Chapter 492 Black Dream

Today.

October 28, 1952.

It was the period when the United States implemented daylight saving time.

Lin Xian had discussed this knowledge point with the team leader when he went to the United States for the competition. The duration of daylight saving time in the United States lasts from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November each year.

Western countries... always seem to like using strange ways like the "nth Sunday" or "nth Friday" to define time nodes, which Lin Xian thinks is a bit anti-human.

But since he was in the United States, he might as well do as the Romans do.

During daylight saving time, New York time in the United States is exactly 12 hours behind the imperial capital of Long Country; while during winter time, New York time is 13 hours behind Long Country.

It wasn't November yet, so the time in Brooklyn, where Lin Xian was, was exactly 12 hours behind Long Country standard time; this also brought some convenience in time conversion for him who didn't have a watch.

"Is this the cheapest hotel?"

Lin Xian was led through the slums of Brooklyn and finally stopped in front of a doorway that looked barely habitable.

shrugged:
"I don't know if it's the cheapest."

"How could I have money to live in this kind of place... After the orphanage closed, I either slept under bridges or in parks. Only rich people live in hotels."

"Rich people?"

Lin Xian looked at this not-so-formal and not-so-hygienic hotel... not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Which rich person would live here?

However, now that he possessed 1 dollar and 60 cents, he was probably considered rich in 's eyes.

"Lin Xian, are you sure you've thought about it?"

looked at Lin Xian with some worry:
"It's just for one night, any place will do. Why bother wasting these 30 cents in a hotel?"

"Even if you earned these 2 dollars easily... you still have to eat and spend money elsewhere in the future. I really suggest you reconsider carefully."

However.

Lin Xian shook his head:
"I forgot to tell you, I have a problem. Once I fall asleep and start dreaming, I can't wake up no matter what... I really can't wake up no matter what. It's no use even if you hit me with a stick."

"So, you understand what I'm saying, right? The reason I'm so insistent on finding a hotel is ultimately for safety reasons."

"If we sleep in a park or under a bridge and encounter danger or bad people, what should we do? You can run away, but I can't. Even if they kill me, I won't wake up. I'll only die in my dream."

"I won't run."

frowned slightly, looking at Lin Xian:

"Why would I run? I will protect you."

"You've treated me to meals and taken me to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to see the scenery of Manhattan... You're so good to me. If I still run away when you're in danger, what kind of person do you take me for?"

Hearing these words.

Lin Xian smiled slightly, and a warmth couldn't help but rise in his heart.

That made it even more impossible to let her sleep on the streets:

"Alright, alright, anyway, I'm paying. Let's go in quickly."

……

This hotel was the legendary 30-cent hotel that the two had been searching for a long time to find.

The prices of the previous few were basically around 50 cents.

……

There was also one that was 40 cents. Lin Xian originally planned to stay there, but refused, saying it was too expensive and that he had to find a 30-cent hotel.

In the end, hard work pays off, and they found it.

"Actually, you're lying to me, right?"

At the last step before entering the hotel, turned back and looked at Lin Xian:

"Seriously... I don't really believe that there are people who never wake up once they fall asleep."

"Hehe."

Lin Xian chuckled and shrugged:
"You can verify it at any time."

How could Lin Xian lie about this?

He knew better than anyone how important 30 cents was in this era and for his situation.

It was definitely a huge sum of money.

But……

There was no other way.

Sleeping safely was more important than anything.

Now that he had transmigrated to 1952, the two biggest predicaments Lin Xian faced were money and safety.

He thought that by relying on reverse mandatory avoidance, at least his life safety could be guaranteed.

This was his biggest trump card and the capital he dared to venture into the old era.

But who would have thought.

After arriving here and seeing , he realized...

In this era, the Millennium Stake had not yet been driven, the space-time rejection had not taken effect, it hadn't even become the Millennium Stake, and his eyes hadn't turned blue.

[In this case, will reverse mandatory avoidance still take effect as promised?]

