Ma Ran beckoned with his hand, signaling Song Chu to follow in his footsteps.

The two of them traversed the silent forest.

"I came to the A3 District to deal with an alien creature called 'Nightmare.'

While leading the way, Ma Ran spoke in a deep voice, "Six days ago, I used my [Limited Foreknowledge] ability to see some images and hear some sounds."

Song Chu nodded his head, remaining silent and listening quietly.

As one of the two current [National Guardian] superpower users in China, Ma Ran's name and brief ability information were something Song Chu had heard before.

"The Nightmare can control dreams, keeping people in a perpetual slumber, devouring human brainwaves to grow and evolve."

"I believe it has the potential to grow strong enough to destroy the world."

Speaking up to this point, Ma Ran's gaze grew slightly sinister, "That thing is very special."

"Only those with a high life level and unwavering faith are qualified to harm it."

"No matter how many ordinary warriors come, they cannot really hurt it; they will only become its food."

"That's why I came personally."

High life level, unwavering faith.

These are the two conditions.

As for the former, perhaps members of the various academic societies cultivating Black Rock Martial Arts could barely meet it.

As for the latter, there are many in the A3 District.

However, there are very few who meet both conditions simultaneously.

The threshold for dealing effective damage to the Nightmare is excessively demanding!

"No wonder..."

Song Chu recalled Ma Ran's previous strange behavior and couldn't help but nod slightly, "That makes sense now."

His gaze inadvertently swept over the lock of white hair on Ma Ran's forehead, and his expression slightly changed.

Back when he was at Fulan Academy, he already knew that Ma Ran needed to pay with life in order to change the future with his [Limited Foreknowledge] ability.

The feeling of witnessing it personally was completely different from just reading about it in documentation!

Before joining Grass Hut Academy, Ma Ran was just an ordinary high school student.

But his kindness and selflessness made Song Chu feel somewhat ashamed.

Song Chu felt that if he also awakened abilities similar to Ma Ran's, he absolutely wouldn't be able to go to such lengths.

He always considered himself a very ordinary person.

Within his abilities, he'd save someone's life.

But if it came at the cost of his own interest or even his lifespan, then it was unlikely.

"Though somewhat indifferent, he is indeed someone worthy of admiration..."

Song Chu sighed, quickening his pace to stay beside Ma Ran.

It was because he couldn't do it himself that he admired those who could achieve it even more.

Even if Ma Ran didn't speak of his accomplishments, just standing by his side, Song Chu felt a certain radiance of humanity.

Having only crossed paths and gotten to know Ma Ran for three minutes, Song Chu already felt a sense of purification.

Deep in his heart, there was still fear of extraterrestrial creatures.

But at the same time, standing beside Ma Ran, Song Chu felt a strange emotion and impulse rising in his chest.

That was something called courage!

Fighting alongside someone with such a pure heart, even if he sacrificed himself in the A3 District, it would be a matter of pride, wouldn't it?

Just as Song Chu was lost in thought, Ma Ran suddenly raised his Elephant Hunting Spear and fired a shot behind Song Chu.

In a split second, Song Chu felt his brain go blank, unable to generate any thought.

Bang!

A muffled sound, like rolling thunder, echoed through the forest.

The scent of gunpowder burning filled his nostrils.

Song Chu quickly turned around, only to see a puddle of viscous dark green liquid splattered on the poplar tree behind him.

A heavy, sweetish smell filled the air, overpowering the scent of gunpowder, almost sickeningly so.

"The Elephant Hunting Spear is quite good..."

"It's not as bad as people say; it's clearly been unjustly criticized."

"Without it, I'd need to expend a lot of Inner Qi."

Ma Ran, satisfied, lowered the smoking barrel of the Elephant Hunting Spear and calmly pointed to the viscous green liquid, "I call this stuff 'Nightmare Spores.'

