Holding an ice pick, raise your wrist and thrust it forcefully toward your heart, but stop just a millimeter from the tip of your body.
To die like this, I still feel somewhat unwilling!
Now that we have internal energy, why not break this deadlock?
With a wave of his hand, the ice spikes disappeared, and thin, needle-like ice thorns reappeared between his fingers, shooting out in all directions.
The rapidly rising point of light paused for a second, then continued as if nothing had happened.
Without further hesitation, Xiang Wan plunged the ice spike swiftly and accurately into her heart. However, she was careful not to hit a vital spot directly, missing it by a centimeter or two. Then, she closed her eyes, her mind and body ceasing all activity, entering a state of suspended animation.
Completely unaware of her surroundings, Xiang Wan was awakened by the system's alarm.
She raised her wrist, feeling a strong sense of weakness. The surroundings were desolate; she lay alone among the weeds, surrounded by countless tiny, unnamed flowers.
I reached out and pinched a flower, then held it to my nose and gently inhaled its delicate fragrance, which was very pleasant.
She stood up, and her carefully dressed outfit looked as if it hadn't been changed in over a decade; the colors had faded, and with a slight pull, her bare skin could be seen.
Looking around, it was still that familiar villa, the island where the original owner had fallen into the mystery. Only, apart from Xiang Wan, there was no one else there.
Stepping into the flower-filled hall, one finds it in a state of disrepair, though glimpses of carefully arranged scenes remain.
Further inside was a bedroom, where an elderly woman, well past seventy, sat with her back to her in a rocking chair. The creaking sounds made the room seem even more dilapidated and run-down.
Slowly approaching the old man, despite the countless wrinkles on his face, Xiang Wan recognized him as Zuo Mu, the man who had proposed to the original owner of this body.
Zuo Mu's cloudy eyes could no longer see what was in front of him. He sat in the rocking chair, as if he were about to die.
"You're out?" Zuo Mu's lips moved, his voice aged. "The first one..."
"Why?"
Even with a thousand words to say, Xiang Wan only managed to utter these three words. Everything has a reason; if one is not seeking something, then one has something to ask for.
"Time flies. It's been so long since I've felt what death is like, cough cough cough..." Zuo Mu's head tilted back, making the rocking chair creak again. "What does it feel like for someone to watch the people around them grow old and die? Helplessness? Powerlessness? Loneliness..."
"I have witnessed many major events: World War II, the invasion of China, nuclear war, massacres... There's nothing wrong with just surviving. The problem is that at certain times, I have to change places and identities. Each time, I'm accompanied by different people, but in the end, I'm always left alone."
When I saw my loved ones grow old and die, I hated myself for not being able to die naturally. God remembers everyone, but he has forgotten me in a corner.
Later, since I couldn't choose death, I chose to live and live the life I had once longed for. But I grew tired of that kind of life.
Until one day, I discovered I could enter other people's dreams, see their hidden secrets, and uncover their subconscious fears. As I watched, I became the master, able to steal time, steal dreams, becoming the most incredible thief of our time.
Zuo Mu turned to Xiang Wan, "I'm curious, you're clearly her, so why do you seem like someone else?"
“That’s what I should be asking you,” Xiang Wan looked up at the window. The sea breeze, carrying moisture, blew into the bedroom, scattering the withered petals on the floor. “Are you still you?”
Zuo Mu let out a long sigh, the signs of aging on his body becoming more and more obvious. "Yes, I've stolen so many people's things. I can't even remember what I used to be like."
In the bedroom, only the creaking of the rocking chair remained.
"If I'm fine, that means you're in trouble. Zuo Mu, are you enjoying being trapped in your own dream world?"
Xiang Wan acted swiftly, plunging an ice spike into his temple.
Zuo Mu's appearance gradually became younger, eventually returning to the way she looked when she first met the original owner.
When he was weaving dreams for Xiang Wan, wasn't he dreaming himself?
Ever since meeting Zuo Mu in that scene, Xiang Wan had been pondering this question. Creating dreams for others requires a tremendous amount of mental and physical energy; where did Zuo Mu get all this energy from? There was only one answer: it was provided by her, Xiang Wan.
Every time she struggled to unravel the mystery, the energy and strength she expended were indirectly absorbed by the dream creator. And in each scene, as soon as she thought of the original owner's suicide and starting over, she would give up and move on to the next scene, continuing to provide nourishment for Zuo Mu.
She is gradually weakening, while Zuo Mu is growing stronger. When she refuses to be manipulated, she will either truly die in the dream, providing Zuo Mu with a large amount of spiritual energy, and eventually become lost in the dream. Or, she will devise a plan to make Zuo Mu believe she is dead, but he will not receive any nourishment from her. In that case, the next dream will shatter, and Zuo Mu, without the energy to sustain him, will be forced to release Xiang Wan.
He clung to a last glimmer of hope, trying to make Xiang Wan believe he had no way out so she would let him go. He was sorely mistaken. Xiang Wan never showed mercy to her enemies; why leave the weeds to sprout again in the spring? She couldn't stay in one world for long, weeding away the weeds.
There is no better way to trap someone in a dream forever than in a vegetative state.
Xiang Wan's needlework was somewhat mysterious; it didn't kill the person outright, but rather targeted off-center spots, ensuring the man didn't die while remaining completely unaware of external stimuli, keeping his brain's nerves in a state of disconnection. Zuo Mu was known for being immortal, wasn't he? Perfect then. Let his body become a prison for his soul, trapping him forever in the dream he wove. In this way, the original owner's wish would be fulfilled.
"Xiao Qi, since he says it's a dream, it's fine if I'm here, but why are you here too?"
If the system can enter dreams, Xiang Wan will truly feel she has no privacy whatsoever. Therefore, it's necessary to clarify this matter.
"You forgot, we are one. When Zuo Mu chooses someone to enter his dream, do you think he would choose to remove other things from that person's brain?"
The system accidentally described itself as something, and it immediately complained that it was the fastest. However, it's best not to let the host know that it voluntarily followed the system into the dream.
Xiang Wan breathed a sigh of relief. What she feared most was that if something inappropriate appeared in her dream, the system would find out and laugh itself to death.
This situation is perfect!
The yacht was still moored at the island's ferry dock. Xiang Wan erased all traces around it before speeding off towards the mainland.
There, people the original owner couldn't bear to leave behind were waiting for her. Since she had accepted the mission, she should try her best to do it perfectly, so that it would be beneficial and harmless.
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