Thinking of this.

Lin Xian pursed his lips and shook his head.

He wasn't sure.

He didn't dare to try rashly.

What if the reverse mandatory avoidance also became ineffective because the Millennium Stake had not been driven and the laws of space-time had not taken effect?

Wouldn't that mean that if he was really shot, he would really die in a foreign land, die in Brooklyn in 1952?

Lin Xian definitely didn't dare to take this risk; the price was too high.

Therefore.

Now, thinking back to the scene when he stole the little black kid's newspaper and was chased by a dozen black people... he was really a little lucky and could be considered blessed.

"Better to be careful. Before it's certain whether [reverse mandatory avoidance] can take effect as promised, let's just lay low."

This was also the reason why Lin Xian couldn't rely on the "Five-Star Good Citizen" method to make money.

First of all, this was the real world, not a dream. There was no option to reload and start over; he could only clear the game with one life.

Secondly, without reverse mandatory avoidance to protect him, two fists were no match for four hands. Lin Xian didn't want to cause trouble in Brooklyn and cause a series of salvation plans and opportunities to learn the truth to fall short.

Thinking of this, Lin Xian smiled helplessly:

"I didn't expect that I would really have to be a 'law-abiding good citizen' in the true sense of the word."

Hearing these words, turned back:

"Isn't obeying the law the most important thing? What else do you want to do?"

"Nothing."

Lin Xian shrugged:
"I'm just sighing that this isn't my home turf, Los Angeles. Alright, let's not be glib. Let's hurry up and go in to book a room."

……

30 cents.

In the poorest Brooklyn in New York, the poorest district, the cheapest hotel, the cheapest room... there was no sense of expectation.

"A standard 30-cent room."

Lin Xian placed two coins on the front desk of the hotel. The boss took them and then rummaged for the key and threw it to Lin Xian.

After taking the small key.

……

Lin Xian waved to and the two of them walked upstairs on the creaking wooden stairs.

He knew very well.

The 30-cent standard room couldn't have a private bathroom, couldn't have any extra facilities, let alone a TV in this era of 1952.

"I guess there are only two single beds inside, and the toilets are all public."

Lin Xian yawned and inserted the key into the lock.

Twisted it open.

He pushed the door open—

Moonlight shone through the fluttering dirty curtains, casting a layer of frost on the floor and illuminating the small room.

It was really small.

There was no extra furniture, tables, or chairs. Only a single bed occupied two-thirds of the room's area. If you took one more step after entering the door, you would kick the corner of the bed.

"No."

Lin Xian was dumbfounded:
"There's only one bed?!"

"Otherwise?"

asked:
"What else do you want for 30 cents?"

Lin Xian didn't understand:

"A standard room... shouldn't it have two beds? I thought it had two beds."

"It's okay."

stepped past Lin Xian and walked to the window.

She reached out and closed the window to prevent the cold wind from penetrating, and then pointed to the floor under her feet:

"I'll just sleep on the floor."

"I should sleep on the floor."

Lin Xian said:

"There's no reason to let a girl sleep on the floor."

shook her head:
"Being able to sleep in a windless place thanks to you is already very happy for me. Not only that... If I sleep in the park, the police will come to drive away the homeless at night, and I have to change places several times a night."

"But, look now."

spread her arms, looked at the narrow and dilapidated room, smiled slightly, and her eyes curved into beautiful little crescents again:

"It's warm here and no one will drive us away. It's definitely the most comfortable night to sleep. Hehe... Looking at it this way, 30 cents is a bit expensive, but it's still worth it!"

……

Lin Xian looked at 's sincere smile on her face.

His heart was filled with mixed feelings.

He could tell.

She liked this place very much and was very satisfied with this dirty, dilapidated, damp, crowded, old room without a toilet or faucet.

No drafts,

No one chasing them away,

This was the most comfortable and happiest night in 's eyes.

She smiled so sweetly and happily.

