In the end, Snow White politely refused Yu Sheng’s suggestion to use a straw or paper cup, opting instead to drink directly in one go.
“To be honest, this scene does look a bit off,” commented Irene, scrutinizing the bizarre tableau from the side. “It’s got three parts curiosity and seven parts perversion, with the remaining ninety percent looking like some kind of unspeakably wicked ritual. Seriously, Snow White, if you just kneel on one knee and swear fealty while lighting a few candles around you, I could snap a photo and report you to the Special Affairs Bureau right now…”
“No one would mistake you for a mute if you talked less,” Yu Sheng shot Irene a glance before hesitating for a moment, then couldn’t help but remind the still-drinking Snow White, “Uh… just take a bit. You don’t have to drink as if you’re trying to fill up. My arm’s already feeling a bit cold…”
Snow White finally came to her senses, hurriedly lowered Yu Sheng’s arm, and wiped the corners of her mouth, stained with the “dragon fruit juice.” Embarrassed, she said, “Sorry. You didn’t tell me how much was needed, so I was worried the ritual wouldn’t work.”
Yu Sheng blew on the small wound on his arm, muttering to himself about how surprisingly strong the slender girl was—just then, Foxy reached out and began to heal the minor injury. The Demon Fox Maiden seemed quite pleased, clearly relishing the chance to use her healing arts on her Benefactor for once.
“So, what now?” Snow White smacked her lips, adjusting to the lingering taste of blood in her mouth as she asked with curiosity, “Is there anything else I need to do?”
“That’s it. Just wait for the outcome—go about your business as usual,” Yu Sheng waved his hand dismissively. “This ‘ritual’ is really that simple.”
Still skeptical, Snow White furrowed her brows. “So, if I fall into a disadvantageous position in my nightmare tonight, I’ll be transported to that ‘Wasteland’ you mentioned earlier?”
The frail-looking girl asked a few more questions about the ‘Wasteland,’ confirming the procedures multiple times with Little Red Riding Hood before finally seeming reassured. She then turned and left the room.
Once Snow White was gone, Little Red Riding Hood shifted her gaze back to Yu Sheng and the others. “What now? Any plans?”
“When’s lights out at the Orphanage?” Yu Sheng asked casually.
“An hour and a half from now,” Little Red Riding Hood replied. “Neither Snow White nor I have night duty tonight, so we’ll be sleeping with the other children after lights out.”
“An hour and a half…” Yu Sheng pondered for a moment before making a decision. “Alright, I’ll just head home and sleep. Let’s see what happens tonight.”
While speaking, he took out his phone and filed a quick report with the Special Affairs Bureau, then nonchalantly opened the Door leading to Wutong Road No. 66. “Good night in advance. Have a pleasant dream.”
A flickering illusion faded away, giving rise to a tangible, grounded sensation. Yu Sheng opened his eyes within the dream, greeted by the sight of the vast, desolate Wasteland stretching endlessly before him. The sky loomed gray and foggy, draping the world in a somber calm.
After taking a moment to gather his bearings, Yu Sheng turned to his side.
Foxy’s figure manifested beside him, followed closely by Irene, floating in her Painting form.
“Gotta admit, your ‘Dream Entry’ ability is pretty handy,” Yu Sheng complimented the Doll Lady as she hovered mid-air, her painted form looking proud yet pretending to be modest.
“It’s nothing special. Just simple Dream Entry stuff,” Irene remarked nonchalantly, though her posture betrayed a touch of pride.
Foxy, meanwhile, reached out and poked at the floating painting. “Sealing someone in a painting—it’s quite an interesting technique. Irene, can you really not break out in this state?”
“Stop poking! Your hands are way too fidgety!” Irene protested, spinning slightly in the air. “I already told you—when I’m in dream mode, I’m just a painting! Quit bringing it up!”
Ignoring their banter, Yu Sheng focused his gaze on the distant horizon. “Looks like neither Little Red Riding Hood nor Snow White has fallen into a nightmare yet.”
Irene stroked her chin thoughtfully. “Or maybe they’re just lucky tonight—finally getting some peaceful sleep.”
Yu Sheng nodded lightly. “Hopefully.”
His eyes remained fixed on the distance, studying the landscape of the Wasteland.
“What are you looking at, Benefactor?” Foxy asked curiously.
“I can’t help but be curious about this place,” Yu Sheng replied absentmindedly. “I wonder what this Wasteland truly is, what kind of existence it represents, and how it’s connected to me. Honestly, I know so little about it that using it as a refuge for the Cursed Children feels a bit reckless. I really should spend more time investigating it.”
His gaze involuntarily drifted to the small hill on the distant plain—the lone landmark amidst the vast, open expanse.
Yu Sheng squinted at the distant mountain. “What intrigues me the most… is that mountain.”
Foxy shaded her eyes with one hand, looking far into the distance. “That mountain? What’s up there?”
“No idea,” Yu Sheng shook his head. “No matter what I do, I just can’t reach it. Everywhere else in this wasteland, I can move at the speed of thought, like I’m traversing a dream. But that mountain… it’s the one exception. I can’t walk to it, I can’t teleport to it. It just stays there, forever out of reach.”
Foxy listened thoughtfully before suddenly declaring, “Then I’ll try running to it.”
Foxy nodded seriously, determination gleaming in her eyes. “Benefactor, you’re… unique here. Maybe some restriction is affecting you, but I’m an outsider. It might not affect me the same way.”
Yu Sheng looked at her, mildly surprised. [That… actually makes sense.]
“Alright then. Go give it a try. Just be careful. If something feels off, come back immediately.”
“Got it!” Foxy cheerfully replied before bolting towards the hill. After running a few dozen meters, she lowered her stance and transformed into a massive Nine Tailed Demon Fox, her speed increasing with every stride. In the blink of an eye, she became a silver-white blur, propelled by nine blazing Fox Fires, blasting through the air with a thunderous sonic boom.
Yu Sheng watched intently as Foxy’s figure grew smaller, becoming just a faint glimmer in the distance. Yet the mountain remained, unwavering, still impossibly far away. It defied the basic rule of perspective—no matter how Foxy advanced, the distance between her and the mountain seemed locked, as if frozen by some unseen force.
Foxy must have noticed something was wrong because she abruptly decelerated, her tails shifting to push back with a dazzling burst of light. Moments later, she sprinted back at top speed.
When she finally slowed down before Yu Sheng, returning to her human form, the delayed sound of the sonic boom and rumbling explosions rolled in from the distance.
“No good, Benefactor.” Foxy shook her head, slightly out of breath. “I can’t reach it. The mountain never got any closer, but when I looked back, I could barely see you!”
Yu Sheng furrowed his brows, falling silent. “Then don’t try again,” he finally said sternly.
Foxy nodded vigorously. “Mm-hmm.”
Just then, a ripple of distortion appeared above the nearby grass, catching Yu Sheng’s eye. A figure in red, accompanied by several shadowy wolves, tumbled through the air and crashed to the ground. The wolves snarled and snapped even as they fell, as if locked in a fierce battle just moments before.
Yu Sheng hurried over and…
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation