Reality

Numerous black dots descended, drawing closer to Xu Feng. Gazing up at the sky, she gradually began to see them clearly; they looked like armed personnel on a special operations mission.

Hexagonal blue crystals were embedded in their fully enclosed black helmets, with wires resembling signal transmitters running down their backs. Their black bulletproof vests were etched with runic scripts, as were their knee pads, bracers, and gloves. From their boots hung small black tassels.

It felt like a fusion of technology and magic.

As Xu Feng watched, a massive torrent of water surged from the rift in the sky once more. It split into several streams, forming multiple water slides that meandered down to catch the soldiers before quickly making contact with the ground.

The large group of soldiers landed perfectly, not a single one out of place. Their leader signaled the rest of the team with a wave; their movements were swift and powerful. Canisters were tossed around Xu Feng, immediately releasing a dense shroud of white smoke.

“Cough! Cough!” Xu Feng choked on the smoke, but it didn’t last long.

“Bear with it,” a man’s voice said.

Xu Feng felt someone scoop her up and rush out of the smoke. Meanwhile, the heavily injured Zhao Yi was carried by several others as the entire squad began to evacuate via the water slides.

“Prepare for extraction!” the man shouted, and the squad took their positions, leaning back against the flowing currents.

“Hold on tight, kid!” the man added. Xu Feng immediately grabbed the straps of the man’s tactical gear, vowing not to let go until they were safe.

“Reverse!” The man raised his left hand, and blue particles began to drift from his glove, flying rapidly into the water slides.

The flow of the water slides slowed as the particles merged with them, then reversed direction, picking up speed until they formed white-water rapids flowing upward!

The man leaned his back into the water, and the powerful current instantly hoisted him up. Xu Feng felt a surge of G-force, but fortunately, the man held her securely. They were rapidly approaching the sky!

The monster, pinned by the Azure Dragon, had eyes bulging with blood. It stared at Xu Feng, seemingly refusing to yield.

“Hoooowl…!” A low growl vibrated from the ground to the heavens. The monster actually ignored the tearing of the flesh on its neck and wrenched itself violently to the left!

Rip!

The sound of tearing flesh was like scissors cutting through heavy hemp. The monster broke free from the Azure Dragon’s maw, throwing the dragon aside. It then extended its terrifying claws and swiped at the armed team ascending the water slides!

“Dammit!” The man holding Xu Feng suddenly twisted his body, shielding her completely.

Splash!

The water slide was severed, and droplets scattered across the sky. Most of the team members were sent flying by the tremendous force, hurled back toward the earth.

Xu Feng’s head rang with a dull buzz. Just before slipping into unconsciousness, she heard the static of a radio in the man’s helmet and a fragmented conversation.

“Miss… Hai! You cannot go into that world personally!”

“If I don’t go… they’ll die! I don’t care… what the higher-ups think! Raging Tide!”

One voice belonged to a middle-aged man in a dissuading tone, but the other… was a little girl? She sounded furious.

Xu Feng couldn’t keep her eyes open; a wave of vertigo took her.

Seeing the “black dots” that hindered it falling, the monster ignored its gore-streaked wounds and dragged its massive body forward, opening its maw to snap at Xu Feng!

Suddenly, the red rift in the sky shifted. A blue radiance, like the reflection of water in a cavern, emerged. A sphere of high-speed water shot out, hovering in the sky, and brought forth another gargantuan creature from the rift!

A winged dragon—the symbol of evil in Western mythology—thrust its massive head through the rift, followed by its entire body. It dived down, its giant claws slamming the monster’s head into the dirt! Its head scraped violently against the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that filled the air!

The hovering sphere of water dispersed. Within the crystalline droplets, a girl in a blue-and-white dress was reflected. She floated in the sky with her arms crossed, her sapphire eyes burning with unextinguished rage.

Her gaze fell upon the falling team members. A net woven from water instantly solidified from the air, catching everyone. Meanwhile, her summon—the winged dragon—was pummeling the monster so hard it couldn’t lift its head.

“The higher-ups said to capture you for research, but I disagree,” the girl spoke. A golden sword materialized abruptly before her. She gripped the hilt with both hands and hurled it downward.

The plunging sword formed a solid layer of golden light in the air, resembling a meteor as it crashed heavily into the monster’s twitching body.

Light illuminated the horizon like the sun cast down by a deity. At that moment, the outcome of the battle was decided.

A breeze brushed past her ears, stirring her hair and tickling her cheek.

Her nose seemed to be working again; there was a faint scent of flowers mixed with the smell of disinfectant. Her entire body ached, especially her back—likely from the heavy fall earlier—it felt as if something were about to sprout from her skin.

Xu Feng finally opened her eyes. The first things she saw were a white wall and its mounted light.

Flip.

The soft sound of a page turning came from the right.

Xu Feng turned her head. A man in a white long-sleeved shirt sat beside her, his greyish hair partially veiling his black eyes. He was reading a book that looked very old and tattered.

Sensing the blood-red eyes on the bed watching him, the man closed his book and looked up. This revealed more of his face—specifically a bandage on the upper left edge of his lip—but it didn’t diminish his looks. His features were well-defined, carrying a faint air of heroic spirit that had been weathered by life.

Xu Feng and the man stared at each other for a moment. Neither asked anything first, as if waiting for the other to speak.

Since he’s not talking, I’ll go first.

“Hello, Uncle. Where is this?”

“Hmm?” The man looked at Xu Feng with a hint of confusion.

“Did I say something wrong?” Xu Feng tilted her head, puzzled.

“No, I just saw your appearance and assumed you were a foreigner. I was just wondering how to communicate with you. This is the Lingyao City First Hospital,” the man explained with a smile. The bandage on his face bunched up slightly, giving him a bit of a bashful look.

“Lingyao City?” Xu Feng quickly surveyed the modern surroundings. Even being in a hospital felt incredibly safe and comforting.

“Child, you remember what happened before, right?” The man looked at her with gentle eyes, his fingers interlaced.

“I remember. There was a scary monster, and… soldiers who fell from the sky. Oh, and a man—he was really brave, he used his body to shield me!” Xu Feng replied in her tender, childish voice. A small smile played on the man’s lips.

“It seems you’re alright, then. Child, listen to me. What you’re facing is quite complex, but I’ll try my best to make it clear to you.”

“Okay, I’ll try to remember everything,” Xu Feng nodded.

“Ah… where to begin. About three years ago, the barrier between dreams and reality was opened by a group of bad people. People started falling into dreams and disappearing one after another. The organization I belong to is dedicated to rescuing those trapped in those dreams.”

The man paused, observing Xu Feng’s reaction. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she might not have believed him, but now she didn’t doubt a single word.

“I understand, Uncle. But there’s one thing I don’t get. Will the things that happen in the dream… leave a lasting effect?” Xu Feng’s eyes were full of a longing for the truth.

“It’s complicated and depends on the situation. Child, what kind of effect are you feeling?” the man asked with concern.

“Well… my back…” Xu Feng turned her body.

In the man’s eyes, a small section of her clothes was being pushed out by something black—it looked like the budding wings of some kind of animal.