This made Lin Xian have a kind of illusion... It was as if this place was a five-star hotel, a luxurious villa, and a paradise on earth.

He closed his eyes.

He felt a little tightness in his chest.

"You sleep on the bed." Lin Xian pulled from the corner by the window, then wrapped himself in the church cotton coat and lay down on the floor with his arm as a pillow.

"Eh?"

blinked her eyes and looked at Lin Xian, who was already preparing to fall asleep:
"N-no, Lin Xian, you paid for the hotel. How can you not sleep on the bed?"

"Alright, let's just leave it at that."

Lin Xian closed his eyes:

"Don't say anymore."

"……"

didn't speak, pursing her lips and looking at Lin Xian, who was motionless on the ground. Although she had only known this magical man for a day.

But she understood.

Once this man decided something, it was difficult to persuade him to change his mind, just like the series of abnormal things he had done today.

There was a long silence.

……

"Thank you..."

she said softly.

……

After that, she went to the public toilet at the end of the second floor to simply wash up. After returning to the room again, she took off the hair tie on her hair, put it on her slender wrist, and sat on the edge of the bed.

She thought for a while.

Clenching her fists.

As if gathering a lot of courage, she looked at Lin Xian, who was lying on the floor:

"Actually, we can squeeze together... back to back, and... the quilt here is very thin. It's so cold, we definitely won't... take off our clothes."

Lin Xian stood up from the ground.

He smiled:
"Don't worry so much. Haven't you been homeless for a long time? Haven't you had a good night's sleep in a long time?"

"So, don't be so polite. You can enjoy this bed alone tonight and have a good night's sleep."

"I'll go out to wash up, go to the bathroom, and then go to the bar on the first floor to look at the clock and come up."

After saying that, Lin Xian walked straight out the door.

The toilet at the end of the second floor was equally dilapidated and dirty. After Lin Xian washed up, he came to the bar on the first floor.

There was naturally no clock in the 30-cent room. To see the time, he could only come here.

On the heavy and old grandfather clock, the hour and minute hands overlapped vertically. The time was just 12:00 AM.

Converting it to Long Country time, that would be 12:00 PM.

That meant...

In another 42 minutes, it would be his earliest time to enter the dream.

He couldn't wait to verify what kind of dream he would have after transmigrating to 1952, when history had not yet been locked in.

Would he dream of robbing a bank with Big-Faced Cat in the first dream again?

Or would he continue to dream of the ninth dream, where only the failed novelist Mai Mai survived, like before?

"I feel..."

He scratched the back of his head, feeling the "kite string" behind his head that connected to the future space-time of 2234 and the 0.0001764 world line.

"I feel that the probability of dreaming of the ninth dream is still higher. After all, as long as the 'kite string' is still there, it means that the world line has not changed at all. Then the scene of the future space-time, August 28, 2624, should not change at all."

"So, since nothing has changed, it's just that I personally transmigrated from 2234 to 1952 to dream. There's no essential change... It's like I hibernated from 2025 to 2234. After a time span of 200 years, I still have the same dream, right?"

He opened his mouth and yawned widely.

He was really too tired today.

His eyelids were already starting to droop.

"Let's go find Mai Mai..."

He muttered and walked up the stairs.

……

Returning to the room, he closed the door and locked it.

was wrapped in clothes and a quilt on the bed, looking over here:
"Are you sure you want to sleep on the floor?"

"Let's just leave it at that for today."

Lin Xian said:

"When I make a lot of money one day, I will definitely book a double room."

Pfft—

was amused and closed her eyes on the pillow:

"What a grand goal... Well, good night."

"Good night."

Lin Xian walked to the gap between the window and the single bed and lay down on the floor again.

It was very hard and uncomfortable.

But when he thought about how he had been sleeping in even worse conditions in the past few years... he didn't feel so uncomfortable.

Anyway, once he entered the dream, he couldn't wake up no matter what. Sleeping on a good bed or a bad bed was the same, and it wouldn't affect the quality of his sleep at all.

