Chapter 181: 【star Realm Bank Robbery!】
After learning that he couldn’t establish a positioning connection with Cockroach Village at the coordinate location in the Nightmare Layer through ‘brewing contraband liquor’, he wasn’t too disappointed.
Even the more professional Nightmare School prohibited such illicit operations, yet any random underground bar in Running City could solve this problem, which was a bit too ridiculous.
At this moment, A Miao suddenly reminded them: “You all shouldn’t be too pessimistic. If this cooperation can be maintained long-term, with you continuously providing me high-quality ‘Nightmare Pollution Mushrooms’. And on my side, I’ll stably provide customers with specialized drinks over time, which can use Nightmare Wine Brewing to erode and mark these drunks’ spirits and dreams. Ultimately, forming a somewhat unstable ‘Group Dream’ at night.”
Yuan Zhu: “What is a Group Dream, and is it related to Dreamland? What’s its use? Meng Xiyue, have you heard of it?”
Meng Xiyue shook her head: “I can only understand it literally; I don’t have much research on the Dream domain. This Miss Miao seems to know a lot about it?”
A Miao waved her hand without any modesty: “I’m actually not that knowledgeable either, just have more experience than you and broader knowledge. In the underground circles, evil gods often try to invade reality, recruit believers, and expand influence. And ‘dreams’ are the simplest and most covert method.”
In A Miao’s introduction, Nightmare Pollution itself is a power that easily stimulates the spirit and soul, causing distortions in dreams.
Those illicit drinks brewed from Nightmare Mushrooms, lacking safety scanning processes, more easily erode and twist dreams, bringing super-sensory experiences.
If a large number of humans in a small area consume specific ‘drinks’, it will erode and infiltrate hundreds or thousands of people’s ‘dreams’ at night. And identical pollution-attributed symbols will appear in the ‘dreams’.
For example: a abruptly floating bright red balloon; a children’s tricycle painted green, with no one riding it, but pedals constantly rotating…
Similar bizarre and identical things appear in every dream, attracting the dream consciousness’s attention and generating resonance.
Originally each dreaming their own dreams, but because of the same ‘Nightmare Pollution (symbols)’, plus being very close to each other, it’s easy to trigger resonance, leading to dream fusion.
Using these symbols (Nightmare Pollution) as intersection points, creating a shared dream / Group Dream in shared mode.
The intensity of this Group Dream will far exceed that of a single one, able to penetrate the dream edge, connect to the Nightmare Dimension. And by sending strong signals, connect to the source of ‘Nightmare Pollution’, drawing Gods and Demons to descend into the dream to preach.
A Miao: “Ever since the Spirit Layer has become increasingly solid, some weaker pollution demon gods have found it hard to directly influence present world souls through dreams. So they’ve evolved to infect civilians on a large scale subtly through ‘contraband liquor’, accumulating over time to form stronger, more distinct Group Dreams, then descend projections to preach in dreams. This method often entangles with underground sacrifices. Many illegal societies jointly drink special drinks during sacrifice rituals, offering sacrifices while easing the ‘god descent’ difficulty in dreams.”
Little Spicy Stick nodded repeatedly: “Boss, the knowledge points she mentioned are very valuable! They can be incorporated into our collected sacrifice rituals, or even considered as a replacement for Yellow Millet Town’s team-building party. Consuming in Yellow Millet Town is too expensive; better to designate Cat House drinks as White Feather Association’s official drinks in the future, temporarily constructing a Group Dream, where we also enter the dream to preach, avoiding surveillance risks.”
Meng Xiyue also became interested in the ‘Group Dream’ description and asked: “What exactly is the relationship between the ‘Group Dream’ you mentioned and Dreamland? Can a Group Dream with a large number of participants evolve into Dreamland?”
In Meng Xiyue’s mind, she thought that things like ‘Group Dreams, Nightmare School, Dreamland…’ could all be linked to the Head!
Especially in Yuan Zhu’s vision and plan for the Shadow Domain, there was a plan to use multiple shadow magic worms. Skull Servers to construct a Dreamland Matrix. The other party’s mentions could perhaps use ‘Skull Servers’ to replace human heads for dreaming…
A Miao shook her head upon hearing these questions: “I don’t know the answers to these. I’ve just seen bar drunks go completely insane after encountering evil gods in dreams due to illicit drinks. I’ve also provided custom drinks for some illegal cults to assist sacrifice rituals. And small cults have come specifying technical support from me, using free food distribution as a banner to create ‘Group Dreams’ for them in the slums, so that’s how I know.”
Yuan Zhu asked concernedly: “So you’ve created a ‘Group Dream’ in the slums?”
