"You can't wake up?"
At night, in the Woodland of the Dream World, the little white Miss Fox sitting on the grass beneath the giant tree couldn't help but perk up her ears after hearing Grego's words, wagging her tail and looking curiously at Grego on the dream cocoon above, continuing to ask curiously.
"How can't you wake up?"
"I'm not too sure... it's just... it's just that after I returned to the dream cocoon, I wanted to use the dream awakening technique to wake up directly, but no matter how I tried, it had no effect. No matter what, I've been stuck inside the dream cocoon. This is the first time I've encountered this situation."
Grego, in his Black Dog mimicry, said slowly in a calm voice, while speaking, he jumped down from his dream cocoon and leaped onto the grass of the Dream World step by step by stepping on the branches.
Generally, those who can enter the Dream World know how to use the dream entry technique and the dream awakening technique. They can quickly enter dreams in the real world for a short time, and after returning to the dream cocoon in mimicry, they can also quickly wake up from dreams within the dream cocoon for a short time.
Grego was quickly taught the dream hunting method after entering the An Yin Bureau, which included the use of quick dream entry and dream awakening. Grego's process of entering and waking from dreams was smooth every time, but this time he suddenly found that he couldn't wake up!?
"You can't wake up using the dream awakening technique? Did you make a mistake somewhere, you Black Dog? This kind of problem usually doesn't happen." Seeing Grego who had leaped in front of her, the Little Fox tilted her head and said. She had always felt that this Black Dog in front of her was the kind that wasn't very bright, so it was possible for him to make a small operational error.
"It shouldn't be that I made a mistake... I've been using this dream awakening technique for over a month continuously, and recently I've been using it every day, so I'm very familiar with it. I just tried many times in a row, but I still couldn't wake up."
Grego retorted like this, and hearing Grego's words, the Little Fox's expression froze, then she nodded thoughtfully and spoke.
"Hmm... it seems that's true. Although you, this Black Dog, are a bit slow, you've been using this simple operation of waking from dreams skillfully for so long, it's unlikely you'd suddenly forget how..."
The Little Fox murmured, then she looked Grego up and down in his Black Dog mimicry, and then continued to ask.
"Hey, I say, you haven't fallen into deep hypnosis, have you?"
"Deep hypnosis?" Hearing the Little Fox's words, Grego sounded puzzled, while the Little Fox shrugged and spoke very lightly.
"It's an Extraordinary method that can make people sleep more soundly than pigs, unable to wake up no matter what, and can't be woken up even when hit. For example, many Vampires are very good at this trick. Were you hypnotized by some other Extraordinary? Do you remember having prolonged eye contact with anyone before sleeping?"
The Little Fox explained like this, and hearing the Little Fox's words, Grego began to recall and think.
"Vampire hypnosis... So there are such Extraordinary and Extraordinary abilities? But I don't think I had any eye contact with anyone. I remember going straight back to my carriage after dinner in the dining car, and then reading there until I fell asleep..."
Grego recalled like this, and then he suddenly seemed to have thought of something, pausing before continuing to speak.
"Right, could it be that there was something wrong with what I ate in the dining car? I was drugged!"
Grego said this. If it was because of medication that he fell into this state of deep hypnosis, then it would explain why he suddenly fell asleep so early before.
"Hmm? Drugged? That's certainly a possibility. Grandpa said there are drugs that can make people fall into a state of deep sleep; some higher-ranked'Shadow' societies can produce them. But no matter what, Black Dog... you might have been ambushed in reality!"
The Little Fox said this. At this moment, listening to Grego's description, she also realized that something was not quite right with Grego's situation, so her tone began to become serious. And Grego became a little nervous after confirming this point.
Grego understood that his real self was currently sleeping sounder than a pig in the carriage, and this was likely intentional by someone. Therefore, his real self could encounter something unexpected at any moment.
"Miss Fox, do you know of any way to wake me up from this state of deep sleep? I might have fallen into someone else's plot, and my real body is very dangerous right now!"
Grego, in his Black Dog mimicry, said anxiously to the Little Fox in front of him. And upon hearing the seriousness of the situation, the Little Fox couldn't help but panic inwardly, then she spoke.
"A way to wake up from the Dream World while in a state of deep sleep... Hiss... I'm not too sure about that either. I've never heard Grandpa mention anything similar."
Standing up, the Little Fox murmured while pacing back and forth in place. Hearing the Little Fox's words, Grego's heart couldn't help but sink heavily. He knew that this Little Fox in front of him had a much deeper understanding of sleep, dreams, and the Dream World than he did. Since she didn't know of any way to wake up from this deep sleep, then he was even more clueless. Now his body in reality was like fish on a chopping block, to be butchered by others at will. What should he do!
"This is bad... this is bad... How could I encounter something like this just after leaving Igwinte..."