"Normally, they're in a stealth state, invisible to the naked eye, and thermal imaging systems are ineffective against them."

"They only become visible the moment they launch an attack as the Nightmare Spores manifest."

"Do not touch them directly. For animals, this substance is highly toxic."

Song Chu discreetly took two steps back.

He hadn't intended to touch the stuff in the first place.

After hearing Ma Ran's words, he thanked him and stayed far away.

"Just touching them will cause the skin to fester."

"Even their vapors can corrode the respiratory system, causing alveoli to rupture and turn into pus."

"It's worth noting that Inner Qi can provide a good protective effect."

Speaking up to this point, Ma Ran said with a sigh, "Over these six days, I've crushed a total of seventy-five Nightmare Spores."

"Although I haven't been able to find the Nightmare Mother for a conclusive fight, I now have a plan."

In the previous life, because everyone in the entire A3 District perished, investigators had to reverse-engineer many details from the remaining clues, lacking detail and accuracy.

Ma Ran had to gather information and deduce the Nightmare Mother's patterns of activity.

Song Chu stood in a daze for a while, finally coming to his senses, "So, where are we going now?"

Ma Ran replied calmly, "To the two areas where the Nightmare Mother might appear."

"To save people, we have to eliminate that thing."

"Remember, act with me, don't get separated."

This composed demeanor helped the initially panicked Song Chu gradually regain composure.

"I'll stick close to you."

He nodded firmly, pointing to the sticky green liquid on the trunk, "What about this stuff? Should we deal with it?"

Ma Ran replied calmly, "No need to worry about it."

"In just five minutes, it will naturally dissipate."

Afterward, under Ma Ran's guidance, the two of them quickly organized and distributed the equipment and tools they were carrying.

Gas masks, adrenaline, high-concentration caffeine, smelling salts...

Ma Ran had prepared thoroughly, perfectly suited for the situation, displaying the style of a true Prophet.

"Did you know I would come to the A3 District beforehand?"

Song Chu carefully noticed that most of the tools Ma Ran prepared were in pairs.

"In [Limited Foreknowledge], you were indeed present."

Ma Ran, with no psychological burden, casually spun a tale, "If I hadn't stopped it earlier, that Nightmare Spore would have parasitized your brain, trapping you in a dream world."

"If you die in the dream world, your brainwaves would be devoured by the Nightmare Mother, and your body in reality would also die."

"You know about 'Gu,' right?"

Song Chu nodded vigorously.

Releasing various toxic insects into a jar without food, allowing them to bite each other, the sole survivor that crawls out is the 'Gu.'

This process is also known as raising Gu.

"Everyone in the A3 District will obtain everything they desire in an illusory dream."

"And then die."

"And you, as the final survivor, gain the right to become the host for the Nightmare Mother."

"To prevent the Nightmare Mother from becoming the ultimate calamity that destroys human civilization, you choose to commit suicide in the final moment, dragging it down with you."

Speaking of this, Ma Ran said softly, "What I see through [Limited Foreknowledge] are merely fragmented images, the sounds chaotic and disordered."

"What I just told you, I filled in the details with logic, but the general direction should not be wrong."

Song Chu, with his head lowered, pondered for a while before struggling to speak, "Have all those unconscious people been parasitized by that thing?"

"No."

Ma Ran's eyes were calm, "Producing Nightmare Spores is not easy for the Nightmare Mother."

"It released a large amount of what I've named 'Nightmare Dust,' enveloping the entire A3 District."

"The vast majority will be affected by it, trapped in dreams."

——

Thanks to the non-routine appreciation of 1500 points!

Thanks for the 300 points from the one and only 信仰!

Thanks to 酒酿团儿 for the 201 points!

Thanks to 嗜血亦云 for the 100 points!

Thanks for the 100 points for Ma Ran's little chicken leg from Chao Youjiu!

Thanks to Moyu Xingyuan for the 100 points!

Thanks! (๑▽๑)

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