“No, their offer was too low, with hardly any profit. Plus that slum was far beyond Cat Street’s sphere of influence, so I refused. Also, from what I know, Group Dream isn’t Dreamland. Dreamland is a real existing Dream World with very stable structure; while dreams are illusory bubbles that burst at a poke. Only Group Dreams piled up from many dreams are slightly more solid, but they still collapse and dissipate.”
After some casual chat, both sides finalized the transaction details. Yuan Zhu needed arms, which the other side would transport to Running City within 10 days for delivery.
As for the delivery method, Meng Xiyue would first pay the full amount, then A Miao would return to Running City to deliver the goods. Finally, Yuan Zhu would pay extra ‘polluted materials (pills / medicinal herbs)’ as final payment, boosting their reputation points at Cat House.
As for the agreed ‘Nightmare Mushrooms’ and ‘illicit wine brewing’, that was the second business deal. When A Miao returned to Running City to deliver, she would additionally provide several different ‘spawns’ for Yuan Zhu to take to Dreamland for pollution farming.
Ultimately, Yuan Zhu stably provides Nightmare Fungi, Cat House handles brewing and sales, long-term cooperation, with a 7-3 split (Miao 7, Yuan 3).
…
After settling everything, both sides ate and drank their fill. So Meng Xiyue suggested going directly to a nearby bank to pay for the arms first, showing sincerity.
A Miao had no objections, flicking her braided hair and rising from her seat. She crossed her fingers behind her head, swaying her waist, humming a tune, happily leading the way ahead.
Yuan Zhu, driven by instinct (DNA choice), was mesmerized by her beauty, his gaze following A Miao’s back with appreciative eyes and a silly grin.
This made Meng Xiyue roll her eyes wildly—not just legs a bit longer than hers, chest a bit bigger, face a bit prettier… what’s so great about that? How can one build an undertaking with such an insect-like teammate!
The three left the teahouse and arrived at a 33-story building nearby. This was the airship business station in Taixi City, where one could take elevators straight to the 30th-floor scenic restaurant and ticket office.
Depending on needs, buy tickets, then queue for scheduled airships to fly around Taixi’s skies, heading to specified surface areas, or aerial sightseeing, or even higher to the Heavenly Palace Pavilions.
Their target this time was the Star Realm Bank in District 31. Besides its stellar reputation, Meng Xiyue had additional business to handle.
A Miao praised Meng Xiyue’s choice repeatedly, very happy to take this long trip without any complaints.
Since District 31 was far away, compared to crowded subway line transfers, the wealthy Meng Xiyue and A Miao chose the more comfortable direct airship ride.
Thus, Master Yuan from Running City followed behind the two worldly Misses, curiously looking around.
Having lived so many years, though he often flew planes on Earth, this was his first airship ride in two lifetimes. Especially with the newly met Miss A Miao, it felt a bit romantic.
Arriving at the 30th floor, Meng Xiyue went to buy tickets, while Yuan Zhu accompanied A Miao at the observation deck enjoying the view. One after another magical steam punk airship approached, docking at the end of the ‘suspended bridge’ far from the building, waiting for tourists to board and alight.
Without much delay, the three smoothly boarded a huge airship.
The internal space had three levels, and their location was the smallest bottom level. Instead of airplane-style rows of seats, it was more like a space restaurant. It also provided expensive food services for tourists to chat and dine.
Meng Xiyue scoffed at this, and A Miao had no desire to spend, so Yuan Zhu also came to the huge floor-to-ceiling glass wall, together listening to Meng Xiyue point out the landmarks below, explaining each iconic building.
Yuan Zhu curiously asked at this time: “What’s the background of Star Realm Bank? I was told when consuming in Yellow Millet Town that settlements could be made at Star Realm Bank in the real world. How does a present world bank settle dream debts?”
A Miao tilted her head toward Yuan Zhu, showing interested eyes.
Meng Xiyue explained from the side: “Star Realm Bank is a global non-official bank. Its backing is one of the eight external universes, the Plant Universe, with headquarters in the Star Realm Layer, claiming ‘wherever starlight shines, transfers and deposits can be made.’ Famous for absolute neutrality, client privacy protection, anonymous storage, safes, starlight projection…”
“As for how Star Realm Bank can settle Dream debts? Put it this way, there are Star Realm Bank branches in the Spirit Layer and even some Bubble Worlds. Ordinary Humans storing here is almost absolutely safe. If you pay the fee, you can enjoy ‘starlight projection service’. For example, projecting a valuable treasure upward to the Star Realm headquarters, then heading to another location and projecting it down from the Star Realm.”
