Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Not long after, the door to the room was pushed open again, and Gulu returned.

In stark contrast to her hasty departure, as if she wanted to kick the door open, Gulu's movements now revealed a sense of caution.

She gently placed the wooden box on the low table in the center of the room, took a deep breath, and the playfulness and resentment on her face disappeared, replaced by a resolute expression.

She turned to Lin Yi, her tone more formal than ever before: "I'm about to begin."

Lin Yi sat up straight on the sofa, abandoning his somewhat lazy demeanor, and nodded to indicate that he understood.

Since the contract clearly states this, he will naturally fulfill his duty of protection without any compromise.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Stay at the door, don't let anyone or anything disturb me. During this process... I can't be disturbed by anything from the outside."

"During this time, my perception of the outside world will be reduced to a minimum, or even disappear completely. No matter what seems to happen to me, unless I wake up on my own or my life force completely dissipates, do not touch me."

"Okay." Lin Yi replied succinctly, without any unnecessary words.

Trust, at times like these, doesn't need to be built with words.

He got up and walked to the door, his fingers seemingly casually brushing across the door frame and the surrounding walls, several strands of dark soul energy merging into them, like a spider web, quickly forming a hidden surveillance network.

At the same time, several shadowy ninjas emerged from the shadows, bowed silently to him, and then disappeared back into the darkness of the corner of the room, entering a state of alert.

Seeing that everything was ready, Gulu took another deep breath.

She reached out, her fingertips trembling slightly, and opened the dark wooden box.

The box was lined with dark black velvet, and a dagger lay quietly inside.

It wasn't the kind of weapon that exuded a menacing aura. The dagger had a matte, dark silver finish, with an elegant yet dangerous curve to its blade, and a handle that looked like it was made from the black bones of some unknown creature, perfectly fitting the shape of the hand.

What's most striking is the middle of its blade; looking at it for too long gives one the illusion that one's soul is being sucked in.

Gulu stretched out his right hand and grasped the hilt of the dagger.

The instant their fingertips touched, a cold sensation spread up her arm.

Without further hesitation, Gulu gripped the dagger tightly in his right hand and decisively stabbed it into the center of his chest!

Lin Yi saw that the tip of the dagger, upon touching Gulu's clothes and even skin, did not pierce into flesh, but rather disappeared into an invisible ripple, vanishing directly from her chest cavity, with only the hilt remaining outside her body. It looked as if she had personally plunged the dagger into her own heart.

"Uh……"

A very slight gurgling sound came from her throat, and her eyes widened to their maximum size in an instant. Her pupils dilated rapidly in a very short time, losing all focus and luster, becoming as empty and lifeless as glass beads.

Immediately, her body went limp, and she fell straight backward, landing on the soft bed behind her with a thud, after which she remained motionless.

Her breathing became extremely weak and slow, and her heart rate dropped to a near-dormant level. Although she still had a life force, she gave people a sense of emptiness, as if her soul had flown away.

Lin Yi took a few steps closer and stood by the bed to observe it carefully.

Based on his past experience, Gulu's mind and consciousness had been forcibly pulled into a different space or trial scene that belonged exclusively to this profession's heritage by that strange dagger.

This outward manifestation may seem terrifying, but it is actually a high-level operation involving the soul and rules, which cannot be achieved or interfered with by ordinary means.

"I wonder what this guy is going through right now..." Lin Yi had seen too many similar inheritance rituals, which were usually not easy and were often accompanied by huge risks and mental torment.

Judging from Gulu's extremely wary and complicated expression, the inheritance of this "Night Hunter" is probably especially dangerous.

As the tip of the [Kiss of the Night] plunged into his chest, Gulu's consciousness was as if it had been thrown into a high-speed spinning vortex. All his senses were torn apart and shattered in an instant, and then reassembled in a completely different way.

After a brief period of absolute weightlessness and darkness, her "vision" returned.

She found herself standing in a vast, boundless place.

Beneath my feet lay a smooth, mirror-like black ground that reflected no image, stretching to the horizon.

