Chapter 130 - 124: Advancing Deep into the Nightmare

Chapter 130: Chapter 124: Advancing Deep into the Nightmare

After Shi An announced the news, he clapped his hands and slipped away to avoid the members crowding around and asking all sorts of questions.

If they were to ask him when exactly Advanced Membership would be launched, or how many contribution points it would require, he didn’t know the answer.

It all depended on how efficiently his members cleared high-level Nightmares.

But even though it was just a vague announcement, it landed like a depth charge, sending ripples through the entire member community.

Some members present, who had just come to see what was going on—people like Xuan Jian, Rakshasa Sword, Xi Xue, and Peaches—were also stunned.

"A higher tier of membership? And you can form a team of up to ten people! *Hiss*!"

"That team-forming ability is insane! None of our current team-up items can even handle ten people! Not only that, our items are single-use, but the Advanced Member credential permanently binds you to your teammates."

All Dream Descenders deeply understood the importance of teaming up.

Even experts capable of slaying aberrations alone would usually bring one or two teammates when clearing Nightmares. This provided a greater margin for error and consumed less time and energy.

Challenging a Nightmare solo might sound impressive, but it was a thankless, grueling task.

In Baijiang City, the Countermeasures Bureau had the ability to create team-up items, but they were mostly for teams of two or three. And since they were single-use, the cost of frequent use was far from low.

Even Fen Huo’s eyes burned with desire for the upcoming Advanced Member status.

"With this credential, we might be able to form a true elite combat team. Then, when we encounter Treasure Lands Deep in the Nightmare, we’ll finally have what it takes to explore and conquer them!"

"And not only that..."

Long Niu spoke up. "We’ve all guessed that the member credential’s ability to open a passage to the Safe Zone has a limit. Although we haven’t found that limit yet—after I fell into the Pale Wasteland, I was still able to follow the guidance to the Safe Zone’s gate, the journey was just a lot longer."

’Perhaps if the distance were even greater, beyond a certain threshold, the passage would fail to connect.’

The members’ Cross-Domain Realm ability must have a distance limit as well.

"But without a doubt," he said, "the Advanced Member credential will be able to break through the previous limits."

He said, "Captain Bai, Captain Lu, and the others all used to think it was impossible to draw on the Safe Zone’s power in the deeper parts of the Nightmare. Now it seems that’s not the case—it just requires us to earn more of the Manager’s approval."

...

At another table,

Xi Xue looked at the other two members, Peaches and Wenger. "Hey, let’s form an advanced team! What do you say we aim to be the number one team in the Safe Zone?"

Peaches tilted her chin up slightly. "I’m going to be the one to get the first Advanced Member status! I’m going to build my own team. Of course, if you’re willing to join mine, I could make you deputy captain."

Xi Xue: (▼ヘ▼#)

Xi Xue: "Hmph! (?︵?) Then let’s fight for it!"

...

Elsewhere,

Rakshasa Sword said, "Junior Brother, should we form a team, too?"

Among the major organizations, their Extreme Intent Martial Arts Hall had the fewest core personnel. Currently, the two of them were the only members from the Martial Arts Hall.

Xuan Jian said, "It doesn’t matter whether we form a team or not. However, I will push to become the first Advanced Member. It’s an honor, a form of recognition!"

"So, we must continue to clear Nightmares."

"As Dream Descenders, we can’t just be focused on survival. We must also conquer and explore!"

Do not fear the Nightmare, and continuously explore—this was the principle the Manager had established.

...

The powerful freelance members also had their eyes light up at the news of Advanced Membership.

"Form a team? But I’m afraid we can’t compete with those experts from the major organizations!"

Duckbill Hat let out a low sigh.

He had seen long ago that an organization like the Wizard’s House had at least six or seven members in the Safe Zone, along with more than ten non-member Elites.

The major organizations were powerful and well-staffed; they could easily gather experts to clear Nightmares. Once they obtained Advanced Member status, they could immediately form a well-coordinated team.

In comparison, freelance experts like them were just a ragtag bunch. In terms of individual combat power, they were no match for the geniuses from the major organizations either.

It would be one thing if the number of Advanced Member slots were unlimited; they could slowly accumulate what they needed and eventually get promoted.

But if the slots for Advanced Members were limited, then...

Duckbill Hat’s expression was grave.

Bearded Old Wang’s expression was also grave, but his thoughts were completely different from Duckbill Hat’s.

"Experts from the major organizations do have an advantage, but that’s precisely why we have to fight and struggle for it! We might be a ragtag bunch now, but an Advanced Member can build a close-knit team. Once we have a team like that, over time, we’ll become a power in our own right!"

’Can’t compete with the major powers?’

’Simple. I’ll just become a major power myself!’

Old Wang had already gathered a few Dream Descenders, but the alliance was loose. If he became an Advanced Member, a long-term team of ten would naturally forge them into close comrades-in-arms.

"The appearance of Advanced Membership is what gives us a chance to pull ahead."

He had to fight for it!

He wouldn’t necessarily fight for the *first* Advanced Member spot, but he had to aim for the top five, or even the top three! The sooner he advanced, the greater his advantage would be.

A blazing fire burned in Li Wei’s eyes as well; he was just as ambitious.

