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Chapter 261 - 260: Invitation

Demons are not suited for combat and prefer to hide in the shadows, using schemes and plots to achieve their goals. This is the definition given by the Angel Alliance to their number one nemesis, but that was the definition from a hundred years ago.

Elorie clearly mentioned that the newly emerged demons are no longer as weak as before. Not only have they masked that distinctive stench, but their power has also grown immensely. Although she was indeed heavily injured at the time, she wouldn’t have lost a physical battle to demons from a century ago. This indicates that they, too, have benefited from the progress of the times, whether that benefit came from technological advancements or the utilization of miraculous objects, the fact remains that demons have become much stronger than before.

Therefore, Chen Xuan also needed to rally his strongest forces.

Lin Qing and Liu Shuyue were definitely included, and the Hunting Team from Hot Pepper Village could also be useful. Besides that, there was one more person he could enlist.

Chen Xuan arrived at Elorie’s true home through room 204.

Upon opening the door, the first thing he saw was Liuli leaning against the window sill, staring blankly out at the street scene. A large hat was still worn on her head, and the white veil covered her entire face.

Upon hearing the door open, she slowly turned her head, "Oh? Why are you here?"

Chen Xuan glanced around the room. The furnishings inside were neat and orderly but also cold and lifeless, as if nothing had changed since she left. The trash bin was spotless, as if she hadn’t produced any garbage for half a month.

"Haven’t you ordered any takeout?"

Before leaving, Elorie had given her a credit card with plenty of living expenses.

"I’m a miraculous object, it doesn’t affect me not to eat." Liuli propped up her hat with her sword hilt, her eyes carrying a smiling expression, "What, are you concerned about that now?"

Indeed, this was the familiar N21, always with a hint of a smile but actually keeping a comfortable distance.

But now Chen Xuan understood that this distance wasn’t because she rejected intimacy with humans.

"Here."

He tossed something over.

Liuli effortlessly caught it, and when she saw it, she was slightly surprised.

It was a can of chilled beer.

"I... never drink alcohol." She shook her head.

Chen Xuan nearly laughed out loud. Wasn’t this the same person who could fill Elorie’s small table with empty wine bottles?

"Is it that you don’t want to drink, or that you haven’t had the opportunity to?" he asked nonchalantly, "Give it a try. Historically, renowned swordsmen never part from good wine."

"Do you think I’m a child?"

Liuli scoffed but opened the can and took a sip.

"How is it?"

"Well, it’s just a drink with a bit of bitterness." Liuli commented, "And swordsmen don’t drink this kind of alcohol; they’d find it too bland. You might as well bring a bottle of yellow wine or white wine."

Saying that, she took another sip.

"If you want to drink, you can buy it yourself." Chen Xuan shrugged.

"You didn’t just come here for this can of beer, did you?" Liuli looked at him.

"No, I came to fulfill a promise. Your blade needs to taste blood."

"Oh?" Liuli’s eyes suddenly became razor-sharp, "Faster than I expected. Very well... let’s go."

She didn’t even ask who they were going to fight.

But Chen Xuan indicated her not to hurry, "I still need to prepare some things; I’m not asking you to move just yet."

"Then why didn’t you call me when it’s time to act?" Liuli held back a breath, "Isn’t this making me wait for nothing?"

"I’m sorry."

"Uh... you don’t need to apologize; I just said it casually..."

"I’m not apologizing for that, but for leaving you here alone."

Liuli was momentarily stunned, the beer can paused near her lips.

Chen Xuan continued, "I previously thought you were a miraculous object, used to being alone after guarding the Holy Temple Treasure Vault for so many years. But that’s not the case; your outward appearance is human, so your needs are human as well, and no one likes being isolated for a lifetime."

He initially left her here because the other party wasn’t a guest, and having her in the shop might pose a security risk. However, on second thought, he realized he was being overly cautious. Liuli would have rather continued guarding the vault for thirty more years than oppose Lucy. Now that he had absorbed Lucy’s flesh, he essentially inherited this constraint; otherwise, Liuli wouldn’t be obediently staying in Elorie’s little house without stepping outside.

Moreover, the N21 in his dreams had already shown him what Liuli would be like when familiar.

Her deliberately maintained distance wasn’t because she didn’t want to form close relationships with humans.

She was afraid her nature would ruin the hard-earned relationships with certain friends.

"Come to the shop with me," Chen Xuan invited.

"The shop?"

"Yes, where I work, essentially my home." He smiled, "It’s quite lively there, and most of the people you know frequent that place."

"Sure." Liuli readily agreed, "I’m glad you think that way, maybe even hoping the days for slashing people would come a bit later."

"No, I mean you can settle down there for good."

With that, Chen Xuan extended his hand to her.

Liuli blinked and placed her hand in his palm.

...

The next task was to hunt down that demon.

It wasn’t too difficult, especially since Chen Xuan was getting more adept at controlling the Dream Maker’s abilities.

First, he traveled to future Paris to the site Lin Qing described, spending a day memorizing the layout of the surrounding streets and buildings. It facilitated more precise dream positioning when recreating the scene.

Then he returned to Beitian Academy and entered a dream in the infirmary.

Before entering, Chen Xuan set the scene and nature of the dream—it was a nightmare, with Elorie as the protagonist. When the Little Angel was attacked, the streets remained empty as if pursued by invisible shadows.

Chen Xuan chose to replace Elorie.

The Dream Maker not only invited real people into dreams, seamlessly integrating dream shadows, but also allowed him to enter the dreamer’s perspective, peering into the memory of that moment’s shadow.

Suddenly, Chen Xuan felt a change around him; the street wasn’t silent anymore, filled with the whooshing of bullets and the sound of pursuing footsteps from behind. Several spots on his body sent searing pain, quickly suppressed by the dream— overly realistic sensory feedback would wake a person, so some pain reduction was necessary.

This replay-type nightmare involved no embellishments; it was Elorie’s most genuine experience and the closest Chen Xuan came to using an ultra-dream as described by Lin Qing.

He saw himself taking flight, then intercepted mid-air by the demon, dragged down by the head to the ground.

The enemy’s appearance was clearly distinguishable.

Because he knew Elorie, and despite their brief encounter, she remembered him vividly.

Upon impact, the street scene deteriorated rapidly, with clouds of snowflakes appearing out of nowhere, as if the world was about to collapse. This was due to unstable memory and the mismatch between shadows and substitutes, the latter being the critical factor. Chen Xuan had tried before; using the Dream Maker for another’s perspective could last only briefly before the dream naturally collapsed.

After falling, Chen Xuan couldn’t rise again.

His pursuers numbered over a dozen, nearly blocking the alley entirely. One of them stepped forward and aimed the gun at his forehead.

With a gunshot, his vision turned pitch black.

He knew Elorie had lost consciousness by then, only sustained by the Living Dead, keeping her faint vitality.

But the memory didn’t end there.

It was as if the angel submerged in the treatment tank was still clinging on insistently, not wanting the dream to break. Snowflakes were everywhere, densely populating the darkness, and Chen Xuan could only rely on sounds to discern his surroundings. The chaotic footsteps quickly receded, police sirens echoed from above, and someone approached him, muttering while searching him, seemingly trying to remove any incriminating evidence. All of this unfolded like a rapidly advancing slideshow.

Just as the dream was about to collapse entirely, he heard a conversation.

"Chief Inspector Andor... what are you doing here?"

"I happened to be passing by. The job is important; handle the case first."

"Yes, sir!"

Chen Xuan grinned.

... Found you.