She looked down at herself, her body exhibiting a semi-transparent quality—a pure soul state.

She could clearly feel her own existence, but had lost most of her physical sense of reality.

However, there was no time for her to fully experience this strange state.

Almost at the same moment she regained her senses, an incredibly strong tremor and warning arose from the depths of her soul.

She suddenly looked up and glanced around.

As far as the eye could see, one, two, ten, fifty... a total of ninety-nine figures were slowly emerging from all directions of this dark space, either appearing out of thin air from the distant void or rapidly coalescing from the shadows just a few meters away from her.

Every figure looked exactly like her.

The same semi-transparent soul form, the same height and build, the same facial features, and even the undisguised astonishment, bewilderment, and the murderous intent that quickly emerged and replaced the former two when they first arrived were exactly the same.

One hundred Gulus, one hundred identical souls, stood on this dueling arena.

At this moment, without any prompts or rules, an unmistakable message, like instinct, was directly imprinted on the soul of every "Gulu".

Kill!
Kill all the other "selves"!
Ultimately, only one person can leave this place!

The souls of the losers will be devoured and assimilated, becoming the resources for the growth of the victors.

The victor will absorb everything, complete himself, and thus fully master the true power of the [Kiss of the Night], completing the inheritance.

Once Gollum's soul is "killed" by other Gollums, the consciousness that finally awakens in the body lying in bed in the outside world will no longer be "her," but the victorious clone.

The clone will perfectly inherit all of Gollum's memories, emotions, and even self-awareness; she will believe that she is the real Gollum, without any difference.

The price of failure is the complete annihilation of existence, being perfectly replaced by another "self" from the world, unknown and undetectable to anyone.

call out!
A shadowy figure attacked from the side and behind without warning, wielding a short black dagger formed from soul energy, resembling the [Kiss of the Night], which plunged straight into the back of my ego, Guru.

The battle skipped the initial probing and immediately plunged into the most brutal life-or-death struggle.

Before her id could even think, the fighting instincts honed from years of walking on the edge of life and death had already driven her soul to react.

She spun sideways, narrowly avoiding the fatal stab, while simultaneously conjuring a short, soul-piercing dagger in her right hand, which she then slashed toward the attacker's throat.

scoff!

The attacker's throat was cut open with a deep gash. There was no blood, but her figure became slightly ethereal, and a clear look of surprise flashed in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected her target to react so quickly.

She immediately and decisively abandoned the pursuit, retreating rapidly like a drop of water merging into the ocean, quickly disappearing into the endless darkness behind her, clearly waiting for the next opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

One hundred identical souls, for the sole right to survival, began a silent and brutal hunt for each other.

Outside, Lin Yi retreated to sit down on the sofa, his heart not stirred by much emotion.

Each contractor chooses their own path, where risks and rewards always coexist. All he can do is fulfill the agreement and ensure her physical safety in the outside world.

The room fell into absolute silence for a moment, with only the faint, almost imperceptible sound of gurgling breathing remaining.

Lin Yi snapped his fingers, and a ghostly ninja appeared silently, handing over a sleek and technologically advanced tablet computer.

This is one of Pi Pang's latest research achievements—a portable gaming device that integrates multiple entertainment functions.

According to Fatty Pi himself, it was something he created after deeply studying the data core of a certain technologically derived world and combining it with some of the amusement park's advanced technology. It was specifically designed to help them relax during the long and tedious breaks between tasks.

Of course, it didn't contain the kind of hardcore puzzle games that Su Xiao preferred, the kind that were so difficult they could burn out an average person's CPU. Instead, it featured more action games or strategy games with cool graphics and smooth, straightforward controls.

Lin Yi reached out and took the device, then opened a shooting game with a menacing icon style called "Abyss Rift." He put on his wireless headphones, shutting out the outside world, and began to immerse himself in the game.

For Lin Yi, this kind of simple and direct violent aesthetic is what a game should be. What about puzzle games? Are those even meant to be played? They're just pure brain torture.

