NOVEL ONLINE FREE CHAPTER 250
Chapter 250: The Dream Source's Plot
Deep within the Chaotic Domain, in the subterranean depths of Morro City, a creature stirred from its slumber. Its form was shrouded in darkness, but the visible patches of skin were a chilling sight—a canvas of countless eyes, both large and small, each bearing an unsettling resemblance to the Dream Source.
This was the true Dream Source, the evolved entity that had orchestrated the events in the Flame Clan Ruin.
A guttural murmur echoed through the darkness.
"Flame Heart Yanxin is dead."
"He died for me."
"Excellent. This is very good."
"With this, the Aeonians probably won't discover that I faked my death and escaped."
The Aeonians were a formidable force, a looming threat to the Dream Source's ambitions. Their power and their penchant for intervening in the affairs of others made them a constant thorn in the side of mutant kind.
Newly mutated species needed time to develop and grow. The Aeonians, however, excelled at snuffing out potential threats, destroying their enemies while they were still weak.
The Dream Source wasn't certain if Flame Heart Yanxin's death would be enough to deceive the Aeonians, but it was a gamble worth taking.
If it succeeded, it would buy the Dream Source precious time.
If it failed... well, that was a problem for another day.
Flame Heart Yanxin's demise, while unfortunate, was ultimately a minor setback in the grand scheme of the Dream Source's plans.
"Of course, I'm not one to go back on my word," it mused.
"You helped me at the cost of your life, and I'll give your Flame Clan a chance to survive."
"Flame Heart Yanxin, when the day comes that I can walk openly under the sky and upon the earth, your Flame Clan will also awaken from their dream and walk among humans again."
"In the form of the Dream Clan..."
The murmuring ceased, replaced by an expectant silence.
Inside the First Research Institute, Lu Ming closed his attribute panel and gazed at the spot where Flame Heart Yanxin had vanished, lost in thought.
After a long moment, he nodded slightly.
"Thank you," he whispered, a genuine gratitude in his voice.
Flame Heart Yanxin might not have been the most conventional teacher, but he had taught Lu Ming something invaluable.
Lu Ming didn't understand the man's desire for death, but at this point, he didn't need to.
"It's over..." he thought, a sense of finality settling over him.
"With the Dream Source gone, everything should be resolved... right?"
A nagging doubt crept into his mind. He slapped his forehead in frustration.
"The Dream Source is dead, but what about the Dream Virus? Did it truly disappear?"
Lu Ming didn't have an answer.
Then, the Crimson Queen's voice echoed through the laboratory.
"No," she said, her tone flat and emotionless. "The Dream Virus will not dissipate."
The virus, once unleashed, wouldn't simply vanish with the death of its creator.
Lu Ming was momentarily speechless. "You are..."
"The artificial intelligence here," the voice responded. "My name is the Crimson Queen."
Lu Ming hesitated, then asked, "Then..."
Before he could finish his question, the Crimson Queen's emotionless voice cut through the air. "Project One is confirmed deceased. Self-destruct sequence initiated."
"In three minutes, this facility will merge with the Void and cease to exist."
"You still have time to escape."
Lu Ming's mind raced. "Three minutes?" He glanced around, then remembered the unconscious Skywalkers. There was no time to waste.
Ten minutes later...
Zhuang Zun awoke from his nightmare, his head throbbing.
He looked around in confusion, realizing he was back in the cave.
His teammates also stirred, their expressions dazed and disoriented.
Zhuang Zun rubbed his temples, trying to clear the fog from his mind.
"What happened?" he mumbled. "And the massacre at the castle..."
"It was a nightmare," a voice said from behind them. "You were pulled into a nightmare by Project One."
Zhuang Zun turned in surprise to see an unremarkable, muscular man sitting calmly behind them.
He had never seen this man before. Ivy, however, recognized him. "Mr. Lu," she said, her voice weak, "what happened...?"
