Stronger with Crimson Modifier

Chapter 385 - 339: Source of the Dream Eye, The Final Land (Part 2)

"I wonder if we’ll actually get anything out of this trip..."

"I heard this criminal Abnormal Being is quite powerful. I just hope we can find the Elixir of Immortality smoothly this time. I really don’t want to come back to this godforsaken place."

"Hmph, when is it ever any different? None of those Abnormal Beings have ever been seen again after setting foot on the island."

"Sigh, at least we don’t have to go onto the island ourselves. Otherwise, we might as well just throw ourselves into the sea. They say that island is crawling with all sorts of Demon Fiends and Ghosts. It’s incredibly dangerous."

...

A cacophony of voices reached his ears, accompanied by the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

Inside the room, a Young Man dressed in coarse hemp clothes abruptly opened his eyes. He was sitting on a bed.

Below him was a hard wooden plank bed. An oil lamp on one of the walls cast a faint glow, giving the room an ancient feel.

The faint smell of mildew mingled with the salty tang of the sea in the air.

The surroundings swayed gently, and the sound of crashing waves was constant.

It wasn’t hard to deduce that he was in a ship’s cabin.

’My name is Gu Yang. I’m twenty-seven, an Abnormal Being from Taian Country... on a journey to the Immortal Island to find the Elixir of Immortality... No, that’s not right. I’m Hu Qi...’

The Young Man—Hu Qi—had a subtle change in expression.

At that moment, a flood of foreign memories had appeared in his mind.

They were comprehensive, covering a life from childhood to the present day—an extremely complete backstory.

The sensation was somewhat similar to that time with the Blood Word Script, when his own memories had been obscured.

However, Hu Qi’s current strength was a world apart from what it had been. Naturally, he could no longer be so easily deceived or interfered with.

He oriented himself in an instant.

Looking down, he saw that his clothes and even his appearance had changed.

But this was merely superficial, like a layer of an Illusion Technique had been cast upon him.

His body was still his own.

’Interesting. Inside this Deceitful Painting is like a miniature world...’

As he recalled the new memories in his mind, Hu Qi scanned his surroundings.

Everything here was extremely realistic, almost indistinguishable from the real world.

It was somewhat similar to his Grotto Heaven.

However, its area was much smaller in comparison.

Furthermore, this world seemed to exert a special kind of suppression on him.

’This suppression... no, it’s more like a set of rules, similar to the Dream Eye or the Bloody Apartment.’

It was just much stronger.

But for Hu Qi, it was of little consequence.

He looked down at the iron chains on his wrists and ankles.

Blood-red patterns flowed across their surface, emitting a bizarre aura.

With a slight movement, he could feel that the shackles and manacles were heavy and solid.

They also seemed to have a suppressive effect on the power of the Dream Eye.

According to the persona he’d been given, this world was set in an ancient dynasty.

One that had been completely unified by the Taian Country.

And he was an Abnormal Being within Taian Country. Abnormal Beings, to put it simply, were people who were different from the ordinary.

They possessed some sort of power far beyond that of a normal person.

He had been arrested for committing a crime.

Only by going to the island and finding the Elixir of Immortality could he be pardoned; otherwise, he would be executed.

Under normal circumstances, it would take about three days to reach the island.

Of course, these were just memories. Memories like this could only be used as a reference, like the backstory in a game.

It was debatable whether a so-called Taian Country even existed in this world.

Just then...

CREAK...

The door was pushed open.

A sturdy man with a long saber at his waist strode in.

In his hand, he held a bowl of black mush that gave off a faint, foul stench.

Seeing Hu Qi sitting on the bed, a cold sneer appeared on his face.

CLANG.

He casually tossed the bowl onto the floor.

Most of the black mush inside spilled out.

"Eat up. And remember to lick the floor clean!"

The sturdy man crossed his arms, his face a mask of derision.

In this world, the status of Abnormal Beings was far superior to that of ordinary people.

Normally, he would never dare to treat an Abnormal Being like this.

The abilities of Abnormal Beings were bizarre and varied; provoking one could get you killed without you ever knowing how it happened.

But things were different now.

This Abnormal Being before him was a criminal. And traditionally, once they set foot on the island, there was no coming back.

So, he didn’t need to worry about retaliation. Watching a once-lofty Abnormal Being forced to grovel on the floor and lick up food like a dog would be immensely satisfying to his jealous heart.

However, the scene he imagined—of his prisoner groveling on the floor like a dog—did not materialize.

The man just remained seated.

He didn’t even spare him a glance.

Seeing this, the sturdy man’s brow furrowed.

A cold look crossed his face.

His hand went to the long saber at his waist.

"Did you not hear what I said to you—"

PFFT!

But the words had barely left his mouth.

The seated Hu Qi’s body jolted.

The shackles on his body snapped with a loud crack. A piece of broken iron shot out, whistling sharply through the air.

At such close range, the man’s face filled with terror. He had no time to react before the fragment struck him squarely in the forehead.

Blood immediately splattered, running down his forehead and blurring his vision.

"Urgh... You... you..."

His eyes bulged wide. He tremblingly raised a hand, trying to touch his forehead.

But it was as if his strength had been instantly drained, and he collapsed powerlessly to the floor.

His last sight was of Hu Qi, expression placid, as he stood up.

A question lingered in his mind.

’Weren’t this person’s abilities sealed? How could he break free?’

But alas, there was no one to answer him. Then, his vision faded into permanent darkness.