Time passed quietly in the silence, the light outside the window gradually changed, from bright to dim, and finally disappeared into the deep night. During this time, Lin Yi was not completely engrossed in the game.

Every now and then, he would look up and glance at Gulu on the bed to make sure that there was nothing wrong with her vital signs.

After about half a day, Lin Yi logged out of the game and stretched his stiff neck a little.

He glanced at Gulu, who remained motionless as if asleep, and decided not to waste this time of protection, so he entered the Nightmare Realm again to explore.

With the Ghost Legion guarding the perimeter and entrance, safety is greatly guaranteed.

With a thought, he took out the oddly shaped metal helmet, put it on, and adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable on the sofa.

A familiar, slight dizziness and a sense of spatial shift immediately followed, and consciousness began to drift away.

……

When Lin Yi opened his eyes again, he found himself in a desolate, vast plain covered with dark red gravel.

The sky was a perpetually dusky yellow, with strange sculptures resembling a mixture of biological skeletons and rocks scattered sparsely at the horizon, and a dry, dusty smell permeating the air.

"A new random location..." Lin Yi wasn't surprised; the Nightmare Space he entered each time seemed to be random.

He did not act immediately, but first sensed his surroundings.

After confirming that there was no immediate threat, he began summoning the Shadow Legion's soldiers.

In an instant, swarms of ghostly ninjas emerged from the shadows of the ground, centered on him, and knelt before him awaiting his orders.

"Spread out and explore this area. Collect all valuable items, mark dangerous areas, eliminate small groups of monsters immediately, and report any overwhelming enemies you encounter," Lin Yi issued a concise order.

The shadow legions silently obeyed the order, and the next moment they scattered in all directions, instantly merging into this desolate Nightmare Plain.

Lin Yi himself found a shady spot on a huge rock and sat down. He even took out his Pippo game console and continued playing his game while roughly sensing the vision and gains of the legion units through the mental link.

This highly efficient "AFK" farming method is something other contractors probably wouldn't even dare to dream of.

In the following period, Lin Yi entered the Nightmare Realm twice more, landing inside a huge abandoned library and in a swamp with extremely low visibility, respectively.

Relying on the Shadow Legion's tireless and efficient exploration and collection, his gains were astonishing, and he also successfully maxed out the talent progress in this world.

Large quantities of basic materials and some special items were continuously sent back to him.

Among them, the most valuable items are:
【Gloomy Grass】

Origin: Nightmare Realm, Shadow Swamp

Quality: Epic
Type: Materials/Rare Plants

Effects: Direct consumption can slightly nourish the soul and stabilize the mind. It is one of the core main ingredients for refining "High-level Soul Restoration Potions" and "Soul Condensation Potions," and can also be used for enchanting or tempering certain special equipment.

Rating: 689
Description: A strange plant that grows in the cracks between the shadows of nightmares and reality; its faint light is the best comfort for the soul.

[Nightmare Crystallization]

Origin: Any area surrounding the City of Sleep in the Nightmare Realm

Quality: Legendary to Epic (based on purity and energy reserves)

Type: Energy Crystal

Effects: Contains pure and highly concentrated spiritual and nightmare energy. Soul, perception, and mental professions can directly absorb it to permanently enhance soul strength, mental attributes, and maximum mental power. It also significantly increases resistance to environments such as dreams, illusions, and mental pollution.

Rating: 681
Description: The essence of nightmares is a treasure more precious than gold to those who need it.

Soul Dust

Origin: Nightmare Realm - Ancient Library

Quality: Purple to Epic

Type: Consumables
Effect: Glowing particles formed from the dissipation of fragile nightmare creatures or condensation under special conditions. Direct absorption can slightly increase soul strength (only effective for units with soul strength below 100 points). It can also be used as a catalyst for crafting certain soul potions or drawing soul runes.

Rating: 631
Brief introduction: As small as dust, yet reflecting the light of the soul.

[Memory Fragments (Unidentified)]

Origin: Nightmare Realm, Any Area

Quality: White ~ ? ? ?