Facing the crisis, Grego eagerly started pacing in circles. Filled with anxiety, he began to desperately think of a solution, but had no clue at all. Grego didn't understand how he, a small Apprentice who had just set off from Igwinte to take up his post in Tivian, could encounter such a thing on the train. He wasn't carrying any confidential goods or anything of the sort, so why was he suddenly being targeted like this?
Grego was pacing anxiously in place, and just then, the Little Fox seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke to Grego.
"I don't know how to make you wake up from deep sleep, but I can make your body move a little while you're asleep, so others will think you're not asleep. If someone wants to ambush you after you fall asleep, seeing that you might still be awake might make them stop, you know." The Little Fox suddenly said this to Grego, and Grego's eyes lit up after hearing it.
"Make my body move while I'm asleep? Miss Fox, can you really do that?"
"Of course~ Who do you think I am~" Facing Grego's confusion, the Little Fox puffed out her chest proudly again and spoke.
"Seeing as you, this Black Dog, have helped me quite a bit recently, this Miss can also reveal a little something to you. This Miss is a Black Rank Extraordinary of the'Shadow' pathway, the Dream Devourer branch, a Dream Walker~ This Miss can directly invade your dream cocoon, and inside there, I can control you to sleepwalk to a certain extent. As long as I make you sleepwalk, those who are trying to harm you might stop."
The Little Fox said this to Grego. Hearing the Little Fox reveal her background, Grego was unexpectedly startled. He hadn't expected that this Little Fox, who seemed young based on her words, was actually a Black Rank Extraordinary, and from a Dream Devourer branch he had never heard of.
'The Dream Devourer branch, is this also an Extraordinary branch within the'Shadow' pathway, just like mine? It seems to be an Extraordinary branch that primarily focuses on dreams, being able to control others to sleepwalk... What kind of Spirituality is used as an aid to advance to this branch?'
Grego thought curiously in his heart, but spoke to the Little Fox without hesitation.
"Then please, Miss Fox, immediately make my body sleepwalk. We can't let those guys notice that I'm completely defenseless while sleeping."
"Okay~"
The Little Fox said this, then she leaped and climbed onto the back of Grego's Black Dog mimicry, and then continued to instruct the Black Dog Grego beneath her.
"Then, now Black Dog, use the mimicry return spell and go back inside the dream cocoon. I'll go in with you, and don't have any resistant emotions when I enter."
"Okay, Miss Fox."
Grego said, and then began to return in mimicry again. As a faint glow appeared on the Black Dog mimicry, the Black Dog Grego, carrying the Little Fox, slowly floated up, then drifted towards Grego's own dream cocoon. Finally, he and the Little Fox both merged into the dream cocoon.
During this process, Grego felt a slight abnormality, but following the Little Fox's earlier words, Grego did not resist this abnormality.
Finally, Grego returned to his dream cocoon space, and as he landed in the dream of his room scene, the Little Fox on his back happily jumped down.
"Yo, so this is your Black Dog's dream, a very typical bedroom scene, looks pretty ordinary too, let me see other places." Glancing at the surrounding scenery, the Little Fox said this, then she jumped directly off Grego.
As soon as she arrived in Grego's dream, the Little Fox immediately stretched out her front paw and swiped at the air, and instantly the entire dream space changed, transforming into the bustling, lively scene in front of a train station. Here, the Black Dog Grego was astonished to find two familiar figures standing before him: Eilina and Turner. They were dressed just as they were when they saw him off during the day, and Turner was speaking happily in front of him.
"Haha, didn't expect you, this little Black Dog, to be able to get promoted to the General Bureau after just over a year here. I've been recruited for three years now and I'm still like this..."
In front of Grego, Turner said the words he had spoken to him during the day. Seeing this scene, Grego looked at the Miss Fox beside him and spoke in astonishment.
"Miss Fox... what are you doing..."
"Ah... oh... sorry, sorry, I accidentally flipped out a bit of your memory. Once I enter someone else's dream cocoon, I can't help but like to flip through their memories; it's become a habit, haha. But your colleague is really interesting, someone actually called him a Black Dog when he himself is a Black Dog."
Listening to Grego's questioning, the Little Fox responded with a chuckle. Hearing her words, Grego was startled; he hadn't expected a Dream Walker could steal others' memories in their dreams.
"Miss Fox, please be careful, and don't do anything else. Please make my body start sleepwalking first." Grego said urgently to the Miss Fox beside him, and the Little Fox also nodded in response.
"Alright, alright, don't rush me, I'll make you sleepwalk now, watch me."
The Little Fox said this, then she slapped the ground with her front paw, and instantly the train station entrance disappeared, replaced by a pitch-black environment.
In the pitch-black dream space, the Little Fox closed her eyes, as if sensing something. After a while, she finally opened her eyes and spoke.
"Alright, the ability has activated successfully, so let's begin sleepwalking control. Let me see, first, open your eyes..."