Lu Ming paused for a moment, then began to recount his experiences in the research institute, carefully crafting a narrative that was both plausible and reassuring. He omitted certain details, focusing on the essential facts.
He omitted his encounter with Flame Heart Yanxin and the lessons on Force techniques, instead painting a picture of a desperate struggle against Project One, a battle he barely survived.
In essence, he downplayed his role and kept the crucial details hidden.
Looking at Zhuang Zun and the others, Lu Ming continued, "The source of the Dream Virus has been eliminated, but the virus that has already spread won't disappear with its creator."
He shrugged. "As for how to deal with that, I have no solution."
Zhuang Zun nodded. "That's alright. We'll handle the rest. You've done more than enough, Mr. Lu."
"May I ask how you plan to address the remaining issues?" Lu Ming inquired.
Zhuang Zun paused thoughtfully. "We'll report to our superiors and request the assistance of stronger experts to swiftly deal with the remaining Dream Virus and minimize casualties."
Lu Ming nodded in understanding, then fell silent.
Day 231 of the Black Mist Calendar
Lu Ming, Zhuang Zun, and the other two Skywalkers returned to Archean City.
Ignoring the ongoing efforts to contain the Dream Virus, Lu Ming retreated to his room and entered the Void Space.
His focus now shifted to mastering the Force.
Standing in the silent expanse of the void, Lu Ming began to circulate his muscle strength, transforming it into Force.
He practiced the Explosive Fist, the Divine Fire Shield, the Flame Vein Breathing Technique, the Flame Fire Body Forging Technique, and finally, the Atomic Sword Technique.
Lu Ming relaxed his control over the Force and sat cross-legged, deep in contemplation.
"Force is indeed a substitute for Origin Power," he mused, "or rather, a superior one."
"An offensive Origin Power Skill executed with Force is even more powerful. And a Body Protection Technique executed with Force not only provides defense but can also bypass an opponent's protective techniques."
These two characteristics made the combat strength of the Force system far exceed that of the Origin Power System.
"But the fundamental issue remains: it's a skill, not a Dao."
The fact that Force couldn't be used to circulate breathing techniques meant the Force system lacked a complete advancement path.
Similarly, Force couldn't be used to circulate Body Forging techniques, meaning it couldn't directly enhance Lu Ming's physical fitness.
It was a powerful tool, not a new path to transcendence.
This explained why the Force system had been assigned such a low project number.
"On the other hand," Lu Ming realized, "I now understand the double cultivation amplification."
Using Force to execute an Origin Power Skill required a deep understanding of the skill itself - its mechanics, the flow of Origin Power, the rhythm of breathing, and then substituting Force for Origin Power.
This was inherently more difficult than regular cultivation. Correspondingly, it demanded a higher level of proficiency in the acquired skill.
"So, Force has two main benefits for me," Lu Ming concluded. "First, it's a cultivation amplification tool. Second, it can serve as a hidden trump card."
Overall, Lu Ming had gained a lot from this encounter.
He thought of Flame Heart Yanxin once more, then opened his attribute panel and looked at the line that read [Dream Blessings].
After a long moment of contemplation, Lu Ming finally spoke, his voice soft but sincere.
"Thank you."
He had expressed his gratitude to Flame Heart Yanxin before, but this time, it held a different meaning.
One was for the guidance and knowledge shared.
The other was for the legacy left behind in death.
Lu Ming was indeed unique.
Most people couldn't perceive his true nature, his hidden potential.
But in the Black Mist Zone, where extraordinary individuals were commonplace, someone was bound to notice his uniqueness eventually.
The Deep Disguise ability, Flame Heart Yanxin's final gift, offered a measure of protection against prying eyes.
Lu Ming sighed, a sense of gratitude and determination filling his heart. He would honor Flame Heart Yanxin's memory by continuing his journey, by striving for greatness in this unforgiving world.
With renewed purpose, he rose to his feet and resumed his cultivation.
End of Chapter 250