The competition had begun.

...

It was far from just the veteran members in the Safe Zone who had their sights set on becoming an Advanced Member.

New members, and even some powerful individuals who weren’t yet members, wanted to compete as well.

Boss Ye mused, ’I have two reliable Control Stage Dream Descenders at my disposal, and my Longchuan Black Market has quite a few more.’

If he wanted to, he could immediately pull together a team composed entirely of Elite Dream Descenders.

He had a solid foundation for building a team.

But Ye Chuan wasn’t just after forming a team or the honor of being an Advanced Member; he was looking much further ahead.

’The existence of the Safe Zone will inevitably impact my Longchuan Black Market.’

He had been pondering this during the auction.

As the Safe Zone’s name spread throughout Baijiang City and the number of Dream Descenders coming here grew daily, the Safe Zone’s trading market was bound to become more popular.

Without even needing to hold another auction, the Safe Zone would directly affect his black market’s business.

Already, Ye Chuan had noticed many new items listed in the trading area, including a number of Complete Level Curse Objects and Treasure Medicines. These had all been posted by the Dream Descenders themselves after the auction.

The Safe Zone’s impact on the black market was already becoming apparent.

’So what should his Longchuan Black Market do? Join forces with other black markets to resist it?’

’Bullshit!’

Boss Ye could tell at a glance this was the way the wind was blowing. A tide like this was unstoppable.

’What I have to do is throw myself into this tide and be the one riding the crest of the wave!’

’I started the black market to gather resources and Treasures to make myself stronger. And now, it’s easier to get stronger in the Safe Zone.’

’As for the black market...’

He pondered.

’I do business in the black market, but who’s to say I can’t do business in the Safe Zone?’

’It would just be in a different form.’

He needed to change with the times.

’The Safe Zone is still expanding. Maybe one day, it will open up direct contact with Lindong City and Chongshan City. When that happens, the entire market will grow!’

’So...’

Boss Ye already had a goal.

First, he would use this descent to obtain a membership.

Next, he would develop his own faction within the Safe Zone and push for Advanced Membership.

Using the Safe Zone as a platform, he might be able to advance not just one step, but several.

...

「Present Realm, Extreme Intent Martial Arts Hall.」

After the auction, Xuan Jian didn’t linger in the Safe Zone but returned to the Present Realm.

He was about to begin the Fusion of his second Lifebound Curse Object.

The Refining Stage experts who had won their desired Curse Objects at the auction still needed time to familiarize themselves with and master their new items, even if their accumulation was already sufficient.

Xuan Jian had spent the past few days doing just that.

Today, his preparations were complete.

Their senior brother said, "After you fuse with a second Lifebound Curse Object, your subsequent descents will inevitably take you into the deeper levels of the Nightmare, where you will face many more dangers."

"Are you fully prepared?"

Xuan Jian and Rakshasa Sword affirmed that they were.

The senior brother nodded slightly.

"The depths of the Nightmare are incredibly perilous; ordinary aberrations there are little more than cannon fodder. However, alongside the dangers, the depths of the Nightmare also hold numerous opportunities."

"The Shallow Nightmares exist in a state between illusion and reality. The only true spoils you can bring back to the Present Realm are a few select things: Dream Materials, Treasure Medicines, and Curse Objects. But Deep in the Nightmare, everything is real."

"There, you’ll find valleys overgrown with Treasure Medicine, wondrous structures filled with all sorts of profound rules, and you might even encounter certain strange life forms."

The foundations of Baijiang’s major organizations all came from Deep in the Nightmare.

Things like the Countermeasures Bureau’s methods for creating items, the Extreme Intent Martial Arts Hall’s special Cultivation Sites, and even the materials for building encampments could only be obtained from the deeper levels.

In the senior brother’s eyes, Dream Descenders who could only operate in the shallow levels were all just ’saplings.’

That included the famous Refining Stage experts that most Dream Descenders looked up to.

Saplings had to be nurtured.

Only when a Dream Descender stepped into the deep levels could they begin to grow from a sapling into a small tree, and eventually a great one, giving back to their faction and to Baijiang as a whole.

The former consumed resources.

The latter gave them back.

Upon reaching the Extraordinary Realm, they would become great trees, sheltering the countless people of Baijiang from the storm.

"Go."

Xuan Jian and Rakshasa Sword each entered a private room and began to fuse with their Curse Objects.

...

Within the Wizard’s House, at around the same time.

Xi Xue also began to fuse with her second Lifebound Curse Object.

This Curse Object was the crimson Gloves she had always worn. They had been a rare Curse Object from the start!

Chen Baichuan of the Countermeasures Bureau, the freelance Dream Descender Cheng Ping, and others.

One after another, Refining Stage experts with deep foundations began Breaking Realm and growing stronger.

And so, they descended into the deeper Sea of Nightmares.

WHOOSH~!

The faint sound of surging tides could be heard.

Gray mist drifted about, like clouds, like a sea.

Strange whispers echoed from the forest.

The city was dilapidated—deathly still, strangely silent.

As the members descended one by one into the depths of the Nightmare, it also meant...

...that the Safe Zone was advancing into the heart of the Nightmare.