……

What's more...

When he thought about how he might turn into blue stardust at any time, and that it would definitely happen within a month...

Lin Xian felt even more regretful.

Perhaps in 's eyes, he was just a stranger she had known for less than a day;

But in his eyes, Chu Anqing's shadow in had already merged with the first generation Stake, the same smile, the same eyebrows, the same freshness... They couldn't be separated no matter what.

He yawned again.

The rushing around today really consumed too much energy.

He wouldn't stay up any longer.

He would hurry up and sleep and enter the dream.

He wrapped himself tightly in the church cotton coat, feeling that the night in Brooklyn was getting colder and colder, as if a cold wave had passed, and the temperature had dropped sharply, approaching below zero.

He closed his eyes.

His breathing became even.

Gradually……

He fell asleep.

……

……

Swish swish swish...

In a daze, Lin Xian felt something moving around him, and a heavy feeling pressing down on him.

It was like being paralyzed in his sleep.

Huh?

Was this some kind of strange dream?

But why did it feel... different from previous dreams?

His head was dizzy, and he couldn't open his eyes very well.

No.

He had to open them!

He felt danger approaching!

He jumped up—

"Eek!"

A girl screamed.

He opened his eyes.

But he found...

At this time, he had not entered the dream and was still in the 30-cent little hotel in Brooklyn. Standing in front of him was , who looked surprised, and the quilt that had been kicked away by him on the ground.

Lin Xian rubbed his eyes:

"? What are you... doing?"

"I wanted to cover you with the quilt."

pointed to the quilt on the ground:
"It seems like a cold wave is coming. Look, there are ice flowers on the window. I was afraid you would be cold sleeping on the floor, so I said I would cover you with the quilt, but... Look, I told you you were lying to me!"

"You said you wouldn't wake up no matter what once you fell asleep, but you woke up as soon as I covered you with the quilt."

?

"Wait a minute."

Lin Xian called out to stop.

Something was wrong...

Something was very wrong with this matter.

He pulled open the curtains with a swish and found that it was far from dawn, and the moon was still in the western sky:

"What time is it now? What time is it?"

walked over, looked at the position of the moon outside the window, and said without thinking:

"It should be around 3 or 4 in the morning."

Lin Xian frowned:

"That's not right... I shouldn't be able to wake up no matter what until 12:42."

"It's still far from the time I wake up from my dream. How could I wake up directly just because you covered me with a quilt?"

Suddenly.

Lin Xian was stunned.

He seemed to understand the root of all this. It was terrifying to think about!

This was a situation that had never happened in his 26 years of life—

[He didn't dream!]

"How is this possible."

Lin Xian frowned tightly.

Since he was born, he had never had a night without dreaming, and he would always dream of August 28, 2624.

This was his law, his rule, as immutable as the sun rising every day.

But why.

Today, his ability to dream of the future... had also completely failed?

He closed his eyes.

He rubbed his temples.

He was very sure that he had absolutely not dreamed just now, not even for a second.

After falling asleep, he felt pitch black, without a single bit of memory.

This 1952 was too unusual:

The laws of space-time had all failed;

The Millennium Stake had not yet been driven;

Even his ability to dream had disappeared at the same time.

What was the reason?

He opened his eyes and looked at the moon outside the window, which was gradually being covered by dark clouds.

Zhao Yingjun had once asked him if he had ever thought about why there were so many people in the world, but only he had the ability to dream of the future world.

Of course, Lin Xian had thought about it.

But it was impossible to figure it out.

No one knew why, no one knew the reason, but he was indeed born with this ability.

He had also thought that this was a question that did not need to be explained, and he would just consider it an innate superpower.

But now it seemed that his dreams were not that simple!

Lin Xian turned his head and looked at the first generation Stake who was standing by the bed, looking over here with incomprehension.

Could it be...

[Was his ability to dream of the future world 600 years later... also related to the formation and driving of the Millennium Stake?]