Chapter Sixty-Seven: A Billion or So in Pocket Money

Du Fang watched Lan Xiang, whose face was full of desolation as he frantically shouted and urged the medical staff to carry him away. A sigh appeared on Du Fang’s face.

“A Dreammaster... truly a dangerous profession.”

“That young man was a genius rookie with a fifty-million signing bonus, yet... he suffered such a severe mental trauma in this dream calamity.”

Du Fang shook his head, sighing.

Wen Ji, wearing sunglasses, glanced at him and found, to her surprise, that Du Fang’s sentiment was genuine. Wasn’t it because of your ruthless, heart-piercing blessing?

She pondered for a moment, then chose to agree, “You’re right.”

Wen Ji had been speculating, but seeing Du Fang’s bewildered expression, could it be... Lan Xiang really was frightened to the point of breakdown by the supernatural entity in this dream calamity?

“Young people... still lack experience and opportunities to confront true horrors. Otherwise, he would have been calmer and more composed,” Wen Ji said lightly. “When facing the uncanny, only a cool mind and a composed demeanor can spare you from embarrassment.”

Du Fang felt Wen Ji’s words made perfect sense and nodded repeatedly.

Behind Du Fang, Chen Xi silently watched Wen Ji. Her lips quivered slightly, for she was the one who knew best what Lan Xiang had experienced—better than any of the Dreammasters who had been poised to rescue him.

She had witnessed it clearly.

Lan Xiang... wasn’t frightened by the supernatural bride; he was scared into incontinence by Brother Du!

As for Wen Ji’s talk of calm minds and cool demeanors, Chen Xi felt it was nonsense. Facing a truly indescribable existence, one that seemed to evoke absolute terror from the depths of the soul... Chen Xi thought Lan Xiang’s reaction was only human.

Hadn’t she herself fainted?

“All right, you’ve both advanced to the second round. Go to the lounge and rest, and wait for the second round of ‘Dream Demon Battles’ to begin.”

“This time, because the dream calamity was unexpectedly conquered, there are more rookie Dreammasters advancing. Your competition will be much fiercer.”

Wen Ji explained.

“Dream Demon Battles are quite different from conquering dream calamities. Dream calamity conquest mainly tests your mentality and wisdom in the face of disaster. Sometimes, it’s not brute force but intelligence and emotional resonance that count.”

Wen Ji was not stingy with her guidance to Du Fang and Chen Xi.

“The second round, Dream Demon Battles, tests your real combat abilities. It’s neither too difficult nor too easy, but you won’t face sudden accidents like the unexpected conquest of the calamity.”

“It’s about true strength—there’s no room for luck.”

“So you must take it seriously and not lower your guard.”

Wen Ji was earnest in her advice.

Du Fang nodded, thanked Wen Ji together with Chen Xi, then the two walked out of the arena toward the lounge.

In truth, Du Fang was very much looking forward to the second round of Dream Demon Battles—not for any other reason than his own improved strength. Now, with a dream spirit intensity of 900, he was only 100 points away from a mid-tier Dreammaster.

He couldn’t wait to test his abilities.

And what better opportunity than a Dream Demon Battle?

...

On the spectator stands.

As the host announced the temporary end of the first dream calamity conquest, uproar echoed throughout the crowd. However, most were not displeased, but rather amazed—amazed at the quality of the new Dreammasters this year.

After all, through the LCD screens, they had witnessed the terrifying scenes within the dream calamity: the cunning of the supernatural entities, the horror of the ghostly bride, and Lan Xiang’s tragic transformation into the supernatural bride, even seeing him frightened into incontinence—all told the story of this nightmare’s terror.

Yet such a dreadful calamity was conquered in silence!

What a reassuring sense of safety!

The audience was boiling, cheering, and going wild for the Dreammasters who conquered the calamity.

The purpose of the rookie Dreammaster Invitational was to boost public confidence and reduce their fear of dream calamities; thus, this outcome was not too bad for the Dreammaster Association.

Details of who exactly conquered the calamity were still under investigation.

But the Dreammaster Association owed the public a respectable explanation.

