Chapter 173: Hallucination

Yes, Su Mu was starved for love. 

Ever since Luo Jialan left, she had become a highly love-deprived little girl.

Whenever night fell, a deep sense of emptiness would well up inside her.

It was like a dam—under normal operation, water must be released at intervals to keep the dam stable, but if, at any moment, the release stopped, the mounting pressure would eventually burst through, unleashing a torrent.

So now she had to handle this leakage crisis by herself, relying on her nimble, delicate hands!

When the light went out, the hazy moonlight draped around her toes like a veil, outlining a beauty no fabric could rival. 

The shadows didn’t render everything bleak; instead, they added a touch of mysterious allure.

A thin blanket separated passion and tranquility. 

To outsiders, she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but a slight lift of her messy pink hair would reveal skin burning hotter than fire, dampening even the clothes against her body.

Even though she was alone, even though her sight offered little stimulation, what was lacking was made up for by the imagination—humankind’s greatest, most distinct gift compared to animals.

Mmm, after a day’s exhaustion and bitterness, she was finally about to reap the most satisfying reward!

This was the best lullaby, the ultimate way to relax…

“Bang!”

The loud crash at the door startled Su Mu, making her body jolt and her legs clamp tightly around the thin summer blanket—so flimsy, it revealed the delicate curve of her petite frame more than her sleepwear.

But Ye Wanqing, who barged in, had no interest in such things. 

After all, she was just a twelve-year-old loli right now.

What troubled her was something else entirely.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Su Mu pouted at Ye Wanqing, who was rubbing her eyes, feigning a spoiled tone. 

In that instant, she felt utterly undone, as if all the blood in her body had started flowing backwards, sending a chill from her toes to her scalp.

“I, I…” Ye Wanqing stammered, not answering, and just kept trying to burrow into Su Mu’s bed. 

The latter began to struggle even harder.

Su Mu shoved the loli Ye Wanqing away, so flustered she barely knew what to do with her hands and feet.

She didn’t even like being bundled up while sleeping, let alone under these special circumstances.

“Wait, don’t tell me you’re scared to sleep alone?”

Ye Wanqing started to nod, then shook her head.

“No way, it’s just… Whenever I close my eyes, monsters come crawling out of the darkness around me. If I fall asleep, they’ll hurt me, so I just can’t sleep.”

Su Mu pursed her lips, then let out a soft sigh.

“Go out for now.”

‘How could someone tell such a wild lie? Why don’t I have such a vivid imagination?’

Ye Wanqing stood there in a daze, thinking she’d been rejected. 

Su Mu couldn’t see her expression, but could sense a kind of silent grievance radiating from her.

“Ugh, fine, I’ll sleep with you—no, I’ll keep watch for you. Sleep peacefully; I won’t let any monsters hurt you, okay? But you have to go out for now.”

Ye Wanqing froze, then nodded hurriedly, afraid Su Mu would change her mind, and scurried out, closing the door behind her.

“What a handful.” Su Mu pulled up her pajama pants, grumbling internally, yet she didn’t refuse.

‘Who made her end up this way because of me? Strangely, it felt a little like “she’s my responsibility” déjà vu.’

‘Taking care of a kid is such a hassle.’

“All done?”

“Come in.”

Once permitted, Ye Wanqing bounced right back in, squeezed into Su Mu’s blanket, curling up like a wet little puppy. 

In seconds, she’d stolen the whole blanket for herself.

A cool breeze blew across Su Mu’s stomach, so chilly it drove away any sleepiness. 

She grabbed one end of the blanket and yanked hard, sending Ye Wanqing rolling several times with the blanket.

“Half for each of us.”

Ye Wanqing pouted in protest, then, as if in retaliation, snuggled right into Su Mu’s arms, making Su Mu’s face flush instantly.

“Behave yourself, or you can sleep alone.”

With that threat, Ye Wanqing settled down and stopped squirming against her, allowing Su Mu to breathe easy and settle in herself.

Who knew how long this would go on?

‘According to Mi Xian, the monsters had started stirring again because the Monster King had messed up again, the Monster Association’s authority and ability to restrain the monsters had dropped sharply.’

‘Another attack could happen any day now.’

‘Speaking of which, where had Edma gone? Had Motes taken her away again?’

When could she go home to see her mom?

Su Mu’s breathing grew slow and steady. 

With the quiet atmosphere and this warm, soft pillow in her arms, she soon drifted off to sleep.

Her grogginess didn’t last long—she quickly fell into a dream.

But what greeted her wasn’t the familiar sofa corner, but a scene that resembled a hospital.

White walls on all sides. 

The occasional window brought in no sunlight; beyond the glass was just another wall.

She was wearing a white lab coat, standing there blankly, momentarily at a loss.

‘Where is this place?’

“Little Su Mu, it seems you’ve accidentally wandered into Miti’s dream.”

“Huh?” Su Mu was dumbfounded. 

‘Was it possible to “cross over” in dreams?’

“It’s probably because her situation is a bit unusual now. Her dream barriers are unusually thin. Out of closeness to you, she’s pulled you into her dream. So, why not have a look around?”

Su Mu nodded and randomly picked a direction to walk in.

But after only a few steps, she bumped into a petite girl.

Gray hair, gray eyes, a hint of a smile. 

Petite, a bit comical—though she also wore a white lab coat, Su Mu recognized her instantly.

“Tang Nai? Why are you here?”

“Oh, you mean me?” The girl slowly looked up, surprise in her eyes. 

She seemed puzzled by Su Mu’s reaction.

“Is there anyone else here?”

The girl seemed uncomfortable with Su Mu being so close, so she took a step back before replying.

“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. I’m Tang Nai’s third younger sister, my name is Tang Yin.”

At that, Su Mu’s brows rose.

‘Tang Nai has a little sister?’

She’d thought Tang Nai’s family had no one left—that would explain her awfulness.

“Do you know Ye Wanqing?”

Tang Yin ignored Su Mu’s question and instead circled around her, heading forward.

“That’s not something you need to worry about. Go back to your post.”

“Huh?”

‘How rude—no better than her sister. Clearly the whole family was cut from the same cloth.’

“Are you looking for me, your great lady?”bAt that moment, a childish voice rang out. 

Around the corner ahead, a little red-haired head suddenly popped up.

Ye Wanqing was grinning widely, and for a moment, Su Mu sensed pure innocence on her face.

‘No, this isn’t a dream. This is a ™ hallucination.’