Meng Xiyue going to Star Realm Bank in Taixi was to handle certain services. A Miao willing to tag along trusted the alien plant people’s reputation; there was no risk of transactions being illegal or accounts frozen.
Your West Coast illegal deals can’t reach the alien masters? My money’s already transferred to outer space (Star Realm)!
…
The airship flew with stops, ascending and descending atop high-rises, finally docking at a building in front of a geometric structure.
Meng Xiyue pointed at that complex huge geometric shape: “There, that’s Star Realm Bank Taixi Headquarters.”
Yuan Zhu had good eyesight and could see far; above the geometric building’s door was carved a badge, a pumpkin entwined with abstract vines around it.
Yuan Zhu: “Pumpkin?”
Meng Xiyue: “Yes! Pumpkin is the Star Realm Bank’s symbol. Not forgotten the eggplant-headed monk, right? The Star Realm Bank’s behind-the-scenes bosses are a group of alien pumpkin heads.”
The three took the elevator from the airship docking building, heading toward Star Realm Bank, then following roadside signs to the passage entrance on the right side of the ‘geometric building’.
The instant they entered the passage, the surrounding spatial fluctuation changed immediately, his body’s power suppressed, Soul Crystal seemingly scanned, making him feel slight discomfort.
Meng Xiyue then comforted: “Don’t panic, normal situation. Anyone entering Star Realm Bank gets suppressed, for safety considerations. Rest assured, Star Realm Bank’s security is the world’s top, no…”
Before she finished, a more chaotic disordered fluctuation suddenly erupted from deeper in the passage, spreading and impacting, sweeping over Yuan Zhu and the others.
Following closely, a familiar yet strange spatial fluctuation swept over the three; when the chaotic ‘Holy Light Energy’ in his body stabilized again, Yuan Zhu opened his eyes to find the surrounding building environment unchanged, but the previous suppression on his ‘Holy Light Energy’ had completely vanished.
He looked around; the door the rear passage originally connected to no longer showed the outside view, instead shrouded in mist.
Yuan Zhu spoke first, but his gaze was on Meng Xiyue: “What happened? Was that impact just now an explosion? Is someone robbing the bank?”
According to pink-haired Yue’s boasts, this Star Realm Bank’s indestructible Structure housed Taixi City’s ‘energy field’ linkage, plus alien pumpkin head masters’ exclusive tech; under triple protection, impregnable, sky-high safety level, no accidents possible.
Before Meng Xiyue could answer, A Miao drew two familiar large-caliber pistols from her seemingly empty lower back, then said: “I don’t know what happened earlier, but this feeling now is very familiar. Spirit Layer. We’ve now followed Star Realm Bank’s building into the Spirit Layer.”
Pink-hair patted her backpack, then quietly sensed the atmosphere and environment changes: “It’s the Spirit Layer, but oddly indescribable, not like Taixi’s Spirit Layer.”
Yuan Zhu, entering the Spirit Layer for the first time in this life, was extremely curious, calling Little Spicy Stick to gain experience together. He released his perception as much as possible, comparing to feelings in Disease Garden and Cicada City.
The original suppression from Du Ling’s present world was completely lifted; he felt indescribably relaxed, able to go full power. The shadows underfoot had no sinking sensation, or rather had fully fallen to the bottom, reaching the end of the collapse.
Besides that, no other sensations. No pollution root breath in the air, unlike Underground World’s miasma everywhere or Disease Garden’s disease pollution suppression.
Finally, Yuan Zhu tried using Soul Crystal to connect the rear Holy Light Source (Network), but still no success.
Little Spicy Stick: “Something’s off; isn’t it said that Holy Light Network is everywhere in the Spirit Layer? How come even the basic 1G network signal can’t be felt?”
At this time, A Miao also appraised the surroundings in her own way, then said: “Something’s wrong!”
She lowered her gun barrel toward the ground, looked at Yuan Zhu and Meng Xiyue, and asked: “Continue deeper into the bank, or evacuate from the passage to outside the exit?”
Yuan Zhu shrugged indifferently, tempted to say ‘your chest is big, you decide.’
But ultimately held back, looking to the more reliable teammate: “What do you think?”
Pink-hair hesitated a moment, then said: “Deeper into the bank; I trust Star Realm Bank’s strength more. If there’s danger outside the bank, the building itself is solid enough with multiple defenses.”
Yuan Zhu: “Just afraid someone’s robbing the bank inside; it’d be bad if we stubbornly crash in.”
Hearing this, A Miao’s eyes lit up: “If it’s really a bank robbery, we can follow behind and get a cut.”
As she spoke, she swung her arm, an invisible aura covering the three. Though no visible change, Yuan Zhu understood he was like those alarm-triggering mushrooms before, having his aura and presence erased.