Of course, not all Dreammasters in the stands were as easily placated as ordinary citizens; they understood the true horror and difficulty of dream calamities.

Sun Yaohai stood up, his face dark as water.

One could say that Silver Wolf, one of the top three elite conquest teams in Jinling City, had been utterly disgraced today.

Lan Xiang... had really been proved right by Zhang Changlin—not beaten out of him by the rookie from Wildfire, but the result... was incontestable!

“Zhang Changlin... not only is he unlucky, but his tongue is venomous—what a jinx!”

Sun Yaohai’s expression was grim. From afar, he saw Zhang Changlin, whose face seemed smeared with soot, grinning and showing his white teeth in laughter.

That smile...

Overflowed with mockery and ridicule!

From today on, Sun Yaohai, in front of his archrival Zhang Changlin, would never be able to hold his head high again!

For a moment, Sun Yaohai felt a pang of sadness.

He had spent fifty million on a signing bonus to recruit a genius rookie Dreammaster...

Who didn’t even make it past the first round.

And that scene of incontinence had thoroughly tainted Silver Wolf’s reputation.

Beside him, his son Sun Zhe quietly asked, “Dad, should we kick Lan Xiang out of the team and make him pay compensation?”

Sun Yaohai glanced at his son and frowned, “What are you talking about!”

“Lan Xiang may have performed poorly this time, but he’s still a member of Silver Wolf. If you make him pay, kick him out, then what does that make me, Sun Yaohai?”

“As an elite team, we must act with integrity.”

Sun Yaohai sternly rebuked Sun Zhe.

“Better stamp out such thoughts now. For a top conquest team, trust in your teammates matters more than anything.”

“Even if I and Zhang Changlin are rivals, our competition is always open, always within the rules—I’ve never thought of resorting to dirty tricks!”

“If Silver Wolf and Wildfire were drawn into a dream calamity together, we’d put aside our grudges and join forces!”

“That’s what it means to be a Dreammaster!”

“Dreammasters may compete, but the real enemy... is the dream calamity and the Dream Demon.”

“This is the basic understanding and professional ethics of a Dreammaster. Do you understand?”

Sun Zhe was a little stunned, but he nodded. He had thought his father and Zhang Changlin were at each other’s throats.

“Come on, let’s check on Lan Xiang.”

Sun Yaohai shook his head and led Sun Zhe down from the stands.

...

Su Jiuming pushed Zhang Changlin, who was in a wheelchair, to the lounge entrance.

Du Fang and Chen Xi emerged together.

“Not bad, you’ve made it to the second round.”

“Give it your all in the Dream Demon Battles.”

Su Jiuming, elbow resting on the wheelchair arm, wearing a pink suit and striking a charming pose, smiled encouragingly at Du Fang and Chen Xi.

Zhang Changlin’s face was dark; though he had bet Lan Xiang wouldn’t pass the first round and had been proved right, he didn’t feel the joy he expected. Having just lost half a million, he now found everything irksome.

The little assistant also came over, clenching her fists and staring at Du Fang with shining eyes.

“I knew Brother Du could make it to the second round!”

“Go, Brother Du!”

“Try to win the provincial rookie championship!”

The assistant exclaimed excitedly.

She had bet all her pocket money for the year on Du Fang. If he didn’t become the provincial champion, she wouldn’t have the funds to build a food street for him.

Maybe she’d have to ask her grandfather for money, though he’d surely scold her for not focusing on her proper duties.

But the assistant had absolute faith in Du Fang—she believed he would win!

Brother Du plus the unbeatable Luoluo—invincible!

Zhang Changlin caught her words and looked over, coughing lightly.

“May I ask, is Du Fang’s top spot on the betting leaderboard... thanks to you?”

He asked.

The assistant, Su Xiaoyu, blinked in surprise, then nodded, “Yes, Captain Zhang, didn’t I say? I wanted to make sure Brother Du reached the top of the betting board, so I really put all my pocket money on it this year!”

Zhang Changlin: “...”

So this is the legendary ‘a little bit’ of pocket money?!

Is this girl perhaps misunderstanding what pocket money means?

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