The Little Fox said this, and along with her words, a large picture suddenly unfolded from the pitch-black environment ahead. The picture showed a dimly lit, narrow space with decent furnishings. There was a table in the picture, with a lit gas lamp and an open book on it. Outside the window beside the table was a black night scene, with something rapidly flashing past in the night scene. Grego recognized this picture; it was the scene inside his compartment.
"Is this... the scene my eyes are seeing in reality?" Watching this scene, Grego murmured in slight astonishment. It was the first time he had seen his own perspective in a dream like watching a movie.
"Yes... then next, is to make you sit up and sit steady..."
Ignoring Grego's words, the Little Fox continued to operate Grego's sleepwalking with extreme seriousness. The scene inside the carriage shook for a moment, and the view lowered and centered. Grego could determine that he had sat up in the carriage.
"It's truly amazing... That's great, Miss Fox. So, can you make me leave the carriage now and go somewhere with more people? It would be safer there."
"Leaving the carriage... that's a bit difficult, I'll try..."
The Little Fox said this, then she directly manipulated Grego's body to stand up, but the process of standing was a bit shaky; they saw the visual scene swaying very unnaturally.
"Finally stood up, so how do I take a step? Is it the left foot first..."
After shakily standing up, the Little Fox continued to operate. However, just as she was operating Grego to step forward and walk out, his foot suddenly tripped, causing Grego's entire body to fall directly back onto the sofa. Looking at the suddenly swaying visual scene before him, the Black Dog Grego couldn't help but feel anxious.
"What's wrong? Is something wrong?" Grego said anxiously, looking at the Little Fox beside him, thinking, 'Can you really do this operation?'
"Hiss... it seems a bit difficult to get out. Honestly, although I, as a Dream Walker, have some ability to control others' sleepwalking, using this ability consumes a lot of my energy and Spirituality. I can make ordinary people perform some simple actions, but you are an Extraordinary. Even if you don't resist, the difficulty and consumption of manipulating you are very high."
"Grandpa said that the intrinsic Extraordinary mechanism for controlling others' sleepwalking is very complex. To precisely control an Extraordinary's sleepwalking with little consumption, I would need to reach my Chalk Rank's 'Nightmare' at least..."
The Little Fox said this to Grego, and Grego immediately responded after hearing it.
"So, Miss Fox, you're saying it's difficult for you to control me to go somewhere with more people? Then can you maintain this appearance of being awake until dawn, so they think I'm awake and it's not easy to make a move, and wait until the effect of the drug on me wears off?"
"No, maintaining your sleepwalking state right now is very draining on my mental energy. If my mental energy is depleted, my Dream World mimicry won't be able to be maintained. Once my mimicry disappears, your sleepwalking will also stop. At this rate of consumption, I probably can't last more than fifteen minutes."
The Little Fox continued speaking. Hearing the Little Fox's words, Grego couldn't help but frown again like a dog. If the Little Fox couldn't hold on, his sleepwalking state would be lifted, and his body would fall back into deep sleep. Then everything would return to square one, and his body would have no room to resist the threat watching him on the train.
"What should I do..."
Grego thought anxiously, and just then, the Little Fox, who was seriously maintaining Grego's body in a sleepwalking state, spoke again.
"Dragon..."
"What?"
"Go find the Dragon. The Dragon is a powerful ancient being. If anyone can save you now, it's only him. With his rich Extraordinary experience, he might know of a way to make you wake up from this deep slumber."
"You can leave your dream cocoon now and immediately reach the Dragon's territory through the dream anchor portal I just opened there. The Dragon patrols his territory around 10:30 every night, so now is the perfect time. I'll stay here and help you maintain the sleepwalking state, pretending to be awake, to prevent them from immediately making a move on you. Go quickly and seek his guidance."
The Little Fox said this to Grego. Grego was stunned after hearing it, then thought that perhaps only that profound and powerful Dragon could help him now.
"Okay, thank you, Miss Fox. I'll go find the Dragon now..."
Saying this, Grego prepared to leave the dream cocoon. Just as he was about to set off, he seemed to remember something and turned back to the Little Fox, speaking.
"Ah... right, Miss Fox, please don't randomly flip through my memories after I leave. Some of my memories might involve secrets within the An Yin Bureau..."
"Oh dear, helping you sleepwalk here is already very energy-consuming. Where would I have time to flip through your memories now? Besides, I'm only a Black Rank Dream Walker right now, and I can only view your recent shallow memories, roughly the memories you've experienced within the last 24 hours. You don't think secrets could have been obtained within this short period, do you?"
The Little Fox said impatiently. Hearing the Little Fox's words, Grego paused, then calculated when he had last looked at his treasured 'little yellow book'. After confirming it wasn't within the last 24 hours, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew, thank you very much for your help, Miss Fox. I'll go to the Dragon now."
Saying this, the Black Dog Grego let out a howl, then left his dream cocoon.