Type: Special Information Item

Effect: A peculiar crystallization of intense emotions or fragmented knowledge. Use may yield incomplete skill scrolls, rare recipes, or hidden quest information, or it may simply be a useless, noisy memory or whisper. Its value fluctuates wildly.

score:? ? ?
Synopsis: Who are you? Who am I? Whose past is hidden in these fragments? Shall we take a gamble?

Each time Lin Yi returned from the Nightmare Realm, he would sell the materials, cigarettes, and some other items that he no longer needed to Bliss.

He deliberately controlled the quantity of each shipment to be inconsistent, sometimes more and sometimes less, giving people the feeling that "the results of his exploration were unstable and depended on luck".

Bliss would smile so broadly every time he received the goods that he was extremely satisfied with Lin Yi's ability to consistently provide these in-demand supplies.

After a transaction was completed, Bliss finally couldn't resist looking around and asked in a low voice, "Have you found a new 'point'?"

In the slang of the City of Sleep, "point" usually refers to the entrance to the Nightmare Realm that is not controlled by a major organization and can produce specific rare resources.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi wore a mysterious expression that neither confirmed nor denied, and simply said, "Knowing too much about some things is not necessarily a good thing. Maintaining our current cooperation model is better for everyone."

The experienced Bliss man immediately understood Lin Yi's unspoken meaning—it was almost an admission that he controlled a special resource point, but he refused to reveal any details and implicitly warned him not to try to find out or investigate further.

"Understood, understood!" Bliss nodded vigorously, his face beaming with understanding. "Hehe, I've been too talkative, too talkative. Don't worry, I know the rules! We'll only talk about the deal, not the source! Haha, only the deal!"

He was convinced that Lin Yi had absolutely struck it lucky and discovered an extremely special spatial entrance with a stable output; otherwise, there was no way to explain the continuous appearance of these uniformly styled "foreign" supplies.

Such things were not unprecedented in the long and chaotic history of the City of Sleep. He even began to imagine that there might be a river flowing with various brands of cigarettes, or a forest full of strange tobacco leaves in that space...

With this "reasonable" explanation he had come up with in his own mind, Bliss felt more at ease and looked forward to Lin Yi's continuous delivery of goods, and his attitude became more attentive and enthusiastic, and the transaction price became more "fair".

With this strategy of steady and consistent growth and strict control over shipments, Lin Yi's contribution value account steadily increased, breaking through the 200,000 mark in just two days.

He didn't rush to exchange for the supplies on the list. Instead, he wanted to see if his contribution points could be increased to unlock some higher-level hidden privileges, which might allow him to exchange for more advanced items.

During this time, he also took some time to consume and absorb a portion of [Gloomy Grass] and a small piece of [Nightmare Crystal], wanting to test their effects.

The park's notification indicated that these items offered him minimal improvement, almost negligible.

[Note: The hunter has absorbed the essence of 'Gloomy Grass,' resulting in a slight increase in mental resilience.]

[Note: The Hunter has absorbed the energy of the 'Nightmare Crystal,' permanently increasing their Mental Resistance by 5 points.]

Seeing these prompts, Lin Yi put away the remaining [Gloomy Grass] and [Nightmare Crystal]. Although these items were useless to Lin Yi, they were undoubtedly priceless treasures for other soul or spirit-type contractors.

Just as Lin Yi finished his fourth exploration and returned from the Nightmare Realm, and was about to look up and check on Gulu's status as usual—

On the bed, the empty shell that had lost its soul suddenly stirred.

Guru's eyelashes trembled violently. Then, she gasped sharply, her chest heaving, as if a drowning person had finally surfaced before suffocating. She suddenly opened her eyes!
Her pupils, after an initial dilation, quickly focused, but a trace of indelible weariness lingered deep within.

She subconsciously looked down at her chest.

The "Kiss of the Night" emerged from her chest cavity like a phantom, eventually detaching from her body and quietly hovering in front of her chest.

The dagger's shape subtly changed, then it transformed into a dark streak of light, disappearing into her palm with a "whoosh" and vanishing. (End of Chapter)