other choice—after all, in someone else's dream, one couldn't choose their identity. If possible, Xiao Lin would have preferred to possess the "emperor," who looked exactly like him, and simply tell Ye Bingshang to wake up from her dream.
Su Su nodded in understanding.
She had possessed a kitten and a female physician before—it was all quite chaotic.
As night fell, Xiao Lin changed into his black night-attire.
His current body was tall and slender, and with his face covered, he looked like a dashing swordswoman.
Su Su also changed swiftly. "I'll go with you. If anything happens, I can provide backup."
"But you're injured."
Su Su moved her back and said seriously, "It doesn't hurt anymore! After all, this is someone else's body—I can't feel much pain."
Hearing this, Xiao Lin nodded. Dreams were unpredictable, and having a companion at such a time was better than being alone.
As he turned around, Su Su grimaced in pain.
She clutched her back and hurried after him.
She couldn't afford to hold him back now.
When they reached the empress's palace, Xiao Lin suddenly turned around. Su Su asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Lin said, "Third Miss, if you're in so much pain, you shouldn't push yourself."Su Su shook her head. "It doesn't hurt, really doesn't hurt. If you don't believe me, I can show you..."
Xiao Lin sighed softly. "In that case, stand guard outside the palace for me. If anything unexpected happens, notify me immediately. Can you do that?"
Though his tone was gentle, it brooked no argument. Su Su seemed to see once again the senior brother from a century ago, who had promised that as long as he was around, his junior sister would never have to risk her life.
Later, he truly fell protecting them.
Su Su rubbed her eyes and said, "Alright."
Xiao Lin slipped silently toward Ye Bingshang's palace.
Su Su was puzzled—where had she given herself away?
Looking down, she saw her shadow in the moonlight and realized the flaw. Xiao Lin was meticulous; Su Su hadn't expected him to notice even this.
Fortunately, Xiao Lin was a gentleman and hadn't exposed her to avoid embarrassment.
Resigned, Su Su crouched in the haystack, focusing on keeping watch.
She had thought that since the dream was full of holes, their plan should succeed easily. But when she saw a figure approaching, her alarm bells rang.
The person was tall and slender, with gaunt, slightly sunken cheeks.
His face was heavily powdered, making his lips appear unusually red, and he exuded an air of effeminacy.
Su Su recognized this person!
In reality, he was the Director of the Western Depot, Jia Chun! Her father often mocked him, calling him a treacherous eunuch!
But why would a Depot Director appear here in the middle of the night?
Thinking of Xiao Lin still inside, Su Su's heart sank. Just as she was about to send a message to Xiao Lin, Jia Chun's narrow eyes turned toward her.
Su Su knew it was bad. Reacting swiftly, she dodged lightly, just avoiding Jia Chun's palm strike.
The tree behind Su Su trembled, showing signs of nearly toppling.
Jia Chun was highly skilled in martial arts. Su Su, already injured, knew she was no match for him. She made a quick decision, tossing a few small stones against the window to alert Xiao Lin that the situation had changed.
Seizing this opening, Jia Chun transformed his palm into a claw and grabbed Su Su's shoulder.
She kicked back nimbly, like a dragonfly, slipping smoothly from his grasp.
She had thought this feint wouldn't work, but unexpectedly, the Depot Director before her seemed inexperienced in combat. The moment he instinctively avoided her counterattack, she broke free.
The Depot Director narrowed his eyes slightly, his killing intent stirring.
This time, instead of capturing her, he simply shot a sleeve arrow straight at Su Su.
Su Su couldn't dodge in time and watched helplessly as the arrow flew toward her shoulder.
The next moment, a hand caught the sleeve arrow.
Su Su looked over—Xiao Lin, clad in black, had somehow retreated from the palace, caught the arrow, and shielded her.
Su Su breathed a sigh of relief.
"Get out of here, quick!"
"Trying to leave?" A soft yet chilling voice rang out. The next moment, Jia Chun curled his lips into a malicious smile and clapped his hands.
Many shadows silently emerged under the moonlight.
Jia Chun glanced at Su Su and said, "Seize her."
Su Su was tightly bound and thrown to the ground.
Fortunately, Xiao Lin had escaped the encirclement at the last moment. He had tried to save Su Su, but she decisively pushed him away. If he had stayed, neither of them would have gotten out.
It was better for Xiao Lin to find a way to break the dream from outside than for both of them to be trapped.
Jia Chun sat at the table, drinking tea.
His voice carried the unique sharpness of a eunuch, though it was less noticeable when he spoke softly: "Speak. What were you planning to do to the Empress?"
