Chapter 1 Another Elf

Beyond the dream boundary of the elven girl, another elf appeared!

Heidi's heart instantly became alert!

Under normal circumstances, no other "mental entities" should appear outside the dream boundary, because this area is essentially the dreamer's subconscious boundary and projection.

Here, the dreamer's own rationality no longer works. The fragmented and chaotic subconscious mind is disturbed from the depths of the world, generating all kinds of bizarre or dangerous and strange "shadows"—these shadows are so dangerous that humanity's own "mental barrier" must operate at full strength in this layer to prevent information from penetrating inward!

Heidi still clearly remembered what her teacher said when she was studying at the Academy of Truth: everyone is actually in their own dream, blindfolded.

If they really saw the true appearance of the edge of their dream, then everyone in the world would go crazy!

Therefore, when the mental barrier is functioning normally, the dreamer will never "recognize" the "outer area" of their dream, and will not generate any mental entities in this area!

Heidi tightened the golden awl in her hand again, while silently reciting Lahm's name in her heart, imbuing the golden awl with power. The figure standing with its back to her seemed completely unaware of the approaching mental healer. He remained standing there blankly, with his head slightly raised, as if he was concentrating on observing the tree crowns that covered the sky!

Beneath the tree crowns, sunlight filled the forest. If this figure's appearance here wasn't so incongruous, it would actually be a very nice scene!

Heidi came behind this mental entity, then suddenly raised her hand, placing the golden awl against the back of his head—but just as she was about to stab the golden awl down, she abruptly stopped her movement!

Not an intruder.

The golden awl blessed by Lahm is a surgical tool for treating mental illness in the real world, and a carrier of various extraordinary powers in the spiritual realm.

It can be used to eliminate shadows in the mind... and it can also be used to establish temporary mental contact...

At this moment, a clear and stable thought response accompanied the contact of the golden awl and was transmitted to Heidi's perception. Also transmitted was the close connection between this mental entity and the surrounding environment. The well-trained mental healer instantly judged what was happening—she had encountered another "dreamer"!

This is not the "outer area" of the elven girl's dream; this is another elf's dream.

A huge amount of astonishment and confusion instantly surged up. Since graduating, Heidi had never encountered such a situation in her professional field. A thought uncontrollably appeared in Heidi's mind: she had a topic for her next journal article! But if she really wrote about this in her paper, even the most imaginative psychologists at the Academy of Truth would travel day and night by boat to Pu Lande to have a real-life duel with her.

Thoughts raced through her mind like lightning. Heidi had already retracted the golden awl as quickly as possible, and only after hiding the golden awl behind her did the slightly hunched, messy-haired figure belatedly react and slowly turn his head!

A face full of fatigue and confusion appeared in Heidi's eyes!

The latter immediately thought of some of the awe-inspiring exam crammers she had met during her studies at the academy!

They didn't eat, didn't sleep, didn't rest—and still failed!

"Hello," the face, full of fatigue, as if he hadn't slept in his life, said, his tone slow, as if he were still half-asleep. "Are you here to kill me in my dream too?"

Heidi's somewhat chaotic thoughts suddenly cleared, and she instantly reacted: "Too? Has someone been attacking you in your dream?"

"There have been a few," the messy-haired middle-aged elf nodded, pointing to the ground not far away. "Look, they're over there!"

"A few... a few?" Heidi was a little dazed when she heard this. She looked in the direction he was pointing, but saw only a few small charred objects on the open space not far away. "They are..."

"I don't know where they came from. I just asked them a few questions, and they ended up like this," the middle-aged elf said slowly, looking so listless that he seemed like he could fall asleep at any moment. Then he shook his head.

They were all circled as important points before...

Looking at the elf in front of her, Heidi sensed that his mental state was not quite right. He seemed to be confusing some things in the dream. He vaguely mentioned "circled important points"... was this due to his identity and activities in real life?

Is he a teacher? Or a scholar?