Su Su glared at him angrily.He lifted Su Su, gripping her neck expressionlessly as he said, "You want to kill her?"
Close enough, though not truly intending to kill—just to intimidate.
Su Su, struggling to breathe, bit down hard on the fleshy part of his hand between his thumb and forefinger.
Tantai Jin didn't let go, allowing her to bite.
Just as she felt she was about to suffocate, Tantai Jin suddenly released his grip. Su Su slid to the ground at his feet, coughing violently.
In her blurred vision, she saw a pair of boots embroidered with cloud patterns.
Once she caught her breath, Su Su could no longer hold back and directly exposed his identity: "Tantai Jin! If you don't wake her up, none of us will get out of here."
The "Jia Chun" before her seemed to find this amusing.
"No, it's you who won't get out."
If he wished, he could leave this sinister place anytime.
Hearing this, Su Su was certain that the person before her was indeed Tantai Jin, and that at some point, he had recognized both her and Xiao Lin.
Moreover, from his tone, it seemed he intended to trap her and Xiao Lin in the dream while taking Ye Bingshang out with him.
What kind of wretched situation was this?
Su Su and Xiao Lin had become allies, while Tantai Jin planned to trap them here until they perished.
The wounds on Su Su's back hadn't healed yet, and the ropes binding her aggravated the pain. She couldn't help but curl up, trying to ease the agony.
Tantai Jin didn't look at her. Instead, he tapped the table with his knuckles, and several shadowy figures entered.
"Go, find the other assassin and kill him."
After giving the order, the figures vanished swiftly.
Then, the boots slowly approached her. He stood there for a long while. Su Su even wondered if his next move would be to kill her himself.
Her chin was lifted.
A pale, enlarged face appeared before her.
"He abandoned you. Aren't you angry?" Tantai Jin said sarcastically.
Su Su, her cheeks pinched by him, sneered, "Still better than a pervert like you."
As she spoke, she clearly felt the atmosphere around Tantai Jin turn icy.
"I'm not as good as him," he murmured, his voice almost inaudible. A moment later, he curled his lips. "No."
He said indifferently, "Just watch."
He picked her up, and the ropes made Su Su groan in pain. The person holding her paused for a moment, then fetched a knife, cut the ropes, and left a section to bind her hands.
Next, it was Su Su's clothes. With the knife, he sliced through the fabric on her back.
"Tantai Jin! What are you doing?"
Tantai Jin examined the crisscrossing scars on her back, where blood had glued the fabric to her skin. She seemed to find it deeply humiliating to expose her skin in front of him, her face flushed with anger.
Tantai Jin held the knife, studying her bloodied back.
Seizing the moment he was distracted, Su Su silently recited an incantation.
A Yellow Talisman swiftly materialized in the air. She shouted, "Freeze!"
As the talisman stuck to Tantai Jin's face, Su Su flipped over and rose.
She straddled him, gripping his neck tightly. "Trying to kill me? You think possessing Jia Chun makes you impressive? You're still useless in a fight, incapable of defending yourself!"
He glared coldly at her, a flicker of anger in his dark eyes. The medicine bottle in his hand suddenly felt utterly humiliating.
Fortunately, in this position, she couldn't see what he held in his other hand.
He wanted to crush it, but he could no longer move.
The girl's bright, close-up eyes seemed to mock his earlier distraction.Her amber eyes were so bright they seemed about to ignite. The triumph of a successful sneak attack curved her eyes into beautiful crescents.
Su Su decided to repay him in kind, gritting her teeth as she pinched Tantai Jin, preparing to thoroughly return the favor.
His face turned red, his breathing grew rapid, and he stared at her without blinking.
He didn't make a sound, nor did he beg for mercy.
Even when nearing suffocation, his chest heaved violently, yet his eyes remained fixed on her, refusing to look away for even a second.
Su Su met his gaze and inexplicably got goosebumps, realizing this madman probably didn't fear pain. She stopped pinching him and instead snatched his dagger, pointing it at him.
Fortunately, the Yellow Talisman inherently suppressed evil beings and had actually followed Su Su into the dream—otherwise, this situation might have turned dire.
Su Su patted his face and said, "Hey, speak up. I've only immobilized you, not stopped you from talking."
"I'm going to kill you," he said coldly.
She smiled and replied, "Fine, come at me."
He fell silent, his expression dark and brooding.
Su Su keenly sensed his anger, but hadn't this madman always had exceptional mental fortitude? Even when Tantai Minglang stepped on his face, he hadn't been angry—so what was he furious about now?
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