This elf knows he is in a dream, and also knows that he is being attacked in the dream, but his cognition has obviously become confused...

...Was it damaged in the previous attacks, or was he affected by something during the dream entry process?

"You haven't answered my question, madam."

Just as Heidi was thinking quickly, the middle-aged elf's voice entered her ears again. "Are you here to attack me too?"

No. Heidi immediately shook her head. Although the middle-aged elf's slow and deliberate attitude in such a strange and tense situation made her feel particularly awkward, she still chose to state her identity.

"I am a mental healer!"

The other party frowned when he heard this. "Mental healer?"

"Yes, a mental healer."

Heidi nodded immediately, and at the same time, she naturally took out the "golden awl" representing her profession from behind her, and then ran her hand over her forehead and eyes. "And also a believer of Lahm!"

"Oh, a professional."

The middle-aged elf nodded slowly, and said vaguely, "It seems my students sent you. Have they finally discovered that their teacher is trapped in a dream? I thought they would take this opportunity to take a few days off first..."

The strange elf in front of her seemed to have misunderstood something!

"My name is Heidi, and I'm very glad to have found you smoothly," Heidi said politely.

"May I ask how you fell into this dream?"

"How did I fall into this dream? I'm not quite sure."

The middle-aged elf frowned. "But I still remember what I was doing before... I was observing the sun in the tower, the sun... that's right. The sun. Miss Heidi, the sun went out, and I was taking this opportunity to observe its surface structure—how are things outside now? Was the sun still out when you came?"

"The sun has been relit!" Heidi answered, while quickly digesting the clues provided by the other party, and at the same time guessing where this elf was in the real world!

The other party mentioned a "tower," but Pu Lande doesn't have a tower specifically used for observing the sun—if the observation mentioned by this elf, who is suspected to be a teacher or scholar, is some kind of professional research behavior, then he must have done this in a tower with complete facilities!

Where would it be? Mo Ke? A Su Di? Or Light Breeze Harbor?

Moreover, observing its surface while the sun is extinguished... this kind of bold action has exceeded the courage of ordinary "scholars." Even her own father might hesitate when doing this kind of thing. What is the background of this elf? Which city-state would have this kind of elf scholar who doesn't value their life and doesn't sleep?

Just as a few guesses popped up in her mind, the middle-aged elf spoke again!

His gaze swept across the golden awl in Heidi's hand, and he thought for a moment, as if he had suddenly remembered something now!

"Miss Heidi."

He asked politely, "Did you just poke my neck with this thing?"

"Master Talan Ehl is still unconscious?"

Lucretia frowned, looking at the elven master who was still lying quietly on the bed, with his eyes closed and showing no signs of waking up. Her expression was slightly serious!

She had previously returned to the Splendid Starship with the "manuscript" left by Talan Ehl, but after a preliminary examination, she had no clue. She wanted to come to Light Breeze Harbor to ask about his situation, but she didn't expect that this elven scholar was still deeply asleep!

This city-state has many skilled doctors and outstanding scholars from the Academy of Truth, but they cannot awaken the sleeping Talan Ehl?

"Yes... yes, Ms. Lucretia."

In the ward, a young man who came to take care of the scholar said hesitantly.

Faced with the "Sea Witch" with many strange legends, the young apprentice was obviously very nervous.

"The doctor said that the teacher was not injured or poisoned, but more like he was trapped in a nightmare. This may be the influence caused by the sun going out..."

Lucretia frowned, her gaze sweeping over the other figures in the room. Among the several apprentices, she saw a face that was vaguely familiar!

"Joshua, your teacher should know mental and psychological protection techniques, right?"

"Yes, Ms. Lucretia."

Joshua, who had previously been caught by the "Sea Queen" once while running in the corridor, replied in a fluster. "That is to say, Talan Ehl has the ability to remain awake and protect himself in a nightmare. Under normal circumstances, he can break free from the dream himself—but the current situation is beyond his ability."

"We have already asked a mental healer to come."

Joshua said hastily, "They will be here soon."